Advice centre manager jobs in milton keynes

· To support the aims and principles of Aylesbury Women’s Aid including empowering and supporting women and their children in making their own decisions and taking control of their own lives.

· Providing dedicated one to one work with women who are standard risk, to reduce further risk of harm.

· Responding and acting upon referrals into the service.

Employer Policy Specialist

Working Hours: 0.6FTE (full-time equivalent 37.5 hours). There is a degree of flexibility surrounding the working hours which will be determined by the demands of the role.

Salary: 0.6FTE: £40,658 (the full-time equivalent salary is: £67,763).

Start Date: 1st September 2025.

Reporting to: Director of Public Affairs & Policy

Deadline for applications: Friday 18th July 2025, 5pm

Interviews: Interviews will be conducted online on Thursday 24th July

Overview

The DfE has nominated CST as the employer representative for academy trusts for specific purposes (for example, the school support staff negotiating body).  The postholder will be required to work directly with the Department for Education at a senior level to undertake the duties associated with this employer representative role.  CST also wishes to strengthen its support to members on wider matters of employer policy. There is significant scope to shape and develop this role.

Key Responsibilities

• Have a detailed understanding of the terms and conditions of employment of teaching and support staff and the workforce issues affecting the education sector, particularly those influencing recruitment and retention of staff.

• The ability to build relationships with key stakeholders (members, senior DfE officials and ministers) and work closely with other employer representative organisations.

• Working closely with the CEO and Deputy CEO, build relationships at senior level with trade unions (leadership, teacher and support staff unions).

• Lead on developing CST’s employer policy and guidance, working with our members and commanding their support and respect, and working closely with the policy team.

• Support the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Public Affairs and Policy to influence and respond to government policy in respect of employer policy, including drafting responses to government consultations and being our representative on the DfE’s formally constituted groups.

• Provide professional support and guidance to members on matters relating to employer policy, within the restrictions of what we are insured to do as a professional body.

• Support our HR professional community.

• Speak with authority at events and conferences as CST’s nominated representative on employer policy.

• Offer support to the wider CST policy team in other areas that fall within the postholder’s experience or expertise. This may include occasionally deputising for other team members for example covering for annual leave or sickness absence.

• Any other duties and responsibilities that may be delegated by the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive or Director of Public Affairs and Policy from time to time.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Likely educated to degree level (or holding a similar professional qualification or experience) with significant knowledge and experience of employment matters within the education sector and employer policy.

• The ideal candidate will have experience working at senior level likely within an educational, policy or consultancy setting. Knowledge of schools and the trust sector is essential as is the ability to respond to issues in a way which conveys the practical realities of working in schools.

• A sound understanding of the differences between academy trusts and the maintained sector.

• Secure knowledge of legislation, regulations and policy that affect school trusts.

• Authority and gravitas with the ability to speak up at meetings with senior officials with the required diplomacy and at all times with the members’ interests in mind.

• People-centred, with excellent relational skills, adept at forming and maintaining positive relationships with colleagues, members and senior external stakeholders (including policy makers, employer representative organisations and trade unions).

• Output focused, able to execute a range of communications across channels efficiently.

• Fluent and precise, an excellent communicator who writes well.

• The ability to analyse detail and distil key points, identifying matters of concern or interest to school trusts.

• Highly organised, with the ability to prioritise and work to tight deadlines, including turning around high-quality responses to members and DfE in short timescales.

• Someone who embodies the Nolan Principles and acts with integrity and discretion.

• Aligned with CST’s aims to promote education for public benefit.

• Skilled at working remotely as part of a close-knit team. Whilst this position is remote (home-based) there will be the requirement to attend in person meetings from time to time.

Are you looking for a fully remote, purpose-led and meaningful leadership role, one where you will be dismantling the motherhood penalty for thousands?
 

Pregnant Than Screwed  work sits at the intersection of providing information and support, research, raising awareness, and advocating and campaigning for change – always with a bold, unapologetic commitment to justice for mothers and parents.

Their impact over the last 10 years speaks for itself with 20,000 supported through their one-to-one advice line, successfully influenced key changes in UK law, including the Day-one right to request flexible working, and extended redundancy protection for pregnant women and new mums. Over 150 mentions in Parliament, Thousands of pieces of media coverage, including front-page features in The Times, The Guardian, and The Daily Mail and over 400,000 followers across social media, building a powerful digital movement

Culture and Inclusion

As Head of Development, you will work with an amazing CEO, an individual who has empathy, knowledge and savviness to lead the charity through its next level of growth. She is a progressive and inclusive leader, bold and brave in her actions, knowing that words do not bring about change, only actions. A kind yet fearless leader who will offer freedom, flexibility and personal and career growth. This is a unique opportunity to work with an incredible CEO and shape the future of working mums in the UK forever.

The lived experiences we’d love you to have

Our client is not a “box ticker” instead they are a progressive and inclusive employer, one where they value your lived experiences and skills just as much and can see behind any gaps you might have on your CV.

