42 Bereavement services team lead jobs

Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service is looking for an inspirational and experienced Director of Care to provide strategic, clinical and operational leadership across our medical, clinical and holistic care services.

This is a pivotal role within our organisation. Reporting to the CEO and working closely with the Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team, you will be responsible for ensuring that children, young people and their families receive the highest quality, safe and compassionate care.

You will have the opportunity to shape the future direction of our care services at an exciting time in the development of Alexander Devine.

The role

As Director of Care, you will have overall responsibility for the leadership, management, quality and performance of our care services.

You will:

• Provide strong, visible and inspirational clinical leadership across all care services.
• Lead the strategic development of our medical, clinical and holistic care provision.
• Ensure services are safe, effective, evidence-based, family-centred and responsive to the needs of the children and families we support.
• Act as Joint Registered Manager with the Care Quality Commission.
• Provide strategic oversight of clinical governance, quality assurance, risk management, safeguarding and compliance.
• Ensure we are prepared for CQC and other regulatory requirements and that learning from incidents, complaints, audits and research drives continuous improvement.
• Lead and support a highly skilled multidisciplinary Care Team, encouraging a culture of reflection, development, innovation and excellence.
• Work with the CEO and wider Senior Leadership Team to deliver the charity's strategic plan and manage resources effectively.
• Develop strong relationships with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and support the development and management of commissioned services.
• Represent Alexander Devine locally and nationally, contributing to the wider development of children's palliative care.
• Champion the voice of children, young people and their families, ensuring their experience informs the ongoing development of our services.

About you

We are looking for an exceptional clinical leader who combines strategic vision with strong operational management and a genuine passion for children's palliative care.

You will be a registered nurse with significant experience in paediatric palliative care and senior-level leadership experience. You will have a strong understanding of clinical governance, CQC requirements, PSIRF and safeguarding, together with experience of leading service development and change.

You will bring:

• NMC registration as a Children's or Adult Nurse.
• Significant experience of palliative paediatric nursing.
• Senior-level experience of management, strategic thinking and service development.
• Experience of CQC compliance, clinical governance, PSIRF and safeguarding.
• Strong financial and budgetary understanding.
• Excellent communication skills and the confidence to communicate complex and sensitive information to a wide range of audiences.
• The ability to interpret data and use evidence to inform strategic and operational decisions.
• Excellent networking and partnership-building skills.
• A Master's-level qualification in a relevant health or leadership subject is desirable.

Most importantly, you will be an inspirational, resilient and motivational leader who can engage people, build confidence and create a culture where staff are empowered to deliver their very best.

Why Alexander Devine?

This is a rare opportunity to join a growing children's hospice charity and play a leading role in shaping the future of our services.

At Alexander Devine, our values are at the heart of everything we do: determined, empowering, valuing others, integrity, nurture and empathy. We are looking for a leader who genuinely shares these values and can translate them into meaningful action for children, families, staff and volunteers.

You will have the opportunity to work alongside a committed Senior Leadership Team, an experienced clinical team and a passionate wider charity, while building strong relationships with partners across health, social care and the children's palliative care sector.

If you are an ambitious and compassionate clinical leader who wants to make a lasting difference to children and families, we would love to hear from you.

Please note: The successful candidate will be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS check.

About The Role

Kingston Bereavement Support (KBS) is the only bereavement service in Kingston Upon Thames. We are a registered provider to local GPs and an organisational member of the Childhood Bereavement Network. We are organisational members of British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, and we work in accordance with their Ethical Framework.

We are looking for a committed and passionate person who can work as part of small team to provide a professional, effective, and quality service, ensuring that equal opportunities are available for everyone.

The ideal candidate will be/have:

• Excellent leadership skills and be adept establishing and sustaining productive partnerships.
• Experience of managing experienced staff, including personal development and objective setting.
• Experience of managing, monitoring and evaluating service or organisation provision.
• Practical experience of operational functions, ideally including IT, finance and marketing.

The role

At Cruse, our strategy, sets out our charity’s plans to grow our income and build on our expertise and unique position in the sector. We provide expert bereavement and grief information and support, and our charity has been supporting people for over 65 years. We support adults, children and young people across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, through our national services, over 80 local branches and online information about grief and bereavement.

To lead and grow Cruse’s community fundraising and events programme, maximising income from existing activities/events while developing new fundraising opportunities. The postholder will take ownership of event planning and delivery, supporter engagement and volunteer and Branch fundraising coordination, helping to increase unrestricted income. This role is responsible for the planning and delivery of major events such as Cruse walks, whilst also creating new fundraising events for supporters to engage with us. Based in either the South of England or Wales

How to apply

Your application must consist of a CV and covering letter, which outlines your suitability for the role with reference to the Job Description and Person Specification and should be no longer than two pages. Please note that if you application does not include both a CV and covering letter, your application may not be considered. 

The closing date for applications is 25 September 2026 with interviews taking place week commencing 5 October 2026. We reserve the right to close the advert early, as interviews will be held as suitable candidates apply.

Please be advised that if you do not hear from us by 5 October 2026, unfortunately on this occasion you have not been shortlisted.

Cruse welcomes and encourages applications from all protected groups as defined by the Equality Act 2010. Appointment will be made on merit.

Criminal Record Checks

All staff are required to complete a Criminal Record check. Staff working directly with clients will be required to complete an enhanced check. We comply with the relevant codes of practice and they can be viewed online:

• Applicants in England and Wales: DBS Code of Practice
• Applicants in Northern Ireland: AccessNI Code of Practice

Previous convictions will not prevent full consideration of your application to work with Cruse. Our Recruitment of Ex-offenders’ Policy & Handling Criminal Record Check Data Policy are available on request by email.

