Audience development officer jobs

Location: York office or national

Join the UK’s Largest STEM Volunteering Programme – Make a National Impact

Are you passionate about STEM education and creating opportunities for young people? Do you want to oversee national programmes that connect businesses, universities, and volunteers with schools across the UK? 

We’re looking for an experienced and visionary careers and enrichment programme lead to oversee the operational delivery of the STEM Ambassador Programme – the UK’s largest STEM volunteering programme, engaging nearly 28,000 volunteers from over 5,000 organisations.

Reporting to the Head of Skills & Partner Engagement, the STEM Ambassadors Delivery Lead will ensure that we deliver a high impact, UK wide STEM volunteering programme providing millions of young people with inspiring careers and enrichment opportunities.

You will be responsible for programme monitoring, reporting to government, liaison with regional delivery partners and connecting the internal departments which contribute to the programme’s success. 

 About Us

STEM Learning’s vision is a world-leading STEM education for all young people across the UK. We are dedicated to improving young people’s lives through the power of STEM and believe great STEM education builds knowledge and skills that are vital for everyone.

To achieve this, we provide a range of support to formal and informal education, including subject-specific professional development for teachers and other educators, quality assured resources, support for STEM Clubs, and student-facing experiences.

We lead the STEM Ambassadors programme, which enables 28,000 volunteers to share their enthusiasm and expertise with young people and teachers throughout the UK via classroom activities, career talks, etc.

 The Role

This crucial role will be accountable for the efficient operational management of the STEM Ambassador programme, as well as leading improvements and innovation of the customer experience of all stakeholders engaging with the programme.

The role is broad and varied covering financial oversight, milestones and KPI monitoring, reporting and data analysis, programme innovation and external promotion.

Your success in this role will contribute positively to building STEM Learning’s reputation as ‘the partner of choice’ for STEM outreach and increase our network of supporters wanting to engage in and support STEM.

 Our Ideal Candidate

 You will be results focused, with the ability to think analytically and strategically and respond creatively to challenges. Your proven project management and organisation skills will enable you to manage competing priorities to achieve optimum results.

You will have experience of the careers and skills sector, having played a key operational role in overseeing the operations of a large and complex careers programme.

With excellent relationship building and communication skills, you will need to demonstrate your ability to collaborate effectively with a range of internal and external stakeholders, including managing their expectations.

As a visible and supportive leader, you will work effectively with remote colleagues, and be able to manage change and build resilience within teams.  As well as working as part of a team, you will equally be able to work on your own initiative.

This is a great opportunity for someone with a high level of personal resilience who is able to relish a challenge, to deliver impact within a complex education and skills landscape.

The role holder will be required to undertake some UK travel and occasional overnight stays. Flexibility of working hours will be required to meet the demands of the role at key times.

Next Steps

To apply please submit your CV and a cover letter explaining what interested you in the role and why you think you are our ideal candidate.

Closing Date: 9am Monday 6th October 2025

1st Stage Interviews: Wednesday 15th October 2025 (online)

2nd Stage Interviews: Tuesday 21st October (in person in York)

• 35 hours (flexible working, such as a 9 day fortnight, could be considered)
• Hybrid - London (1 day a week in London, with regular travel to our Bristol office)
• Closing date: 28th September 2025
• Interview date: w/c 6th October 2025 

Change lives in a life-changing career

When a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer, their whole world can feel like it’s falling apart. Independence is taken and confidence is stolen. Stability no longer exists. The future suddenly feels uncertain.

The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical. And that impact can be felt by entire family. That’s why we exist. Our specialist social workers help children and young people with cancer and their families navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer.

We remove barriers, solve problems and prioritise wellbeing. And we stop at nothing to make their voices heard and their unique needs understood, so they can get the right care and support at the right time

About the role

We are seeking an exceptional, creative and strategic fundraising leader to shape and deliver a new public fundraising and supporter engagement strategy, driving significant income growth across individual giving, legacies, community, events and trading.

As Associate Director, Public Fundraising, you will be a motivating leader for the talented Supporter Engagement team.  You will work with your leadership group to build on our successful approach to mass fundraising, aligning with our new organisational strategy to drive long-term transformational growth.

We are seeking someone with a passion for audience-led fundraising, who will lead and empower the team of 46 to explore new opportunities, grow income and build sustainable relationships.  Ultimately this will mean that our public fundraising programme will enable the charity to deliver its ambitious vision for the future, ensuring that every young person with cancer gets the support they need.

This is a pivotal role across the wider Income Generation directorate, supporting the Director and colleagues to deliver the overall Income Generation strategy, demonstrating YLvC values, and helping to develop our high performing team. 

This role is subject to a criminal record check. In the event of a successful application a basic criminal record check will be completed.

