Adoption support practice lead manager jobs in stevenage, hertfordshire

We have a new opportunity for a Customer Service Delivery Specialist to join our Customer Service Management Centre (CSMC) Team based in either Hertford or Basingstoke. 

You'll need to be able to come in to the office regularly during your initial training, but we'll offer more hybrid working as you grow in confidence. 

This is a full time permanent role where we are offering a starting salary of £32,000 - £38,000 depending on experience.

The role:

As our Customer Service Delivery Specialist, you will play a pivotal role in transforming how we engage with our customers. You'll provide support in the delivery of our customer choice/digital strategies, ensuring a seamless, consistent experience across all of our channels. 

You'll be using your analytical skills to look at our data, identify trends and map our customer journey. Constantly looking for ways to improve our our customers omni-channel experience. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of making a real difference to our service delivery.

What we are looking for:

Someone who is passionate about delivering first class customer service with an ability to analyse and interpret data. You'll constantly analyse our data to tell a story and drive service improvements. Experience of collaborative working with key stakeholders is key to providing a unified customer experience.

Your additional skills:

• An understanding of working in a contact centre environment with an omnichannel strategy
• Exceptional communication skills, building rapport with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders will be crucial
• The ability to handle challenging customer situations with empathy, professionalism, and resilience
• Knowledge of relevant housing legislation, regulations, and best practices, with a commitment to ensuring compliance and safeguarding procedures

What we can offer you

As a member of the Customer Services Team you will be part of a friendly, dynamic and supportive working environment.

We invest in our people, and you will be able to develop your skills and be part of something that makes a real difference to people's lives. This role can give you the opportunity for a career within a successful and diverse organisation.

Some of our benefits include:

• 25 Days Holiday + Bank Holidays (with an extra day every year up to 30 days)
• Chance to buy or sell holiday as part of our flexible benefits package
• 3 additional Wellbeing days and 2 paid volunteering days
• Generous matched pension scheme up to 12% and Life cover at 4x salary 
• Enhanced maternity/adoption pay 
• Enhanced paternity pay - 6 weeks full pay (after 26 weeks' service)
• Options for private medical insurance, dental insurance and critical illness cover
• Wellbeing discounts, including Gym Memberships and access to a 24/7 virtual GP service

About us

It's an exciting time to be a part of the team as Sovereign have joined forces with Network Homes to form SNG (Sovereign Network Group). Together we have over 200,000 customers, provide over 85,000 homes and invest in communities across London and the South of England. Our purpose is to provide good affordable homes in thriving communities that people love for generations.

We invest for the long term, in individual homes, our customers and work with partners to make a lasting difference to our neighbourhoods. Sovereign Network Group's financial strength will enable us to meet housing needs, regenerate places and build on the existing strengths in our communities.

We are committed to our Equality Diversity and Inclusion strategy and believe that you can truly be yourself at SNG. Take a look at our careers site to learn more about us and our values.

JOB PROFILE

JOB TITLE: Lead Trusts & Grants Officer

RESPONSIBLE TO: Senior Trusts & Grants Manager

HOURS OF WORK: Full time 35 hours per week

LOCATION: Home working/ Hybrid

DURATION: Permanent

SALARY / GRADE: £32,330

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Senior Trusts & Grants Manager

• Trusts & Grants Officer

• Director of Fundraising, Marketing & Communications

• Chief Operating Officer

• Senior Leadership & Service Managers

• Grant making trusts and foundations

• Major Donors

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Lead Trusts & Grants Officer is responsible for developing and delivering income from mid-value grant making funders, notably trusts and foundations. The role involves managing a dedicated pipeline of opportunities, writing and submitting compelling applications, and stewarding funder relationships. This position works closely with service teams to understand project needs and create accurate budgets and impactful funding proposals. This role will also provide direct line management to the Trusts & Grants Officer, supporting their professional development and ensuring the team's overall success in meeting fundraising targets.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising and Grants Management

• Pipeline Management: Lead on prospecting, developing and managing the mid-value trusts and grants pipeline, focusing on bids around £20,000 - £70,000, including multiyear grants, ensuring a consistent flow of opportunities to meet team income targets. Developing the skills and ability to manage higher value and more complex strategic bids.

