Community centre manager jobs

As Centre Fundraising Manager you will develop and implement a centre specific fundraising plan to raise income from the community through a variety of fundraising sources.  

You will be responsible for effectively and autonomously managing the full portfolio of activity relating to the centre and to manage complex networks and relationships which have a wider national focus.  

You will be responsible for fundraising across a range of income streams including businesses, individuals, community groups, volunteers and media contacts.  

There will be a requirement to work irregular hours as well as occasional overnight stays and UK travel. 

Please note that interviews will take place on Thursday 26th February.

Please see the attached job description for further details.

In Gateshead, Spear is partnering with Alive Church – Spear Gateshead is a part of Alive Church’s mission to change the culture of the city by bringing hope to unemployed young people.

Whilst the North-East is an amazing place to live, there are still challenges, with large disparities between Gateshead’s wealthier and poorer areas, and 23,600 people live in areas described as having deep deprivation. With this comes all the associated issues that poverty causes, including 1 in 4 children growing up in poverty and one of the worst levels of social mobility in the country.

Alive Church is a diverse community gathered from across Gateshead, Newcastle and the North East with a vision to see individuals, the church and communities across our region Come Alive in Jesus name. Together they are playing their part in the re-evangelisation of the nation, the revitalisation of the church and the transformation of society.

Key Information

Salary: £27,000, pro rata

Hours: 9.00am – 5.00pm, Monday –Thursday, Part-time (with some flexibility and occasional evening or weekend work for events such as Spear Celebrations)

Contract: Maternity Cover

Location: Alive Church Gateshead

Closing date: Monday 23rd February (We are interviewing on a rolling basis and might close the application early if we find the right candidate)

Please feel free to let us know if you may require any reasonable adjustments to participate fully in our recruitment process.

For more information please read through our Work With Us Information Pack and Job Specification.

Role Responsibilities

Oversight of the Spear Programme

• As a confident communicator, you will lead group sessions of around 10 young people each, using coaching skills to transform attitudes to their own ability and the workplace, and to raise their awareness and maximise potential in stepping into the world of work.
• Prepare and coach group and 1-1 sessions with the Spear Coach.
• Ensure the programme is delivered in line with agreed targets, and report KPIs on recruitment, retention and completion of Spear Trainees, as well as their ongoing progress and sustainment of work or education.

Partnership Liaison and Relationship Management

• Establish the primary local referral agencies and steward relationships with these, overseeing and building a strategy to ensure recruitment of young people onto the Spear programme is effective.
• Maintain and develop relationships with local partners to form a strong referral network.

Line Management and Training

• Manage the Spear Coach, using a coaching approach to invest in their growth and development.
• Work alongside the Programme Manager to analyse Spear Programme performance and ongoing operations of the centre, and report back on KPIs.

Church Community

• The Spear Centre Manager is directly employed by Alive Church, meaning you are part of a vibrant church staff team and submerged in an exciting faith community.
• You will be required to establish strong relationships with key people at the church to ensure the engagement and backing of church members and help the Spear Coach to establish a strong presence at the church to build a network of supporters for the Spear programme.
• Ensure the Spear programme is a key missional feature of the work of the church; this may involve attending church events and speaking at services.

Site Management

• Work with the Church to coordinate the training room and any infrastructure needs for the Spear Centre.
• Liaise with relevant staff locally on-site issues and work to resolve them as soon as possible, ensuring the office and training room are safe and tidy working spaces in line with health and safety policies.

Person Specification

• An active Christian, able to personally represent the values and beliefs of Spear and Alive Church, and a commitment to grow and learn spiritually and as a Christian leader.
• A dynamic and engaging coach with an enthusiasm for and direct experience of coaching and training techniques.
• Passion for social justice and for working as part of the church to transform communities, especially supporting young people in employment or education.
• An entrepreneurial and ambitious individual who enjoys starting new projects, works well under pressure and can translate ideas into practice with creativity.
• Self-motivated with strong leadership, management and organisational skills with the ability to exercise initiative and prioritise workload.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a confidence in group facilitation, high emotional intelligence, and a sense of fun!

