Assistant jobs in Oxford, oxfordshire

12-month fixed-term contract | Full-time 

Salary: £58,560 – £71,480 per annum

Hours: 35 per week

Location: Home-based with regular national travel 

Job reference number: 1766

Help shape the future of Cranstoun’s services 

Cranstoun is a social justice and harm reduction charity supporting and empowering people to live healthier and safer lives. Each year, we support more than 45,000 people through services including substance use, criminal justice, domestic abuse, housing and services for children and young people. 

Following a successful five-year strategy and significant growth, we remain ambitious about the difference we can make. As we enter our next phase, we are investing in the leadership and operational capability needed to support our continued development. We are now recruiting an Assistant Directors of Services to join our senior management team. 

This is a significant senior leadership role offering the opportunity to lead substantial service portfolios while helping shape how Cranstoun’s services are led and delivered across the organisation. 

The role 

Reporting to the Director of Operations, you will lead a substantial portfolio of complex commissioned services and senior operational managers. 

You will lead nine services with nine direct reports, spanning criminal justice and housing/homelessness provision. You will have clear accountability for ensuring services are safe, effective and well-led, with strong contractual performance, financial sustainability and positive outcomes for the people and communities we support. 

You will provide operational grip and evidence-based assurance, strengthen safeguarding and management accountability, build effective relationships with commissioners and partners, and ensure risks and underperformance are identified, escalated and addressed early. 

You will also work collectively with fellow senior operational leaders to embed a One Cranstoun approach, strengthening common standards, sharing learning, developing leadership capability and improving quality and resilience across our services. 

What you will be accountable for 

As an Assistant Director, you will take senior operational accountability for: 

• Safe, effective and well-led services – ensuring strong safeguarding, quality, operational risk management and service user outcomes.  
• Contractual performance – ensuring services deliver against contractual requirements and KPIs, with strong commissioner relationships and timely action to address underperformance.  
• Financial sustainability – maintaining strong financial oversight, effective workforce management and oversight of the sustainability of individual contracts.  
• Evidence-based assurance – using reliable performance, quality, workforce and financial information to identify risks and drive improvement.  
• Collective organisational leadership – working beyond individual portfolio boundaries to build consistent standards, stronger leadership and shared ways of working across Cranstoun.  

You will lead and develop senior operational managers, set clear expectations and create a culture in which support and accountability operate together. 

You will also lead and contribute to service mobilisation, transformation, workforce planning and continuous improvement. 

Who we are looking for 

We are looking for established senior operational leaders with substantial experience leading complex commissioned services and geographically dispersed teams. 

You will bring a strong track record of: 

• leading safe, high-quality services for people with complex needs;  
• safeguarding, quality and operational risk management;  
• contract and performance management;  
• managing significant service budgets and improving financial performance;  
• building effective relationships with commissioners, regulators and strategic partners;  
• leading service improvement, mobilisation and organisational change;  
• developing senior operational managers and addressing underperformance; and  
• using performance, quality, workforce and financial information to provide assurance and drive improvement.  

You will need to combine strategic leadership with operational pragmatism, understanding the detail when necessary while maintaining oversight of performance, risk, quality and sustainability across a complex portfolio. 

Above all, we are looking for collaborative, credible and values-led leaders who can support and challenge in equal measure, build leadership capability and bring people together around common standards and organisational priorities. 

Specialist experience 

For this role, you will need significant leadership experience across both Criminal Justice and Housing/Homelessness services, including housing or accommodation-based provision. 

You will understand the complexity of working across criminal justice, housing, local government and other statutory systems and be experienced in building effective relationships with commissioners and partners while maintaining strong operational and contractual oversight. 

This is a 12-month fixed-term appointment at an important stage in Cranstoun’s transformation, offering the opportunity to lead a significant portfolio, strengthen operational performance and help shape the future development of our operating model. 

Be part of Cranstoun’s next chapter 

Our successful five-year strategy has seen Cranstoun grow considerably, extending our reach and the range of services we provide. We remain ambitious and innovative, committed to developing services that respond to the changing needs of people and communities. 

As we look to the future, we are investing in the leadership, operational capability and organisational infrastructure needed to support our continued development, strengthening operational governance, consistency and assurance across our services. 