Our client has already built a strong foundation with our fundraising efforts – particularly through trusts and foundations – but we’re just getting started. They need a determined, creative, and strategic fundraiser to not only continue to grow this vital income stream but also to develop and scale our individual giving program, including high-net-worth donors, membership opportunities, and fundraising events.

As Head of Development, you’ll oversee our fundraising efforts across key areas:

1. Trusts and Foundations: Continue to build on our existing success by nurturing relationships with funders, submitting compelling funding applications, and ensuring robust reporting and stewardship.
2. Individual Giving: Develop and execute a strategy to grow this income stream, including high-net-worth donor programmes, membership opportunities, and community engagement fundraising.
3. Corporate Giving: Establish and grow partnerships with value-aligned businesses, creating mutually beneficial relationships that generate income, amplify our mission, and align with our campaigning values.

This is a unique opportunity to join a growing organisation and make a significant impact by developing innovative, creative approaches to fundraising while ensuring our existing work continues to thrive.

In return for your passion, commitment and hard work, you will receive some of the most competitive benefits across the sector, whilst knowing that every day you are changing the lives of parents, families and the workplace. Your passion for gender equity will be shape the lens through which you storytelling and campaign tirelessly for the good of the millions of women who continue to lose their jobs, get passed over for promotion and face a penalty for being a mum.

Here are just some of the benefits they offer:

· Flexible working is embedded in our culture with employees working different hours, and days of the week.

· 34 days annual leave, including statutory bank holidays. This is pro-rata for part-time staff.

· Paid leave between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

· 2 paid ‘’Wellbeing Days’’. These are days that can be booked off with no notice and no questions asked.

· 5 days paid leave to care for dependents.

· Participation in a comprehensive workplace pension scheme with contributions from the organisation of 4%

· Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay.

· 4 days of training per year. 

· Work from home onboarding and office set up.

Next steps

We would love you to apply, which is a simple and transparent process, with a screening and interview stage with Scoutess Consultancy (we are the recruitment partner for this role) and a one stage interview with our client w/c 21st July (interview 23rd June). Please note the advert will close on Sunday 13th July at midday, however, you may be contacted earlier if shortlisted.

Mind BLMK works across our communities to support positive mental health and wellbeing. Working closely with a range of partners, we offer a number of activities from our wellbeing centres and local venues to make a difference to the mental health and wellbeing of people in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes, and our aim is to make sure that no-one has to face a mental health problem alone.

CMHT Community Connector
Post no: 638
Working base: Leighton Buzzard base covering both Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable Community Mental Health Teams
Contract type: Permanent
Salary: £24,720 per annum FTE (£18,372.97 per annum, actual)
Hours: 27.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday

About the Role

Community Connectors work as part of an integrated, blended mental health offer to support people with emotional, social and practical needs to access a range of local, non-medical and non-clinical services, to improve confidence, social inclusion and independence.

This role will involve working as part of a multi-disciplinary team with statutory, third sector and NHS colleagues to support clients who are suffering from moderate to severe mental health difficulties. You will need to have experience working with those suffering with mental health illness as well as being able to demonstrate in depth knowledge of the services, support networks and local resources that may assist in improved outcomes for those dealing with complex and enduring mental health issues. The ability to be adaptable, work independently and the resilience to work in some challenging environments are key attributes for this role.

Service Delivery

• Assess suitability for community connection support as part of a blended team approach and support individuals to access the service by utilising in depth knowledge of local voluntary and community services and networks in your respective area
• To work with individuals to coproduce a plan to address their mental health and wellbeing goals. Am enable people to achieve these goals through facilitating access and connecting with appropriate resources
• Enable people to access community resources which may include accompanying them.
• Offer support, guidance and help where possible to people to gain confidence, overcome initial fears and seek solutions to any barriers inhibiting attendance.
• Take a holistic approach, based on the individuals’ priorities and wider determinants of health that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, being unemployed, loneliness and caring responsibilities.
• To work as part of an integrated team to ensure the best outcomes for each person accessing the service.
• Identify and build good working relationships with the community groups, relevant services and activities for partnership work and signposting as well as keep updated information about them.
• Competently work as part of a blended team, under direction from Mind BLMK and ELFT, working with independence and in an agile way to support people with complex mental health challenges.

Entitlements/benefits:

• 25 days (pro rata) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays (pro rata)
• Auto-enrolment NEST pension scheme (employer contributes 3%, employee contributes 5%)
• Health Plan with a wide variety of benefits
• Discounts available through Blue Light Card & Tickets for Good
• In-house and external Learning and Development as appropriate for the role.
• Flexible Working On request (in line with Mind BLMK policy on Right to Request Flexible Working)

If you have a passion for working in mental health and possess the required skills, we would love to hear from you.

Closedown: 5pm on Monday 7 July 2025
Interview date: TBC
Please note: We reserve the right to close this advert early if enough suitable applicants apply
Start date: ASAP

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.

Mind BLMK has been committed to the Mindful Employer charter and the Disability Confident Employer Scheme since 2008.

Please note: Mind BLMK follows Safer Recruitment practices and we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. Therefore all our roles are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

No agencies please.