Academic development manager jobs in Manchester

Salford CVS is recruiting a Volunteering Development Worker (Women and Girls in Football) to lead our work in increasing the participation of women and girls in off-pitch volunteering roles across grassroots football in Salford. This new role has been created in alignment with The FA’s priorities to strengthen inclusive volunteer pathways and ensure club and league environments are welcoming, supportive and accessible for female volunteers.

The main purpose of the post is to increase the number of female volunteers in off-pitch roles across grassroots football in Salford by supporting clubs, leagues, sessional football providers and community groups to create, promote and sustain inclusive volunteer opportunities. The role will coordinate learning and development for volunteers, help organisations understand their volunteer needs, and strengthen their capacity to recruit, retain and recognise women and girls in volunteering.

You will use Salford CVS’s established volunteering expertise to support England Accredited clubs, leagues and sessional football providers to attract, recruit and retain more female volunteers. This includes addressing known barriers such as lack of visible role models, sex-based discrimination, childcare demands that fall disproportionately on women, limited flexibility and traditional recruitment practices that may favour men.

Working in connection with our Volunteer Centre and wider Active Communities teams, you will join a service that already supports hundreds of organisations to develop safe and high-quality volunteering opportunities, matches hundreds of residents to roles, and delivers a wide range of volunteering training and good-practice guidance. You will also work closely with local partners, including Salford Community Leisure, GM Moving, Manchester FA and VCSE partners to ensure a coordinated and impactful approach.

The role will involve building strong relationships with clubs and leagues, engaging women and girls through targeted outreach in multiple settings (for example, community events, education environments, VCSE spaces, etc.), supporting grassroots clubs to understand their volunteer needs and barriers, and developing sustainable volunteer plans that help address these. You will deliver both FA and Salford CVS-designed training, increasing access to high-quality learning and development across the grassroots football ecosystem.

You will also connect to our wider engagement in the physical activity agenda in Salford, particularly the Place Partnership, a programme helping to lower barriers to physical activity and get Salford residents moving more.

Hours: 18 hours per week (excluding breaks), to be worked over 3–4 days.

Contract: Until 30th June 2028, subject to the successful completion of a 6-month probationary period.

About you

This position will suit someone passionate about widening access to volunteering, confident in engaging diverse communities, and skilled in helping organisations embed inclusive, flexible and sustainable volunteer practices. You will play a central part in shaping a long-term cultural shift within grassroots football, supporting clubs and leagues to broaden volunteering participation, strengthen their volunteering culture and create off-pitch roles where women and girls can thrive.

To get a fuller flavour of our work and to apply for this position, please visit our website via the Apply button.

Closing date: Noon on 1st April 2026.
Interview date: 9th April 2026.

Salary: Up to £42,440 GBP gross per annual (dependent on experience)

Hours: Full-time

Duration: Permanent

Location: UK-Med Office, Manchester, UK with hybrid working (approximately 30% on-site)

Can you guide leaders through complex people challenges while strengthening HR compliance across a global organisation?

UK-Med is a frontline medical aid charity. Born of the NHS, we’ve been working for over 30 years towards a world where everyone has the healthcare they need when crises or disasters hit.

As UK-Med continues to grow and expand its global humanitarian response, we are strengthening our people practices to ensure they remain fair, consistent, and compliant across the countries where we operate. In this context, the Employee Relations & HR Compliance Manager will play a pivotal role in driving high standards of HR practice across the organisation.

You will lead on complex employee relations matters, including investigations, disciplinary and grievance cases, performance concerns, and organisational change processes. Acting as a trusted advisor to managers and leaders, you will ensure that people decisions are fair, consistent, and aligned with UK employment law and international HR standards.

Alongside employee relations leadership, you will oversee HR compliance and governance processes, ensuring that employment practices, documentation, and HR record management meet legal, audit, donor, and organisational requirements across multiple countries. You will work closely with senior HR colleagues to maintain compliant policies, support safeguarding investigations where required, and strengthen HR systems and processes that support a growing international workforce.

This role will collaborate closely with the Director of People, Heads of HR, recruitment and payroll teams, providing expert advice and coaching to managers while promoting a culture of accountability, transparency, and respect.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced HR professional who thrives on solving complex people challenges, strengthening organisational governance, and supporting leaders in a fast-paced humanitarian environment. Your work will play a key role in ensuring UK-Med continues to operate as a fair, compliant, and people-centred organisation as we deliver life-saving healthcare to communities affected by crises.