This role offers the opportunity to do more than manage established portfolios. You will help shape the future of our services and build an Operations Directorate characterised by high standards, clear accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement. 

Find out more 

Please refer to the accompanying recruitment pack for the full Job Description, Person Specification and details of the application process.

Please note: All posts are subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

How to Apply:

For more details and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button. Please quote the appropriate Job Ref in all correspondence.

Applicants must be able to provide satisfactory evidence of their right to work in the UK at the application stage.

Sponsorship is not available for this post. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK that does not require employer sponsorship for the duration of the appointment.

Closing date: Sunday 20 September 2026.

We are an inclusive employer, committed to promoting equality and diversity in all areas of our work. 

Registered Charity No: 1061582

Job Title: Hertfordshire Project Assistant

Salary:  £27,980 (London Fringe weighting)

Position Type: Full time/Fixed term (until December 2028)

Reports to: Scaling Manager

Based at:  Remote, with travel to schools in Hertfordshire

Working Hours:                  5 days a week, 9am-5pm (flexible)

Pension: School Food Matters matches pension contributions at 7% of pensionable earnings

Holiday: 31 days including bank holidays that fall on working days. Holidays must be taken during the school holidays

This role requires occasional work outside of core hours (for example, if visiting a school breakfast club). It also requires travel to schools across Hertfordshire, so access to a car would be desirable. Training for delivery of the programme will be provided online and in person, and you will be expected to travel outside of Hertfordshire for some of these sessions.

Background to School Food Matters

At School Food Matters we believe that school food can unlock a happier, healthier, more sustainable future for every child. We want a school food system that delivers for all children, so they can enjoy nutritious, delicious and sustainable school food and leave school with an informed and positive relationship with food. To achieve this, we campaign for a better school food system, bringing the voices of children, parents, and teachers to government policy, and deliver fully funded food education programmes in schools across the country.

Background to Nourish

Our Nourish programme supports schools to create a food environment that puts children and young people's nutrition first. The evidence-based, multi-component programme helps schools to develop action plans and policies to cover the food served across the whole school day. Nourish uses a collaborative whole school approach to food involving everyone across the school community to create lasting positive change.

Job purpose

· To support two Project Officers with the delivery of Nourish in 30 schools in Hertfordshire (primary, secondary and SEND settings) over 2 years

Key tasks include

· Recruit schools to take part in Nourish

· Shadow and support project team to deliver in person food audits in schools

· Build relationships and work closely with teachers, teaching assistants, cooks, kitchen teams and senior leaders in schools in Hertfordshire to improve the food they offer their students

· Provide practical support to the project team with setting up workshops including paperwork and food shopping

· Provide admin support to the project team

· Tailor Nourish resources for Hertfordshire schools where required

· Collect data and maintain accurate records relating to the project

· Gather content for our comms team, website and social media platforms

· Keep project team fully updated on progress

· Keep up to date with safeguarding requirements and reporting procedures

· Maintaining the ethos of the charity and positively promoting our work at all times

· You will also be expected to undertake any other tasks relevant to the affairs of SFM that may arise from time to time. Therefore, being flexible and approaching the job with an open and positive mindset is essential.

Person Specification

Essential

· Excellent administrative and organisational skills with great attention to detail

· Excellent IT skills including excel, word and email

· Ability to work in a team, and seek help when needed

· Comfortable engaging with variety of audiences (students, school staff and parents), incl. writing and responding to email, conducting telephone, virtual and face to face meetings, and running workshops

· Self-motivated and optimistic with a can-do attitude

Desirable

· Experience of working for a charity or not for profit organisation

· Experience of working in schools

· An interest in food education and children’s health

· Access to a car

Ecommerce & Trading Assistant

We’re looking for a proactive and detail-oriented Ecommerce & Trading Assistant to support our growing commercial retail operation. This is a varied and hands-on role, ideal for someone who enjoys working with products, systems, and people, and wants to help raise vital funds for Helen & Douglas House.

You’ll be involved in everything from sourcing new goods/bought in goods and preparing stock to coordinating with our logistics & shop teams and ensuring our online customers receive a smooth and positive shopping experience, on ecommerce platforms like eBay.

