Using Anonymous Recruitment
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About us
We are an independent charity that supports, promotes and represents public libraries. Our work is driven and led by our membership, which includes almost every library service in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependencies (Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man).
Across the areas we serve there are 176 individual library services with around 3,000 library branches serving over 61 million people.
Our unique approach is to bring these services together to share experience, expertise and evidence – driving innovation and impact across the public library sector.
While senior library leaders sit on our board and committees, we work with library staff at all levels.
As well as providing practical support, training and advice to libraries, we represent them to government and raise their profile in the media. We also develop and lead national library projects with cultural, academic and corporate partners.
We work to a strategic plan that runs until 2027, organised around four themes: drive, grow, connect and engage.
We generate income from membership subscriptions, commissioned services, events and grants. As an Arts Council Investment Principle Support Organisation, part of our core funding in England comes from the Arts Council to help embed their Investment Principles across the library network.
Our values
- We are supportive. We respond to the varied, emerging needs of our members and their communities to enable libraries to learn from each other, and other sector leaders, so that they can safeguard and improve their services.
- We are inclusive. We work with our members and partners to design and deliver our work and to determine our strategic priorities because we are committed to representing the diverse communities and libraries which we serve.
- We are open. We are in constant communication with our members and partners on all levels to learn from their experiences, reflect on our practice and develop our services. We welcome challenge and new directions for our work.
- We are ambitious. We believe that libraries are an essential part of the solution to a range of society’s needs. We promote innovation and collaboration to ensure that libraries are recognised locally and nationally.
Working at Libraries Connected
We are a friendly, collaborative team of around 20 staff based all around England and Wales.
We value diversity and are committed to promoting an inclusive working environment. We strongly believe that inclusive and diverse organisations are not only better places to work, they are more innovative, make better decisions and are more successful. We value people who bring unique perspectives and knowledge to our team.
We want to make our recruitment process as fair as possible. To reduce bias, we shortlist candidates based on their responses to up to six application questions. These are designed to tell us about your values, experience, attitudes to work, and transferable skills. We do not ask for a separate cover letter or supporting statement.
We offer flexible working as standard, helping work fit around family and caring responsibilities. Many of our staff work their hours in different ways, including flexi time and compressed hours. We are open to discussing what would work for you and be possible for the role.
All roles are remote and are open to applicants who live anywhere in the UK. We provide staff with a home office set-up including laptop, monitor and phone. There is the option to work from our central London office or use a co-working space if it is not possible to work from home.
We welcome requests for adjustments to our standard recruitment processes for anyone who needs them.
Our Commercial Team
We have a small commercial team with big ambitions for the sector.
Currently, we hold a single commercial contract worth around £3m per year delivered through 12 libraries. Our aim is to reach a point where we have a menu of commercial contracts that all of our 176 member library services can choose to benefit from according to the skills and assets of their service, their focus and strategy and of course the needs of their communities.
In the current funding climate for local authorities and local government services, these contracts are not just about the income and the services they can provide but about demonstrating nationally the power of the library sector, and how national services can be delivered locally through library services and the communities they serve.
Our approach is to identify and secure contracts procured by national government – either directly or with partners to extend the libraries’ capabilities – with an eye to local delivery through the library services. This allows us to centrally hold and manage the risk of the national contract, leaving the library services to deliver themselves.
We see libraries as a solution to many of society’s challenges and this is one route we use to bring the libraries into that solution.
This area is part of our long term strategy – we are seeking to build the commercial team with this role and while it is initially a 12-month contract, our hope is that with the role in place we can generate the income to sustain and build on it.
Registered Charity
11 - 20
Our vision is an inclusive, modern, sustainable and high-quality public library service at the heart of every community in the UK.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
We are looking for someone who cares deeply about what we do and the people we serve and will be driven, as we are, to radically change people’s lives for the better.
Job title: Head of Finance and Resources
Hours: Full-time 37 hours / week
Location: Flexible working between home and a London office base (if reinstated). The organisation currently works fully remotely with occasional travel to London for meetings, as required.
Travel required: Occasional, quarterly travel to London for all staff away days, attendance at in person Trustee meetings (c.2-4 per year currently), and attendance at in person Senior Management Team meetings (c.4-6 per year currently).
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £55k - £60k
Benefits: 25 days annual leave, plus 8 bank holidays, 6% pension contribution
Reports to: CEO
Direct Reports: Finance Officer
Are you looking for a new challenge and want to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people with a visible difference?
Changing Faces are looking for someone with a strategic mindset, who will be a key member of the Senior Management Team and delivering on our two strategic goals:
- Everyone across the UK with a visible difference or disfigurement will have access to the support they need
- We will significantly increase everyone’s understanding and acceptance of visible difference and disfigurement, and reduce prejudice and discrimination
The new Head of Finance and Resources will have responsibility for a high-quality finance and business support service including managing HR, IT and facilities. We are a small organisation so you will need to be prepared to be operationally “hands-on”, and to work collaboratively and flexibly across the whole organisation to help enable our success. We are also always looking to improve our systems, and so the right candidate will also be passionate about continual development of processes to best meet the needs of the organisation and those we support.
