Community supporter care officer jobs

Corporate Complaints Manager

Cambridge

Permanent

Full-Time

This is an exciting opportunity to join CHS Group in this newly established post. Do you have the expertise and confidence to lead on complaint handling and help shape how we listen, respond, and improve for our customers? If so, this is an opportunity to make a real impact. As Corporate Complaints Manager, you’ll play a key role in delivering a high-quality, customer-focused complaints service, ensuring every customer feels heard and supported.

You will be joining a long-established, locally based and independent housing association with strong local partnerships. We have a reputation for delivering on our values of care, openness and trust in our housing and community services. We continue to build on this strong foundation, with ambitious plans to further develop our services and infrastructure.

You’ll lead on our overall approach to complaint handling, working with teams to support their complaint responses and help ensure we remain fully compliant with regulatory requirements, including the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code.

You’ll also use insight and data to drive service improvements, helping us learn from feedback and strengthen the overall customer experience.

About the role

Reporting to the Executive Director, Customers Services you will:

· Monitor and where necessary promote improvements in compliance against our complaints and compensation policies, ensuring timely and high-quality responses

· Support customer facing teams to maintain a positive complaint handling culture and service through training, sharing data and good practice

· Lead on liaison with the Housing Ombudsman, ensuring all enquiries are responded to and that CHS learns from cases.

· Analyse complaint data and identify trends, root causes, and opportunities for improvement

· Support continuous improvement across the complaints process and customer experience

· Prepare our internal and external reporting and self-assessments and ensure they are published on time.

What You’ll Bring

You’ll bring a strong background in complaint handling and customer service, along with the confidence to challenge and influence colleagues.

Experience

· Experience of handling complex, high-volume complaints within a social housing, local government or other regulated organisation in a customer facing environment

· Experience of implementing change to drive up standards and performance

· Experience of using and improving databases / IT systems for customer and/or complaints data.

· Experience of collating and presenting data to a range of audiences

· Good knowledge of the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaints Handling Code and regulatory framework for social housing

Skills

· Excellent communication, influencing and listening skills

· Outstanding customer focus with the ability to balance empathy, accountability and operational compliance

· Excellent investigative and problem-solving skills

· Excellent analytical skills, using data to drive improvement

· Understanding of safeguarding, vulnerability and partnership approaches that support customers with complex needs

· A collaborative and assertive approach to working with colleagues and teams to drive improvement

Qualification:

Level 4 housing qualification regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) or willingness to work towards.

Hybrid Working Arrangements – the majority of the working week will be office-based in Histon in the first six months (probation period). Thereafter it may be possible to apply for a higher proportion of hybrid working, with service delivery being the prime consideration.

Benefits of working for CHS Group:

· Employee discount scheme (retail, leisure, gym membership and fitness equipment)

· Doctor Care Anywhere (telehealth service offering private online GP and nurse appointments via video and phone)

· Employee Assistance Programme

· Financial wellbeing hub - access to advice and support from experts, whether you're budgeting, interested in investing or retirement planning

· Refurbished Tech - access to the latest models at affordable prices, with a 12-month warranty and 30-day money back guarantee. 

· Cycle to work scheme (salary sacrifice)

· One day off a year to volunteer for a charity of your choice

· 30 days holiday, increasing to 35 days per annum, inclusive of bank holidays (pro rata for part-time staff), depending on length of service

· Holiday purchase scheme - up to 5 days per annum (pro rata for part-time staff)

· Company sick pay

· 58p per mile business mileage allowance

· Refer a friend scheme (£250)

· Contributory pension scheme, which both you and CHS contribute to

· Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

· Flexible Working Policy

· Full induction

· Comprehensive free training and development opportunities with paid time off

· Free DBS (for relevant posts)

· Free onsite/nearby parking

· Hybrid Working Policy

· Flexitime

As part of the recruitment and selection process candidates will be required to complete a Personality Profiler

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: Midnight Sunday 12th July 2026

INTERVIEWS: Friday 31st July 2026

We're looking for an inspiring Head of Volunteering to lead and shape the future of volunteering across Sense.

When registering to this job board you will be redirected to the online application form. Please ensure that this is completed in full in order that your application can be reviewed.

About the Role

We're looking for an inspiring Head of Volunteering to lead and shape the future of volunteering across Sense.

