Development officer jobs in chigwell, essex

Are you a visionary designer and storyteller ready to inspire global audiences?
Do you want to use your creative skills to help change young lives around the world?

Join King’s Trust International – a global charity founded by His Majesty The King to tackle youth unemployment and empower young people to learn, work and thrive. We deliver life-changing programmes in over 20 countries, helping young people build brighter futures.

We’re looking for a Creative Content Manager to lead the design and development of powerful visual and video content that brings our work to life. From compelling social videos and campaign assets to reports and print materials, your work will elevate our global brand, engage key audiences, and amplify the voices of the young people we serve.

You'll play a leading role in:

• Designing creative content across digital and print platforms

• Storyboarding and editing videos that inspire action

• Managing and collaborating with external creatives and suppliers

• Overseeing our global content library (DAM) to ensure assets are accessible, impactful and used effectively

You’ll work closely with an experienced marketing team and creative partners across the world, from the United Kingdom to Nigeria, India to Jamaica. This is a unique opportunity to make your mark at an organisation growing in influence, ambition and reach.

What we’re looking for:

• A strong portfolio demonstrating graphic design and video storytelling skills

• A passion for content that informs, moves and inspires

• Experience managing content pipelines and creative suppliers

• An eye for detail and a heart for purpose-driven work

• Experience working with international or culturally diverse audiences

• Confidence using Digital Asset Management systems or content libraries

How to apply
As part of your application, we’d love to see examples of your creative work. Please include:

• A link to your design portfolio

• Evidence of your video editing work – such as a YouTube or Vimeo link, or social media accounts that showcase your work

Applications without examples of design and video work may be at a disadvantage, so please show us what you can do.

As Director of Finance you will lead on all financial aspects of the transtion as the Movement for Reform Judaism and Liberal Judaism merge to form a single unified organsation, Progressive Judaism.  This post will provide crucuial oversight during this period of change, laying foundations for strong financial governance and operational excellence in the new entity.

Working closely with CEOs, senior staff and trustees across both organisations, you will oversee the creation and implementation of robust financial systems, controls and reporting lines whilst ensuring compliance with statutory requirements.  Managing and supporting a finance team, you will ensure continuity of outsourced finance services to existing partner organisaitons during the transition as well as ensure continuity of high-quality financial services across both MRJ and LJ.

As a qualified accountant you will have strong exerpeince in charity finance, including SORP and audit preparation.  A proactive, solutions-focused mindset, with the ability to manage competing priorities is essential.  With proven experience in mangaging organisational change or mergers, you will be an excellent people leader with oustanding communicaiton skills.

So why join us?  You will be part of a progressive, values-driven movement at a historic moment of transformation!  You will work with passionate colleagues and board members, helping to build infrastructure that supports vibrant, inclusive Jewish communities across the UK.

About the job

Over the past decade Pembroke House’s activities in Walworth have grown considerably, with annual turnover rising from £200k to £1 million. Further growth is expected as a result of a new strategy anchored around five 10-year commitments to the neighbourhood, consolidation of our activities across two community buildings and continuing to build wide-ranging partnerships in Walworth.

We are looking for an experienced and skilled financial professional who can steward us through this crucial period of development.  You will be someone who combines a passion for our mission, a keen eye for detail and a flair for interpreting financial information and supporting non-specialists to make sound financial decisions. 

Days will be varied spanning everything from helping budget holders report to funders; preparing accurate financial reports and management accounts; to creating the budgets and frameworks for long-term financial planning. The rest of the core finance team comprises a Bookkeeper and a pro bono Payroll Officer based in Pembroke College, Cambridge. Other members of the team manage petty cash, look after the room hire business (including invoicing and credit control) and administer pensions. 

The trustee’s Finance and Risk Subcommittee formed two years ago and a new trustee position of Treasurer is currently being recruited. The Finance Manager will service and attend the subcommittee’s quarterly meetings and be the main contact point with the Treasurer between meetings.

As a new role there will be plenty of opportunity to mould finance operations across the organisation. Finance systems are currently in place, and have satisfied the auditor over the past few years, but there remains scope for improvement, including through automation and upskilling of the wider team.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Foster a culture of financial responsibility, in conjunction with the Leadership Team.
• Draft the audit file and schedules and assist the auditor with follow up questions and queries.
• Lead on the preparation of the charity's annual budget.
• Prepare fundraising budgets, financial claims and invoices for funders in line with (grant) agreements.
• Approve and act as signatory to all contracts for services issued and received.

