Communications lead jobs in oakwood, england

We have an exciting opportunity for experienced and skilled caseworkers to join the staff of a unique social enterprise. The core function of this role is to provide comprehensive casework, advice and advocacy which assists and supports clients throughout the NHS continuing healthcare assessment, appeal and care planning process. With a long history in delivering skilled casework and training in NHS continuing healthcare, we want you to be part of a strong team committed to delivering excellence and achieving success in line with our commercial and social objectives.

You will be an excellent communicator and skilled caseworker with a minimum of 2 years’ experience working within the field of NHS continuing healthcare or a similar role with a transferrable skills. A health, social care, advocacy or legal qualification is desirable but not essential. Proven experience of the ability to understand, digest and disseminate complex information, and to prepare well-reasoned reports is essential.

The successful candidate will have excellent oral and written communication skills with an ability to engage effectively with a range of stakeholders in challenging circumstances. You will be able to establish a good rapport with clients in a professional and caring manner, upholding brand values.

In return, you can look forward to working with a highly-skilled and dynamic team and having influence over the future strategic direction of the company. We also offer a competitive salary with performance-related bonus and an excellent benefits package.

This role is primarily home-based with opportunities nationally. Ability to periodially travel long distances to attend client meetings across England from time to time is essential.

MAIN DUTIES:

1. To provide an independent and comprehensive casework, advisory and advocacy service to private and NHS-referred clients (typically health and social care service users or their representatives) in England and Wales throughout the entire NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment, appeal and care planning process from initial assessment stage through to complaints to the Ombudsman.
2. To provide specialist information and advice to our clients tailored to their specific situation and needs regarding the interpretation of a primary health need from a thorough understanding of relevant criteria, assessment frameworks and legal tests which are based upon case-law. 
3. Provide advocacy and active case support remotely and in person to clients in England and Wales, and their representatives throughout the appeal and complaint processes, and occassionally assessments. This will include periodic travel to assessments and appeal meetings across England and Wales (including overnight stays where necessary), as well as attending virtual meetings via videoconference.Please note: most meetings are now completed virtually via videoconference, however a small number of in-person meetings are still taking place. Applicants will need to be comfortable working from home for long periods as well as with periodic long-distance travel.
4. To keep informed of issues, policies, guidance and legislation affecting clients ensuring that the information provided is relevant, current, complete and accurate.
5. To analytically examine all relevant health and social care records and assessments, and to prepare detailed advisory letters and appeal statements based upon a sound understanding of the facts, and referencing evidence compiled from such records.
6. To assist clients in the preparation of submissions which will be presented on their behalf to relevant Integrated Care Boards and NHS England review and/or appeal panels.
7. To respond to new referrals by making prompt initial contact with the client within the timescales specified by company policies. To keep clients informed of progress at regular intervals.
8. Work closely and efficiently with health professionals from relevant Continuing Healthcare (CHC) teams with the aim of resolving client issues at the earliest possible opportunity so as to provide an efficient and cost-effective service, and to minimise stress for the client.
9. To develop and maintain working relationships with health and social care colleagues within the field of Continuing Healthcare in order to influence best practice.
10. To work with partner organisations and stakeholders to share knowledge, make appropriate referrals, maintain consistency and draw upon each other’s expertise, always striving to improve the quality of both services and provide a better customer experience.
11. To keep relevant and sufficiently detailed case records at each stage and as the case progresses; ensuring that all client information is kept up to date in line with Beacon’s systems and procedures, including data protection (GDPR) policies.  This applies to case files, database entries, authority forms, client correspondence, use of the project management system, filing and archiving.
12. To minimise business costs and maximise income for the company by meeting chargeable time targets, working efficiently, charging clients appropriately and in a timely manner.
13. To uphold the principles of paralegal casework as specified by the Institute of Paralegals, providing a good standard of client care by working with skill and competence thereby ensuring clients are able to place their trust in you.
14. To uphold organisational values, promoting Beacon’s social goals through each area of your work.
15. To manage your own caseload and work independently within the boundaries of Beacon policies and procedures.
16. To undergo a minimum of 12 hours of professional development each year.  To foster an atmosphere of continuous learning and development.
17. Attend line management, supervision and team meetings as appropriate, and to play a full part in the development and success of Beacon.

The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your developing role and the overall objectives of the companies.

This post may be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Baring Service check or equivalent.

STAFF BENEFITS: Pension Scheme, Generous Annual Leave Entitlement, Death in Service Benefit 4x salary, Flexible Working, Health & Dental Care Plan, Professional Development Plan, Employee Rewards Scheme (Perkbox) and Performance-Related Bonus.

What is NHS Continuing Healthcare?

NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is the name given to a package of care that some people need to receive due to disability, accident or illness. People who are eligible for CHC have the full cost of their care and residential accommodation funded by the NHS. This relieves families of sometimes astronomical care bills.

The criteria for determining who is eligible for CHC are highly complex and can be very difficult for the public to understand, and for professionals to apply consistently. The assessment process is lengthy and detailed. Likewise, the appeal process can be very daunting and perplexing.

About our organisation

Beacon was established in May 2014 for the purpose of providing independent and high-quality support to individuals and their families in England who need help navigating the NHS Continuing Healthcare process.

Beacon is a registered social enterprise and a proud member of Social Enterprise UK. We operate with a core set of ethical social objectives and values through which all of our work is delivered.

Social enterprises are businesses. Like any other business, they seek to make a profit and succeed commercially. But how they operate, who they employ, how they use their profits and where they work transforms lives and communities across the UK. At Beacon, we donate any surpluses to supporting charitable objectives that are in line with our aims.

Through expert advocacy, advice and training, Beacon enables people to be heard and to enact real and positive change in their lives. We help people to understand their rights and the realistic options available to them, equipping some of those most vulnerable in society with the knowledge and practical support to make meaningful and transformative decisions.

Our Values

At Beacon, we employ people who want to do things differently to other organisations working in this field. Five values sum up our culture and how we treat our clients and our staff:

1. Ethical

Commitment to our clients

We operate with honesty and integrity. We are transparent about our funding set-up and our fees, which we keep as low as we sensibly can. We never ‘hard sell’ our services, we keep you informed at every step, and we always give our honest opinion of your chances of success. As a social enterprise, we donate any profits to charity.

