Deputy head of finance jobs in milton keynes
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About Kinship
We are Kinship. The leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. We’re here for kinship carers – friends or family who step up to raise a child when their parents aren’t able to.
Together, let’s commit to change for kinship families.
About the role
Kinship is undertaking a major feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of Kinship Connected. This is aligned with recommendations set out in the Kinship Care Practice Guide published by Foundations (2024) and builds on evidence from the Kinship Navigator intervention of support for kinship carers in the USA.
This feasibility RCT is a complex, multi-partner programme involving:
- An active funding partner
- An independent evaluation team
- 5 participating local authorities (to be confirmed)
- Internal delivery teams and cross organisational services
- Kinship carers and lived experience subject experts
This role leads and supports the staff team delivering one-to-one navigator-style support to kinship carers as part of the Kinship Connected feasibility randomised controlled trial. You will ensure the team provides consistent, high quality, relational support that reflects Kinship’s values and trauma-informed practice.
You will work closely with the Mobilisation and Delivery Project Manager and will share responsibility for ensuring high quality performance across the feasibility trial. You will both work closely with the core project team and partners.
The Programmes Manager leads practice quality, staff development, safeguarding and relational delivery. The Mobilisation and Delivery Project Manager leads operational quality, systems, processes, data and compliance. Together you make sure the trial is delivered ethically, consistently and to a very high standard.
Key responsibilities include:
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Lead the day-to-day practice and relational delivery of the Kinship Connected (Navigator) support model.
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Support Kinship Family Workers to deliver high quality, trauma-informed and strengths-based support to kinship carers.
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Ensure clear case management, boundaries, risk management and reflective practice.
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Embed the delivery approach set out in the Intervention Protocol and Kinship Navigator Service Manual.
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Ensure equity, accessibility and inclusion in all aspects of delivery, with particular focus on minoritised ethnic kinship families.
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Maintain delivery tracking and operational dashboards.
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Provide high quality line management, reflective supervision and pastoral support to Kinship Family Workers
Essential knowledge and experience includes:
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Strong experience leading frontline delivery teams providing emotional, relational or social care support.
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Proven track record ensuring high quality casework, assessments, boundaries and risk management.
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Experience delivering strengths-based, trauma-informed and evidence-informed approaches.
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Substantial experience in line managing practitioners, delivering reflective supervision and supporting wellbeing.
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Experience leading high performing dispersed teams with confidence, consistency and compassion.
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Experience managing change and supporting staff through shifting delivery requirements.
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Strong background in safeguarding decision making, case discussions and organisational safeguarding culture.
What we’ll offer you
Kinship offers 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time). We have an excellent wellbeing offer including the Employee Assistance Programme and clinical supervision. We will invest in your professional development with training and career development opportunities.
Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion. We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams. We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work. We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us.
Key dates:
Application deadline: 11.59pm, Sunday 4 January 2026
First interview: Friday 9 January 2026 (online)
Second interview:Wednesday 14 January 2026 (in-person, London)
How to apply
Respond on CharityJobs to these 5 questions, along with your CV:
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What is it about Kinship’s mission and values that motivates you to lead the delivery of relational support for kinship carers, and how would these values shape your approach as a Programmes Manager?
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Describe a time you led or supported a team delivering emotional or relational support. How did you ensure consistent, high-quality practice?
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Give an example of how you have developed or supported practitioners through reflective supervision, coaching or managing difficult practice situations. What approach did you take and why?
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Describe a situation where you had to make or support a safeguarding decision. How did you balance risk, judgement and support for staff?
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Tell us about a time you worked with a local authority, commissioner or another external partner to resolve a challenge or improve delivery. What did you do?
We are looking to fill this role quickly and reserve the right to close a recruitment campaign earlier than the advertised where we have received sufficient applications so please apply early!
Some tips for your application:
• Make sure you’ve read the job description and the essential requirements – make sure your application reflects those points in the requirements very clearly.