Overall Purpose of the Role
- Responsible for leading and managing a high-quality finance and business support service encompassing IT, HR, and Facilities.
- To play a leading role as a member of the Leadership team to ensure Changing Faces achieves its strategic goals and vision.
- To continue the improvement in processes and systems within the Finance and Resources function to increase effectiveness, improve reporting, add value, and thereby reduce manual processes.
About Changing Faces
Changing Faces is the UK’s leading charity for everyone who has a mark, scar or condition that makes them look different (a visible difference). Being different in a society where there is such pressure to look a certain way is extremely difficult.
We provide unique practical, social and emotional support for people affected by visible difference; we challenge discrimination and campaign for a world that respects difference.
Our services build confidence and resilience – giving people the tools to manage their feelings, cope in different social settings, handle other people’s reactions or deal with life, education, work and relationships.
We won’t stop until everyone with a visible difference or disfigurement is supported and respected.
Equality and inclusion are at the heart of our mission and we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We are always looking for talented people from all backgrounds, including those with a visible difference or disfigurement, to join us. In line with our commitments to equity, we are particularly seeking applications from People of Colour / BAME and LGBTIQA+ people. We have a flexible working culture which, as a member of the leadership team, this role will play a leading role overseeing. We are open to conversations about how this could apply to this role.
If you share our commitment, bring the skills and leadership qualities we are seeking and are excited by our vision we’d love to hear from you.
Application Timeline:
- Closing date: 11th August 2025
- Short-listing: 12th August 2025 – 15th August 2025
- Interview dates: TBC
Please note that the above timelines may be delayed depending on the number of applications received.
Interested?
If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.
No agencies please.
Registered Charity
21 - 50
Providing support and promoting respect for everyone with a visible difference.
Thank you!
Action for Refugees in Lewisham (AFRIL) is seeking our next Executive Director to lead our small, dynamic charity. You will be joining an impactful local organisation at a crucial time in our development. Since 2021 we have grown significantly and sustainably, developing new services based on client needs. You will be leading a highly competent and passionate team who are community minded and experts in their fields.
The Executive Director has overall responsibility for the day-to-day management of the charity, including finance and fundraising, as well as supporting the development and delivery of services. They will work with four experienced project leads to deliver and develop our core services: Casework and Advocacy Service, Rainbow Club Supplementary School, Destitution Service and Food Bank, and our Allotment of Refuge, as well as our Policy and external influencing work led by our Deputy Director for Casework and Policy.
We are seeking to appoint an exceptional candidate who can balance the demands of strategic leadership with the operational execution and development of our services and policy work. We are seeking someone with a high level of operational skill and accountability in operational management and governance. You will be responsible for the central services of the charity including finance, fundraising, legal, HR and communications. We are looking for a thoughtful leader who is passionate about staff and volunteer support. You should have experience and understanding of small charities and the external context within which we operate.
About us:
Founded in 2004, AFRIL supports refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants to lift themselves out of poverty, assert their rights, and rebuild their lives in the heart of our community. We provide both crisis support to meet immediate need, and longer-term, flexible programmes to tackle the underlying issues that result in poverty. We engage in policy and legal interventions to affect change. Our work is grounded in the values of professionalism, inclusivity, and solidarity, and our approach to service delivery is one of co-production and empowerment. We work with partners locally and nationally to deliver high quality services and advocacy.
Our Services:
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Casework and Advocacy – AQS and IAA accredited advice, casework and legal interventions in housing and homelessness, complex welfare rights, community care, asylum support, immigration, access to education and employment, healthcare and related matters.
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Destitution Project - supporting families to overcome extreme food poverty through regular food vouchers, fresh culturally appropriate food, toiletries, and essential household items plus small grants and a free café.
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Rainbow Club Saturday School - improving educational attainment, wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem, and raising the aspirations of disadvantaged primary age children.
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Allotment of Refuge - a welcoming and integrated community of food growers improving the health, wellbeing and healthy food access of children and adults seeking sanctuary in Lewisham.
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Immigration Project in partnership with Southwark Law Centre - free legal advice and representation to support families to regularise their UK immigration status in the UK.
In addition, we hold a monthly Members Forum, and use the evidence from our frontline work together with the testimony of our members to influence improved policy and practice.
AFRIL is currently in a good position, with the several long-term grants and statutory funding secured, and good relationships with community and individual donors. The Executive Director position represents an exciting opportunity to work with a passionate and highly competent team and the wider community to bring about real, positive change for vulnerable migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees in South East London.
AFRIL is an equal opportunities employer. We are a diverse staff team and particularly encourage applications from BAME candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and those with lived experience of asylum/irregular migration. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support our staff to flourish.
We are proud to be a member of the Experts by Experience Employment Network which aims to increase representation of people with lived experience in the charitable sector. Please feel free to use their information and resources which may help in preparing your job application.
Please read full Job Description and Person Specification. Applications will only be accepted through CharityJob - please submit a CV and cover letter (no more than 2 sides of A4) detailing how you meet the person specification.
Registered Charity
11 - 20
We support asylum seekers, refugees and vulnerable migrants to lift themselves out of poverty and rebuild their lives in the heart of our community.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.