We comply with all relevant data protection legislation and process your data fairly.

The Suicide Bereavement Specialist Manager leads and manages a team of approximately 10–12 Suicide Bereavement Specialists, providing strong and supportive management alongside clear professional accountability and oversight of practice.

The postholder will also maintain a small caseload of approximately 5–10 beneficiaries, enabling them to remain connected to frontline practice and the experiences of people accessing the service.

The postholder has operational responsibility for the beneficiary journey from the point a referral enters the service through assessment, triage and allocation to a Suicide Bereavement Specialist, and for ensuring that subsequent support is safe, timely, appropriate, person-centred and delivered to Pete’s Dragons’ expected standards.

Relationship with the Beneficiary Services Manager

The Beneficiary Services Manager holds overall strategic responsibility for Beneficiary Services, including the direction, development and performance of beneficiary-facing services across Pete’s Dragons.

The SBS Manager holds operational responsibility for the day-to-day delivery, management and quality of the Suicide Bereavement Specialist service.

The SBS Manager is expected to exercise appropriate professional and managerial autonomy in the daily operation of the SBS service, escalating significant safeguarding, workforce, performance, capacity, service-quality or organisational concerns to the Beneficiary Services Manager.

The two roles will work closely together to ensure that strategic decisions are translated into consistent, safe and effective practice.

Key Responsibilities

Referral, Triage and Allocation

The SBS Manager will:

• Take overall responsibility for all incoming referrals to the SBS service from the point of entry through to allocation.
• Review referrals to establish need, urgency, risk, suitability and any additional considerations affecting the provision of support.
• Ensure referrals are processed promptly and in accordance with Pete’s Dragons’ referral pathways, eligibility criteria and service standards.
• Identify and appropriately escalate safeguarding, suicide risk or other significant concerns arising during the referral process.
• Allocate beneficiaries to the most appropriate SBS, considering individual need, practitioner skills and experience, existing caseload, capacity, location and other relevant factors.
• Maintain oversight of referrals awaiting allocation and ensure that beneficiaries do not become lost or unnecessarily delayed within the system.
• Monitor demand, waiting times, caseloads and team capacity and raise emerging pressures with the Beneficiary Services Manager.
• Ensure referral and allocation decisions are clearly and appropriately recorded.

Management and Leadership of the SBS Team

The SBS Manager will:

• Provide day-to-day leadership and management to approximately 10–12 Suicide Bereavement Specialists.
• Lead regular individual management 1:1s with each SBS.
• Lead group supervision and reflective practice opportunities as required.
• Lead daily SBS team meetings and scheduled practice meetings.
• Create a team culture which combines compassion and psychological safety with professional accountability and consistently high standards.
• Maintain regular contact with staff working across different Pete’s Dragons locations.
• Ensure staff have appropriate opportunities to raise concerns, discuss difficult work and seek management guidance.
• Monitor individual workload, caseload and capacity and intervene where concerns arise.
• Support staff wellbeing while maintaining clear expectations regarding professional responsibilities and service delivery.
• Provide appropriate telephone management support for SBS staff working outside normal office hours as required.

Quality Assurance and Practice Standards

The SBS Manager will hold responsibility for the quality of SBS practice and will:

• Undertake formal case audits for each SBS on a quarterly basis.
• Regularly review the quality, accuracy and completeness of beneficiary records and case documentation.
• Monitor SBS practice against Pete’s Dragons’ policies, procedures, practice standards and expected professional boundaries.
• Arrange and review recorded beneficiary sessions at appropriate intervals as part of ongoing practice quality assurance and practitioner development.
• Provide constructive feedback following practice reviews and agree actions or development plans where required.
• Identify excellent practice and ensure learning is shared across the team.
• Identify practice which falls below the expected standard and take timely action to support improvement.
• Monitor beneficiary engagement, missed appointments, case progression, case duration and closure practices.
• Ensure concerns regarding practice, conduct, competence or beneficiary safety are appropriately documented, addressed and escalated.
• Promote reflective professional practice and continuous improvement throughout the SBS team.

Safeguarding and Risk

The SBS Manager will:

• Act as a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) for Pete’s Dragons. Appropriate DSO training can be provided where required.
• Share responsibility for the management and oversight of safeguarding cases within the organisation.
• Provide advice and support to SBSs where safeguarding concerns arise.
• Ensure safeguarding concerns are identified, recorded, escalated and acted upon in accordance with Pete’s Dragons’ Safeguarding Policy and relevant statutory guidance.
• Work collaboratively with other safeguarding leads and senior managers where complex or significant concerns arise.
• Promote confident and consistent safeguarding practice throughout the SBS team.
• Ensure staff understand the distinction between safeguarding, suicide risk, clinical concern and other forms of beneficiary risk and follow the appropriate organisational pathway.

Beneficiary Casework

To remain connected to frontline practice, the SBS Manager will:

• Maintain a small caseload of approximately 5–10 beneficiaries.
• Provide high-quality suicide bereavement support in accordance with Pete’s Dragons’ practice model, policies and standards.
• Maintain timely, accurate and appropriate case records.
• Model excellent professional boundaries, beneficiary communication and case management.
• Participate in appropriate clinical supervision for their own beneficiary work.
• Ensure management responsibilities remain the priority of the role and that their personal caseload does not compromise their availability to manage the service or support the SBS team.