About Pembroke House

Pembroke House is a centre for social action and residential community in Walworth, south-east London. 

We were founded in 1885, by students from Pembroke College, Cambridge, as one of the first settlement houses. Shocked by growing poverty and inequality, the pioneers of the settlement movement sought a new approach: taking up residence to live, work and solve problems alongside local communities. We continue to share a building with St Christopher’s church, which has its routes in the same student settlement.

For over 130 years, we’ve been working to bridge traditional divides and unite people – whatever their background or walk of life – in building a better Walworth.

We’re looking for a confident and well-organised fundraiser to help manage and grow our corporate partnerships. You’ll develop relationships with existing and new business supporters, deliver engaging communications, and support the growth of income from companies, all while helping to protect butterflies, moths and the environment we all depend on.

Job Purpose
• Managing and growing relationships with existing corporate donors
• Identifying and developing new corporate support
• Providing an outstanding supporter experience for our corporate supporters

Main Responsibilities
1. To directly manage a portfolio of corporate supporters, ensuring excellent stewardship and customer experience in order to meet agreed income targets and KPIs and maximise income for BC.

2. Develop and prepare tailored cases for support, proposals, reports and bespoke updates and communications to donors.

3. Identify, nurture, develop and manage new and existing corporate supporters including producing and communicating inspiring funding opportunities aimed at specific organisations.

4. Negotiate and deliver partnership agreements ensuring delivery against agreed targets and a good return on investment for the charity.

5. Monitor income targets and activities for Trading and Corporate fundraising including reporting to the BC Trading Company Board.

6. In conjunction with the Digital Manager, manage BC’s website shop portals and commercial partnerships to ensure a good level of royalties, proactive marketing, and supply of ethically sourced and sustainable goods.

7. Liaise with Communications and PR Team to ensure effective promotion of corporate and business agreements and timely reporting back on campaigns.

8. Update and maintain records of all business and corporate approaches, communications and agreements on the CRM and appropriate files.

9. Advise Branch volunteers where they seek to establish business support for their activities.

10. Where required, develop and/or follow policies and procedures on due diligence, data management, account management, stewardship, and reporting.

Spark Inside runs coaching programmes in prisons across London and the South East, to encourage rehabilitation and reduce reoffending. 

We are one of the first organisations to take life coaching to people living and working in prison and to use systems coaching to bring together staff and prisoners in UK prisons. Our expert coaches are qualified and trained professionals. In addition to developing and delivering innovative coaching programmes, we are also committed to working with parliamentarians and government officials to influence criminal justice policy, and shift the perception of people in prison, platforming their voices and highlighting their unlocked potential.

To achieve our ambitious strategy, Spark Inside is seeking a Communications Manager to help raise the charity’s public profile, build influence with policymakers, attract funders and commissioners, and ensure the lived experience of young people in the justice system shapes our messaging, campaigns and strategy.

You will work with the Head of Communications and Advocacy to deliver a programme of compelling external communications activities through digital, print, press and events in order to increase Spark Inside’s visibility and ensure our key messages are wide-reaching and impactful.

You will report to the Head of Communications & Advocacy and work closely alongside our Participation and Engagement Manager and Policy Lead, with line management responsibility for a part-time Communications Officer. You will also work with a range of external freelancers on design, film and print. You will build and maintain good relationships with colleagues across the whole Spark Inside team, offering support and advice as well as drawing on their expertise and insights to make our communications impactful and engaging.

While target-driven, you will have a supportive style and work in a highly collaborative way with colleagues across the organisation.

You will share a passion for our cause, and a commitment to high standards. You will be highly organized, enthusiastic and motivated, with a talent for building relationships and networking. You will be up to date on the latest digital tools and trends and able to harness them to take Spark Inside’s communications to the next level.

To find out more information about the responsibilities of the role and required experience, and how to apply, please see attached job description.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Civitas Recruitment are delighted to be working with an organisation who bring the investment community together to work towards a net zero and climate resilient future. The organisation collaborates with investors to create practical solutions that can make a real difference in tackling climate change. An exciting opportunity exists for a p/t Grants Officer to join the team. As Grants Officer, you will support funder prospecting, proposal development and grant administration. This also includes identifying funding opportunities, coordinating internal processes and ensuring effective grant management throughout the life cycle. This is a part time, 2 days a week (7.5hrs including 30 min lunch) temp role, (approx. 6 months) hybrid in Central London, preferably in the office on Tuesday and Thursday.