What will I be doing?

No two days are the same at Young Lives vs Cancer. So, summarising your ‘day to day’ isn’t easy. Here are some of the main things you’ll be doing, but you’ll find more details in the job description.

• With your team, translate corporate and departmental strategy into actionable team plans with a focus on supporter experience and long term growth, embedding best practice and leading cross-functional programmes to drive strategic delivery.
• Develop a budget and KPIs that support the team and overall Supporter Engagement plan with a process for regular monitoring, reporting, and evaluation to ensure impact and alignment. 
• Champion external insight gathering, ensuring your team stays ahead of trends and identifies emerging risks 
• Inspire confidence and engagement across Supporter Engagement through consistent, evidence-led leadership that values the supporter and embodies Young Lives vs Cancer’s values.
• Foster a high-performing, healthy team culture, ensuring your team reflects the professionalism and quality expected of a leading organisation.
• Champion the impact of Supporters, Supporter Engagement and Income Generation across the organisation inspiring trust and engagement from stakeholders.
• Build and nurture your external network and strategic external partnerships that actively shape planning and decision-making across your specialism and the wider organisation.
• Proactively identify opportunities to represent and advocate for Young Lives vs Cancer, collaborating across the children’s cancer care and voluntary sectors to influence and innovate. 

What do I need? 

Diverse perspectives and unique skillsets are at the heart of Young Lives vs Cancer. If you're passionate about making a positive impact and eager to learn, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet the criteria and person specification fully. Your potential is what matters most to us, and we’re committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment to help you develop.

The key skills we’re looking for in this role are:

• Proven senior leadership experience in public fundraising e.g. individual giving, legacies, community, events and trading.
• Track record of developing and delivering strategic plans aligned to organisational goals.
• Experience leading high-performing, geographically dispersed teams and managing cross-functional programmes.
• Track record of enabling teams to innovate and deliver new opportunities and approaches to maximise income growth
• Strong background in budget management, KPI development, and performance evaluation.
• Understanding of supporter engagement strategies, donor journeys, and long-term growth models.
• Awareness of current and emerging trends in fundraising, digital engagement, and supporter experience.
• Understanding of organisational development, team dynamics, and performance culture.
• Ability to network across the not for profit sector in order to strengthen perspective internally and for the sector. 

What will I gain?

 For people to reach their full potential, they need the right environment. As a member of Team Young Lives, you’ll be made to feel supported, valued and appreciated. Here’s how we do it:

• Flexible working: we’re open to working hours outside of 9 - 5 and we can talk through your flexibility requirements at interview stage
• Wellbeing, Thinking & Growth Days: four days a year to to step back from the day-to-day and focus on your own learning and development
• Generous annual leave allowance
• Great family/caring leave entitlements
• Enhanced pension
• Access to our employee savings scheme

To find out more about our benefits package, have a look on our website.

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

At Young Lives vs Cancer, we recognise that opportunities for too many people remain a condition of their sex, ethnicity, class, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation – or a combination. This has never been acceptable to us as an organisation. We don’t just accept difference, we value it, celebrate it, nurture it and we thrive because of it.

We’re on a journey to be reflective of the diverse children, young people and families we support. We know we aren’t there yet, and we’re passionately committed to taking actions and making changes to be a truly diverse, inclusive and equitable organisation. This includes taking anti-oppressive action and removing barriers in our recruitment practices. We particularly welcome applications from members of minoritised communities. Our Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging strategy will tell you more.

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. CVs can be uploaded, but we won't be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to fully complete the work history sections of the online application form for us to be able to assess you quickly, fairly and objectively.

Accessibility

We’re committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always aim to be as accommodating as possible.Please let us know in your application form of any adjustments or access requirements we could make to help you with the application process and interview.

#ShowTheSalary #NonGraduatesWelcome

We’re an award-winning charity that runs local learning centres in the heart of communities where the young people we support live. Our centres provide an innovative education programme which includes practical learning support and motivational and confidence-building activities for children and young people aged 7-18. Our aim is to inspire students from the least advantaged neighbourhoods to broaden their horizons and achieve their full potential.

As the UK’s leading university access organisation, our staff team is helping thousands of young people each year. We have forty-five centres and extension projects across England and Scotland, with ambitious plans to scale-up our provision further over the coming years.

IntoUniversity and the Royal National Children's SpringBoard Foundation are working in partnership to offer further life-transforming opportunities for IntoUniversity students to attend independent and state boarding schools on fully-funded bursaries.

We are looking for a Boarding Schools Bursary Manager to join our team. The postholder will have responsibility for leading and developing the Boarding Schools Bursary programme in partnership with Royal SpringBoard and will be the principal point of contact for IntoUniversity centres, the bursary students and their families, the boarding schools and Royal SpringBoard.