People Management and HR

The SBS Manager will be responsible for all routine HR management relating to their direct reports, including:

• Recruitment and selection of Suicide Bereavement Specialists.
• Induction and probation.
• Regular management supervision.
• Annual appraisal and performance review.
• Identifying individual and team development needs.
• Supporting professional development and CPD.
• Attendance and absence management.
• Managing annual leave and ensuring adequate service capacity.
• Addressing performance, capability, conduct or behavioural concerns promptly and appropriately.
• Supporting staff wellbeing and identifying when additional support may be required.
• Working with the Beneficiary Services Manager and other appropriate colleagues on formal HR matters where necessary.
• Maintaining appropriate and confidential management records.

Training and Development

The SBS Manager will:

• Identify individual and collective training and development needs across the SBS team.
• Ensure mandatory training remains current.
• Support SBSs to develop their knowledge, confidence and professional practice.
• Use case audits, recorded-session reviews, supervision, beneficiary feedback and other quality measures to identify areas for development.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of internal practice training and workshops.
• Support newly appointed SBSs through induction and their transition into independent practice.

Policy, Procedure and Service Development

The SBS Manager will:

• Ensure organisational policies, procedures and agreed ways of working are consistently implemented within the SBS team.
• Communicate changes in policy or practice clearly and ensure staff understand what is expected of them.
• Monitor compliance and address inconsistent practice.
• Contribute frontline operational knowledge to the review and development of policies, procedures, pathways and practice standards.
• Support the Beneficiary Services Manager in implementing service developments and organisational change.
• Identify opportunities to improve beneficiary experience, efficiency, quality and consistency.

Monitoring and Reporting

The SBS Manager will maintain an accurate operational picture of the SBS service, including:

• Referral volumes.
• Referral processing and allocation.
• Waiting times.
• Individual and team caseloads.
• Team capacity.
• Beneficiary engagement.
• Case progression and closures.
• Safeguarding and risk themes.
• Quality assurance findings.
• Staff performance and development.
• Emerging operational risks or pressures.

The postholder will provide appropriate information and reporting to the Beneficiary Services Manager and ensure significant concerns are escalated promptly rather than waiting for routine reporting arrangements.

General Responsibilities

The postholder will:

• Work across Pete’s Dragons Devon locations as required.
• Represent Pete’s Dragons professionally with beneficiaries, colleagues, partners and external agencies.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality and comply with data protection requirements.
• Work within Pete’s Dragons’ policies, procedures, values and professional standards.
• Attend relevant internal and external meetings.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries at all times.
• Undertake relevant training and continuing professional development.
• Work flexibly where reasonably required by the needs of the service.
• Participate in a limited out-of-hours telephone support arrangement for SBS staff undertaking authorised out-of-hours work.
• Undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the seniority and purpose of the role.

Person Specification

Essential

Experience

The successful candidate will have:

• Significant experience of managing and leading staff.
• Experience of managing a team delivering services to people with complex emotional or mental health needs.
• Relevant experience within mental health, bereavement, psychological support, social care or a closely related field.
• Experience of managing staff performance, development, wellbeing and HR matters.
• Experience of quality assuring professional or support-based practice.
• Experience of managing risk and making sound professional decisions in complex situations.
• Experience of working with confidential and sensitive information.
• Experience of balancing competing demands and managing a busy operational service.

Knowledge and Skills

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong leadership and people-management skills.
• A sound understanding of mental health, emotional distress, grief and vulnerability.
• The ability to assess information and make proportionate decisions regarding risk, urgency and service response.
• Strong safeguarding awareness and a willingness to undertake DSO training where not already qualified.
• The ability to challenge poor or unsafe practice appropriately and constructively.
• The ability to provide clear feedback and support staff development.
• Excellent organisational and workload-management skills.
• The ability to monitor service capacity and allocate work fairly and effectively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Confidence in managing difficult conversations.
• Good professional judgement and the ability to know when matters should be escalated.
• Strong IT skills and the ability to use electronic case-management systems effectively.
• The ability to analyse service information and identify trends, risks and areas requiring improvement.

Personal Approach

The successful candidate will:

• Combine compassion with professional accountability.
• Be calm and confident when managing complex or emotionally demanding situations.
• Be approachable without losing appropriate managerial boundaries.
• Be willing to make and stand behind difficult decisions.
• Be curious about practice and committed to continual learning and improvement.
• Understand the importance of reflective practice when working with suicide bereavement.
• Be comfortable working within a service where risk, grief, trauma and emotional distress are part of everyday practice.
• Demonstrate integrity, discretion and sound judgement.
• Share Pete’s Dragons’ commitment to providing timely, appropriate and professional support following suicide bereavement.

Practical Requirements

• Full UK driving licence.
• Access to a vehicle for work purposes.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly between Pete’s Dragons locations and elsewhere across Devon.
• Ability to work flexibly according to service requirements.
• Ability to participate in limited out-of-hours telephone support for SBS staff.

Desirable

• Previous experience of suicide bereavement or postvention services.
• Previous experience of managing a geographically dispersed team.
• Safeguarding/DSO training.
• Experience of conducting case or practice audits.
• Experience of reviewing recorded professional practice sessions.
• Experience of delivering supervision, reflective practice or professional development sessions.
• Experience of recruitment within health, mental health, social care, bereavement or similar services.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed and person-centred approaches.

Scope and Accountability

This is a significant operational management role with responsibility for both people and practice.

The SBS Manager is accountable for ensuring that the SBS team is appropriately managed, beneficiaries are allocated safely and promptly, the quality of support is actively monitored, concerns are addressed rather than allowed to drift, and the Beneficiary Services Manager has an accurate understanding of the performance, capacity and risks within the service.

The postholder is expected to exercise professional judgement and autonomy within their delegated responsibilities while recognising when an issue requires escalation or strategic decision-making by the Beneficiary Services Manager.

