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Abbey Community Centre is a vibrant, long-established community charity at the heart of Kilburn, North West London. Every day, we bring people together, reduce isolation and improve health and wellbeing through inclusive activities, services and community support.

We're now looking for an experienced Centre Operations Manager to play a key senior role in ensuring our busy community hub runs safely, smoothly and effectively for the thousands of people who use it each year.

About Abbey Community Centre

Abbey Community Centre works with people of all ages and backgrounds, with a particular focus on older residents and low-income families with young children. We deliver a wide range of activities, services and support including children’s stay-and-play sessions and drop-ins, fitness and wellbeing activities, befriending schemes, digital inclusion support, community meals, warm space provision, food support, volunteering opportunities and specialist outreach.

Alongside this community delivery, we manage a busy public building and a programme of room hire that helps generate income to sustain our work. With a small staff team, over 100 volunteers and many partner organisations, our operations need to be reliable, well-coordinated and people-centred.

The role and its impact

As Centre Operations Manager, you will be the organisation’s senior operational lead on the ground. Working closely with the CEO, you will hold delegated authority for the day-to-day running of the Centre — ensuring the building, people and systems all work together to support high-quality community activity.

This is a hands-on leadership role combining practical problem-solving with people management. You will line manage and help develop operational staff, oversee facilities and contractors, lead on health and safety and operational compliance, support volunteering, and ensure organisational systems and processes function reliably.

Your work will directly enable staff, volunteers and partners to deliver activities and services safely and confidently, and will help ensure Abbey remains a welcoming, accessible and well-run space for the local community.

What you’ll be working on

In this role, you will:

• Oversee daily building operations, maintenance and contractor management

• Lead on health & safety and related compliance, including risk assessments and training

• Line manage & develop operational staff and support a positive, consistent working culture

• Ensure operational policies and procedures are applied effectively in practice

• Support and coordinate volunteering within the centre

• Manage operational budgets and contracts within agreed limits

• Act as a senior member of the management team, deputising for the CEO on agreed matters

Key details

• Location: Abbey Community Centre, Kilburn (NW6 4BJ, London Borough of Camden)

• Hours: 24–28 hours per week (fixed hours agreed at appointment), worked over a minimum of four weekdays

• Core hours: 11.00am–4.00pm (flexibility outside these hours by agreement)

• Contract: Permanent, part-time

• Salary: £40,000–£42,000 per annum, pro rata (depending on experience)

• Annual leave: 30 days pro-rata, rising to 35 days after 5 years’ service (plus bank holidays, pro-rata)

• Pension: NEST pension scheme (if eligible)

• Some evening and occasional weekend working is required

This role could be right for you if…

You are an experienced operational manager who enjoys combining leadership with practical delivery, thrives in a public-facing environment, and wants your work to make a visible difference to a local community. You don’t need to tick every box — we’re interested in your experience, judgement, approach and motivation.

Abbey Community Centre is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and we welcome applications from candidates from a wide range of backgrounds. Reasonable adjustments will be offered throughout the recruitment process.

Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end-of-life charity. We are the largest non-NHS provider of end-of-life care in the UK, the only provider across all 4 nations, delivering community nursing and hospice care across the country, while providing information and support on all aspects of dying, death, and bereavement. Our leading research pushes the boundaries of what we know about good end-of-life, and our campaigns fight for a world where everyone gets to have the best possible quality of life while living with an illness, they are likely to die from.

The care and support we provide is highly valued by the people we care for and their loved ones, but at present we are only reaching around 10% of dying people at the end of life. Right now, one in four people in the UK with a terminal illness, do not get the care or support they deserve at the end of their lives. 

We provide free specialist care and support to patients with terminal illnesses whilst offering vital emotional support for their families. It's all about giving them the best possible quality of life. The support we offer is tailored to meet individuals' medical, social, spiritual and emotional needs.