The successful candidate will quickly gain an understanding and knowledge of the IntoUniversity students recommended for bursary places and will develop relationships of trust with their families to ensure a smooth transition and integration into boarding school. 

The role at a glance

Contract: Full-time, permanent
Start date: As soon as possible to be agreed directly with the successful candidate
Location: Frequent travel around the UK is required for this role. Could be based in one of the following IntoUniversity  centres: Birmingham, Bradford, Coventry, Leeds, Leicester, London, Manchester, Nottingham
Salary: 
£40,800 per annum (including London contribution) for candidates based in London
£38,100 per annum for candidates based outside of London

What will my main duties be?

Programme Management

• To oversee the IntoUniversity Boarding School Bursary Programme including recruitment of potential students and ongoing support of current boarders.
• To prepare the students and their families for Royal SpringBoard and school assessments as well as reparing for boarding school life. 
• To plan and/or attend boarding school taster and pastoral visits across the UK. 
• To create a calendar of out-of-boarding events and support for students and families to connect to their local centre, including centre visits and community hubs. 
• Work with the Safeguarding Team to promote the wellbeing of students and respond to safeguarding concerns (additional training will be provided for this aspect of the role). 
• Encourage post-18 alumni to engage with the Royal SpringBoard alumni programmes and the IntoUniversity Student Associate Network
• Ensure Salesforce database records and monitoring requirements are kept up to date. 

Stakeholder Management

• Manage the relationship with Royal Springboard, including reporting on KPIs and maintaining communication.
• To build strong relationships and liaise with the host boarding schools and the key staff members such as Houseparents.
• To provide support to parents/carers as needed and manage any issues that may arise sensitively, mediating between the boarding schools, parents/carers and students as necessary.

Other duties

• To ensure that the ethos, values and culture of the charity are maintained.
• To champion diversity and inclusion in your role at all times, referring to the Diversity and Inclusion Staff Responsibilities Guide and fully supporting with the implementation of the charity’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
• To ensure compliance with all necessary regulations and legal requirements, including the Children’s Act, Equal Opportunities, Data Protection, Health & Safety and Working with Vulnerable Groups.
• To undertake any task that may be requested from time to time that may be consistent with the nature and scope of this post. 
• To have full regard for IntoUniversity and Royal SpringBoard’s policies and procedures and to uphold IntoUniversity and Royal SpringBoard’s reputation, aims and values

We are a growing, sustainable and ambitious social mobility charity. We know that young people in under-served parts of the country are missing out on opportunities which would unlock their confidence and build their skills for a successful future. 

Our long-term, transformational partnerships with business and civic society which support over 60k+ young people every year discover what they are amazing at. This role will lead our evaluation approaches, data analysis and impact insights for our new five-year strategy - Ambition 2030.

What you will be doing

The insights you bring to our programme delivery will aid our understanding of our short, medium and long-term impact for young people, and our role in careers education and social mobility. Your work will also support us to continue to build on ‘what’s working’ and improve our offer to schools, ensuring our support reaches the young people who are most at risk of missing out on opportunities to spark a successful future.

Responsiblities:

• Evaluation
• Data collection
• Data analysis
• Insight reporting
• Systems management

Read more in our job pack. 

Job details

• £35,000 salary
• Full time (37.5 hrs per week)
• Hybrid working*
• 28 days holiday + bank holidays (inclusive of Christmas closure days)
• Training budget

*Hybrid working

This is a hybrid role. You will be working from home and will join our Team Together Days in a co-working space in London a min of 1 a month, up to a max of 3 per month. These days are considered commuting days. You do not need to live in London to apply for this role, but you will need to consider what you feel is a reasonable commuting distance and to be able to attend our team days in London. You can read more about our approach to hybrid working on our website. 

We take safeguarding seriously, please note for safer recruitment purposes, all applications must clearly state continuous work history for the last 10 years, or since leaving full time education. It is ok to have employment gaps on your CV, please provide a note to explain these. Any CVs without full history (including start and finish months and years) will not be considered. 

To read the full job information pack, download the attachment. Please read this before completing your application as it contains some helpful advice of the key experiences and skills we are looking for. 

Using AI in your application 

Robots need not apply. Human skills and authenticity is incredibly important in the work we do with young people. We want to hear your voice and personality in your application. The best way to learn about our work is from our website, not AI. We receive many applications generated by AI platforms which often include incorrect information about our charity - providing incorrect or misinformation may mean we discount your application. 

Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing and welfare of children and we require everyone associated with The Talent Foundry Trust, including all trustees, employees, and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will need to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the role, including completing our Safer Recruitment process, references from past employers and Disclosure and Barring Service checks.