• Tell us why you want to work for Kinship. We’re interested in working with people who share our values. You can read about our values above.
• Keep your response clear – use bullets points and short paragraphs if that helps. It will help the recruitment team to focus on your knowledge, skills and experience.
• Please do not use AI tools like ChatGPT to produce your answers. We use software to check, and your application will be rejected if you do.
Registered Charity
21 - 50
We support kinship carers in their homes and communities, giving advice and helping them work through problems to find the best way forward.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
For the full recruitment pack and application form, please visit our website. We can only accept applications via our website portal.
ABOUT CAUDWELL YOUTH
Not all young people have the same opportunities in life.
Caudwell Youth exists to level the playing field for young people at risk.
We support at-risk young people who are care experienced, have mental health challenges, or are at risk of exploitation or offending.
WHAT WE DO
Caudwell Youth shapes young people’s futures by providing person-centred support to at risk 11 to 24-year-olds through volunteer-led mentoring for up to 18-months, alongside a targeted intervention programme.
Our mentoring service is designed to ensure every young person feels safe, heard and supported. Each young person gains a trusted adult (a trained volunteer) who meets with them once a week to support them as they take steps towards a more positive future.
This year, we have supported more than 400 young people.
Our vision is to help every young person at-risk in the UK. We give young people the time, trust and support they need to shape a positive future, no matter their starting point.
ABOUT THE ROLE
To support the Deputy CEO in ensuring the effective delivery and growth of Caudwell Youth’s services.
To oversee the management of operational programmes, ensuring high-quality, person-centred support for young people. To contribute to business development, leading expansion via statutory grants and contracts.
On appointment, you are expected to have significant knowledge and professional experience of your area of specialism and the ability to quickly take on significant responsibility very quickly.
KEY DUTIES
Strategic and External Leadership:
- Lead the effective delivery and development of Caudwell Youth’s programmes, in line with our strategic plan.
- Build and maintain relationships with funders, and strategic partners, with support from the Deputy CEO.
- Identify and secure new funding opportunities, leading on public sector bids and tenders, in line with our strategic plan
- Ensure a youth participation and evidence-based approach in all aspects of service delivery and development.
Services:
- Develop, oversee and report against Operations department budget and plans.
- Oversee operational systems, risk assessments and data to ensure services are safe, needs-led and effective.
- Ensure safeguarding policies are embedded across delivery, acting as DSL if required.
- Support and develop high-performing teams, ensuring training, appraisal, and performance management frameworks are in place.
- Ensure that all programme delivery is trauma informed and person-centred
- Oversee quality assurance processes, ensuring consistent standards across all delivery regions.
- Lead on operational compliance, including health & safety, data protection, incident reporting and regulatory requirements.
- Champion a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and high-quality practice across the organisation.
- Ensure that programmes are monitored and evaluated effectively and that reporting requirements are met, working with the fundraising team as required
Business Development:
- With support from the Deputy CEO, develop plans to implement a growth strategy focused on securing statutory contracts.
- Act as a key point of contact for commissioners, local authorities, and strategic partners.
- Identify and respond to commissioning opportunities across local government (crime, education, and health sectors) in line with our strategy.
- Lead on bid writing, proposal development, and contract negotiations for statutory contracts and grants
- Work with finance and fundraising teams to create budgets, proposals and tender submissions for statutory contracts
- Be responsible for starting up and implementing new funded programmes to ensure quality in delivery
- Identify new trends, emerging needs and opportunities for partnership projects.
General:
- Promote equality, diversity and inclusion across the organisation.
- Undertake and identify training as required and take a positive approach to personal development.
- Fulfil the duties and responsibilities of an employee as regards to Health and Safety at Work, including own safety and self-management.
- Ensure good administration, record keeping and reporting of all work undertaken in line with data protection and other regulations.
- Undertake any other reasonable tasks deemed necessary.
For the full job description and to make an application, please visit our website.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
The Deputy Director of Operations (DDO) supports the Director of Operations and Development (DOD) in ensuring the smooth, compliant, and strategic functioning of the ELSC across multiple jurisdictions, including the UK, Netherlands, and Germany.