Commitment to our team

We operate with honesty and integrity, and always work hard to get the best results for our clients and the business. We work to high standards, and trust our people to respectfully speak out if we fall short.

1. Expert

Commitment to our clients

We pride ourselves on being recognised as leading independent experts in NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC). We apply our knowledge and experience to help every case and caller. We also strive to improve CHC for everyone, by training health and social care professionals.

Commitment to our team

We are the leading experts in our field. We encourage and value innovation and evolution in what we do, and how we do it. We are united in developing the business and its services.

1. Personal

Commitment to our clients

By listening carefully to you and the people who really know about your care needs, we can provide excellent advice and powerful advocacy tailored to your unique situation.

Commitment to our team

We get results by getting to know our clients. We do the same with our people, offering flexible working options to suit your circumstances, and taking time out to have fun as a team.

1. Compassionate

Commitment to our clients

We are mindful of the immense stress that our callers and clients can be under, at what is often a really tough time. We do our best to lift some of that burden by providing a quality service that you can trust, and by being compassionate and courteous at all times.

Commitment to our team

The nature of the work can be stressful and emotionally draining. We take care and time to look out for each other, and encourage healthy work habits.

1. Rewarding

Commitment to our team

We take the time to celebrate success and are inspired by one another’s achievements. We provide a generous and varied suite of benefits that can be enjoyed by our people and their families. 

We have an exciting opportunity for experienced and skilled advocates to join the staff of a unique social enterprise. The core function of this role is to provide specialist advocacy to individuals who are navigating the NHS continuing healthcare assessment and complaints processes. With a long history in delivering skilled advocacy and training in NHS continuing healthcare, we want you to be part of a strong team committed to delivering excellence and achieving success in line with our commercial and social objectives.

You will be an excellent communicator and skilled advocate with a minimum of 2 years’ experience working within the field of NHS continuing healthcare or a similar role with a transferrable knowledgebase. A health, social care, advocacy or legal qualification is desirable but not essential. A proven ability to analyse complex matters, provide a clear and coherent rationale and deliver robust advocacy by presenting a persuasive, fact-based argument is essential.

The successful candidate will have excellent oral and written communication skills with an ability to engage effectively with a range of stakeholders in challenging circumstances. You will be able to establish a good rapport with clients in a professional and caring manner, upholding brand values.

In return, you can look forward to working with a highly-skilled and dynamic team and having influence over the future strategic direction of the company. We also offer a competitive salary with performance-related bonus and an excellent benefits package.

This role is primarily home-based with opportunities nationally. Ability to travel long distances to attend client meetings across England is essential.

MAIN DUTIES:

1. To provide advocacy and active case support in person or remotely to clients in England and Wales, throughout the NHS continuing healthcare assessment process.

   Please note: some assessments will be completed virtually via videoconference whereas others are completed in-person. Applicants will need to be comfortable with both working from home and also regular long-distance travel to assessment meetings across England and Wales (including overnight stays where necessary), often with only two or three days’ notice.

2. To analytically examine all relevant care records and assessments in preparation for continuing healthcare assessments and reviews, to prepare clients for their assessment and provide robust advocacy at assessment meetings based upon a sound understanding of the facts, and referencing evidence compiled from such records.
3. To provide advocacy and casework to clients who wish to make a formal complaint through the NHS complaints procedure about a continuing healthcare-related matter from a sound understanding of the facts, having prepared key arguments by researching relevant records.
4. To support the casework team from time to time in the preparation of submissions which will be presented to relevant Integrated Care Boards and NHS England panels.
5. To provide specialist information and advice to our clients tailored to their specific situation and needs regarding the interpretation of a primary health need from a thorough understanding of relevant criteria, assessment frameworks and legal tests which are based upon case-law. 
6. To keep informed of issues, policies, guidance and legislation affecting clients ensuring that the information provided is relevant, current, complete and accurate.
7. To respond to new referrals by making prompt initial contact with the client within the timescales specified by company policies.
8. Work closely and efficiently with health professionals from relevant Continuing Healthcare (CHC) teams with the aim of resolving client issues at the earliest possible opportunity so as to provide an efficient and cost-effective service, and to minimise stress for the client.
9. To develop and maintain working relationships with health and social care colleagues within the field of Continuing Healthcare in order to influence best practice.
10. To work with partner organisations and stakeholders to share knowledge, make appropriate referrals, maintain consistency and draw upon each other’s expertise, always striving to improve the quality of both services and provide a better customer experience.
11. To keep relevant and sufficiently detailed case records at each stage and as the case progresses; ensuring that all client information is kept up to date in line with Beacon’s systems and procedures, including data protection (GDPR) policies.  This applies to case files, database entries, authority forms, client correspondence, use of the project management system, filing and archiving.
12. To minimise business costs and maximise income for the company by meeting chargeable time targets, working efficiently, charging clients appropriately and in a timely manner.

13. To uphold the principles of paralegal casework as specified by the Institute of Paralegals, providing a good standard of client care by working with skill and competence thereby ensuring clients are able to place their trust in you.

14. To uphold organisational values, promoting Beacon’s social goals through each area of your work.

15. To manage your own caseload and work independently within the boundaries of Beacon policies and procedures.

16. To undergo a minimum of 12 hours of professional development each year.  To foster an atmosphere of continuous learning and development.

17. Attend line management, supervision and team meetings as appropriate, and to play a full part in the development and success of Beacon.

The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your developing role and the overall objectives of the companies.

This post may be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Baring Service check or equivalent.

STAFF BENEFITS: Pension Scheme, Generous Annual Leave Entitlement, Death in Service Benefit 4x salary, Flexible Working, Health & Dental Care Plan, Professional Development Plan, Employee Rewards Scheme (Perkbox) and Performance-Related Bonus.

What is NHS Continuing Healthcare?

NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is the name given to a package of care that some people need to receive due to disability, accident or illness. People who are eligible for CHC have the full cost of their care and residential accommodation funded by the NHS. This relieves families of sometimes astronomical care bills.

The criteria for determining who is eligible for CHC are highly complex and can be very difficult for the public to understand, and for professionals to apply consistently. The assessment process is lengthy and detailed. Likewise, the appeal process can be very daunting and perplexing.

