Chief executive officer jobs in croydon, greater london

As Director of Operations and Fundraising you will play a key role in driving forward the mission of Notre Dame Refugee Centre, dedicated to supporting those seeking sanctuary in the UK.

Lead a small yet impactful team to deliver a range of vital services including IAA immigration advice and ESOL lessons, with social activities.  You will work closely with our trustees, staff and volunteers to ensure that we continue to deliver life-changing support to those who seek our help.

We are a youth movement that empowers people with refugee backgrounds to build community, become leaders, and flourish into adulthood in the place that they call home.

There are thousands of young refugees and migrants arriving in the UK every year. We believe in the unbounded potential of these individuals and are driven to help them thrive. Our residentials and youth clubs are at the start of this journey, allowing us to create a space where we can build a community, teach leadership skills and spark ideas. With the right support, our ambition is to ensure that displaced youth have the agency to take control of their own lives.

The Trusts & Foundations Specialist will play a key role in identifying and securing grants from trusts and foundations. You will lead on researching new opportunities, crafting compelling applications, and stewarding relationships with grantmakers. We’re looking for a diligent and thoughtful writer with a sharp eye for detail and a deep interest in our work, who is also keen to contribute to the wider life of the organisation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Grant Prospecting & Pipeline Development

• Research and maintain a pipeline of trusts and foundations aligned with OSH’s mission and growth priorities.

• Work closely with OSH leadership to align fundraising priorities with programme plans and organisational growth.

• Maintain up-to-date records on potential and active funders in OSH’s CRM.
   

Bid Writing & Submission

• Write and submit high-quality, tailored applications that articulate OSH’s impact, values and plans.

• Ensure applications are accurate, persuasive, and meet deadlines and funder requirements.

• Collaborate with the team to gather supporting information, budgets, and case studies.
   

Reporting & Stewardship

• Prepare timely and engaging reports for successful grants, ensuring compliance with funder requirements and strong stewardship.

• Maintain excellent records and monitor deadlines for reporting and renewals.
   

Cross-Organisational Contribution

• Coordinate annual impact reporting, including data analysis, case studies, and visual storytelling.

• Build strong internal relationships and stay connected to OSH’s work by attending occasional programmes, events and residentials.

• Contribute ideas and support the fundraising team’s broader work (e.g. campaigns, supporter communications).

• Engage with programme staff to gather stories and data that demonstrate OSH’s impact.

• Other duties as may be required from time to time

ABOUT YOU

• Demonstrated experience writing successful funding applications to trusts and foundations.

• Excellent writing and editing skills — clear, concise, persuasive and adaptable to different audiences.

• Highly organised, diligent and able to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

• Ability to analyse funder criteria and align proposals strategically.

• Strong team player, willing to engage with programme staff, volunteers and young people to understand and communicate OSH’s work.

• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage funders and supporters with warmth and professionalism.

• Commitment to ethical fundraising practices and compliance with UK fundraising regulations.

• Familiarity with fundraising CRMs, in particular Beacon.

• Experience preparing budgets and financial reports for funders.

• Personal or professional understanding of issues affecting people from refugee backgrounds.

• Passion for OSH’s mission and commitment to centering people with refugee backgrounds.

• Ability to speak in other languages relevant to our community, including Arabic, Pashto, Farsi, Tigrinya, Amharic, Oromo, and Spanish.

We believe that diversity simply makes for a stronger team. We aim to create a workplace that is welcoming for all, inclusive of ethnicity, disability, age, religious belief, marital status, pregnancy, sexuality or gender. In order to reflect the ethnic diversity of our participants, we are particularly encouraging applications from applicants who come from global majority backgrounds, or applicants who have lived experience of seeking asylum.

The Barbican is a multidisciplinary international arts centre in the City of London.

Across its theatres, concert halls, cinemas, galleries, business venues, public and community spaces, the Barbican showcases the most exciting artists and performers from around the world, pushing traditional artistic boundaries and helping us understand our lives in new and unexpected ways. Each year, the Centre presents hundreds of different performances, events and exhibitions that entertain and inspire millions of people, create connections, provoke debate, and reflect the world we live in.

Firmly rooted in its neighbourhood, the Barbican collaborates on projects with local communities, and supports young people and emerging talent to develop their artistic practice and access jobs in the creative industry.

Our core values are: Inclusive, Connected, Sustainable, Joyful and Daring. 

