Associate director of development jobs in manchester

Contract: Permanent 

Hours: 35 per week 

Location: Hybrid or home working depending on location 

Closing date:  19 November 

Interview date: w/c 24 November

Are you looking for a role where your skills can directly benefit families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people? 

Family Fund has an ambitious five-year growth strategy, which aims to expand and diversify our income to support the hundreds of thousands of families across the UK raising disabled or seriously ill children, experiencing an unrelenting squeeze – financially, emotionally and practically.

The role 

Family Fund is seeking a dynamic Statutory Funding Manager to lead efforts to grow our income from government and statutory funders. This includes proactively identifying new funding opportunities linked to government policies and programmes, collaborating with operational teams to develop strong funding proposals, and building positive relationships with potential funders to support the organisation’s growth objective. 

If you join us, you’ll be: 

• Working with Directors to deliver a clear strategic view on areas of opportunity 

• Proactively horizon scanning across the policy landscape by reviewing government papers, policy reports, consultations, etc. to identify opportunities where Family Fund can offer strategic solutions 

• Working collaboratively with operations and research colleagues to ensure high quality, targeted and compelling proposals 

•  Cultivating and managing a network of peers and decision makers in government departments to accomplish objectives 

About you

You’ll have a proven track record of meeting and exceeding income targets from statutory income sources, have significant experience or researching and writing tenders and the commercial ability to understand, set and meet financial targets. 

To be successful in this role you will have a positive approach to business development and a detailed understanding of the statutory funding landscape and how policy development links to funding.You’ll need to have creative and lateral thinking skills to identify and expand on opportunities to meet government needs through the capacity and skills of the organisation. 

We’re passionate and determined to connect with and support more families and are looking for an individual with a strong commitment to our vision and purposes.You will also need to be self-motivated, results driven and have a tenacious approach to securing income.

About us 

Family Fund is a great place to work for great people. We provide a challenging and rewarding working environment where every staff member can make their mark. 

We are a values based organisation and we aim to show our values in all that we do. Read our staff stories here, and see how our staff display our values every day. 

We commit to inclusion, equality and diversity and we welcome applications from all parts of the community. Family Fund is a Disability Confident Leader. We will invite to interview all disabled applicants who meet the requirements for the role. If you have a disability, and are happy to let us know, please highlight this in your covering letter. We have also signed the Armed Forces Covenant and we welcome applications from the Armed Forces Community. 

How to apply 

When you’re ready to apply, complete the online application and submit a CV and a covering letter. Your letter will need to explain what skills and qualities you would bring to the team. 

For more information, please read and download the job description. 

The successful candidate must complete pre-employment checks that meet the Baseline Personnel Security Standard. This includes a right to work check and employment history verification. 

Be at the forefront of  student-led change in one of the UK’s most exciting and dynamic cities – join us as Associate Director Student Influence at Manchester Students’ Union.

Manchester Students’ Union is seeking a visionary Associate Director to spearhead our student influence work, empowering over 47,000 students to become powerful changemakers across the University, the city, and beyond.

The Role

As Associate Director Student Influence, you’ll lead the strategic development and operational delivery of our changemaking activity. You’ll ensure students are represented and supported to lead meaningful change, whether through policy, campaigning, or building grassroots movements. You’ll work closely with elected student leaders, university stakeholders, and civic partners to grow UMSU’s influence locally and nationally.

This is a senior leadership role, reporting to the Director of Student Engagement and accountable for a team including a Head of Policy, Head of Student Campaigns and Senior Officer Development Coordinator.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategies to grow UMSU’s influence across university, city, and nationally.

• Lead and mentor a high-performing team to deliver impactful change initiatives.

• Cultivate relationships with policy makers, civic organisations, and sector bodies.

• Champion student-led, evidence-informed approaches to advocacy and representation.

• Oversee democratic processes and political education initiatives.

• Drive performance through strategic planning, budgeting, and resource management.

Essential Criteria

We welcome applicants from all educational backgrounds. You’ll need to demonstrate:

• Proven experience in changemaking, whether from a campaigns, organising, advocacy, policy or public affairs background.

• Strategic leadership and team management in a values-led organisation.

• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills.

• Ability to develop and deliver innovative strategies for change.

• Excellent communication and diplomacy, with a collaborative mindset.

• Commitment to inclusivity, transparency, and student empowerment.

Why Join Us?

• Competitive salary and generous benefits see full list here

• Hybrid working options

• Clear progression pathway through our graded role structure

• A supportive, inclusive, and values-driven workplace

Location: Home based however this is a national role and will require travel to all EF sites

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Salary: £76,000 per annum

About us

Emerging Futures works nationally with people affected by addiction, encouraging them to make positive changes to their lives.

We believe that no one should suffer the stigma associated with addiction, and that everyone seeking support should feel valued and respected.

We provide homes for people to connect with others and make the necessary changes to move towards independent, healthy living. Our behaviour change services provide a confidential space to share experiences, and offer practical support to those who want to change. The Emerging Futures accredited coach training develops the skills of our volunteers, motivating people to give back and reconnect with their community.

About the role

This is a pivotal leadership role, supporting the Chief Executive and Board with organisational development, risk oversight, and the consistent delivery of high-quality, person-centred services.

This executive leadership role shapes the strategic direction of Emerging Futures, overseeing HR, Quality, Safeguarding, and Performance functions. It drives organisational strategy across people, culture, innovation, and service delivery, ensuring alignment with the charity’s values and sector trends in substance misuse and homelessness.

Key responsibilities include leading HR strategy—covering recruitment, workforce development, staff wellbeing, inclusion, and compliance—and overseeing quality assurance, clinical governance, and safeguarding to ensure robust risk management and continuous improvement.

The role also leads the development of outcome measurement frameworks, promotes data-driven decision-making, and collaborates with operational leaders to support service innovation and performance. Externally, it represents the organisation in strategic forums and partnerships, while internally fostering integration and supporting cross-functional initiatives.

This role is home based, however as you are leading remote teams across the country, very regular travel to EF sites/offices will be required.

About you

You will have proven senior leadership experience in HR (ideally at Head of HR or Director level) in the voluntary, housing, health, or social care sector. You should also have:

• Level 7 CIPD Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management or equivalent, plus relevant experience
• Strategic understanding of workforce, service delivery, and governance issues in substance use, homelessness, or complex needs sectors
• Demonstrated success in embedding quality and assurance frameworks across complex, dispersed services.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding, regulatory compliance, risk management, and performance improvement frameworks.
• Track record of driving organisational culture change and operational excellence.
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing, and stakeholder engagement skills, including Board-level reporting.

Key Dates

Application deadline: 10 November 2025

Anticipated interview dates are to be confirmed

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

This role is essential in our drive for evidencing the impact of the work we do. You will lead and manage a large-scale, multi-organisation piece of research aiming to highlight the impact of our programmes. You will play a key role in ensuring the main research project and any supplementary research projects are delivered efficiently and ethically. You will use data and evidence to inform practice and work closely with the Programme Specialist for Pilots and the wider Quality and Impact Team as required.  Additionally, you will project manage additional cross-organisational projects as required in support of our growing charity. 

This is role is a fixed-term contract for 18 months. 

Travel throughout the UK may be required.   

You will report to the Head of Quality and Impact. 

Key Responsibilities 

· You will be accountable for the oversight of the main research and any supplementary research projects from initiation to completion.

· You will collaborate with the Programme Specialist for Pilots and the Associate Director of Business Development to ensure delivery of the research and ensure alignment and fidelity to the research plan.

· You will work with the Head of Quality and Impact and Finance Team to ensure that the project/s meet agreed objectives, timelines and budgets. 

· You will support the development of project documentation. 

· You will deliver reports and presentations as required both internally and externally from DFN Project SEARCH to share information regarding the research project. 

· You will be accountable for collecting, analysing and reporting on data that is relevant to the organisation. 

You will be instrumental in the quality and impactful implementation, delivery and retention of our sites. You will oversee the delivery of exceptional outcomes in support of the charity's mission. You will work as part of a Regional/Country team to deliver outstanding programmes across your geography, establishing and leading partnerships throughout the life of a programme.    

