Community coordinator jobs in birmingham, west midlands

An exciting opportunity to be involved in the development of a growing adult literacy charity as it expands across Central England

One in 20 adults in the UK has never learnt to read at all. This can have a serious impact on their confidence and wellbeing, limiting access to training, employment, and everyday opportunities that many take for granted. Being unable to read as an adult can be isolating and dangerous, reinforces social inequality, restricts economic growth, and worsens intergenerational disadvantage - but it is never too late to learn.

Read Easy helps adults transform their lives by learning to read. It does this by supporting its growing network of locally run, volunteer-led affiliated groups that offer free, confidential, one-to-one reading coaching—both in person and online to adults - aged from 18-88. 

With its free, flexible, confidential approach, Read Easy encourages people who are too embarrassed to join a class to come forward for one-to-one support. Each new reader is provided with their own personal Reading Coach, so that they can learn in private and at their own pace. Learning to read transforms their lives in many other ways as well, including enabling them to support their children’s and grandchildren’s reading, and so transfers the benefits to the next generation.

There are currently 80 affiliated Read Easy groups across England, together involving more than a thousand volunteers. Read Easy UK is the registered charity and umbrella organisation which supports this network of affiliated volunteer groups and provides the structure, training and support to enable volunteers to establish groups in new areas.

As our Central Regional Adviser, your role would be to provide strategic leadership, guidance, and oversight to ensure that all volunteer groups consistently deliver high-quality services aligned with Read Easy UK’s strategy.

You will support local volunteer leaders to strengthen group performance, and foster collaboration across affiliated groups, so that that they deliver coaching to Readers with consistent quality, and a positive and worthwhile experience is had by all.

You will also find volunteers to ‘pioneer’ three new groups in the counties where there is no Read Easy presence in the East and West Midlands and East of England and provide them and our 29 existing groups and pioneers in the region, with high-quality support. Your quality support will ensure that they provide the same for their volunteers and new Readers. From meeting (mostly online) with Team Leaders to provide one to one support, and hosting online and annual in-person volunteer forums, to delivering presentations and occaisonal training for small groups of volunteers, this is a dynamic and rewarding role.

This is a home-based post requiring flexibility, some early evening working and occaisional travel to visit groups. The role is available on either a full or part time basis (min 32 hours p/w, 85% of 37.5 hours p/w FTE).

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Live within one of the following areas: West Midlands (Defined as the 7 metropolitan boroughs of Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, and Wolverhampton), Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire or Rutland;
• have been employed to work with volunteers for at least two years;
• have strong people management and interpersonal skills; excellent communication skills; and the confidence to run meetings and deliver presentations.

Salary & Benefits 

• Annual Salary £25,075 (85% FTE) -£29,500 (100% FTE)
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays and Christmas closing and 2 days volunteering leave – pro-rata for part time roles
• Company sick pay to financially support you when you are unwell (above statutory upon completion of probationary period) 
• Support when extending your family – company parental and adoption pay (above statutory after 12 months service) 
• Access to RewardHub – which gives retail discounts and has a ‘Wellbeing Centre’ with tools, tips, recipes, workout videos and guides which will help you to reach your own wellbeing goals 
• Training and Development opportunities and resources – we are developing personal plans in this area to enhance employee experience and opportunity 
• A collaborative, creative and inspiring working environment full of committed and passionate employees and inspirational volunteers 

We strive to ensure our recruitment practices are fair, open, easy to access and as inclusive as possible. We aim to recruit a team which broadly reflect the local communities which we serve; to work with and learn from each other to continually improve the service we deliver to our Readers. Our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Group is actively promoting and advancing diversity and inclusion, ensuring a culture where everyone can be themselves and thrive. We welcome you to apply and be your authentic self.

When applying for a job with us, if an applicant has a disability covered by the definition outlined within the Equality Act 2010 and can show that they meet the ‘essential criteria’ described in the person specification for the role being applied for, they are guaranteed an interview for the job for which they are applying through our Disability Confident scheme.

If you need any support with your application, please contact us,

The closing date for this post is 10:00 Tuesday 15th July 2025. Should you be shortlisted, the first round of interviews will take place online on Wednesday 23rd July, with in-person interviews, being held in Gloucestershire or West Midlands, on Tuesday 29th July 2025. 