As we enter an exciting new stage of the Barbican’s life, there couldn’t be a better time to join us. Focussed firmly on the future, we’re working on ambitious plans to create better access to the arts, transforming our building and reimagining what an arts centre can be. Through our work on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, we’ll ensure the Barbican becomes a place where everyone belongs – where creativity, enterprise, and learning coexist, and everybody can achieve their fullest potential.

The role

Are you passionate about fundraising and supporting an inspiring programme of artistic events, learning activities and community work?  

We are seeking a Philanthropy Officer to play a key role in supporting and delivering excellent stewardship for our Patrons and most generous individual donors. From dance and film, to music, theatre and visual arts the Philanthropy team works across the whole of our ambitious and joyful cross-arts programme, giving you the chance to share the best of the Barbican with our closest supporters.

The Philanthropy Officer will be the main point of contact in the Philanthropy team, primarily account managing our lower-level Patrons and supporting the stewardship and recruitment of higher level donors. Alongside the delivery of our Patrons scheme, they will lead on all individual giving events and manage the philanthropy team’s participation in Development-wide events such as exhibition private views. The Philanthropy Officer also provides key administrative support to the Philanthropy team, keeping track of financial reconciliation, preparing invoices, and managing accurate income data in our CRM Spektrix.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone eager to build on their experience of relationship management and develop their career in fundraising while contributing to the work of an exciting multi-arts venue at a key point of change for the

organisation. The successful candidate will be supported to gain experience across all aspects of individual giving, and to develop themselves as an ambitious and high-achieving fundraiser. The Barbican offers an excellent range of staff benefits full details can be found on our website.

Prospectus is supporting a London focused grant givng organisation in the search for a Director of Development. This organisation exist to improve the lives of the most disadvantaged people in London by working with donors to invest in small, local charities and community groups. They empower local community organisations and leaders to identify their needs and solutions and connect these groups with funders, distribute resources, and help increase their impact. Additionally, they promote the value of local organisations, encourage philanthropy, and build relationships between communities and funders, and have given £127 million in grants to grassroot organisations in London since 2010.

Director of Development

Permanent

circa £75,000 FTE

London with hybrid working 1 day per week

   

The Director of Development will be responsible for developing and achieving the organisation's income strategy, with particular focus on developing, prospecting, and building relationships with high value donors, corporates, financial advisors, and wealth management. As part of the Senior Leadership Team, this role will be a strategic Director, whilst also leading on key donor facing relationships. This role will be critical to leading and executing successful engagement strategies for both internal and external stakeholders, with the support of a small team of two.

The successful candidate will be able to evidence setting strategy and delivering successful high value income generation growth. This person will be able to demonstrate identifying and securing gifts of a six-figure plus level. They will have a proven track record of developing and maintaining strategic senior networks. This person will have managed other team members before and be a strong communicator with other senior internal stakeholders and external donors.

   

Application information

Closing date for completed applications is midday on 24th August.

   

To apply

To apply for the role please upload your CV together with a supporting statement (of no more than 2 pages) onto the Prospectus website via the link below.

Prospectus is committed to providing equality of opportunity and welcome candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds. For all job opportunities and progression, job applicants and employees will receive equal treatment regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. If you have any disability and would like assistance with completing an application, then please contact Rhiannon Mehta at Prospectus on      

If you feel you meet some of the criteria but not all, we really hope you'll enquire and learn more. Prospectus can advise and support on each part of the role and hopefully your application, so we look forward to hearing from you.

We're looking for a confident and compassionate Co-Director to lead our mental health charity using gardens, creativity & community for recovery.

**We offer mentoring support for applicants who might benefit from additional guidance - please see the full Job Description for further details**

About Sydenham Garden

Based in Lewisham in South-East London, Sydenham Garden is a unique wellbeing centre utilising its gardens, nature reserve and activity rooms to help people living with and recovering from mental and physical ill-health. We provide nature and arts based creative, social and therapeutic activities for co-workers (the name we give to our primary beneficiaries).

About the role 

Our Director has been in post since November 2021 and on returning from maternity leave in January 2026 she will be working 3 days a week.  We are seeking a Co-Director to jointly lead the organisation going forwards as we have made a positive decision to move towards a co-director model.  This is an exciting opportunity which can have benefits of increasing capacity, efficiency, and transparency and allow for a broader range of identities both to better reflect the diverse populations they serve and as a way to include more diverse leaders. It is a model that can also reduce burnout, build equity, and support flexible working.