We offer a competitive salary and benefits, a collaborative environment, and the opportunity to make a meaningful difference through humanitarian work. UK-Med is an ambitious and expanding organisation, and this role offers a unique opportunity to shape the organisation’s employee relations and compliance practices as we continue to grow

How to apply

We strongly recommend that you read the Candidate Information Pack – ER & HR Compliance Manager - March2026 before applying.

To apply, please complete the questions and submit your CV through our Online Jobs Portal as soon as possible.

Applications must be submitted no later than 30th March, 2026.

UK-Med is committed to safeguarding of our personnel and beneficiaries and has a zero-tolerance approach to sexual exploitation and abuse. We conduct thorough vetting before any appointment is confirmed.

UK-Med is committed to the principles of diversity, equality, and inclusion. We strive to provide an inclusive and supportive environment where employees feel respected and supported to be able to fulfil their potential.

Grade: NJC Point 31 - £25,062.60 per annum (FTE £41,771)

Hours: 22.5 hours per week (excluding breaks)

Days: To be worked over 3-4 days; one day must include a full day on a Monday (core hours are worked between 8am - 10am and 4pm - 6pm Monday to Friday)

Contract: Permanent contract, subject to funding and the successful completion of a 6-month probationary period

Responsible to: Director of Finance and Resources

Place of work: In person at Salford CVS’ offices in Eccles, Salford, M30 0FN

Make a difference. Shape our future. Join Salford CVS.

We’re looking for an experienced and motivated Finance Manager to play a key role in strengthening the financial leadership and sustainability of Salford CVS as we continue to grow our programmes and impact across the city.

This newly created role is an exciting opportunity for someone who wants to use their financial expertise to support the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector in Salford - and contribute to an organisation with a long and proud 100‑year history of making a difference.

You’ll join a supportive, collaborative and values‑driven team, working closely with the Director of Finance & Resources to ensure our financial systems, processes and reporting remain robust, accurate and fit for the future.

About you

We’re looking for someone with:

• Strong experience in charity finance, management accounts and financial reporting
• Knowledge of fund accounting and internal financial controls
• Experience of UK payroll processes
• Excellent accuracy, analytical skills and attention to detail
• Confidence using financial systems (Aqilla/Sharperlight desirable)
• A proactive, solution‑focused approach
• Experience supporting others through line management

If you care about your work, enjoy improving systems, and want to support Salford’s vibrant VCSE sector, we’d love to hear from you.

To apply

Please download and complete our application form via the ‘Apply’ button.

Closing date: 12 noon on Friday 13th March 2026
Interviews: In person on Tuesday 24th or Thursday 26th March (PM)

Do you want to work for a dynamic, creative, fast-paced charity?

At Action Together we see the amazing things people achieve when they work together to make the lives of others better. If you share our values: believe it’s possible, strengthen others, and be true, we’d love you to consider joining our team.

Operations Director

The ideal candidate

We are looking for a values‑driven operational leader with significant experience in senior operations, systems, or transformation roles. You will bring strong technical capability in designing and embedding systems and processes, excellent analytical skills, and the ability to produce high‑quality management information for senior leaders and Boards.

You will be an influential communicator who can lead through change, build strong relationships across the organisation, and support others to work in consistent, effective, and collaborative ways. With a strong grasp of governance, risk, compliance, and organisational assurance, you will balance strategic vision with hands‑on delivery. Above all, you will share Action Together’s commitment to social justice, equity, and strengthening people, places, and partnerships

The role

The Operations Director will lead the development, optimisation, and continuous improvement of Action Together’s systems, processes, and organisational infrastructure. Working as part of the Senior Leadership Team, you will co-design, develop, and maintain internal systems and processes that enhance operational delivery and organisational efficiency, ensuring they are fully embedded into day-to-day use with clear ownership, guidance, and effective performance monitoring.

You will oversee core central functions including HR, Communications and Impact, Data Protection and Information Management, and Health & Safety. You will play a key role in internal digital transformation, policy development, risk management, and organisational compliance. You will produce high‑quality management information that supports strategic decision‑making, work closely with Locality Directors to standardise and enhance delivery models. In addition, with reference to our constitution and Scheme of Delegation you will be responsible for supporting governance at Board meetings, and the AGM.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Action Together we value diversity, promote equity and challenge discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. We are committed to ensuring that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race.

