Community development jobs in brighton, west sussex

At YMCA DownsLink Group, our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be. We do this by providing a safe home, building life skills and self-confidence, and supporting emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections - guide and shape how we show up for children and young people we support and for each other.

YMCA What is Sexual Exploitation (WiSE) is our child sexual exploitation project which works with children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. Our primary focus of work is supporting young people affected by exploitation through raising awareness, education and empowerment.

We have an exciting opportunity to join the WiSE team as a Male Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Practitioner. This role involves providing specialist support, working across Sussex and Surrey to provide case work support and group interventions to boys and young men at risk of or experiencing sexual exploitation, as well as those exhibiting harmful sexual behaviour. You will deliver outreach sessions in various settings, collaborate with professionals to support interventions leading to prosecutions, and provide training on boys/young men and sexual exploitation.

Due to the sensitive nature of the client group and in order to ensure that the young people feel safe, supported and understood, there is a genuine occupational requirement for the post holder to be male, as permitted under the Equality Act 2010.

A full driving licence and access to a car are essential due to the wide geographic area covered by the service. You will be required to visit head office in Hove once a week for an anchor day. The other days will be across Sussex and Surrey in the community

In delivering the role, the key responsibilities are:

• Carry a caseload of boys and young men identified as exhibiting harmful sexual behaviours and/or being sexually exploited
• Work collaboratively with other professionals to provide intensive and holistic support
• Maintain detailed case notes and contribute to reports
• Facilitate group work interventions in schools, accommodation projects and youth groups
• Deliver detached sessions in various settings to engage at-risk boys and young men
• Provide expertise and increase awareness of harmful sexual behaviour and sexual exploitation
• Contribute to WiSE Child Exploitation training and awareness campaigns

About You – If you are enthusiastic about this opportunity but don’t meet every single requirement, we still encourage you to apply. Your skills and experiences may be more transferable than you think, and you could be exactly the person we are looking for.

Experience and Knowledge:

• Proven experience in safeguarding young children
• Experience providing casework support to boys and young men
• Group work experience with young people
• Safeguarding children and young people at risk of serious harm
• Delivering and risk assessing outreach work with young people
• Knowledge of risks posed to vulnerable young people through sexual exploitation and harmful sexual behaviour
• Significant knowledge and understanding of boys and young men and their lives

Qualifications:

• Qualification in Youth Work/Social Work or equivalent, or comparable experience working with vulnerable young people.

CLOSING DATE: Sunday 4 January at midnight. We reserve the right to close this advert early if a successful candidate is found, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Successful candidates will already have the right to live and work in the UK without restrictions. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role

An inclusive workplace We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment. 

Accessibility If you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please do contact us.

YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced DBS (including the Children’s and Adults’ barred lists) check, along with a reference and background check carried out by a third-party service provider. 

YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced DBS (including the Children’s and Adults’ barred lists) check, along with a reference and background check carried out by a third-party service provider. 

International Finance Manager  

Reports to: Finance Director 
Contract: Part-time 

Interview process: Will be in the New Year 

Role Purpose 

As International Finance Manager, you will work alongside the UK Finance Manager overseeing the full lifecycle of all financial transactions with particular focus on funder grants managed through HOST — across both Project Hosting and Hosted Grantmaking services. You’ll ensure every grant is managed with accuracy, compliance, and care so that funds reach the world’s change-makers safely, transparently, and on time. 

You will be responsible for ensuring that funder requirements, hosted partner needs, and HOST’s financial integrity align seamlessly. This means managing due diligence, contracting, reporting, and financial monitoring for all funder grants — whether they are received on behalf of a single hosted partner or distributed through multi-grant programmes. 

Working at the heart of the Delivery Circle, you’ll collaborate with the Partnerships, Legal, and Finance teams to ensure HOST’s grant management systems are reliable, scalable, and trusted — enabling funders and movements alike to focus on what matters most: delivering impact. 

Core Responsibilities 

1. Grant Lifecycle Management (Project Hosting & Hosted Grantmaking) 

• Manage the end-to-end administration of all funder grants, from due diligence and contracting to financial tracking, reporting, and closure. 

• Ensure every grant is correctly recorded in HOST’s financial and project management systems (Xero, ClickUp, HOSTHub). 

• Liaise with hosted partners and funders to clarify grant conditions, budgets, and deliverables. 

• Track grant progress, disbursements, and reporting deadlines to ensure compliance with funder terms and HOST policies. 