This is a unique opportunity to drive meaningful change, ensuring volunteering continues to play a vital role in delivering our mission. Reporting to the Chief People Officer, you'll provide organisation-wide leadership on volunteering, helping us maximise our impact, strengthen community connections, and support the long-term sustainability of our services.

Working closely with senior leaders and teams across the organisation, you'll champion inclusive, accessible and innovative volunteering opportunities that enable people from all backgrounds to contribute in ways that are meaningful to them.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and deliver a volunteering development plan aligned to Sense's strategic priorities.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on volunteering strategy and opportunities.
• Champion volunteering as a key contributor to organisational impact, reputation and sustainability.
• Represent Sense internally and externally, promoting excellence in volunteering.

Developing Volunteering

• Create new, flexible and inclusive volunteering opportunities across services, communities, retail and corporate activity.
• Develop frameworks, tools and guidance that support managers to recruit, engage and retain volunteers effectively.
• Build volunteering opportunities that are meaningful, accessible and rewarding.
• Develop robust KPIs to measure volunteer engagement, impact and experience.
• Use volunteer feedback to drive continuous improvement and innovation.

Inclusion and Engagement

• Promote accessible and inclusive volunteering practices across the organisation.
• Work alongside volunteers, disabled people with complex needs and families to co-design volunteering opportunities.
• Ensure volunteer voices help shape the future of volunteering at Sense.

Governance and Compliance

• Provide expert guidance on volunteering governance, risk management and best practice.
• Lead the development and review of volunteering policies and procedures.
• Ensure volunteering activities comply with relevant legislation, regulation and safeguarding requirements.
• Manage the central volunteering budget and demonstrate value for money.

About You

You'll be a passionate and experienced volunteering leader with a strong commitment to inclusion and social impact.

You'll bring:

• Proven leadership experience within volunteer management.
• Experience working in social care, health, disability services or a related sector.
• A track record of developing and growing inclusive, sustainable volunteering programmes.
• Strong coaching, facilitation and influencing skills.
• Experience using data and insight to inform decision-making and demonstrate impact.
• Budget management experience and an ability to demonstrate return on investment.
• A commitment to accessibility, inclusion and rights-based approaches.

We'd love it if you also have

• Experience supporting disabled people with complex needs.
• Experience within regulated services.
• Knowledge of retail volunteering.
• Experience of co-production and co-design approaches.
• Understanding of trauma-informed or positive behaviour support approaches.
• Experience using digital systems to enhance volunteer engagement.

Why Join Sense?

This is an opportunity to shape volunteering across one of the UK's leading disability charities. You'll join a values-led organisation where collaboration, inclusion and innovation are at the heart of everything we do.

If you're passionate about creating outstanding volunteer experiences and want to help more people make a meaningful difference, we'd love to hear from you.

Our values

Our values shape the way we behave and work alongside disabled people with complex needs to break down barriers. 

• We're creating change
• We're always learning
• We're better together

To apply

Please use the link below to complete your application. Managers will use your application to shortlist candidates for interview; in relation to the Personal Specification. Therefore, it is very important you complete this section thoroughly.  We would recommend that you read the job description and person specification before applying.

Please note to avoid disappointment, we advise you to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close posts at any time.

No agency submissions please: any submissions without prior authorisation from the Sense Recruitment Team will be treated as our own and as such no fee will be payable.

Sense is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable children and adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. Therefore, all offers of employment, where appropriate, are subject to a DBS check; level dependent on the nature of the role.

Sense is here to break down barriers alongside disabled people with complex needs. That's why we're committed to increasing the number of disabled people working across our organisation and creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

We actively encourage disabled people to apply for our vacancies and believe that a diverse range of perspectives, experiences and talents makes us stronger.

We know there's always more we can do to become a truly inclusive employer, and we're working together to achieve that. Join us and help create the change thousands of disabled people with complex needs and families told us they want to see: a world without limits.

If you need us to adjust our recruitment process to help you access our vacancies, then please get in touch with a member of the talent acquisition team. We are a Disability Confident Leader and commit to interviewing disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for a role. More information on this can be found here Our commitment as an employer | Sense Careers

Housing Manager

£48,680.52 per annum

Cambridge

Full Time

Permanent

This is an exciting opportunity to advance your career in social housing – are you ready to join our client and help make a big difference in improving the lives of their tenants and shared owners?