Build a resident-led network of community support on the Bourne and Tybalds Estates (in Holborn & Covent Garden ward).  The project focuses on estates experiencing high levels of deprivation and inequality, supporting residents to develop skills, confidence and ownership so they can shape, deliver and sustain community-led activities, events and campaigns.  Getting involved now offers the chance to shape the project itself and work with people to create a truly empowering, enriching project making a difference to people’s lives. 

We are seeking someone who:

• Can engage with the community in an open, accessible and inclusive way to understand their needs
• Has experience involving volunteers in ongoing, active participation in their community
• Is confident organising themselves and others

Thrive (Community Council for Somerset) is a countywide charity supporting communities to thrive.

Our work starts on the ground. We listen to people, respond to need, and help communities build strength, connection and resilience.

We are growing and changing. Alongside our commissioned work, we are investing in fundraising so we can increase unrestricted income, tell our story better, and build long-term sustainability.

The Fundraising Manager will lead and develop Thrive’s fundraising activity, with trusts and foundations at its core and a growing focus on community fundraising, events, and individual giving.

This role replaces our Trusts and Foundations Officer post and brings together grant fundraising, supporter development and team leadership into one coherent function.

You will line manage our Fundraising Administrator and support their development, including helping them begin to take on smaller grants and applications.

You will also work closely with the Head of Development and Communications to test and develop new income streams over time.

This is a hands-on role for a confident self-starter who understands community development and can translate impact into income.

For more information on what you'll be doing please read the attached job description and person spec.

We’re an award-winning charity running local learning centres in the heart of the communities where the young people we support live. Our centres provide a high-impact education programme which includes practical learning support, pastoral care, and motivational and confidence-building activities for young people aged 7-18. Our aim is to enable students from the least advantaged neighbourhoods to realise their ambitions and achieve their wonderful potential.

As the UK’s leading university access organisation, our staff team is helping 56,000 young people each year at its 44 learning centres and extension projects across England and Scotland, and we plan to scale-up our provision to 50 centres over the coming years.

We are looking for a high-calibre candidate who will enjoy working each day with young people and who will thrive in a frontline, community-based, fast-paced and rewarding role. You will be taking up a permanent role as Centre Leader at our IntoUniversity centre in Middlesbrough. You will have responsibility for running your IntoUniversity centre, including managing your team, planning and delivering the programme, liaising with external stakeholders and meeting  IntoUniversity’s targets for delivery.

A substantial element of this role is delivering our education programme to children and young people aged 7-18, so you will need to have a genuine passion and enthusiasm for working with young people, including leading a class of 30 from the front, working with small teams of children and providing one-to-one support.

The role at a glance

Contract: Full-time, permanent

Application deadline - 9am Tuesday 24th February 2026

Interview day (in-person) - Thursday 5th March 2026

Start date: As soon as possible, to be agreed directly with the successful candidate

Working hours
Mon and Thurs: 09:30-18:00
Tues, Weds, Fri: 09:00-17:30

(Some additional weekend & unsocial hours will be required)

Centre Leaders are based at one of our IntoUniversity learning centres and work directly with young people, schools and families on a daily basis. It is therefore not a hybrid role and is based full-time in our centres

Location

IntoUniversity Middlesbrough

The role requires intermittent travel in your region (usually within the day). Periodic travel out of the area is also required e.g. to London, this may include occasional overnight stays. 

Salary

£36,400 per annum.

Annual leave
33 days (inc bank & public holidays) + 3 closure days (two in December and one in July) + additional length of service entitlement (one day per year of service, up to 5 days)

Staff benefits

• Employer pension contributions of 6% (and up to 8% after two years)
• Year round ‘early finish’ Fridays at 4.30pm
• Summer working hours (finish at 1pm on Fridays for six weeks in the summer), pro-rated for staff joining after January in the same year 
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to wellbeing and legal support 
• Life Assurance scheme with Aviva including SmartHealth service with access to 24/7 online GP appointments
• Interest-free new starter loans of up to £1,000
• Cycle to Work Scheme and Travelcard Loan Scheme
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption pay and sick pay allowances
• Staff in FOCUS – rewards, competitions and prizes across the year

To enable Operation Smile’s global surgical activities, OSUK’s Partnerships Team works to maximise high-potential income channels such as corporate partnerships, major donors, community fundraisers and trusts and foundations.

