Benefits officer jobs in folkestone, kent

About us 

We are an independent charity that supports, promotes and represents public libraries. Our work is driven and led by our membership, which includes almost every library service in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependencies (Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man).  

Across the areas we serve there are 176 individual library services with around 3,000 library branches serving over 61 million people. 

Our unique approach is to bring these services together to share experience, expertise and evidence – driving innovation and impact across the public library sector.

While senior library leaders sit on our board and committees, we work with library staff at all levels.

As well as providing practical support, training and advice to libraries, we represent them to government and raise their profile in the media. We also develop and lead national library projects with cultural, academic and corporate partners.  

We work to a strategic plan that runs until 2027, organised around four themes: drive, grow, connect and engage.  

We generate income from membership subscriptions, commissioned services, events and grants. As an Arts Council Investment Principle Support Organisation, part of our core funding in England comes from the Arts Council to help embed their Investment Principles across the library network.   

Our values 

• We are supportive. We respond to the varied, emerging needs of our members and their communities to enable libraries to learn from each other, and other sector leaders, so that they can safeguard and improve their services.  

• We are inclusive. We work with our members and partners to design and deliver our work and to determine our strategic priorities because we are committed to representing the diverse communities and libraries which we serve.  

• We are open. We are in constant communication with our members and partners on all levels to learn from their experiences, reflect on our practice and develop our services. We welcome challenge and new directions for our work.  

• We are ambitious. We believe that libraries are an essential part of the solution to a range of society’s needs. We promote innovation and collaboration to ensure that libraries are recognised locally and nationally.  

Working at Libraries Connected 

We are a friendly, collaborative team of around 20 staff based all around England and Wales. 

We value diversity and are committed to promoting an inclusive working environment. We strongly believe that inclusive and diverse organisations are not only better places to work, they are more innovative, make better decisions and are more successful. We value people who bring unique perspectives and knowledge to our team. 

We want to make our recruitment process as fair as possible. To reduce bias, we shortlist candidates based on their responses to up to six application questions. These are designed to tell us about your values, experience, attitudes to work, and transferable skills. We do not ask for a separate cover letter or supporting statement. 

We offer flexible working as standard, helping work fit around family and caring responsibilities. Many of our staff work their hours in different ways, including flexi time and compressed hours. We are open to discussing what would work for you and be possible for the role. 

All roles are remote and are open to applicants who live anywhere in the UK. We provide staff with a home office set-up including laptop, monitor and phone. There is the option to work from our central London office or use a co-working space if it is not possible to work from home. 

We welcome requests for adjustments to our standard recruitment processes for anyone who needs them. 

Our Commercial Team 

We have a small commercial team with big ambitions for the sector.

Currently, we hold a single commercial contract worth around £3m per year delivered through 12 libraries. Our aim is to reach a point where we have a menu of commercial contracts that all of our 176 member library services can choose to benefit from according to the skills and assets of their service, their focus and strategy and of course the needs of their communities.

In the current funding climate for local authorities and local government services, these contracts are not just about the income and the services they can provide but about demonstrating nationally the power of the library sector, and how national services can be delivered locally through library services and the communities they serve.

Our approach is to identify and secure contracts procured by national government – either directly or with partners to extend the libraries’ capabilities – with an eye to local delivery through the library services. This allows us to centrally hold and manage the risk of the national contract, leaving the library services to deliver themselves.

We see libraries as a solution to many of society’s challenges and this is one route we use to bring the libraries into that solution.  

This area is part of our long term strategy – we are seeking to build the commercial team with this role and while it is initially a 12-month contract, our hope is that with the role in place we can generate the income to sustain and build on it.

Head of New Developments  

£56,254 per annum, with a London Weighting Allowance of £4,530 for those living within a London Borough (32 local authority districts plus the City of London) 

Ref: 09REC 

Full Time 37.5 hours per week – happy to talk flexible working 

The role 

Sustrans is the UK’s leading active travel organisation, working to make it possible for people across society to walk, wheel and cycle.  We have a new strategy for the next five years, a key strand of which is to unlock active travel in new housing developments, and we are recruiting a Head of New Developments to lead this work.