In order to ensure that our workforce reflects our communities across all levels of seniority, Action Together is offering a guaranteed interview to any candidate who meets the essential criteria listed in the person specification and who is also:

• A disabled person and/or
• A member of a community experiencing racial inequality

Action Together is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults with whom we work. We expect all of our employees to demonstrate this commitment.

Right to work

We do not hold a Sponsor License and are unable to accept applications which require sponsorship to work in the UK

Please note, the successful candidates will be required to undertake a basic Disclosure and barring Service (DBS) check. A positive Disclosure of Offences will not automatically bar an applicant from being appointed and suitable applicants will not be refused employment because of offences that are not relevant.

We are looking for a Technical Manager: Environmental Impact to join our team and support the development of rigorous analyses that enhance impact methodologies considering topics around the four capitals. In joining us, you will develop a comprehensive and standardized approach to corporate impact valuation in alignment with the vision of Capitals Coalition.

Working closely with internal colleagues and external partners, you will adapt and iterate methodologies based on an evolving corporate disclosure landscape and ongoing learning from market testing of impact valuation. You will also work closely with the Impact Value Standards Board (IVSB) and its secretariat hosted by the Capitals Coalition, with the aim to drive delivery of the IVSB’s mandate.

Collaboration, inclusivity, and meticulous detail are central to our way of working. We are looking for a confident self-starter who is as comfortable with multivariate statistical models (SQL, R, or Python) and GIS mappings as they are communicating those findings to diverse audiences—from investors to academics. If you have a deep interest in Impact Measurement and Management (IMM) and the Capitals Approach, possess the project management skills to thrive in a fast-paced remote environment across multiple time zones, and believe that rigorous research should drive meaningful decision-making, then we want to hear from you.

The final deadline to apply is 5th April 2026. We encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible, as we may close the application process before the stated deadline. Download the job description and learn how to apply on our website.

Do you want to work for a dynamic, creative, fast-paced charity?

At Action Together we see the amazing things people achieve when they work together to make the lives of others better. If you share our values: believe it’s possible, strengthen others, and be true, we’d love you to consider joining our team.

Finance Director

The ideal candidate

We seek a finance leader driven by values, with extensive experience directing finance operations and delivering top-tier financial planning, reporting, and governance. This role requires strong technical accounting abilities, exceptional communication skills, and the talent to explain complex concepts to diverse audiences.

You should be a collaborative, inclusive leader who excels at developing team members, managing risks, negotiating effectively, and guiding the organisation through periods of change. Most importantly, you must be committed to Action Together’s mission of social justice, equity, and community empowerment.

The role

The Finance Director will play a pivotal role in ensuring Action Together remains financially robust, sustainable, and compliant as a charity and employer. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will partner closely with the CEO and Board to shape a resilient business model, strengthen financial governance, and provide strategic direction that supports our mission and values.

You will lead and develop a high performing finance function, oversee annual budgeting and long‑term financial planning, and ensure high‑quality financial insight is available to the CEO, SLT and Board. The Finance Director has responsibility for the production of monthly accounts package, annual audit and statutory accounts, risk management, payroll assurance, investment strategy, and organisational compliance with Companies House, the Charity Commission, and all financial governance requirements.

You will play an integral role in supporting strong governance, working closely with the Treasurer and Board to provide clear, timely, and insightful financial performance updates, forecasts, and risk assessments.

You will also work with the Treasurer to shape investment strategy, strengthen financial controls, and uphold governance across all statutory, regulatory, and organisational requirements

Equality , Diversity and Inclusion

At Action Together we value diversity, promote equity and challenge discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. We are committed to ensuring that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race.

In order to ensure that our workforce reflects our communities across all levels of seniority, Action Together is offering a guaranteed interview to any candidate who meets the essential criteria listed in the person specification and who is also:

• A disabled person and/or
• A member of a community experiencing racial inequality

Action Together is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults with whom we work. We expect all of our employees to demonstrate this commitment.

Right to work

We do not hold a Sponsor License and are unable to accept applications which require sponsorship to work in the UK

Please note, the successful candidates will be required to undertake a basic Disclosure and barring Service (DBS) check. A positive Disclosure of Offences will not automatically bar an applicant from being appointed and suitable applicants will not be refused employment because of offences that are not relevant.

Will you accept the challenge?

