Mary’s Meals is a global movement supported by people from all walks of life and we are focused on one goal – that every child receives a nutritious daily meal in a place of education. We offer more than just a career, we offer the opportunity to support our global movement in a dynamic and inclusive environment with a real focus on personal development.
We are delighted to be recruiting for Head of Northern Ireland to be the senior ambassador and strategic leader for Mary’s Meals across Northern Ireland.
While playing a key role within the wider Development Directorate, you will guide how Mary’s Meals is seen, understood, and felt in Northern Ireland – shaping our public profile, driving sustained income growth, and building the partnerships and grassroots energy needed to grow our movement.
Working cross-directorate to create and deliver a fundraising growth strategy for Northern Ireland, rooted in regional insight, cultural understanding, and community needs, and aligned with the global and national strategy.
Working with the Communications team, shape a clear and compelling narrative, respecting the nation’s strong identity.
Identify emerging opportunities across Northern Ireland, including diocesan networks, local relationships, and regional giving patterns, adjusting plans quickly to drive maximum impact.
Serve as the senior MMUK representative in Northern Ireland, ensuring activity aligns with the national organisational strategy.
Act as the leading spokesperson for Mary’s Meals in Northern Ireland, representing the charity to churches, schools, local authorities, individuals, universities, and community or business networks.
Spend focused time externally; networking, nurturing partnerships and driving growth through representing the charity at events, meetings, faith gatherings, conferences, and civic forums.
Proactively cultivate, pursue, and develop fundraising opportunities via networking and outreach with the aim of securing support for our school feeding programme.
Develop and maintain a robust national growth pipeline, ensuring proactive identification, cultivation, conversion, and stewardship of opportunities.
Significant focus on the growth and development of new Volunteer Fundraising Groups in counties across Northern Ireland.
Line manage and coach a Regional Development Officer, enabling them to become a confident, high‑performing fundraiser.
Serve as a trusted media spokesperson for press, broadcast, and faith media when required.
Work closely with the Communications team to provide compelling local supporter stories, impactful moments, and local activity to showcase.
Shape national to local messaging so that campaigns resonate with audiences across Northern Ireland.
Please see the recruitment pack below for the full list of duties.
- Based in Northern Ireland. Willing and able to be visible across the nation, with regular travel and some evening or weekend work.
- Strategic planner who can translate vision into a focused regional plan for your team.
- Experience in Volunteer mobilisation, including recruiting and directing volunteers to extend reach.
- Proven record of leading external-facing growth or fundraising in a region or nation, with clear income or partnership results.
- Experienced in creating, developing and deepening relationships with individuals and organisations.
- Experience of developing first-class supporter journeys, products and propositions.
- Knowledge of the faith landscape and confidence in engaging faith leaders.
- Sound knowledge of legislation, regulations and financial issues related to fundraising.
- Ability to establish, develop and nurture collaborative relationships at all levels.
- Proven experience acting as a visible and credible spokesperson and can confidently represent Mary’s Meals across all media channels, and in person.
- Confident making values-led asks and stewarding high-value relationships, with strong public speaking and media comfort.
- Strong people leader and coach, able to build a confident asking culture and raise performance across a small team.
- Confident in engaging with a wide range of people and organisations, including faith groups, schools, community groups, businesses and more.
- Deep alignment with Mary’s Meals’ values and relationship-led approach.
- Driven fundraiser, capable of cultivating, identifying and developing opportunities from nothing, working proactively with an entrepreneurial approach to network building and engagement of new supporters.
- Comfortable networking, acting as Mary’s Meals spokesperson.
- Experience cultivating opportunities into active supporters.
- Motivated to deliver the growth needed to enable us to reach more children, while working collaboratively and in keeping with values.
See the recruitment pack below for more information.
How to apply
To apply for the role of Head of Northern Ireland based at Mary’s Meals UK, please send a tailored CV and covering letter or 2–3-minute video to: Jobs@marysmeals.org
Your covering letter or video should make a compelling case for why you feel motivated to apply for this role within Mary’s Meals UK, as well as giving a concise overview of your most relevant skills and experience, and should fill no more than two pages of A4.
Applicants must hold full right to work in the UK.
We welcome applications from candidates of all different backgrounds and identities to apply. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse charity providing a supportive place for you to do the best and most rewarding work of your career.
Closing date for applications is Tuesday, 24 March 2026.
Interviews will commence week commencing 30th March 2026. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.