Who are we looking for?

Ideal candidates will be detail oriented and possess strong organisational skills and accuracy in record-keeping. You will be a proactive communicator and will be able to coordinate across teams and with external partners building effective working relationships. You will be comfortable interpreting funding trends and identifying opportunities. Candidates will be skilled in manging workflows, templates and compliance documentation. Experience in fundraising, grant management or non-profit development is essential for this role.

If the above role description sounds of interest and you feel like you meet the criteria; please apply immediately or for further information, please contact Syed at Civitas Recruitment for a full JD and informal discussion. Early applications are encouraged as we will be reviewing on a rolling basis and roles may closer earlier than initially indicated.

WaterAid is exclusively partnering with Robertson Bell in their search for a Senior Finance Business Partner to join their high-performing team on a permanent basis, in this newly revamped role. WaterAid is the largest international not-for-profit organisation, focussed solely on making sustainable clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere.

This role will be a key strategic advisor and responsible for high-level planning conversations to WaterAid UKs largest income generating Directorate: Communications and Fundraising. As the Senior Finance Business Partner, you will be responsible for helping shape the strategic direction of fundraising team. This is a high-profile role, enabling Water Aid UK’s senior leadership to deliver and support the delivery of WaterAid’s ambitious programmatic activity.

The organisation:

Collaboration is at the heart of everything WaterAid does. They work in alliances. Over the next decade, together they will reach hundreds of millions more people so that whole communities can live healthy lives and build better futures. Together with their supporters and partners around the world – from the smallest neighbourhood groups to the largest multinationals – they have reached close to 30 million people with clear water and 30 million with decent toilets. Good hygiene is now a part of everyday life for 27.8 million people.

To make lasting change happen on a massive scale they show decision makers how it can and should be done by influencing them to act. WaterAid link policy makers with communities and local partners and change attitudes and behaviours. They persuade governments, donors and financial institutions to invest in basic services and rally support from people and organisations around the world. They will keep working towards their mission until they are no longer needed.

The key duties of the Senior Finance Business Partner are as follows:

• Owning relationships with key senior stakeholders within the Communications and Fundraising Directorate.
• Regularly engaging on strategic long-term decision making and providing relevant financial data to key decision makers.
• Work with the directorate to build realistic and detailed financial plans.
• Own directorate specific timelines for delivering financial forecasts and budgets.
• Work with Head of Management Accounting to build a consolidated picture for WaterAid UKs performance for the Executive Director Team.
• Collaborate on the building and maintenance of automated reporting for directorate on PowerBI.
• Regularly engage with budget holders to ensure that spending and income is on track against plans.
• Ensure CRM data is complete and accurately reflected in the month end close position.
• Oversee the monthly recording of both unrestricted and restricted income streams.

The successful candidate will have:

• Completed a professional accounting qualification or be part-qualified with relevant professional experience.
• Experience of strategic partnering senior stakeholders (ideally at Executive Director level) along with senior leadership teams.
• Ability to analyse large quantities of data with a view to identifying trends and key drivers.
• Adaptability to build effective working relationships with both finance and non-finance colleagues and work in a collaborative way.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Experience of managing finances within a fundraising directorate (Desirable).
• Knowledge of international development issues and the sector (Desirable).

Please note that this role required a minimum of 40% of working time to spent face-to-face in their Canary Wharf offices.

The deadline for applications is on Sunday 20^th July, with first stage interviews due to take place the week commencing 28^th July. CVs will be under continuous review in advance of this date so submit your application today via Robertson Bell to ensure you don’t miss out!

Partnerships Manager (Corporate and Philanthropy) 

Remote, with UK travel 

4 days or 30 hours per week 

£40,000 FTE, pro-rata £32,000 

If you are imaginative, entrepreneurial, and able to persuade people and organisations to support one of the most important causes in the UK today, this could be the opportunity you have been waiting for. This is an outstanding opportunity to build your professional brand in a transformed organisation with ambitious plans for the future. 

For more details see job description.  

To apply, please send us a CV describing your achievements to date in your career. As we have an immediate need to fill this role, please give details of your availability to start date.  