We have created an exciting new position in our team for an ambitious and confident relationship fundraiser. Working as part of the Partnership Team, the Philanthropy Manager position will secure critical income from new and existing major donors through compelling, donor-centred approaches and excellent stewardship.

The position will build on existing relationships with individuals who make significant personal donations, aiming to grow their contributions, as well as making approaches to new prospects, working closely with the Director of Partnerships.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

Philanthropy Development

• Ensure achievement of annual income target for philanthropy
• Develop and implement plans for a structured philanthropy programme, for both new and existing donors, aligning their giving with our strategic priorities
• Take primary responsibility for managing the current small pool of major donors, to grow and sustain their giving – strategic development of each relationship will be essential
• Develop and maintain a pipeline of new major donor prospects, creating propositions/proposals and making approaches, working with the Director of Partnerships
• Seek peer-to-peer introductions to new prospects, from existing donors, board members and other contacts
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting to donors and internal stakeholders
• Work with the Communications team to generate media presence and content to attract philanthropic interest from new prospects
• Represent Operation Smile UK in global philanthropy discussions, applying any global strategies to develop successful fundraising plans for the UK
• Lead on development and management of any philanthropy cultivation events

Additional Responsibilities

• Create and maintain annual philanthropy budget and business plan, including activities from current supporters and forecasting new business income

Additional Information

• 2 years’ experience in a philanthropy or business development role
• We promote flexible and hybrid working, with 2 days per week in our London office in Battersea (nearest stations Clapham Junction and Wandsworth Town). There will also be some UK travel for meetings, conferences and events.
• Some overseas travel required to visit projects and partner countries, a highlight of the role!

First-round interviews are set for the week of 2nd March 2026. We strongly encourage early applications.

Disability Confident Committed Employer

We're a Disability Confident Committed employer, so we guarantee an interview to any disabled applicant who meets the minimum requirements for the job.

At Operation Smile UK, we value individuals based on their performance and potential. We're dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that supports everyone's needs. We're happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the application and employment process, and we particularly welcome applications from diverse backgrounds.

If you need this document in a different format, require any adjustments, or need help with your application, please contact us (further details contained within the job description).

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Operation Smile UK knows fundraising could better reflect the diverse backgrounds and experiences of the people the charity sector supports. If you don’t meet every requirement but believe your transferable skills align with the role, we encourage you to contact us for a conversation. 

We want our team to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, offering equal opportunities to everyone, regardless of, age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We celebrate diversity and encourage you to bring your authentic self to Operation Smile UK. We are committed to supporting all applicants and ensuring a fair hiring process. All appointments will be made solely on merit, and we are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. 

Community Fundraising & Engagement Manager

Salary: £40,000 per annum
Location: North London or Bristol (hybrid – 2 days per week in the office)
Contract: Full-time, permanent

Are you a people-centred fundraiser who thrives on building meaningful relationships in local communities?

We’re working with a well-established UK charity seeking a Community Fundraising & Engagement Manager to grow income and deepen connections across two key regions. This is a hands-on, outward-facing role for someone who enjoys inspiring supporters, working collaboratively, and turning community enthusiasm into long-term impact.

The role

This role brings together community fundraising, supporter engagement and regional relationship management. You’ll work closely with individuals, volunteer fundraisers, community groups and local businesses, helping them feel confident, valued and motivated to support the charity’s work.

While you’ll be aligned to either North London or Bristol as your primary base, the focus is very much on community presence, partnership building and stewardship, rather than being office-bound.

Key elements of the role include:

• Developing and growing a portfolio of community and local corporate supporters
• Supporting and motivating volunteer fundraisers, providing excellent stewardship throughout their journey
• Identifying new opportunities within local communities, networks and organisations
• Delivering and supporting a programme of community-led fundraising activity and events
• Building long-term relationships that encourage repeat support and advocacy
• Working collaboratively with colleagues to share insight, ideas and best practice

About you

This role would suit someone who is confident, empathetic and highly organised, with a genuine belief in the power of community.