The successful candidate will be invited to meet the team on 31st July in Birmingham, should they be able to do so.

About Brake
Brake is the UK’s leading road safety charity, dedicated to supporting people affected by road crashes and advocating for safer streets. Since 1995, we have been helping victims and their families to navigate the devastating impact of road collisions through the National Road Victim Service—providing immediate, compassionate, and tailored support for those who have been bereaved or seriously injured. Our mission goes beyond recovery; we campaign tirelessly for legislative and societal changes to prevent future tragedies and make roads safer for everyone.

Join us as a Caseworker – East Midlands Region - To apply for this role, you MUST be a resident in the East Midlands area.

This year, Brake celebrates 30 years of life-changing work, and we’re looking for a committed and compassionate Caseworker to help us continue making an impact. If you are based in the East Midlands region and want to help people at their most vulnerable moments, this could be the role for you.

Every 20 minutes, someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads. For families affected, the emotional and practical challenges are immense. As a Caseworker, you will provide direct, trauma-informed care to individuals and families suffering from the sudden bereavement or life-altering injury of a loved one. Working mostly remotely, with home visits to service users, you’ll offer vital emotional and practical support—including helping them access therapeutic resources, financial assistance, and guidance through the complexities of medical and legal processes.

This role is flexible, allowing you to structure your own working pattern within weekdays from 8AM to 6PM. While travel is required, you’ll have control over your diary. The work is challenging but immensely rewarding, requiring resilience, empathy, and a dedication to making a real difference in people’s lives.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing direct support to road victims and their families in the East Midlands  region, following Brake’s trauma-informed model of care.
• Managing a caseload of service users, ensuring their emotional, practical, and advocacy needs are met.
• Undertaking comprehensive needs assessments and creating individualised support plans
• Offering emotional and practical support—this can include helping families access therapeutic resources, financial aid, or even facilitating keepsakes to honour the memory of their loved ones
• Liaising with professionals, including police officers, Family Liaison Officers, mental health services, coroners, GPs, and other support organisations.
• Advocating for victims within medical, legal, and social services to ensure their voices are heard.
• Providing support through multiple channels, including in-person, remote calls, video chats, and messaging, depending on service user preferences.
• Completing safeguarding assessments and escalating concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead when needed.
• Maintaining accurate case records in compliance with data protection policies.
• Engaging in external clinical supervision to manage personal resilience and well-being.
• Participating in team meetings, training, and professional development to ensure the highest standard of service delivery.

What We Offer

• £20,800 per year (fixed term contract, maternity cover until August 2026).
• Flexible working hours—working pattern can be shaped around your needs.
• Mostly remote work, with travel to service users’ homes or safe meeting places (mileage expenses reimbursed).
• Death in service benefit, to the value of 2 x salary.
• 36 days annual leave, including bank holidays and compulsory end of year shutdown (pro rata for part time working patterns).
• Employee assistance program, including counselling, legal and financial advice.
• External trauma consultant support to aid in caseworker resilience.
• Structured induction, training, and ongoing development including in trauma-informed support and risk management.

Who We’re Looking For

Essential Requirements:

• A full, clean UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle.
• Resident in the East Midlands area.
• Experience in frontline support services, preferably involving sudden bereavement or heightened vulnerabilities.
• Strong advocacy and research skills to liaise with multiple organisations on behalf of service users.
• Competency in I.T skills to work remotely.

Desirable Experience:

· Comprehensive understanding of the processes involved in the criminal justice system and coronial process

Personal Qualities:

• Self-motivated and resilient—able to navigate emotionally challenging situations.
• Empathetic and compassionate, with a commitment to helping others.
• Adaptable and creative, able to tailor support methods to individual needs.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, able to collaborate with professionals and service users alike.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Brake is passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We welcome your application whatever your background or situation. We particularly welcome applications from those who are part of the global majority, the LGBTQIA+ community or disabled. We are proud to be a disability confident employer. We don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it. So, if you have a passion for making a difference and share in our vision for a world where no one is killed on our roads, we would love to hear from you.

About Brake
Brake is the UK’s leading road safety charity, dedicated to supporting people affected by road crashes and advocating for safer streets. Since 1995, we have been helping victims and their families to navigate the devastating impact of road collisions through the National Road Victim Service—providing immediate, compassionate, and tailored support for those who have been bereaved or seriously injured. Our mission goes beyond recovery; we campaign tirelessly for legislative and societal changes to prevent future tragedies and make roads safer for everyone.