Right now, is Manchester’s time to shine. At the end of 2025 we launched our first ever fundraising and volunteering campaign, “ Challenge Accepted”. This campaign, unprecedented in Manchester’s history, will increase both reach and impact, engaging broader audiences and encouraging participation from the University community in fundraising and volunteer activities.

Manchester individuals distinguish themselves through shared values such as integrity, boldness, ambition, and collaboration. We are also united by a pioneering spirit and the determination to effect positive change. If you possess a fearless character, strong optimism, and a commitment to promoting a healthier, fairer, and more sustainable world, we encourage you to contact us.

Details of the role

Reporting to the Head of Philanthropy (Health), and working in a team of major gift fundraisers, you will be responsible for securing six-figure gifts across a range of life-changing priorities spanning students, research and innovation. This post will work closely with colleagues across the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health to deliver major gifts into priority areas including cancer, brain health and health inequalities. The post will support the Division’s efforts to develop and implement the health fundraising strategy in order to significantly increase philanthropic income.

An exceptional major gift fundraiser, you will be responsible for managing a portfolio of relationships to secure six-figure gifts. You will proactively build the pipeline, demonstrating a creative approach to reach potential new donors. You will develop creative and effective engagement, cultivation and stewardship plans that deepen prospect relationships and inspire future support.

You will have experience working within a team whilst working towards personal targets. We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who are results orientated, persuasive and have exceptional negotiation skills.

You will work in collaboration with colleagues in areas including Alumni Engagement, Regular Giving and Donor Relations to identify opportunities to maximise fundraising income and give our donors the very best supporter experience possible. And you’ll work together with colleagues across the University to help embed a culture of fundraising at Manchester.

What you will get in return:

• Fantastic market leading Pension scheme
• Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme
• Exceptional starting annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays
• Additional paid closure over the Christmas period
• Local and national discounts at a range of major retailers, and more.

As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.

Our University is positive about flexible working – you can find out more here.

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.

Please be aware that due to the number of applications we are unfortunately not able to provide individual feedback on your application.

Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.

Any CV’s submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.

Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.

Purpose of the Role

The Clinical & Research Lead role provides senior clinical leadership across Together for Short Lives’ most complex and high-profile programmes. The role leads the design and delivery of national clinical initiatives, strengthens clinical governance and safeguarding oversight, and builds the organisation’s research and evidence capability.

Working closely with the Head of Services & Impact, the postholder ensures programmes are credible, evidence-informed and deliver measurable impact for children, families and the wider sector. The role will lead work that strengthens professional practice, improves outcomes for families, and supports national sector development. The role involves significant external representation, national stakeholder engagement, programme planning, research and data oversight, and leadership of internal and external events.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

· Represent Together for Short Lives in national clinical, policy and professional forums, contributing to the organisation’s credibility and influence across the children’s palliative care sector.

· Lead the planning, coordination and delivery of internally hosted stakeholder meetings, including the Leaders of Care Forum and other professional engagement events.

· Provide professional and reflective input into complex organisational decisions relating to clinical practice, programme design and ethical engagement.

· Build strong relationships with practitioners across health, social care, education and voluntary-sector partners to support implementation of clinical programmes and foster collaboration.

· Engage with Integrated Care Boards, Strategic Clinical Networks, and children’s palliative care providers to ensure our work aligns with national priorities and regional needs.

Programme Leadership & Project Oversight

· Provide senior leadership for the planning, development and delivery of clinical and service-improvement projects, ensuring alignment with organisational strategy.

· Oversee the development of project briefs, initiation documents, outcome measures, risk registers, evaluation plans and implementation timelines.

· Hold responsibility for monitoring progress, quality assurance, and risk management, escalating concerns to the Head of Services & Impact as required.

· Coordinate cross-functional project teams and ensure effective collaboration with external organisations, hospices, NHS partners and charitable funders.

· Ensure projects are delivered within agreed scope, timelines and budgets.

· Support the development of robust programme models, theories of change and outcomes frameworks that strengthen the organisation’s ability to secure external funding.

· Contribute to the development of cases for support and programme proposals in collaboration with fundraising colleagues.