• Application Writing: Develop and submit compelling, high-quality grant applications and proposals for mid-value funders, working closely with service teams, ensuring accurate budgets and income against Adoption UK’s strategic priorities.

• Stewardship: Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with a portfolio of new and existing mid-value funders, providing timely and impactful reports to secure renewed funding, and developing relationships with key external contacts through excellent communication.

• Reporting: Oversee the accurate tracking of all applications, reports, and communications using team tracking methods, and the CRM database, providing regular progress updates to the Senior Trusts & Grants Manager.

• Collaboration: Work closely with the Senior Trusts & Grants Manager, the Trusts & Grants Officer, and service teams, to align fundraising activities with the organisation’s strategic priorities and annual income targets.

• Undertake other duties and projects as directed by the Senior Trusts & Grants Manager and Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications.

Team Management and Development

• Line Management: Provide line management and support to the Trusts & Grants Officer, including regular one-to-ones, appraisals, and professional development.

• Training and Mentoring: Guide the Trusts & Grants Officer on best practices for researching, writing, budgets, and stewarding of small-value grants.

Personal specification

Knowledge and experience

• Track record of successfully securing individual grant awards typically ranging between £10,000 and £50,000. (E)

• Knowledge of fundraising sector with specialist knowledge of grant making trusts and foundations, or similar grant/bid-writing experience (E)

• Experience in writing persuasive proposal documents and bids (E)

• Experience in developing and implementing fundraising policies and process to deliver strategic goals (E)

• Experience in supporting service teams to deliver complex projects on time and to budget (E)

• Experience in successfully stewarding multiple stakeholders including grant managers and major donors (D)

Qualifications and Education

• Graduate level or equivalent significant professional experience in fundraising/bid

Skills and abilities

• Ability to make decisions within area of responsibility, based on defined frameworks, policies, and procedures and/or based on knowledge of regulations and best practice (E)

• Shows good professional judgement (E)

• Can successfully operate matrix management of complex projects at a national level (E)

• Delivers high quality work with minimal supervision and direction (E)

• Able to communicate clearly and engage with stakeholders at all levels (E)

• Is successful in securing positive external relationships with stakeholders and supporters (E)

• Demonstrates personal credibility (E)

• Demonstrates experience and ability in impact reporting (D)

• Ability to research the sector to identify the best prospects (D)

• Has the capacity to deal with complex issues and is good at problem solving (D)

• An exceptional administrator with excellent organisational and writing skills (E)

• Self-starter, used to working to deadlines and delivering against KPIs (D)

Accountability

• Shows previous experience of achievement of income targets (E)

• Shows previous experience of excellent funder or similar relationship stewardship (E)

• Able to contribute to the development of income growth strategy and strategic goals (D)

Behaviours

• Takes pride in Adoption UK and promotes its values and mission in all interactions with external stakeholders.

• Demonstrates commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of role at all times.

• Contributes to an open and honest culture

• Encourages challenge and creativity, transparency and consistency.

• Leads by example.

• Offers outstanding service to members.

• Promotes cross-functional team working, sharing skills and knowledge

• Communicates clearly, seeking clarity when unclear and valuing the opinion of others.

• Values the opinion of others. Treating colleagues and other stakeholders with respect.

• Takes pride in own development, committed to achieving high standards and agreed objectives.

We Are Family is hiring!

We Are Family is an extraordinary peer support community for adopters and prospective adopters. We’re there for parents throughout their adoption journey. Online and in person, our parents’ groups, events, resources, podcasts and talks offer mutual support, information and inspiration to adopters and those considering adoption. We are the leading peer support community for adopters  across Greater London and the Home Counties, and offer digital-membership nationally; we have ambitions to scale our in-person services provision significantly over the coming years. You can find out more about us here.

As Community Programme Manager, you’ll join our independent adoption support charity, oversee our volunteer, peer support and event provision.

This is an excellent opportunity for a highly organised ‘self-starting’ individual with experience of working with user-run communities. You will use your strong relationship-building skills to proactively engage WAF members and volunteers, to continue providing peer-led support and to create new opportunities for adopters to connect across the UK.

Key Details:

Role type: Permanent

Reports to: Head of Operations

Direct Reports: You will work closely in partnership with our Associates & Volunteers

Working Pattern:  2.5 days / 18.75 hours per week, including occasional evening and on-site work.

