Director of finance and administration jobs in home based
ID: 1557
Job Title: Deputy Director of Services & Innovation, Central Region of England
Service: Services & Innovation
Salary: £65,782 - £72,959 Additionally, £480 home-based allowance FTE per annum
Location: Homebased with regular travel across the central region of England and occasional London Head Office.
Hours: full-time 37 hours per week.
We offer flexible working arrangements - please see below for more details.
Contract: Permanent
Family Action & the Role’s Impact:
At Family Action we support people through change, challenge or crisis. It’s what we’ve done for over 150 years. We protect children, support young people and adults and offer direct, practical help to families and communities.
We see first-hand the power of family to shape lives, for better or worse, so we speak up for the
importance of family in national and local policymaking, amplify family voices and represent the changing needs of families in the UK today.
Are you an innovative, strong, team player, who is solution focused and passionate about making a difference in everything you do? Do you have a proven track record of growth and retaining services, delivering excellent, inclusive services and cultivating quality and diversity? Are you looking for a diverse, ambitious and fast paced organisation – if so, you have found it.
About the role:
The roles primary function is to lead the operational teams and lead on strategic development and growth across the region. The post holder will model the organisations values; people focus, can do, excellence and mutual respect.
The Deputy Director leads the strategic development and transformation of Family Action services across the Central region, and implements the organisation’s strategic plan and its 5 key objectives. The role focuses on stakeholder engagement, partnership, service development, and system leadership across sectors. It requires inclusive leadership and the effective line management of Operational Managers and one Assistant Director.
The role has responsibility for service delivery, risk management, performance, quality and practice, safeguarding, income generation and budgets across the region. The post holder drives accountable leadership, innovation, co-creation, and continuous improvement across all the Central region. The Deputy Director will be an excellent communicator, highly resilient, and a decision maker, while always championing Family Action’s values in delivering inclusive, outcome-focused support for children, families, young people and adults.
Main Responsibilities:
· Be accountable for service delivery across the region, contractual performance, safeguarding, quality assurance, risk management, ensuring services meet regulatory standards, delivering positive outcomes and embedding equality, diversity and inclusion in everything we do.
· Lead senior stakeholder engagement and foster strong cross-sector partnerships across the geographic area.
· Line manage Operational Managers, and an Assistant Director, oversee budgets to ensure efficient, cost-effective service delivery. Champion the sharing of learning, development of staff and volunteers and best practice across services to support continuous improvement and innovation.
· Strategic and accountable leadership, leading the region by motivating and galvanizing the team to achieve innovation, growth and quality services maximising outcomes for the people we support
· Working alongside the Business Development & Corporate and Marketing team, drive the region’s income generation through generating and responding to new opportunities, and by leading innovative service design and modelling.
· Be part of a dynamic and supportive team of other regional and national Deputy Directors, sharing and influencing cross-organisational decision making, resource allocation, strategy and organizational development and leadership.
Main Requirements (for details check the job description and person specification):
· Passionate about social justice and improving the life chances and supporting children, young people and adults who experience disadvantage.
· We are looking for someone who has senior level leadership and management experience and expertise in at least one of the settings in social care, health, young people and community sector. Who is highly robust, able to priorities multiple workflows and issues, with a good understanding of and leadership around service risks and decision making.
· We are also looking for someone who can think strategically across systems, contribute to innovation, creativity and diversity, and is an excellent inclusive leader that can inspire their teams as well as their peers and senior leaders in Family Action.
· Appointments are subject to Family Action receiving a satisfactory disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service – Enhanced and children’s barred list.
· Benefits:
- an annual paid leave entitlement of 30 working days plus bank holidays
- up to 6% matched-pension contributions
- flexible working arrangements and new starters have the right to make flexible working requests from day one of employment
- enhanced paid sick leave and paid family leave provisions
- eye care and winter flu jabs vouchers
- cycle to work scheme
- investing in your professional development with ongoing quality training and career development opportunities
We are forward looking, ambitious and committed to continuous improvement. We are a people focused, can-do organisation, which strives for excellence in all we do and operates with mutual respect.
To Apply:
Click 'Apply Now' to complete our online application form by the closing date of Sunday 28th September at 23:59
Interviews and an assessment exercise will be virtual over Microsoft Teams – Week commencing 13th October.