Regular travel throughout your geographical location will be required, with occasional travel to other areas of the UK, NI and Iberia.  Please stipulate which role you are applying for (North of England or Nationwide).

 In addition, occasional international travel may be required, for example to the annual conference in the United States.  

You will report to either Regional/Country Lead within the Delivery & Partnerships team or the Associate Director of Business Development (depending on the scope of your role). 

• We will conduct selection in the w/c Nov 17th – with a multi-stage process taking place that week

Key Responsibilities  

· You will be accountable for the retention and outcomes of your portfolio of programmes.  

· You will work closely with colleagues in both the Delivery & Partnership team and the Quality & Impact team to pursue quality delivery of programmes that adheres to model fidelity.  

· You will hold partners and stakeholders to account for their key responsibilities in the delivery of quality programmes.  

Hours: 37 hours per week

Salary: £61,430 - £70,007 p.a. (NJC Spine Points 49 – 55). Salary to be at entry-level except for exceptional circumstances. 

Contract:  Fixed term to 31 March 2027, with potential extension subject to confirmation of funding.

Greater Manchester Moving is the Greater Manchester charity committed to changing lives by inspiring a healthier future in Greater Manchester through moving more, sport and physical activity. We play a strategic leadership role in support of the Greater Manchester wide movement, for movement.

We are seeking to recruit an individual with purpose, passion and integrity to lead, support and connect the Greater Manchester system in creating the conditions to enable Active Lives for All.

It’s an exciting time to join the team as we develop our vision to build and foster relationships with and between people, communities and system partners, to enable a whole system approach to supporting the development of community networks, activities and opportunities to move more and tackle inequality.

We are looking for someone who loves working with people, who can unite people from diverse backgrounds around a vision, who understands the power of collaboration and who can work with others to help people connect, support and lead across sectors, organisations and alongside communities to help us achieve the ambitions set out in the ten-year strategy, GM Moving in Action.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a high performing Active Partnership team working with a network committed to making positive change through movement, physical activity and sport.

This is a full-time role (37 hours per week), but job shares, secondments and reduced hours will be considered as part of our commitment to flexible working. Working days will predominantly be Monday to Friday. Our team works a minimum of two days a week in person, and our core office day is Tuesday. Occasional evening/weekend work may be required.

We have permanent office space at House of Sport in Manchester, and office space with GMCA and NHS GM at Tootal Buildings, Oxford Road, Manchester. We have regular team and co-working days, blended with homeworking. We trust you to work in a way that suits you and that enables you to be productive and thrive.

Greater Manchester Moving is committed to providing equal opportunities and promoting diversity, irrespective of ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexuality, disability, religion, pregnancy or personal circumstance. We aspire to being a diverse, inclusive and responsible organisation. Our aim is to have a workforce that reflects and understands the communities we work alongside.

Safety and Assurance Officer

Location: Homebased, based in the Southern Area

Contract: Full time, permanent

Salary: £32,000 gross per annum

Closing Date: 21 November 2025

Are you a Safety Specialist looking for a new opportunity?

The Marine Society & Sea Cadets (MSSC) is the leading maritime charity for youth development and lifelong learning. We are a vibrant and growing charity inspiring young people to achieve their potential through challenge and nautical adventure and also enabling seafarers and maritime professionals to realise their potential through learning and career development. Working with our employees, cadets, and volunteers, we have built a strong vision and five-year Future Ready strategy to meet the growing demand for what we provide, both for young people, seafarers and maritime professionals – and the thousands who aspire to be the sea cadets and marine professionals of the future. It is also about equipping them to achieve their potential and thrive in a rapidly changing world, while growing our charity to benefit even more people – including those from under-represented or marginalised groups.

We are currently looking for a Safety and Assurance Officer to join our team.

About the role

The Safety & Assurance Officer (SAO) is an employee of the MSSC and a member of the MSSC National Safety Assurance Team (NSAT). This is a home-based role, with a primary focus on the Southern area, predominantly the South-East. The SAO will report to the Head of Safety, Health, and Environment.