About our organisation

Beacon was established in May 2014 for the purpose of providing independent and high-quality support to individuals and their families in England who need help navigating the NHS Continuing Healthcare process.

Beacon is a registered social enterprise and a proud member of Social Enterprise UK. We operate with a core set of ethical social objectives and values through which all of our work is delivered.

Social enterprises are businesses. Like any other business, they seek to make a profit and succeed commercially. But how they operate, who they employ, how they use their profits and where they work transforms lives and communities across the UK. At Beacon, we donate any surpluses to supporting charitable objectives that are in line with our aims.

Through expert advocacy, advice and training, Beacon enables people to be heard and to enact real and positive change in their lives. We help people to understand their rights and the realistic options available to them, equipping some of those most vulnerable in society with the knowledge and practical support to make meaningful and transformative decisions.

Our Values

At Beacon, we employ people who want to do things differently to other organisations working in this field. Five values sum up our culture and how we treat our clients and our staff:

1. Ethical

Commitment to our clients

We operate with honesty and integrity. We are transparent about our funding set-up and our fees, which we keep as low as we sensibly can. We never ‘hard sell’ our services, we keep you informed at every step, and we always give our honest opinion of your chances of success. As a social enterprise, we donate any profits to charity.

Commitment to our team

We operate with honesty and integrity, and always work hard to get the best results for our clients and the business. We work to high standards, and trust our people to respectfully speak out if we fall short.

1. Expert

Commitment to our clients

We pride ourselves on being recognised as leading independent experts in NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC). We apply our knowledge and experience to help every case and caller. We also strive to improve CHC for everyone, by training health and social care professionals.

Commitment to our team

We are the leading experts in our field. We encourage and value innovation and evolution in what we do, and how we do it. We are united in developing the business and its services.

1. Personal

Commitment to our clients

By listening carefully to you and the people who really know about your care needs, we can provide excellent advice and powerful advocacy tailored to your unique situation.

Commitment to our team

We get results by getting to know our clients. We do the same with our people, offering flexible working options to suit your circumstances, and taking time out to have fun as a team.

1. Compassionate

Commitment to our clients

We are mindful of the immense stress that our callers and clients can be under, at what is often a really tough time. We do our best to lift some of that burden by providing a quality service that you can trust, and by being compassionate and courteous at all times.

Commitment to our team

The nature of the work can be stressful and emotionally draining. We take care and time to look out for each other, and encourage healthy work habits.

1. Rewarding

Commitment to our team

We take the time to celebrate success and are inspired by one another’s achievements. We provide a generous and varied suite of benefits that can be enjoyed by our people and their families. 

Job Title: Family Support and Graduation Coordinator

Salary: £28,000

Working Hours: 35 hours per week

Contract: Fixed Term until 31 March 2026 (extension subject to funding)

Location: Newham office based (with some hybrid working) 

About us at the NCT

NCT is a charity with a clear mission: to support people as they become parents, through pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood.

With a 65-year history of transformative change, we are a vibrant community of volunteers, practitioners, peer supporters, members and advocates. We are the largest parenting charity in the country and over the decades we’ve supported millions of people on their unique journey into parenthood.   

While many know us for our antenatal classes, we also do much more. We campaign on issues that matter to parents, provide infant feeding support, and run thousands of free community events and activities led by our amazing volunteers. We also support families facing challenges like social isolation, feeding difficulties, and poor mental health. We offer support in communities, in hospitals and online.

NCT is committed to social justice and equity. We are dedicated to being an anti-racist charity and believe that inclusion is everyone's responsibility. Being there for every parent requires bold action to challenge inequalities. By creating inclusive spaces and services that are built on collaboration and trust, we welcome and celebrate diversity and strive to meet the needs of the pregnant women, new parents, families and communities that we serve.

As the world changes and new challenges are thrown up for parents, our charity must change too. Join us now and be part of this journey, and ensure that every parent feels connected, confident and safe. 

About the role

This post will work as part of a community partnership programme, a small team providing accessible and bespoke perinatal care including, antenatal education, postnatal sessions, peer support, counselling and practical support to women from low-income migrant marginalised backgrounds. 

The role will provide non-judgmental, compassionate and trauma-informed care to women accessing the service helping them to navigate complex needs and overcome barriers to access through a creative, solution-focused approach. Working alongside the Perinatal Programme Manager building and maintaining a network of local support services, helping to develop clear referral pathways and strong partner relationships.

To be successful in this role you will have: 

• Experience of supporting or working with marginalised or vulnerable groups and understanding the barriers they face to accessing support and an awareness of ways in overcoming them  

• Knowledge and experience working or volunteering with women and birthing people during pregnancy and early years  

• Experience working within a relevant sector e.g., maternity, children’s services, homelessness, women’s services, mental health, supporting asylum and refugee families

• A good knowledge and understanding of local support and services for the client group
• Experience in empowering women to make informed decisions about their lives and advocating for their needs and rights

• Ability to handle challenging situations and behaviour with a calm, flexible and confident approach to reach a positive resolution

• Able to work reflectively, developing an awareness of any judgements, biases or assumptions that may impact upon your work.  

What we offer

We are taking positive action to increase diversity throughout our organisation, at all levels, and to nurture a culture of inclusion for all our people and the parents and families that we support. 

We are committed to zero discrimination both internally and externally regardless of visible or invisible difference such as sex, sexual orientation, age, race, ethnicity, disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition, religion or belief, gender identity, economic class, marital/civil partnership, family status including single parents, socio-economic background and pregnancy and maternity.   We provide reasonable adjustments and are committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process.

We welcome and actively encourage applications from all candidates including those from under-represented groups within NCT such as individuals from Black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQI+ people and people with a disability.

The welfare and safety of individuals is at the heart of everything that we do. NCT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults and expects all staff to share this commitment.

Closing date for applications: 10th August 2025

Interview: In person at a venue in Newham on Thursday 14th August 2025

Learning & Development Manager (LDM) – Cymru Wales, West Midlands & South West 

Home - Based but within commutable distance to Wales, West Midlands & South West

If you’re passionate about helping further the mission of Methodist churches, circuits and districts, then we would like to hear from you. As an experienced professional with a proven track record in learning and development, and management, you will be part of a Learning Network (LN), within the Ministries and Learning team and part of the Connexional Team of The Methodist Church.

