Children and families practitioner jobs

Role Summary

We are seeking a dynamic and mission-driven Executive Director to lead ProVeg UK in this next phase of growth and impact. This role combines strategic leadership with high-level stakeholder engagement, fundraising, and organisational development. The ideal candidate brings entrepreneurial energy, exceptional communication skills, strong credentials in the UK NGO sector, and a passion for food systems transformation.

ProVeg UK has a very strong track record in influencing public food through its School Plates programme, which has, to date, swapped over 47m meals from meat-based to plant-based or veggie. We work in over 8,000 schools across the UK, reaching over 1.3 million children every day. We are keen to expand this excellent work to a wider range of stakeholders, including hospitals (a new manager has just been recruited to develop a Hospital Plates pilot), policymakers, the corporate sector and media. 

The Executive Director will be at the forefront of this expansion, while also ensuring the continued success of our existing programmes. As such, this is a high-impact role, offering the opportunity to be a catalyst for positive change in the UK’s plant-based and alternative protein movement — helping to shape a more sustainable future.
 

Job Details

Reports to: Deputy CEO
Country: UK
Location: Greater London Area (within 1.5 hours by train)
Hours: Full-time (35 h/week)
Salary: £55-60k (plus London allowance of £3k, if applicable)
Start date: ideally ASAP
 

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and deliver ProVeg UK’s long-term strategy aligned with ProVeg International’s mission
• Lead the design and scaling of UK-based programmes that create measurable impact and reflect local opportunities and needs
• Represent the organisation to increase ProVeg’s visibility and influence.
• Sit as a member of the ProVeg C.I.C. Board.

Stakeholder Engagement & Fundraising

• Cultivate and strengthen relationships with strategic partners including food companies, government agencies, foundations, and major donors
• Identify and pursue funding opportunities, including government tenders and philanthropic partnerships, with a strong focus on climate and health-related funding
• Act as a public thought leader and spokesperson in the UK for food systems transformation in line with ProVeg International’s strategy
• Manage governance and engagement with the UK board

Team & Organisational Development

• Lead and support our fantastic, high-performing UK team and foster a culture of collaboration, inclusion, impact and evaluation
• Provide regular coaching and feedback, ensuring clear objectives, performance development, and providing recognition
• Foster innovation, improvement and a growth mindset in the team, and identify new opportunities to grow our UK work
• Collaborate with ProVeg International teams and other ProVeg countries on shared programmes and goals

Financial Management & Reporting

• Develop and oversee the UK annual budget, ensuring financial sustainability and strategic resource allocation
• Ensure compliance with UK regulations, reporting requirements, and ProVeg International policies
• Provide timely and transparent reporting to the Deputy CEO, International team, and Board

Qualifications

Essential

• Proven leadership experience (5+ years at deputy- or C-level)  in a UK-based NGO or mission-driven organisation, ideally in food, climate, or health sectors
• Demonstrated success in fundraising and partnership building, especially with foundations, governments, or climate philanthropies
• Strong entrepreneurial mindset and ability to develop and execute impactful strategies
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with experience speaking to media and government bodies, at public events, and with internal stakeholders of all levels (Board, Senior Leadership Team, Staff and Volunteers)
• Deep understanding of UK funding landscape, policy environment, and relevant NGOs 
• Experience leading diverse and remote teams, with a collaborative and empowering leadership style
• Commitment to ProVeg’s mission and values, and strong alignment with our strategic goals
• Experience working with cross-functional and international teams
• Committed to following a plant-based lifestyle
• Knowledge of good governance practice
• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to effectively fulfil the role of Director

Desirable

• Existing network of funders, policymakers, or influencers relevant to food systems or climate in the UK
• Postgraduate degree in a relevant field (e.g. in public policy, environmental studies, food systems, business, or similar)
• Familiarity with effective altruism principles and evidence-based programme design
• Understanding of plant-based innovation, sustainable diets, or alternative proteins