Role: Volunteer and Support Services Lead (Volunteer & Service Operations)

Fixed-term contract (12 months, with possibility of extension)

3 days a week (2.5 days considered for exceptional candidate)

Expected start date October / November 2026, by agreement

£35,000 FTE (£21,000 for 3 days/week)

Location: Remote, with one working day per month in central London

Reports to CEO

About The Loss Foundation

Every year, thousands of adults across the UK turn to The Loss Foundation after the death of someone they love from cancer. At one of the hardest times in their lives, they find a safe place to be understood, connect with others who truly understand, and access specialist support.

Founded by clinical psychologists, The Loss Foundation is the UK's leading charity dedicated to cancer bereavement. Our evidence-informed services are delivered nationally through support groups, workshops, walks and a remarkable community of trained volunteers, ensuring more people can access compassionate support wherever they live. As we continue to grow, we're looking for someone who wants to help shape the next chapter of our support services. You'll join a small, ambitious team where ideas are welcomed, initiative is encouraged and every person makes a meaningful contribution to helping us reach more bereaved people.

About the Role

This is a key role at the heart of The Loss Foundation's support services. A central part of the role is building strong relationships with our extraordinary community of volunteers, ensuring they feel connected to the charity, well supported and equipped to deliver high-quality support. Alongside this, you'll coordinate our programme of bereavement support events and ensure the systems and processes behind our services run smoothly. This is not a clinical or direct bereavement-support role - our support groups and services are delivered by trained volunteers. Instead, you'll enable that support by coordinating our services and providing an excellent experience for the volunteers who deliver them.

We're entering an exciting period of growth. Over the next few years we're expanding our national support services, growing our volunteer community and investing in new ways to reach more bereaved people than ever before. This role will play an important part in making that happen.

Although the role doesn't include formal line management, you'll have real ownership of your area and the opportunity to shape how our services develop. This role would suit someone who enjoys creating structure, building relationships and making a meaningful difference as part of a small, ambitious team.

What Success Looks Like

In your first 3 months you will...

● Learn how our support services and volunteer programme operate.

● Become the main point of contact for volunteers, building trusted relationships with volunteers.

● Take ownership of coordinating our programme of support events.

● Become confident managing the charity's day-to-day operational processes independently.

● Identify at least one opportunity to improve our systems, volunteer experience or service delivery, and begin implementing agreed improvements.

By 6 months you will...

● Have implemented improvements to systems and operational processes.

● Be strengthening and developing the volunteer support cycle.

● Be using insight from volunteers and beneficiaries to continually strengthen our services.
 

By 12 months you will...

● Help shape how The Loss Foundation delivers and grows its support services.

● Lead volunteer recruitment and onboarding.

● Become a key member of a small team helping guide the charity through its next stage of growth.

Key Responsibilities

Volunteer Coordination & Experience

You'll be the main point of contact for our volunteer community, helping volunteers feel informed, valued and well supported.

● Build strong, trusted relationships with volunteers, providing ongoing support and helping them feel connected to and valued by the charity.

● Coordinate volunteer recruitment, onboarding and rotas.

● Maintain volunteer records and day-to-day communications.

● Help shape and continually improve the volunteer experience.
 

Event Coordination

You'll oversee the smooth delivery of The Loss Foundation's programme of support services, ensuring events are well organised, appropriately resourced and delivered to a high standard.

● Coordinate the charity's programme of support groups, workshops, walks and other services.

● Manage event logistics, volunteer allocation and communications.

● Ensure event information is accurate across our systems and website.
 

Process & Systems Improvement

As we grow, you'll help build the operational systems that enable us to support more bereaved people efficiently and consistently.

● Improve systems, processes and automated workflows.

● Monitor service activity and maintain accurate operational data.

● Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and support future growth.

Quality and Service Development

You'll help us continually strengthen our services through feedback and learning.

● Gather and review feedback from volunteers and beneficiaries.

● Recommend improvements to services and volunteer experience.

● Support the appropriate handling of complaints and safeguarding concerns.

About You

This role would suit someone who enjoys building relationships, creating structure, and helping things run smoothly. You'll thrive in this role if you are -

● An excellent organiser who enjoys planning, coordinating and keeping projects on track.

● A warm, approachable communicator who enjoys supporting volunteers and working collaboratively.

● Comfortable managing multiple priorities and solving problems proactively.

● Experienced in managing, coordinating or supporting volunteers, with a track record of building positive volunteer relationships, alongside experience of event, service or operational coordination.

● Confident using digital systems and data, with the curiosity and initiative to learn new platforms, troubleshoot problems and find better ways of working.

● Able to work independently while contributing positively to a small, growing team.

● Motivated by The Loss Foundation's mission and committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality support.

What difference will you make?

You will sit at the heart of The Loss Foundation's support services, ensuring that thousands of people each year receive a warm, compassionate and well-coordinated experience at one of the most difficult times in their lives. By supporting our volunteers, strengthening our systems and helping the charity grow sustainably, you'll play a vital role in enabling us to reach many more people affected by bereavement in the years ahead.

To Apply
Please note: We recently advertised this position, but following some internal changes we have taken the opportunity to review and refine the role. The revised position places greater emphasis on volunteer management and the volunteer experience, and we are therefore re-advertising to reflect this.

To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter outlining your interest in the role and relevant experience via CharityJob.

Interviews will take place remotely on Tuesday 29 September 2026. Candidates progressing from interview may also be invited to a short follow-up conversation before a final appointment is made.

If you have any questions about the role, please feel free to get in touch.

