Careers advisor starting out jobs in kilmarnock, east ayrshire

Technical Project Executive 

£30,000 - £34,000 per annum (dependent on relevant experience and skills) plus generous benefits 

Location – Home-based with regular travel across a designated region and to our offices as required 

We are the Football Foundation - the Premier League, the FA and government’s charity that delivers outstanding grassroots facilities, more and better places to play, transforming lives and communities where it is needed most.  

As a Technical Project Executive, you’ll play a key role in delivering high-quality sports facilities by guiding and supporting applicants through the technical aspects of capital grant projects. Working within an experienced team, you’ll assess the design, procurement, and delivery of construction projects—safeguarding the Foundation’s investment and ensuring compliance with national standards. 

Day to day, you’ll review technical plans, carry out site inspections, advise on risks, and help process grants efficiently. You’ll also support applicants throughout the funding journey and respond to technical enquiries. 

This is an exciting opportunity for a newly qualified graduate—or a more experienced graduate seeking a new direction. You’ll gain hands-on experience in all aspects of facility development, supported by experienced Technical Project Managers (TPMs) who will mentor you as you progress towards becoming a TPM yourself. 

Joining at the early stages of your career, you’ll benefit from a supportive, collaborative environment. The Foundation is committed to helping you build the skills and confidence needed to step into a full TPM role within 2–3 years. 

About the Football Foundation 

Over the last 22 years, the Foundation has awarded more than 23,000 grants to deliver outstanding grassroots facilities across England worth more than £877 million. This year, the Foundation will be investing more money than ever into facilities across England and is committed to improving the experience of playing football for everyone.  

What are we looking for 

 A Graduate with a construction-related degree — such as architecture, building surveying, planning, civil engineering, quantity surveying, project management, or construction management — or hold an entry-level construction qualification with at least 12 months’ experience in a construction-related role. 

You’ll have a sound understanding of construction principles, procurement, and project management, with a keen eye for detail and a methodical approach to reviewing designs and technical documentation. 

Strong interpersonal skills are key. You’ll be comfortable working with a range of people — from contractors and clients to volunteers — and able to explain technical matters in plain English. We’re looking for someone who can engage and inspire our applicants. 

You’ll be organised, accurate, and adaptable, with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities. Strong IT skills, particularly in Excel, are essential, along with a positive, can-do attitude and a genuine desire to learn. 

A current, clean driving licence and access to your own vehicle are required, as regular travel is part of the role. 

What can we offer you

The salary band for this role is £30,000 - £34,000 per annum, dependent on relevant skills and experience.

You will start on 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (which increases after 2 years), plus additional time off to volunteer. We also offer a generous pension scheme (8% employer contribution), free health care, a monthly gym subsidy, death in service benefit, free match tickets and access to selected events at Wembley. 

Equality and Diversity Commitment

The Football Foundation is committed to and values the principles of diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion. We strive to provide an inclusive and supportive working environment where all our team feel respected and supported in fulfilling their potential. We encourage and welcome applications from all, regardless of background and are particularly interested to hear from individuals belonging to under-represented groups including diverse ethnic communities, individuals with a disability and those from the LGBTQI+ community. 

Closing date for applications is: Monday 4 August 2025 at 11.59pm

First stage interviews, online via Microsoft Teams on 26 August 2025 

Mary’s Meals is a global movement supported by people from all walks of life and we are focused on one goal – that every child receives a nutritious daily meal in their place of education. We are currently reaching over 2.6 million children every school day, across 16 countries.

We are recruiting for a dynamic, visionary leader to join us as Director of Strategic Initiatives – a vital role in helping us grow our global movement. Reporting to our Chief Growth Officer, you’ll lead a talented team responsible for designing and delivering bold new strategies to increase revenue and build long-term, sustainable income growth and grow the strength of our National Affiliate network.

You will:

• Drive a programme of high-impact, global initiatives, from new fundraising products and digital solutions to youth and faith engagement strategies.
• Provide expert support and coaching to Executive Directors leading National Affiliates across the world.
• Guide strategic planning and change programmes with measurable outcomes, clear delivery plans and a deep focus on stewardship.
• Lead and inspire a high-performing team of specialists focused on audience insights, product development and market expansion.
• Collaborate closely with senior leadership across our global family to ensure alignment, shared learning and sustainable growth.
• Support the development of effective governance, technology and safeguarding practices across affiliates.
• Act as a trusted advisor to the MMI Executive Leadership Team and contribute regularly at the highest levels of decision-making.

About you:

You will bring significant senior-level experience in strategy, programme leadership, and/or business development – ideally in a global or multi-entity context within the charity sector.