You will be joining a long-established, locally based and independent housing association with strong local partnerships. They have a great reputation for delivering on their values of care, openness and trust in their general and supported housing, and a range of community support services. They continue to build on this strong foundation, with ambitious plans to further develop their services and infrastructure.

They strongly believe their colleagues are their greatest asset, which is why they are committed to creating a happy, motivated and diverse workplace. And it shows. In their 2026 staff survey, 93% of colleagues said they would recommend them as a great place to work making them an employer of choice.

About the role:

Reporting to the Senior Housing Manager you will:

· Play a key role in shaping an exceptional housing management service to deliver a truly customer-focused experience

· Line manage a team of Housing Officers, leading and coaching them to deliver a responsive and proactive service.

· Work closely alongside your Housing Manager counterpart to promote a culture of continuous improvement.

· Take ownership of core performance areas — including lettings, tenancy management, communal space standards, rental income and service charge delivery — ensuring a consistently high standard across all functions.

· Ensure CHS proactively responds to anti-social behaviour, harassment and domestic abuse cases in a responsive and supportive manner, working positively with partner agencies and building on external partnerships.

Hybrid Working Arrangements – the majority of the working week will be office-based with the housing team in Histon, particularly in the first six months (probation period).

Thereafter it may be possible to apply for a higher proportion of hybrid working, with the needs of the team and service delivery being the prime consideration.

What you’ll need to succeed

· Experience in line managing or supporting staff highly desirable, with a natural ability to lead and motivate others

· A minimum of two years’ experience delivering and managing a housing service within a social housing environment.

· A Chartered Institute of Housing qualification or relevant management qualification is desirable but not essential, demonstrating your commitment to professional development.

· Strong, up-to-date knowledge of social housing legislation, welfare benefits, housing policy and the wider social issues affecting our customers.

· Naturally confident and customer‑focused, you bring excellent communication, relationship‑building and influencing skills to every interaction.

· Experience of using housing management IT systems and Microsoft Packages and strong numeracy skills.

· A full UK driving licence, use of a car for work purposes and business insurance.

Benefits of working for our client:

- Employee discount scheme (retail, leisure, gym membership and fitness equipment)

- Doctor Care Anywhere (telehealth service offering private online GP and nurse appointments via video and phone)

- Employee Assistance Programme

- Financial wellbeing hub - access to advice and support from experts, whether you're budgeting, interested in investing or retirement planning

- Refurbished Tech - access to the latest models at affordable prices, with a 12-month warranty and 30-day money back guarantee.

- Cycle to work scheme (salary sacrifice)

- One day off a year to volunteer for a charity of your choice

- 30 days holiday, increasing to 35 days per annum, inclusive of bank holidays (pro rata for part-time staff), depending on length of service

- Holiday purchase scheme - up to 5 days per annum (pro rata for part-time staff)

- Company sick pay

- 58p per mile business mileage allowance

- Refer a friend scheme (£250)

- Contributory pension scheme, which both you and our client contribute to

- Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

- Flexible Working Policy

- Full induction

- Comprehensive free training and development opportunities with paid time off

- Free DBS (for relevant posts)

- Free onsite/nearby parking

- Hybrid Working Policy

- Flexitime

Please note this position is subject to a Basic DBS Disclosure

As part of the recruitment and selection process candidates will be required to complete a Personality Profiler

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: Friday 3rd July 2026

INTERVIEWS: To be confirmed

Do you want to support people with mental health issues in a moment of crisis?

Are you calm, non-judgemental and able to work effectively with people experiencing distress?

If you can embody our values of Hope, Courage, Togetherness, and Responsiveness, and want to help others build resilience and manage their wellbeing, we’d love to hear from you.

Financial Controller
Reference: 367
Responsible to: Senior Finance Manager
Working hours: Up to 37.5 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £32,000 - £34,000 per annum
Based: Watford (some flexibility for hybrid work from home)

This is a position offering someone with the appropriate values and experience, the opportunity to play a pivotal role in the Finance Team, coordinating the Finance Department, ensuring that financial & payroll information is processed in accordance with HMN procedures & timescales.