As Co-Director you will be jointly responsible for leading and manage the day-to-day running of Sydenham Garden for the benefit of our co-workers.  This will involve overseeing implementation and regular review of Sydenham Garden’s strategic plan and to ensure all governance arrangements are in place to monitor the work of the organisation and to report to the Board of Trustees and to funders.

You will ensure fundraising and financial plans and processes are in place to deliver the agreed services, including fundraising from Trusts & Foundations, community fundraising and developing contracted services as necessary.

The Co-Directors will be jointly accountable to the Trustee Board for all aspects of the job description. You may take lead responsibility on particular areas which will be discussed and agreed with the existing Co-Director and Trustee Board.

About You

You are a confident and compassionate leader with a commitment to the mental health and wellbeing sector.  You bring a thoughtful, strategic and inclusive approach to leadership.

Your communication skills are excellent, and you’re able to build strong, trusting relationships with colleagues at all levels, as well as with external partners, funders, and stakeholders.  You are deeply committed to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, with a clear track record of putting these values into practice.

You have a proven experience in securing income for charitable work and are confident in financial management and planning. 

You also understand the value of co-production and have experience working collaboratively with volunteers and co-workers (service users), ensuring their voices are central to service design and delivery.

We’re looking for someone who is dedicated to the mission of Sydenham Garden and has relevant experience at management level in a mental health charity of similar organisation. 

How to apply

Candidates will be shortlisted based on:

· Experience of working at a management level in a mental health charity or comparable organisation. 

· An excellent strategic thinker with experience of input into strategic development and implementation.

· Good communication skills and the ability to build relationships with colleagues at all levels in an organisation and with external contacts and partners. 

· A proven commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

· Experience of line managing and developing staff, including through appraisal systems. 

· Proven ability to secure income, manage fundraising processes and to manage and produce fundraising applications. 

· Experience of financial management and planning, including managing budgets. 

· Experience of working with volunteers and co-workers (service users). 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Sydenham Garden is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). We want to build a diverse and inclusive staff, volunteer and trustee team where everyone feels that they belong and that reflects the profile of the communities we serve. Therefore, we will welcome and consider applications from candidates of all backgrounds and protected characteristics, and we particularly encourage applications from people of African or Caribbean heritage to ensure our staff team represents the communities we serve.

To apply, please send us a CV together with a supporting statement (maximum 2 pages, minimum font size of 11) that addresses how you meet the Person Specification listed above.

In the UK, in areas of disadvantage, up to 40% of children do not reach a good level of development by the age of 5. Our client’s vision is of a society that cherishes children’s development in the early years, where every child can thrive and achieve their full potential.

Using a collective impact approach, the organisation is driving and supporting collaboration between funders, the public, private and the voluntary sector to improve outcomes in the early years. Listening to the voice, and harnessing the power of parents, carers and families in local communities is central to the change that Thrive and Five seeks to make.

In just four years, our client’s work is making a difference, with positive progress of children who’ve had the benefit of the charity’s pilot programme.  The impact of our work was recognised in Parliament as the Secretary for State delivered the Best Start in Life Strategy and the charity was  invited to share our public/voluntary sector partnership model at the Government’ Summit to launch the Civil Society Covenant. The Department for Education is interested to see how our approach aligns with their mission to help 75% of children reach a Good Level of Development by 2028. 

Director 

North East, working in person in Teesside three days a week 

Up to £85,000, dependent on experience

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced leader, with a passion for giving children the best possible start and with a strong belief in the power of communities. The role will work both locally and nationally, as part of the wider team. 

The Director will manage our client’s existing programme in Redcar and Cleveland with a talented and committed team (10 staff). They will also develop and manage the new programme in Middlesbrough, currently in Discovery phase, and recruit a staff team of 8- 10 people, with support from the charity’s central team.  Once set up, the Director will lead the following across both areas: 

• Building relationships and networks in the areas, across the public, voluntary and private sector 

• Leading the team to support delivery of the charity's local early years strategy in the areas

• Leading the delivery of a portfolio of complementary workstreams, continuously refining and strengthening the work so that we make the greatest possible positive difference to local children and families 

• Working closely with local partners and the national team to ensure that data and learning is captured and fed into strategic thinking and our national model 

Supported by our central team, the Director will enable local stakeholders to collectively support parents and children under 5, to improve outcomes in the early years and particularly improve levels of school readiness. Crucial to this work will be engaging with and empowering local parents who are the key to successful delivery of the initiative.