Research, Evidence & Insight

• Lead the organisation’s research prioritisation programme and support development of a national children’s palliative care research agenda.
• Build and maintain relationships with academic partners, research institutions and clinical leaders to strengthen the evidence base for children’s palliative care.
• Support development of evaluation frameworks that demonstrate impact, learning and outcomes across programmes.
• Contribute to the organisation’s longer-term ambition to develop a ‘Centre of Impact’, positioning Together for Short Lives as a national authority on evidence and insight in children’s palliative care.
• Ensure research and evaluation activity is ethically robust, appropriately governed and aligned with sector priorities.

Data, Impact & Reporting

· Provide oversight and leadership for data collection, monitoring and reporting processes across the Services & Impact portfolio.

· Line manage the Data & Impact Officer, ensuring robust reporting systems, high-quality data, and meaningful evaluation of programmes.

· Ensure outputs are translated into insights that demonstrate effectiveness, equity, reach and learning - supporting fundraising, influencing and strategic decision-making.

· Support development of improved feedback mechanisms from families and professionals to evidence the impact of support offers and clinical programmes.

Professional Support, Education & Sector Development

· Contribute to the development and dissemination of clinical resources, guidance, toolkits and training for professionals working with children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.

· Support national programmes of work, including definitions of children’s palliative care, categories of need, standards, workforce development and professional education.

· Facilitate knowledge exchange and best-practice sharing across the sector through networks, events, workshops and targeted professional engagement.

· Deliver presentations, training sessions and clinical briefings to a wide range of audiences.

Family and Service Engagement

· Work with colleagues across the Services & Impact team and external partners to ensure projects reflect the lived experiences and priorities of children and families.

· Support co-production activities and ensure family voice is meaningfully incorporated into project design and evaluation.

· Promote and signpost to the Family Support Hub and relevant offers, ensuring clear and consistent messaging about available support.

Governance, Quality & Reporting

· Provide additional clinical oversight and challenge across the organisation’s work relating to safeguarding, ethical engagement and complex family situations.

· Contribute to strengthening organisational clinical governance processes and risk management.

· Provide expert advice to colleagues on safeguarding, ethical engagement with families, and complex clinical issues arising from programme work. Contribute to internal reporting cycles, board updates, quarterly programme reviews and funder reports.

· Maintain accurate project documentation, data dashboards and risk logs.

· Provide expert advice to colleagues and stakeholders on clinical considerations and best practice in children’s palliative care.

General Responsibilities

· Provide effective line management, supervision and support to allocated staff.

· Attend team meetings, leadership meetings and organisational events as required.

· Commit to continuous professional development and reflective practice.

· Undertake other duties relevant to the role as required by the Head of Services & Impact.

We are seeking an exceptional leader who can act as a credible spokesperson and ambassador for the Catholic Union, building trusted relationships across the Church, parliament and wider society and helping to grow the Catholic Union’s influence and engagement in the years ahead.

Founded in 1870, the Catholic Union of Great Britain brings Catholic laity and Catholic social teaching to the public square across England, Wales and Scotland. Working in partnership with dioceses, parishes, MPs, MSPs, MSs, peers and Catholic organisations, our vision is of a society in which Catholic laity are informed, equipped and encouraged to engage in public life.

Our work is shaped by three key themes: engagement, education and encouragement. Through these we foster informed participation in public debate, help Catholics and the wider public understand contemporary social and political issues through a Catholic lens, and inspire greater confidence for Catholics to contribute to civic and community life.

In recent years the Catholic Union has developed from being largely volunteer-led into a more professional and strategically focused organisation, strengthening relationships across the Church and wider society. Our Weekly Briefing, now read by around 6,500 people each week, has become a key channel for parliamentary reporting, Catholic news and reflection.

As Director, you will lead the Catholic Union at an exciting moment in its development. You will represent the Catholic Union publicly, strengthening relationships with bishops, diocesan leaders, parliamentarians and Catholic organisations. You will act as a trusted ambassador for the Union, grow our channels of influence and engagement, and work with Trustees, Council and a small experienced team to support the organisation’s continued development.

If you are inspired by the opportunity to serve as a public voice for a respected Catholic organisation and help foster thoughtful dialogue and engagement in public life, we would love to hear from you.

For more information, please see the job pack attached. Closing date 10th April.

Role

The Programme Officer will manage day-to-day relationships with Degrees’ research groups based in the Latin America and Caribbean region, ensure smooth grant administration, and support regional events.

Key Responsibilites

Grantees

• Being the first point of contact for our grantees and stakeholders, including volunteer research collaborators. 
• Supporting research teams to gain access to, for example, modelling data. 

