Community leader jobs in Manchester

Contract:  Permanent, 37.5 hours per week  

Salary:  £26,812 - 28,830 per annum 

Location: Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, M26 1NQ 

Closing date:  Thursday 7th May 2026 

Interview date:  20th - 22nd May 2026 

We’re looking for a passionate and driven Assistant Manager – Client Services to help lead our work supporting people and pets across our Manchester rehoming, advice and behaviour unit. If you have a flair for client care and a love of animal welfare, this is your chance to make a real difference. 

More about the role

Our Radcliffe-based centre is at the heart of Blue Cross’s work in Greater Manchester, providing vital services in a creative, community-focused way. We don’t have kennels or catteries on site, so we think differently to help pets and their people, from running a busy food bank to delivering rehoming and support services for a variety of animals.

As Assistant Manager – Client Services, you’ll be at the forefront of this work. You’ll: 

• Lead the client services team to deliver exceptional care from first enquiry through to adoption or other support 
• Work closely with the team to assess and admit pets, match them with the right adopters, and guide clients through every step of their journey 
• Use data and insights to shape services and continuously improve client experience 
• Collaborate with the local leadership team to meet targets and drive pet welfare outcomes 
• Be hands-on with day-to-day operations including managing enquiries, prioritising admissions and promoting pets in our care 

This is a permanent, full-time role, working full time at 37.5 hours per week on a rota that includes 1 in 3 weekends and bank holidays. The working day is from 8.30am to 5.00pm. 

About you

You understand what it takes to match pets with new homes and are passionate about delivering an outstanding client experience. With a sharp eye for detail and a drive for improvement, you know how to assess what’s working – and what’s not. 

A natural leader, you bring out the best in your team, supporting and coaching them to grow. You're calm under pressure, thrive in busy environments, and communicate clearly with people from all walks of life. 

Your resilience and empathy shine through in emotional situations, helping you build trust, handle challenges with care, and create a compassionate, high-performing team. 

Knowledge, skills, and experience 

• Experience of working in a rescue welfare environment. 
• Significant experience of managing a team. 
• Experience in delivering high level client service. 
• Experience of working in a fast-paced environment. 
• High standard of verbal and written communication. 
• Proven decision-making ability. 
• Current full driving license. 
• The ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our Blue Cross Values 

It would be great (but not essential) if you also had:  

• Performance management and improvement experience.  
• Understanding of safeguarding issues. 
• Experience of admission and adoption processes in a rescue environment. 

Want to know more detail? Great! We have attached the job description which hopefully gives you everything you need.  

How to apply  

Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date Thursday 7th May 2026. 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response.  

Blue Cross benefits

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.  

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.  

Our generous benefits package includes: 

• Full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)  
• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support  
• Free access to GP via MetLife- 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family   
• Health cash plan  
• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme  
• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution   
• Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and personal development support.  
• Life assurance   
• 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance   
• Enhanced family friendly policies   
• Recognition scheme   
• Annual volunteer days  
• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers 

To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website.  

About Blue Cross

If you’d like to learn more about Blue Cross, our mission, and the work we do to support animals and people, take a look at our About Us page

Key information

Location: Manchester, Bristol, Newcastle, Nottingham, or London

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (full time)

Start date: ASAP (we are happy to work with notice periods)

Duration: Permanent

Salary: £41,905 - £45,090 per annum if based in London. £39,255 - £42,440 per annum if based in Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle or Nottingham, plus a £312 yearly tax-free work from home allowance.

Application deadline: Monday 11th May 2026

This application process will consist of 3 stages: Written application, Telephone interview and Assessment Centre (interview & presentation).

Role Summary

As a Senior Partnerships Manager at upReach, you will play a strategic leadership role in shaping the growth, quality, and impact of our partnerships at upReach.

Reporting to the Head of Partnerships within the Income Generation and External Engagement team, you will take strategic ownership of a portfolio of high-value partnerships (5, 6, and 7-figure) within the Tech and STEM sectors, alongside building crucial new partnerships in the sector. Moreover, you will have responsibility for delegated projects that strengthen our partnership strategy and visibility, you will line-manage members of the partnerships team, providing coaching, direction, and support to ensure the team consistently delivers high standards of stewardship, innovation, and income generation.