Shortlisted applicants will then be asked to submit a short PowerPoint presentation (no more than 10 slides), demonstrating both your understanding of the opportunities for AMR Action UK to partner with Corporates and with Philanthropic individuals/organisations, and why you are the right person for the role.  

As we have an immediate need to fill this role please apply early as shortlisted applicants may be asked for their PowerPoint presentation and to interview quickly. 

The closing date is 13th July 2025.  

We are a small but mighty team, with huge ambitions to transform more lives of those who live with an intellectual disability, through the power of sport.

If you are just looking for a job, then we are probably not for you. However, if you are an experienced finance and business operations professional able to demonstrate strategic and operational ability around financial planning and processes as well as delivering cost effective, efficient and fit-for-purpose business services, then we would like to hear from you.  Charity finance experience and experience in a similarly broad role covering other areas of business operations including IT, risk management, data protection & data management and health & safety is a must.

We continue to be focused on our vision to create an inclusive world for all, driven by the power of sport, through which people with intellectual disabilities live active, healthy and fulfilling lives. We are a small, but growing, team with huge ambitions, and applicants must be comfortable operating in an environment where working under your own initiative is expected and encouraged.

We are looking for people who are passionate about Special Olympics and are completely aligned with our values. We are authentic. We act with honesty, integrity and respect. We are creative and innovative. We love to embrace difference and doing things differently. We are brave, courageous, resilient and determined. We listen and are led by the voice of our athletes. We are always kind. We are Inclusion in Action.

We are continuing to build a high-performing team who care for each other and care about our cause. Our athletes are incredibly inspirational, courageous and insightful people, and they deserve a team who are equally committed and passionate about our mission.

This is a permanent, home-based role. There will be the requirement to attend internal and external meetings or events which will involve travel away from home and working outside of normal hours.     

The role is both strategic and operational in nature and represents a fantastic chance to join an amazing charity at an exciting time of growth.

For job role specifics please see the Job Description.

What We Can Offer 

· Competitive salary circa £33,000 (£55K FTE) per annum depending on experience. 

· 15 days holiday on appointment plus pro rata bank holidays and one extra day for your Birthday. 

· Stakeholder Pension Scheme from appointment. 

· Time off in Lieu (TOIL) for out of hours work. 

· Flexible working. 

· Health Cash Plan

How to Apply

To apply, please send a covering letter (maximum 2 pages) explaining why you wish to work for Special Olympics GB. It is important that all prospective employees understand our mission and are driven by our cause. Please be specific about how your skills and experience will help you undertake this role and how they match the requirements of the Job Description and Person Specification. Generic letters and agency approaches will not be considered. Please also include your CV.

First stage interviews will be held week commencing 28th July 2025.

Safer Recruitment 

Special Olympics Great Britain is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The suitability of all prospective employees or volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process. The successful candidate will be required to complete regular safeguarding training and undertake a DBS/PVG check relevant to the requirements of the role. For this role that will involve a Basic Disclosure. 

Equal Opportunities

Special Olympics GB is committed to equality and diversity and encourages all sections of the community, particularly those living with a disability, who meet the job requirements to apply.

Other

The job holder will need to provide evidence of their ability to live and work in the UK and will be required to undertake a basic DBS check.

We will only contact those who have been selected for interview.

We request no contact from agencies.

Southwark Law Centre is a charity offering free specialist legal advice and representation to individuals in Southwark and beyond. 

Southwark Law Centre

Job Description

Job Title: Operations Manager

Reports to: Executive Director

Salary: NJC Scale SP SP27-31 £41,580 - £44,480 (starting salary dependent on experience)

Hours: Full-Time – 35 hours per week

Main Objectives

· To oversee the smooth running of the Law Centre

· To ensure we have the right systems in place to support staff to work efficiently.  

· To identify opportunities to use tech to support our mission. 

· To lead on data, supporting us to tell our clients’ stories and to demonstrate the transformative nature of our work.