Grant management 

• Grant management, including onboarding and ongoing administrative support for the grantees of the various research funds at Degrees. 
• Processing payments.  
• Supporting the monitoring, evaluation and learning process in relation to programmatic activities. 

Events

• Working closely with the Events Manager, other regional Programme Officers and Policy Engagement staff to organise international events, including regional workshops in Latin America and the Caribbean.  

Administration

• Support the building and improvement of internal processes. 
• Contributing to the monthly call and research seminars. 
• Provide ad-hoc support as needed, for example, financial administrative support for grants and programmatic events, note-taking, organising travel, inputs to communications, working with Degrees’ senior management, board, volunteers, and partners. 

Key relationships

• Within the Programmes team forge close working relations with Programmes Director, Programmes Manager, other Programme Officers, Events Manager, Staff Scientist and Scientific Writing and Publishing Lead.
• Develop strong working relations with colleagues from the following teams i) Operations, ii) Policy & Engagement and iii) Communications. 
• Provide ongoing support for Degrees funded scientists based in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Qualifications

We are seeking a dynamic self-starter based in the UK, with experience in planning and running international events as well as academic workshops. As Degrees is still operating as a relatively small but growing team, the successful candidate will be flexible and motivated – prepared to turn their hand to whatever needs doing to deliver Degrees’ programme of work.

Essential

• A university degree in a relevant subject such as international development, international relations, public policy or earth sciences.
• At least two years’ experience.
• An understanding of climate change science and associated development challenges.
• Fluent in English and Spanish. 
• Strong organisational and project management skills.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.  
• Good analytical skills with an ability to distil key messages from complex information. 
• Strong digital skills.
• An ability to multitask, to set and deliver on priorities, and to work under pressure.  
• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work with people of all levels and backgrounds.
• Comfortable working in a dynamic, remote start-up environment.  
• Ability to travel overseas for up to a week per visit as required. 
• A commitment to the mission and values of the Degrees Initiative. 
• Legal right to work in the UK.  

Desirable

• A master’s degree in a relevant subject. 

• A degree in environmental science or international development.  

• Five to ten years of post-university professional experience 

• Proficiency in Portuguese. 

• Advanced digital skills, such as proficiency with advanced spreadsheet functions.

• Experience using CRM systems and Microsoft Office applications, with strong proficiency in Excel.

• Experience working in or with developing countries. 

• Experience in event organisation, workshop facilitation, grant administration, impact monitoring and evaluation, and/or budgeting and financial management. 

The Vacancies

We are seeking to appoint one registered medical practitioner and one business registrant (Companies Committee), one lay member (Education Committee) and one optometrist (Standards Committee) to our Advisory Panel Companies Committee.

About the GOC
We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance, and conduct.  For more information about us please visit our website.

About the Advisory Panel
The Advisory Panel is a meeting of the four Council’s committees (Companies, Education, Registration, and Standards) in plenary session. They are established by statute for the purpose of giving advice and assistance to Council (whether or not in response to a request from them) on:

• matters relating to business registrants other than matters required by the Opticians Act to be referred to the Investigation Committee, the Registration Appeals, Committee or the Fitness to Practise Committee;
• matters relating to optical training, education, and assessment;
• matters relating to registration, other than matters required by the Opticians Act to be considered by the Registration Appeals Committee; and
• matters relating to the standards of conduct and performance expected of registrants or those seeking admission to the register.

Time Commitment and Remuneration

This role is part time with a commitment of approximately 2-3 days per year, including time spent preparing for meetings.  Meetings will usually take place via MS Teams but may on occasion be held at the GOC Offices in London or other suitable venues.

Members are paid up to £185 per meeting. This is taxable and subject to National Insurance (NI) contributions. This is in line with our member fees policy and member fee schedule.

How to apply

Please apply with the following:

• your CV outlining your employment history, any relevant voluntary work, public service, or other experience; together with any relevant professional, academic, or vocational qualifications (please keep this to two sides of A4);
• the application form (attached), stating how your experience matches the essential criteria for the vacancy you are applying for; and
• an EDI monitoring form (linked in the candidate pack) 

Please email your completed application quoting reference GOC01/26 to appointment@optical. org.

We would welcome applications from individuals who are disabled and from diverse ethnic backgrounds, as these are currently under-represented on our Council and committees.

For more information about these roles please download the candidate information pack attached.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: midnight Sunday 29 March 2026.

