Children and young people manager jobs

The Youth Endowment Fund

Senior Research Manager (SRM)- Youth Justice

Reports to: Head of Guidance and Policy 

Salary: £54,320 

Contract: 13-month maternity cover (fixed term contract) 

Location: Central London, hybrid* (see p.6) 

Closing date for applications: 9pm Monday 6th July 

  Interview dates: 22nd and 23rd July

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. 

Violence continues to shape the lives of too many teenage children. In the past year, nearly one in five said they had been a victim, one in eight admitted to carrying out violence themselves, and half told us they had witnessed violence being committed against someone else. This violence takes many forms— from physical and sexual assault to robbery and threats with weapons. And the consequences are often severe. Nearly three in ten victims, equivalent to 5% of all teenage children in England and Wales, needed medical treatment from a doctor or a hospital. 

At the Youth Endowment Fund, we work to prevent this violence. To do this, we aim to build the evidence base on what works, and then use this to change policy and practice.

In the first instance, this means producing strong, relevant evidence through research, data analysis and insights into young people’s lives. But evidence on its own isn’t enough. We must use this evidence to promote real change in day-to-day practice and ambitious system reform to better protect children.

About the role  

This role is a hugely exciting opportunity to change practice and policy in the Youth Justice sector. Using the vast body of evidence YEF has compiled (including four new research projects that are currently underway), the Senior Research Manager (SRM) for Youth Justice will spend the year writing two reports: 

1. A Practice Guidance Report (publishing in May 2027). 
2. A System Guidance Report (publishing in September 2027). 

Practice Guidance Report 

The Practice Guidance Report will provide 5-8 evidence-based recommendations on how individual Youth Justice Services can prevent children’s involvement in violence. It will be similar in style and approach to previous YEF Practice Guidance in other sectors (such as the education practice guidance, and youth sector practice guidance report). It will likely recommend a range of evidence-based strategies including:

• The importance of commissioning evidence-based interventions (detailed in the YEF Toolkit). 

• How to meet the health needs of children in the Youth Justice System. 

• How to respond to serious violence and weapons carrying. 

• How to support the sentencing process. 

• How to support children in and after custody.

• How to ensure effective diversion takes place. 

The SRM for Youth Justice will lead the development and writing of these recommendations.

System Guidance Report 

Targeted at policy makers and system leaders (including national government and the inspectorate) this guidance report will make 5-8 policy recommendations on how the Youth Justice sector can be reformed to better protect children from involvement in violence. While the practice guidance will focus on day-to-day changes that Youth Justice services can make, the system guidance will focus on how the system itself should be changed to make it easier for Youth Justice services to do ‘what works’. It will be similar in style to the education system guidance. It will likely recommend a range of evidence-based reforms, including: 

• How to use funding, training and inspection to improve the provision of evidence-based interventions in the Youth Justice System.

• How to ensure that other agencies and sectors (such as health and education) effectively collaborate with Youth Justice Services. 

• How to improve responses to the most vulnerable children and young people, and how to improve sentencing, custody and resettlement.

The SRM for Youth Justice will also lead the development and writing of these recommendations. 

Both guidance reports will include as a priority recommendations that will reduce the racial disproportionality currently evident in the Youth Justice System, and you will work closely with a Race Equity Advisor who will play a vital role as a critical friend.

You will also be supported by a brilliant internal YEF Youth Justice Change Team (former Youth Justice practitioners who work within YEF to change practice and policy across the sector), in addition to external expert input from the leading sector experts. This will include liaising closely with the Ministry of Justice in producing both reports. You will also be able to draw from the practice and system guidance reports that YEF has already produced on diversion.

This role is a unique opportunity to change the Youth Justice System and YEF will invest significant resource in making the recommendations that you write happen. For instance, we published our Education System Guidance Report in May 2025. Three of the eight recommendations included in it have already been enacted. We intend to push for practice and system change at pace and will use the work you produce to do so.

The Senior Research Manager will be part of YEF’s Research team. The Research team is at the heart of our efforts to learn what works and put it into practice. We do this by developing the YEF’s funding strategy and creating free, highly accessible research summaries and actionable recommendations for policy makers, commissioners and practitioners. We’re a high-performing team which values intellectual rigour and getting to the truth, compassion for children, ambition about what we can achieve and humility about what we know. We love to discuss the latest developments in research methods, but we’re not just interested in research for its own sake. We want research to lead to actual changes in outcomes for children. 

Key responsibilities 

You’ll... 

• Write a practice guidance report for the Youth Justice Sector. This will use the best available evidence (including a range of research that YEF has funded, commissioned, and synthesised) to provide evidence-based recommendations to Youth Justice Services on how to prevent children’s involvement in violence. You will work closely with the internal YEF Youth Justice Change Team, an external expert panel and the Ministry of Justice to produce high quality guidance.

• Write a system guidance report for the Youth Justice Sector. This will use the best available evidence (including a range of research that YEF has funded, commissioned, and synthesised) to provide evidence-based recommendations to Youth Justice policy makers and system leaders on how the sector can best protect children from involvement in violence.You will work closely with the internal YEF Youth Justice Change Team, an external expert panel and the Ministry of Justice to produce high quality guidance.

• Become the YEF’s expert on Youth Justice. You’ll make sure we understand the key issues, stay on top of the latest research and are connected to the right people. 

• Read, comment on, and support the publication of four research projects focused on the Youth Justice system concluding in late 2026.These projects, which are currently underway, are reviews of current practice that focus on: Youth Justice responses to serious violence, VAWG and weapons; a review of how community sentences and court orders are used for children involved in violence; a review of custody aftercare and resettlement programmes for children and young adults; and a review of whether the youth justice system is currently meeting the health needs of children within it. Alongside YEF’s existing research (particularly the YEF Toolkit), these reviews will support the development of guidance.

• Develop great relationships with experts and represent YEF in external meetings and events. You’ll promote evidence-based policy and practice by speaking at conferences and events. 

• Work with our Change Team to produce resources and accessible summaries for Youth Justice colleagues on the evidence. This will also include supporting the Youth Justice change team in producing a self-assessment tool based on your practice guidance report.

About you 

You are this sort of person: 

• You want to play a significant part in reducing the level of violence affecting children and young people. You care about having an impact. This might mean you’ve worked directly with young people at risk of becoming involved in crime, for organisations that fund or deliver relevant programmes, or have conducted research on this topic. 

• You share our belief that an evidence-based approach is our best hope of 

preventing violence. You’re fascinated by research, but you’re not just interested in research for its own sake. You want to achieve actual changes in outcomes for children. 

• You know a lot about Youth Justice. You know the key ideas and debates, recent policy developments and key people. You’re comfortable talking about Youth Justice with experts. There are many ways to acquire this knowledge. You might have worked in Youth Justice, in associated organisations, or learnt about it during a degree. 

• You take ownership of your work. You demonstrate ownership and agency and can take the leading role on a project. You can take broad objectives and deliver a concrete workplan to make them happen.