Salary: £30-35K FTE

Location: Remote / Home-working; this role can be based anywhere within the UK with periodic meetings and visits, mainly to London / South East, at least quarterly.

Perks of Working at WAF:

· Become a part of a personable, visionary team creating positive impact on a daily basis

· Flexible working

· Home Working Allowance

· Occasional in-person working in London; travel and lunch expenses covered

· Competitive salaries with room for growth

· Professional development opportunities

· Seasonal socials

ROLE DESCRIPTION:

Key responsibilities include: 

• Engagement with our Members
• Supporting our Volunteers
• Managing our Peer-led Groups and In-Person Activities
• Overseeing our Peer Support Training and Supervision
• Nurturing Partnerships
• Delivering Impact
• Contributing to Communications
• Championing our Advocacy efforts
• Collaborating with our Board and Committees

Person Specification: 

ESSENTIAL

• Demonstrable experience coordinating / managing multiple projects or programmes
• Experience of working with beneficiaries and / or volunteers
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Skills in identifying and prioritising workload with the ability to work to deadlines and budget
• Comfortable working independently, operating good judgement on when to seek guidance and support
• Strong IT and / or aptitude to learn software skills (see below)
• Resourceful and adaptable
• Empathetic and supportive
• A ‘hands-on’ and collaborative mindset

DESIRABLE

• Lived experience / interest in supporting those connected with any of the following: early trauma, adoption, the care system, advocating for people from underserved communities.
• Lived experience / interest in supporting families
• Experience of working within a peer support network
• Experience of co-producing projects with beneficiaries / volunteers
• Experience with using multiple software packages (We work across the following software – training provided as necessary: G Suite, MS Office, Zoom, Trello, WordPress, Mailchimp, Canva, Buzzsprout, Google Analytics).

To Apply:

If the opportunity to join an exciting, rapidly growing charity appeals to you as someone able to make a valuable contribution, we would love to hear from you!

Please download our full application pack for further details and instructions on how to apply.

Deadline to apply: Midnight at Sunday 23rd November 2025
Start Date: ASAP

Please note that applications are received and reviewed on an ongoing basis, therefore an early application is advised.

Further information can be found via our website.

One of the great strengths of We Are Family is that we are volunteer and member driven, and we represent a diverse community of adoptive parents. We particularly welcome applicants from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to ensure that the organisation can benefit from this diversity of experience.

We are looking for a creative, driven, compassionate, Communications Lead to develop, lead, and implement an integrated communications strategy that supports our ambition to double the number of adults learning to read with Read Easy UK by the end of our current strategy.

As a strong communications generalist, with strategic and operational expertise, the Communications Lead will work closely with employees, volunteers and other key stakeholders to strengthen the charity’s national brand and position. This role covers all aspects of communications including media relations, digital communications, brand communications, stakeholder and internal communications.

The post holder will shape and deliver communications activity that inspires, informs, and engages our key audiences, including volunteers, potential Readers, funders, the media, and partners across the UK.

The successful candidate will be strategic and agile and will enjoy shaping strategy alongside delivering communications activity. This is a standalone role, leading and delivering internal and external communications for the organisation in collaboration with other key partners.

Location: Fully Remote/Home-based with very occasional travel to regional groups as required and for up to 3 team meetings per annum (currently held in Birmingham).

Reports to: Read Easy UK CEO.

Line Management: Volunteers and freelancers, and potential for future employees.

Start date: January 2026 (or sooner).

Salary & Benefits 

• Salary: Up to £15,200 - £22,800 depending on hours (Up to £38k FTE).
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays and Christmas closing and 2 days volunteering leave – pro-rata for part time roles.
• Company sick pay to financially support you when you are unwell (above statutory upon completion of probationary period). 
• Support when extending your family – company parental and adoption pay (above statutory after 12 months service) 

• Access to RewardHub – which gives retail discounts and has a ‘Wellbeing Centre’ with tools, tips, recipes, workout videos and guides which will help you to reach your own wellbeing goals.