For any queries, or if you would like to discuss any aspect of the selection process or the potential for flexible working, please email: Helen Cantrell (full email address on advert document)
All appointments with Family Action are subject to satisfactory Safer Recruitment checks.
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:
We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process and you will be asked whether you require any adjustments if shortlisted for interview. We also make reasonable adjustments on the job, where required.
We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in all that we do and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Intersectionality is important to us and we particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, LGBTQIA+ candidates and disabled candidates because we are committed to increasing the representation of these groups at Family Action. We know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for families and children and we strive for our workforce to be truly representative of the diverse communities we support.
We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. For this vacancy, we are also applying positive action to improve the representation of people of colour in management roles at Family Action. As such, the guaranteed interview scheme is extended to applicants of colour who meet the minimum criteria.
To help remove financial barriers to working with us, we will reimburse travel costs if you are invited to attend an interview in person.
Family Action is an award-winning national charity working from the heart of local communities across England and Wales.




Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
We are looking for an experienced Finance Director to join our team of nearly 100 staff, ideally before the end of 2025.
This is a full-time, home-based, permanent position. You can be based anywhere in mainland UK or Ireland, with some travel and occasional overnight stays to meeting and conferences mainly in England and Wales.
We offer flexibility around working hours, including the option of a 9 day fortnight - time off in lieu is also available. We offer 25 days holiday pro rata (rising to 28 days) plus statutory public holidays. We are happy to make adjustments for people with disabilities and/or caring responsibilities, and we welcome applications from all communities.
The role is a grade 7 position with a starting salary circa £75,000 plus benefits including 9% employer pension contribution.
The Finance Director (“FD”) works alongside the Chief Executive and Operations Director to manage the finances and governance of The Rivers Trust, a leading conservation charity with three associated trading subsidiaries operating across the UK and Ireland, with a collective annual income approaching £10m.
Given the prospective retirement of the current postholder at the end of 2025, we are seeking a well-qualified and experienced individual to take on this senior leadership role as soon as possible to enable handover to occur.
The role is very varied and wide-ranging, including presenting financial information to the Trustees and senior management on a quarterly basis, reviewing monthly management accounts, leading on annual budgeting, appraising internal project concepts and contracts, statutory compliance administration and liaising with auditors.
The postholder will lead a team of eight in the Finance department and join a very welcoming team of 95 highly engaged and passionate staff at The Rivers Trust.
Main duties and responsibilities:
Working alongside the CEO, the Finance Director will provide commercial, financial and governance management and leadership for The Rivers Trust ("the Charity") and its associated subsidiaries (“The Companies”). The FD will not only be an exceptional accountant, with executive oversight of the finance function, but will be commercially astute and have the confidence to represent robustly the best interests of The Companies. The FD will also be an experienced manager of people.
Key Accountabilities:
- Act as a business partner to support and constructively challenge the CEO in the general management of the Charity and the Companies, reporting to the board.
- Lead all aspects of the finance function (including maintaining and developing the financial control environment; robust financial accounting; cashflow management; incisive management information; clear and concise reporting to Board) to ensure that the Charity and the Companies’ assets are secured, risks are managed, and the Board of Trustees, subsidiary boards and committees can make well-informed decisions.
- Manage relationships with auditors, funders, IT specialists, banks, investment platforms and other external organisations.
- Provide support to project bids and the development of other commercial opportunities to ensure that bids/opportunities are optimised for the Charity and the Companies as a whole.
- Provide input to project and programme delivery from time to time, to ensure that performance is maximised for the Charity and the Companies.
- Attend Board meetings and Business Audit and Risk Committee meetings to guide the Board and the Senior Management Team on financial, commercial and governance issues.
- Ensure compliance with the requirements of the Charity Commission and Companies House and, from time to time, provide guidance to members of the Rivers Trust movement on good governance practice.
- Maintain the finance department operational manual for business continuity.
- Serve as the Company Secretary for the Charity and Companies.
Staff Management:
- Lead, manage and develop the finance team (who work remotely) and ensure the team understands their respective and collective contribution to achieving the Charity's and the Companies’ objectives.
- Support the team in their professional development.
- Ensure the team delivers a high-quality service focused on internal and external customers and funders.
Knowledge, skills, experience, and personal qualities:
Essential
- Significant experience in financial management and senior leadership roles, ideally gained in a range of organisations.
- A strategic thinker, able to see the big-picture, shape long-term direction and balance this with attention to detail.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills combined with creativity and openness to innovate.