You’ll act as a senior representative of upReach, cultivating relationships with high-level external stakeholders, championing collaboration across internal teams and identifying new opportunities to raise the visibility and influence of upReach to help drive our mission.

Core Responsibilities

You will play a critical leadership role in advancing upReach’s mission by shaping and scaling high-impact, income-generating partnerships with top employers committed to social mobility. You will lead on delegated strategy projects, mentor and manage members of the partnerships team, and play a key role in upReach’s organisational growth and influence.

Your work will directly support the charity’s strategic partnership priorities: driving sustainable income growth, enhancing partnership impact, and increasing our brand visibility. This role offers scope to lead complex partnerships, influence internal strategy, and champion innovation in partnership delivery. While not exhaustive, your key areas of responsibility include:

Leadership of Employer Partnerships

• Lead the strategic management and growth of a portfolio of high-value, multi-year partnerships in Tech and STEM, ensuring strong alignment with upReach’s mission and priorities.

• Oversee the quality and consistency of partnership engagement across the team, including partnership health reviews, ensuring best-in-class stewardship and measurable partner outcomes aligned with the Partnerships team's OKRs.

• Identify opportunities to deepen relationships, co-create new initiatives, and embed partners in long-term collaboration with upReach.

• Working closely with upReach’s Programme teams to ensure partnerships and programmes are delivered to a high standard.

Develop and Secure New Partnerships

• Proactively identify, cultivate, and convert a pipeline of four-seven figure prospective partnerships aligned with upReach’s mission and strategic goals.

• Lead high-quality prospecting and relationship-building activity, targeting income-generating partnerships that also deliver high-impact opportunities for Associates.

• Build strong relationships with key contacts at potential partners, including senior stakeholders within your sectors, through regular in-person and virtual meetings.

• Deliver compelling, insight-driven proposals and presentations tailored to organisational priorities and demonstrating mutual value.

Strategic Development

• Support the Head of Partnerships in setting partnership strategy and income targets, and contribute to organisational planning and forecasting.

• Analyse market trends to identify emerging opportunities and inform the evolution of upReach’s partnership offer.

• Contribute to the design and implementation of new strategic initiatives that enhance income diversification and partnership sustainability.

• Work cross-functionally to ensure partnership activity is evidence-led, data-informed, and aligned to organisational objectives.

Management within the Partnerships Team

• Line manage a Junior Partnerships Manager, supporting their professional development and building team capabilities.

• Provide leadership and guidance in managing complex partnerships, offer escalation support, and ensure strategic consistency.

• Foster a collaborative, high-performing culture that values innovation, accountability, and shared success.

• Champion continuous improvement across the team, ensuring processes, tools, and resources support efficiency and growth.

Stakeholder Representation and Engagement

• Deputise, where required, for the Head of Partnerships as a senior representative of upReach at external meetings, conferences, and industry events, building influence and credibility across the social mobility landscape.

• Develop relationships with senior external stakeholders, including executive sponsors, industry leaders, and cross-sector collaborators.

• Serve as an ambassador for upReach’s mission, promoting our partnership approach and outcomes to new and existing audiences.

• Use insight from partner feedback to inform organisational strategy and continuous improvement.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Innovation

• Collaborate with Programme, Finance, Marketing, and Impact teams to ensure partnership activities are well-integrated, efficient, and mission-aligned.

• Support the continuous improvement of internal systems (CRM, contracting, invoicing, and reporting) to enable effective delivery and forecasting.

• Partner with Marketing & Communications to design and deliver strategic campaigns, thought leadership, and storytelling that elevate upReach’s employer partnerships nationally.

• Lead or contribute to cross-organisational projects that enhance income generation, innovation, or partnership experience.

• Uphold upReach’s legal, ethical, and data protection responsibilities in all partnership activity.

Skills and Experience

• The ideal candidate for the Senior Partnerships Manager should display these behavioural skills:

• Exceptional organisational and project management skills, with the ability to lead complex projects and manage multiple strategic priorities autonomously.