This is a new position in which you will draw on your experience in the housing delivery sector to grow Sustrans’ contribution to the creation of new communities that have active mobility at their heart.  As well as leading our influencing work aimed at organisations in housing delivery, you will develop and promote an offer to partners, drawing on Sustrans’ existing infrastructure, behaviour change and advisory services.  You will connect with, inform and inspire professionals and decision makers involved in delivering new homes to adopt the actions required to increase active travel in their developments.  Through collaboration with our Commercial team and subject experts across Sustrans, you will develop a pipeline of funded work from public, private and third sector organisations, ultimately enabling more households to walk, wheel or cycle for their day-to-day journeys.

The role can be based in any Sustrans office and will involve frequent in-person meetings and site visits, particularly (but not exclusively) in the Midlands and South of England. 

About you 

You’ll have significant experience contributing to the delivery of new developments through work for or with organisations such as developers, housing providers, consultancies, local authorities or government.  We’re looking for applicants with a professional network in housing delivery, and significant experience securing new commissions from and/or influencing organisations involved in delivering new developments.  You’ll have a strong understanding of the development process, including the spatial planning system, and of the roles of the parties involved in delivering new developments, the power dynamics between them, and the opportunities and appetite each has for taking action to increase active travel.  Naturally, you’ll have deep knowledge of the challenges, opportunities and hot topics in housing delivery – for new towns, urban extensions and urban intensification schemes.

You’ll have exceptional external-facing leadership skills, and be a strategic, creative thinker, able to solve problems and convert new ideas into practical actions.  Your outstanding communication skills will enable you to engage with stakeholders at a senior level, including on contentious subjects and on high-profile projects.  You’ll have strong business acumen to secure new commissions and deliver effectively for clients, and the skills to influence decision-makers.

You’ll have experience of engaging meaningfully with communities to ensure that new developments respond to the challenges and aspirations of local residents and stakeholders.  And you’ll have good knowledge of how active travel can be embedded into new developments to maximise the number of routine journeys that are walked, wheeled or cycled.

We’re looking for exceptional collaboration and people management skills and a commitment to fostering an inclusive and high-performing organisational culture. We welcome Chartered membership of a relevant professional body. 

About Sustrans 

We work in urban and rural areas, making it possible, safe and appealing for people to people to walk, wheel and cycle.  We address the barriers that prevent people from travelling actively – barriers that disproportionately affect people who live in deprived areas, those who are disabled, people who are older or younger, and women and girls.

We’re a practical, can-do charity, designing award-winning infrastructure solutions in streets and across neighbourhoods, and working with communities to give people the skills, confidence, motivation and equipment to travel actively.  We’re experts in community and stakeholder engagement, carefully navigating the sometimes heated territory of our work to tackle traffic dominance and car dependency.  And we provide data, insight and advice to decision-makers, helping them invest effectively in transport, place-shaping and their communities.  We work with government, to support wider work to improve mobility, and to advocate for changes to policy and funding.  And over the last 30 years, Sustrans has developed the National Cycle Network from scratch, working with supporters, volunteers, governments and stakeholders to create 16,500 miles of traffic-free and low-traffic routes, loved and enjoyed by communities across the UK. 

We are now embarking on a new chapter for our charity, with a refreshed strategy.  The Head of New Developments will play a key role in growing our impact in this new chapter. 

What we offer 

Sustrans has a long-term commitment to being a charity for everyone - reducing inequality, valuing diversity, enabling inclusion and ensuring all people are treated with dignity and respect. We aim to be a truly inclusive employer and welcome applications from people from all parts of the community, in particular from under-represented groups.

In return we can offer true hybrid working to suit individual circumstances and a flexible, supportive and rewarding working environment.

Wellbeing 

• 28 days’ leave per annum plus bank holidays for full-time working
• Ability to buy an extra week of annual leave (pro-rata for part-time staff)
• Staff volunteer days
• 24/7 free, impartial and confidential support service
• We are members of the Green Commute Initiative and Cycle Scheme who both offer cycle to work schemes 

Financial 

• Group Personal Pension scheme with a 6% or 7% of basic salary contribution being matched by Sustrans
• Bike, computer and season ticket loans
• Discount benefits
• London Weighting Allowance of £4,530 for all those living within a London Borough (32 local authority districts plus the City of London)
• Death in service benefit – 3 x annual salary 

Family Friendly 

• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Flexible working practices (full time hours are 37.5 per week, Monday - Friday) 

Additional information 

• Closing date for the receipt of completed applications is 23:59, 10th August 2025.
• Interviews are expected to take place in person in London week commencing 18th August 2025.
• Applications are invited in the form of a CV and covering letter. 