The LN comprises 30+ staff working as part of a single team operating across the Methodist Church in Britain. The team is strategically and collaboratively managed by Learning and Development Managers (LDMs), each having responsibility for a number of Learning and Development Officers (LDO) working within a geographical area. We are seeking to recruit an LDM for the Cymru Wales, West Midlands and South West area. There is a requirement to live within this geography that includes the Methodist districts: Wales Synod Cymru, West Midlands (following the merger of the current Birmingham District and the Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury District on 1st September 2025), Southampton, Channel Islands, Bristol, and South West Peninsular.

Responsibilities of the Learning Development Manager include:

• strategic shared leadership of the LN
• leading and managing the LDOs, balancing the needs and expectations of lay and ordained
• developing, implementing and reviewing, alongside other LDMs and the Director of Ministry Learning, the strategic work plan of the LN
• building and maintaining good relationships across the Connexional Team and with individuals and communities across the church and beyond
• encouraging the sharing of individual gifts and experiences across a number of teams and stakeholders
• travel (including overnight stays), weekend and evening work

We are looking for someone who has:

• proven experience of coordinating and managing a dispersed team of staff and volunteers
• significant experience and is passionate about learning and development
• a strong commitment to collaborative and partnership working
• a proven track record of meeting deadlines within a complex and varied workload

Knowledge of the Welsh language would be a valuable asset to this role

Our Culture, Values and Benefits

Thank you for considering joining our inclusive and welcoming team that strives for excellence and values employee wellbeing.

We value and support all those who join our team through a positive work-life balance augmented by generous annual leave (plus an extra 3 days over Christmas/New Year), TOIL, flexi-leave and an on-site Wellbeing Adviser service. We offer a generous occupational pension scheme, where the Methodist Church will pay double the employee contribution up to a maximum of 16% employer contribution.

The Methodist Church is an inclusive and supportive employer. We are actively committed to encouraging applications from people of all backgrounds. We welcome applications from people of Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic groups.

For ministers in Full Connexion the standard terms of service apply.

Closing date: 23:59 on 21/07/2025

Interviews to take place on: 08/08/2025 in London in person.

N.B. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Welcome

Thank you for your interest in joining the CoachBright team as our new Programme Manager. We are a social mobility charity on a mission to support pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds become confident, independent, and resilient, so they can lead the lives they want.

There is an attainment and outcomes gap in the UK between disadvantaged pupils and their wealthier peers. This is exacerbated when pupils have lower confidence in their own abilities and potential. Upward social mobility is made even harder when pupils lack relatable role models. We want to change this!

Now, more than ever, it is essential that young people from disadvantaged back- grounds get the support they need to achieve their goals. That’s why we’re playing our part to narrow the gap and support a generation of pupils to be their best.

We are ambitious, and are looking for someone as passionate as we are about creating a socially just world. If you’re motivated by improving social mobility and transforming the life chances of young people we would love to hear from you.

Many thanks,

Who we are

Vision: a world in which every young person’s destination is based on their choice, ambitions and talents, rather than their background.

Mission: coaching young people to be confident, independent and resilient so they can lead the lives they want.

What we do: we partner with schools, universities and businesses to run face-to-face and virtual coaching programmes for disadvantaged young people with relatable role models who are just a few years ahead in their life journey, we help raise their confidence, independence, resiliance and attainment. Our coahes are typically undergraduate volunteers or senior pupils in schools who we train and support to become effective coaches. 

The Challenge

By the age of 5, 43% of disadvantaged young people have not reached a good level of literacy and numeracy.

57% of children from disadvantaged backgrounds leave primary schools without reaching the expected standard in reading and maths.

A disadvantaged child is 50% less likely to achieve passes in GCSE English and Maths.

Only 16% of Free School Meal eligible young people attend university, compared to more than 75% of those who attend an independent school.

1 in 3 young people frpm disadvantaged backgrounds are not in any form of sustained education, apprenticship or employment five years after their GCSEs.

1 in 5 undergraduates from disadvantaged backgrounds don't complete their degree, double the rate for the most advantaged.

Those in elite occupations from disadvantaged backgrounds earn £6,400 per year less in the same role, and take 25% longer to gain a promotion.

Our Impact

We have been delivering coaching programmes across England since 2014, supporting over 15,000 young people in that time. We have a small but growing number of programmes directly coaching undergraduates from underrepresented backgrounds (our Lifecycle programme). However, the majority of our work and impact takes place in schools, involving us training undergraduates (our Core programme) or senior pupils (our Peer to Peer programme) to be coaches to younger pupils.

We are proud that our programmes demonstrate consistently strong impact on the outcomes most closely associated with improving social mobility: attainment, social & emotional development, and school attendance.

Our most recent independent evaluation found:

Increases in maths (11.1%) and English (5.1%) attainment.

Significant improvements (min 8%) in metacognition, self-efficacy, and motivation.

Persistently absent pupils’ school attendance increased by 11%!

Our Values

We have four core values at CoachBright that we use to guide us and help our decision making. These values remind us at all times who we help, how we help them, and how we should act as both a charity and as individuals.

1. We understand the complexities of disadvantage. We prioritise supporting young people from low-income households but understand that disadvantage is context-dependent and that the drivers of disadvantage regularly shift.

2. We believe coaching is transformative. All of our work, from primaryphase programmes to our Lifecycle work with young adults, is grounded in a belief that high-quality coaching can transform a young persons life.

3. We strive for clarity. We are open and honest with our beneficiaries, our partners, and each other. We hold each other to high standards and provide transparency and clarity with the deisions and work we do.

4. We are a team not just colleagues. We are committed to helping others, and this commitment extends beyond our beneficiaries to each other in the workplace. We strive to make CoachBright a place where regardless of role, level of seniority, or length of time at the organisation, we all want to roll our sleeves up to support each other and share in each other's successes and challenges.

Our Team

We are a small but mighty team, with a mixture of experiences including youth work, teaching, music, finance, social work and many others. Although our backgrounds and skills may be different, what we have in common is a commitment to our core values, and a belief that our work can - and does - change young people’s lives.