The SAO will work closely with other SAOs and will be functionally accountable to:

The Head of Inshore Boating for inshore boat assurance
The Staff Royal Marines Officer for weapons and ammunition safety and security assurance

The role requires regular travel within the area of responsibility and, on occasion within the UK. It will involve evening and some weekend work to fulfil the role’s responsibilities.

Requirements

Qualifications: Good general education and NEBOSH (or equivalent), with completion required during probation if not already held.
Safety & Environmental Management: Experience implementing safety and environmental management systems, conducting risk assessments, and working within formal assurance frameworks.
Incident Management: Experience managing, investigating, and reporting incidents.
Training & Support: Ability to deliver training, guidance, and support to non-specialist staff or volunteers on safety, health, environmental, and assurance matters.
Workload & Volunteer Management: Proven ability to manage a busy workload and effectively support and manage volunteers.

Responsibilities

Join the Marine Society & Sea Cadets as a Safety and Assurance Officer, ensuring the highest standards of safety, health, environment (SHE), and operational compliance across our units and facilities.
You’ll lead assurance inspections, maintain compliance with legislation and organisational regulations, and support the safe management of weapons, armouries, and inshore boating activities. Working closely with other members of the National Safety and Assurance Team (NSAT) and Area teams, you’ll oversee safety at events, camps, and competitions, conduct audits, and monitor incident reporting.
This role plays a vital part in upholding the safety and welfare of our cadets and volunteers through proactive assurance, training, and continuous improvement.

For further information, please download theIf you are interested in this role, please apply now!

Benefits

25 days annual leave per annum, increasing with length of service
Hybrid working for many roles
Volunteering Leave
Life assurance (4x salary)
Private medical insurance
Generous pension (employer contribution up to 10%)
Cycle to work scheme
Access to the Marine Society Digital Library
Wellbeing portal and EAP with 121 counselling
Employee development: We are investing in our employees' development and have an annual calendar of learning and development opportunities, designed to support employees to develop into their roles and stretch them to achieve their full potential.

Additional Information

MSSC positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates from all backgrounds. Equity, diversity, and inclusion really matters to us, so we can best serve our beneficiaries from every community. We work to ensure a fair and consistent recruitment process and aim to be a charity where diversity of experience, identity and skills are valued and welcomed. MSSC is an equal opportunities employer.

We recognise our responsibilities to safeguard and protect the young people and vulnerable adults with whom we work. We do all we can to promote their health, safety and wellbeing, and we expect our staff to share this commitment and work in line with safeguarding policy, the MSSC’s values and ethos of inclusivity. We adhere to safer recruitment practices and therefore employment is subject to detailed pre-employment checks for successful candidates, including references and criminal disclosure checks and the completion of a disclosure questionnaire. 

All successful applicants are required to attend safeguarding training and undergo pre-employment checks including a criminal record check.

About us

We’re Breast Cancer Now, the research and support charity. We’re the place to turn to for anything and everything to do with breast cancer. However you’re experiencing breast cancer, we’re here. 

The brightest minds in breast cancer research are here. Making life-saving research happen in labs across the UK and Ireland. Support services, trustworthy breast cancer information and specialist nurses are here. Ready to support you whenever you need it. Dedicated campaigners are here. Fighting for the best possible treatment, services and care for anyone affected by breast cancer.

About the role

Joining our dedicated team of nurses, you will support our helpline and Ask Our Nurses (AON).

The nursing team includes an associate director, senior clinical nurse specialists, clinical nurse specialists, sessional nurses and trained helpline staff.

You will act as a resource for clients, healthcare professionals and the wider public about breast health and breast cancer. This includes providing information and support to clients though our national helpline, by email and social media.

The helpline service is run throughout the week, and on Saturday mornings (the latter is optional, other than training days) and the helpline hours are 8:45am to 4.00pm. Team training usually occurs twice a year on Saturdays. You’ll be supported by a senior clinical nurse specialist and have regular clinical supervision. We are looking for candidates who can work at least one day (6.25 hours) per week

About you

Do you have excellent communication skills and experience in breast care nursing? If so, we’re really interested in hearing from you. This position could suit someone working part time in the NHS or private sector or for individuals who would like to use their information and support skills through our helpline and AON written enquiry services.