You’ll likely bring:

• Experience in community, regional or relationship-based fundraising
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences
• A proactive and creative approach to generating and developing fundraising opportunities
• Confidence managing multiple relationships and priorities at once
• Experience using a CRM or fundraising database
• A flexible approach, with occasional out-of-hours or event work

What’s on offer

• Salary of £40,000 per annum
• Hybrid working with two days per week in the office
• Choice of North London or Bristol as your main base
• A supportive, values-led working culture
• The opportunity to play a visible role in strengthening community engagement and supporter relationships

This is an exciting opportunity for a fundraiser who believes that strong communities create lasting change, and who wants a role with real autonomy, variety and purpose.

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and oppose all forms of unlawful discrimination. We recruit fairly, transparently and in line with the Equality Act 2010, welcoming candidates from all backgrounds.

NEON is a not- for profit Organtision 

Our Mission is to remove structural barriers within the arts and creative industries by creating equitable access to training, space, professional experience and paid work.

We centre children, young people and emerging creatives from underrepresented and underprivileged communities, ensuring talent is supported not only creatively, but economically and professionally.

We are seeking to expand our team capacity to deliver transformational growth across our creative programming. The Business Development Manager will  transition NEON from project-based delivery to sustainable, recurring programmes while scaling our impact within the creative industries and local community.

Job Description

You will work closely with both our external cross-sector funders, clients and internal delivery partners and teams to provide a service that exceeds expectations by  monitoring progress and continually adapting and improving effectiveness to meet changing needs

The postholder will:

• Expand income generation through studio hires, memberships, events, and trading

• Securing sponsorships, multi-year funding, and philanthropic donations

• Develop contracts and partnerships with schools, local authorities, and corporate entities

• Strengthening impact reporting and financial reporting and management

• Supporting the Founder and Artistic Director to build a resilient business model across our sites in Vauxhall from 2026. 

Role Profile - Essential Experience and Skills 

• 5 years plus demonstrable experience of income generation  and management, delivering on time and within budget 

• Demonstrable experience of budget management - strong financial literacy, commercial awareness and analytical 

• You enjoy working in an entrepreneurial and creative, start-up environment - understanding that this may mean doing what is needed to get the outcome, even if not within one’s own role

• You have resilience to change course and adapt priorities as needed by the business

• You are as comfortable working independently as you are as part of a team

• You enjoy working with a small team and contributing to the broader ambition of the whole organisation and being an ambassador for our work

• Willing to be based in our studio in Vauxhall

• Substantial experience of relationship building and collaborative partnership with people from all sectors and backgrounds - especially at senior management/executive level e.g. stakeholders, funders and delivery partners

• Demonstrable track record of managing and monitoring performance to meet objectives and delivery of targets 

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to articulate and present ideas clearly, coherently and persuasively in the written format as well as verbally 

• Ability to think, act and communicate strategically and creatively

• Ability to be self-servicing including proficient use of Microsoft IT and Google Suite package

Desirable

• Knowledge and/or experience of the arts and creative industries, in a startup or with creative entrepreneurs is desirable though not essential. We would still like to hear from you if you have experience leading and delivering high-profile projects and are committed to making a difference.

• You are passionate about the arts and creative sectors, wanting to use your abilities to nurture the talents of others and increase diversity within these sectors

About Grapevine Wellbeing Centre

·Grapevine Wellbeing Centre is an independent charity supporting adults within our community to improve and maintain their own mental health. We do this through bringing people together, promoting creativity and embracing the natural environment as tools to move people forward.

·As the project coordinator, you will work in conjunction with the trustees to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the charity, including the daily health and safety.

·We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We warmly welcome applications from people of colour, people living with a disability, and those with lived experience of marginalisation. If you need any adjustments to participate in the recruitment process, please let us know.

About the role

The majority of our charity's funding comes from the National Lottery Community Fund, and we are now looking for a project coordinator to join our team. This role is funded until March 2029. The Project Coordinator will maintain, improve, and sustain all three strands of the charity: Weekday Grapevine, Community Grapevine, and Evening and Weekend Grapevine.