Key Responsibilities

1. IT Coordination

• Oversee the Law Centre’s IT systems to ensure they are secure, efficient, and meet the organisation's needs.
• Manage and develop the Law Centre's case management system to ensure it supports the effective delivery of services and reporting requirements.
• Liaise with external IT providers to coordinate maintenance, updates, and troubleshooting.
• Identify and implement opportunities for digital transformation and improved operational efficiency.
• Complete the annual Cyber Essentials return, ensuring that the organisation maintains the highest level of data security.
• Ensure the Law Centre makes use of the most appropriate and cost effective equipment, systems and software.
• Providing basic training to staff on systems and tools
• Maintain the asset register.
• Maintain the organisation’s IT plan and update it annually

2. Systems

· Lead on our paperless working processes

· Ensure that our Sharepoint site is set up logically and with the correct permissions in place.

· Develop our Sharepoint site in order that it functions as an intranet for sharing information internally.

· Negotiate and manage our contracts with printing providers

· Maintain regular reviews of the systems we’re using, assessing whether they are fit for purpose or not and whether there are alternative products which represent better value for money.

· Manage the organisation’s telephony.

3.  Data and Reporting

• Maintain a clear overview of the data collected by the organisation.
• Prepare reports from the case management system and other data collection tools to feed into reports and funding bids.
• Develop new reports to feed into our billing and accountancy as well as various audits.
• Review and analyse the organisation’s data to understand trends and to assist with service development.
• Play an integral role in using data to communicate the impact of the organisation.

4. Data Protection

· Overall responsibility for the data protection obligations of the organisation.

· Keeping abreast of changes and updates to Data Protection legislation.

· Delivering regular training to staff on Data Protection.

5. Finance and Billing

· Support the finance manager and practice manager by ensuring all systems are optimised for efficiency.

· Liaising with our payroll provider, responsible for running monthly payroll accurately, including keeping track of new starters and leavers.

· Support casework staff with training and technical solutions to allow them to bill files efficiently.

· When needed, to work with the finance manager and practice manager to coordinate regular payment runs. 

· Attendance at regular meetings of the Finance Sub-Committee.

6. Support to Executive Director

• Member of the senior management team, contributing to strategic planning and organisational development.
• Provide operational insights and recommendations to enhance the Law Centre’s performance and service delivery.
• Coordinate and chair regular meetings of the IT Working Group
• Report regularly to the Trustees on operational issues

7. Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements, including health and safety and data protection (GDPR).
• Participate in and ensure the smooth running of the annual Lexcel audit as well as other regular audits.

8. Professional Development

• To attend regular support and supervision and appraisal meetings.
• To keep up-to-date and to meet identified learning and development needs as appropriate.

9. Teamwork and Service Development

• To attend and contribute to staff meetings

• To attend and actively participate in other meetings as required, and to take an active role in the planning and development of the Law Centre.
• To network and liaise with external agencies as agreed.

10. General

• To uphold and promote the Aims and Principles of the Law Centre
• To be available to work outside normal office hours on occasion as required and notified in advance.
• To undertake any other duties that are compatible with the functions of the post.

Person Specification

Essential

• Excellent IT skills with extensive experience working with Excel and other Microsoft Office products as well as database products.
• A minimum of two years experience in a similar role, or relevant transferrable skills.
• Ability to develop, maintain and report on data and compliance records, including the ability to impart information in an understandable way.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Highly organised with the ability to set priorities, meet goals and evaluate processes and results.
• Confident, self reliant, capable of taking the initiative and working autonomously.
• Good attention to detail.
• Exceptional problem-solving skills. 

Desirable

• Experience managing and developing case management systems or similar software.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets and supplier relationships effectively.
• Experience in supporting legal or advice services organisations.
• Knowledge of the operational challenges facing community-based organisations.

Please visit our website to download an application pack

Closing date for applications: 28 July 2025 at 9am

Interviews will take place on: 6 August 2025 

Job summary including context
Young Women’s Trust champions young women aged 18 to 30 on low or no pay. We’re here to create a more equal world of work and raise young women’s incomes.

We offer young women free coaching, feedback on job applications and information to help them get where they want to be. We bring together a network of thousands of young women to support each other, build their self-belief, and have their voices heard. We work with young women to campaign for equality in the workplace. And our research provides insight into what young women’s lives are really like, fuelling our campaigns for change.

About the role
Over the next five years, our fundraising team are embarking on an ambitious growth strategy to increase our income from c. £1m to £1.7m. This is alongside our commitment to spend a significant amount of our organisational endowment to invest in our campaigning, new services, digital capabilities and core infrastructure.

We have recently reshaped the team to create a new Partnerships and Philanthropy (P&P) programme. This unites our corporate partnerships, major donors, and trusts & foundations. With P&P contributing around 80% of our total fundraised income, this is a vital and expanding area.