The DDO line-manages the Finance and Human Resources Managers and provides operational leadership in compliance, finance, HR, coordination, and employee engagement.
The ELSC has four departments (Legal, Monitor & Research, Advocacy & Communications, and Operations & Development) and five work teams (Britain, Netherlands, Germany, EU, Crimes and Complicity).
The DDO coordinates staff gatherings and internal engagement, including planning the annual in-person all-staff event, managing logistics for departmental and work team meetings, and supporting cross-departmental collaboration.
The role also assists the Director of Operations and Development with meeting facilitation and agenda development, co-facilitates weekly remote all-staff meetings, and supports the coordination of the monthly staff assembly.
This role requires exceptional organisational, interpersonal, time-management, and analytical skills.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS
- Demonstrable experience in a senior operations and/or compliance role (5+ years).
- Experience with Finance, Governance, and Human Resources.
- Strong understanding of British, Dutch, and German legal and organisational frameworks (or ability to acquire this quickly).
- Experience organising events, preferably in more than one jurisdiction.
- Experience with line-management.
REQUIRED SKILLS & ABILITIES
- Demonstrated skills in managing HR and Finance functions.
- Demonstrated skills in line-managing a remote team and excellent interpersonal communications.
- Proficiency in English with excellent written and spoken communication skills (English is the working language of the ELSC).
- Excellent understanding and knowledge of the political and human rights situation in Palestine.
- Facilitation proficiency, both remotely and in in-person events.
- Teamwork skills and flexibility; ability to manage time and competing priorities according to organisational needs.
- Highly organised, strong attention to detail, driven, with excellent strategic planning and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to prioritise and delegate tasks and manage a busy workload.
- Commitment to anti-racism, anti-discrimination, and equal opportunities.
- Willingness to travel and work occasional unsocial hours as required.
- Flexibility within the broad remit of the post.
DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
- Graduate in Business Administration, Law, Human Resources, Public Policy, Public Administration, Sociology, or other relevant fields.
- Master’s Degree in a related field.
- Basic knowledge of International and European law.
- Proficiency in German, Dutch, or Arabic.
MAIN DUTIES AND TASKS
Management
- Line manage Finance Manager and Human Resources Manager.
- Schedule regular 1:1 meetings with direct reports, provide guidance on division of tasks, and monitor workload.
- Support direct reports in the implementation of Finance and HR strategy.
Compliance
- Ensure compliance for ELSC entities in the Netherlands, Britain, and Germany.
- Ensure Dutch insurance compliance and associated operational requirements.
- Review and monitor payroll monthly.
- Lead the establishment of a German legal entity, working with external advisors as needed.
- Oversee the British office operations, including the evaluation of office space.
- Conduct a review of office costs and usage.
- Provide administrative and logistical support to the Senior Legal Committee where needed, including facilitation and documentation.
Staff Coordination
- Plan and oversee the in-person all-staff gathering (2026) in coordination with the ELSC executive management team.
- Coordinate the logistics of annual departmental gatherings.
- Organise Work Team gatherings, supporting cross-departmental collaboration.
- Support the Director of Operations (DOD) with facilitation and agenda development for internal meetings.
- Facilitate 50% of Remote All-Staff Meetings (60min, weekly).
- Support the coordination of Monthly Staff Assemblies.
People & HR
- Oversee HR policy implementation and delivery of the annual People Strategy.
- Support the HR Manager in leading HR operations and in the recruitment and induction of new staff.
- Oversee the development of an Organisational Handbook.
- Review and improve the performance review process.
- Establish promotion guidelines to create transparent career progression pathways.
- Maintain and update the Organisational Chart quarterly.
- Review the Organisational Wiki (“The Fridge”) yearly.
Finance
- Oversee ELSC financial operations.
- Support the Finance Manager, providing oversight and strategic direction.
- Ensure effective operation of the Finance Committee, led by the Finance Manager.