Key Responsibilities:

·The running of the Wellbeing Centre and drop-in sessions, groups/courses and community activities run through the Centre.

·Ensuring that all financial transactions and cash handling systems are properly and effectively recorded.

·The support and training of volunteers.

·To engage in community activities outside the Centre

To apply, please email your CV and a covering letter explaining how your skills and experience make you a strong fit for this role using the person specification as your guide.

Person Specifications

We’re looking for passionate individuals who care deeply about people, community, and equity, and who have a strong understanding of mental health.

Community Engagement & Inclusion

• • Experience designing and leading inclusive activities
  • Commitment to involving marginalised groups
  • Strong communication and volunteer management skills

Practical & Creative Skills

• • Confidence leading hands-on activities
  • An understanding of health and safety requirements
  • Skilled in monitoring, reporting and funding bids

Evaluation and monitoring

• • Excellent IT skills, including Canva, Eventbrite and Microsoft Office
  • Ability to implement and manage systems to track and evaluate project progress

Personal Qualities

• • Passionate advocate for wellbeing
  • Creative and self-motivated
  • Comfortable working independently and in emotionally sensitive environments
  • Skilled at managing group dynamics and defusing situations
  • Clear understanding of professional boundaries
  • Proven project coordination experience

The CEO will play a pivotal leadership role in ensuring the continued success and sustainability of Clwyd Special Riding Centre. This is a wide-ranging role combining strategic leadership with hands-on people management.

The postholder will oversee the daily running of the Centre while also working closely with Trustees to deliver long-term development plans. The role demands strong financial and organisational management, excellent people skills, and the ability to balance compassion with pragmatism.

The CEO will act as a key ambassador for the Centre, building relationships with supporters, stakeholders, and the wider community to secure funding and grow the charity’s impact.  The CEO will create the strategic plans for the next 5 years and work with the Trustees, Stakeholders and Staff to implement the plan.

This is an exciting opportunity to transition the organisation into a sustainable, self-funded and agile organisation able to meet the needs of their traditional participant and those members of the community who could benefit from equine activities.

LD:NorthEast is a local charity supporting people across North Tyneside who have lived experience of learning disabilities, learning difficulties and autism.

You’ll be responsible for:

· Managing and leading the Community Outreach team who provide support to people with learning disabilities, learning difficulties and/or autism.

· Ensuring LD:NorthEast provides a high quality Community Outreach service via 1:1 support in the community, group sessions and a short break service.

· Ensuring the Community Outreach service provides person centered support in line with individual support plans and/or requirements, family requirements and local authority commissioning.

· Ensuring the quality of life of the people we support is maintained or improved and they are given full support to achieve the best possible outcomes to Live Life their Way.

· Promoting the Community Outreach Service to commissioners, professionals and families.

· Ensuring the Community Outreach support team adheres to Safeguarding reporting procedures.

· Being a member of the Senior Management Team.

· Providing direct Outreach support when required.

We’re an award-winning charity running local learning centres in the heart of the communities where the young people we support live. Our centres provide a high-impact education programme which includes practical learning support, pastoral care, and motivational and confidence-building activities for young people aged 7-18. Our aim is to enable students from the least advantaged neighbourhoods to realise their ambitions and achieve their wonderful potential.

As the UK’s leading university access organisation, our staff team is helping 56,000 young people each year at its 44 learning centres and extension projects across England and Scotland, and we plan to scale-up our provision to 50 centres over the coming years.

We are looking for a high-calibre candidate who will enjoy working each day with young people and who will thrive in a frontline, community-based, fast-paced and rewarding role. You will be taking up a permanent role as Centre Leader at our IntoUniversity centre in Clacton-on-Sea. You will have responsibility for running your IntoUniversity centre, including managing your team, planning and delivering the programme, liaising with external stakeholders and meeting  IntoUniversity’s targets for delivery.

A substantial element of this role is delivering our education programme to children and young people aged 7-18, so you will need to have a genuine passion and enthusiasm for working with young people, including leading a class of 30 from the front, working with small teams of children and providing one-to-one support.