• You’re a confident reader of research and have strong critical appraisal skills. You know when research can be trusted and when it can’t and can confidently articulate your views on the strength of research. You might have gained this expertise through your academic studies, research or professional experience. 

• You have at least three years’ experience working in a role that required you to think about research. This could include a range of roles in policy, academia, funding or practice. 

• You write in a way that people easily understand. You have that rare skill of writing in plain English. You have experience of translating complex research findings into plain writing that everyone can understand. 

• You have excellent project and time management skills. You can work independently, quickly and to a high standard.

• You are good with people. You’re comfortable working with a wide range of people, including senior academics and other research experts, children and their families, practitioners and policy makers. You’re able to provide constructive challenge when required. You care more that good things happen than who gets the credit. You support your colleagues to produce excellent work. 

• You learn fast but remain humble. You like learning. You’re very good at synthesising information. You know how much you don't know and that you can always learn more. 

• You’re committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. You believe and act in a way that celebrates and encourages a range of experiences, views and values.

While it’s not a criterion, we’re especially interested to hear from applicants 

who have lived experience of youth violence. 

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 socio-economic background. 

Additional benefits include 

£1,000 professional development budget annually, 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays, four half days for volunteering activities. 

Hybrid working details 

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: 

To apply, please send a CV, cover letter and the monitoring form via our application page by 9:00 pm Monday 6th July.  

When applying for this role, ensure you complete our Monitoring Form and attach your CV. Additionally, please submit a supporting statement that answers the following questions. Your response to each question should be no longer than 400 words: 

1. Why do you want the job? 
2. Can you give an example where you’ve had to summarise evidence on a specific topic that was highly contested? How did you manage the process and communicate the result? 
3. Please provide an overview of your experience in relation to Youth Justice and explain why this experience makes you a good fit for this role. 

You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK. 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 interview stage. 

Interview process 

Interviews will take place on 22nd and 23rd of July.  

There will be a task to prepare for in advance. 

Personal 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. 

The Youth Endowment Fund 

Senior Evaluation Manager

Reports to: Head of Evaluation

Salary: £54,300 

Location: Central London, hybrid* 

Contract: 24 months full-time (Fixed term contract) 

Application deadline:  5pm, Monday 6th July 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. 

All of us will experience violence at some point in our lives. For many children, it is a daily reality. Each year, tens of children are killed, hundreds are hospitalised, 1 in 5 teenage children are victims and the majority admit to feeling afraid of violence. It scares them when they travel home from school, prevents them from going out and makes the most vulnerable feel like they don’t matter. It is taking lives, traumatising families and dividing communities. It robs potential, progress and hope. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

The Youth Endowment Fund exists to try and permanently change things. To succeed, we must build an exceptional body of knowledge about violence affecting young people and how we reduce it. This knowledge has to be both rigorous and highly relevant to those making decisions about how to support vulnerable young people. We need to find out what works and what doesn’t through evidence synthesis, data analysis and qualitative research into children’s lives. We need to convert this into highly accessible content on what works, how delivery organisations need to change their practice and how the systems they operate in need to be reformed. We then need to work with the right people that can make change happen, across systems, policies and practice, to have a real impact on reducing violence affecting children’s lives. 

The evaluation team contributes to the design and implementation of the fund’s various funding rounds. The team is also responsible for assessing, appointing, monitoring, and the quality assurance of rigorous impact evaluations from experts in the field. The Senior Evaluation Manager will play a key role in leading evaluation work. The post holder will also lead a team of evaluation managers, ensuring they have the support to deliver a portfolio of evaluation projects. 

Key responsibilities 

The core of your job is to ensure that we are excellent at evaluation, so that we can find out the very best ways to prevent young people and children from becoming involved in violence. 

Evaluation 

Working with the Head of Evaluation the post holder will: 

• Implement the processes for assessing the quality of evidence underpinning applications to the fund and making funding recommendations to the Grants and Evaluation Committee. 

• Shape the evaluation approach for individual grant rounds, including leading on this for a small number of rounds. 

• Act as a source of expertise on the statistical underpinnings of YEF’s evaluation work, including on issues such as  power calculations, regression analysis and  missing data.

• Lead the delivery of YEF’s evaluation work, designing, commissioning and managing complex and large-scale RCTs and QEDs

• Be responsible for YEF’s evaluation policies and reporting templates, ensuring they remain consistent and fit for purpose. 

• Be responsible for the ongoing development of YEF’s commissioning guidance. 

Team management 

The post holder will likely lead the recruitment, management and development of a team of evaluation officers and will: 

• Ensure they have the knowledge, skills and support to carry out their work effectively. 

• Provide regular feedback and coaching on written outputs. 

• Supervise and project manage the team’s evaluation work, providing quality assurance and monitoring of progress against project plans and project budgets. 

Collaborative working 

The post holder will contribute to the wider YEF team and will: 

• Be accountable to YEF’s Fund Leadership Team for the delivery of evaluations, on time and on budget, including reporting on risks and issues. 

• Work closely with colleagues across YEF and specifically the Programme team. 

• Ensure high-quality evidence is at the heart of all YEF activity and that the evidence we produce is communicated in a clear and accessible way which will drive sustainable change. 

• Support the management of YEF’s panel of evaluators and expert panel 

General 

The post holder may be involved in other elements of YEF's projects, working with senior colleagues to commission, scope and deliver projects. 

About you 

You are this sort of person: 

• You don't want your days to pass without making a difference. You want to play a significant part in reducing the level of youth violence and see the value in an evidence-informed approach.

• You are an excellent communicator. You can produce technical documents that accurately report methodological and statistical information. You will combine this with experience of communicating complex evidence and analysis in a simple and accessible format to non- experts. 

• You have a post-graduate degree (Masters or PhD) in social science, social policy, public health, health services or other field, with a significant quantitative component, or relevant experience equivalent to a Masters qualification. 

• You have strong knowledge, experience and technical expertise in evaluation methodologies including experience of RCT design and/or design of complex quasi-experimental evaluations (e.g. propensity score matching, regression discontinuity design, instrumental variables). 

• You have quantitative analysis skills  including experience of using advanced analytical software such as R, Stata or SPSS. 

• You have significant experience in carrying out or commissioning research including designing all aspects of the research and managing external contractors.  This may be in academia, government or a related sector. 

• You have strong relationship management skills. You are comfortable working with a wide range of people, including senior academics and other research experts, children and their families, practitioners, and policy makers. You’re able to provide constructive challenge when required.

• You bring the best out of your colleagues.You have experience in leading teams and managing others to achieve amazing results. You can both take and give direction. You are collaborative and a team player, able to build strong relationships across the whole organisation. You are happy to help out when and where it’s needed. 

• You have excellent project and time management skills and the ability to deliver high-quality work in a fast-paced environment. 

• You learn fast but remain humble. You like learning. You’re very good at synthesising information. You know how much you don't know and that you can always learn more.