This is an exciting opportunity for an impact focussed leader, who brings: 

• Experience of working at a senior level with public sector and/or voluntary organisations involved in the delivery of services and support to families with children under 5 

• A track record of implementing concurrent and complex workstreams effectively, with proven project management and evaluation skills 

• Experience at leading and developing staff teams

• Experience of building networks of solid relationships with a wide range of stakeholders

You will relish the opportunity to deliver a model that ensures strength in communities, achieves long term sustainability and aims to achieve long-term systemic improvements in early childhood development. 

We are committed to inclusion in all aspects of our work and our new Director will have the ability to collaborate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures and nurture differing views. They will work sensitively with the changing needs of our communities and be comfortable talking about the importance of inclusion to a range of audiences. 

Recruitment Timetable

Closing date:  Sunday 31st August 2025 

Initial interviews with Prospectus: 5-12th August 2025 

Panel interviews with our client: w/c 15th September 2025 

Queries 

If you have any queries or wish to have an informal discussion about the opportunity, please contact our retained advisors Anna Gardet or Erica Ritchie with a copy of your CV.

Location: Hybrid / London
Contract type: Permanent
Salary: circa £75,000 FTE
 
Job Advert
 
The London Community Foundation (LCF) exist to improve the lives of the most disadvantaged people in London by working with donors to invest in small, local charities and community groups. LCF empower local community organisations and leaders to identify their needs and solutions and connect these groups with funders, distribute resources, and help increase their impact. Additionally, LCF promote the value of local organisations, encourage philanthropy, and build relationships between communities and funders, and have given £127 million in grants to grassroot organisations in London since 2010.
 
The Director of Development will be responsible for developing and achieving LCF’s income strategy, with particular focus on developing, prospecting, and building relationships with high value donors, corporates, financial advisors, and wealth management. As part of the Senior Leadership Team, this role will be a strategic Director, whilst also leading on key donor facing relationships. This role will be critical to leading and executing successful engagement strategies for both internal and external stakeholders, with the support of a small team of two.
 
The successful candidate will be able to evidence setting strategy and delivering successful high value income generation growth. This person will be able to demonstrate identifying and securing gifts of a six-figure plus level. They will have a proven track record of developing and maintaining strategic senior networks. This person will have managed other team members before and be a strong communicator with other senior internal stakeholders and external donors.
 
To apply for the role please submit your CV together with a supporting statement (of no more than 2 pages).
 
REF-223124

Our vision is to empower women to love, follow and serve Jesus boldly in every age, stage and season of life.  The current outworking of this is two annual conferences – in both London and Birmingham to over 3000 women, a two-day women in leadership retreat and a biblical teaching series over podcast. Currently, we are seeing God move powerfully and we stand in a defining moment of our journey. We sense a clear call to deepen our impact and expand our reach. To step into this next chapter, we are thrilled to be adding a freelance Head of Fundraising to our small but dedicated team.

We’re seeking a visionary leader who can craft and execute a dynamic fundraising strategy to propel The Orchard to the next level. This role demands a unique blend of relational and strategic acumen—someone who grounds their decisions in data, draws from a wealth of experience, and thrives on unlocking potential. By harnessing a diverse range of fundraising approaches, the right person will help us raise £100,000 per year over the next three years, enabling us to fulfil God’s calling on the organisation.

Epic at a Glance:

At Epic, we strive to build a world where children and youth - no matter their race, gender, sexual orientation or place of birth - have access to a future full of promise and opportunity. We are a global foundation backing groundbreaking non-profits around the world - the changemakers and innovators that are transforming the lives of children and youth and protecting our planet for generations to come. 

Groundbreaking charities often struggle to secure smart money to drive impact. Donors want to give more, but are held back because they lack trust, time, and knowledge. Epic bridges the gap between the social entrepreneurs forging solutions to today’s pressing challenges, and the individuals and businesses who want to pool their resources to drive positive change. We curate and monitor highly-vetted portfolios of organisations that we back in order to foster lasting change. We operate strictly on a pro bono basis: 100% of donations received go directly to the organizations in our portfolio. 