Join us as a Caseworker – Kent, Essex & East Region - To apply for this role, you MUST be a resident in the Kent or Essex area.

This year, Brake celebrates 30 years of life-changing work, and we’re looking for a committed and compassionate Caseworker to help us continue making an impact. If you are based in the Kent or Essex area and want to help people at their most vulnerable moments, this could be the role for you.

Every 20 minutes, someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads. For families affected, the emotional and practical challenges are immense. As a Caseworker, you will provide direct, trauma-informed care to individuals and families suffering from the sudden bereavement or life-altering injury of a loved one. Working mostly remotely, with home visits to service users, you’ll offer vital emotional and practical support—including helping them access therapeutic resources, financial assistance, and guidance through the complexities of medical and legal processes.

This role is flexible, allowing you to structure your own working pattern within weekdays from 8am to 6pm. While travel is required, you’ll have control over your diary. The work is challenging but immensely rewarding, requiring resilience, empathy, and a dedication to making a real difference in people’s lives.

Key Responsibilities

· Providing direct support to road victims and their families in the Kent, Essex & East region, following Brake’s trauma-informed model of care.

· Managing a caseload of service users, ensuring their emotional, practical, and advocacy needs are met.

· Undertaking comprehensive needs assessments and creating individualised support plans

· Offering emotional and practical support—this can include helping families access therapeutic resources, financial aid, or even facilitating keepsakes to honour the memory of their loved ones

· Liaising with professionals, including police officers, Family Liaison Officers, mental health services, coroners, GPs, and other support organisations.

· Advocating for victims within medical, legal, and social services to ensure their voices are heard.

· Providing support through multiple channels, including in-person, remote calls, video chats, and messaging, depending on service user preferences.

· Completing safeguarding assessments and escalating concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead when needed.

· Maintaining accurate case records in compliance with data protection policies.

· Engaging in external clinical supervision to manage personal resilience and well-being.

· Participating in team meetings, training, and professional development to ensure the highest standard of service delivery.

What We Offer

· £15,600 per year (12 months fixed term with the possibility of extension depending on funding)

· Flexible working hours—working pattern can be shaped around your needs.

· Mostly remote work, with travel to service users’ homes or safe meeting places (mileage expenses reimbursed).

· Death in service benefit, to the value of 2 x salary.

· 36 days annual leave, including bank holidays and compulsory end of year shutdown (pro rata for part time working patterns).

· Employee assistance program, including counselling, legal and financial advice.

· External trauma consultant support to aid in caseworker resilience.

· Structured induction, training, and ongoing development including in trauma-informed support and risk management.

Who We’re Looking For

Essential Requirements:

· A full, clean UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle.

· Resident in the Kent or Essex area.

· Experience in frontline support services, preferably involving sudden bereavement or heightened vulnerabilities.

· Strong advocacy and research skills to liaise with multiple organisations on behalf of service users.

· Competency in I.T skills to work remotely.

Desirable Experience:

· Comprehensive understanding of the processes involved in the criminal justice system and coronial process

Personal Qualities:

· Self-motivated and resilient—able to navigate emotionally challenging situations.

· Empathetic and compassionate, with a commitment to helping others.

· Adaptable and creative, able to tailor support methods to individual needs.

· Strong communication and interpersonal skills, able to collaborate with professionals and service users alike.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Brake is passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We welcome your application whatever your background or situation. We particularly welcome applications from those who are part of the global majority, the LGBTQIA+ community or disabled. We are proud to be a disability confident employer. We don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it. So, if you have a passion for making a difference and share in our vision for a world where no one is killed on our roads, we would love to hear from you.

The successful candidate will be required to go through an enhanced DBS vetting process due to the sensitive nature of the service delivered.

Please note we do not accept applications from serious traffic offenders due to the nature of our work. Employees are subject to driver licence checks.

To apply

Submit your CV and a covering letter which clearly demonstrate you have what it takes to perform this challenging and rewarding role.