Grade: Manager 

Job Title: Grants Programme Manager, Europe

Type: Fixed Term Contract until 31st December  2026 

Location: This job is open to candidates living in  France, Germany, Spain, Sweden  and the UK. Please note that we currently do not have the infrastructure to support visa sponsorship and you must have the relevant right to live and work in your country of residence.

Reports to: Senior Programme Manager, Europe

Direct reports: Grants Officer (Associate)

Hours per week: 35 - 40 hours/week (depending on local labour laws)

Compensation: Salaries are benchmarked to the country of residence and mapped to years of experience. Please note that to counter inequity, salaries at CPI are non-negotiable. 

• France: €74,482 - €86,896 

• Germany: €86,395 - €100,794

• Spain: €76,766 - €89,560

• Sweden: 860,190 kr - 1,003,555 kr

• UK: £68,770 -  £80,231

Closing Date: Sunday 24th August  2025, 23:59 (11:59pm) British Summer Time

About the Centre for Public Impact (CPI):

At the Centre for Public Impact, we believe in the transformative potential of government to improve lives and create better outcomes for all. Yet, we recognize that many of today’s government systems, structures, and processes are not yet designed to address the complex challenges of our time. That’s why we are committed to reimagining government- working towards systems that truly serve everyone, equitably, and effectively. 

As a not-for-profit organization founded by the Boston Consulting Group, we act as a learning partner for governments, public servants, and a diverse network of change makers. Though we are a small organisation, our global footprint is expansive. We have dedicated and innovative teams in Asia,  Australia/ Aotearoa New Zealand,  Europe and North America. We are all aligned by our  Global Hub operational team who provide people & culture, operational, finance, and communications partnership across the regions.

CPIE was founded in 2020 and our culture is founded on the values and principles within our vision for government. So in everything we do we aim to be humble, open, empathetic, authentic, trusting and trustworthy, curious and to champion diversity and inclusion. We continually experiment with ways to embody our values, striving to share power and devolve decision-making to those best placed to make the decision. We challenge traditional hierarchies, adopt a strengths-based approach, and prioritise mutual support. 

Our Values: 

• Curiosity - We champion exploration and creativity.

• Courage - We are authentic and brave in our decisions and actions.

• Collaboration - We share power and work together.

• Empathy - We embrace others’ perspectives and experiences.

• Equity - We disrupt systemic barriers to shift power.

The AI Opportunity Fund:

The AI Opportunity Fund, led by the Centre for Public Impact with support from Google . org, is currently a  €16 million initiative aimed at empowering underserved workers across Europe with essential AI skills. The programme has selected 73 organisations from hundreds of applications to provide tailored AI training to at least 20,000 workers across 24 European countries. These organisations focus on diverse communities, including rural job seekers, underemployed women, and public sector workers, aiming to bridge the digital divide and promote economic resilience. The initiative underscores AI's potential to drive social mobility and equitable growth across the continent. We are also hoping to scale our work in this area in the future. 

Position Overview: 

We are seeking an experienced Grants Programme Manager to ensure the successful delivery of the AI Opportunity Fund. This role is responsible for the operational leadership of the programme, ensuring that it is planned and executed effectively on time, on budget and within scope. A key focus of the role is ensuring that the grant-giving component of the programme is designed and stewarded diligently.

This is a middle management role that is primarily operational with some elements of strategic leadership. It requires strong project management skills, good grant-making practice and the ability to manage relationships with diverse partners.  We’re looking for someone who is comfortable working with considerable scope and complexity; and who embraces the challenges and opportunities of a startup environment where learning, adaptability, and building the plane as we fly it are central!

Responsibilities and Competencies:

Programme Development and Delivery

• Lead on shaping the design and execution of the AI Opportunity Fund utilising appropriate project management frameworks.

• Coordinate high quality project deliverables including implementing an AI training programme at scale and convening peer learning and knowledge sharing workshops. 

• Collaborate closely with Finance and Senior Leadership to manage and monitor the programme budget and expenditure.

• Identify, escalate and contribute to addressing programmatic risks to ensure compliance with legal, regulatory and donor requirements.

Grant Making and Management

• Lead the design and implementation of the AI Opportunity Fund grant making function, embedding good grant making practice whilst adhering to donor expectations. 

• Develop and implement robust grant-making systems, processes and structures to successfully execute each stage of the grant lifecycle. 

• Provide excellent stewardship of a large portfolio of grants, providing technical support and effectively managing escalated issues to ensure the programme achieves its strategic objectives.

• Build the capacity of the wider AI Opportunity Fund team in grant making skills and capabilities. 