• Training and Development opportunities and resources – we are developing plans in this area to enhance employee experience and opportunity

• A collaborative, creative and inspiring working environment full of committed and passionate employees and inspirational volunteers 

We strive to ensure our recruitment practices are fair, open, easy to access and as inclusive as possible. We aim to recruit a team which broadly reflect the local communities which we serve; to work with and learn from each other to continually improve the service we deliver to our Readers. Our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Group is actively promoting and advancing diversity and inclusion, ensuring a culture where everyone can be themselves and thrive. We welcome you to apply and be your authentic self.

When applying for a job with us, if an applicant has a disability covered by the definition outlined within the Equality Act 2010 and can show that they meet the ‘essential criteria’ described in the person specification for the role being applied for, they are guaranteed an interview for the job for which they are applying through our Disability Confident scheme.

If you need any support with your application or have any questions in advance of an application, please do contact us. 

Please download the applicant pack for full job description and person specification and for details on how to apply.

The closing date to apply for this opportunity is Sunday 30 Nov 2025 (11.59PM).

Should you be shortlisted, the first round of interviews will take place online on Tuesday 2nd December 2025.

We anticipate a second round of interviews on the afternoon of Wednesday 10th December 2025.

Join Our Team!

This is a great role for someone looking to join the charity sector. You will work as part of our Supporter Care team to provide excellent customer care, and engage, involve and inspire all supporters of Crohn’s & Colitis UK through building excellent relationships via a variety of communication channels.

About Us

We're the UK's leading charity for Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.

A diagnosis of Crohn’s or Colitis is life-changing. Over 500,000 people in the UK are living with a lifelong disease many people have never heard of, and for which there is no known cure.

Crohn’s & Colitis UK funds research, provides award winning information and support and raises vital awareness by increasing the public’s understanding of the conditions, and what it means to live with debilitating symptoms. But we need to do more. We need to be a louder voice in the marketplace. Our ambitious plans for 2026 will help to make a real difference to every supporter’s journey with us. If this excites you - join us!

Role Overview

The Supporter Care Team are looking to hire two Supporter Care Assistant posts who’ll provide excellent customer care; engaging, involving and inspiring all supporters of Crohn’s and Colitis UK through building excellent relationships via a variety of communication channels. The role will involve dealing with donations, ensuring that our records are kept updated on our database, running reports, and undertaking general admin duties.

About You

You’ll have experience of working in a similar role, providing a high standard of customer care in a fast-paced environment, handling supporter queries and providing information in a concise and comprehensive manner. You'll need strong written and verbal communication skills to write engaging and inspiring content and messaging, you'll also be skilled at listening and responding to queries appropriately and be comfortable and effective at managing challenging situations.

You will have the ability to manage a busy workload and deadlines whilst taking ownership of problems to find a solution where possible, escalating to a manager where required. 

Experience of Microsoft office is essential, as well as excellent administration skills and high levels of accuracy and attention to detail.

Please see our Recruitment Pack for details of our full Job Description and Person Specification.

Our Location

We are based in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, so we are easily accessible by road and rail. In this role, there is plenty of scope for working from home,  although you will need to be in the office for two days a week minimum. There will also be other times when you’ll need to be in the office for fulfilment tasks or to attend meetings such as our ‘All Staff Together’ days four times a year and you will also be required to attend fundraising events.

Benefits

• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing one day per year up to 30 days
• Salary Sacrifice Pension scheme
• Flexible working options
• Enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity pay
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Wellbeing programme
• Interest free loan for season tickets
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free parking and secure bike locks
• Training and development financial support and/or study leave
• Performance review and development scheme

Summary

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A GROWING FAITH FOUNDATION PROGRAMME LEAD

About the Department/Role

The National Society for Education (NSE) is both an NCI and a Royal-charter charity. It's aims are to support Church schools and the wider education sector by developing leaders, shaping policy and growing faith.

The NSE leads the Church of England's national work in education in partnership with 41 Diocesan Boards of Education and approximately 4,700 Church of England schools. We also support the national education work of the Church in Wales, which includes around 150 schools. Our presence extends to work with community schools and academy trusts, as well as higher and further July 2025 education through numerous chaplaincies, providing spiritual support and guidance to children and young people, and to adults.

The Church of England's Vision and Strategy for the 2020s has three priorities, one of which is to be a church which is younger and more diverse. As part of this, the House of Bishops want to ensure that a flourishing children, youth and families ministry is within reach of every young person in England.