• You work well in a team. You care more that good things happen than who gets the credit. You support your colleagues to produce excellent work.

• You’re committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. You believe and act in a way that celebrates and encourages a range of experiences, views and values. 

You may have, but they are not essential: 

• A good level of knowledge and understanding of crime or serious violence. You know the facts, understand the issues, know the key people, and can discuss the theories. You’re knowledgeable on this topic and very at ease discussing it with experts. Alternatively, you might have a strong understanding of a relevant area such as education, youth work or social care.   

While it is not a criterion, we are especially interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of youth violence. 

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. 

Hybrid Working Details    

The office is based in Central London. Those living in and around London are expected to be in the office for 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.     

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. 

To apply 

To apply, please send a CV, cover letter and the monitoring form via our application page by 5:00pm on Monday 6th July 

When applying for this role, please ensure that your cover letter can answer, within a maximum of 1000 words, the following questions:    

1. Tell us about why you want to work at the Youth Endowment Fund, and any experience you have that demonstrates your commitment to preventing youth violence.   
2. Tell us about your experience in designing, commissioning and managing evaluations. We’re particularly interested in hearing about the methodologies and tools you’ve used to ensure evaluations are rigorous and produce robust evidence.   
3. How do you ensure that your work – whether technical analysis or collaborative evaluation management – is inclusive and accessible?  

You should also include the contact details of two referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be approached with your express permission. 

You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

Interview process 

Shortlisted candidates will be sent a technical task to complete before the interview. Interviews will take place on the week commencing 20th July 2026. 

Personal 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. 

Youth Outreach Practitioner – South Yorkshire  

Salary: Up to £32k 

Hours: Full time 

Location: Sheffield or Doncaster

Contract: Permanent 

WE STAND FOR CHILDREN, THEIR CHILDHOODS AND THEIR FUTURES - WILL YOU? 

Around the world hundreds of thousands of children struggle to survive on the streets. In many countries, they have become an accepted issue in society, deprived of access to the most basic services and they experience extreme harm before and during their time on the streets.

Wherever they may be in the world, they face violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. 

Founded in 1996, Railway Children has dedicated over a quarter of a century to developing outstanding practice and services for street connected children. With projects in the UK, India and Tanzania, we aim to reach these children as soon as they are in danger and intervene before an abuser can.  As we embark on our new strategy to 2030, we have ambitious plans to ensure no child is left behind, wherever we work. 

The role 
We are looking for a Youth Outreach Practitioner for our South Yorkshire team and are keen to receive applications from those living in and around Sheffield or Doncaster.  You’ll be part of a dynamic team delivering Railway Children’s programme in the UK, in partnership with British Transport Police (BTP).  

As a Youth Outreach Practitioner, you’ll play a key role in keeping children safe from harm by engaging in patrols to identify and safeguard young people (aged 10-17) at risk of criminal and sexual exploitation, county lines, missing from home, homelessness or family breakdown.  

You will also work closely with our Youth Practitioner, supporting a number of young people who have been identified or referred for 1-1 direct support.

Both aspects of the role will involve working directly with young people and their families to reduce risks, as well as building strong relationships other social care, Police, third sector agencies and local services in the area.  

Your base would be at Sheffield or Doncaster Railway Station with regular travel between these stations plus Barnsley and Rotherham stations and working across these boroughs. This role does involve working regular unsociable hours including evenings and weekends.   

 About you 

You will have experience of successfully engaging and supporting young people and families as well as working in an outreach or similar setting, in a creative and engaging way with young people with a range of needs and vulnerabilities.    

A relevant qualification in an appropriate discipline in working with children and families, community or youth work or equivalent experience is desirable. Alongside this relevant training in safeguarding and/or issues relevant to vulnerable young people and families is essential.    

You will need to have experience of providing front line support to safeguard some of the most vulnerable young people in the UK.   

Experience of developing productive relationships/partnerships with a variety of organisations such as 3rd sector group, local services and statutory services such a social care to support the needs of vulnerable young people and families is a must.   

A full person specification can be found in the job pack.  

For further information about this post and working for Railway Children, including how to apply, please visit our website.

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates with a diverse range of backgrounds and lived experience. 

Railway Children is committed to safeguarding anyone who comes into contact with us and implements a range of policies to ensure only those suitable to work with vulnerable groups are employed. 

Closing Date: Monday 6th July 
 
1st interviews are scheduled to take place online on Wednesday 15th July 2026
2nd interviews are scheduled to take place in person on Monday 20th July 2026 

Service Manager 

The overall purpose of the role is to provide timely psychosocial assessment, psychoeducation and proactive pre- and post-bereavement support to children, young people and adults, using a range of supportive methods, approaches and techniques consistent with level 2 of the NICE (2004) psychological framework.

The post holder will form part of the On Demand Team and will be responsible for the effective day-to-day operation and delivery of the service (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm) across a range of On Demand digital platforms. The post holder will also complete comprehensive risk assessments with children, young people and adults, and will liaise with relevant external agencies—such as social care, the police and general practitioners—in accordance with organisational safeguarding policies and procedures.

In addition, the role involves conducting regular weekly referral callbacks, using clinical judgement to ensure that each person is supported to access the most appropriate service for their needs at that time. Working alongside the wider bereavement services team, the post holder may also co-facilitate therapeutic group sessions and deliver one-off psychosocial education groups or workshops, extending the reach of bereavement support beyond individual contacts.

Main Responsibilities

 Communication and Relationships

· Build compassionate, trusting and professional relationships with bereaved children, young people and adults, ensuring all contact is person-centered, trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate and sensitive to individual needs and circumstances

· Communicate complex and sometimes distressing information clearly and to supportively, maintaining professional boundaries at all times

· Adapt communication style and approach to suit the needs, preferences, and emotional states of children, young people and adults, including those with neurodiverse profiles or communication difficulties

· Work collaboratively with colleagues across bereavement services, ensuring continuity and consistency of support

· Engage effectively with parents, carers and professionals involved in a child or young person’s care to coordinate holistic support

· Liaise with external agencies – including social care, education, healthcare professionals, police and voluntary sector- to share information appropriately under safeguarding guidance

· Participate in regular clinical supervision to support safe, effective delivery of care

· Contribute to team meetings and service development discussions, offering insight from frontline practice

· Model the values and culture of the organisation in interactions and relationships at work

· Ensure accurate and timely documentation of communications and decisions in line with organisational policies and data protection regulations

Knowledge, training and experience

· Ability to conduct full psychosocial assessments and to lead support interventions with children, young people and/or adults in accordance with best practice

· Ability to complete comprehensive risk assessments and determine appropriate level of response/intervention

· Deliver targeted pre/post bereavement support and interventions utilising a range of supportive therapeutic and psychosocial techniques, working within level 2 of the NICE (2004) psychological framework

· Demonstrate a robust understanding of grief, loss, trauma, child development, and the psychological and social impact of bereavement on children, young people, families and adults