Now in our 10th year, we have mobilised over $91 million and supported 57 organizations in 11 countries across 4 continents, since 2015. In the UK, we raise between US$2-2.5 million annually, and there is potential and aspiration to grow this to US$3 million by the end of 2027.

Summary of the position

Epic is looking for a Development Manager to support the activities of the UK Development Team to help us ‘make giving the norm’.

The Development Manager will work with the UK Director in our small team in the UK, as well as working closely with colleagues in Paris and Brussels. 

This position offers candidates the opportunity to develop their skills across a range of fundraising disciplines including corporate fundraising, major donor engagement, events, and philanthropy. 

This position will work with a deeply engaged team in an international environment. Given the versatile nature of the responsibilities and the small team size, candidates will need to show demonstrable flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to take ownership and work independently.

Epic offers an enriching and supportive work environment with opportunities for professional growth and network development. This is an exciting opportunity to join an innovative organisation that places social impact at the heart of its mission.

Key Responsibilities :

With support from the UK Director, the Development Manager will work collaboratively with the Director and wider UK team and Development colleagues in Paris and Brussels to execute the fundraising strategy in the UK. The Development Manager is a key role in a small team, and will contribute new ideas, networks and results to help us meet our income targets and therefore create more positive impact for children and young people globally. More specifically, the key responsibilities of this role are outlined below.

1. Business Development (65%)

• Lead prospect research and outreach efforts to expand Epic’s prospect donor pool in the UK: monitor the fundraising ecosystem, conduct in-depth prospect research and engage in proactive outreach campaigns through LinkedIn, emailing, digital networking and in-person events. This will include attending early morning and evening events as required.
• Set conversion objectives and support conversion from leads to donations
• Identify and secure lead opportunities within networks and events
• Pitch Epic and its various Giving Solutions to potential donors, and build tailored proposals when needed
• Maintain high discipline and consistency in follow-up with leads and donors: use Epic’s CRM to build a consistent pipeline of prospects, as well as maintaining the database with accurate and up to date donor information
• Evaluate and monitor the return on investment (ROI) of events and fundraising campaigns
• Prepare compelling fundraising communications, materials and presentations for donor meetings and events

2. Nurturing & engaging the UK Community (20%)

• Contribute to Epic’s engagement strategy for current donors to ensure an 80% renewal rate
• Maintain regular touchpoints with a subgroup of donors through activities such as sharing monitoring reports, organising project visits and volunteering opportunities in the UK, and scheduling regular calls and face to face meetings. 
• Act as the main point of contact for a subset of donors and answer their enquiries in a timely manner
• Craft and manage engagement opportunities such as UK events and webinars, including drinks, talks, breakfast events, and provide support to the organisation for the annual gala nights. Support will be provided for certain events by our in-house dedicated Events team.

3. Fundraising-related administration (15%)

• Manage donor-related administrative tasks, such as regular use of Epic’s CRM (Salesforce), donation forms, meeting preparation, minutes (where applicable), and 
• Process all donations, using Salesforce and related donation platforms, in a timely manner each month
• Liaise with international fund vehicles, such as Myriad USA, to ensure all international donation commitments are fulfilled. 

Position Requirements :

• Candidate must have the right to work in the United Kingdom
• Excellent level of English (both spoken and written) required
• Proficiency in French (written and spoken) highly desirable 
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in a sales, fundraising or business development role, with demonstrable experience of securing 5- and 6-figure gifts
• Experience within the charity sector is desirable but not required
• Experience using software packages such as Google Suite, Microsoft Office, Canva and other applications
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Commitment to attend external events (including evening events) and comfortable networking with a variety of people across different communities
• Experience with a CRM is required and preferably some experience of using Salesforce 
• Strong self-discipline and project management skills
• Excellent organisational skills and a strong eye for detail

The Epic UK team is a small but dedicated team. The role requires flexibility and a start-up attitude. This is a full time, permanent position, based in the London office with the opportunity for two remote working days each week. This role reports to the UK Director and will involve closely working with Epic’s global development team, as well as with the Engagement, Programs, Marketing and Communications, and Operations teams.