Online interviews will be held on 14,15,18 and 19 May 2026.

If you have any questions, please email them to appointment@optical. org and we will aim to respond to you within 48 hours. 

We strive to be as diverse as the public we protect and welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, and geographical locations outside of London.

Purpose and responsibilities of the post

Reporting to the DARE UK Director, the Deputy Director is a senior strategic leader responsible for shaping and delivering the programme’s next phase of impact.

The post-holder will provide intellectual and operational leadership across the programme, translating strategic ambition into executable plans while ensuring delivery at pace and scale. They will work across research communities, funders, infrastructure providers, technology partners and senior stakeholders across UKRI and government to embed community voice into the design of a UK-wide secure data research ecosystem.

This is a high-profile role requiring visible sector leadership, strong partnership-building capability and confidence operating at Board and executive level. The Deputy Director will deputise for the Director as required and play a central role in positioning DARE UK nationally and internationally.

Main Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

· Co-develop and evolve the DARE UK strategy, roadmap and future phases in response to emerging opportunities, policy developments and sector needs.

· Shape the long-term vision for a federated UK sensitive data research ecosystem, including shared standards for governance, ethics, metadata and interoperability.

· Identify strategic partnerships and funding opportunities to secure programme sustainability beyond the current phase.

· Represent DARE UK at senior forums, influencing policy, research and infrastructure agendas.

Programme Delivery and Oversight

· Lead end-to-end delivery of the programme, ensuring alignment between strategic objectives, commissioned work and measurable outcomes.

· Oversee commissioning, governance and performance management of programme activities and working groups.

· Ensure robust financial oversight, risk management and reporting in collaboration with HDR UK and UKRI partners.

· Maintain effective systems, governance structures and delivery frameworks across partner organisations.

Stakeholder and Community Leadership

· Build and sustain trusted relationships across UKRI councils, academia, government departments, devolved administrations, technical suppliers and public contributors.

· Convene and align diverse stakeholders to co-design standards, services and technical-social specifications.

· Lead strategic engagement and communications activity to secure sector-wide buy-in and adoption.

People and Organisational Leadership

· Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team spanning programme management, communications, public involvement and engagement, and community engagement.

· Foster a high-performance, collaborative culture aligned with HDR UK values.

· Provide clarity, direction and stability in a complex and evolving landscape.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential

· Senior leadership experience in complex, multi-stakeholder environments spanning research, government, infrastructure and/or technology.

· Proven track record of delivering large-scale, strategically significant programmes in fast-paced and ambiguous contexts.

· Experience working with executive teams, Boards and senior stakeholders, demonstrating sound judgement and political awareness.

· Strong strategic thinking capability, with the ability to translate vision into structured delivery plans.

· Demonstrable experience influencing, negotiating and building consensus across diverse communities.

· Strong programme governance, risk management and financial oversight experience.

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to represent programmes at national level.

· Effective line management experience, leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-impact outcomes.

About Us 

The Good Ancestor Movement is a UK-based advisory and consultancy firm supporting individuals and organisations to redistribute wealth in ways that are reparative, regenerative and aligned with their deepest values. We work with wealth holders to challenge traditional models of accumulation and tax avoidance, and instead imagine futures where wealth actively contributes to social equity, economic justice, and ecological resilience.

We support clients to shift from extractive to regenerative practices, helping them translate their values into meaningful action through redistribution, reparations, and investment aligned with justice. 

Our programmes, like Reimagining Wealth, invite individuals to understand the wider impacts of their capital and take intentional steps toward responsible stewardship.

Good Ancestor Movement’s consultancy work includes strategy design, values-aligned redistribution planning, and building tools and systems that support collective accountability and transformative impact. We are committed to building a regenerative economy where wealth is mobilised in service of repair and liberation. 

Resource Mobilisation Team 

The Resource Mobilisation team at the Good Ancestor Movement helps liberate and steward financial flows in service of justice, reparation, and systemic change. The team works with wealth holders, funders, and movement partners to design values-aligned redistribution strategies, manage pooled funding vehicles, and co-create tools and practices that shift the culture of wealth. Our work includes grant and investment operations, grantee relationship support, community learning, and strategic resourcing design rooted in equity and care.

About Your Role

As a Resource Mobilisation Lead you will join our Resource Mobilisation team at Good Ancestor Movement in an exciting time for our organisation’s growth. You will be working closely with Kiki Mager, Director of Resource Mobilisation, although you will be working alongside our entire team and contribute to the organisation’s bold aims and ambitions within your role. 