Job description and benefits

Please download the job description and our attractive benefits package.

Primary location of role and hybrid working

This role is home based. There are 2 training days per year on Saturday that take place in our London office

When applying

We hope you choose to apply for this role. To support your application, you’ll be asked to submit your anonymised CV and a supporting statement online. Please refer to the essential criteria on the person specification and clearly provide as much information as you can with examples, to demonstrate how and where you meet the criteria. If you’ve any immediate questions please contact the Breast Cancer Now recruitment team

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

We’re committed to promoting equity, valuing diversity and creating an inclusive environment – for everyone who works for us, works with us, supports us and who we support.

Closing date  Wednesday 12 November 9am

Interview date   25 and 27 November

We reserve the right to close this advert early. Therefore, to avoid disappointment please submit your application as soon as possible, if you’re interested in this opportunity.

Please Note: We are unable to accept applications via external sites and email. Please apply via our website.

Are you ready to shape the future of student life through bold, evidence-based policy in one the UK’s most exciting student cities?

We are looking for a strategic and collaborative Head of Policy to lead our policy development and advocacy work, ensuring students’ voices are heard and acted upon across the university, city, and national platforms.

As Head of Policy, you’ll lead the development of student-led, evidence-informed policy work that reflects the lived experiences of our diverse student body. You’ll monitor developments across the higher education sector, local government, and Westminster, and produce compelling outputs that influence decision-makers and drive change.

Reporting to the Associate Director of Student Influence, the Head of Policy will play a key role in shaping our strategic external engagement, supporting elected student leaders, and building strong relationships with stakeholders across the university and beyond.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the creation of influential policy briefings, consultation responses, and reports

• Monitor and respond to policy developments affecting students and students’ unions

• Translate complex ideas into persuasive communications for a range of audiences

• Build relationships with university departments, local government, and sector bodies

• Support the development of policy skills across the organisation

• Align policy work across democratic outputs, insight, student campaigns and staff expertise

Essential Criteria

We welcome applicants from all educational backgrounds. You’ll need to demonstrate:

• Proven experience in policy development and advocacy

• Excellent writing and analytical skills

• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship-building abilities

• Experience in people management and team leadership

• Ability to work in a fast-paced, evolving environment

• Passion for student issues and a commitment to inclusivity and transparency

Why Join Us

• Great staff benefits 

• Hybrid working options

• Clear progression pathways through our graded role structure

• A supportive, inclusive, and values-driven workplace

Please read the full role profile before applying, as well as our guide to recruitment.

Please Note: We are unable to accept applications via external sites and email. Please apply via our website.

Are you passionate about campaigning, building movements and empowering students to lead change? 

We are looking for a strategic and politically astute Head of Student Campaigns to lead the development of a powerful, inclusive student movement. This is a unique opportunity to shape how students engage with democracy, activism, and changemaking across the University of Manchester and beyond.

As Head of Student Campaigns, you’ll lead a team focused on building a stronger and more inclusive student movement. You’ll design and deliver projects that increase student participation in changemaking, support democratic engagement, and ensure marginalised voices are heard and represented. Working closely with elected student leaders and colleagues across the organisation, you’ll help shape the future of student influence.

The Head of Student Campaigns will manage a team including the Senior Democracy Coordinator, Student Community Organisers, and report to the Associate Director of Student Influence.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead movement-building initiatives aligned with student priorities.

• Develop and deliver training, events, and campaigns that mobilise students.

• Increase participation in democratic processes, including student elections.

• Build relationships with stakeholders across the university, city, and sector.

• Ensure inclusive engagement, particularly for underrepresented student groups.

• Embed project management practices to deliver impactful work at pace.

Essential Criteria

We welcome applicants from all educational backgrounds. You’ll need to demonstrate:

• Experience in community organising or movement building

• Strong project management and facilitation skills

• Ability to manage multiple projects and lead a team effectively

• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills

• Political awareness and sound judgement

• Commitment to inclusivity, collaboration, and student empowerment

Why Join Us?

• Great staff benefits

• Hybrid working options

• Clear progression pathways through our graded role structure

• A supportive, inclusive, and values-driven workplace

Please read the full role profile before applying, as well as our guide to recruitment.