Key Responsibilities:

• Product Sourcing, Preparation & Listing
  • Assist in sourcing new goods
  • Prepare items for listing including photographing stock
  • Support with writing accurate and appealing product descriptions
• Stock Management
  • Accept and check deliveries of donated and new goods
  • Barcode and organise stock
  • Pick and pack items for dispatch

• Logistics & Coordination
  • Liaise with the logistics team to ensure timely dispatch and delivery
  • Help maintain accurate stock records and inventory systems
• Team Support
  • Work closely with our amazing commercial team to support our ecommerce operation and our portfolio of shops
  • Contribute ideas to improve efficiency and customer experience

Skills & Experience:

• Strong attention to detail and organisational skills
• Experience with ecommerce platforms – eBay and/or other resale platforms
• Experience of the circular economy/sustainable fashion/second hand market
• Experience in buying or visual merchandising, customer service experience
• Good written communication and basic photography skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Passion for retail, charity work, and creative storytelling.

Ready to bring your skills to a role that matters? apply now

Job details:

• Hours: 37.5 hours per week
• Location: Oxford (OX4 6JS) 
• Salary: £25,087 per annum
• Closing date: 11st September 2026 at 12 noon 

We reserve the right to close the advert at any time should we receive sufficient applications, therefore weencourageapplicants to apply as soon as possible. 

Please note that everyone working for Helen & Douglas House are required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Helen & Douglas House is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We are an equal opportunities employer and value the benefits of a diverse workforce. We positively encourage applications from all areas of the community.

Assistant Accountant – Operations & Control

Salary: £39,129.53 - £43,128.79

Location: National / predominantly remote working

MLC Partners is currently recruiting an Assistant Accountant – Operations & Control for a large, highly impactful organisation operating nationally across the UK.

This is a fantastic to develop a broad finance skillset offering exposure across several areas of finance, with responsibility for maintaining accurate financial records, supporting strong financial controls and helping ensure key finance processes operate effectively.

You'll gain hands-on exposure to multiple areas of financial control while working alongside experienced finance professionals within a collaborative, purpose-led organisation. The organisation is also committed to career development and progression, making this a strong opportunity for someone looking to continue developing their finance career.

The role is predominantly remote, with a national remit and connection to a regional business unit.

The Role

Reporting to the Financial Controller, you will work closely with colleagues across Finance and the wider organisation, supporting a broad range of accounting and financial control activities. In this role, you will gain exposure to cashflow and treasury, balance sheet control, fixed assets, audit, VAT and tax, insurance, credit control and regulatory reporting.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Producing daily cash position reporting and supporting effective treasury and cashflow management.
• Completing bank reconciliations, investigating variances and ensuring transactions are accurately recorded.
• Supporting the preparation and maintenance of cashflow forecasts, including deposits and short-term investment balances.
• Supporting balance sheet reconciliations, ensuring balances are accurate, complete and appropriately evidenced.
• Assisting with fixed asset and lease accounting, including additions, disposals, depreciation, provisions and reconciliations.
• Maintaining accurate intercompany balances and resolving differences promptly.
• Supporting the preparation of statutory accounts and year-end audit, including working papers, audit requests and statutory disclosures.
• Preparing and supporting the submission of quarterly VAT returns and assisting with wider tax compliance requirements.
• Providing support across credit control and income processes, including monitoring aged debt and helping resolve queries.
• Contributing to continuous improvements across finance processes, systems and controls.

About you:

We are looking for someone with previous experience working within a finance or accounting environment, ideally with exposure to reconciliations, cashflow, month-end, audit or other operational finance processes.

You may be AAT qualified, approaching the final stages of ACCA, CIMA or ACA, or have equivalent experience. A good understanding of VAT and tax compliance is essential, while knowledge of financial controls, accounting standards and balance sheet accounting would be advantageous.

You will need:

• Has strong attention to detail and takes pride in producing accurate, well-controlled work.
• Is confident reconciling and analysing financial information and investigating discrepancies.
• Can manage multiple priorities and work effectively to month-end and audit deadlines.
• Has strong organisational and planning skills.
• Can communicate financial information clearly to both finance and non-finance stakeholders.
• Is proactive, solutions-focused and keen to identify opportunities to improve processes and systems.

If you're an ambitious finance professional who enjoys variety, problem-solving and taking ownership of your work, we'd love to hear from you.

Please get in touch with Sam at MLC Partners for a confidential conversation.