And whilst we may be located in different parts of the country, we work extremely hard to ensure we live up to our fourth core value - ‘we are a team, not just colleagues’.

I've never worked in such a wonderful team before. It's been great to join such a supportive environment where everyone just wants the very best for each other and are all so passionate about our shared mission.

Role description

In the 25/26 academic year, we will be expanding our work significantly, supporting close to 3,000 young people from Cornwall to Northumberland. The majority of this growth will be through a one-year project we are running in partnership with the Education Endowment Foundation.

This project is a randomised control trial (RCT) of our Peer to Peer coaching programme, where we will be working with an additional 50 new secondary schools. We have seen consistently strong impact from this programme on the attainment, social & emotional development, and school attendance of disadvantaged young people for many years. This EEF supported RCT now gives us the opportunity to test this impact at significant scale, specifically on the maths attainment, maths self-efficacy, and school attendance of disadvantaged Y10 and Y7 pupils (see here for more details). 

To support with this delivery, we are looking to recruit additional fixed-term (October 2025 - July 2026) Programme Managers, both full and part time, in the following regions:

1. South West (including Cornwall and Plymouth) Part time, 2-3 days per week

2. South East England (including Greater London, Hampshire, Sussex, Kent, Berkshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, and Milton Keynes) Full time

3. North West (including Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Cheshire) Part time, 3-4 days per week

4. North East (including Northumberland, Newcastle, Tyneside and Teesside) Part time, 2-3 days per week

You will have end-to-end ownership of your own allocation of programmes, which may involve a mixture of Peer to Peer, Core and Lifecycle programmes. Whilst delivering our programmes you will be required to build excellent relationships with our school and university partners, support with training and developing our undergraduate volunteers, use our evaluation frameworks to assess impact, and lead on conversations related to retention and expansion.

Candidates should be able to cover all locations in the given region they are applying for, so access to a car would be an advantage, but is not essential. At times team members may be asked to travel to a location outside of their region, but this will be rare and sufficient notice and TOIL will be given where appropriate.

All roles are on fixed term contracts starting Monday 6th October 2025 and finishing 31st July 2026. The majority of direct delivery in schools will begin early November. The first few weeks in the role will combine a mixture of induction, training, programme observations, programme set up, and volunteer recruitment for our Core programmes.

Whilst there is the potential for a permanent role beyond the length of this project, this will be based on our levels of school retention and business development, and so cannot be guaranteed. 

You will flourish in this role if you have a genuine passion and ‘knack’ for working with young people and supporting them to succeed, as well as being organised, motivated, and able to think on your feet quickly. If that sounds like you, please get in touch!

Role details

Managing and delivering programmes

• Coordinate and run multiple in-school and online programmes, typically requiring travel to schools most working days.

• Set timelines for programme start and finish dates. 

• Oversee programme quality and communicate with school staff weekly to provide feedback after sessions. 

• Facilitate in-school or digital workshops for groups of pupils (KS1-5). 

• Plan and organise graduation trips to a local university for pupils on the programme.

• Collect data for monitoring and evaluation purposes, such as pre and post programme questionnaires, attendance records, and pupil and coach feedback.

• Report regularly to the Programmes Team Leader on key performance indicators and programme updates.

• Build and maintain high quality relationships with pupils, schools, and universities..

• Collect data and write impact reports and case studies for each programme.

Recruiting and managing undergraduate volunteers (in regions with Core programmes):

• Recruit and retain volunteer undergraduate coaches.

• Coordinate and allocate undergraduate coaches to Core school programmes, communicating with them weekly and when needed arranging transport for them to schools.

• Deliver training to volunteers both in-person and online. 

• Develop and maintain relationships with universities, particularly access, outreach, and widening participation teams.

Expanding our reach and impact:

• Ensure retention of schools and universities within the region by delivering high quality programmes, and leading retention, renewal, and expansion conversations with partners.

• Support the growth of our network of schools, Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs), Local Education Authorities, and universities in your region.

• Contribute to programme design, take part in a working group and whole team meetings.

• Gather and create content for social media and marketing materials. 

• Running pupil and school leader focus groups.

• Carry out other tasks that are within the scope and spirit of the role.

Person Specification

Essential characteristics and experience

Below are the key attributes candidates will need to be confident of demonstrating.

• Passion for social mobility. We have big aims and are looking for those who share our desire to make education fairer in the UK.

• Ability to think on your feet. Delivering programmes with young people can be unpredictable, so you will need to be comfortable working reactively to solve challenges at short notice.

• Programme or project management experience. In particular the ability to be organised, plan ahead, and manage competing priorities and timelines.

• Experience with young people. Comfortable running a session or delivering a workshop with a group of young people from age 8-18. (Please note, the vast majority of our programmes are at secondary phase).

• Relationship building and facilitating. This is a public-facing role so you will be involved in communicating and delivering workshops to groups as well as communicating our mission to a wide range of stakeholders (business leaders, senior members of MATs, universities etc.).

• Excellent communication skills, particularly public speaking. You should be comfortable talking to groups of 5 or 500.

• Ability to make quick and clear decisions.

Desired characteristics and experience

Below are attributes that would be useful in the role. However candidates that have less experience in these areas should not be discouraged from applying.

• Understanding of the specific barriers to social mobility, both nationally and regionally, and the context for the young people we work with. 

• Experience of sales or partnership management/development, particularly with schools or universities.

• Experience of working in education settings.

• Existing network of relevant sector contacts in schools and/or universities, or demonstrable ability to quickly establish new connections independently.

Key details

Benefits

• An opportunity to contribute to an exciting charity with scope to input widely and take on new responsibilities.

• 28 annual leave days (pro rata).

• Fridays off during non-term-time (pro rata).

• Access to a £100 individual annual CPD budget in addition to CoachBright’s standard training offer which includes safeguarding, health and safety and diversity, equity and inclusion training).

• Access to a 24-hour employee assisted helpline facilitated independently by Health Assured.

• Access to BrightHR perks, including a range of retail discounts. 

Key Information:

• Annual salary of  £30,579 - plus £2,500 London weighting where applicable (pro rata)

• Fixed term contract (6th October 2025  - 31st July 2026).

• Remote role with travel to schools across England. The majority of working days will require a trip to 1-2 schools in your region.