As a Financial Controller you will work closely with the Senior Finance Manager to drive quality financial processes through the core of the organisation, leading on the management of the team.

Key Responsibilities

• Production of monthly management accounts to Senior Management budget holders
• Line Management of the Finance Administrators & Finance Officer
• Support with quarterly reconciliations & reports for Board
• Assisting with setting yearly budgets & projections in liaison with Senior Leadership Team & Finance Manager
• Assist budget holders in appropriate activity analysis
• Coordinating payroll processes are robust and efficient with HR
• Investigation of queries from suppliers & staff providing advice & assistance as required
• Produce ad-hoc financial/management information as required by the CEO or Senior Leaders
• To ensure financial systems guarantee clarity of requirement for grant and contract monitoring and compliance.
• Oversee all financial transactions, and sales and purchase invoices are accurately entered by the finance team into QuickBooks & ensure financial information is processed in accordance with procedure
• Awareness of UK accounting requirements and Charity SORP changes that may affect the organisation.
• The post holder will support SMT with budgets for service implementations and service development to facilitate continuous improvement and safe practice.

We offer:

• Annual leave entitlement of 25 days per year pro rata, rising in increments to a max. of 29 days after 5 years employment (plus 8 days Bank Holidays)
• An additional day of leave each year for your birthday following completion of probation period.
• Ongoing training relevant to your role.
• An Employee Assistance Programme.
• Eligibility for blue light card.
• Health cover (after 6 months employment) – compensation payment for Optical, Dental, Chiropody and Therapy Treatments.

Being able to drive and having access to your own vehicle (or equivalent) is essential for this role.

Closing date for applications will be 20th July 2026.
Interviews to be held on a rolling basis at our Watford Wellbeing Centre.
This advert may close early if a suitable applicant is found. Please submit your application as soon as possible.

N.B. Please quote reference number 367 when completing your application for this role.

Interested? 

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position. 

We welcome applications from all suitably-qualified candidates, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief, or sexual orientation. In addition, during the various stages of recruitment, specific measures can be taken to ensure equal opportunities for candidates with disabilities or special needs.

Hertfordshire Mind Network is committed to the Disability Confident and Mindful Employer charters. We actively recruit staff who have a lived experience of mental ill health. Our inclusive approach recognises the unique skills, knowledge, and perspectives that lived experience brings to our team.

No agencies please.

The Youth Endowment Fund 

Senior Evaluation Manager

Reports to: Head of Evaluation

Salary: £54,300 

Location: Central London, hybrid* 

Contract: 24 months full-time (Fixed term contract) 

Application deadline:  5pm, Monday 6th July 2026 

About the Youth Endowment Fund 

We’re here to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence. We do this by finding out what works and building a movement to put this knowledge into practice. 

All of us will experience violence at some point in our lives. For many children, it is a daily reality. Each year, tens of children are killed, hundreds are hospitalised, 1 in 5 teenage children are victims and the majority admit to feeling afraid of violence. It scares them when they travel home from school, prevents them from going out and makes the most vulnerable feel like they don’t matter. It is taking lives, traumatising families and dividing communities. It robs potential, progress and hope. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

The Youth Endowment Fund exists to try and permanently change things. To succeed, we must build an exceptional body of knowledge about violence affecting young people and how we reduce it. This knowledge has to be both rigorous and highly relevant to those making decisions about how to support vulnerable young people. We need to find out what works and what doesn’t through evidence synthesis, data analysis and qualitative research into children’s lives. We need to convert this into highly accessible content on what works, how delivery organisations need to change their practice and how the systems they operate in need to be reformed. We then need to work with the right people that can make change happen, across systems, policies and practice, to have a real impact on reducing violence affecting children’s lives. 

The evaluation team contributes to the design and implementation of the fund’s various funding rounds. The team is also responsible for assessing, appointing, monitoring, and the quality assurance of rigorous impact evaluations from experts in the field. The Senior Evaluation Manager will play a key role in leading evaluation work. The post holder will also lead a team of evaluation managers, ensuring they have the support to deliver a portfolio of evaluation projects. 

Key responsibilities 

The core of your job is to ensure that we are excellent at evaluation, so that we can find out the very best ways to prevent young people and children from becoming involved in violence. 

