Director of projects jobs in Belfast

The Biochemical Society is seeking to recruit an Independent Member for its People, Remuneration and Nomination (PRN) Committee to serve an initial five-year term of office, with the potential to extend to a maximum eight year term, with attendance at five meetings per year, for which reasonable expenses will be reimbursed. The role carries a remuneration package of a £250 day rate (x1 Day for a Committee Meeting and x1 Day for Reading Papers).

The Society’s PRN Committee provides strategic oversight on the Society’s staffing, remuneration, organisational structure, and committee appointments on behalf of the Council of Trustees:
• Staff salaries and budgets
• Changes to the staffing structure and benefits package
• The working model of the organisation (including remote working and the four-day week)
• Nominations received for all Trustee and PPL Director positions
• Requests for long-term leave from Trustees and committee members

We are looking for an individual who are excited about contributing to the Society’s endeavours over the coming five-year period. The successful candidate will have direct experience in a Human Resources/People Management role, particularly in a charity, learned society or mission-led organisation is highly desirable, as is an understanding of UK employment law, and volunteer engagement.

Closing date for applications is day 15th May 2026.

If you have any queries about this role please email Sarah Taylor - Governance and EDI Manager. To apply, please send in a CV and Cover letter via the button. It is important that you DO NOT include your Personal Information i.e. name and contact details in your CV or Cover Letter.

We know that diverse teams make us stronger and more effective as an organisation, and we look forward to hearing from all interested candidates. Please note, you do not need to be based in the UK to apply for this role..

The Society takes the security of your data seriously. It has internal policies and controls in place to ensure that your data is not lost, accidentally destroyed, misused, or disclosed, and is not accessed except by our employees in the proper performance of their duties.

Please note that due to limited resources it is not possible for the Society to acknowledge receipt of applications. If you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

ID: 1782 Operational Manager, Northeast

Service: Stockton on Tees Family Time, Stockton Family Outreach & Volunteer service and South Tees Perinatal service

Salary: Grade 4 Point 34-38: £42,562 – £46,703 FTE (£34,049.60 - £37,362.40 per annum, pro rata for 29.6 hours per week)

- Additionally, £480 home-based allowance FTE per annum

Location: Home based

Hours: Part-time (up to 29.6 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.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the operational delivery of services across Stockton on Tees and South Tees (Recar & Middlesbrough) area.  The Operational Manager will provide strategic and operational management to our services in the Northeast and line management of 2 - 3 service managers.

Stockton services are delivered under our successful strategic partnership with Stockton Borough Council. This unique partnership was formed nearly 5 years ago with the aim of transforming service provision using a collaborative approach to service development and innovation. Our South Tees Perinatal service operates over Redcar and Middlesborough and are just entering a 3 year extension to our current contract.

Main Responsibilities:

· Provide leadership, management and supervision to operational services that provide Family Time sessions, Family Outreach support and Volunteering support, plus perinatal support to families.

· Ensure that services are delivered to a good quality standard in relation to practice and performance and that services can demonstrate their impact using evidence based outcomes tools.

Main Requirements (for details check the job description and person specification):

· Experience of providing effective management, leadership and safeguarding oversight of case work and group work based support services, which overall improve the lives of  service users.

· Experience of setting up and/or managing innovative projects.

· Strong interpersonal skills, with the confidence and ability to present and communicate information effectively both in person and using a range of mediums to internal and external stakeholders, including children and young people, parents and carers, and funders.

· Appointments are subject to Family Action receiving a satisfactory disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service –Enhanced

Benefits:

- an annual paid leave entitlement that commences at 25 working days, rising each April by one day, subject to a maximum of 30 working days plus bank holiday pro rata

- 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 the “Apply Now” link below and fill out our digital application form

· Closing Date: Sunday 10th May 2026 at 23:59

Interviews are scheduled to take place on: 20th May 2026

For direct queries or if you would like to discuss any aspect of the selection process or flexible working requests, please email: Claire Meek (email address available on advert document).

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 strive for our workforce to be truly representative of the diverse communities we support.