• Reporting to our Programmes Team Leader

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Support Worker to join our Anerley Station Road service in Bromley. No personal care or experience is required, just the right values.

£28,808.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.

Want to feel like you're making a difference? You'll feel at home here.

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

Anerley Station Road is young people's service supports young care leavers aged between 16 and 21.

Support Workers will provide a person-centred support to customers to help them develop the life skills they require to meet the assessed needs of the customers of the service. They will work with customers to promote social inclusion and alongside other members of the team

What you'll do:

- Building supportive, trusting relationships with customers
- Working proactively with other members of the team to handle the service caseload and administrative responsibilities
- Supporting key customers to set personalised goals in the form of a Support Plan
- Conducting regular key work sessions that are innovative and engaging in order to achieve Support Plan goals
- Ensuring ongoing assessment and management of risks associated with customers within an attitude of 'positive risk taking'
- Proactively manage risk and safety both in and outside of their physical living environment
- Providing support with daily living activities, including practical assistance where skills are not yet developed, to ensure that customers enjoy a high quality of accommodation
- Proactive development of links with local statutory and voluntary organisations to provide a range of engagement opportunities for customers in the community
- Involving customers in the design, development and delivery of the service
- Empowering customers to ensure they receive the service and benefits they are entitled to
- Encouraging and enabling tenants to pay their rent and ensure that rent accounts are managed effectively.
- Ensuring Look Ahead Health and Safety policies are adhered to at all time and to uphold all health and safety responsibilities within relevant policies and local protocols
- Adhering to all other Look Ahead's policies and procedures
- Engaging in learning and development activity to increase knowledge and skills
- Day to day instruction/ supervision of Assistant Support Workers/domestic staff/ Personal Support Assistants where appropriate
- Undertaking any other duties consistent with the grade and nature of the post as assigned by the Team Leader/ Manager

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:

- Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
- Approachable and open behaviour
- Prefers working as part of a group or team
- Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
- Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised
- Flexible
- Open to feedback and self development
- Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments
- Is confident with high levels of self-esteem
- Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
- Is essentially customer-focused
- Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude
- Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviours

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:
* We focus on Excellence and innovation.
* We are Caring and Compassionate.
* We are Inclusive and Trusted.
* We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Forensic Advocate
Mind in Enfield and Barnet
Chase Farm Hospital - Enfield (on site)
Permanent
Part time, 25 hours per week (full time option available)
Up to £29,000 FTE
Excellent benefits including Employer contribution to pension, Employee Assistance Programme, 30 days annual leave pro rata

Charity People are delighted to be partnering with Mind in Enfield and Barnet, a fast-growing charity in North London, to recruit a Forensic Advocate.

Mind in Enfield and Barnet provides much needed therapy, wellbeing support and advocacy services to people with mental health problems.

The Advocacy, Advice and Information department works to empower people and communities, and challenge stigma and disadvantage caused by Mental Health problems. They champion individual's voices, uphold their rights, and promote personal autonomy through the provision of high-quality information, advice, and advocacy support.

The Forensic Advocate will provide professional advocacy to all eligible patients. The role will ensure that patients voices are heard and respected, rights upheld, and facilitate positive engagement with ward staff, professionals involved in their care, treatment planning processes, and relevant meetings. This may be facilitated through attendance at patient's forums, ward meetings, working with patients on a one-to-one basis providing information, representation and support to develop self-advocacy skills; and developing new forums and forms of support.

Key responsibilities:

• Deliver High-Quality Patient Advocacy: Provide professional, inclusive advocacy to inpatients and community-based clients, ensuring their rights are upheld and concerns are addressed through direct support, representation at clinical meetings, and regular engagement.
• Maintain Casework and Service Standards: Manage an active caseload, ensuring accurate and timely record-keeping, compliance with legal frameworks (e.g. Mental Health Act), and adherence to organisational standards and procedures.
• Develop Collaborative Partnerships and Outreach: Build effective relationships with ward staff, carers, peer advocates, and external agencies, coordinate monthly outreach clinics, and contribute to forums and community meetings to promote service integration.
• Support Training, Development, and Service Improvement: Co-develop training for peer advocates, staff, and carers, promote self-advocacy, participate in service development, and maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation and best practices.

The successful candidate will have some experience of working in a Forensic Advocacy role, as well as working in an Inpatient setting, and in an Advocacy role. You will have good knowledge of Mental Health Act 2007, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and other relevant legislation.

You also be able to demonstrate the following skills:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent multi-tasking and time management skills
• Ability to produce well -written reports and meet deadlines
• Ability to communicate clearly and assertively with a diverse range of colleagues and clients at all levels
• Be self-motivated
• Approachable and able to engage service users, placing boundaries when required
• Basic IT skills including Microsoft Office & Database Packages

This role is providing specialist advocacy for 12 Forensic Wards at Chase Farm Hospital and in community locations. This is an on-site role.

If you would like full time hours, there is an option to increase the 25 hours for the Forensic Advocate role by taking on additional responsibilities as a Community Advocate.

How to apply

The application process is CV and a short covering note. For full details on how to apply, please apply via the link below and Jen D’Souza at Charity People will be in touch. Please indicate your preference for part time (25 hours) or full time (35 hours).

Early interest is encouraged as we are receiving applications on a rolling basis. Interviews will start taking place from mid-July 2025, with a view to start the role as soon as possible. The deadline is 5pm on Tuesday 22 July.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.

Battersea is entering an exciting phase of innovation and transformation during this first year of our new five-year strategy. With increased investment in income generation, we are strengthening our team to drive the growth necessary to achieve our organisational goals.bThis role sits within the Philanthropy, Partnerships & Commercial (PPC) team, made up of Philanthropy & Trusts, Corporate Partnerships & Commercial, Special Events & Stewardship, and Fundraising Operations.

The focus of the Philanthropy & Trusts team is to build a solid base of support through excellent stewardship of existing trusts and major donors alongside cultivation of new prospects, reached through prospect research and the networks of senior volunteers.
The key purpose of this Philanthropy Manager is to meet both financial and strategic KPIs, by managing a portfolio of key individual relationships and cultivating new prospects to support the long-term health of the Philanthropy pipeline. This role, together with Battersea’s other Philanthropy Manager, will also work closely with senior leadership, senior volunteers and other individuals to open up networks and introduce new major donors to Battersea.