• A strong track record of driving income growth and leading successful change initiatives.
• Experience working across cultures, with the ability to influence, inspire and build trust in diverse settings.
• A sharp focus on what works in fundraising, product innovation and audience engagement – particularly in the context of international development.
• Experience collaborating closely with technology teams to deliver digital and tech-enabled solutions.
• Proven leadership and coaching experience, with the ability to build high-performing teams and work with autonomy, agility and purpose.

Most of all, you’ll be motivated by our mission and ready to play a key role in helping us reach the next child waiting for Mary’s Meals.

About us:

We believe in the innate goodness of people, respect the dignity of every human being and family life and believe in good stewardship of the resources entrusted to us. In line with our values, Mary’s Meals is fully committed to a culture of safeguarding. Mary’s Meals is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work and we expect all the Mary's Meals family to share this commitment and work in the best interest of the communities we serve. Our safe recruitment practices ensure that only those that are committed to our high standards join our movement.

Salary advertised is for UK based candidates, our salary philosophy ensures consistency across locations where Mary’s Meals operates, please reach out for more information on salary & benefits if you are based outside the UK. 

To apply:

If you are inspired to join our movement and our vision, mission and values resonate with you, we would love to hear from you. To apply, please click below to send your CV and a short covering note (no more than 1 page) telling us why you are a great fit for this role and why you would like to work for Mary’s Meals International.

Job Title: Philanthropy Manager

Reports to: Senior Philanthropy Manager

Location: Hybrid work with 40% from Breaking Barriers’ offices in Manchester, Birmingham or Glasgow

Salary:  £33,000 - £39,000

Hours: 5 days per week (37.5 hours) but open to part-time (30 hours minimum), and flexible working arrangements

Contract: Permanent

Overall purpose

The Philanthropy Manager will manage and steward a portfolio of funders and donors – across trusts and foundations, statutory sources and major donors – to secure annual and multi-year gifts in support of Breaking Barriers’ vision. As well as managing relationships with our existing donors there will be a focus on creating new relationships through proactive prospecting and developing a long-term strategic approach to stewardship and relationship development.

You will be an ambitious, enthusiastic, energetic, and autonomous fundraiser with a demonstrable passion for supporting people from a refugee background. You will have a strong track record of high-value relationship management and fundraising, ideally specialising in Trusts, Statutory, Major Donor fundraising or a related area. We are looking for someone who can successfully secure and steward gifts of 5 figures and above – so evidence of stewarding high-value relationships and high-quality written skills are key.  You will collaborate with additional fundraisers across Trusts, Statutory, Corporate and Major Gifts to coordinate approaches and maximise opportunities across all functions.

We welcome applicants with relevant transferable skills from other sectors and other areas of fundraising but a strong knowledge of the fundamentals of grant fundraising is essential. We are looking for a passionate individual who can get people excited about the work we do and who wants to make a difference in the lives of individuals from a refugee background. You will share our energy and determination, and will be attracted by the idea of working in a team with big ambitions, and in which you will have the opportunity to grow and develop. We encourage creative thinking and new ideas so a proactive individual who is able to spot opportunities and take the initiative would thrive in this role.

To view the full job description and person specification, as well as details on our accessible recruitment process, please view the attached recruitment pack.

Other considerations

• As part of our safeguarding commitment to our clients, we carry out pre-employment checks to ensure that successful applicants are suitable to work with adults at risk. These include basic DBS checks, obtaining references and verifying a candidate’s identity and right to work in the UK.   
• We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity status, race, religion or belief.

How to apply

If you are looking for a role where you can make a real difference, we want to hear from you. To apply, please submit a CV and statement (up to approximately 500 words/1 A4 page) outlining:

• Why you are interested in the role
• What skills you would bring to be successful in this role
• Any experience you would like to highlight
• Any reasonable adjustments you require for the interview process
• Disclosure of disabilities if you wish to do so (as a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role)

Please note that applications without a covering letter will not be considered.

Closing date for applications is 11:30pm on Wednesday 06 August. Interviews will be held on a rolling basis so please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

We belong to the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative, which advocates and supports organisations to employ more people from a refugee background. With this in mind, we particularly welcome applicants with experience of seeking asylum and/or a refugee background. 

If you are an expert by experience (a refugee or a migrant with direct, first-hand experience of issues and challenges of the UK asylum or immigration system), you can ask for an independent and confidential support for your job application from the Experts by Experience Employment Network. Please reach out to HR Manager Rebecca Hughes for further details (we are unable to include email addresses in this advert, but you can find contact details on the final page of the attached recruitment pack).