Contract Details

• Position based in central London (Mayfair), UK (with option to work from home 2 days per week).
• Contract type: Permanent, full-time
• Salary range: £35,000-£40,000 gross annual (depending on experience) 
• Start date: As soon as possible but within 3 months of the offer

Employee Benefits 

• Flexible Work Arrangements: Up to 2 days remote working per week.
• 5 weeks (25 days) of paid holiday annually, not including bank holidays, with additional office closure between Christmas and New Year. 
• Access to private healthcare coverage through our healthcare partner, BUPA, fully covered by Epic for the employee and 50% coverage for partner and/or dependents. 
• Retirement Savings Plan: Enrolling in a company-sponsored retirement savings plan with employer contributions.
• £150 culture/sport allowance per year for all eligible staff on a permanent contract and who have successfully completed their trial period.
• Epic subsidizes 50% of the cost of weekly, monthly, or annual local transportation passes (London Underground and London Buses).
• A monthly tax-free homeworking contribution in the amount of £26 per month for all eligible staff on a permanent contract and who have successfully completed their trial period.
• Workplace Amenities: Access to modern workplace amenities: onsite kitchen and snacks, and recreational facilities.

How to Apply: 

Please use charityJob to submit a copy of your CV and a cover letter to Lisa Robinson. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. 

Epic is dedicated to ensuring equal opportunities in employment. We hire based on merit, and all candidates will be considered for employment regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. At Epic, we seek individuals who share our passion for what we do, bringing diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to collectively make a positive impact.

If you require any assistance with your application or preparation for an interview for one of our job openings, please contact Lisa Robinson via the application process. We are committed to ensuring you have a positive and comfortable experience.

Application and interview steps: 

Our recruitment process is designed to be fair, efficient, and respectful of your time. After an initial 20-minute screening call to review and confirm eligibility criteria, shortlisted candidates will go through the following stages:

1. First Interview – with a member of the Development team
2. Case Study – to assess role-specific skills and approach
3. HR Interview – to discuss values, motivation, and team fit
4. Second Interview – with a member of the Development team
5. Final meeting – with the CEO

Please note that reference checks will be conducted before confirming any job offer.

CLOSING EARLY - NEW CLOSING DATE 23:30 05.08.2025.

We’re pleased to be recruiting a Communications and Support Assistant to help strengthen and expand the reach of National Eczema Society’s work. This new role is designed to support the delivery of our communications, digital content and supporter services, as the charity grows and takes on more proactive campaigns and engagement. You’ll contribute to creating and scheduling content across our social media channels and website, support the production of our e-newsletter, and play a key role in monitoring community engagement online.

Alongside digital communications, you’ll provide vital administrative support across our wider operations including health information, research and policy. From helping coordinate webinars and podcasts to assisting with day-to-day operations, this is a varied and rewarding role at the heart of a small, friendly and ambitious team working to improve the lives of people with eczema.

Are you a master orchestrator passionate about making a real difference?
You Make It is an award-winning East London charity empowering working-class, racialised women. We’re looking for a part-time Operations Manager to power our daily operations and help us thrive!

In this role, you’ll:

• Lead talent recruitment and development.

• Enhance our inclusive team culture.

• Streamline processes, ensure compliance, and track impact.

• Collaborate on budgeting and board reporting.

What we offer:

• Hybrid, part-time working with flexible hours.

• Accelerated pay progression after 6 months.

• A therapy and wellness allowance, annual bonus, and pension.

• A small, joyful team culture built on equity and authenticity.

Contract: 1 year (with potential to extend)
Salary: £30,400 (£38k FTE) 
Deadline: Interviews are rolling - apply as soon as possible
Start date: Ideally early September (or sooner)

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.

 

 

This is an exciting opportunity to shape a new senior role within our organisation. The Interim Head of Research and Campaigns will lead our Research function and advocacy efforts, ensuring that evidence-based insights drive our campaigns, policy work, and public engagement.

Recently kicking off our new ‘Creating Positive Change Together’ strategy, coproduced by over 130 staff, volunteers, clients and partners, Groundswell has ambitious plans around influencing more change and amplifying voices to promote healthier lives and a better future for anyone who has experienced homelessness. This role directly aligns with these strategic plans, to refine and use innovative participatory research centring lived experience, share and amplify insight from people with experience of homelessness, and increase our campaigning activities to change systems and break down the barriers that stand in people’s way to a healthier life and more hopeful future.