What we can offer you:

In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, Battersea offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:

• 28 days of annual leave (plus 8 days paid public holidays) per year.
• Discounted gym memberships and cycle to work schemes.
• Employee Assistance Programme and access to Wellbeing Resources.
• Generous pension contributions - up to 10% employer contribution.
• Free healthcare cash plan, where you can claim for a range of treatment including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropody and acupuncture every year.
• Annual interest-free season ticket loans.

We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital and in-person training programmes, leadership and management training, mentoring and much more.

Our hybrid working model:

We operate a 50% onsite hybrid working model, with our office-based staff splitting their time between site based and home working. This enables our office-based staff to balance the benefits of home working with onsite collaboration and maintaining a connection to our cause.

Diversity and inclusion:

We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for all staff, volunteers and trustees and those hoping to join us. We operate an anonymised shortlisting process and actively seek to ensure our process is fair and equitable for all.

We understand the value of diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences to help us deliver even more for our dogs and cats, and we welcome applicants from all sections of the community.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we will ask about any adjustments you may need at application and/or interview stage, and if you are offered a role with us, we’ll talk to you about any workplace adjustments you may need to help you perform at your best.

More about us:

At Battersea, we aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. We give each one lots of love, expert care and get to know their characters and quirks so we can find them a new home that’s just right for them. Join us and help us be here for every dog and cat, wherever they are, for as long as they need us.

Closing date: 3rd August 2025
Interview date(s): w/c 11th August 2025 (1st round), w/c 18th August 2025 (2nd round)

All applications must be submitted before the closing date advertised. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received.

We're looking for a organised, proactive and resilient System Accountant to join our Finance Team located at our Head Office in Islington.

£62,000.00 per annum, working 35 hours per week.

Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.
Our benefits include:
* Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
* Free DBS (take this out if BSW advert)
* Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
* Fully paid induction programme and further training
* ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
* Cycle to work scheme
* Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
* Online wellbeing resources
* A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
* Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.
We are seeking a proactive and technically adept Systems Accountant to support the implementation of Unit4 ERP system within our housing association. The post holder is expected to take over the ongoing system admin role post go live. This pivotal role bridges finance and IT, ensuring seamless integration, data integrity, and enhanced financial reporting capabilities.

What you'll do:
ERP Implementation & Project Support
* Support the Project Team in the implementation of Unit4 ERP modules tailored to housing association needs.
* Assist in data migration activities, ensuring accurate and efficient transfer of financial data.
* Support the user acceptance testing to validate system functionality and data integrity.
* Provide training and support to end-users during and after the implementation phase.
System Administration & Support
* Act as the primary point of contact for all Unit4 ERP related queries and issues.
* Monitor system performance, troubleshoot issues, and implement necessary updates or patches.
* Maintain and update system documentation, including user guides and procedural manuals.
Financial Reporting & Analysis
* Develop and maintain financial reports and dashboards within Unit4 ERP to support decision-making.
* Ensure compliance with financial regulations and internal policies through system controls.
Continuous Improvement & Stakeholder Engagement
* Identify opportunities for system enhancements and process improvements.
* Liaise with internal stakeholders to gather requirements and ensure the system meets organizational needs.
* Stay abreast of Unit4 ERP updates and best practices to inform system development.

What you'll bring:

Essential:
* Proven experience in managing and supporting Unit4 ERP systems, preferably in the housing or public sector.
* Part Qualified Accountant (e.g., ACA, ACCA, CIMA) or equivalent experience.
* Strong understanding of financial accounting principles and processes.
* Experience in data migration, system testing, and user training.
* Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
* Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels

Desirable:
* Familiarity with housing association operations and sector-specific financial requirements.
* Experience in supporting ERP implementation projects.
* Knowledge of SQL or other reporting tools for data analysis.

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:
* We focus on Excellence and innovation.
* We are Caring and Compassionate.
* We are Inclusive and Trusted.
* We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Please see our website for full Job description

We're looking for 2 friendly, innovative and resilient Income and Housing Officers to join our Landlord Services Team located at our Head Office in Islington.

£32,000.00 - £36,000.00 per annum (depending on skills and experience), working 35 hours per week.

Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

Our benefits include:
* Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
* Free DBS (take this out if BSW advert)
* Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
* Fully paid induction programme and further training
* A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
* Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

As an Income and Housing Officer you will help to maximise the organisation's rental income collection,n effectively manage rent arrears and deal with other breaches of the occupancy agreement.

What you'll do:
* Take responsibility for maximising rent collection across a defined patch of Look Ahead's portfolio of properties ensuring that rent collection targets are met and tenancies sustained

* Advise operational teams on their support related arrears management activities, including holding local surgeries with tenants and staff, taking direct control of higher level and more complex arrears cases

* Proactively monitor all current and former accounts within the defined patch and make recommendations to the Housing Manager for appropriate former accounts to be written off or referred to Look Ahead's debt collection agency

* Ensure that the rent collection function is carried out both sensitively and in a timely fashion so as to avoid the build up of excessive arrears and record all case details accurately.

* Ensure that all sign ups within the defined patch are done accurately on the correct type of tenancy and at the correct rent and service charge levels.

* Prepare files and documents for legal action and present cases in County Court hearings for possession claims, money judgements

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:
? An understanding of the needs of customers who have experienced homelessness and who may also have support needs.
? Excellent time management skills to systematically monitor arrears and complete other tasks in a logical and systematic way.
? Excellent communication skills and experience of dealing with vulnerable people in a sensitive , friendly and clear manner.
? An understanding of how to effectively deal with breaches of occupancy such as anti-social behaviour and abandonment. .
? The ability to communicate clearly with non -housing management staff and explain cases in a non technical way.

What you'll bring:

Essential:
? Experience of monitoring rent accounts and managing rent arrears
? Experience of using computerised rent systems to monitor arrears and record information
? Extensive knowledge of welfare benefits ,especially housing benefit
? Experience of liaising with housing benefit departments ,the DWP and other external agencies.

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:
* We focus on Excellence and innovation.
* We are Caring and Compassionate.
* We are Inclusive and Trusted.
* We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Please see our website for full job description

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Chef to join our Edward Alsop Court Service in Westminster. No personal care or experience is required, just the right values.