The NSE is working with the Vision and Strategy team to help deliver this vision through a range of projects in our 'growing faith' pillar which focus on the intersection between church, home and school; aiming to develop the faith life of children and young people, whilst also growing young leaders.

We are a dynamic team, working remotely from our homes around the country. We gather regularly online, and also have in-person team days through the year.

What you'll be doing

The purpose of this role is to design, develop, implement and evaluate effective leadership development programmes which enable participants to lead deep and lasting culture change which instinctively prioritises the needs, voice, development and impact of children, young people and families. To enable growing impact and reach of these programmes through embedding long-term strategic partnerships with delivery partners at local, regional and national level, contributing to the overall national target of developing 30,000 leaders of mission and ministry with children and young people by 2030.

Key Responsibilities

• Designing and delivering effective leadership development programmes.
• Enabling effective quality assurance and continuous improvement.
• Developing theological thinking and evidence-led practice that catalyses culture change.

Key role requirements

• This is a fully remote role.

About You

The Church of England is for everyone and we want to reflect the diversity of the community the Church serves across the whole country. Therefore, while of course we welcome all applications from interested and suitably experienced people, we would particularly welcome applicants from UK Minoritised Ethnicities (UKME)/Global Majority Heritage (GMH) and other under-represented groups. As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to recruiting disabled people. We offer interviews to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the role.

Please refer to the Job Description for more information about the role and person specification.

What we offer

Your Salary

• A salary of £59,248 per annum, plus age-related pension contributions between 8-15% of salary. We will also match any pension contributions you make up to an additional 3% of your salary.

Your Benefits

• 25 days annual leave (increasing to 30 days within 5 years) plus eight bank holidays and three additional days (pro-rated if working part-time).
• We welcome all flexible working arrangement requests. This is looked at in a case-by-case scenario and if this fits within the department's needs. We try to be as flexible as we can in your work pattern to support you with other commitments, and to give a good work-life balance.
• We offer many services and initiatives under our Family Friendly Programme, some of these include enhanced Maternity Leave initiative, Adoption Leave, Paternity Leave, & Shared Parental Leave. Structured induction programme and access to a range of development opportunities including apprenticeships.

• Automatic enrolment and access to Medicash (one of the UK's leading health cash plan providers), providing you with many services including reimbursements of routine dental treatment, optical, specialist consultations, and therapy treatments. Unlimited access to virtual GP & Private prescription service and health & Stress related helplines.

• Access to Occupational Health, and an Employee Assistance Programme 
• Access to the Department of Education Restaurant and Westminster Abbey with a plus-one guest.
• Apply for eligibility for an Eyecare voucher.
• Opportunity to join the Civil Service Sports & Social Club, and get involved in a range of staff networks, groups and societies.

ABOUT NATIONAL CHURCH INSTITUTIONS

The National Church Institutions comprises a wide variety of teams, professions and functions that support the mission and ministries of the Church of England in its vision to be a church, centred on Jesus Christ, for the whole nation - a church that is simpler, humbler, bolder.

We Include. You Belong.

Our Belonging and Inclusion Strategy aims for everyone in the National Church Institutions (NCIs) to feel that they belong, and are valued for who they are and what they contribute. Together, our people contribute in different ways towards our common purpose, whichever NCI they work in and whatever their background.

Living out our values in all that we do, we:

• Strive for Excellence
• Show Compassion
• Respect others
• Collaborate
• Act with Integrity

We believe our commitment to belonging and inclusion fuels our progress and drives us forward. The NCIs are a safe, inclusive workplace for people of all backgrounds and walks of life. We welcome applications from people of all faiths and of no faith. We want to encourage applications from a diverse group of people who share our values. Even if you have never thought about working for us before, if you have the skills and experience we're looking for then we would like to hear from you.

Please note: You must have the right to work in the UK to be considered for the role.

Overview

The Member Engagement Administrator will play a key role in supporting the eAA’s member engagement and event activities. This post will focus on increasing participation across the Association’s Special Interest Group (SIG) programme, supporting online and in-person events, and assisting in the delivery of the International Awards and International Conference.

The ideal candidate will be proactive, well-organised, and a confident communicator who enjoys working collaboratively with volunteers and external stakeholders. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who wants to contribute to a thriving membership organisation making a real impact in education and assessment innovation.