This role has been created on an interim basis to assess its impact and effectiveness, with a key focus on reviewing the priorities, progression and support of our Research Team and making recommendations for the future regarding this new role. The role will sit within the wider Participation, Progression and Creating Change team. 

We anticipate that some form of Head of Research & Campaigning role will continue beyond this 12-month period, and this interim position will very much shape and inform that longer term role. 

About The Role

What if your product vision could transform how one of the UK's largest charities delivers life-changing support to families affected by dementia? Imagine building digital products that empower millions of people to access the support, hope, and breakthrough research they need most? 

About the opportunity 

As Product Lead, you'll oversee the software products and tools that underpin our vital dementia services, funding generation, and campaigning efforts. You'll be at the heart of our exciting Technology Transformation programme. Leading high-performing product teams to deliver modern, secure and user-centred solutions that enhance our capabilities and maximise our impact. 
 
This is an impactful role within our Digital team and part of our Technology Directorate, working closely with the Associate Director of Digital & Data. You'll line manage Senior Product Managers in a matrix environment while establishing our product approach and community of practice. You'll lead multidisciplinary teams using agile methodology to create products that help thousands of people get support from us daily. 

If you're a passionate product expert looking to lead transformational digital change that makes a meaningful difference, we'd love to hear from you.

About you 

You're an accomplished Product Lead with extensive experience delivering high-transactional digital products and platforms in large, complex organisations. You have a proven track record of leading multidisciplinary teams using agile methodology, and you're passionate about user-centred design and data-driven decision making. You thrive on mentoring others and building product communities that deliver exceptional results. 

You'll have:

- Successful track record of leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-transactional digital products and platforms using agile methodology in a large and complex organisation.
- Extensive experience in understanding user, organisational, and technical needs and balancing these when setting product strategy and direction.
- Proven experience of researching, prototyping, launching and scaling products, platforms, and end-to-end services from inception to live.
- Significant experience working with cloud architecture and infrastructure and managing relationships between interdependent technology teams.
- Strong influencing skills with the ability to persuade and negotiate with stakeholders at all levels, including CEO, board and trustee level.
- Commitment to sharing knowledge, having mentored and coached others with a passion for working collaboratively.
- Passionate about Tech for Good with a proven desire to work in an equity-driven organisation solving complex problems. 

What you’ll focus on:

- Leading and delivering digital products, platforms, and end-to-end services that directly support people affected by dementia through strategy development, stakeholder management, and value-driven outcomes.
- Managing and developing product team members, establishing product ways of working that support our mission and strategy while building a culture aligned with our organisational values.
- Taking an active leadership role in our Digital team. Working closely with communities of practice and specialist discipline leads to define and deliver our Digital strategy.
- Developing ambitious product visions and strategies, engaging teams across the organisation to understand priorities, align plans, and communicate effectively with senior stakeholders.
- Using qualitative and quantitative data to make informed, outcome-focused decisions while translating vision into prioritised, deliverable goals that track product performance and user outcomes.
- Creating user-centred solutions by identifying user needs based on evidence, translating user stories, and proposing design approaches that improve overall user experience.

Ready to be part of something impactful? Join the digital transformation of one of the UK's largest charities. Where your product expertise helps build the society it takes to beat dementia and deliver help and hope to millions. 

Important Dates

Application Deadline: 23:59 on Sunday 17th August.
Applications will be reviewed: Week commencing 18th August.
Interviews will take place early-mid September.
 
The interview process will include a task, followed by a competency panel interview taking place via Microsoft Teams on the same day. Candidates will need to allocate 2 hours of time on the day of their interview. 

About Alzheimer's Society

Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.

At Alzheimer’s Society, we’re the UK’s leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding groundbreaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.

Together with our supporters, we’re working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.

Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for.

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society.  

We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society. 

Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people. 

Our hiring process

During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply.  Please also contact Alzheimer’s Society Talent Acquisition Team via [email protected] for application support or any adjustments you might need.

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value it truly adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to showcase them in your own voice.

We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice.

We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a DBS check at the relevant level.

Giving back to you

Our employees work hard every day to make a true difference in people's lives. We are proud to support them with a range of benefits, recognition and many options for working agilely, all contributing to a strong work life balance. We also have various learning programmes to support you in your development and help you grow to realise your potential and shape a career with Alzheimer's Society. 

You can also visit our Working for Us pages, which give you more information about what it’s like to be an employee at the Society.