- Review and distribute monthly financial reports to Department Heads via the Finance Committee.
- Ensure monthly financial summaries are reported to Work Teams through the Senior Legal Committee.
- Oversee completion of the organisational audit.
- Support short-term investment strategies.
- Monitor and report on operational budgets, ensuring accountability and fiscal responsibility across departments.
- Liaise and coordinate with the ELSC Treasurer Board member.
Training
- Standardise training and qualifications frameworks across departments to ensure transparency, fairness, and consistency in line with the ELSC Pay & Benefits Scale.
- Lead investment in staff training and development initiatives to strengthen organisational capacity.
- Support the qualification and professional development of junior legal staff through structured learning pathways in three jurisdictions with the support of the Director of the Legal Department.
Thank you!
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Summary
EduSpots is an innovative, dynamic, and community-orientated UK and Ghanaian registered charity which connects, trains, and equips grassroots voluntary educators (named ‘Catalysts’) to drive community-led change through education spaces named ‘Spots’. Our vision is of a world in which communities unite to create the futures they want to see, through education.
Since 2016, through collaborating with over 400 local voluntary community educators and actors – named ‘Catalysts’ – who take a central leadership role in the development of the network, we have supported 50 communities in creating and running community-led and owned education spaces named ‘Spots’’. Together, we are developing a model for a community-led education space with accompanying network engagement that could have global relevance.
Our Ghana-based team creates collaborative learning opportunities through three leadership programmes for Catalysts which are increasingly facilitated by the EduSpots app: the Ignite, Catalyse and Inspire Mentoring Programmes. These enable the Catalysts to lead EduKidz (early years education), DigLit (digital literacy), EcoSTEM (STEM and environmental education) and Ignite Equity (gender equity) clubs for learners typically aged 3-16, alongside locally designed education projects, reaching over 10,000 learners of all ages annually.
We are in an exciting period of our development, having more than doubled our income, programme breadth and reach in the last two years, with a recent independent evaluation by Expectation State offering further evidence in support of our model’s outcomes. We have been recently selected for two accelerator programmes, who are supporting us as we consider the scaling potential of our model. In the period, we are aiming to double our network reach, bringing an additional 50 Spots into the network.
We won the Tes International Award in 2018 and the Big Give Supporters’ Choice Award in 2022, and we were recently selected as a finalist for the 2023 Their World Scale-Up Innovation Prize. In 2021, our Founder was a Finalist in the UNESCO-backed $1 million Global Teacher Prize.
We are excited by our future.
About this role
The Global Head of Operations is a new role being introduced in 2026 with the core purpose of strengthening systems, processes and strategic delivery across both EduSpots Global and EduSpots Ghana, offering hands-on support to the CEO and wider staff across a range of areas.
In this senior role, you will work closely alongside the CEO, offering her the advice and skills needed to move EduSpots successfully through a complex period of growth in a challenging fundraising context, enabling more learners and Catalysts to participate in a unique community-led model of education, whilst sharing our practice more widely.
We are looking for an organised and empathetic strategic leader, ideally with strong or developing skills across project management, finance, HR and MEL skills and an ability to work independently in a fast moving work environment.
This role has the potential to grow into a Director of Global Operations or Deputy CEO role in time for outstanding candidates, and carries significant organisation-wide responsibility.
Candidates should hold a genuine passion for educational equity, a strong belief in the power of community-led models to transform lives at scale and a high level of flexibility in a fast-changing yet friendly and playful work environment.
Whilst this role is remote, and open to all global candidates, you will need to have understanding and experience of UK law, accounting and policy development, or a strong appetite to build experience in this area quickly.
Main duties and responsibilities
Systems
- Work with the CEO and staff to proactively strengthen systems and processes across the organisation, including monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks and operations.
- Support the wider team with IT, including general skill development, leading the Google Space system.
- Monitor compliance to organisational policies and lead the quarterly review of the organisational risk register, working with the Ghana Head of Operations.