The role

The Project Officer will be responsible for the day-to-day delivery of our Council funded Adult Bereavement Service in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.This service aims to provide accessible, empathetic and effective support for adults affected by bereavement, particularly sudden or drug/alcohol-related deaths. The Project Officer will work collaboratively as part of the local and regional volunteer and staff team.

Remote in the UK (homebased) with travel within Cornwall. In practice, this means that there will be regular travel to community venues across Cornwall for service delivery and outreach events. The remaining work will be remote from home. We need to manage travel costs and working time within the project budget, so cannot recruit anyone living outside of Cornwall or West Devon

How to apply

Your application must consist of a CV and covering letter, which outlines your suitability for the role with reference to the Job Description and Person Specification and should be no longer than two pages.

The closing date for applications is the 18 September 2026 with interviews taking place week commencing 28 September 2026 via Teams.

Please be advised that if you do not hear from us by 28 September 2026, unfortunately on this occasion you have not been shortlisted.

Cruse welcomes and encourages applications from all protected groups as defined by the Equality Act 2010. Appointment will be made on merit.

Criminal Record Checks

All staff are required to complete a Criminal Record check. Staff working directly with clients will be required to complete an enhanced check. We comply with the relevant codes of practice and they can be viewed online:

• Applicants in England and Wales: DBS Code of Practice

• Applicants in Northern Ireland: AccessNI Code of Practice

Previous convictions will not prevent full consideration of your application to work with Cruse. Our Recruitment of Ex-offenders' Policy & Handling Criminal Record Check Data Policy are available on request by email. 

We comply with all relevant data protection legislation and process your data fairly.

Change how the UK understands and supports bereaved children and families.

This is an exciting time to join Child Bereavement UK.

We are establishing a brand-new Research & Policy function and are looking for an ambitious Public Affairs Lead to help ensure the voices of bereaved children, young people and parents shape policy, practice and public understanding across the UK.

Working closely with the Head of Policy & Research, you will develop and deliver Child Bereavement UK's public affairs, advocacy and stakeholder engagement activity, building relationships with policymakers, parliamentarians and sector leaders to drive meaningful change.

You will act as the bridge between research, lived experience and influence, translating evidence into compelling advocacy campaigns, stakeholder engagement opportunities and policy recommendations that make a difference.

This is a rare opportunity to help build a new function, shape our national influence, and ensure the experiences of bereaved children, young people and families are heard where it matters most.

While based remotely, this role has a strong external focus and requires regular travel to London to represent Child Bereavement UK, build key relationships and engage with policymakers, partners and sector networks.

Role Purpose

As Public Affairs Lead you will play a central role in ensuring the voices and experiences of bereaved children, young people, parents and families influence policy, practice and public understanding across the UK.

Working closely with the Head of Policy & Research, you will develop and deliver Child Bereavement UK's public affairs, advocacy and stakeholder engagement activity, building relationships with policymakers, parliamentarians, sector partners and influencers to drive meaningful change.

You will act as the bridge between research, policy and communications, helping to translate evidence and lived experience into compelling advocacy campaigns, stakeholder engagement opportunities and influencing activity.

Main Responsibilities

 Public Affairs & Policy Influence

· Develop and deliver public affairs plans that support Child Bereavement UK's strategic priorities and policy objectives.

· Use research, evaluation findings and lived experience evidence to identify policy gaps, develop influencing priorities and shape recommendations for decision-makers.

· Translate organisational evidence into clear policy asks and reform proposals for government, parliamentarians, public bodies and sector leaders.

· Identify opportunities to embed evidence and learning within national, regional and local policy frameworks, guidance and professional practice.

· Support the development of long-term influencing strategies that drive systemic change for bereaved children, young people and families.

· Build and maintain relationships with MPs, Peers, government officials, policymakers and key sector stakeholders.

· Coordinate engagement with relevant All-Party Parliamentary Groups, consultations, inquiries and policy forums.

· Support the development of policy briefings, consultation responses and evidence submissions.

· Organise parliamentary events, stakeholder roundtables and engagement opportunities that raise awareness of bereavement issues.

· Work with the Head of Voice & Participation to ensure the voices of bereaved children, young people and parents bereaved of a baby or child are represented at all stages of policy development.

Advocacy & Campaigns

· Lead the delivery of advocacy and influencing campaigns aligned to organisational priorities.

· Ensure advocacy campaigns are grounded in robust evidence, insight and lived experience, with clear objectives for policy and practice change.

· Work with the Head of Policy & Research to translate research findings into actionable policy recommendations.

· Develop stakeholder engagement plans that support campaign objectives.

· Build relationships with partner organisations, coalitions and networks to strengthen collective influence.

· Develop compelling narratives that connect research findings with real-world outcomes and policy solutions.

· Work with colleagues to identify tangible actions that policymakers, practitioners, employers, schools and communities can take in response to emerging evidence.

Stakeholder Engagement

· Develop and maintain stakeholder mapping and engagement plans.

· Build productive relationships with sector leaders, professional bodies, charities, academics and decision-makers.

· Coordinate engagement with strategic partners and external networks.

· Support senior leaders in stakeholder engagement activity through briefings, meeting preparation and follow-up actions.

Research Translation & Communications

· Develop evidence-informed policy asks, implementation recommendations and calls to action that support measurable change.

· Identify opportunities to move research and insight beyond publication and into policy development, service improvement and public discourse.

· Translate research, evidence and lived experience into compelling stakeholder communications.

· Produce parliamentary briefings, policy summaries, position statements and advocacy materials.

· Work closely with the Marketing & Communications team to ensure policy and research activity is effectively communicated to external audiences.

