Communications jobs in orpington, greater london

Are you methodical, highly organised, great at juggling ten plates and glasses at the same time whilst still solving a problem that hasn’t even arisen yet? Then come and join us at the Mary Ward Settlement as our Access to Services Manager!

You are a proactive, people-focused manager with a passion for delivering exceptional service.  You will lead a high-performing team that ensures a welcoming, inclusive, helpful and efficient experience for all students, staff, and visitors.

In this pivotal role, you will oversee a dynamic advice and guidance team, ensuring that every interaction is informed, supportive and aligned with our commitment to excellence. You will be a ‘go-to’ person who ensures that activity runs smoothly with the right resources and support in place all whilst demonstrating a calm and professional approach.  

You will be joining an organisation who is genuinely warm and welcoming, who thrives on nurturing people and their growth.  You will work closely with staff who are skilled and passionate people who are a pleasure to work with.

We are a multi service charity who offer adult learning, access to free legal advice and community services that work with the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups to build stronger communities.  Based over three sites in Stratford, Southwark and Holborn.

This is a wonderful opportunity for an individual who wants to immerse themselves in a successful, interesting and inspiring organisation. 

We very actively encourage applications that are representative of the diverse communities that we serve. 

Job Title: Experienced Associate Independent Investigating Officers (IOs) for Stage 2 Complaints (This role sits within our Independent Person for Complaints (IPC) service)

Contract: Associate

Hours: Variable, according to demand for services/caseload and role in investigation

Salary: £25.25 per hour

Location: Associate Independent Investigating Officers for Complaints primarily work from home. Some travel may be required as part of an investigation – location will vary according to the referral received from the Local Authority. Cases will be allocated to Associate IOs living locally to the referring authority, wherever possible.

About Coram

Coram is committed to improving the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people.

We support children and young people from birth to independence, creating a change that lasts a lifetime.

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.

About the role

We are seeking additional experienced Associate Independent Investigating Officers (IO) for Complaints, to increase our capacity to respond to referrals from Local Authorities to provide an independent element to the formal Stage 2 investigations under the Children Act 1989.

The IO will lead investigations, and will give the complainant (who may be a child, young person or adult) the opportunity to express their view, ensure the child or young person’s rights and best interests are at the centre of the investigation and that the investigation/review process is open and transparent. They write a report on the investigation/review, which is submitted to the referring agency.

The Job Description document sets out the expectations for an Associate Independent Person for Complaints (IPC) who is approved by Coram Voice. IPCs are independent, freelance and responsible for their own work. Nevertheless, IPCs are accountable to the organisation for their professional standards and are expected to comply with Coram Voice Code of Ethics and Practice Guidelines.

Please note: the nature of associate work means that we cannot guarantee a regular amount of work, and complaints will be allocated dependent on the associate’s availability, location and the needs and demands of the individual case. Investigation work takes place Monday to Friday within working hours. This position is not suitable for applicants who already work or have commitments more than two days within the working week.

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

Closing date: Please note this is a rolling recruitment campaign

Interview date: TBC

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, Asian, African, Caribbean and other minority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBTQ+, 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.

The Cardinal Hume Centre works to prevent and tackle youth and family homelessness.

Job title: Employment & Learning Advisor
Westminster, London
Hours: 35 hours (full time) working at least 3 days in our office near Victoria

Are you passionate about making a real difference in the world? Do you want to leverage your skills to combat homelessness for children and young people? Then we have the perfect opportunity for you.

We are looking to recruit an Employment & Learning Advisor to work effectively as a member of the Centre and the Employment & Learning team to progress a caseload of clients on their journey into meaningful and sustainable employment. You would be responsible for coordinating a range of employment-focused provision through 1:1 interventions, workshops, courses, and supplementary training opportunities to improve clients’ confidence and skills to increase their employability and household income potential. You would also be responsible for identifying, developing and maintaining external relationships and partnerships with relevant organisations, employers, and training providers. In addition to this, you would also work alongside your line manager to deliver a comprehensive learning and employment service, that meets client need and is delivered in line with the organisation’s strategic aims, objectives, and outcomes-based approach. This role is pivotal in order to reach the Centre’s ultimate goal of helping people achieve greater resilience and wellbeing.