• Lead on the preparation and review of all grant agreements, amendments, and financial schedules in collaboration with the Legal Lead and Partnerships Manager: Funders. 
  Reporting cadence: Monthly grant activity summary to Finance Manager and Partnerships Director. 

2. Financial Oversight and Reporting 

• Monitor the flow of all grant income and expenditure, including restricted and unrestricted funds, ensuring timely reconciliation with Finance. 

• Prepare detailed financial reports and proposal budgets for funders, hosted partners, and internal stakeholders, ensuring accuracy and compliance with agreed budgets. 

• Support income deferrals, accruals, and revenue recognition processes as part of monthly and annual financial cycles. 

• Maintain audit-ready records for all grants and subgrants, ensuring transparency and accountability. 

• Work with the Data Analyst to integrate grant data into HOST’s KPI and impact dashboards. 
  Reporting cadence: Monthly reconciliation and quarterly financial performance report. 

3. Due Diligence and Compliance 

• Lead due diligence processes for all incoming funder funds and outgoing subgrants, ensuring alignment with HOST’s AML, CTF, and sanctions compliance frameworks. 

• Review and verify partner documentation, including governance, financial statements, and risk assessments. 

• Collaborate with the Legal Circle to ensure all grant agreements meet compliance requirements across relevant jurisdictions. 

• Maintain a live due diligence tracker for all funders, hosted partners, and hosted grantmaking recipients. 
  Reporting cadence: Monthly compliance report; real-time escalation of risks. 

4. Project Hosting Grant Management 

• Manage funder grants received on behalf of Hosted Partners (HPs), ensuring restricted fund management, compliance, and accurate reporting. 

• Support hosted partners in interpreting funder terms, building compliant budgets, and submitting financial reports. 

• Coordinate with Community Support Leads to provide responsive guidance on grant use and expenditure tracking. 

• Ensure that all HP grant income and expenses are recorded accurately and reconciled with funder agreements. 
  Reporting cadence: Monthly hosted partner grant activity and variance report. 

5. Hosted Grantmaking Grant Management 

• Work with the Partnerships Manager: Funders to manage multi-grant programmes, including collective and participatory funds. 

• Administer hosted grant cycles — including application reviews, disbursements, and financial reporting from grantees. 

• Ensure accurate funder reporting and financial documentation for each hosted grantmaking initiative. 

• Support the development of grantmaking templates, workflows, and SOPs for scale-up through HOSTHub. 
  Reporting cadence: Monthly hosted grantmaking fund performance review. 

6. Collaboration with Partnerships and Delivery Teams 

• Work with the Partnerships Circle to ensure clear communication between funders, hosted partners, and internal teams. 

• Support the Finance Team in cash flow forecasting, funder fund management, and budget reforecasting. 

• Coordinate with the Legal and Operations teams to ensure integrated service delivery across all funding streams. 

• Collaborate with the Training Lead to deliver guidance or workshops on grant compliance and reporting for hosted partners. 
  Reporting cadence: Monthly Delivery Circle coordination meeting. 

7. Process, Systems, and Continuous Improvement 

• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all grant-related workflows, including contracting, reporting, and closure. 

• Support the automation of grant management systems through HOSTHub to increase efficiency and reduce administrative burden. 

• Identify bottlenecks, recommend process improvements, and support implementation across teams. 
  Reporting cadence: Quarterly systems and improvement review. 

8. Risk Management and Audit Support 

• Identify and mitigate risks across the grant portfolio, ensuring early escalation of financial or operational concerns. 

• Support external and internal audits, providing complete and accurate grant documentation. 

• Maintain a continuous improvement mindset toward compliance, ensuring HOST remains audit-ready at all times. 
  Reporting cadence: Real-time escalation of risks; quarterly risk review with Finance and Legal. 

Key Relationships 

Internal: Finance Manager, Finance Officer, Partnerships Manager: Funders, Partnerships Director, Legal Lead, Finance & Operations Director, Data Analyst, and Training Lead. 
External: Funders, hosted partners, hosted grantees, and auditors. 

Performance Indicators 

• 100% compliance with funder and grant reporting deadlines. 

• 100% of grants processed with complete due diligence and documentation. 

• Zero unresolved financial discrepancies in grant records at month-end. 

• All funder and hosted partner reporting delivered on time and to standard. 

• Continuous improvement in efficiency and accuracy of grant management workflows. 

• Positive feedback from funders and hosted partners on financial clarity and service quality. 

Qualifications/Experience 

• Internationally recognised finance qualification. 

• Ideally use of Sage but not essential. 

• Experience of the not for profit sector. 

• Experience managing Grants advantageous.