· Collaborate with the PR & Press Lead to identify opportunities to amplify policy and research messages through media and public engagement activity.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Insight

· Monitor and evaluate public affairs, advocacy and stakeholder engagement activity.

· Track policy developments, stakeholder engagement outcomes and influencing opportunities.

· Produce reports demonstrating impact, engagement and progress against objectives.

· Maintain stakeholder databases and records to support organisational relationship management.

Person Specification

Essential

Experience & Knowledge

· Significant experience in public affairs, policy, advocacy, campaigns or stakeholder engagement.

· Experience building relationships with policymakers, parliamentarians, public sector organisations or influential stakeholders.

· Understanding of UK political systems, parliamentary processes and policy development.

· Experience developing and delivering influencing or advocacy campaigns.

· Experience producing briefings, consultation responses or policy-focused communications.

· Understanding of how evidence and lived experience can be used to influence decision-making.

Skills

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

· Strong relationship-building and influencing abilities.

· Ability to communicate complex information clearly and persuasively.

· Excellent organisational and project management skills.

· Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

· Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.

Personal Attributes

· Passionate about improving outcomes for bereaved children, young people and parents bereaved of a baby or child.

· Collaborative and relationship-focused.

· Compassionate and emotionally intelligent.

· Proactive, resilient and self-motivated.

· Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and trauma-informed practice.

Desirable

· Passionate about improving outcomes for bereaved children, young people and parents

· Experience within the charity, health, social care or education sectors.

· Knowledge of bereavement, grief, loss or trauma-informed services.

· Experience working with All-Party Parliamentary Groups or parliamentary engagement activity.

· Experience working with research and evidence-based policy development.

· Experience working with lived-experience contributors and ambassadors.

· Understanding of campaigning, coalition building and systems change approach

Recruitment Timetable

Application deadline: 17th September 2026 at midnight

Interview dates: 29th and 30th September on MS Teams

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications for the role before the closing date.

The role

At Cruse, our strategy, sets out our charity’s plans to grow our income and build on our expertise and unique position in the sector. We provide expert bereavement and grief information and support, and our charity has been supporting people for over 65 years. We support adults, children and young people across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, through our national services, over 80 local branches and online information about grief and bereavement.

You will take the lead role in proactively researching and building a strong pipeline of opportunities, securing and growing income from charitable trusts and foundations, taking on a leadership role in working with senior external and internal stakeholders including funders and teams across the organisation to develop and submit compelling projects and proposals. The role will include the line management of the Trust and Foundation Team and ensure the creation of high-quality applications, ambitious cultivation of donors across key portfolio areas and consistent and appropriate, stewardship of funders.

How to apply

Your application must consist of a CV and covering letter, which outlines your suitability for the role with reference to the Job Description and Person Specification and should be no longer than two pages. Please note that if you application does not include both a CV and covering letter, your application may not be considered. 

The closing date for applications is 25 September 2026 with interviews taking place week commencing 5 October 2026. We reserve the right to close the advert early, as interviews will be held as suitable candidates apply.

Please be advised that if you do not hear from us by 5 October 2026, unfortunately on this occasion you have not been shortlisted.

Cruse welcomes and encourages applications from all protected groups as defined by the Equality Act 2010. Appointment will be made on merit.

Criminal Record Checks

All staff are required to complete a Criminal Record check. Staff working directly with clients will be required to complete an enhanced check. We comply with the relevant codes of practice and they can be viewed online:

Applicants in England and Wales: DBS Code of Practice

Applicants in Northern Ireland: AccessNI Code of Practice

Previous convictions will not prevent full consideration of your application to work with Cruse. Our Recruitment of Ex-offenders’ Policy & Handling Criminal Record Check Data Policy are available on request by email.

We comply with all relevant data protection legislation and process your data fairly.

As our Associate Director of Children’s Services, you have a key role to play in the leadership, operational management, and strategic direction of Chestnut Tree House. We are looking for an individual who shares our passion for excellence, innovation and continuous improvement. Whether through clinical leadership, service development, strengthening quality standards or supporting our workforce, this role offers a unique opportunity to make a significant contribution to our future.

At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to kindness, respect, integrity and collaboration. We want every colleague to feel valued, supported and empowered to reach their full potential while delivering the very best outcomes for those in our care.

As a leader within Southern Hospice Group, you will:

• Lead the planning, performance and delivery of Children’s services, holding accountability for quality, patient outcomes, financial control, income and contract compliance.
• Build and sustain strong partnerships with commissioners and system partners, developing and negotiating proposals that expand service reach and impact.
• Lead service improvement and innovation and share learning across the organisation.
• Provide visible, values-led people leadership, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement across all teams.

You'll be

• Passionate advocate for babies, children and young people
• Child and family centred
• Significant experience in children's palliative/end of life care or children with complex care needs
• Compassionate but accountable leader
• Strategic but operationally grounded
• Professional curiosity, always seeing ways to innovate and improve
• Track record of effective performance management across quality, workforce, operations and finance
• Effective communicator, able to influence and build strong teams
• Experience of leading and supporting teams through change
• Builds effective relationships with key stakeholders across the group and externally
• Confidence in financial leadership, including budget management, income generation and commercial decision making.
• Proven ability to influence and partner with commissioners and system stakeholders
• Highly developed people leadership skills, with the ability to engage, motivate and develop the workforce and build strong teams.

Carer Support Team Lead

35 hours per week (5 days)

Actual salary £27,878

Office base: Harlow, Essex

Could you lead a team to achieve positive outcomes for family carers in West Essex?