The role at a glance

Contract: Full-time, permanent

Application deadline - 9am Monday 2nd March 2026.

Interview day (in-person) - Friday 13th March 2026.

Start date: As soon as possible, to be agreed directly with the successful candidate

Working hours
Mon and Thurs: 09:30-18:00
Tues, Weds, Fri: 09:00-17:30

(Some additional weekend & unsocial hours will be required)

Centre Leaders are based at one of our IntoUniversity learning centres and work directly with young people, schools and families on a daily basis. It is therefore not a hybrid role and is based full-time in our centres

Location

IntoUniversity Clacton-on-Sea

The role requires intermittent travel in your region (usually within the day). Periodic travel out of the area is also required e.g. to London, this may include occasional overnight stays. 

Salary

£36,400 per annum.

Annual leave
33 days (inc bank & public holidays) + 3 closure days (two in December and one in July) + additional length of service entitlement (one day per year of service, up to 5 days)

Staff benefits

• Employer pension contributions of 6% (and up to 8% after two years)
• Year round ‘early finish’ Fridays at 4.30pm
• Summer working hours (finish at 1pm on Fridays for six weeks in the summer), pro-rated for staff joining after January in the same year 
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to wellbeing and legal support 
• Life Assurance scheme with Aviva including SmartHealth service with access to 24/7 online GP appointments
• Interest-free new starter loans of up to £1,000
• Cycle to Work Scheme and Travelcard Loan Scheme
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption pay and sick pay allowances
• Staff in FOCUS – rewards, competitions and prizes across the year

About Working Well Trust

Working Well Trust is a mental health and employment charity in London. All of our projects share the aim of improving the lives of people with mental health support needs, learning disabilities and/or complex issues through training and employment.

We are recruiting a Community Outreach & Partnerships Officer to support the delivery of the Connect to Work programme across Kingston and Sutton. This is a full-time role (35 hours per week), working Monday to Friday, with core hours of 9.00am–4.30pm. Hybrid working is available, with a minimum of three days on site per week. Evening work may be required on occasion.

You will report to the Connect to Work Operations Manager and work closely with internal teams and local stakeholders to ensure the service is well integrated and reaches residents who will benefit most.

What you’ll be doing

If you were working with us, your days would be varied, outward-facing and rooted in partnership working. You would play a key role in building and maintaining strong relationships across Kingston and Sutton, working with local organisations to ensure eligible residents are identified, engaged and referred into the Connect to Work programme.

You would proactively engage with a wide range of partners, including Local Authority teams, Jobcentre Plus, health services, VCSE organisations and community groups. This would involve attending forums and partnership meetings, delivering tailored information sessions and presentations, and promoting the Connect to Work service so that referral pathways are clear, effective and aligned with contractual targets.

A central part of the role is ensuring Connect to Work is well integrated with existing local provision. You would work alongside partner teams, including co-locating where appropriate, to support warm handovers into the service and improve participant journeys. You would also identify gaps in local provision and work with internal colleagues to develop solutions that improve access and outcomes for residents.

You would manage and develop strong working relationships with key stakeholders, supported by the Operations Manager and Senior Integration and Partnership Manager. This includes maintaining regular 

communication with partners, contributing to partnership action plans, and providing updates on progress, impact and service developments. You would work collaboratively with internal teams to maximise opportunities for skills development, vacancies and sustainable employment outcomes.

Alongside outreach activity, you would ensure all work is delivered in line with contract requirements, safeguarding protocols and data protection standards. You would maintain accurate records of partnership engagement and referrals, provide timely updates and reports to support service monitoring, and contribute to internal meetings, service reviews and audits. The role also includes attending supervision, appraisal, training and development activities, and acting as a positive ambassador for the organisation by embedding its values in all interactions.

Above all, this role suits someone who enjoys working with people, building trusted partnerships, and helping communities connect with opportunities that support long-term employment and wellbeing.