• Manage and coach the Grants Officer, ensuring they deliver their grants administration responsibilities effectively. 

Partnerships and Stakeholder Management

• Provide excellent donor stewardship of Google . org, securing their confidence in CPIE as a thought and delivery partner. 

• Cultivate, maintain and oversee strong relationships with wider stakeholders on the programme including service providers and evaluation partners.

• Support senior leadership to position the programme strategically internally and externally in order to advance CPIE’s reputation and offer. 

Monitoring, Evaluation  and Learning

• Ensure that CPIE prepares and submits accurate, timely and high quality programme and grant reports to Google, CPI’s Board and other key audiences.

• Collaborate closely with the Communications Team, Senior Leadership and external providers to ensure robust impact measurement of the AI Opportunity Fund.

• Identify and leverage opportunities to share insights from the AI Opportunity Fund to a range of stakeholders including broader CPI teams, wider civil society and current and potential clients.

• Embed a culture of learning and reflexivity in the team, utilising insights from the Programme to shape project management in an iterative way. 

 DEIB & Collaborative Working

• Actively contribute to a diverse, equitable, inclusive and belonging (DEIB) culture by embracing different perspectives and fostering an environment of respect.

• Dedicate time to continuous learning about DEIB and how it informs our mission, and commit to disrupting white supremacy in the workplace.

• Demonstrate empathy for government and the communities they serve to advance DEIB within systems that government influences

• Embed DEIB within the AI Opportunity Fund design approach and team.

This job profile isn’t intended to be an exhaustive list of your duties, rather it gives an outline of what your role will involve. 

Skills & Qualifications:

We expect applicants for this role will generally have 5-8 years work experience. 

Essential

• Significant project management knowledge and experience, with demonstrable application of project management methodologies and frameworks.

• Proven grant making experience including designing, developing, implementing and monitoring sizable portfolios, and maintaining good grant making practice.

• Proven experience of identifying, assessing, prioritising, and managing risks when executing programmes.

• Proven experience of building productive relationships with external parties, including in convening stakeholders for  learning or wider objectives.

• Intercultural competence, experience of managing high performing teams. and proven commitment to advancing DEIB.

Desirable

• A recognised project management qualification e.g. PRINCE2, Agile Certifications etc.

• Experience of successfully delivering complex contracts for high value donors/clients e.g. third party grant programmes.

• Experience or understanding of AI or related technologies.

Salary, benefits, and how to apply 

At the Centre for Public Impact, we are committed to countering pay inequality and  have conducted a global compensation benchmarking process to ensure that we're paying our staff fairly and well for the roles that they hold. Therefore, salaries at CPI are non-negotiable. 

CPIE offers comprehensive benefits to its employees including a range of high-quality health, dental, and vision plans; employer’s contribution to pension/retirement as applicable;  dedicated professional development funds; generous paid leave and public holidays;  short/long term disability, paid parental leave and extended illness leave; and a year-end organisation-wide closure. We anticipate this position will require approximately 10 - 15% domestic and international travel.

We use a structured review process to ensure fairness in our hiring. Please note that we are collecting CVs and cover letters.We understand applicants may use tools like ChatGPT as thought partners; however, we are looking for original work that reflects your unique perspective, skills and reflections. Please do not submit content that is directly copied or heavily reliant on AI  as these will be flagged and marked down. We have a team of  real people  who review and score your CV and cover letter and a system that helps us ensure applications maintain authenticity. Please apply by Sunday 24th August 2025, 23:59 (11:59pm) British Summer Time,  the portal closes automatically and we will not be able to reopen it. Please note: We may close the application window early if we receive a high volume of applications. 

To advance our purpose of reimagining government so that it works for everyone, CPI seeks to attract and support a diversity of backgrounds, experience, talent and thought. For this reason, we encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply. You can read our full Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy here. CPI is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, colour, caste, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.

Job title: Professional Communities Manager

Reporting to: Director of Membership

Line Manager Responsibility for: Professional Communities Co-ordinator

Location: This is a remote UK-based role with regular travel to CST’s national and regional events, mainly in Birmingham and London. Candidates within reasonable travel distance to these locations are preferred.

Salary: £41,603 - £45,470 a year.

Pension: We offer a workplace pension and life assurance scheme. CST makes contributions equivalent to 10% of your gross salary.

Annual leave: Initially 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with an additional two days leave after three years’ service.

Working hours: Full-time 37.5 hours.