· Apply sound clinical judgment and maintain professional accountability for practice in line with national standards, organisational policies, and personal relevant professional Code of Conduct

· Maintain knowledge about current, evidence-based practice

· To maintain a personal profile of professional development in accordance with professional requirements/governing bodies

· Demonstrate knowledge of all relevant policies and procedures

· Adhere to legislation and statutory guidance related to Safeguarding Children and Young People, Safeguarding Adults, and the Mental Capacity Act, providing advice and guidance to colleagues and partner agencies where appropriate

· Participate actively in clinical supervision to ensure safe, ethical, and effective service delivery

· Contribute to the development and sharing of knowledge within the team by supporting training, mentoring, and peer learning opportunities

Analytical and judgment skills

· Exercise sound professional judgment in assessing the emotional, psychological, and social needs of children, young people, and adults following bereavement and in the delivery of immediate on demand support

· Analyse complex information gathered through assessment, observation, and communication to identify individual needs, risks, and strengths

· Recognise and manage situations that involve ambiguity, uncertainty, or emotional intensity, drawing on supervision and established frameworks for professional support

· Apply a trauma-informed and developmentally appropriate lens to clinical decision-making, ensuring sensitivity to cultural, social, and contextual factors influencing grief

· Assess risk and vulnerability using structured and professional judgement, making timely, evidence-based decisions about appropriate interventions and onward referrals

· Identify when more intensive clinical or safeguarding intervention is needed, escalating concerns to line manager and/or On Demand Shift Manager

· Contribute actively to meetings, clinical supervision, peer supervision, case discussions, and service reviews to plan, coordinate, and evaluate strategies of care and support

· Ensure accurate, timely, and meaningful data recording and reporting to inform clinical practice, service evaluation, and organisational performance monitoring

Planning and organisational skills

· Plan and organise work autonomously while engaging collaboratively with colleagues, volunteers, and partner professionals to support coordinated care and seamless service delivery

· Provide cover and support for bereavement team members during periods of absence or high demand

· Contribute to the planning and delivery of workshops and groups run across bereavement services, as needed

· Maintain accurate, up-to-date documentation in accordance with confidentiality, data protection, and statutory requirements

· Demonstrate self-awareness and reflective capacity, using supervision and peer support to sustain personal wellbeing and professional effectiveness

· Contribute to the development of efficient, evidence-based practices by supporting team planning, service evaluation, and continuous improvement initiatives

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

· Relevant health, education, social care or counselling qualification

· Specialist training in bereavement, grief and trauma informed practice

· Evidence of ongoing professional development and commitment to continuous learning

Desirable

· Training in working with children and young people

· Training in working in mental health

Experience

Essential

· At least three year’s recent experience (in the past six years) of working with bereaved children, young people, families or adults on an individual or group basis

· Experience and knowledge of working with and providing services to children, young people, families and adults in a health, social care, youth, community or educational settings

· Experience of providing support to children, young people, and/or adults through digital channels/platforms

· Further professional training in working with children and young people and an understanding of developmental issues

· Demonstrable experience of safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and an ability to practise in a way that promotes this

· Experience of working collaboratively with multi-agency professionals across health, education, and social care

Desirable

· Experience of working within a bereavement, palliative care of mental health setting

Skills and Abilities

Essential

· Demonstrate in-depth understanding of bereavement, grief, loss, trauma, and their psychological and developmental impact on children, young people and families

· Knowledge of current research, theories, national frameworks, and NICE guidance related to bereavement and mental health

· Knowledge of evidence-based approaches to bereavement and trauma support

· Strong assessment, analytical, and formulation skills with the ability to make informed clinical decisions

· Empathetic, compassionate, and youth driven approach

· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage sensitively with children, families, and professionals while maintaining professional boundaries at all times

· Awareness of safeguarding legislation, policies, and procedures

· Understanding of information governance, confidentiality, and data protection requirements

· Understanding of equality, diversity, and inclusion within practice

· Emotional maturity, stability and resilience with a strong commitment to self-care and the ability to seek support and guidance when difficulties arise in the course of work

· Excellent organisational skills

Strong IT skills, including confidence in using multiple IT systems 

Benefits

· 28 days’ holiday plus bank holidays (pro rata if applicable) with increase for long service.

· TOIL for our hours work.

· Contributory pension scheme.

· Company sick pay.

· Employee Assistance Programme.

· Life assurance.

· Training loans.

· Enhanced family friendly policies.

Recruitment Timetable

Application deadline: 6th July 2026 at midnight

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

Interviews

First Stage Screening Interviews

You may be asked to attend a 10-minute Screening Interview on MS Teams with the Hiring Managers for the vacancy, to assess your suitability for the role. During the interview, you will be asked two skills-based questions.

Second Stage Interviews

If you are progressed to a second stage interview, you will be invited to attend a 1-hour formal interview on MS Teams with the Hiring Managers for the role. It is our policy to share the role-specific interview questions with applicants ahead of the interview, to aid their preparation. You may also be asked to complete an interview task, which will also be shared with you in advance.

Youth Team Forum Discussion

For roles in our Bereavement Services Team, we will invite those applicants selected for interview along to a discussion forum with members of our Youth Team. This session is held remotely and lasts approximately 20 minutes. The discussion topic will be shared with you in advance of the session.

Children’s and Youth Ministry Intern
Canterbury and across the Diocese
Up to £12,239 pa (Living Wage Foundation rate) plus excellent benefits
Part-time (17.5 hours a week) for 11 months (1 September 2026– 31 July 2027)

Are you passionate about working with children and young people, exploring your faith, and discovering how your gifts can contribute to ministry? The Diocese of Canterbury is seeking a Children’s and Youth Ministry Intern to join our Education/CYP Team and gain hands-on experience in ministry across a variety of churches.

As our Intern, you’ll support, plan, and lead activities for children and young people, help organise events and trips, and contribute to projects that make a real difference. You’ll also take part in Catalyst, a dynamic training programme delivered by Ridley Hall, equipping you with practical skills and theological understanding for ministry.

This is a unique opportunity to grow in leadership, creativity, and confidence while serving in local churches and at diocesan level. You’ll attend monthly training sessions, join a residential, and receive ongoing mentoring and supervision throughout the year.

We’re looking for someone who:

· Is a practising Christian (GoR applies under Equality Act 2010)

· Communicates confidently with children, young people, and adults

· Is organised, proactive, and able to work collaboratively

· Has experience volunteering or leading activities with young people

· Is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children

· Sympathetic to and supportive of the mission, aims and objectives of the Diocese of Canterbury, including our churches, parishes and church schools, is essential.

Canterbury Diocese is the oldest in England and spans a diverse region from Maidstone to Thanet and the Isle of Sheppey to Romney Marsh. With coastal towns, rural communities and urban areas side by side, it offers a rich and challenging mission context.