About Brake
Brake is the UK’s leading road safety charity, dedicated to supporting people affected by road crashes and advocating for safer streets. Since 1995, we have been helping victims and their families to navigate the devastating impact of road collisions through the National Road Victim Service—providing immediate, compassionate, and tailored support for those who have been bereaved or seriously injured. Our mission goes beyond recovery; we campaign tirelessly for legislative and societal changes to prevent future tragedies and make roads safer for everyone.

Join us as a Caseworker – North Yorkshire Region - To apply for this role, you MUST be a resident in the North Yorkshire area.

This year, Brake celebrates 30 years of life-changing work, and we’re looking for a committed and compassionate Caseworker to help us continue making an impact. If you are based in the North Yorkshire region and want to help people at their most vulnerable moments, this could be the role for you.

Every 20 minutes, someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads. For families affected, the emotional and practical challenges are immense. As a Caseworker, you will provide direct, trauma-informed care to individuals and families suffering from the sudden bereavement or life-altering injury of a loved one. Working mostly remotely, with home visits to service users, you’ll offer vital emotional and practical support—including helping them access therapeutic resources, financial assistance, and guidance through the complexities of medical and legal processes.

This role is flexible, allowing you to structure your own working pattern within weekdays from 8AM to 6PM. While travel is required, you’ll have control over your diary. The work is challenging but immensely rewarding, requiring resilience, empathy, and a dedication to making a real difference in people’s lives.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing direct support to road victims and their families in the North Yorkshire  region, following Brake’s trauma-informed model of care.
• Managing a caseload of service users, ensuring their emotional, practical, and advocacy needs are met.
• Undertaking comprehensive needs assessments and creating individualised support plans
• Offering emotional and practical support—this can include helping families access therapeutic resources, financial aid, or even facilitating keepsakes to honour the memory of their loved ones
• Liaising with professionals, including police officers, Family Liaison Officers, mental health services, coroners, GPs, and other support organisations.
• Advocating for victims within medical, legal, and social services to ensure their voices are heard.
• Providing support through multiple channels, including in-person, remote calls, video chats, and messaging, depending on service user preferences.
• Completing safeguarding assessments and escalating concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead when needed.
• Maintaining accurate case records in compliance with data protection policies.
• Engaging in external clinical supervision to manage personal resilience and well-being.
• Participating in team meetings, training, and professional development to ensure the highest standard of service delivery.

What We Offer

• £26,000 per year (initial one-year contract, with funding in place and potential to extend).
• Flexible working hours—working pattern can be shaped around your needs.
• Mostly remote work, with travel to service users’ homes or safe meeting places (mileage expenses reimbursed).
• Death in service benefit, to the value of 2 x salary
• 36 days annual leave, including bank holidays and compulsory end of year shutdown
• Employee assistance program, including counselling, legal and financial advice.
• External trauma consultant support to aid in caseworker resilience.
• Structured induction, training, and ongoing development including in trauma-informed support and risk management.

Who We’re Looking For

Essential Requirements:

• A full, clean UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle.
• Resident in the North Yorkshire area.
• Experience in frontline support services, preferably involving sudden bereavement or heightened vulnerabilities.
• Experience supporting 16-18 year olds.
• Strong advocacy and research skills to liaise with multiple organisations on behalf of service users.
• Competency in I.T skills to work remotely.

Desirable Experience:

· Comprehensive understanding of the processes involved in the criminal justice system and coronial process

Personal Qualities:

• Self-motivated and resilient—able to navigate emotionally challenging situations.
• Empathetic and compassionate, with a commitment to helping others.
• Adaptable and creative, able to tailor support methods to individual needs.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, able to collaborate with professionals and service users alike.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Brake is passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We welcome your application whatever your background or situation. We particularly welcome applications from those who are part of the global majority, the LGBTQIA+ community or disabled. We are proud to be a disability confident employer. We don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it. So, if you have a passion for making a difference and share in our vision for a world where no one is killed on our roads, we would love to hear from you

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a key member of the senior 
leadership team, responsible for overseeing the operational and 
financial management of the charity. 

As a Chartered Accountant, the COO will bring strong financial 
expertise and strategic insight to ensure the charity’s resources 
are efficiently and effectively used to deliver its mission. 

This includes managing the day-to-day operations, ensuring 
financial health and compliance, driving operational efficiency, 
and working closely with the CEO and Board to implement the 
charity’s strategic vision.