In your cv and cover letter, please outline how you meet the requirements of the role and why you would like to work for us. You must account for any gaps in your employment history.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We require job applicants, staff and volunteers to complete a criminal records self-declaration. This role requires an enhanced DBS check plus children’s barred list. It is an offence to apply for the role if the applicant is barred from engaging in regulated activity.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. We are unable to sponsor visas. 

Benefits

· 26 days’ leave rising to 28 days’ leave after two years’ service (pro rata for part time staff)

· Discretionary wellbeing and celebratory days

· Access to Blue Light Card discounts

· Pension: stakeholder pension scheme and we will match employee contributions up to a maximum of 6%.

· Life assurance cover (after probation passed)

· Season ticket loan

· Training and development opportunities

Closing date for applications: 9am Wednesday 6th August 2024
Interviews: W/C 11th August

If you’ve not heard from us three weeks after the closing date, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

The Education Access Coordinator will equip young asylum seekers and refugees to access further (FE) and higher education (HE) through advice and guidance, 1:1 casework and training for other professionals. 

This role sits within the Education Access team: everything we do is focussed on supporting young refugees and asylum seekers into an appropriate form of education from primary school right the way up to university.

The team is separated into three work streams: access to schools, access to FE and access to HE. We also run a national email and telephone advice service through which young people, their families and the professionals who support them, can receive timely and accurate advice and support about any aspect of accessing education in the UK.

This role straddles the access to FE and HE streams of work and, although it would be helpful to have some experience of working in these sectors, our experience is that this knowledge can be taught and is not as important to us as other qualities and experience.

The successful candidate will, however, need to be able to understand and retain a great deal of complex information and then clearly articulate this to others both verbally and in writing. The ideal candidate would be someone who would relish becoming an expert in refugee access to FE and HE and would enjoy the problem solving element of navigating complex regulations to find the right solution for an individual struggling to access education. 

The successful candidate will also need to have experience of and enjoy working with vulnerable young people both individually and in groups. A key element of this role is ongoing casework with individuals - where you will need to build a supportive and trusting relationship over the long term - alongside running one-off workshops for large groups where the priority is to quickly gain young people’s confidence and attention. 

Finally, the successful candidate will be responsible for representing REUK’s access pillar externally.  You will co-deliver training to a high standard as well as maintaining relationships with key stakeholders including local authorities, FE colleges, universities and other NGOs - it is therefore imperative that you have excellent people skills.

This role can be done 4 or 5 days per week, depending on preference (salary would be pro rata for 4 days). 

At Children’s University Trust, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive through learning beyond the classroom. We’re a small, passionate team with bold ambitions to expand our impact – and we’re looking for an equally ambitious Business Development and Community Partnership Manager to lead the way.

This is more than just a development role. It's about building sustainable growth strategies, forging powerful partnerships, and shaping a future where opportunity is no longer defined by postcode or circumstance.

As our Business Development and Community Partnership Manager, you will take the lead in shaping and implementing visionary, data-driven growth strategies across three vital areas:

• Place-based memberships with schools, universities, councils’ departments, and third sector organisations.
• Individual “at home” subscriptions for children in areas without direct Children’s University provision or those who do not engage with traditional education.
• Strategic business partnerships with corporates and SMEs, securing vital funding and in-kind support.

You’ll be a key figure in our next phase of growth — identifying new opportunities, building meaningful relationships, and helping us scale our reach across the UK.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive new business activity and revenue growth across all three strategic areas.
• Build a strong, inclusive pipeline of potential members, partners, and funders.
• Manage and nurture relationships from first contact through to long-term collaboration.
• Use data and insight to shape decision-making and report progress to the board.
• Be a passionate ambassador for Children’s University at events, conferences, and online.

We’re Looking for Someone Who:

• Has a proven track record in income generation, partnerships or sales – all sector’s welcome!
• Is passionate about improving the lives of children and young people.
• Is a strategic thinker with the energy of a new business developer.
• Has the confidence to influence senior stakeholders and the empathy to build trust.
• Brings a creative, collaborative, and resilient mindset.
• Thrives in a fast-paced, flexible, remote-first environment.

Why Join Us?

• A unique chance to shape a growing national charity’s development strategy.
• A collaborative, driven team that values innovation and purpose.
• Flexible working, with one day a week in Manchester.
• An opportunity to truly change lives through education and opportunity.

If you’re excited by the chance to lead sustainable growth with purpose, and you want your work to matter, we want to hear from you.

Apply today and be part of a team creating a brighter future for children across the UK.