We have an exciting management opportunity for a Carer Support Team Lead to join our team, supporting unpaid adult carers. This is a rewarding and varied role leading a team providing information, coaching and peer support for local carers, helping them navigate support systems, and to maintain their own health and wellbeing. You will mainly work in the community as well as from our offices or home.

You will have experience working with Carers, vulnerable or disadvantaged individuals, or working within health, social care, community or voluntary services. You will ideally have experience managing people to deliver high-quality services. Most importantly, you will be passionate about making a difference to the lives of local unpaid adult carers.

Action for Family Carers is a thriving Essex charity which for over 35 years has been providing support for Adult Carers and Young Carers – people with unpaid caring responsibilities for others. We are a Carers Trust Network Partner and hold the Excellence for Carers quality mark. We provide support including information, coaching, counselling, peer support, respite care, and Young Carer clubs across Essex, working within schools, GP practices and a variety of community settings.

Your responsibilities will include:

           Managing and leading an area team to achieve positive outcomes for carers

           Demonstrating the impact of the service through monitoring and evaluation

           Developing strong relationships with key local stakeholders

You will need to be:

   Proactive and solution focused

   Passionate about improving outcomes for local carer

   Strong team player with a collaborative approach to working

   An excellent communicator with empathy and active listening skills.

   Confident in the use of IT including Microsoft 365 and CRMs (databases).

   A driver with access to a vehicle and a willingness to travel across Essex.

We offer:

Full induction and relevant training

 Contributory pension scheme

 24-hour Confidential Staff Helpline

An opportunity to help vulnerable families in the local community

A chance to be part of a supportive and friendly team

 Closing date for completed applications: 5pm on 22 September 2026

 For an informal conversation about the role please contact Leesa McKay on 0300 770 80 90.

 Action for Family Carers is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from all sections of the community.

Registered Charity No: 1127164

Help shape the UK’s dedicated Muslim Cancer Support Network. Lead, inspire and support volunteers delivering faith‑sensitive cancer support across the country.

Safeena is the UK’s dedicated Muslim Cancer Support Network, created to ensure no Muslim facing cancer feels alone. As we grow into a professionally governed national charity, we are recruiting a Volunteer Manager to lead, develop and support our expanding volunteer workforce.

The Volunteer Manager will oversee Safeena’s national volunteer programme including Befrienders, Community Champions, Bereavement Volunteers and operational volunteers, ensuring high‑quality recruitment, training, safeguarding, supervision and ongoing support. This role is central to Safeena’s transformation programme, helping build a credible, compliant and compassionate volunteer service that reflects the needs of Muslim communities affected by cancer.

Key Responsibilities

• Recruit, onboard and train volunteers

• Deliver induction and ongoing training programmes

• Provide supervision, wellbeing support and reflective practice

• Coordinate rotas, assignments and community outreach activity

• Maintain volunteer records, policies and compliance

• Promote Safeena’s volunteer opportunities across communities and mosques

Person Requirements

Essential

• Experience managing or coordinating volunteers

• Strong organisational and communication skills

• Ability to support volunteers in emotionally sensitive roles

• Knowledge of safeguarding and confidentiality

• Confident delivering training or group sessions

Desirable

• Experience in charity, community or health settings

• Understanding of Muslim communities and culturally sensitive support

• Training in safeguarding, bereavement or cancer awareness

St Joseph’s Hospice – a leading East London hospice providing compassionate care and support to people with life-limiting illness, their families and carers – is seeking an Interim Head of Supportive Care.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead and transform a diverse portfolio of supportive care services, ensuring that people living with life-limiting illness, and those important to them, receive outstanding, person-centred support that enables them to live well until the end of life.

About the Role

As a key member of the Hospice leadership team, you will lead the development and delivery of our supportive care strategy in line with the Hospice Strategy 2026–2031. You will drive service transformation, develop innovative models of care, strengthen community partnerships, expand volunteer-led services, reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes for patients, families and carers.

You will work collaboratively across the Hospice, the North East London Integrated Care System, voluntary sector partners and local communities to ensure our services remain accessible, responsive and sustainable.

A significant aspect of the role is leading engagement with diverse communities, increasing awareness of hospice services, developing strategic partnerships and supporting the ambitions of compassionate communities across East London.

The post holder will also act as the Hospice's Designated Safeguarding Lead for Adults and Children, providing organisational leadership and assurance on safeguarding practice and governance.

About You

We are looking for an experienced senior leader who can demonstrate:

• Professional registration within a health or social care profession.
• Significant senior leadership experience within palliative care, community health, supportive care or social care services.
• Experience of leading large multidisciplinary teams and complex services.
• Strong strategic planning, operational management and service transformation skills.
• Experience of partnership working across health, social care, community and voluntary sector organisations.
• A strong understanding of safeguarding legislation, governance, quality improvement and regulatory requirements.
• Experience of budget management, workforce planning and service development.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder engagement skills.
• A commitment to inclusion, reducing health inequalities and improving access to care for underserved communities.
• A leadership style that reflects the values of compassion, advocacy, justice, quality and respect for human dignity.

About St Joseph's Hospice

Founded in 1905 by the Sisters of Charity, St Joseph's Hospice provides specialist palliative and end-of-life care for the diverse communities of East London. We are committed to delivering outstanding care and creating a culture where patients, families, volunteers and staff feel valued, supported and empowered.

Our mission is to help people live as fully as possible, for as long as possible, when facing life-limiting illness.

Why Join Us?

• 27 days holiday plus public holidays, increasing up to 33 days with service
• Subsidised café and early access to retail sale events
• Season ticket loan
• Continuation of NHS Pension Scheme or an excellent salary-exchange pension scheme
• Santander cycles discount and cycle to work scheme
• Health Cash Plan and access to the EAP services

Join St Joseph’s team and find out more!