At the heart of all we do is a vision of transformation for ourselves and our communities: no one can encounter God and remain unchanged. In the Diocese of Canterbury, we want to increasingly become a Christian community transformed through encounter with Christ, growing and overflowing to transform and bless the families, homes and communities we serve: Changed Lives, Changing Lives.

All appointments are subject to acceptable pre-appointment checks inclusive of Right to Work in the United Kingdom, References and relevant background checks applicable to the role. This role requires an enhanced DBS check.

Deadline: 12 July 2026.

A warm welcome from GMYN

Thank you for showing an interest in joining GMYN. The charity has been supporting young people since 2007 and has helped transform many lives across Greater Manchester. Our focus is on supporting young people who have experienced trauma or lack a strong support network, providing them with a safe, nurturing space to learn and grow.

We are looking for a Programme Manager to lead our Beeing Together project while also contributing to our wider Care Experienced Young People programme. This is an opportunity to lead a high-profile piece of work that combines programme leadership, partnership development, project management, and a strong commitment to youth voice.

This role will be instrumental in developing our work with separated and age disputed young people. You would be joining a passionate and highly skilled team, all wanting to make a difference to young people’s lives. 

As Content Creator for Child Bereavement UK, you’ll play a vital role in helping us communicate sensitive messages with care, clarity and impact. You’ll translate our campaigns and organisational priorities into thoughtful, engaging content that connects with people across a range of platforms and reflects the lived experiences of grieving children, young people, parents and families.

Working alongside content, brand and marketing colleagues, you’ll assist with the pitching and creation of high-quality digital, audio and print content that speaks directly to our priority audiences, refining and optimising content so it reaches and supports those who need it most.

Main Responsibilities

· Develop and deliver engaging, high-quality content (copy, images, audio and film) to increase awareness, engagement and support for our services, training and income generation activity.

· Proactively generate and pitch ideas for both evergreen and seasonal campaigns, informed by audience insight, organisational priorities and the wider landscape.

· Work with brand, marketing and digital colleagues to plan and deliver content across online and offline channels in line with agreed strategies and objectives.

· Ensure all content reflects our tone of voice and values, and is accessible, inclusive and appropriate for sensitive subject matter.

· Ensure all content is created in line with safeguarding, consent and confidentiality guidelines.

· Work sensitively with service users and donors where appropriate, ensuring lived experience is represented with dignity and respect.

· Optimise content using data and performance insights, working with the Brand Lead, Digital Marketing Lead and Social Media Lead to maximise reach and impact.

· Respond appropriately to timely opportunities and key moments in the external environment, ensuring content is handled sensitively and responsibly.

· Provide guidance and constructive feedback to colleagues to support high content standards across teams.

· Act as a brand ambassador, championing consistency, quality and compassionate communication.

· Recommend and test innovative approaches to content creation, evaluating results and sharing learning to strengthen future activity.

· Work closely with approved freelancers and suppliers to commission and deliver content projects to brief, budget and timeline.

· Contribute to reporting on content performance, identifying insights to inform future planning.

Person Specification

Essential

Experience & Knowledge

· Experience creating high-quality content across a range of formats, including written, visual, audio and short-form video content.

· Experience contributing to content for campaigns or organisational communications.

· Knowledge of best practice for creating accessible, inclusive and audience-appropriate content.

· Awareness of the importance of safeguarding, consent and confidentiality when communicating sensitive or personal experiences.

Skills

· Excellent written communication skills.

· Strong content development skills, including the ability to generate ideas, draft content, refine messaging and adapt materials for different channels and audiences.

· Skilled in producing high-quality video and audio content, including hands-on skills in filming, recording and editing.

· Strong graphic design skills (e.g. Canva, Adobe etc).

· Ability to translate complex or clinical information into clear, engaging content.

· Strong ability to prioritise and manage competing demands.

· Ability to balance creative ambition with commercial or organisational objectives.

· Excellent attention to detail and commitment to editorial quality.

Attributes & Values

· Compassion, emotional intelligence and ability to work respectfully with bereaved children, young people and families.

· Collaborative, approachable, and able to build trust across teams.

· Creative, innovative and proactive, with a solutions-focused, self-starter mindset.

· Highly organised, resilient and able to work independently in a remote environment.

· Strong commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and ethical storytelling, including amplifying lived experience safely and respectfully.

· Willingness to undertake relevant training and development opportunities.

· Willingness to work flexibly to meet organisational need.

· Ability to undertake periodic UK travel and represent the charity at meetings and events.

Desirable

· Experience working within the charity/third sector, particularly in bereavement, mental health or social care.

· Understanding of bereavement and the needs of bereaved children, young people and parents.

· Previous experience in a Content Creator role or similar.

· Background in storytelling, editorial or publishing environments.

· Familiarity with CRM systems such as Salesforce.

· Experience of working with lived-experience contributors, ambassadors or volunteers.

· Knowledge of digital marketing principles (e.g., SEO, user journeys, content optimisation).

· Active engagement with creative or content industry networks.

Benefits

· 28 days’ holiday plus bank holidays (pro rata if applicable) with increase for long service.

· TOIL for our hours work.

· Contributory pension scheme.

· Company sick pay.

· Employee Assistance Programme.

· Life assurance.

· Training loans.

· Enhanced family friendly policies.

Recruitment Timetable

Application deadline: 6th July 2026 at midnight

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

Interviews

If you are progressed to an interview, you will be invited to attend a 1-hour competency-based interview on MS Teams with the Hiring Managers for the role. You may also be asked to complete an interview task, which will also be shared with you in advance.

Proposed interview dates: 23rd and 24th July 2026

This is a full-time role with employment commencing from September 2026.

Role Purpose

This role is at the heart of Child Bereavement UK’s identity, leading the strategy and delivery of our brand across the organisation to ensure we are recognised as the UK’s leading bereavement charity for children, young people and parents. You will champion our brand, supporting teams across all departments to apply it consistently, creatively and confidently, strengthening trust, recognition, and impact.

As the guardian of our brand, you will develop, protect, and embed our identity, ensuring all organisational output is clear, inclusive, and aligned with our values. You will also identify high-impact brand collaboration opportunities to enhance our reputation and drive recognition, building strong relationships both internally and externally to maximise our brand influence.

In this role, you will combine strategic vision with hands-on guidance, enabling teams to live our brand with confidence while positioning Child Bereavement UK as a bold, trusted, and inspiring voice in the sector.

Main Responsibilities

 Brand strategy and positioning

· Lead the development and ongoing evolution of the Child Bereavement UK brand strategy, ensuring it is audience driven and reflects our purpose, values and strategic priorities.

· Collaborate with audiences to ensure brand components and their application are stakeholder evidenced and driven.

· Define and maintain clear brand positioning, messaging and tone of voice for key audiences.

· Conduct regular brand research and use insight and research to ensure the brand remains relevant, credible and distinctive.

Brand governance and quality

· Own, maintain and embed brand guidelines, ensuring consistent application across campaigns, communications, fundraising and digital activity.