About the e-Assessment Association

The e-Assessment Association (eAA) is a not-for-profit membership organisation based in the UK that brings together everyone with an interest in digital assessment. Since 2008, the eAA has championed the adoption of technology-enhanced assessment across education, training, and professional learning.

The eAA’s mission is to:

• Provide professional support and facilitate discussion for people working in this field.
• Showcase and promote the positive contributions that technology makes to all forms of assessment.
• Develop and share good practice for both suppliers and consumers of e-Assessment technologies.

We are a small, friendly, and collaborative team with an active and growing global membership. There are always new and exciting projects in the pipeline, with some of our current including a rebrand and the launch of a brand-new website. 

Key Responsibilities

Special Interest Group (SIG) Support:

• Manage the administration and coordination of the eAA’s Special Interest Groups.
• Support and prompt volunteer leads to ensure each SIG remains active and productive.
• Coordinate and schedule SIG meetings and online events, including setting up Cvent/ Zoom/Teams sessions and distributing materials.
• Assist with follow-up actions such as publishing content, circulating recordings, and gathering member feedback.
• Monitor engagement levels and prepare summary reports for the Operations Manager and Board.

Event Support (Online and In-person):

• Assist in the setup, promotion, and delivery of online events, including webinars, panel discussions, and SIG sessions.
• Manage speaker liaison, registration processes, and event logistics.
• Support the delivery of major eAA events including the International Conference (2026) and the International Awards Gala Dinner, including administrative coordination and event materials.
• Ensure a positive participant experience by handling communications and post-event follow-up.

Membership and Communications:

• Respond to member and volunteer enquiries in a timely and professional manner.
• Support the creation and distribution of newsletters, announcements, and updates about SIG and event activity.
• Contribute to website updates and online event listings (including management of our online ‘Events Calendar’).

General Administrative Support:

• Maintain accurate records and documentation in shared systems 
• Support the wider team on projects or tasks as directed by the Operations Manager.

Collaboration and Teamwork:

• Work closely with internal teams, volunteers, and external partners.
• Attend in-person team meetings and support in-person at Association events (Time-Off-In-Lieu policy in operations for additional hours worked). 

General:

• Maintain records, files, and documentation in an organised manner.
• Assist with special projects as required
• Other appropriate tasks and roles as delegated by the Operations Manager
• To undertake other duties which may, from time to time, be necessary to further the work of eAA.

Please note, there will be the occasional requirement (c. 6 times per year) to travel nationally (UK) for events and team meetings. These instances will include overnight stays. There may be future requirement for some international travel. 

Qualifications

Essential Skills:

• At least 2 years’ experience in an administrative support role.
• Experience managing events (especially online events such as webinars or small conferences).
• Strong organisational and multitasking skills with high attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• ‘Tech-savvy’ with a willingness and ability to adapt to new technologies and programmes, including AI. Confident using digital tools such as Microsoft Office, Zoom/Teams, and social media platforms.
• Ability to work independently in a remote team environment.

Desirable Skills: 

• Experience working in a membership organisation, charity, or non-profit setting.
• Familiar with CRM systems, preferably HubSpot.
• Familiar with content creation tools such as Canva.
• Experience using event platforms such as Cvent. 
• Passion for education and technology, with a commitment to promoting the use of e-assessment.

Benefits

• Opportunity to work with a dedicated, friendly team, passionate about advancing e-assessment.
• Professional development and training opportunities.

Working Arrangements

• This is a remote, work-from-home position.
• Occasional travel within the UK will be required for team meetings and events (travel and accommodation expenses covered).
• A Time-Off-In-Lieu (TOIL) policy operates for additional hours worked.

Application process

The e-Assessment Association is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment.

Interested candidates should submit their CV and a cover letter detailing their relevant experience and explaining why they are a good fit for this role. Applicants should remove any personal information from their CV and covering letter (name, email address, photograph etc.). We also ask applicants to complete our equality and diversity monitoring form at the point of application. 

Applications should be submitted online via our website. We do not accept applications by email. The closing date for this vacancy is Wednesday 26 November, 12:00-noon GMT. If you experience any issues in uploading your application, require this description in a different format, or have any questions about the role, please contact Adam Taylor, Operations Manager.