Location: Hybrid – work from home, school, or office as needed
Hours: 37.5 per week (Term time) – Full time, part time, and job share options available
Salary: £63,372 (pro-rated to £57,738 based on 41 working weeks)

Are you passionate about making a lasting difference in the lives of children and young people?

At Together Trust, we’re looking for a dedicated and dynamic Educational Psychologist to join our Therapy and Specialist Support team — someone ready to bring their expertise, creativity, and compassion to an organisation that truly values holistic, person-centred support.

Together we make a difference, develop and learn, and support each other. Every day with us is different, but our mission remains the same: To champion the rights, needs and ambitions of the people we support - they are at the heart of everything we do. We stand by them and we work together for change.

The Role

This is more than just a job — it’s a chance to be part of a multidisciplinary team that’s transforming lives. You’ll deliver psychological assessments providing expert consultation, guidance, and training  across our education settings and external schools, helping staff create environments where every child can thrive emotionally, socially, and academically.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Delivering specialist psychological reports for key stakeholders and professionals within the wider network.
• Using applied psychology to co-create strategies that remove barriers to learning for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
• Conducting comprehensive psychological assessments and needs analyses to ensure tailored, effective support.
• Collaborating in our Trust-wide Clinical MDT, contributing to supervision, and engaging in quarterly learning spaces.
• Supporting and mentoring Assistant Psychologists, and helping shape training placements for future Educational Psychologists.
• Delivering inspiring training programmes within the Trust and to external partners.
• Upholding the highest professional standards (BPS and HCPC) and committing to ongoing professional development.
• Helping raise the profile of our Therapy and Specialist Support Services through learning papers and wider professional engagement.

About You

You’re a confident, compassionate professional who thrives on collaboration and innovation. You’ll bring:

• A Doctorate in Educational Psychology and HCPC registration.
• Significant post-qualification experience supporting children and young people in educational settings.
• Expertise working with complex needs, including learning disabilities, autism spectrum conditions, and mental health challenges.
• In-depth knowledge of current educational systems and SEND frameworks.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively with staff, parents, carers, and professionals.

Benefits 

• Generous pension scheme and death in service benefit, up to 7% company pension contributions initially rising with length of service and up to 6 x basic salary death in service benefit.
• Occupational sick pay and family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, paternity and adoptive leave.
• Reward and Discount platform offering discounts at high street shops, travel, insurances etc.
• Cycle to work scheme
• Eligibility to apply for Blue Light card
• Proud to be a real living wage employer
• Refer a friend scheme, be rewarded for recommending a friend to work with us
• Comprehensive training and development opportunities, including apprenticeship qualifications
• Long service awards including cash gifts and extra holiday.
• Promotion of Wellbeing across the organisation including Mental Health First Aiders offering wellbeing support from trained colleague and free weekly yoga session  in person or online
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme for you and adults at your home

Alongside an incredible team of like-minded peers, you’ll be working behind-the-scenes to support our staff, volunteers, families, and supporters. You will be helping our work happen across the charity; enabling us to care for and champion the rights, needs and ambitions of the people we support.

Curious about us? Watch our quick career video to see what it’s like to work with us:

https://youtu.be/SEnw2o00T6E

At Together Trust, we believe in unlocking potential — for the people we support and for our staff. You’ll join a friendly, values-driven organisation that celebrates innovation, invests in development, and embraces flexibility. Every day, you’ll be part of a team that’s changing lives for the better.

Ready to make an impact?
Apply today and help us build brighter futures, together.

The Together Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the people we support and expects all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.  

Safeguarding checks will be undertaken for the successful candidate in line with our safer recruitment policy, including an Enhanced DBS check (at no cost to yourself).

This role will involve regulated activity.

Applications are very welcome from all regardless of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, race, sex, sexual orientation, trans status or socio-economic background. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments for disabled people. We positively encourage applications from those with lived experience. 

If there is any part of your lived experience you want to keep confidential in some way please talk to the Recruitment or HR shared service teams and we will do what we can to support you.