We are recruiting for a new Operations Manager to take on a broader and more strategic version of an existing role, with overall responsibility for the operational delivery of our services across three office locations.

The successful candidate will oversee HR, facilities management, IT, and our volunteer programme. You will lead a small but dedicated administrative team and work closely with colleagues at all levels as part of our Senior Management Team (SMT).

We are seeking a practical, solutions-focused and detail-oriented individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys improving systems, processes and ways of working— especially within a charity context and with limited resources. You will be confident working with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including major City law firms who support our pro bono work.

To apply, please share your up-to-date CV together with a cover letter of no more than two pages of A4, setting out how you meet the person specification and why you would like to work with South West London Law Centres.

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

The closing date for the post is 29 July 2025 by cob 5 pm with interviews soon after. If you would like to have a brief informal chat to discuss the role, please contact us.

The vacancy

We are seeking to appoint one lay member to sit on our GOC Council.

About the GOC

We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance and conduct.  For more information about us please visit our website:optical. org.

About the Council

The role of Council is to lead on the GOC’s mission to protect the public by upholding high standards in eye care services.  The Council is composed of six lay members (including the Chair) and six registrant members (i.e. registered optometrists and dispensing opticians).  At least one member of the Council must work wholly or mainly in each of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.  One Council member acts as a Senior Council Member whose role is to carry out the Chair’s appraisal as well as provide a sounding board for the Chair and serve as an intermediary for Council members, Executive and stakeholders as necessary. 

The successful candidate will contribute to Council by exercising oversight, ensuring effective corporate governance, and making high-level policy decisions. They will be able to operate strategically and impartially; listen, communicate, and influence effectively; exercise judgment; and inspire confidence and support amongst our stakeholders. 

Remuneration and time commitment

Council members are remunerated in accordance with our member fees policy (£13,962 per annum plus reasonable travel and subsistence expenses).  The member fee includes time for reading and preparation.

The appointed member will be expected to commit approximately 2-3 days per month.  Meetings will usually take place via MS Teams but may on occasion be held at the GOC Offices at Level 29, One Canada Square, London, E14 5AA. There are occasional online catch-up meetings - these are currently scheduled on a Tuesday evening every 6-8 weeks, from 5.30pm – 6.30pm.

How to apply:

Please email the the following to appointment@optical. org

· your CV outlining your employment history, any relevant voluntary work, public service or other experience; together with any relevant professional, academic or vocational qualifications;

· the application form, stating how your experience matches the criteria for the vacancy you are applying for; and

· complete the EDI monitoring form linked in the candidate pack (this is an online form and does not need to be included in the email with your CV and application form).

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  midnight on Sunday 10 August 2025.

Online interviews will be held on between Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 October 2025.

If you have any questions, please email them to appointment@optical. org and we will aim to respond to you within 48 hours. 

We welcome applications from individuals who are disabled and from diverse ethnic backgrounds as these are currently under-represented on our council and committees.

We strive to be as diverse as the public we protect and welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity and geographical locations outside of London.

Job Title: Independent Gender Violence Advocate (IGVA)

Location: The GAIA Centre (Lambeth)
Salary: £28,857.12 per annum (Inclusive of London Weighting, which may not be applicable depending on your home location and any agreed permanent homeworking arrangement)

Contract type: Full Time, Permanent 

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as an IGVA supporting women and children who are impacted by different strands of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). The independent gender violence advocate will work closely with victims of gender-based violence from the point of crisis, to provide high quality independent advocacy and support to survivors of gender-based violence at the highest risk and their children.

The role will be part of increasing the ability of partner agencies to recognise, reject and respond appropriately and safely to all forms of gender-based violence (including domestic violence, sexual, financial and emotional abuse, female genital mutilation, forced marriage and honour-based violence). The job involves working within a multi-agency framework consisting of the MARAC and local partnership protocols and procedures that prioritise the safety of survivors. The post holder will empower survivors by providing them with emotional, practical and personal welfare support. The job involves ensuring that women are provided with a safe, supportive and welcoming environment, enabling them to access their rights, make decisions and increase their life options

The job involves working within a multi-agency framework consisting of the MARAC and local partnership protocols and procedures that prioritise the safety of survivors. The job involves informing survivors of the full range of civil, criminal, and practical options that might increase their safety. 

Closing Date: 09:00am 5 August 2025

Interview Date: 14 and 15 August 2025