Benefits of working with us

• Generous annual leave entitlement - 25 days per year, with an additional day granted at the start of each calendar up to a maximum of 30 days (plus bank holidays)
• A strong organisational focus on personal development, with a designated training budget.
• Provision of a work laptop.
• Flexible, trust-based working arrangements and home-office arrangements.
• Career development support
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption pay
• Compassionate animal companion leave
• Employee Assistance Programme including counselling
• Access to 24/7 virtual GP Service
• Mindfulness support via a free Headspace account for you and up to 5 friends or family members
• Access to the Wisdom app with exclusive perks and discounts
• Membership to the OpenUp platform
• We are a workplace that encourages everyone to bring their whole selves to work. We are an inclusive workplace for our diverse employees around the world.
• And, last but not least, become part of a great team and work with us towards a world where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is good for all humans, animals, and our planet!
   

When?

Application deadline: 15.06
First (People & Culture) interview: 23.06 - 26.06
Trial task: 03.07-06.07.
Second (team) interview: 14.07 - 22.07
Final (executive) interview: 24.07 - 26.07
 

Further information

Your application should include a cover letter and CV. Please indicate your motivation for the role and describe how you meet the requirements. Please send us your application using our online form. Thank you!

Important: Please make sure to use your own words and ideas on the cover letter. The goal is for us to know you better in order to assess if this role and your motivation are a good fit. Letters written with AI, or written in a language other than English, will be disregarded.

Programmes Lead (Maternity Cover)

Salary: £31,625 - £34,106 pro-rata (depending on experience)

Contract: 12 months fixed-term contract (Maternity Cover- might be potentially extended)

Start Date: Date to be agreed (potentially July)

Location: This is currently a blended-working role with two in-office days (Tuesday-Thursday) during term time and the flexibility to work from home during school holidays. Occasional travel to schools and events will be required. 

We are currently based at Resource for London near Holloway Road station, however, our office will be moving to another location in London in the coming months. 

Working Pattern: 37.5 hours per week. Our core hours are 09:30 - 16:00 from Monday to Friday. 

Benefits of working for Challenge Partners

• Work-life balance

• Annual leave

• Employer pension contributions

• Health and wellbeing support

• Training and development

• Family-friendly policies

• Connection and celebration

About the role

The Programmes Lead will play a key role in leading and implementing the delivery of a range of programmes which at present includes Growing the Top, the SEND Developmental Peer Review and the Trust Leaders’ Network (subject to change based on organisational need). 

Established in 2011, Challenge Partners is a well-respected nationwide network of practitioners who engage in hard-edged collaboration and mutual accountability to ensure every school community can benefit from the combined wisdom of the education system. 

The Programmes Lead will build and manage relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and hold responsibility for the quality and consistency of school leaders’ experience of the programmes. They will work closely with the Programmes Manager and Partnership Coordinators to ensure excellent delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Reporting to the Programmes Manager the Programme Lead will have the following key areas of responsibility and will be expected to undertake other responsibilities commensurate with the role as requested:

Programme Delivery and Development

• Lead on the operational delivery of programmes: Growing the Top, the SEND Developmental Peer Review and the Trust Leaders’ Network

• Manage key stakeholder relationships with programme participants and facilitators

• Manage correspondence involved in programme delivery, including responding to daily queries and setting up automated processes

• Monitor visit day/event quality and delivery, including dealing with and escalating issues to ensure positive solutions are reached

• Monitor risks and mitigate/escalate as appropriate

• Monitor programme spending and signing off invoices within agreed budgets, as directed by the Programmes Manager

• Work with the Programmes Manager on the development of strategies to support efficiency and scale the delivery of programmes, including and not limited to the engagement of new technologies, processes and ways of working

• Lead on the implementation of new strategies for delivery in your areas of responsibility with Partnership Coordinators

Data Management and Systems 

• Ensure programme data is accurately recorded on Salesforce (our CRM system) and work closely with the digital team to improve systems and processes