We want a different society than the one we live in now. Our mission for the next five years is to close the gap in the number of people missing out on what they need at the end-of-life, through three ways:

• Growing and transforming our direct care and support 
• Delivering more practical information and support 
• Leading in shaping the end-of-life experience  

We are seeking a skilled and compassionate Chef to join our Facilities team at the Marie Curie West Midlands Hospice. In this important role, you will create high-quality, nutritious meals for patients, staff, volunteers, and visitors, while maintaining the highest standards of food safety and hygiene.

You will bring strong culinary expertise, the ability to design and deliver varied menus, and a commitment to excellent customer service. We’re looking for someone who works well within a team, shows initiative, adapts easily to changing demands, and demonstrates a genuinely caring approach.

You will also assist the Head Chef in supervision of Catering Assistants, assist with staff rotas, help recruit junior team members, and manage supplier selection and ordering processes.

If you are passionate about delivering great food and making a meaningful difference to the lives of others, we’d be delighted to hear from you.

Contract:  Full Time; 37.5 hours per week

Working Days: Five days per week, Monday through Sunday, including Bank Holidays

Salary: Agenda for Change Pay Scale Band 3, £24,937–£26,598 per annum, with additional pay for weekend shifts.

Based: Marie Curie West Midlands Hospice, Solihull

Essential Criteria:

• City & Guilds 706/1, 706/2, or Level 2 NVQ in Food Production and Cooking (or equivalent qualification) ?
• Basic food hygiene certificate ?
• Relevant catering experience?
• Experience supervising staff
• High levels of Health and Safety awareness?

Desirable Criteria:

• Previous experience working within a healthcare environment
• NVQ Level 3 qualification
• Intermediate food handling certificate

What's in it for you:   

• Annual leave allowance 27 days plus 8 public holidays (pro-rated) 
• Competitive Policy for parental/sick Leave   
• Continuous Professional development   
• Industry leading training programmes   
• Generous Enhancements

Marie Curie Benefits Package:  

• Defined contribution schemes for Pension (the charity will match your contribution up to 7.5%)  
• Marie Curie Group Personal Pension Scheme  
• Loan schemes for bikes; computers and satellite navigation systems    
• Help with eyecare cost (T & C’s apply)   
• Entitled to Marie Curie Blue Light Card   
• Entitled to Benefit Hub Discount Scheme  
• Life assurance

To view the job description, 

Advert Closes: 5-March-2026

Application Process 

To apply, please submit an online application and include a copy of your most recent CV detailing your experience, how you meet the person specification and why you would like to work for Marie Curie. 

For more information or an informal chat please contact

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early. 

Agencies need not apply. 

At Marie Curie, our values are central to everything we do. They guide how we care for people, how we work together, and how we make decisions every day. We are committed to creating a workplace that is safe for everyone — staff and volunteers alike — supportive, inclusive and rewarding.  We provide care for all, and that commitment extends beyond the people we serve. We actively consider our impact on the planet, embedding sustainability into everyday decisions to create a lasting, positive difference for the individuals we care for and the world we share.

We believe everyone should have the opportunity to thrive and fulfil their potential. Marie Curie is deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, recognising both the social justice imperative and the strength a diverse workforce brings.  We actively encourage applications from people of all cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

We are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. If you require any support, please contact us at .

Every application we receive is personally reviewed by a member of our Talent Acquisition team, and in return, we ask that your application authentically reflects you — your experience, perspective and voice.

Learning Disability Community Leader, L'Arche Manchester

ABOUT THE ROLE

Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week (including some evening and weekend working, and regular on-call)

Salary: £47,946 per annum

Reports to: L’Arche UK Regional Leader

Place of work: L’Arche Manchester Community, Manchester M20 4AW. Some travel and overnight stays will be required within the UK

Contract type: Temporary 12-month appointment to cover maternity leave

Closing date: Monday, 2nd March at 12 pm.

Main purpose of the role

The Community Leader is responsible for ensuring that the Community is living the mission of L’Arche, by providing excellent and sustainable care and support services, support for  spirituality, and engaging with our neighbours and the wider community around us.