£11,966.50 per annum, working 17.5 hours per week.

Want to feel like you're part of one team? You'll feel at home here.

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.
Our benefits include:
* Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
* Free DBS (take this out if BSW advert)
* Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
* Fully paid induction programme and further training
* ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
* Cycle to work scheme
* Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
* Online wellbeing resources
* A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
* Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

Our kitchen chef will prepare and cook meals for residents according to agreed menus. Oversees the service kitchen by managing any other members of the food preparation team, deciding what dishes to serve and adjusting orders to meet client's requests. Will assist in prep work and cleaning kitchen, but more often will be involved in cooking and serving dishes. There will be an expectation that the chef designs a menu based on client requirements in line with a set weekly budget. The chef will be expected to create calm, welcoming environment for a client group with complex needs.

Monday-Friday 3.30pm-7.30pm. 17.5 hours per week

What you'll do:

* To be responsible for the day-to-day supervision for all staff working in the kitchen/dining room
* To prepare and cook meals for residents according to agreed menus
* To ensure that meals are provided on time in accordance advertised meal times
* To ensure food kitchen hygiene meets a high standard at all times
* To ensure that all meals are appropriately presented and served
* To monitor all kitchen staff in safe methods of working with equipment and machinery
* To report any accident, breakage or fault in accordance with the stated procedure
* To maintain a high level of cleanliness and hygiene in all food preparation and serving areas
* To provide a high standard of service to customers at all times and to deal with customers comments and complaints appropriately
* Any other duties as designated by the line manager

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:

* Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
* Approachable and open behaviour
* Prefers working as part of a group or team
* Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
* Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised
* Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments
* Is confident with high levels of self-esteem
* Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
* Is essentially customer-focused
* Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude
* Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviours

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:
* We focus on Excellence and innovation.
* We are Caring and Compassionate.
* We are Inclusive and Trusted.
* We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

This is a key role within Learning and Work Institute, with responsibility for delivering high quality research, analysis and evaluation across learning, skills and employment.

Day to day duties:

• Design and deliver high quality research, analysis and evaluation, to time and budget. Researchers will work on a wide range of mixed methods research and evaluation projects across the learning, skills and employment sector.
• Manage small projects and lead on elements of large projects.
• Develop and implement appropriate research methodologies and methods, evaluation strategies and research tools. Projects generally include a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods, such as semi-structured interviews, focus groups, evidence reviews, surveys, analysis of management information and secondary data analysis.
•  Develop and manage systems for gathering, recording, analysing and presenting data from a range of projects for maximum impact.
• Contribute to the production of high-quality research, policy and evaluation reports, interpreting evidence in a way that is accessible to a wide range of audiences.
• Disseminate research findings through written reports, media articles, blogs and presentations. Communicate the work of L&W through print and broadcast media. Represent L&W at events and external meetings. 
• Support income generation by contributing to the preparation of funding proposals and responses to tenders.
• Undertake project administration and coordination tasks related to research activity.
• Supervise interns, associates and temporary staff, as required, including possible line management responsibility for research interns.

About you

The ideal candidate will bring strong knowledge and experience of a range of social research methods and an interest in the policy context for learning, skills and employment.

Essential criteria:

• Relevant degree, equivalent qualification(s) or evidence of equivalent experience.
• Understanding and application of a range of research, analysis and evaluation methodologies and methods.
• Ability to develop and use appropriate methods and tools to support high quality research.
• Excellent organisational and planning skills, that ensure work is effectively prioritised to meet deadlines.
• Strong track record of organising, co-ordinating and managing a range of activities against competing deadlines and priorities.
• Ability to work, unsupervised, under own initiative with a proactive approach to problem solving.
• Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to engage a range of audiences, stakeholders, funders and partners.
• Ability to write for and speak to a range of audiences to ensure impact.

Desirable Criteria:

• Ability to use a range of quantitative research methods with minimal guidance, such as survey design and analysis, data management, summary and descriptive statistics and the use of software for data analysis and visualisation (e.g. Excel, SPSS, Stata, R.
• Understanding of learning, skills and/or employment policy and/or practice across England and/or Wales.

A full job description and person specification is available on our website.

Benefits

Salary of £25,780 - £34,910, depending on experience and location

- 31 days' holiday increasing to 33 days after 5 years’ service, of which 3 are shutdown days in addition to public holidays.

- Generous company pension scheme with 8% employer contribution

- Group Life Assurance 3*salary

- Hybrid working (with 40%-60% of your time in the office)

- Flexible working practices

- Employee Development Scheme

- Retailer Discounts

- Enhanced occupational maternity, adoption, paternity and shared parental pay

- Enhanced occupational sick pay

- Eye care scheme

- Employee Assistance & Wellbeing Programme

- Silver award in Investors in People

How to apply

To apply, please upload your CV and a short supporting statement answering the 4 questions below (no more than 250 words per question please) and a cover letter.

1. Please tell us what attracted you to the researcher role at Learning and Work Institute. When answering this question, explain why you are interested in L&W in particular, and the attributes you bring to this specific role and the organisation.
2. Please outline your key research and analytical skills and capabilities, providing examples of how you have used them. When answering this question, explain how your skills and capabilities meet the job description and person specification. Examples should be detailed and include key considerations that you took into account when applying your skills and capabilities.
3. Please describe a time that you had to work as part of a team to deliver a project, and your role in delivering the project. When answering this question, explain the aspects of the project that you had responsibility for, how this related to the wider project and the steps you took to ensure there was effective teamwork and the project was successfully completed. Consider the key aspects to effective teamwork, and how these are demonstrated by your example.
4. Please tell us about a time you managed/coordinated a project or piece of work. How did you ensure that it was completed to time and quality expectations? When answering this question, explain the steps you took when managing/coordinating the project or piece of work, how you planned and prioritised tasks and the time required to complete them, and the outcome you achieved by doing this successfully.

Applications will only be considered when submitted with a CV and Cover letter

The closing date for applications is: 25th July 2025

Should you require any adjustments to participate in this recruitment process, please make this clear when you apply.

L&W is passionate about equality and diversity, it drives our organisational values and mission, and we are particularly keen to receive applications from all under-represented groups in society.