Change manager jobs

The Youth Endowment Fund

Senior Change Manager, Education (x2 roles)

Reports to: Head of Change for Education

Salary:  £54,300 per annum, depending on experience

Location:  Central London or Hybrid*(see below)

Contract: (2-year fixed term – potential to extend)

Closing date for applications: Monday 8th June 2026 at 12pm

Interview dates: Week commencing 22nd June 2026

About the Youth Endowment Fund

We’re here to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence. We do this by finding out what works and building a movement to put this knowledge into practice.

In recent years violent crime has risen significantly. Homicides, assaults, robberies and offences involving weapons have all seen sustained growth. We have also seen large increases in violent crime involving children and young people. This is a tragedy. Every child captured in these numbers is an important member of our community and society has a duty to protect them.

The Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) is a charity with a £200m endowment and a mission that matters. We exist to prevent children becoming involved in violence. Our mission is to find what works and build a movement to put it into practice.

A big part of the movement that we need to build is in the world of education. We need to inspire and connect with education leaders across England and Wales to spread what works and make our country safer for some of our most vulnerable children. We are looking for someone to lead on making this happen.

Key Responsibilities

We have made good progress building the evidence of what works within and around education to reduce violence, including publishing our Education, Children and Violence Guidance which provides school, college and alternative provision leaders with five evidence-based recommendations to help prevent children’s involvement in violence. We have also published Education Policy, Children and Violence which provides eight recommendations for policy makers and system leaders. In 2025, we also launched the Education Practice Insight Creator (a self-assessment tool for education leaders) and a number of collaborations with leading sector organisations. But the big risk is that despite all of these efforts change is not made or sustained within the sector.

This is where you come in. We are recruiting for two Senior Change Manager roles within our Education Change Team. Both roles will support education leaders to put in place and sustain evidence-informed practice to prevent children’s involvement in violence.

Senior Change Manager – Education Network

You will design, lead and grow a national network of education leaders, supporting them to put in place and sustain evidence-informed practice.

This includes delivering a programme of network activity (online sessions, in-person events, collaborative projects and a national conference), building a strong professional community, and generating insight to inform our wider work. Initially, this will focus on a new programme - the Safety in and Around Schools Partnership – which will involve supporting a network of up to 250 schools.

Focus: Working at scale – developing the offer, convening leaders, and building a national network.

Best suited to: Those with experience of building and facilitating communities of practice, communicating at scale, and convening groups of leaders.

Senior Change Manager – Practice Change

You will be working directly with education leaders and local partners to support the implementation and sustaining of evidence-informed practice. This includes facilitating training, providing 1-2-1 support, developing resources, and working with clusters of schools and multi-agency partners in local areas.

Focus: Working directly with leaders to build their capacity to lead, implement and sustain evidence-informed practice change.

Best suited to: Those with experience of leading in education and working closely with school leaders to support evidence-informed implementation.

You are this sort of person:

• You are fascinated about change and are experienced in making it happen. You have outstanding analytical judgment alongside the emotional intelligence and experience needed to identify the right opportunities for change, then make them happen.

• You understand the education sector. You have extensive experience of working in and with education settings and really understand how schools, colleges and/or Alternative Provision settings tick. You might have previous experience of supporting school leaders to reflect on and adopt evidence-based practice.

• You build strong professional communities.  You build great relationships, facilitate inclusive spaces and help people to connect. Communication both in writing and verbally are key strengths.

• You have experience of supporting and developing education leaders.  You have experience of enabling them to sustainably develop their leadership, policies and practices and improves the lives of young people. You can develop helpful resources and impactful sessions which support leaders.

• You learn fast but remain humble. You are very quick at getting your head around things. You like learning. You are very good at synthesising information. You care more that good things happen than who gets the credit. You are a great and supportive team player.

• You don't want your days to pass without making a difference. You want to play a significant part in reducing violence.

• You understand young people. You understand what the lives of vulnerable young people can be like, and you understand some of the organisations that work with them, ideally through first-hand experience.

• You are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.

While it’s not a criteria, we’re especially interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of violence affecting children and young people.

It’s also important to us that the people we hire do not discriminate. We believe in being inclusive and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation, transgender status or social economic background.

All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process. In line with the Equality Act 2010, however, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.

Hybrid Working

The office is based in Central London. Those living in and around London are expected to be in the office a minimum of 2 days per week. If you live outside of London and work remotely, you’ll be expected to work from the London office 2 days per month.

To Apply

Please click on the "Apply for this" button and submit your CV, your completed monitoring form and ensure your covering letter answers the following three questions below. Please submit your application by Monday 8th June at 12pm

Please indicate your preferred role by answering the relevant questions below. Please note, we may also consider you for the other role, if appropriate.

Question 1 (all candidates):
How have you successfully supported education leaders to improve their practice or leadership? Be specific about your actions and their impact.

Question 2 (Please answer one, depending on your preferred role):

Question 2a – Senior Change Manager, Education Network:
Describe your experience of building, leading or sustaining a professional community or network of education leaders. What was the context and scale, and what impact did it have?

Questions 2b – Senior Change Manager, Practice Change:
Describe a time when you supported education leaders to implement a change in practice that was challenging to embed. What made it difficult, how did you support them, and what was the outcome?

As part of our commitment to flexible working, we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at the interview stage.

Interview Process

This will be a one stage interview process. Interviews will take place the week of 22nd June 2026

Please Note: We do not sponsor work permits and you will be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

Benefits Include

• £1,000 professional development budget annually
• 25 days annual leave, 3 days end of year shut down, plus Bank Holidays
• Four half days for volunteering activities
• Employee Assistance Programme – 24hr phone line for free confidential support
• Volunteering days - 4 half days per year
• Death in service - 4 times annual salary
• Flexible hours. Core office hours 10am – 4pm
• Financial support including travel and hardship loans
• Employer contributed pension of 5%.

Your Data

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful, and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.