· Organise, manage and proactively update the Child Bereavement UK brand asset and photo libraries by sourcing and organising new commissions.

· Provide advice, guidance and sign-off on high-profile or high-risk brand outputs.

· Support teams to use the brand well, balancing consistency with flexibility and creativity.

· Work closely with marketing, communications and fundraising colleagues to help shape campaign narratives, key messages and offer creative direction that align with brand principles.

· Ensure messaging and visual identity are aligned and coherent across channels.

· Contribute to creative briefs and support the development of compelling, audience-focused storytelling.

· Support the content and marketing teams with the development of branded content as required including but not limited to graphic design, filming, editing and copywriting.

Brand collaboration

· Identify, develop and nurture brand collaborations that strengthen awareness, credibility and reach, and align with the organisation’s purpose and values.

· Act as a brand advisor in discussions, ensuring opportunities are strategically aligned and reputationally sound.

· Work with colleagues to ensure brand collaborations are coherent, well-governed and mutually beneficial, with clear messaging and visual alignment.

· Support the development of collaboration narratives, co-branded materials and storytelling that reflect shared values and objectives.

Internal brand leadership

· Act as an internal champion for the brand, helping staff and volunteers understand and apply it in their day-to-day work.

· Deliver brand training, resources and guidance as needed.

· Create and deliver communications to ensure the brand is reflected consistently in how the organisation presents itself internally.

Design

· Own the creation and evolution of core evergreen brand assets, ensuring the Child Bereavement purpose, values, and visual identity are consistently and clearly expressed.

· Be the senior authority for design standards and frameworks.

· Support marketing colleagues to confidently create short-form, campaign, and project materials providing guidance, tools and access to approved freelance designers where needed.

· Focus brand design resource on high-value, long-term assets, avoiding unnecessary centralisation of short-term or one-off materials in order to reduce bottlenecks and keep work moving at pace.

· Manage and maintain relationships with approved design freelancers and agencies.

Insight, performance and reputation

· Monitor brand health, awareness and perception, using insight to inform decisions and improvements.

· Work closely with marketing and communications colleagues on reputation management and sensitive issues.

· Stay informed about sector trends, public expectations and best practice in brand management.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

· Work closely with the Directors of Marketing & Communications, Services & Service Transformation, and Income Generation to deliver strategic brand strategies.

· Foster strong cross-charity relationships to ensure coherent and consistent branded output and shared learning.

Person Specification

Essential

Experience & Knowledge

· A proven track record of success in leading and/or managing an organisation’s brand activity and maintaining a high-quality brand portfolio.

· Experience of communicating and implementing a brand across an organisation.

· Proven experience and confidence of brand guardianship and developing and implementing brand guidelines.

· The ability to lead, enthuse and inspire colleagues at all levels to be brand guardians and support brand and marketing activities.

· Strong understanding of how brand shows up across the full customer journey.

· Strong understanding of audience insight, segmentation and customer needs.

· The ability to provide clear, professional and well-reasoned brand feedback on a wide range of creative and content.

· Experience of collaborating with audiences to develop brand plans and assets.

· Experience of using insight, analytics, testing and research to develop and inform decision-making.

Skills

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

· Strong graphic design and video editing skills (e.g. Canva, Adobe, CapCut).

· Meticulous attention to detail.

· Ability to translate business goals into clear brand positioning and direction.

· Strong analytical thinking, using insight and data to inform decisions.

· Excellent creative judgement across visual identity, tone of voice and storytelling.

· Ability to brief, evaluate and elevate creative work.

· Strong project management skills and the ability to prioritise workload.

· Ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.

· Ability to balance long-term brand building with short term performance needs.

· Ability to work collaboratively and bring colleagues on board a brand journey.

· Ability to demonstrate initiative and to work proactively and independently.

· Ability to work well under pressure.

Attributes & Values

· Compassion, emotional intelligence and ability to work respectfully with bereaved children, young people and families.

· Collaborative, approachable, and able to build trust across teams.

· Creative, innovative and proactive, with a solutions-focused, self-starter mindset.

· Customer-centric mindset, grounded in audience insight.

· Highly organised, resilient and able to work independently in a remote environment.

· Strong commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and ethical storytelling, including amplifying lived experience safely and respectfully.

· Willingness to undertake relevant training and development opportunities.

· Willingness to work flexibly to meet organisational need.

· Ability to undertake periodic UK travel and represent the charity at meetings and events.

Desirable

· Previous experience in a Brand Lead or similar role.

· Experience working within the charity/third sector, particularly in bereavement, mental health or social care.

· Understanding of bereavement and the needs of bereaved children, young people and parents.

· Experience contributing to or leading the development of brand strategy including positioning, purpose and key messaging frameworks

· Experience leading a rebrand or major brand evolution including repositioning, visual identity refreshes or large-scale brand rollouts.

· Exposing adapted brand strategy across multi audiences.

· Knowledge of brand tracking, perception research and audience insight tools.

· Strong understanding of digital-first branding including expressing brands across digital products, platforms and social channels.

· Familiarity with CRM systems such as Salesforce.

Benefits

· 28 days’ holiday plus bank holidays (pro rata if applicable) with increase for long service.

· TOIL for our hours work.

· Contributory pension scheme.

· Company sick pay.

· Employee Assistance Programme.

· Life assurance.

· Training loans.

· Enhanced family friendly policies.

Recruitment Timetable

Application deadline: 6th July 2026 at midnight

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

Interviews

If you are progressed to an interview, you will be invited to attend a 1-hour competency-based interview on MS Teams with the Hiring Managers for the role. You may also be asked to complete an interview task, which will also be shared with you in advance.

Proposed interview dates: 20th and 21st July 2026.

Respond's Young People's Service meets the emotional and psychological needs of children and young people who are autistic and/or have a learning disability who have experienced abuse or trauma. The specific remit is to make psychological and emotional support as accessible as possible. We do this by providing therapy in our clinic and in special schools, supporting the whole system to consider the impact of trauma and abuse.  

As a qualified creative arts therapist, counsellor, or psychotherapist you will have experience in working with children and young people who have a learning disability and/or autism and who have experienced abuse and/or trauma.

We are committed to the furthering of human rights, equality, and positive social change through our therapeutic and advocacy work and are committed to anti-racism and other forms of anti-discriminatory practice. We recognise that we need to continually keep this as a focus in our work and as an integral part of our organisational strategy. 

We celebrate diversity as an employer and as a provider of services to people who often experience multiple discriminations because of (but not limited to) being autistic or having a learning disability and experiences of trauma. 

If you’d like to find out more about this role, please read through the job description and our person specification. Please send in your CV with your supporting statement of no more than 2 sides of A4.  When you apply, please make sure that you address the points in the person specification in your statement.

Children and young people in London matter; their voices, experiences, and futures. They deserve every chance to make the most of their lives. But too many young people can’t because they don’t have the opportunities to help them thrive. That is where transformational youth work comes in offering somewhere to go, something to do, someone to trust. 
 