Application Closing Date: Wednesday 27th August 2025, 12 noon.

Interview Date: First stage interviews will be conducted on Tuesday 9th September 2025, second stage interviews will be conducted on Thursday 11th September 2025.

Job overview

The Professional Communities Manager leads the development, content curation, and operational delivery of CST’s 11 Professional Communities. These networks, events, and forums are a core benefit of CST membership and are provided free of charge to members.

This is a proactive, member-focused role that blends operational excellence with strategic content oversight. The postholder will work directly with community chairs, subject experts, community supporters, CST platinum partners and members to ensure that all communities are vibrant, professionally hosted, and deliver high-quality, relevant content.

The role also plays a key part in ensuring a joined-up approach to content across CST’s full range of activities, working closely with the professional learning and conference teams and partnerships to ensure alignment and maximise value for members.

Key responsibilities

 Strategic Development and Continuous Improvement

• Develop and implement strategic plans to strengthen the value, engagement, and content of CST Professional Communities.
• Set clear objectives and KPIs to monitor success and drive continuous improvement of community services.
• Regularly evaluate community activity, identifying ways to increase engagement, relevance, and impact for members.

Community Content Curation and Management

• Oversee the quality, consistency, and relevance of content across all 11 Professional Communities, ensuring alignment with member priorities and organisational objectives.
• Work in partnership with community chairs, subject experts, community supporters and CST’s platinum partnerships to proactively commission, curate, and quality-assure community content (e.g., webinars, blogs, resources, discussions).
• Work closely with the professional learning and conference teams to ensure a joined-up, coherent approach to content across CST activity, avoiding duplication and enhancing overall member value.
• Identify content gaps and work creatively, including drawing upon resources and contacts within the policy and partnership team to address them, ensuring a balanced and evolving programme across the communities.

Community Engagement and Facilitation

• Lead and facilitate virtual and in-person community events, ensuring professional delivery and high-quality member interaction.
• Support and brief speakers, chairs, and contributors to ensure a consistently excellent experience for members.
• Actively promote member engagement through community platforms and other channels, driving participation and interaction.

 Stakeholder Relationships

• Build and maintain strong relationships with CST members, community chairs, speakers, and supporters.
• Collaborate with internal colleagues across membership, communications, professional learning, policy, and conference teams to maximise the impact of community activities.
• Manage relationships with sponsors where appropriate, ensuring alignment with CST values.

Digital Platform and Event Management

• Oversee the effective use of digital and platforms (including CiviCRM and Hivebrite,) to host communities, deliver events, and share content.
• Manage operational aspects of events and online communities, ensuring smooth logistics and excellent user experience.

Data, Insight, and Reporting

• Monitor and report on community engagement, content performance, and member feedback, using data to guide improvements.
• Lead the ongoing development of data processes for the communities, ensuring accurate insights are captured and shared.

Team Leadership and Development

• Manage, develop, and support the Professional Communities Coordinator, fostering a collaborative, high-performing culture.
• Encourage learning and development across the team to ensure consistently excellent member service.

Adaptability and Wider Contribution

• Contribute to broader membership engagement strategies and initiatives.
• Undertake any other duties as required by the Director of Membership to support CST’s mission

Cord is an international charity working to make peace a reality where people don’t have the freedom to exercise their rights. We work to build the relationship between those in power and local communities. 

We believe that people flourish when all parts of society work together. Peaceful relationships make that possible. The simple act of talking begins a journey of growth which transforms mistrust, includes the excluded and turns adversaries into allies.

Cord operates in eight countries and implements programmes in the following areas:

• Empowering Women & Girls
• Accessing Fundamental Freedoms
• Climate & the Environment
• Economic Empowerment
• Supporting Stronger Societies

We are a small, committed team who love working together to make a huge impact. If you like the sound of us, then take a look at the recruitment pack and come and join our team!

About the Role

Are you someone who is passionate about seeing positive change in our world? Can you bring knowledge and creativity in designing innovative and effective peacebuilding programmes?

We are looking for someone to support our programmes and institutional fundraising with excellent writing skills, who is passionate about addressing the root causes of and inequalities caused by conflict. You will be someone passionate about the work Cord does and who can bring technical institutional funding expertise alongside peacebuilding knowledge to our small and committed team.

In this role you will lead the development of new programmes and institutional funding bids in line with Cord’s peacebuilding approach and 5 main programme areas. You will manage proposal submissions to Cord's key donors such as the EU, US State Department, GIZ, SDC, UN Peacebuilding Fund etc. You will be working closely with country teams to design and write proposals based on strong project designs developed in partnership with our local partners.

