Stakeholder Engagement Manager

Contract duration: fixed-term for 12 months, with potential for extension.

Line managed by: Head of Policy & Engagement.

Line management responsibilities: Engagement & Membership Officer.

Location: Hybrid within the UK, with one day/week at GISF’s London office.

Salary: Starting at £43,000.

Travel: Occasional travel up to 6 weeks per year.

Position subject to funding.

About GISF:

The Global Interagency Security Forum (GISF) is a member-led NGO network working to strengthen security risk management across the humanitarian and development sectors. With over 150 member organisations, GISF provides resources, convening spaces, and expertise to help keep aid workers safe.

About the role:

The operating environment of NGOs is changing rapidly. From increasingly complex security risks to eroding respect for International Humanitarian Law, NGOs are facing challenges that require greater collaboration than ever before to sustain safe delivery of aid. GISF plays a unique role on behalf of NGOs in bringing together UN agencies, donors, governments and other partners to develop practical, collective approaches to strengthening security risk management.

As GISF’s work continues to grow, we are expanding our external engagement function. This new role has been created to advance the delivery of GISF’s engagement portfolio, developing strategic partnerships, programme managing major convenings and translating organisational priorities into collaborative action.

Working closely with the Head of Policy & Engagement, the Stakeholder Engagement Manager will lead engagement across GISF’s policy and programme portfolio, building relationships that strengthen GISF’s influence and ensuring our convenings and partnerships deliver meaningful impact for members and the wider sector.

A significant focus of the role will be leading stakeholder engagement for GISF’s work on the growing humanitarian impact of armed drones through the inter-agency Drones Roadmap and Action Framework. Working with NGOs, UN agencies, donors, governments, researchers and non-traditional partners, the postholder will help coordinate one of GISF’s flagship international initiatives, strengthening collaboration around one of the fastest-evolving challenges facing humanitarian organisations.

This is a highly collaborative and outward-facing role, suited to someone who enjoys building partnerships, identifying opportunities and working across policy, operations and programme delivery. The successful candidate will be comfortable working independently, taking ownership of complex workstreams and helping to shape an expanding area of GISF’s work.

As a small organisation operating in a rapidly evolving policy environment, the successful candidate will have significant scope to shape the role, identify new opportunities for collaboration and help develop future areas of GISF’s engagement work.

• Build and manage strategic relationships with partners including NGOs, UN agencies, national and local actors, NGO coordination mechanisms, commercial partners, and other key stakeholders that support GISF’s policy, programme, and operational priorities.
• Develop stakeholder engagement approaches that strengthen collaboration across GISF’s programmes and initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for collaboration that strengthen GISF’s influence, reach, and advance GISF member interests.
• Represent GISF in external meetings, networks, and sector forums, building relationships and identifying opportunities for collective action.
• Coordinate partner engagement across multiple grants and projects to ensure a coherent and strategic approach.
• Lead GISF’s commercial engagement, acting as the primary relationship manager for existing commercial partners and developing a pipeline of prospective partners aligned with GISF’s values and strategic priorities.
• Oversee the delivery of GISF’s commercial partnership programme, ensuring effective outreach and fulfilment of sponsorship commitments, working closely with the Membership and Engagement Officer.
• Work closely with the Head of Policy & Engagement to support high-level external engagement and develop strategic partnerships.
• Coordinate engagement across the Drones Roadmap work programme, ensuring effective planning, communication, and collaboration between partners and workstreams.
• Support ongoing collaboration, knowledge exchange, and shared learning across participating organisations.
• Support implementation of the Drones Roadmap, including coordinating steering group meetings, tracking actions, and maintaining momentum across partner organisations.
• Identify and engage non-traditional partners (e.g., technology, innovation, and research communities) to support forward-looking solutions.
• Provide strategic oversight of GISF’s engagement portfolio, working closely with the Engagement and Membership Officer who leads the operational coordination of member engagement, logistics, and event delivery.
• Lead the programme management of key events, including the GISF Global Security Conference and strategic convenings.
• Monitor progress, risks, and learning across the engagement portfolio, identifying opportunities to strengthen impact and improve ways of working.

Policy & Advocacy support:

• Develop stakeholder engagement plans that support GISF’s policy and advocacy priorities.
• Monitor external developments, emerging partnerships, and opportunities that strengthen GISF’s influencing work.
• Support the delivery of advocacy and influencing initiatives through strategic stakeholder engagement and convening.
• Coordinate engagement around major policy moments, consultations, and international processes, ensuring effective follow-up and collaboration across partners.

Person specification:

• Significant experience in stakeholder engagement, partnerships, or external relations within the humanitarian, development, or policy sector.
• Proven experience building and managing relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, including NGOs, donors, UN agencies, and/or private sector actors.
• Experience planning and delivering high-profile events, convenings, or collaborative initiatives.
• Experience contributing to policy, advocacy, or influencing work.
• Experience working within a membership organisation, network, consortium, or similar (desirable).

Skills and competencies:

• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and credibility with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strong judgement, tact, and diplomacy when navigating sensitive issues and competing perspectives.
• Clear and confident written and verbal communication, adapting style to different audiences and contexts.
• Strong facilitation and convening skills, bringing together diverse stakeholders and maintaining momentum.
• Demonstrated organisational and programme management experience, maintaining oversight of multiple workstreams, priorities, and deadlines.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and operate in a fast-paced environment.
• High level of organisational awareness and ability to work collaboratively across teams.

What you’ll get:

• Being part of a small, friendly, fast-paced team, where your contributions are immediately impactful.
• 25 days of annual leave increasing annually after 2 years, up to a maximum of 30 days (plus bank holidays).
• Office shutdown between Christmas and New Year.
• Employer Pension contributions of 5%.
• The opportunity to work with and support over 150 leading NGOs in the humanitarian, development and human rights sectors.

Closing date: 21 August 2026 (applications reviewed on a rolling basis). This post is UK-based. Candidates will need to show evidence of their eligibility to work in the UK. Further information will be provided when an offer of employment is made.