The Community Leader will:

• Lead the Community by responding to the needs, choices and context of our members while being faithful to the L'Arche UK Vision and Values, the L'Arche International Identity and Mission Statement, and to a co-created Community Mandate and plan;
• Maintain and enhance high-quality, person-centred care, support, and housing for people with learning disabilities, both at home and in our day services in partnership with the Registered Manager, the local and national teams, individual circles of support, and external partners. 
• Ensure the Community’s financial sustainability through robust financial planning and management. This includes setting budgets and controlling spending, maximising housing occupancy, supporting the negotiation of care contracts, growing our day services and spotting fundraising opportunities. 
• Foster a culture that maximises the voice and power for people with learning disabilities, and builds listening and collaboration between Community members. This will include working with an active Community Support Group, Community Gatherings, listening groups, and other forums. 
• Lead and manage a committed and engaged leadership team to achieve objectives, set a positive culture, and support the personal and professional growth of our teams. 
• Cultivate an open, creative, and inclusive spiritual life, inviting everyone in the Community to deepen their connections. 
• Model, advocate for, and embrace the L’Arche ethos of deep, long-term, and mutually transforming relationships between people with and without learning disabilities. Plan and lead a regular calendar of events that build community belonging and help keep people connected. 
• Contribute to the national work programmes of L’Arche UK, as part of the National Council, collaborating with Community Leaders of other L’Arche Communities, to share skills, best practice and resources. 
• Be a visible representative of L’Arche locally in the wider community, with stakeholders like local authorities, professional organisations, schools, faith communities, and L’Arche world wide.

Key essential criteria

• Senior leadership experience in support to adults with learning disabilities (or transferable skills and experience in a closely-related field). 
• Experience leading and managing an organisation or large teams to deliver results, maintain compliance and quality, and to respond to risks and opportunities. 
• Experience leading and developing diverse teams to flourish, individually and together. 
• Good financial planning skills and experience successfully managing a substantial budget. 
• Evidence of the ability to think strategically, and work collaboratively to develop and implement community plans. 
• Experience of living or working alongside people with learning disabilities and/or autistic individuals

This role is subject to an enhanced DBS criminal record check. 

You may have held these job titles in the past: Registered Manager, Service Manager, Head of Care, Senior Operations Lead, Community Director, Head of Community Services, Country or Regional Lead, Learning Disability Services Manager, Head of Mission and Community Life, Health & Social Care Manager, Local Authority Commissioning Lead;

You can find more details about L'Arche and the Manchester community on our website. 

Why join L'Arche?

As well as joining a friendly Community, where you will be well supervised and supported, and benefit from L’Arche’s mentorship programme, these are some other benefits you get by working for us:

• Joining shared meals since cooking and having a meal together is what we are all about
• Enhanced Maternity, Adoption/Surrogacy, Paternity Pay (depending on length of service, details available on request) 
• Enhanced sick pay
• Interest free loans and salary advances available
• Free DBS / PVG checks
• Free Employee Assistance Programme available to everyone
• Up to 5 days paid compassionate leave
• Up to 6 days paid (pro rata) for time off for emergency dependents leave
• Specialist bereavement counselling for employees and their family members
• Life Assurance
• Access to the Bike to Work scheme

Discover what makes L’Arche a rewarding place to work—explore  more of our employee benefits on our website.

A full job description and person specification can be found in the Recruitment Pack.

To apply, please submit your CV and answer the questions from our online application form. 

The closing date is: Monday, 2nd of March at 12 pm.

First interviews (online via Microsoft Teams) are expected to take place during the week beginning the 9th March 2026.

Second round interviews will take on the place week beginning 16th March 2026 and will take place within the Community.

We encourage you not to wait until the closing date to submit your application, as we may begin interviewing strong candidates before then.
We also reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive enough suitable applications.

Please also read our privacy notice for job applicants.