• Confident and pragmatic decision-maker who exercises sound judgment and provides strategic direction in a fast-paced environment.

• Experience leading employer engagement, account management, new business development, or fundraising activity within a purpose-driven, education, or social mobility context.

• Proven ability to design and deliver partnership growth strategies that deepen engagement, generate mutual value, and contribute to organisational goals.

• Skilled communicator and influencer, capable of articulating complex ideas clearly and persuasively through written reports, presentations, and external representation.

• Collaborative leader with experience guiding and supporting colleagues across teams and functions to deliver shared objectives and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

• Proficient in using CRM or data management systems to oversee pipelines, generate insights, and inform strategic decision-making.

Desirable

• Strong understanding of ED&I, CSR, or early careers recruitment priorities and how they inform partnership strategy.
• Experience collaborating with marketing and communications teams to create strategic campaigns or content that enhances employer visibility and engagement.
• Experience in management or mentoring others to develop partnership capability and performance.

Team Culture & Benefits: 

We offer: 

• Flexible and hybrid working.

• Statutory Holiday Entitlement of 25 days and bank holidays. This increases to 2 additional days after 2.5 years and then to 3 additional days after 5 years of working with us. 

• Birthday leave and Volunteering leave

• Enhanced Parental Leave beyond statutory requirements for all team members. 

• 3% Pension Contribution, which increased to 5% after 5 years of working with us. 

• Cycle-to-work scheme.

• Monthly socials and annual wellbeing days

• Dedication to Staff Wellbeing through our Employee Assistance Programme and Mental Health First Aid Training. 

• Personal Development Budget, activated after 6 months in the role.

• The opportunity to participate in our fantastic staff networks: 

  • Disability and Inclusion Network

  • Diverse Roots Network 

  • Green Network 

  • LGBTQ+ Network

  • Mindfulness Network

  • Parents and Carers Network

  • (Im)Migrants Network 

Ready to apply?

We are committed to making our recruitment process inclusive. All applications will be blind screened, and our job packs are available in Braille, large text or another format upon request. We can provide reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment application process and on the job, and we'll always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible.

Applications close on Monday 11th May at 12pm.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

At upReach, we are committed to being an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate in employment matters on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability, social background or any other protected class. We celebrate and value the diverse perspectives that people from all backgrounds bring to our team. We are passionate about creating a workplace that is inclusive and reflects the diversity of communities across the UK. Diversity in the workplace creates dynamic and effective organisations and we are actively working to build a more inclusive workforce by continuously improving our recruitment, retention, and development practices. We  encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds, those with disabilities , those who are care-experienced, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those who are LGBTQIA+.

About Degrees

The Degrees Initiative is a UK-based NGO that builds the capacity of the Global South to evaluate solar radiation modification (SRM) geoengineering, a controversial proposal for reducing some impacts of climate change by reflecting sunlight away from the Earth. Degrees is neutral on whether SRM should ever be used, but we believe that the Global South should be empowered to conduct its own research and to play a central role in SRM discussions. The initiative has been working in different forms for fifteen years, and our work receives worldwide coverage and widespread acclaim. 

We seek a Fundraising / Development Manager to manage relationships with our existing funders and to help bring in new donors and partners to diversify our funding base. This position offers a fantastic opportunity for the right candidate to increase the capacity of a field-leading charity, help empower the Global South, and contribute to one of the world’s most important climate-change debates. If you are an ambitious, relationship-driven fundraising leader with an interest in climate policy, science or global development, this is an opportunity to step into a role with purpose, international influence, and real impact.  

The charity is rapidly scaling up, recently doubling its annual budget to £6 million. Degrees has partnered with leading climate change funders and research partners including the Quadrature Climate Foundation, Open Philanthropy, Crankstart, Navigation Fund, Outlier Projects, LAD Climate Fund and UK Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA). Transparency of funding is essential to our work. We do not accept support from anonymous donors or funding from the fossil fuel industry.