- Strong IT and digital skills, with experience of using technology to improve efficiency and automate processes.
- Proven people leadership experience, with a track record of managing, developing, and inspiring teams and creating a supportive, inclusive, and collaborative culture.
- Excellent relationship builder, with the interpersonal skills to influence, collaborate, and provide constructive challenge while maintaining positive relationships across the organisation, including with trustees and senior stakeholders.
- Experience reporting to boards of trustees and/or directors, with the confidence to contribute to board-level discussions as a trusted adviser.
- Strong written and verbal communications skills, able to distil complexity into pertinent, concise and understandable messages tailored to diverse audiences.
- The courage to make and communicate tough decisions and be open about risks and setbacks.
- Resilient and calm under pressure, with the ability to maintain focus and steady leadership in challenging circumstances.
- Impeccable standards of integrity and personal ethics, acting as a role model for the organisation values.
- Knowledge of Sage financial software packages.
- Work to a good standard in Microsoft 365, especially Excel, Word, Outlook and Teams.
Desirable
- Experience of working in the charitable sector.
- Experience of being a Company Secretary.
- Understanding of the environmental sector or a passion for making a positive impact.
- Familiarity in using Sharepoint, Sage and Slack.
- Knowledge of Partial Exemption VAT rules.
- A basic understanding of Irish tax law, Irish and UK payroll taxes and corporate governance.
Qualifications/ Education
- Qualified Accountant, preferably ICAEW or ACCA.
Additional information
Everyone who works for us is expected to contribute to a respectful and inclusive working culture and follow our policies and procedures including Health & Safety, EDI, Cybersecurity and GDPR.
Please note we can only accept applications made through this site, and not sent by email or other methods.
We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible. We warmly welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. If you would benefit from any adjustments to support you through the process, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.
To apply please send your CV and a covering letter.
Closing date: Wednesday 24th September 2025
We may close this vacancy early if we receive a strong pool of applications, so we encourage early submission
A leading environmental charity, and umbrella body for the Rivers Trust Movement, our vision is for wild, healthy, natural rivers, valued by all.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
The Scientific and Medical Network (SMN) is an educational charity that challenges the adequacy of scientific materialism by exploring the frontiers of science, consciousness, and spirituality. SMN produces webinars, online conferences, and a regular journal, Paradigm Explorer, aimed at academics, educational professionals, students, and the general public.
We need another member of the accounts team who can dedicate the time to fortify our accounts team and help with operational processes, and with organisational development.
Role Overview: This is a hands-on systems development role that combines operational financial administration with organisational development. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with the existing bookkeeper to further bring order and clarity to SMN's financial processes while building a coherent framework within its new Chart of Accounts, that can accommodate the organisation's growing interconnected projects.
The role focuses on improvements such as new invoicing processes, streamlining payment workflows, and resolving banking issues - while helping to develop the systems and structures needed for long-term financial clarity and governance compliance.
This is a mid-level position that blends practical work with systems thinking, requiring someone who can work at both levels to support SMN's diverse activities across webinars, conferences, membership services, and multiple projects.