After having run 5 cohorts of our political education journey Reimagining Wealth, we launched a trial community of practice for wealth holders collectivising them around a pledge to redistribute. This community of practice is called Catalytic Collective and includes a pooled resourcing vehicle, the Roots Fund, to which members commit funds which are then being redistributed through a participatory governance model, the Accountability Circle, led by movement leaders. We have just completed our first pilot year of this resourcing vehicle including the release of our first round of 3-year funding commitments. To ensure the ongoing feasibility of this vehicle we are looking for a passionate new team member to tend to the ongoing development and scaling of this work.

The Catalytic Collective, Accountability Circle and Roots Fund formed in response to findings of a research and report that we commissioned with Decolonising Economics into Resourcing the Solidarity Economy. This report is the bedrock for our emergent resourcing vehicle and wider organising of wealth holders around wealth redistribution and stewardship practices centred in collective liberation. It also informs our educational programmes, our consultancy offerings and Transformative Investment Practice development.

As our Resource Mobilisation Lead, you will primarily support the management and ongoing development of our resourcing vehicle with Catalytic Collective (CC), the Accountability Circle (AC), the Solidarity Partners (SP) receiving funds and our wider wealthholder community. Your roles here will include: 

• Liaison with our fiscal host Social Change Nest and ensuring processes and grantees (‘Solidarity Partners’) experiences are in alignment with our mission and intentions. 

• Relationship management and primary contact for Solidarity Partners 

• Leading the development and/or fine tuning of a grant management system (GMS) to improve oversight and streamline processes together with one of our movement partners and manage the GMS once implemented, particularly as the number of grants mobilised will increase.

• Supporting the AC with admin related tasks like the scheduling of meetings, direction on discussion points and the refinement of their own governance. 

• Administering CC agreements and resourcing commitments including confirming & signing funding agreements with CC members, sending out reminders about funding cycle renewal and exploring approaches to open up the resourcing pool for wider funders to contribute as a one-off without being a CC member.

• Notice, reflect on and feed into ongoing learning and development around the processes and systems in place and what might we need to consider to further improve these in alignment with our vision and mission. 

• Manage the process of mobilising resources from our wider wealth holder community and others to commit boldly.

• Support with story telling proposition and narrative pieces to support building momentum around the resourcing vehicle 

Alongside this workstream, you will also: 

• Steward our Capital Campaigns process to support ad hoc relational and strategic resource mobilisation opportunities meeting needs of aligned organisations in the new and regenerative economy space. 

• Contribute to ideation and creation of tools and practices that further activate and guide wealth holders and wealth advisors in their journeys towards just transition aligned redistribution and stewardship practices. 

About You

• You will care deeply about justice and the transition to a fairer economic system.

• Through your lived, academic and/or work experience you will deeply connect with the problems of the current system;

• You feel excited about contributing towards building life-affirming infrastructure for a young but growing social purpose organisation;

• You have the capacity to engage in self-reflection and a commitment to doing the work of embodying anti-oppressive practice;

• You can see yourself being comfortable communicating in a thoughtful and empathetic manner with a range of stakeholders across our community including: Movements, community groups and grassroots organisations; New Economy movement partners, wealth holders and wealth advisors; 

• You will not be tied to how things have always been done and will be excited to explore new and emerging concepts with a curious and open growth mindset.

• You have experience of (or are excited about) collaborating with or working in small emerging teams with ambitious goals and much experimentation;

• You are able to work independently to tight deadlines while working closely with colleagues, proactively communicating your needs and any changes to agreed timelines;

• You have experience of (developing and) administering funding or resourcing processes, are committed to critically reflecting on existing practices and you bring creativity and courage to implement change;

• You ideally have experience of managing CRM tools, digital community platforms such as Notion, Basecamp or Teachable, and developing and executing communications strategies;

We understand that the issues we work on disproportionately impact on low-income, marginalised and minoritised communities. We are an organisation led by a Black female founder and CEO and as an inclusive employer that values both lived experience and professional experience, we hope to be able to attract applicants from a range of backgrounds for this important role. You do not need to have a university degree for this role, nor is it essential for you to have experience in the new economy ecosystem: we care about your character, your experience and your ability to demonstrate leadership and practice personal growth.