Role

We now seek a full-time team member to build on this base. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and working closely with the Founder & CEO and the Chair of the Trustees, the Fundraising / Development Manager will support and coordinate fundraising efforts aimed at securing multi‑year, diversified funding. He / she will also introduce robust processes for pipeline management and donor stewardship, and will support and coordinate the complete donor lifecycle (from identification to cultivation to solicitation and stewardship) of a portfolio of top prospects. The post holder will receive initial onboarding support from the Senior Philanthropy Advisor. As fundraising grows, the team may expand in the future.

Initial priorities include expansion beyond the current donor pool, with a strong push to engage new funders, and putting in place the systems (CRM, reporting cadence, key performance indicators) to support growth at scale.

As this is a new role, responsibilities are expected to evolve but some key items will include: 

Strategy & planning

• Work with the CEO, COO, Senior Philanthropy Advisor, the Chair of the Trustees, and other senior staff to support the development and implementation of a multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with organisational objectives; 

Pipeline development & new opportunities 

• Maintain and coordinate the fundraising pipeline, supporting the fundraising activities of senior staff and the Chair; 

• Support the identification and development of new funding opportunities from trusts and foundations, government funders, and multilateral donors in the development and climate sectors on an ongoing basis; 

• Reach out to networks of climate philanthropy advisors for referrals; 

• Manage contact with funding opportunities; 

Grant writing 

• Draft and coordinate the preparation and submission of grant proposals; 

Donor stewardship & reporting 

• Maintain excellent relations with existing funders by keeping them informed on charity and sector updates, inviting them to events, and ensuring the delivery of annual reports and notices; 

• Ensure and manage ongoing reporting; 

Events & engagement 

• Working with the Events Manager, help design and deliver fundraising events for existing and potential funders, particularly in the UK and US; 

• Manage invitation lists, track attendance and ensure bespoke follow-up to attendees; 

• Assist in the design of events that will inspire and engage funders while involving Southern experts in the Degrees research community; 

• Coordinate all fundraising outreach and related programming for the Degrees Global Forum (a conference to be held in 2027); 

Processes, systems & administration 

• Support the development and implementation of structured processes across the entire fundraising and donor lifecycle; 

• Develop and track KPIs, providing regular reports to senior staff and the Trustees; 

• Be responsible for fundraising data, contacts and administrative records. 

Qualifications 

Essential 

• At least ten years’ experience in fundraising or transferrable relevant experience;

• Track record of helping secure six- and seven-figure grants income from foundations, major individual donors, and/or public agencies; 

• Strong organisational and project management skills; 

• Experience and comfort with Microsoft 365, fundraising CRMs and other common software tools; 

• Experience organising events; 

• Ability to write clearly and communicate effectively in English with a keen attention to detail; 

• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills, including an ability to work with people of all levels and backgrounds; 

• Experience creating and maintaining fundraising processes; 

• Ability to adapt and remain comfortable in a dynamic, remote start-up environment in a small organisation; 

• Ability to travel internationally; 

• Legal right to work in the UK. 

Desired

• Experience successfully fundraising from climate donors; 

• Experience with a strong network of international funders; 

• Experience building and scaling a fundraising effort; 

• Experience supervising staff (as we expect the team to grow in future); 

• Tech savvy and eager to work with new software solutions; 

• Knowledge of climate science, policy and SRM. 

Benefits of working at Degrees 

• You will join a growing and dynamic charity operating at the intersection of climate change and global development.

• You will have the opportunity to contribute to a potentially high-impact issue by helping shape global conversations on climate science, empowering researchers in the Global South, and collaborating with some of the world’s leading SRM experts.

• The role is fully remote, allowing you to live anywhere within the United Kingdom. The charity has no central office and offers each employee up to £250 per month (including VAT) to cover co-working space costs. The team meets face-to-face at quarterly ‘awaydays’ in the UK, which are organised and paid for by the charity.

• Degrees provides an 8% employer pension contribution with no required employee contribution, which is generous by the standards of the UK third sector.

• The role includes opportunities for international travel.

• You will receive 36 days of annual leave per year, including UK public holidays.

• Personal development budget of £1,000 per year.