What you’ll need

We are looking for someone who brings the following skills and experience:

• Experience of outreach, partnership working or community engagement within employment, health, social care or VCSE settings

• A strong understanding of the importance of integration and partnership working within employability programmes

• The ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders

• Confident verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly and persuasively

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment

• Experience of working towards targets or outcomes while maintaining a people-centred approach

• Good digital skills, including Microsoft Office and the use of databases or CRM systems

• An understanding of confidentiality, safeguarding and data protection (GDPR) requirements

• A clear commitment to equality, inclusion and supporting people who face barriers to employment

The following experience and knowledge would be beneficial, but is not essential:

• Knowledge of Kingston’s local labour market, services and community networks

• Experience of working on government-funded employability programmes

• Experience of engaging people with mental health and/or physical health needs

• Experience of monitoring, recording or reporting on outreach and referral activity

What we offer 

• £35,000 per year 

• 30 days annual leave plus public holidays (FTE) 

• Paid company closed days at the end of the year (FTE) 

• Flexible, paid Wellbeing Hour every fortnight (FTE) 

• 6% employer pension contribution 

• Working Well Trust is an equal opportunities employer and Confident about Disabilities. 

What's next

• We actively recruit and carefully review all applications. Due to rapid service expansion, we have onboarded 20 external hires in the last six months. 

• Career development is real here: in the past year, 10 colleagues have progressed internally into Senior roles, Project Lead, Team Lead, and Operations Manager positions. We value ambition and celebrate progression. 

• To ensure we can best support the people and communities we serve, we progress applications only where candidates provide meaningful answers to the screening questions.

If you are ready to help us build a service that supports people into meaningful work, click Apply to submit your CV and answer the screening questions. Telephone and final interviews will be confirmed. 

Start your application today and take the next step in a rewarding career. 

Sydenham Garden is seeking a Community Activities & Volunteering Lead on a Fixed term contract to end of December 2027 to join our team of 14 staff and approximately 70 volunteers in delivering adult mental health and dementia services in our beautiful garden settings in south-east London. 

Position: Community Activities & Volunteering Lead

Contract: Fixed term to 31st December 2027, full time - 37.5 hours per week. Some regular working outside Monday-Friday 9-5 may be required, for which TOIL will be available. Part time and flexible working applications also considered.

Salary: £32,644 plus 6% pension contribution.

Annual Leave: 33 days inclusive of Bank Holidays.

Location: Sydenham Garden Resource Centre, SE23 2LW & De Frene Market Garden, SE26 4AB.

Application closing date: Thursday 5 March 2026, 9am.

Interview date: Thursday 12 March 2026.

About the role

Sydenham Garden, based in Lewisham in South-East London, is a unique wellbeing centre utilising its gardens, nature reserve and activity rooms to help people living with and recovering from mental and physical ill-health. We provide nature and arts based creative, social and therapeutic activities for co-workers (the name we give to our primary beneficiaries). With funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to help us ‘grow our community’ and increase the sustainability of our impact we’re seeking a Community Activities & Volunteering Lead to drive continuous improvement and development of volunteer-led community activities for the benefit of co-workers as well as managing the day to day running of our volunteer programme.

About you

You’ll have experience of recruiting, working with, and managing volunteers, including delivery of skill-building and development activities for volunteers with Lived Experience of mental and/or physical ill health. You’ll have excellent people skills and the ability to demonstrate sensitivity, kindness, and a person-centred understanding of different mental, physical, and neurological needs. You’ll have experience of delivering group activities and working with people with mental/physical-ill health and/or dementia. You’ll have line management experience and be able to provide strategic direction as well as be able to innovate and develop new initiatives and balance competing priorities while being willing to play a team role and get stuck into different activities.

Why you should join us 

We’re a friendly team who are passionate about creating a supportive and inclusive community for people living with mental and physical ill-health. You’ll be part of a supportive team of staff and volunteers, and benefit from spending time in our beautiful gardens and nature reserve.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

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

Recruitment Timeline

Deadline for applications: Thursday 5th March 2026, 9am.

Interviews: Thursday 12th March 2026.

PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENT BELOW TO DOWNLOAD THE JOB DESCRIPTION & PERSON SPECIFICATION AND FOR FULL DETAILS OF HOW TO APPLY INCLUDING OUR EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES MONITORING FORM.