Assistant Director of Culture and Engagement

A standout leadership opportunity at Samaritans. Samaritans is looking for an Assistant Director of Culture and Engagement to lead how we connect with, listen to and create inclusivity for our people (staff and volunteers) at a pivotal moment for the organisation. This is a 13-month maternity cover, offering a rare opportunity to step into a senior, high profile leadership role at one of the UK and Ireland's most trusted charities.

For the right person, this role will be a powerful addition to your CV, demonstrating your ability to lead culture, internal engagement, EDI and change at senior leadership level, within a complex, purpose-led organisation with people and connection at its heart. As Samaritans continues a period of transformation and growth, this role is integral to our journey. You will shape our internal narrative, deepen engagement, and unite our people behind a shared culture, ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion remain central throughout our ambitious change programme.

Leading two high-performing teams as a single department (internal communications and engagement, and culture and inclusion) alongside their Heads of Team, you will play a pivotal role in embedding cultural change, advising on change management, strengthening two-way communication, and ensuring our people feel connected to our mission every day.

At Samaritans, our people are our strength. This role exists to ensure every colleague and volunteer feels a sense of belonging, and that they are heard and valued, because when our people feel connected, we can better support those who need us most in our life-saving mission to prevent suicide.

Contract terms

• 13-month fixed-term contract (maternity cover)
• £75,000 per annum, plus benefits
• Full-time is 35 hours per week, but we are passionate about flexible working, please talk to us about what works best for you
• Hybrid working: linked to our Ewell (Surrey) office, with a blend of home working and access to offices in Ewell and London Bridge
• In-person working: collaboration matters to us. We typically work in person around once a week.

What you will be doing

• Leading Samaritans' internal communications and people engagement strategy, building trust, clarity and alignment across the organisation
• Driving cultural change, bringing people together around shared purpose and evolving ways of working
• Leading for equity, diversity and inclusion ensuring this is embedded across all aspects of our transformation programme and furthering our EDI commitment
• Partnering closely with Executive and Senior Leadership to shape communication and change management around transformation, change programmes and organisation-wide initiatives
• Strengthening two-way communication, ensuring our people have a voice and that feedback and listening are embedded and acted upon
• Overseeing people surveys and engagement insight to track progress, inform leadership decisions and support wellbeing
• Supporting leadership visibility and connection, translating strategy into meaningful day-to-day experience

About you

• You are a strategic, senior leader, with a strong track record of engaging people through change
• You have significant experience working in large, complex or matrixed organisations, and delivering success
• You are motivated by purpose, people and culture, and understand how engagement and inclusion build trust, belonging and shared identity
• You are confident leading for EDI, with demonstrable experience of bringing about tangible change, overcoming challenges and creating inclusion across a broader organisation
• You are confident influencing and advising senior leaders, balancing empathy with clarity, particularly in sensitive or high impact situations
• You lead teams with care, ambition and inclusivity, creating environments where people feel empowered to do their best work.

About Samaritans

You will be joining a values-led organisation with a powerful mission: reducing suicide and supporting people when they need it most. We offer flexible hybrid working, excellent benefits, and the opportunity to make a genuine, life-saving impact through your leadership. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation. We particularly welcome applications from disabled, racialised minority and LGBTQ+ candidates, who are currently under-represented at Samaritans.

Further information about Samaritans, including our values, structure, benefits and application process can be found in our recruitment brochure and on our careers website.

Ready to make your mark?

If you are looking for a short-term senior role with long-term impact, and the chance to lead connection, engagement, inclusion and belonging at a moment that truly matters, we would love to hear from you.

How to apply

Please complete the online application form including the questions outlined here, and submit these along with your CV, with a brief supporting statement.

• Please give an example of how you have led internal engagement and advised on change management to support an organisation through transformation. What was your approach and impact, and in what role or organisation? (300 words max)
• Share an example of how you have led Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and created inclusive spaces within the wider organisation to bring about change? (300 words)
• Describe how you see the role of culture in supporting a high performing organisation, and what key factors you see as critical to achieving this? (300 words)

We kindly ask that you do not rely on AI tools to generate application or interview answers. We want to see your thinking, writing style and ideas.

Applications close: 23:59 Sunday 15 February 2026

Interviews: Virtual Interviews: Monday 23, Tuesday 24, or Friday 27 February 2026. Second-stage interviews in person, at our Ewell office: Wednesday 4 March. Please note that due to staff availability, it may not be possible to offer alternative interview dates so please hold these dates if applying.

Proposed start date: Tuesday 7 April 2026