Key Responsibilities:
Practical priorities
- Help new weekly payables cycle, working closely with Bookkeeper and Director with financial oversight
- Organise invoices from various projects, determining their place in the overall financial structure
- Initiate payments via CAF, PayPal, and other systems,
- Manage banking relationships with Barclays and CAF, maintaining efficient access and reporting
- Maintain banking mandates and ensure record-keeping remains clear, up-to-date, and efficient
- Support General Manager with hands-on financial operations and day-to-day payment processing
Financial Structure Development
- Help to implement and refine new Chart of Accounts with SMN Bookkeeper focusing on clear reporting
- Collaborate with project leads (particularly David Lorimer for Galileo Commission) to understand financial structures and reporting requirements
- Develop project reference systems linking budgets, codes, and stakeholders across diverse activities
- Work on 2026 organisational budgets once foundational systems are established
Collaborative Team Support
- Work as peer consultant with bookkeeper Rhanna Lei Cariaga, supporting her professional development
- Support Director Alan Malby, General Manager Andrew Polson , and Company Secretary Catherine Coubrough-Smith in meeting Charity Commission compliance requirements
- Contribute to Board reporting through accurate financial documentation and analysis
Essential Qualifications and Experience:
- Accounting qualification (AAT, ACA, ACCA, CIMA) or significant equivalent practical experience
- Hands-on experience with payment processing, banking relationships, and invoice management
- Proven ability to work with complex organisational structures and multiple projects
- Experience with Xero or similar accounting software systems
- Strong relationship management skills for dealing with banks and financial institutions
- Collaborative working style with ability to support team development
- Practical problem-solving approach to operational challenges
Highly Desirable:
- Experience with charity/nonprofit financial management
- Knowledge of CAF banking and payment systems
- Understanding of UK Charity Commission requirements
- Experience in systems implementation and process improvement
- Familiarity with multi-project organisational structures
Working Arrangements:
- Flexible remote work with occasional video conferencing for team meetings
- Collaborative schedule coordinated with bookkeeper and General Manager
- Initial intensive period (10-20 hours/week) for systems implementation
- Sustainable ongoing commitment (7-10 hours/week) once foundations established
- Responsive availability for urgent financial matters and payment processing
Benefits:
- Collaborative team environment with opportunities for professional development
- Flexible working arrangements with remote work capability
- Meaningful work supporting innovative projects at the intersection of science, consciousness, and spirituality
- Financial systems development experience working with a UK charities context
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
At Makani, we are passionate about working with women seeking sanctuary to overcome trauma, fight for rights, and to transform lives and the world around us. Our vision is a world of freedom, equality and dignity for all refugee women and girls.
WHAT WE DO
We work in Lebanon with Syrian and Palestinian women, and in the UK with women from all over the world.
Our arts projects include theatre and craft therapy, filmmaking and feminist embroidery. We also facilitate access to training, education and income generation opportunities, and run workshops on parenting support and on women’s rights in a context of rights for all.
Our flagship Oshana project provides refugee women in Lebanon with a dignified income, a supportive community, and a creative outlet for trauma through embroidery and crochet - and has built a reputation for beautiful design and impeccable craftsmanship.
We are a young but ambitious organisation that is transforming the lives of hundreds of refugee women and their families in Lebanon, and dozens in the UK. We have rapidly grown over the past three years, with an accompanying increase in income.
WHO WE ARE
Makani was founded in 2022 and officially registered as a charity in June 2024. One of our co-founders has her own lived experience of displacement; both have worked for many years supporting women who have been forced to leave their homes.
We now have two staff in the UK and four in Lebanon. We work from home with occasional meetings in London for UK-based staff. As Finance and Administration Manager, you will join us as our seventh staff member, a key member of the team.
As a charity with a strong emphasis on mental health, we foster a supportive and inclusive working environment. We are friendly and flexible. Our team members enjoy working with Makani because we care about each other and are passionate about what we do.
Makani means ‘my place’ in Arabic. We gave this name to our charity as we want to create a space which women who have been forced to leave their homes, or who have felt dispossessed by society, can call their own. Could Makani be your place too?
THE ROLE
We are looking for an experienced and dedicated Finance and Administration Manager to lead on developing and maintaining our financial and organisational systems, enabling Makani to increase our impact on the lives of refugee women.
Position: Finance and Administration Manager
Contract type: Permanent - but also open to applications on a consultant basis
Responsible to: Director of Operations
Location: Home-based, with occasional meetings in London (transport costs covered)
Hours: 20 hours per week, core hours to be agreed upon appointment, flexitime-friendly
Salary: £35,000 per annum pro rata (£20,000 for the 20 hour week)
Annual leave and benefits:
28 days annual leave pro rata (not including bank holidays)
Company pension with matched contributions of at least 3% after probation passed.
KEY ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES
Finance
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Work with the Executive team to set and monitor annual budgets
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Record all financial transactions using accounting software (Xero)
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Record and track multiple restricted and unrestricted grants from a range of donors
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Prepare and present quarterly management accounts for the Board
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Prepare end-of-year accounts
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Oversee payroll and ensure timely invoice payments
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Ensure the charity complies with the financial requirements of the Charity Commission, HMRC and other bodies
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Develop and maintain financial procedures and internal controls
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Liaise with external accountants or auditors for the preparation of annual accounts and statutory reporting
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Monitor cash flow and support the Director of Operations in maintaining financial sustainability
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Work with colleagues to prepare budgets and financial reports for funders
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Contribute to development of funding bids, with Executive Team.
Administration & HR
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Support the board and senior staff to maintain and update charity policies (safeguarding, finance, HR, etc.)