The Trusts and Foundations Manager plays a pivotal role in the success of the Fundraising and Communications Directorate, and London Youth as a whole. In line with our fundraising strategy, you will be responsible for securing new five and six-figure corporate partnerships, achieving ambitious personal targets and contributing to our overall fundraising target of £6.9m in 2026. Your focus will be on high-value long-term strategic relationships with businesses generating both restricted and unrestricted funds as well as other non-financial benefits.

What you will be doing

• Develop and maintain an exemplary understanding of the needs of young people and youth organisations in London.
• Proactively communicate the vision and mission, aims and work of London Youth to funders.
• Undertake prospect research to identify new funding opportunities that increase restricted and unrestricted income.
• Collaborate with teams from across London Youth to develop and submit high quality five and six figure applications to trusts, foundations, institutional funders, and livery companies.
• Work with colleagues to find ways to increase income from existing funders. 
• Meet all KPIs and financial targets. 
• Provide first class stewardship to funders. 
• Maintain up-to-date records on all aspects of fundraising activity on Salesforce and SharePoint and produce regular reports/reports when needed. 
• Ensure agreements are in place with all funders and are recorded in line with our processes. 
• Take responsibility for your ongoing professional development.
• Commit to and actively promote London Youth’s policy and procedures to value and respect diversity and inclusion in all duties and working relationships.
• Reflect our inclusive culture in your day-to-day work and support a positive health & safety and safeguarding culture in your interactions with colleagues.
• Follow our organisation’s anti-racism principles and practices as you actively promote and respect diversity and inclusion in all aspects of your work and working relationships. 

What you bring to the role

Knowledge and Experience:

• Track record of leading and securing five and six figure funding relationships with trusts, foundations, institutional funders, and livery companies. 
• Demonstrable knowledge of UK and London funders. 
• Ability to undertake rigorous prospect research and build and manage a robust pipeline. 
• Demonstrable relationship management skills.
• Proven project management skills. 
• Experience of regularly recording and reporting on data. 
• Ability to interpret financial data. 
• Awareness of Fundraising Regulatory Framework. 
• Experience of acting as an organisational ambassador in a range of outward facing contexts. 

Attributes and Behaviours:

• Passionate and demonstrably committed to improving the lives of young people. 
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills. 
• Attention to detail. 
• Ability to prioritise workload. 
• Ability to work independently or with small or large groups of colleagues.
• Ability to work in a changing and flexible environment. 
• Willingness to learn new skills. 
• Discretion and ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Willingness to work occasional evenings or weekends at London Youth events. 

You will be able to demonstrate our values of being:

• Ambitious
• Collaborative
• Inclusive
• Accountable

Why work at London Youth 

• Generous holiday allowance - 39 days paid holiday each year (including bank holidays and closure days). If you work part-time, your holiday allowance will be proportional based on your working days. 
• Employer 4% pension contribution. 
• Additional leave granted to support voluntary activity. 
• Free access for you and your family to the Employee Assistance Programme. 
• Free Health Care Cash Plan. 
• Free access to the 'Headspace' app for you and your family. 
• Free access to the Charity Mentoring Network, as a mentor or mentee. 
• You'll be working with a fantastic team of passionate colleagues across London Youth. 
• You will be making a difference to the lives of young people! 

Job Title: Independent Visitor Co-ordinator for Cheshire East 

Service: Cheshire East 

Reporting to: Children’s Rights Manager

Salary: £13,300 per annum (£26,600 FTE)

Location: Home based and work within the communities.

Candidates must reside within a reasonable distance of the service area.

Hours: 17.5 hours per week

Contract Type: Permanent

Make a Difference to the Lives of Children and Young People

Coram Voice is a national independent children’s charity, established in 1975, and one of the UK’s leading organisations championing the rights of children and young people in care. We ensure their voices are heard, respected, and acted upon, and we work every day to improve the lives and outcomes of those who rely on the support of the state.

Coram Voice is one of the Coram Group of charities. Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity founded by Thomas Coram in London helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.

We are excited to offer an opportunity for an Independent Visitor Coordinator to join our dynamic, dedicated team supporting children and young people in Warrington and Stockport.

About the Role

As an Independent Visitor Coordinator, you will:

• Deliver a statutory Independent Visitor service to children in care and care leavers.
• Recruit, assess, train and support volunteers who become long term, trusted befrienders for young people.
• Build strong, positive relationships with children, volunteers, and key professionals.
• Champion a child led approach, ensuring young people’s wishes and feelings drive every decision (except where safeguarding concerns arise).
• Work collaboratively across Coram Voice and with partner agencies.
• Take independent responsibility for leading and supporting our volunteers, while working in partnership with the Children’s Rights Manager to support accurate reporting and contract monitoring.

If you are passionate about volunteer development, young people’s rights, and meaningful, lasting change, this role could be perfect for you.

What We Offer

Coram Voice is committed to recognising and rewarding the vital work of our staff. When you join us, you’ll benefit from:

• Competitive salary
• Matched pension contributions (up to 5%)
• 25 days’ annual leave plus 3 additional paid days between Christmas and New Year
• Supportive, flexible working culture
• Family friendly policies and a focus on staff wellbeing

You will have the opportunity to make a genuine difference—every single day.

Recruitment Process

Shortlisting:
Conducted by Annmarie Ahtuam, Service Manager, and Sarah Gabriel, Children’s Rights Manager.

How to Apply:

Please complete the full application form and address every point in the person specification.
We cannot accept CVs.
Internal applicants may submit a supporting statement addressing the person specification.

Interview Process:

• Written exercise
• Panel interview
• A further one‑to‑one interview (Warner compliant)

To apply for this role, please click on the 'apply now' button below to complete the application.

Closing date: Monday 13th July 2026 at 9am 

Interview date: Monday 20th July 2026 

Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from global majority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBQT+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.

If applicants feel comfortable, we would encourage them to draw on lived experience as well as professional experience in their personal statement as part of their application.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Registered Charity No. 312278

Barnardo's is seeking a skilled and ambitious Children's Services Manager to lead a diverse and high-impact portfolio of services across the Midlands.

This is a unique opportunity to oversee a broad range of provision supporting children, young people and families with varying and often complex needs. The postholder will lead services including Warwickshire BASE, which provides targeted support to improve emotional wellbeing, resilience and engagement with education; the Household Support Fund, delivering practical support to families experiencing financial hardship; Pathway to Potential, offering early help and targeted interventions to strengthen family resilience and relationships; and Wolverhampton Power 2, supporting children and young people to develop confidence, emotional wellbeing and life skills.

In addition, the role includes oversight of Dudley Advocacy, which ensures children and young people's voices are heard through independent advocacy, as well as Sandwell SENDIASS and Warwickshire SENDIASS, both of which provide impartial information, advice and support to children, young people and families navigating special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) systems.