Interviews will be held online (Teams or Zoom) on Thursday 4 December. Shortlisted candidates will be set a task ahead of interviews, details for which will be communicated following shortlisting. Please note, it is not possible to schedule interviews for any other date than that stated above. Interviews will take place in normal business hours (09:00 – 17:00)

The e-Assessment Association (eAA) has a legal responsibility to ensure that all its employees have the legal right to live and work in the UK. Therefore, if you are made an offer of employment, this will be subject to the eAA verifying that you are eligible to work in the UK before you start work.

Over the last four years, the current Head of Funding & Partnerships has secured over £10m from trusts, foundations and housing associations to help HACT deliver its charitable purpose. In the next three years, our objective is to increase this amount. We want to hear from you if you believe you can support HACT deliver on our ambition. 

ROLE DESCRIPTION

The Head of Funding and Partnershipsis a key member of HACT’s Leadership Team and leads the organisation’s business development, tendering and fundraising function. As part of the management tier, the role is responsible for scaling HACT’s impact across and beyond the housing sector through innovative commercial approaches, strategic fundraising, and exceptional customer relationships.

This position combines fundraising expertise, partnership building, developing and maintaining high-value relationships with funders, partners, and clients, as well as market intelligence. It identifies new opportunities for R&D development, pipeline growth, product sales and tender submissions while managing core business development activities that support HACT’s strategy.

The Head of Funding and Partnerships creates and executes annual fundraising and commercial plans, fosters collaborative relationships across the organisation, and embodies HACT’s values through transparent, supportive leadership. From time to time, the role presents to the Trustee Board and provides strategic advice and leadership to the executive team.

JOB PURPOSE

To lead HACT's fundraising, tendering and business development function, delivering ambitious fundraising targets while providing strategic market insights that drive organisational growth and innovation.

Responsibilities

Strategic fundraising leadership

• Create and deliver a fundraising strategy aligned with HACT's business strategy and ambitious growth target, with annual and multi-year targets
• ·Identify new funding opportunities through market research, relationship building, and strategic intelligence
• Lead the development of high-quality tender responses and proposals
• Maintain a register of frameworks and procurement opportunities aligned to HACT’s strategic priorities
• Oversee the production of high-quality client proposals within agreed deadlines, ensuring compelling cases for support

Partnership building:

• Develop and maintain relationships with corporate sponsors, foundations, and other organisations to create mutually beneficial partnerships.
• Manage existing funder relationships to ensure satisfaction, retention, and growth of funding commitments
• Support cross-sector collaborations, innovation pilots and consortium funding bids.

Market intelligence & business development

• Contribute to organisational strategy development through participation in Leadership Team activities
• Proactively identify collaboration and innovation opportunities, supporting business growth and diversification
• Provide market insights that enable R&D development, supporting innovation and new service creation and market analysis to support pipeline growth in new markets and enhance existing product sales
• Collaborate with colleagues to identify emerging trends and opportunities in the housing and social value sectors
• Contribute to strategic decision-making through robust market intelligence and competitive analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

• Work closely with the Head of Communities and Projects to ensure project delivery meets funder expectations, leading on managing key grant funding relationships
• Work closely with the Head of Marketing to align fundraising and marketing strategies for maximum impact
• Work closely with the Head of Services to create proposals that maximise income opportunities
• Work closely with Head of Customer to identify commercial opportunities and enhance service delivery, using insights form Social Value Insight to strengthen funding propositions.
• Work with the Head of Business Functions to develop commercial pricing and funding models and ensure compliance with due diligence and funder requests.
• Support colleagues across the organisation by providing proposal support, market insights and funding intelligence

Team leadership & operational excellence

• Line manage and develop the Funding and Insights Officer, providing coaching, guidance, and performance management
• Develop and implement Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for proposals and grant applications to ensure consistency and quality
• Establish accessible, reliable management information systems to track performance and inform decision-making
• Ensure efficient processes and systems that support high-quality proposal development, tender submissions and relationship management
• Leverage AI tools and platforms to enhance business development processes
• Champion the adoption of AI-enabled solutions to improve productivity, personalise engagement strategies, and uncover new opportunities for innovation and collaboration.