Closing date: 30 September 2026.

Interview date: 8 or 9 October 2026.

We are an equal opportunities and a disability confident employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.

Nelson’s Journey, Norfolk’s leading child bereavement charity, is seeking an inspiring and focussed individual to join its fundraising and marketing team, responsible for raising funds required for the support of bereaved children and young people. The team is particularly seeking to appoint a candidate who can lead on managing the charity’s annual plan of events, to raise funds and publicise the charity’s work in the community

Candidates who can contribute to the charity’s need to meet a diverse range of fundraising and marketing objectives, would be welcomed. Full-time and part-time applications will be considered.

The post-holder will work as part of a team to drive an increase in fundraising income so that the charity can continue to set ambitious spending plans and look to its future growth. While leading on events, the post-holder will also contribute to the overall workplans of the funding and marketing team.

The post holder will develop relationships and present to a wide range of audiences.

This post is advertised at a salary range, with demonstration of higher income generating skills and/or experiences qualifying for the higher end of the range.

A willingness to work flexible hours and occasional weekends is required. Access to a vehicle is essential, for which the appropriate mileage rate will be paid. The post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. The successful candidate must be committed to the safeguarding of children and young people. Right to Work in the UK will need to be established. We are an equal opportunities employer.

Nelson’s Journey offers generous annual leave entitlement of 26 days, in addition to bank holidays and public holidays (pro-rata for part-time).

The post is office based at our charity HQ in Little Plumstead, near Norwich.

Closing date for completed application forms: ongoing until vacancy filled – contact us to confirm

Interview date: to discuss

We reserve the right to close a vacancy when we have received sufficient applications.

The application pack and further information including our Privacy Notice is available for download from our website.

Help us to bring back smiles to Norfolk’s bereaved children and young people

Salary: £43,680 

Location: Hybrid Work Culture. We are proud to promote a truly hybrid work culture, recognising that every role is different, and everyone has unique needs and preferences. Our Hybrid Work Arrangement empowers each team member to work with their manager to choose the most effective way to work that balances your needs and Hospice UK’s.

For this role, we are looking for someone who is London based and can travel to central London at short notice to maximise content opportunities that arise. You will also be expected to come into the office at least one day a week - currently the External Affairs anchor day is on a Wednesday.

Contractually this role is London-based.

Benefits:

• 25 days in the first year, increasing to 27.5 days in the second year of service and 30 days in the third.
• Matched pension scheme up to 7% of salary
• Support for staff with caring responsibilities
• Family-friendly culture

How to Apply: CV and supporting statement - using Hospice UK’s supporting statement document – see below

Closing date for applications: Sunday 20 September at 23:59

Interview dates: Thursday 1 October and Friday 2 October. The first round of interviews will take place online via MS Teams. 

We may send assessments and some questions to you in advance so that you can prepare. Let us know if you have any specific needs to be able to fully engage with the process.

Job Information

The Role

This is a new and exciting role for Hospice UK. As Content and Brand Manager you will play a key role bringing Hospice UK’s strategic priorities to life, delivering high-quality content that meets our audiences’ needs, drives engagement and tells a compelling story about our brand. 

You will lead and drive an ambitious new content strategy for the organisation that brings coherence and dynamism to our communications, ensures clear and consistent messaging across our channels and seizes opportunities to be creative, adaptable and at the heart of sector debates. This will also include overseeing the performance and growth of our social media channels and presence.

Your work with also grow, promote and protect our brand, ensuring a strong visual identity, clear voice, and diverse and human-led content that reflects Hospice UK’s values. 

The Team

You will work within the Communications team that sits within the wider External Affairs Directorate. We are around 20 in total, including 4 colleagues based in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

The Communications team includes colleagues working across content, social and digital, as well as partnership marketing and member communications.

You will work closely with a smaller team of 3 colleagues, our Senior Social Media Officer, Media and PR Manager and your line manager – our Senior Communications and Communications Manager. Together you will be involved in the big issues in hospice care, making sure Hospice UK is vocal, visible and leading the debate.

There is a strong collaborative and supportive culture across the External Affairs Department with lots of opportunity to exchange ideas, plan together and benefit from each other’s skills and expertise. 

Working closely with our 200+ hospice members, we have a strong track record of securing strong media coverage and winning campaigns on their behalf, most notably over the two years by securing increased investment in hospices by governments in Westminster, Cardiff and Edinburgh. 

But our work is not done. Hospices are under significant pressure and need both better government investment and continued public support. Our focus now is ensuring that hospices can meet ever increasing demand for their services, with well-funded and well-staffed hospices across the UK. 

About You

You're a strategic and creative content professional who understands how powerful storytelling can drive engagement, influence audiences and deliver real impact.

You'll have experience developing and delivering ambitious content strategies, managing brands, and creating compelling content across digital channels. From shaping content pipelines and leading campaigns to overseeing brand identity and using data to optimise performance, you'll know how to turn insight into action.

We're looking for someone who is audience-focused, collaborative and innovative, with a strong understanding of digital trends, emerging technologies including AI, and the tools needed to create and measure high-performing content. You'll also be an experienced people manager, able to develop talent and foster a positive, high-performing team culture.

Most importantly, you'll share Hospice UK's values and be excited by the opportunity to shape our stories, strengthen our brand and amplify the impact of hospice care across the UK.

If you're excited by the prospect of leading our content strategy, shaping and strengthening our brand, and helping more people understand the impact of hospice care through powerful storytelling, we'd love to hear from you.

More information is available in the candidate information pack, which is available on our website to download.