We have developed strong systems and processes over the past five years and are now focused on enhancing their efficiency and effectiveness to support the continued growth of Innovation Unit. We are seeking a capable and proactive Operations Assistant to help deliver this ambition. This is a varied and fast-paced role that sits at the heart of our organisation, supporting the smooth running of our core business functions, including HR, IT, systems, finance, recruitment, team events, and workspace coordination. Reporting to the Head of Finance and Operations, and working closely with the HR Manager, you will engage with colleagues across the organisation to ensure our operations are well organised, responsive, and people-centred.

You will be responsible for a broad range of activities, including managing shared systems and records, supporting recruitment and onboarding, coordinating team events and workspace logistics, and providing day-to-day support with IT and organisational platforms. You will also contribute to finance administration, business development processes, and support initiatives that strengthen team culture and employee experience.

This role requires proven experience in administration, operations, or HR support, ideally gained within a consultancy, charity, or purpose-driven organisation. You will be confident using systems such as Google Workspace, Zoom, Slack, and demonstrate the ability to learn and use new platforms effectively. You will be expected to manage tasks independently, apply sound judgement, and deliver work to a high professional standard.

You will need to build and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues, associates, and suppliers, and work effectively across a range of internal functions. This will require excellent communication skills, strong organisational ability, and the flexibility to adapt when circumstances change. A high level of discretion and care will be essential, particularly when handling sensitive information or supporting compliance processes.

Innovation Unit is a mission-driven organisation committed to tackling persistent inequalities and transforming the systems that shape people’s lives. You will be joining a collaborative, supportive, and high-performing team that values learning, inclusion, and a shared commitment to meaningful impact. From your first day, you will be expected to contribute actively to the success of the team and to the continuous improvement of our operations and employee experience.

If you are looking for a role that offers variety, responsibility, and purpose, and the opportunity to build and apply your operations expertise in a values-led organisation, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Timeline:

First round interviews will take place between 3rd and 7th November over video call. Final screening interviews with the Managing Director and completion of an aptitude test will be in the week commencing 10th November online.

All candidates will receive an email confirming that their application has been received. After this, we will only contact the applicants that have been selected for interview. Feedback on your application will be given through the Be Applied system.

Due to the nature of our work with children and vulnerable adults, Innovation Unit operates a Safer Recruitment policy. All offers of employment will be made on the condition of a DBS check being carried out and we will ask for two references.

Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end-of-life charity. We are the largest non-NHS provider of end-of-life care in the UK, the only provider across all 4 nations, delivering community nursing and hospice care across the country. Our retail stores play a vital part in helping us achieve our mission by bringing in significant revenue generation, building awareness and engaging local communities.

Join our team and be part of a dynamic retail environment where your can-do attitude makes a real difference. We're looking for courageous individuals who take initiative, considerate team players who put customers first and trustworthy colleagues who take pride in what they do. If you thrive in a collaborative workplace and enjoy helping people, we'd love to hear from you.

As a Sunday Assistant, you will enjoy the freedom and responsibility of running the store on your own, taking charge of daily operations, including serving customers, managing stock and ensuring the store looks its best. If you are independent, reliable and love the challenge of lone working then this is a great opportunity for you.

What if your expertise in legal, risk, or assurance could shape how we navigate complex challenges at scale? You could be embedding excellence and credibility that protects and empowers our mission to end the devastation of dementia.

About the opportunity

As Head of Legal, Risk and Assurance, you'll lead three critical disciplines that form the backbone of trust, safety, and risk-informed decision-making at Alzheimer's Society. This is a people-focused leadership role within our Finance & Assurance directorate, overseeing professional teams delivering legal, risk management, and assurance services. You'll bring these areas together as one team, joining the dots to create real impact through compassionate, strategic leadership.

We're in the midst of an ambitious transformation programme, and you'll play a central role in ensuring this change is embedded effectively. Working in close partnership with management and trustees, you'll be a senior, credible, and visible voice. Influencing decisions, elevating standards, and building a culture where risk awareness and legal clarity empower rather than constrain our work.