This varied portfolio spans early help, targeted support, SEND services, advocacy and community-based provision. It requires a confident and adaptive leader able to operate across different service models, funding streams and local authority areas.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing strategic and operational leadership across a multi-service, multi-area portfolio
• Ensuring high standards of safeguarding, quality, and performance across all services
• Leading and developing multidisciplinary teams delivering a range of interventions and support
• Overseeing service contracts, budgets and compliance within differing commissioning frameworks
• Building strong partnerships with local authorities and key stakeholders across Warwickshire, Wolverhampton, Dudley and Sandwell
• Driving service development, innovation and continuous improvement
• Ensuring the voices of children, young people and families shape delivery and design

About you:

• Significant experience managing diverse children's services, ideally across multiple local authority areas
• Strong leadership capability with experience of leading managers and dispersed teams
• Knowledge of SEND, advocacy, early help and family support services
• Experience of working in complex, multi-agency environments and managing external partnerships
• A track record of delivering against performance, quality and contractual requirements
• A passion for improving outcomes for children and tackling inequality

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a complex and rewarding portfolio, making a meaningful difference to children and families across multiple communities.

The role requires a flexible and responsive approach to working across a wide geographical area, with regular travel to services and partner locations to maintain visibility, build relationships and support teams. At the same time, the postholder will be expected to work in an agile way, using virtual platforms effectively to lead, manage and collaborate across dispersed services. This balance of physical presence and remote working is key to ensuring strong leadership, consistent oversight and accessible support for staff, while maintaining efficiency and responsiveness across the portfolio.

For more information about the service porfolio, please refer to the additional information sheet. 

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date.  We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible

The Youth Endowment Fund  

Programme Delivery Manager - Change Team 

 
Reports to: Senior Grants and Commissioning Manager 

Salary: £42,000 

Location: Central London or Hybrid 

Contract: 2-year fixed term – potential to extend 

Closing date: 9 am, Tuesday 14th July 

Interview dates: 28th and 29th July 

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 and young people becoming involved in violence. We do this by funding great initiatives, finding what works and working for change - scaling and spreading the practices that make a difference. 

One of the most important things we do is turn evidence into action through our change programmes, working directly with schools, local leaders and services to change practice and prevent violence. To deliver these programmes well, we need clear plans, smooth commissioning and procurement processes, accurate data and strong coordination across teams and partners.

The Programme Delivery Manager role is critical to making that happen, and it has two distinct elements: 

Programme management for two Change programmes: You’ll be the hands-on programme lead for two of our main change programmes. You’ll work closely with the Change delivery team to put clear, aligned plans in place and then brilliantly manage those plans day to day, making sure everyone knows what’s expected of them and by when. 

Commissioning and procurement support for the whole Change team: You’ll also be the go-to source of guidance and advice for Change colleagues who are procuring or commissioning other activity. You’ll help the team navigate processes correctly, ensuring commissioning is captured and maintained accurately in Salesforce and keep our ways of working consistent across the team. By keeping us organised and on track, you’ll help us maximise the impact of every pound we invest. 

Key responsibilities 

Your role has these two distinct but complementary elements. The first is hands-on programme management for two of our main Change programmes. The second is acting as a source of guidance, advice and practical support on commissioning and procurement for the wider Change team. Together, these responsibilities are essential to keeping our programmes on track and our commissioning processes running smoothly and consistently. A detailed list of your key responsibilities is given below: 

1: Hands-on programme management for two Change programmes 

• Lead programme planning and coordination: 

• Work with the delivery team to make sure we have clear, aligned programme plans in place, with timelines, milestones and owners for every workstream. 

• Brilliantly manage those plans day to day, making sure everyone knows what’s expected of them and by when, and that the team stays on track across multiple demanding workstreams. 

• Track dependencies and progress, flag risks to delivery early and coordinate solutions before issues become blockers. 

2: Guidance, advice and practical support on commissioning and procurement for the Change team  

• Manage contracts and commissioning for delivery partners 

• Draft, prepare and execute agreements and subsequent variations with delivery partners and commissioned providers, using Adobe e-Sign where required. 

• Accurately input and maintain all programme data in Salesforce, including deliverables, financial commitments, payment schedules and supporting documents. 

• Ensure timely reporting and compliance with contractual requirements. 

• Resolve payment queries and discrepancies quickly, chasing outstanding invoices and reports where needed, and conduct regular data accuracy spot checks in Salesforce. 

• Support process improvements and ways of working 

• Work with the Senior Grants and Commissioning Manager to keep the team’s commissioning and procurement processes consistent with YEF-wide ways of working. 

• Develop and maintain simple, effective tools for planning, tracking and reporting, building on the systems we already use (including Salesforce). 

• Identify and suggest process enhancements to drive efficiency and consistency across our programme and commissioning operations. 

• Enable effective communication and reporting 

• Serve as the central point of contact for programme delivery, commissioning and procurement requests across the team, ensuring streamlined processes and avoiding duplication. 

• Provide timely responses and clear communication to internal teams and external partners to keep everything moving. 

• Keep senior leadership informed with forward plans, dashboards and progress updates to support better strategic decisions. 

About you 

You’re this sort of person: 

• You’re highly organised and detail-oriented: You can manage multiple workstreams, plans and deadlines without losing sight of accuracy. You take pride in keeping programmes, systems and processes running smoothly. 

• You’re confident with systems and data: You’ve worked with CRM, project management or grant management platforms (ideally Salesforce) and understand the importance of data integrity. You’re comfortable creating, updating and checking records to ensure everything is correct. 

• You like getting things done: You’ve got a track record of making things happen and ensuring tasks are completed on time. You’re reliable and take ownership of your responsibilities. 

• You’re proactive and solution-focused: When something doesn’t match up, like a milestone, payment request or contract detail, you don’t just flag it, you work to resolve it quickly and effectively. 

• You’re brilliant at improving and organising things: You enjoy finding ways to make processes better and more efficient. You’re good at understanding how things work and making them work even better. 

• You’re a great communicator: You build strong relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders providing clear guidance and timely responses. People trust you to keep things moving. 

• You thrive in a support role: You like being the person who makes things happen behind the scenes. You’re motivated by helping teams work efficiently and keeping complex programmes on track. 

• You learn fast and adapt easily: You’re comfortable picking up new systems, processes and ways of working. You’re curious and always looking for ways to improve how things are done. 

• You care about impact and inclusion: You want your work to make a difference in the community and are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in everything you do. 

While it’s not a criteria, we’re especially interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of youth violence. 

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. 

Hybrid Working Details     

The office is based in Central London. Those living in and around London are expected to be in the office for 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.      

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.  

To apply 

To apply, please send a CV and cover letter, and complete the monitoring form click on "Apply for this" button by 9am Tuesday, 14th July 2026. 

You’ll be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK. 

Interviews will take place in the week commencing: 27th July 2026. 

Benefits Include  

• £1,000 professional development budget annually  

• 28 days holiday 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%  

Personal 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.