Evaluation 

Working with the Head of Evaluation the post holder will: 

• Implement the processes for assessing the quality of evidence underpinning applications to the fund and making funding recommendations to the Grants and Evaluation Committee. 

• Shape the evaluation approach for individual grant rounds, including leading on this for a small number of rounds. 

• Act as a source of expertise on the statistical underpinnings of YEF’s evaluation work, including on issues such as  power calculations, regression analysis and  missing data.

• Lead the delivery of YEF’s evaluation work, designing, commissioning and managing complex and large-scale RCTs and QEDs

• Be responsible for YEF’s evaluation policies and reporting templates, ensuring they remain consistent and fit for purpose. 

• Be responsible for the ongoing development of YEF’s commissioning guidance. 

Team management 

The post holder will likely lead the recruitment, management and development of a team of evaluation officers and will: 

• Ensure they have the knowledge, skills and support to carry out their work effectively. 

• Provide regular feedback and coaching on written outputs. 

• Supervise and project manage the team’s evaluation work, providing quality assurance and monitoring of progress against project plans and project budgets. 

Collaborative working 

The post holder will contribute to the wider YEF team and will: 

• Be accountable to YEF’s Fund Leadership Team for the delivery of evaluations, on time and on budget, including reporting on risks and issues. 

• Work closely with colleagues across YEF and specifically the Programme team. 

• Ensure high-quality evidence is at the heart of all YEF activity and that the evidence we produce is communicated in a clear and accessible way which will drive sustainable change. 

• Support the management of YEF’s panel of evaluators and expert panel 

General 

The post holder may be involved in other elements of YEF's projects, working with senior colleagues to commission, scope and deliver projects. 

About you 

You are this sort of person: 

• You don't want your days to pass without making a difference. You want to play a significant part in reducing the level of youth violence and see the value in an evidence-informed approach.

• You are an excellent communicator. You can produce technical documents that accurately report methodological and statistical information. You will combine this with experience of communicating complex evidence and analysis in a simple and accessible format to non- experts. 

• You have a post-graduate degree (Masters or PhD) in social science, social policy, public health, health services or other field, with a significant quantitative component, or relevant experience equivalent to a Masters qualification. 

• You have strong knowledge, experience and technical expertise in evaluation methodologies including experience of RCT design and/or design of complex quasi-experimental evaluations (e.g. propensity score matching, regression discontinuity design, instrumental variables). 

• You have quantitative analysis skills  including experience of using advanced analytical software such as R, Stata or SPSS. 

• You have significant experience in carrying out or commissioning research including designing all aspects of the research and managing external contractors.  This may be in academia, government or a related sector. 

• You have strong relationship management skills. You are comfortable working with a wide range of people, including senior academics and other research experts, children and their families, practitioners, and policy makers. You’re able to provide constructive challenge when required.

• You bring the best out of your colleagues.You have experience in leading teams and managing others to achieve amazing results. You can both take and give direction. You are collaborative and a team player, able to build strong relationships across the whole organisation. You are happy to help out when and where it’s needed. 

• You have excellent project and time management skills and the ability to deliver high-quality work in a fast-paced environment. 

• You learn fast but remain humble. You like learning. You’re very good at synthesising information. You know how much you don't know and that you can always learn more.

• You work well in a team. You care more that good things happen than who gets the credit. You support your colleagues to produce excellent work.

• You’re committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. You believe and act in a way that celebrates and encourages a range of experiences, views and values. 

You may have, but they are not essential: 

• A good level of knowledge and understanding of crime or serious violence. You know the facts, understand the issues, know the key people, and can discuss the theories. You’re knowledgeable on this topic and very at ease discussing it with experts. Alternatively, you might have a strong understanding of a relevant area such as education, youth work or social care.   

While it is not a criterion, we are especially interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of youth violence. 

It’s also important to us that the people we hire do not discriminate. We believe in being inclusive and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation, transgender status or social economic background. 

Hybrid Working Details    

The office is based in Central London. Those living in and around London are expected to be in the office for a minimum of 2 days per week. If you live outside of London and work remotely, you’ll be expected to work from the London office 2 days per month.     

As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at the interview stage. 