Finance
- Work with the Finance and Admin Officer to produce monthly and quarterly global management accounts, cash flow analysis and to complete the annual audit.
- Lead the financial planning of the organisation, working with the CEO and the Ghana Head of Operations to create the annual budget.
- Work with the Ghana Head of Operations to strengthen financial systems, processes, and training across the organisation.
- Work with the Ghana Head of Operations to prepare budgets for funding bids as needed.
- Work with the grants team to track grant spending and produce consolidated financial reports (including expenditure from the UK and Ghana) for donors.
- Ensure EduSpots’ new accounting software (QuickBooks) is fully embedded and utilised.
- Oversee bank account management, including payments, checking bank statements, and reviewing bank reconciliations for UK and Ghana.
- Ensure staff payroll (likely to be outsourced) and payments to freelancers / consultants are done accurately and in a timely manner.
HR
- Work alongside the CEO, Head of Operations, Safeguarding and Inclusion Managers and wider staff to develop strategies to sustain and strengthen a high performing and friendly work culture.
- Work across the team to strengthen HR and performance management structures, informed by best practice and legal frameworks.
- Lead the recruitment of staff, consultants and volunteers in the UK (advertising roles, drafting contracts, contacting referees and completing all filing and administration relating to recruitment).
- Onboard new staff, provide training on policies and procedures, and track key information (leave, appraisals, etc) for UK staff.
- Regularly review and keep the Staff Handbook up to date.
- Depending on skill-set, work with the CEO to lead professional development for staff across the organisation, liaising with trustees and advisory group members.
Administration & Governance
- Manage and maintain databases and our Google Drive system.
- Ensure compliance with GDPR and adherence to our child safeguarding and protection policy.
- Maintain insurance renewals, tracking and filing.
- Review and keep up to date all organisational policies in line with current legislation, working with the Trustees and Directors.
- Assist the CEO in the administration relating to EduSpots’ governance, including board meeting arrangements and minute taking.
- Support the CEO in all ad-hoc tasks that arise, working closely alongside her to ensure the smooth running of the organisation.
Strategic insight
- Work closely with the CEO and staff/Catalysts across the organisation to ensure all EduSpots’ decision-making is strategic and in the best interests of the Catalysts, Sparks and Communities we partner with.
Other areas
- Depending on experience, you may in time take on management responsibilities for some staff, but this role is principally a systems strengthening and quality improvement role, working closely with the CEO to offer advice and additional capacity.
- Depending on experience, you may support with grants writing / management and/or community fundraising. Experience of fundraising would be of significant benefit to the organisation in this key leadership role.
Personal Specification
Essential
- Minimum of 7 years’ experience of operations in a small/medium charity context.
- Self-starter with the ability to hit the ground running and work with minimal supervision with high levels of flexibility.
- Self-motivated, with an ability to motivate and energise others.
- High level strategic understanding, critical thinking and the ability to strengthen systems in a fast-paced high performance environment.
- Excellent communication, both oral and written.
- The ability to thrive and adapt in a fast-paced, creative and impact-driven culture.
- Strong administrative skills with a high level of attention to detail.
- Experience in creating user-friendly tools and processes to support project and quality management.
- Experience using Google Suite, with strong Excel skills.
- Tech savvy – ability to learn new tech tools efficiently.
- Experience coordinating others.
- Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills with strong empathy and cultural sensitivity
- Strong personal alignment with the mission, vision and values of EduSpots.
Highly desirable
- Experience supporting charity Boards, and working with external bodies including auditors, tax authorities, and other official bodies is highly desirable.
- Experience complying and strong familiarity with UK charity regulations and requirements.
- Experience preparing budgets and financial reports for donors/grants.
- Experience of working in a cross-cultural team.
- Experience of working with an international charity would be advantageous.
Please send a tailored covering letter and CV addressed to the CEO Miss Cat Davison by Wednesday 31st December with a hope to meet shortlisted candidates for a first-round interview in the week starting Monday 12th January.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.