This new role will support the new P&P Lead in providing outstanding stewardship to Partnerships & Philanthropy supporters, ensuring every commitment is delivered with care and purpose. You’ll play a key role in activating partnership activities, shaping standout content, and helping to build lasting, transformational relationships that drive real impact for young women.

EDI statement and sense of flexible working and workplace culture
Young Women’s Trust strives to be an inclusive and representative organisation. We are committed to appointing individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, lived experiences and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from racially minoritised candidates. We use positive action under section 159 of the Equality Act in relation to race. This means that if we have two candidates of equal merit in our process, we will seek to take forward the racially minoritised candidate in order to diversify our staff team.

You’ll be joining a team that will embrace your ideas and support and encourage you to bring your whole self to work. We can make reasonable adjustments throughout the application process and on the job. If you have particular accessibility needs, please get in touch and let us know any requirements you may have.

Young Women’s Trust is a Living Wage employer and we commit to Show the Salary for every job we advertise. Non-graduates are welcome and we offer a wide range of flexible working options including job share, part-time and compressed hours, different start and finish times and working from home.

We offer:

•  27 days annual leave plus bank holidays – rising annually to a maximum of 30 days
• Enhanced parental leave irrespective of length of service
  • Up to 52 weeks maternity leave - 26 weeks at normal rate of pay, 13 weeks statutory maternity Pay, 13 weeks unpaid
• 2 annual wellbeing days
• Annual discretionary organisation Christmas closure (25th December – 1st January)
• 5% pension contribution
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Learning and development budget
• Flexible working which is fully embedded in our working culture

​Deadline to apply – Friday 4th July, 5pm
You must have the right to work in the UK to apply for this role. We are not able to sponsor work visas for non-British applicants.

About Us
The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) is the leading membership body for doctors specializing in cancer treatment (Clinical Oncologists) and medical imaging interpretation (Radiologists). We support our members throughout their careers, enabling them to make a significant impact on patient lives.

Role Overview
As the Corporate Partnerships Lead within the RCR Learning team, you will be instrumental in securing additional income for the College through sponsorship and exhibition partnerships. Your primary focus will be on achieving sales targets and delivering exceptional service to expand our network of long-term partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Achieve Income Targets: Ensure financial goals are met through effective sales strategies.
• Product Knowledge: Develop a thorough understanding of RCR’s events and offerings.
• Sales Pipeline Management: Maintain and promote opportunities for sponsorship and exhibitions.
• Market Research: Conduct competitor analysis to enhance our offers and pricing.
• Negotiation: Lead negotiations to overcome barriers and secure sales.

Requirements

• Proven Sales Experience: Demonstrated success in meeting significant income targets.
• Market Research Skills: Ability to analyze market trends and improve existing offers.
• Negotiation Expertise: Experience in managing and pricing corporate sponsorships and partnerships.
• Commercial Acumen: Strong business sense to identify and capitalize on revenue growth opportunities.

Why join us:

• Make a difference to the lives of Doctors and the specialities they work in every day!
• Hybrid working (up to 60% working week can be done remotely)
• Modern working environment
• Equipment provided to work from home
• Generous annual leave allowance
• Excellent pension scheme
• Interest free season ticket loan and cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme

Are you looking for a fulfilling & rewarding career?

Vibrance has an exciting opportunity for a Service User Engagement Lead to join our team. You will join us on a 12 month secondment contract and in return, you will receive a competitive salary of £38,916 pa, plus benefits. 

As an employer we are proud to have earned both the Investors in People Silver accreditation and ranked in the Sunday Times ‘Best Companies to work for’ list.

About our Service User Engagement Lead role:

No two days will be the same in this role.

You will be great at helping us change things and embrace new ideas and ways of working, helping others to get on board with them too.

You will provide high quality advice and support throughout our services, identifying opportunities for improvements in how our Service Users are supported.

As well as the linking with the operations team, you will build a strong and effective relationship with the central teams, to ensure a Group-wide overview of work.

You will help develop and monitor action plans to support service innovation and best practice.

You will be good at producing a range of written reports and presentations, tailored to specific audiences.

You will look externally, and support and challenge colleagues to learn from good practice elsewhere.

It is important you keep up to date with your own professional knowledge and so engaging with learning and development opportunities is a must.