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Support the board to develop HR processes to ensure legal compliance
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Organise and minute quarterly trustee meetings
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Book travel and support with other logistics as needed
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Other administrative tasks as relevant and appropriate
ROLE REQUIREMENTS
You will have:
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Proven experience in charity financial management, including restricted/unrestricted funding
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Familiarity with or willingness to learn Xero accounting software
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Familiarity with UK charity accounting and reporting standards
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Strong organisational and administrative skills
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Ability to work independently and remotely and to communicate well in a small team
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Understanding of good HR policies and practice for small charities
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Understanding of or willingness to learn about other key areas of compliance such as data protection
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Commitment to Makani’s mission and our feminist and anti-racist values
And it's desirable but not essential that you have:
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Experience of preparing funding bids and financial reporting to funders
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Experience of working in a charity with some overseas operations
TO APPLY
To apply, click the CharityJob Apply button below.
You’ll be asked to submit a CV and a cover letter outlining your experience and suitability for the role.
- CV - no more than two sides A4.
- Cover letter outlining your experience and suitability for the role - no more than two sides A4.
First-round interviews will take place in the week commencing 29 September; final interviews may take place after that if required.
Closing date: 18:00 on 19 September 2025
Makani is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply.
CV - no more than two sides A4.
Cover letter outlining your experience and suitability for the role - no more than two sides A4.
Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.
Our mission is to work with refugee women to overcome trauma, fight for rights, and to transform lives and the world around us.




Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
About UKCF
At UK Community Foundations (UKCF), we put inclusivity at the forefront of all we do, we put relationships first and we are ambitious for our members and the communities they serve.
Everyone should have the opportunity to have a fulfilling life and to feel they belong. This can’t be mandated by government, or done to people, only with them. Change needs to be driven by people who understand the local situation and our support makes this possible.
UKCF is a national network of community foundations based all over the UK. Community foundations connect philanthropic people with local causes that matter to them. They are charitable organisations focused on supporting a defined geographical area by leveraging funds to support community needs and local organisations making a difference. As well as supporting our members, at UKCF we explore social challenges, we provide national funding and we work with those who have the solutions to improve lives.
Benefits of working at UKCF include 30 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays, up to two days paid leave for volunteer days, enhanced pension and a flexible working plan. As a disability confident employer, we encourage applications irrespective of your age, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, gender reassignment, sex or sexual orientation.
About the role
This is an exciting opportunity to join UKCF at a time of growth, ambition and innovation. We are looking for an interim Partnerships Officer to help us build and deliver impactful national partnerships that bring real, measurable benefits to communities across the UK.
Initially for a period of six months, you will hit the ground running to pick up an existing portfolio of national programmes currently under delivery. You’ll lead on programme administration including design and delivery, as well as collaborating with UKCF finance and membership colleagues to collate and disseminate programme data for funders and internal stakeholders.
In this client facing role, you will be responsible for administration and operational support in the development, delivery, and evaluation of high-value, strategic partnerships, whether with government departments, major trusts and foundations, corporate partners, or other longstanding partners.
You’ll work closely with the Director of Partnerships & Insight and community foundations to deliver an existing portfolio of programmes and to shape strong proposals and administer the end-to-end implementation of new partnerships.
You’ll also play a key role in helping UKCF and the wider network become more insight-led and data-driven, strengthening our approach to programme design, learning, and impact evaluation.
This role requires exceptional organisational, programme and project management skills. Experience in a trust or foundation, grantmaking, especially within programme design, is a bonus.
You will report to the Director of Partnerships & Insight and also work closely with the wider team including finance, membership and communications staff.
Key responsibilities
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Programme delivery and administration – Support the smooth running of national partnerships and programmes, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and to a high standard. Maintain accurate financial and programme records, track deadlines, and make sure monitoring and reporting requirements are met.
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Reporting and insight – Analyse programme data and contribute to clear, high-quality reports for funders, partners, and internal teams. Capture learning and examples of good practice to strengthen future programmes.
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Collaboration and communication – Work closely with colleagues across UKCF, including communications, finance and membership, to ensure effective programme delivery. Provide timely advice and support to team members, community foundations, and funders, resolving queries quickly and accurately.
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Relationships and improvement – Build and maintain strong, positive working relationships with funders, community foundations, and delivery partners. Identify opportunities to refine and improve processes to make delivery more efficient and impactful.