• Responsibility for ongoing monitoring of programme delivery feedback data to ensure quality and oversee escalation of issues if/when they arise

Event Planning and Organisation

• Lead on the planning, logistics and delivery of in-person and virtual programme events, working closely with the Programmes Manager and Executive Sponsors to agree event design

• Liaise with speakers, venues and suppliers to ensure high quality delivery of events

• Coordinate the team effectively to ensure excellent event delivery

• Work closely with the marketing team to create a social media plan to showcase programme events 

Matrix Management

At Challenge Partners, we work in a matrix structure which means that individuals collaborate across different work streams and are, at times, task managed by colleagues who are not their direct line manager

• Provide consistent and high quality task management to all Partnership Coordinators involved in the delivery of these programmes

• Collaborate effectively with other task managers, line managers and teams to support Partnership Coordinators to provide excellent delivery across all Challenge Partners activities and meet key organisational priorities

Person Specification

Specific skills and attitudes we are looking for in an applicant are as follows:

• As one of our cadre of leads, you will be a role model for our values at all times and a cultural lead within the team.

• Strong project management and organisational skills (a ‘completer-finisher’).

• Ability to prioritise effectively to meet competing demands and work under pressure, through excellent organisation and time management.

• Outstanding attention to detail, and pride in your work.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to deal with people diplomatically and appropriately, building rapport with those at varying levels of seniority.

• Positivity, optimism and agility - we are a small organisation and all staff are expected to contribute across the organisation (and sometimes beyond their specific job role) to ensure our success and sustainability. 

• High computer literacy - confidence and competence in using GSuite, Microsoft programmes and Salesforce (or similar CRM system) would be an advantage

• A willingness to learn and give and receive feedback

• A passion for education, and a desire to make a difference

How to apply

Please submit your application on BeApplied by 10am on Thursday 22nd May 2025. You will be asked to upload your CV and answer five competency and scenario-based application questions.

• First round of interviews (remote)- 29th & 30th May 2025

• Second round of interviews (face-to-face)- 10th June 2025

A note on AI 

At Challenge Partners, we are committed to a fair and inclusive recruitment process. We don’t use Artificial Intelligence (AI) for recruitment - applications are reviewed by members of the team and we use blind shortlisting to mitigate potential bias and ensure all candidates are considered on merit.

Whilst we recognise that AI can be a useful tool for tasks like proofreading, we encourage you to share genuine examples from your own experience so we can better understand your unique skills and perspective. Authenticity is important to us and we want to hear your voice throughout the application process.

DEI Statement

Challenge Partners is committed to further enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion within our team and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, gender, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age. 

Safeguarding Statement

Challenge Partners is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, beneficiaries and staff. We expect all employees, consultants and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment or contracts with us are subject to a satisfactory DBS check and references. 

No agencies please.

Company Description

Catch22 exists to help build a society where everyone has a good place to live, good people around them, and a fulfilling purpose. We call these our '3Ps'.

We achieve this in two ways. First, we improve lives on the frontline through delivery of public services. Secondly, we use our knowledge to change 'the system', to fix the complex web that can trap and disempower those it was set up to help. With the heart of a charity and the mindset of a business, we are uniquely placed to deliver on this challenging agenda.

Catch22's Victim Service provide emotional and practical support for victims and witnesses of crime and anti-social behaviour, alongside crime prevention advice. Last year, we supported 32,500 victims across the UK, achieving improved health and wellbeing outcomes for 99% of our service users.

Job Description

Catch22 is looking for a compassionate leader to join our growing Greater Manchester Victim Services as Deputy Head of Service. You will oversee the day-to-day operations of the service, ensuring the effective delivery of support for victims and witnesses as you help them on their journey to recovery.

Reporting to the Head of Service, you’ll provide line management to team leaders and administrators, implement systems for quality service delivery, and manage recruitment, training and supervision. You’ll work closely with police and other criminal justice partners to maintain strong referral pathways and ensure our services remain seamless and effective in its support for those that have experienced crime in the Greater Manchester area.