Strategic leadership & culture

• Actively model HACT's values and behaviours by consistently demonstrating supportive, transparent and collaborative leadership
• Contribute to an inclusive and respectful organisational culture through positive leadership and team engagement
• Lead by example as a key member of HACT's Leadership Team, embodying our values across all internal and external relationships
• Champion cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing to maximise organisational effectiveness

REQUIRED SKILLS

Experience & skills

• Proven track record in senior fundraising roles, with demonstrated success in securing and managing significant grants from charitable foundations, government, and other funding bodies
• Demonstrated success in proposal writing, developing tenders and commercial bids
• Strong background in business development and market research, ideally within the charitable or public sector
• Experience in relationship management with high-value stakeholders and complex funding organisations
• Strong communication, influencing and project management capabilities
• Demonstrated ability to create and deliver strategic fundraising plans aligned with organisational objectives
• Strategic thinking ability combined with practical execution and attention to detail
• Resilience and adaptability in a dynamic funding environment.
• Knowledge of the social housing sector (desirable).
• Ability to identify and apply AI-driven tools to enhance business development activities and using AI to streamline workflows, personalise engagement strategies and uncover new growth opportunities.

Knowledge & understanding

• Deep understanding of the UK funding landscape, including charitable foundations, government funding streams, public procurement frameworks and social investment
• Knowledge of the housing sector, social value, or community development preferred
• Understanding of R&D funding mechanisms and innovation support programmes
• Familiarity with grant management processes and funder compliance requirements
• Knowledge of market research methodologies and competitive intelligence gathering

Personal qualities

• Exceptional relationship-building and networking skills with ability to engage stakeholders at all levels
• Strategic mindset with ability to identify opportunities and translate them into actionable plans
• Strong communication and influencing skills, both written and verbal
• Collaborative leadership style that embodies transparency, respect, and inclusivity
• Excellent project management and prioritisation skills with ability to manage multiple complex workstreams
• Resilience and adaptability in a dynamic funding environment
• Passion for HACT's mission and commitment to social impact in the housing sector

Technical competencies

• Proficiency in CRM systems and database management for relationship tracking (ideally HubSpot or Salesforce)
• Advanced skills in proposal writing, bid development, and presentation creation
• Experience with project management tools and budget management systems
• Understanding of due diligence processes and compliance requirements
• Knowledge of social impact measurement and evaluation frameworks

Desirable requirements

• Professional qualifications in fundraising (IoF membership) or business development
• Experience working in or with housing associations, local authorities, or social housing sector
• Knowledge of social value frameworks and impact investment principles
• Experience in managing EU or international funding programmes
• Understanding of research and development processes in policy or practice areas

JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Leads the successful delivery of strategic fundraising and business development projects, ensuring high-quality outputs, stakeholder engagement, and funder satisfaction.
• Secures project funding through strategic relationship-building, proposal development, and targeted fundraising activities.
• Develops and maintains accessible management information systems to support .
• Implements service level agreements (SLAs) for proposals to ensure consistent quality and timely delivery across grant applications and business development outputs.
• Builds new relationships with charitable funders while sustaining and growing existing partnerships to diversify income streams.
• Embeds HACT’s values through inclusive leadership, fostering a collaborative culture and modelling best practice across the organisation.

Employees are also expected to be flexible in undertaking the duties and responsibilities attached to their post and may be asked to perform other duties that are consistent with the grade, responsibilities, and typical scope of the role. Any additional tasks should remain appropriate to the nature of the post and not extend into unrelated functions or specialisms.

All employees are expected to work in accordance with the organisation’s values and behavioural standards, which include being supportive, transparent, respectful, kind, honest, and collaborative. This means fostering a culture of empathy, openness, integrity, and teamwork in all interactions, and contributing positively to the organisation’s mission and strategic objectives.

ABOUT HACT

Innovation. Collaboration. Insights.

It’s what we’ve always done.

As the charity of the social housing sector, these are the core values that have driven the transformation and development of housing providers for over 60 years.

We believe the provision of housing is about more than just bricks and mortar – it’s about enhancing peoples’ lives.

By partnering with organisations across the housing sector, we drive value for residents and communities through insight-led products and services which encourage innovation and foster collaboration.

This position is currently based remotely with the occasional day in the London office and travel to UK based events as required.

To apply for this role, please share your CV with a one-page cover letter setting out why this role appeals to you and how your skills and experiences meet the key skills points in the job description.

Interviews expected to take place on week commencing the 15th December.