Who we’re looking for:
We’re seeking someone who is proactive, highly organised, confident with data, and comfortable juggling competing priorities while building strong relationships. You’ll bring experience in programme administration, accurate record-keeping, and reporting, with the ability to translate information into clear insights. Strong digital and technology skills are important, as is the ability to work collaboratively across teams and with external partners. Ideally, you’ll also have some experience in grant-making, process improvement, or using systems like Salesforce, but above all we’re looking for someone who is adaptable, curious, and motivated by UKCF’s values of inclusivity, collaboration, and ambition for communities.
ROLE SUMMARY
Reporting to the Director of Partnerships & Insight, this role is central to the effective day-to-day running of UKCF’s national partnerships and grant programmes. You will play a key role in keeping programmes on schedule and within budget, with strong administration and attention to detail at the heart of the position. At the same time, you will build and maintain positive working relationships with funders, community foundations, and colleagues across UKCF, acting as a reliable point of contact and ensuring information flows smoothly. This role is well suited to someone who enjoys balancing deadlines and detail with the opportunity to work alongside a wide range of people.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
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Under the supervision of the Director of Partnerships & Insight ensure the partnerships and programmes are delivered on time and in budget.
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Administer the partnerships and programmes, keeping accurate records of funding allocated, spending by Community Foundations, and collating monitoring reports etc.
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Analyse partnership and programme data and contribute to reports for funders and internal teams.
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Write and/or support with production of internal and external reports on delivery and impact.
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Work closely with the UKCF Communications, Finance and Membership teams to deliver programmes.
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Develop and maintain quality relationships with delivery partners, including Community Foundations and funders.
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Provide appropriate advice, guidance and support for grant applicants, Community Foundations or funders.
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Capture good practice and learning from grant recipients, Community Foundations and funders.
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Identify refinements and improvements to our programmes
EXPERIENCE/SKILLS REQUIRED
Essential:
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Support and administration – accuracy/record keeping/ working to deadlines across multiple programmes and/or priorities
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Customer service/relationship management
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Analysing information and producing or contributing to reports
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Working as part of a team
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Experienced with Microsoft Office, with strong excel skills
Desirable:
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Implementing new processes to streamline and improve delivery
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Grant making
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Experience of community foundations
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Experience with Salesforce or other similar CRM system
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Analytical experience – used to working with large data sets
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
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Effective verbal and written communication skills
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Persuasion and interpersonal skills; diplomatic, and confident with people from all backgrounds
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Ability to manage competing deadlines and priorities
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Ability to problem solve and act on initiative
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Committed to learning and developing skills and experience
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Willingness to learn and take on a variety of tasks
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Creative, thorough & organised, flexible, and intuitive
This is initially a 6 month contract, full time 35 hours per week, remote working but with the opportunity to work flexibly from the London office if desired.
A rapid start is required - please state notice period on application.
Every UK community should have access to an agile community foundation, known for identifying local need and providing resources that empower change.




The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The National Youth Agency is looking for a new Chief Operating Officer to join our Executive Leadership Team.
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time - 37 hours per week
Salary: £85,000 per annum
Remote: This role is homebased (within the UK) with occasional to meetings, events and conferences.
What we do
As the national body for youth work, the NYA has a dual function. We are the professional statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) responsible for qualifications, quality standards, and safeguarding for youth work and services in England. In line with our charity mission and aims, we also champion youth work through research, advocacy, campaigns, and programmes.
We work in partnership and believe in collaborative leadership, listening to youth workers and the youth work sector so that we can understand their needs and respond to the challenges they face. We are ambitious for youth work and for young people and integrate youth voice and influence across our work
About the Role
Responsibilities will include:
- The COO leads the day-to-day functioning of the organisation to ensure smooth, efficient, and effective delivery of services. This is vital for maintaining operational stability and achieving strategic outcomes.
- They design and execute strategies that align with the organisation’s mission and long-term goals ensuring resources are used effectively and priorities are clear.
- They promote a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement through supporting employee engagement, productivity, and organisational success.
- The COO collaborates closely with the CEO/CFO and other senior leaders to drive strategic initiatives and business growth, ensuring unified leadership and coherent decision-making.
- They partner with the CFO to manage budgets, forecasts, and resource allocation. Financial oversight ensures sustainability and supports informed investment in strategic priorities.