This role brings together three disciplines, each led by experienced subject matter experts who will report into you. We're not expecting you to be an expert in all three areas. However, you should have significant professional experience in at least one, with strong knowledge and curiosity about the others. Above all, this is a people-focused position. Your ability to lead, develop, and inspire your teams, and those around you, will be just as important as your technical expertise.

If you're a strategic leader who thrives on building relationships, driving continuous improvement, and creating lasting impact in a cause-driven environment, we'd love to hear from you.

About you:

You're an accomplished leader with proven experience in legal, risk, or assurance. You'll bring both technical credibility and a track record of effective stakeholder management and people leadership. You're passionate about developing others, building high-performing teams, and creating an environment where professionals can thrive. You understand that when risk, legal, and audit is done best, it's done in collaboration. Keeping the end goal in mind, and enabling the best possible decisions that protect what matters most.

You'll have:

- Professional qualification in at least one discipline (qualified lawyer, risk professional, and/or chartered internal auditor) with demonstrable knowledge across legal, risk, and assurance areas.
- Significant line management experience, with a track record of leading, coaching, and developing teams through periods of change and growth.
- Proven ability to work in partnership with senior stakeholders, including trustees and executive leadership, providing clear, valuable, and risk-based guidance.
- Experience overseeing professional services that are visible, valued, and proactively consulted across an organisation.
- Strong communication and influencing skills, able to challenge constructively while building strong relationships, and translate complex technical matters into clear guidance for diverse audiences.
- A collaborative mindset and evidenced ability to drive continuous improvement, bringing best practice from across sectors to elevate standards and maturity.

What you'll focus on:

- Leading the legal, risk, and assurance teams, creating a culture of high performance, continuous learning, and professional excellence.
- Working in close partnership with executive management and trustees. Providing strategic advice and reporting on legal matters, risk landscape, and assurance findings to inform critical decisions.
- Driving forward our transformation programme, ensuring governance frameworks support rather than hinder change, and that legal, risk, and assurance considerations are embedded from the outset.
- Elevating the profile and maturity of all three disciplines. Making them visible partners across directorates and ensuring they're proactively consulted on key initiatives rather than brought in as an afterthought.
- Overseeing the facilitation of robust risk management systems, leading comprehensive assurance programmes, and ensuring legal services are professional, credible, and responsive to organisational needs.
- Managing departmental budgets, resource allocation, and capacity planning to ensure your teams can deliver first-class services that enable the Society's strategic objectives.
- Building and maintaining impactful external networks, using horizon scanning and sector best practice to keep the Society ahead of emerging risks and regulatory changes.
- Deputising for the Associate Director Risk and Assurance as required, representing Finance & Assurance at senior forums.

Can you see yourself as a trusted partner who helps Alzheimer's Society navigate complexity with confidence? Are you ready to lead teams where legal, risk, and assurance considerations are increasingly incorporated into decision-making? Can you join the dots between these disciplines to ensure the joint outcomes protect and enhance our ability to transform lives affected by dementia?
 
To be successful in this position, you may have existing experience in the following roles; Head of Internal Audit, Head of Risk Management, Head of Internal Audit and Risk, Head of Legal and Risk or other similar roles. We also welcome applicants with transferable skills.

Important Dates

The deadline for applications is 23:59 on Sunday 2nd November 2025.
Interviews will begin week commencing Monday 10th November 2025 and will be a 3 stage interview process which will include a presentation task at 2nd Stage.

About Alzheimer's Society

Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.

At Alzheimer’s Society, we’re the UK’s leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding groundbreaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.

Together with our supporters, we’re working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.

Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for.

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society.  

We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society. 

Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people. 

Our hiring process

During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply.  Please also contact Alzheimer’s Society Talent Acquisition Team for application support or any adjustments you might need.

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value it truly adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to showcase them in your own voice.

We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice.

We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a DBS check at the relevant level.

Giving back to you

Our employees work hard every day to make a true difference in people's lives. We are proud to support them with a range of benefits, recognition and many options for working agilely, all contributing to a strong work life balance. We also have various learning programmes to support you in your development and help you grow to realise your potential and shape a career with Alzheimer's Society. 

You can also visit our Working for Us pages, which give you more information about what it’s like to be an employee at the Society.