The role will also operate at a strategic level by managing Cord’s relationships with key donors and shaping how Cord communicates about its programmes and the added-value that Cord brings.

If you like what you read and are passionate about real and lasting change, come and join us and be part of the Cord story.

Application Instructions

To apply please send you CV and a covering letter that explains your interest in Cord and the role, and details how you fulfil the requirements of the role.  

Please note:  Funding for this position is contingent upon the successful award of external funding that is currently in process and expected to be finalised in Autumn 2025. Whilst the recruitment selection process will run concurrently, the official appointment of this role will take place after funding is officially secured.

This is a UK based remote role and applicants must have the right to work in the UK and the ability to travel to Coventry for team meetings. 

Unseen is a UK charity with its head office in Bristol. We provide safehouses and support in the community for survivors of trafficking and modern slavery and operate the UK wide Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline. We also work with individuals, communities, business, governments, other charities and statutory agencies to end slavery for good.

Purpose of the role:

You will help form part of a UK-wide team of remote Helpline Advisors operating the only modern slavery specific helpline in the UK. Answering incoming calls, making callouts, sending emails, drafting referrals to external agencies, and maintaining accurate data will be your day-to-day responsibilities. You will contribute to a service that as well as providing information, advice and guidance to our service users, also helps create one of the largest non-governmental bodies of data on the scale of modern slavery in the UK which is used to influence strategy and policy at local, national and international levels. You will provide trauma informed and person-centred information, advice, and guidance to a variety of caller types, including people in and out of exploitation, professionals, members of the public, and businesses.

To apply: 

1. Complete Unseen’s Helpline Advisor application form, and;

2. Send a copy of your CV to jobs @ unseenuk. org.

The deadline for applications is midnight on the 17th August, but we reserve the right to close early if sufficient applications have been received.

We receive high volumes of applications for this role and as such, we encourage motivated candidates to apply early.

As an organisation focused on equality and diversity, we welcome applications from all sections of the community and all backgrounds, including those with a lived experience of modern slavery, those from ethnic minority groups, those with disabilities and those from the LGBTQ+ community. 

Any questions, please contact jobs @ unseenuk. org. 

The vacancy

We are seeking to appoint one lay member to sit on our GOC Council.

About the GOC

We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance and conduct.  For more information about us please visit our website:optical. org.

About the Council

The role of Council is to lead on the GOC’s mission to protect the public by upholding high standards in eye care services.  The Council is composed of six lay members (including the Chair) and six registrant members (i.e. registered optometrists and dispensing opticians).  At least one member of the Council must work wholly or mainly in each of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.  One Council member acts as a Senior Council Member whose role is to carry out the Chair’s appraisal as well as provide a sounding board for the Chair and serve as an intermediary for Council members, Executive and stakeholders as necessary. 

The successful candidate will contribute to Council by exercising oversight, ensuring effective corporate governance, and making high-level policy decisions. They will be able to operate strategically and impartially; listen, communicate, and influence effectively; exercise judgment; and inspire confidence and support amongst our stakeholders. 

Remuneration and time commitment

Council members are remunerated in accordance with our member fees policy (£13,962 per annum plus reasonable travel and subsistence expenses).  The member fee includes time for reading and preparation.

The appointed member will be expected to commit approximately 2-3 days per month.  Meetings will usually take place via MS Teams but may on occasion be held at the GOC Offices at Level 29, One Canada Square, London, E14 5AA. There are occasional online catch-up meetings - these are currently scheduled on a Tuesday evening every 6-8 weeks, from 5.30pm – 6.30pm.

How to apply:

Please email the the following to appointment@optical. org

· your CV outlining your employment history, any relevant voluntary work, public service or other experience; together with any relevant professional, academic or vocational qualifications;

· the application form, stating how your experience matches the criteria for the vacancy you are applying for; and

· complete the EDI monitoring form linked in the candidate pack (this is an online form and does not need to be included in the email with your CV and application form).

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  midnight on Sunday 10 August 2025.

Online interviews will be held on between Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 October 2025.

If you have any questions, please email them to appointment@optical. org and we will aim to respond to you within 48 hours. 

We welcome applications from individuals who are disabled and from diverse ethnic backgrounds as these are currently under-represented on our council and committees.

We strive to be as diverse as the public we protect and welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity and geographical locations outside of London.