What we’re looking for in our ideal Service User Engagement Lead :

Highly organised, you will have great attention to detail and help to reinforce our high standards in our work.

You will be good with data and proactively use this, other research information and best practice standards to identify opportunities for services to develop and improve. You will support others too in the use and analysis of data and its importance to service improvement.

You will demonstrate a passion to ensure the best outcomes for our service users, always placing them at the heart of what we do. Happy to challenge poor practice and internal and external policies.

You will also need to ensure that Vibrance’s Leadership Values into Actions are delivered and maintained to a consistently high level, and staff teams work with service users to identify and meet their own goals and aspirations.

Good knowledge of Care Quality Commission (CQC) requirements is essential.

You must be willing to work flexibly across our services and will have experience of managing staff and leading a diverse team, with a willingness to develop within the role. You must have outstanding interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal), both internally and externally and have a good understanding of Microsoft Office.

As the role requires travel between services it is essential you have a driving licence and access to a vehicle for business use.

In return for your skills, knowledge, and experience, you’ll enjoy:

• A comprehensive training programme
• Generous holiday entitlement
• Pension scheme
• Rewards and recognition for your service
• AIG Lifeworks Work-life Assistance (24 hours)
• Enhanced Maternity & Paternity Pay
• Flexible Working Options (Subject to service requirements)
• Learning & Development
• Mindful Employer
• Positive about Disability
• DBS online applications paid by Vibrance
• Long Service Awards

Vibrance welcomes applications from all sections of the community including from people with disabilities. As users of the Disability Confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who satisfy the essential criteria for a job vacancy and consider them on their abilities.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead our Alumni Engagement team who provide support to an alumni base of almost 40,000 contactable alumni of the Sutton Trust programmes. These are generally young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds who move into highly competitive universities, courses and careers. The alumni community has grown rapidly over the past 3 years and now expects around 6-7000 new alumni to join each September. Engagement covers supporting their transition to university and into the workplace through communications, events and programmes. It also spans alumni volunteering, our Alumni Leadership Board, and working with our Development team towards alumni giving.

The role is dynamic and diverse, requiring you to be able to think strategically whilst devising and delivering on operational delivery plans, and we are looking for a confident and experienced team leader during a period of maternity leave.

This role is part of the Programmes Leadership Team and will work closely with the Director of Programmes, Head of Employability Programmes and Head of University Access & Digital on shaping the strategic direction of the team and its programmatic work. The role will also connect closely to the work of the Development Team as we look to devise and implement a segmented alumni giving scheme, as well as the Communications and Policy team, and may evolve to take on new projects over time.

Main duties

• Strategic leadership to alumni engagement, including:
  • Embedding alumni relations and programming across the organisation, ensuring alumni are considered or involved in all areas of the Trust’s work
  • Managing budget and project timelines to ensure projects are delivered effectively
  • Working with the wider programmes team to ensure a smooth transition for Sutton Trust beneficiaries between programmes and the alumni community

• Alumni Engagement and Volunteering:
  • Refining and communicating the alumni strategy across the Trust and to donors and external stakeholders
  • Growing the Sutton Trust alumni network and developing a long-term strategy for alumni engagement, including communications and events, identifying key areas of focus and setting out benchmarks and KPIs
  • Overseeing a suite of volunteering opportunities for alumni to give back to, and represent the Trust in (for example on programmes, with our funder base, in our research and policy work, or to benefit the alumni community)
  • Managing the online alumni platform (STA) and its integration with other platforms .
  • Overseeing the recruitment to and engagement of the Alumni Leadership Board and new Changemaker/Ambassador programme to build on our advocacy work, and ensuring effective engagement with the work of the Trust and the wider alumni community
  • Ensuring that the above complements a long-term plan which would enable alumni to fundraise for the Trust or make donations in support of the Trust

• Programme management and Alumni Support:
  • Support delivery of access to the workplace and employability programming for alumni alongside the Head of Employability Programmes
  • Overseeing the delivery of bursary support programmes (including the Opportunity Bursary funded by JP Morgan) by the Alumni Programmes Manager from recruitment to evaluation and reporting
  • Overseeing the delivery of a series of employer-led events (working with employer-facing colleagues across the Trust) across a range of industry sectors that support student access to workplace opportunities, and the chance to build employability skills (such as networking / interview skills etc)
  • Overseeing the development of content and activities to support young alumni transitioning to HE
  • Overseeing the evaluation and scoping for potential growth for alumni-alumni mentoring with the Alumni Connect programme (piloted in Spring 2025)
  • Ensuring appropriate systems and processes are in place to manage programmes and events for alumni