- Strengthen governance and risk management frameworks, aligned to regulatory expectations and best practice while proactively managing reputational and operational risks.
- The COO cultivates strong relationships with partners, clients, and stakeholders to enhance service delivery and reputation. These relationships are key to influence, collaboration, and impact.
- They lead efforts to improve processes and adopt best practices across the charity to enhance efficiency and keeps the organisation competitive and responsive.
- They ensure that daily activities support the charities long-term objectives.
- The COO mentors other directors and departmental heads and fosters leadership capabilities across teams.
- They establish and track KPIs to identify inefficiencies and guide improvements through data-driven decision-making to enhance accountability and results.
- They evaluate and refine workflows to boost productivity developing efficient processes to reduce waste and improve service quality.
- They act as a bridge between departments and the CEO to ensure cohesive execution of strategic plans preventing silos and promoting organisational synergy.
- The COO serves as a senior figure in national and cross-sector forums, conferences, and strategic partnerships to strengthens the organisation’s voice and influence.
- They demonstrate commitment to Equality, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging in both internal culture and external programmes to foster a fair and inclusive organisation.
- They work with the CEO, CFO and Director of Growth to identify and pursue new revenue streams and strategic partnerships. This expands the organisation’s reach and sustainability.
- They engage in public speaking, media interactions, and external representation demonstrating clear communication, credibility, and stakeholder engagement.
- They develop and embed evaluation frameworks to assess progress against strategic goals. The measuring of our impact ensures accountability and informs future planning.
- They promote the organisation’s brand at events and through networking.
The COO takes on other responsibilities as needed to support the organisation’s mission.
About You
Essential competencies of the Chief Operating Officer:
- Extensive experience in senior leadership with a proven track record in operations, financial and risk management, and delivering high-performing teams, ideally in the charity sector.
- Strong understanding of business functions such as HR, Finance, Marketing, etc.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to think strategically and execute effectively.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities. Commercially astute, process-driven, and highly pragmatic in approach.
- Experience in driving performance and fostering a collaborative culture.
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field; MBA preferred
Why Work for NYA?
- NYA operates as a people-first organisation, prioritising the well-being and needs of its employees.
- NYA offers an exceptional flexible working approach which encourages our team to balance professional responsibilities with their personal life.
- A remote based team, spread across England, fostering inclusivity and diverse talent. Despite geographical distances between team members, NYA maintains a highly motivated and connected team through the optimisation of digital tools.
- NYA is committed to supporting the continual personal and professional development of our team and helping them achieve their ambitions.
- We provide 25 days leave plus 8 days, life assurance scheme, 5% employer pension contribution and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme via Spectrum.life with unlimited specialist support available to all NYA employees.
How to Apply:
To apply, please submit the following via our online application platform by 11:59pm on Monday 29th September 2025:
A detailed CV setting out your career history, with responsibilities and achievements in line with the person specification in the About You section.
A covering letter highlighting your suitability for the role and how you meet the requirements in the About You section.
We will request data for our EEDI monitoring purposes, providing this is optional.
Please note: The covering letter is an essential part of the application process and will be assessed as part of your full application. We use AI detector software, so cover letters or CV’s with over 80% AI generated content will be disregarded. We understand that AI tools can offer support to candidates who have learning differences, which is why we will accept applications with some AI assistance. CV’s will not be accepted without a cover letter.
The National Youth Agency is an equal opportunities employer.
At NYA our inclusive culture means that we embrace individual differences and understand that we need a diverse team to achieve our organisations mission.
We wish to recruit candidates from all backgrounds to ensure our team reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We encourage applications from anyone regardless of disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, sexuality, religion, socio-economic background and political beliefs but we particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates and those from other minoritised ethnic groups in the UK as they are currently underrepresented in our team.
Youth Work changes lives
Which is why we’re committed to ensuring that as many young people as possible get to benefit from it.As the national body for youth work in England, the National Youth Agency (NYA) exists to champion its transformative power. We believe all young people should have the opportunity to benefit from the life-changing impact of extraordinary youth workers and trained volunteers.
We help to grow youth work provision in ways that keep it effective, relevant, safe and engaging, to help millions of young people reach their potential and thrive. We do this by providing guidance, support, advice, training and staff development opportunities for youth workers and youth work organisations. At the heart of everything we do are young people themselves. We work hard to ensure their voices are integrated into all our work, to develop provision that truly meets their needs.
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