You will also contribute to strategic service development, quality assurance, safeguarding, and continuous improvement across the team. Your leadership will drive a culture of collaboration, learning and excellence.

Qualifications

The ideal post-holder will have:

A strong educational background, including English and Maths at GCSE level.

Proven experience managing and supporting teams in high-impact environments.

A track record of working with vulnerable individuals in multi-agency settings.

Confidence in performance management, risk assessment, and safeguarding practices.

Excellent communication, organisation, and IT skills.

A recognised management qualification or willingness to work towards one.

Knowledge of the victim and witness support system and a good understanding of the criminal justice landscape are highly desirable.

Additional information

Those interested in applying for this opportunity should review the Job Information Pack to find out more. If you have any questions about the role or recruitment process, please see our contact information on the Candidate Help Page. Please use reference REF3654D in your message so that we can identify the opportunity. 

When applying please be cautious over the answers you provide. If you select “NO” to the screening question regarding Right to Work in the UK, your application will automatically be closed. 

Additional Requirements: Successful post-holders will need to have a full UK Driving License and access to a personal vehicle for work purposes. The NPPV (non-police personnel vetting) check also requires that the post-holder has lived in the UK for the past 3 years with few exceptions. 

Contract: Permanent

Hours & work pattern: Full time, 37.5 hours per week. 

Salary: from £35,874.00 - £40,508.00

Location: You will spend a minimum of 1-2 days per week in GMP HQ, Newton Heath. The remainder of your time will be split between remote working and supporting victims in the community.

Interview process: Group interviews are taking place on the 29th of May. Those successful will be invited to a 1-1 panel interview taking place on the morning of 3rd of June.

Unless otherwise stated, interviews will be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, so early application is strongly advised. Where a deadline is advertised, Catch22 reserves the right to withdraw the post from advertisement without notice. 

Closing Date: 1630 on 23rd of May 2025. Catch22 reserves the right to withdraw the vacancy at any time, for any reason before the stated closing date.

Screening: Successful admission to post subject to enhanced DBS check, police vetting check, and employer Right To Work in the UK check. The post-holder must have right to work in the UK. Catch22 does not currently provide a licence to sponsor visas but please see this register to see those that do.

Shift patterns:

Hours and days worked will change week-by-week on a rota basis. The work pattern will vary but start and end times of the day will be consistent across the week.

Every 4 week term will include one working Saturday (with a non-working week day during that week) and one Sunday on call.

Shift start times and end time will be between 0800-1800 and be a 7.5 hour work day.

To Apply: Please provide your CV and cover letter, along with the completion of the screening questions to express your interest in this opportunity. Please note, in the interest of safer recruitment and ensuring that applicants are a right fit for the role, submitted applications must contain a CV, satisfactory responses to the screening questions, and information detailing interest in the role, to be considered for this position.

AI generated applications are not acceptable and could lead to a disqualification of your current and future applications across Catch22 jobs. In order to ensure that applications are fair, genuine, and representative of the candidate applying, our teams may use a number of tools to identify occurrences where candidates have not given an honest response during the application process. 

Catch22’s Commitment to Opportunity & Progression

At Catch22 we are proud of our commitment in supporting people develop in their careers and progress in our organisation. In 2024, within our Justice Hub, we have 68% of those in management roles that originally joined Catch22 in the frontline workforce and some worked across a number of roles and Leadership positions before joining management. This allows us to have a highly experienced management group and provides development opportunities for those in our much valued front-line.

Catch22’s Commitment to Ban the Box

Catch22 is proud to have “Banned the Box”. This means that we do not ask for candidates to disclose criminal convictions at the application stage. Instead, we invite disclosures at interview stage, and encourage them at the offer stage. Please see the Job Information Pack for more information.

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Catch22 Justice requests no contact from agencies or media sales

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Catch22 is committed to rigorous safeguarding and safer recruitment practices; ensuring that every individual within the organisation has been safely and appropriately checked.