• Alumni Giving and Relationship Management
  • Working closely with the Development team to provide support for key funding partnerships including those that directly fund/ work with the Alumni team.
  • Working with the Director of Development/ Head of Philanthropy to input into a new strategy to build funding from our alumni
  • Working with the Development team to implement an ongoing segmented fundraising communications plan to build awareness of our need for funding and directing alumni to appropriate giving schemes depending on their life/career stage
  • Identifying potential mid to high level alumni donors and working with the Development team to cultivate
  • Representing the Trust and facilitating introductions via senior alumni for new and potential employer or delivery partners

• Team Management:
  • Leading the alumni team to ensure effective engagement of our alumni community, including line management responsibility, team meetings, pastoral support and appraisals
  • Line managing, motivating and proactively supporting the Alumni Programmes Manager and Senior Alumni Officer in their professional development
  • Working with Director of Programmes and Heads of Programmes on team management, culture and long term planning
  • Working across the organisation on cross-team projects, such as with the employer working group, youth voice, Changemaker pilot, alumni giving, and STO/STA platforms strategy.
  • Member of extended-SLT

• Other duties as necessary from time to time

Person Specification

We welcome applications from individuals who have experience in:

• Professional experience of alumni relations, or managing other similar membership communities, ideally within the education or charity sector.
• Has experience working within or an understanding of the not for profit sector and/or the education sectors;
• Experience of developing strategies, frameworks and operational plans to support alumni relations, programmes and events for young people, or equivalent
• Strong understanding of databases, data processes and experience using a CRM (ideally Salesforce)
• Experience in project management, monitoring and evaluation, managing budgets, financial control and administration
• Building relationships with significant, diverse stakeholder groups
• Experience of managing volunteers and volunteer stewardship
• Excellent verbal and written communication and strong analytical skills
• First-class interpersonal skills - a natural ambassador able to represent the Sutton Trust in a range of settings
• Working collaboratively across teams and within a small team
• Line management and leadership of a small team
• Adapting to new opportunities and trialling new initiatives
• Personable, flexible and discreet; able to fit in to a small team

We are also looking for an individual who:

• Has experience of building philanthropic support through alumni
• Is sympathetic to the aims of the Trust and its mission to address educational disadvantage;
• Has excellent attention to detail;
• Is eligible to work in the UK (see here for information about right to work)

Terms of Appointment

• • Contract: 13-month Fixed-term Maternity cover contract starting November 2025. Our ideal dates are from 1 November 2025 – 30 November 2026, however we can be flexible if needed for the right candidate.
  • Salary: £60,000-£64,000 per annum
  • Working location: Minimum of 2 office days per week
  • Office location: The Sutton Trust, 9th Floor, Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP. Our home working policy gives staff the option to work from home for up to 60% of the time, with approval from their line manager.
  • Hours: The standard working hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday and may also be required to attend events / meetings outside of their normal working hours during weekday evenings and occasionally at weekends
  • DBS check will be required

Interviews

Applications should reach us by midnight, Sunday 20th July, with first round interviews held over Zoom on Tuesday, 29th July, and second round interviews held at our London offices on Tuesday, 5th August.

Safeguarding statement

The Sutton Trust believes that a child, young person or vulnerable adult should never experience abuse of any kind. We all have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. Therefore all posts undergo a safer recruitment process, including but not limited to, disclosure of criminal records where necessary and eligibility to work in the UK. We have procedures in place to promote safeguarding and a safe culture at the Trust.

Contextual recruitment

The Trust is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity and that all applicants receive equal consideration for employment. We strongly encourage individuals from all backgrounds, including those underrepresented at present at the Trust, to apply for this role. As such we particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities, Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ and from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds. We are committed to being an inclusive and welcoming place to work and know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for the young people we support.

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates throughout our recruitment process and during employment.

We also operate contextual recruitment at the Sutton Trust. Our application process gives you the option to include information about your background, such as whether you were eligible for free school meals, whether your parents went to university, or whether you attended a state school. For more examples and information on contextual recruitment, please see our website.