To apply 

To apply, please send a CV, cover letter and the monitoring form via our application page by 5:00pm on Monday 6th July 

When applying for this role, please ensure that your cover letter can answer, within a maximum of 1000 words, the following questions:    

1. Tell us about why you want to work at the Youth Endowment Fund, and any experience you have that demonstrates your commitment to preventing youth violence.   
2. Tell us about your experience in designing, commissioning and managing evaluations. We’re particularly interested in hearing about the methodologies and tools you’ve used to ensure evaluations are rigorous and produce robust evidence.   
3. How do you ensure that your work – whether technical analysis or collaborative evaluation management – is inclusive and accessible?  

You should also include the contact details of two referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be approached with your express permission. 

You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

Interview process 

Shortlisted candidates will be sent a technical task to complete before the interview. Interviews will take place on the week commencing 20th July 2026. 

Personal data 

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area. 

This is a hands-on role that moves between two registers: structured qualitative research with proper analytical underpinning, and fast-turnaround reactive policy work. You will need to be genuinely comfortable in both able to run a multi-month thematic publication and turn around a tight briefing or consultation response within 48-72 hours when a policy window opens.

The role will lead The Difference's qualitative research and insight function, including research workstreams tied to the Difference Schools Partnership's annual thematic priorities, and our Harmful and Abusive Behaviours (HaB) workstream convening a sector council to build a shared framework for how schools understand and respond to peer-on-peer harm. You will produce briefings, evidence submissions and publications, manage external research partners, and work with the CEO, Head of Policy and Communications team to launch research with real impact. The role reports to the Head of Policy and works closely with colleagues across Strategy, Research and Programmes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead The Difference's qualitative research and insight function, running research workstreams tied to annual DSP thematic priorities and emerging strands on MAT inclusion and LA working
• Design and deliver qualitative research with schools, MATs and local authorities interviews, focus groups, school visits and thematic analysis  translating findings into evidence and policy recommendations
• Lead the Harmful and Abusive Behaviours research workstream, convening a sector council, producing briefing material and managing the route from convening to publication
• Produce timely, citable evidence for policy influence  including drafting briefings, consultation responses and evidence submissions on fast turnaround
• Project manage publication cycles from scoping through to launch, working with coalition and media partners to maximise reach and tracking policy traction post-launch
• Brief, manage and integrate the outputs of external research partners where commissioned (e.g. FFT Datalab, Pro Bono Economics)
• Capture and develop case studies from DSP schools and the wider Difference network

About The Difference

• Every day, the equivalent of 5,500 children are suspended from England's schools, doubling their likelihood of being NEET by 24. The Difference is a young education charity founded to change this story through whole school inclusion. We train school leaders, carry out our own research, and turn frontline insights into policy recommendations lobbying Ofsted and the Department for Education to improve funding and support for inclusion. Our vision is to see lost learning falling nationally by 2030.

About You

Essential

• Dual capability across reactive and structured research : comfortable producing tight briefings on a 48–72 hour turnaround and running multi-month qualitative publications
• Experience in education research, policy research or applied social research, with examples of published, commissioned or internally-influential work
• Strong qualitative research skills : interview and focus group design, thematic coding, framework development, synthesis across multiple sources
• Persuasive writing for mixed audiences : able to write clearly and concisely for policymakers, school leaders, the press and the sector, and comfortable ghost-writing for senior colleagues
• Project management discipline : able to run multiple workstreams in parallel, manage your own deadlines, and keep colleagues and external partners on track
• Comfortable working at pace in a fast-moving environment where priorities shift as policy windows open and close : self-directed, flexible and able to make good judgement calls under pressure
• Shared values with The Difference and personal commitment to improving life outcomes for young people

Desired

• Strong working understanding of UK education policy, particularly around inclusion, exclusion, SEND, accountability and school improvement
• Confident data literacy and basic quantitative analysis : comfortable interrogating population-level datasets and translating findings into accessible policy language
• Understanding of why language matters when writing about behaviour, exclusion and vulnerability, and the ability to frame behaviour as a signal of unmet need consistently across all work
• Lived experience or insight into the school experiences of marginalised young people
• Experience of working in or with schools, multi-academy trusts or local authorities
• Existing relationships in education research, policy or sector organisations

Please see the attached Job Description for full role details and person specification.

We are committed to building a diverse team and strongly encourage applications from under-represented groups in the charity sector. As part of our commitment to fairer recruitment, all applications will be assessed with names and protected characteristics redacted.