All candidates with a disability are welcome to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme and request priority consideration for an interview, provided they meet the essential criteria for the role.

To help remove financial barriers to working with us, we will reimburse reasonable travel costs if you are invited to attend an interview in person.

*Ordinarily Family Action appoints new starters at the starting point of the salary scale (with subsequent annual pay progression), unless you have experience that would justify appointment further up the salary scale or there are any other exceptional reasons.

About Action Duchenne 
Action Duchenne supports, empowers and equips every DMD community in their journey from diagnosis and beyond.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a muscle wasting condition for which there is no cure, but we journey alongside communities to empower them and provide information for them to make informed decisions. Action Duchenne has a team of passionate, supportive staff who are keen to do more for families living with Duchenne and has a number of staff with direct lived experience. 

At Action Duchenne, values are more than words—they shape how we work and interact every day. For this role, we are looking for a team member who can reflect our values: 

• Supportive – Actively assist colleagues and stakeholders, fostering a culture of collaboration and reliability. 

• Empathetic – Approach challenges with understanding, considering the impact on people internally and externally. 

• Respectful – Ensure all communications and decisions uphold dignity and fairness, especially when handling sensitive matters. 

• Community Focused – Make decisions that strengthen our community, ensuring all activity supports inclusive engagement and shared purpose. 

• Inclusive – Promote accessibility and equity, ensuring everyone feels valued and heard. 

The Events Officer will embody these values in every aspect of planning, delivering and evaluating events. 

What we offer: 

• 24-hour confidential Employee Assistance helpline 

• Private health insurance 

• Flexible hours 

• 5% employer pension contribution 

Main Purpose of the Role 
This new role aims to support the design, coordination and delivery of Action Duchenne’s events portfolio, including the Annual Community Summit, regional meetups, workshops, and online events. The role will ensure smooth operational delivery, high‑ quality participant experiences, accessible information, and effective logistics‑ and supplier coordination. 

This role contributes directly to our organisational impact by ensuring families, young people, professionals and partners have access to engaging, supportive and well managed events. This is a brilliant opportunity for someone who enjoys a challenge, is incredibly organised with excellent project management skills, close attention to detail, creativity and a passion for supporting every DMD community. 

 Specific Tasks 

1. Event Coordination and Logistics 

• Support the planning and delivery of the Annual Community Summit, working closely with the Chief Scientific Officer, Director of Fundraising and Communications, and wider team. 

• Coordinate logistics for in‑person and online events, including venue liaison, catering, accessibility arrangements, equipment, travel, accommodation and schedules. 

• Ensure event details are accurately published and updated across relevant platforms (website, CRM, communications channels). 

• Manage registration processes for all events and ensure attendees receive timely, accurate joining information. 

• Support the organisation of regional meet‑ups and workshops, ensuring venues, facilitators and resources are in place. 

2. Administration and Operational Delivery 

• Maintain clear and accurate administrative systems, including event checklists, timelines, risk assessments and evaluation forms. 

• Track planned expenditure and ensure costs align with budgets, escalating issues where necessary. 

• Prepare and maintain event collateral (slides, handouts, resources, signage), ensuring accessibility and brand consistency. 

• Provide administrative and practical support during events (both online and in person), including setting up webinar sessions and coordinating pre and post event meetings internally. 

3. Stakeholder and Supplier Management 

• Liaise with venues, suppliers, speakers, exhibitors and partners to ensure high quality event delivery. 

• Develop positive working relationships with internal colleagues to ensure a joined-up programme across support, communications and scientific teams. 

• Provide excellent customer service to participants, responding promptly and sensitively to enquiries, access requirements and logistical questions. 

4. Community and Engagement Support 

• Collaborate with Support Team colleagues to ensure events reflect community needs and priorities. 

• Support the promotion of events through the Communications Officer, ensuring timely provision of copy, event information and updates. 

• Encourage and support attendance from families, young people, professionals and community partners. 

5. Data Management, Monitoring and Evaluation 

• Ensure accurate data entry in CRM systems (eTapestry or similar) for attendee lists, engagement tracking and follow up actions. 

• Collect and analyse feedback, producing short evaluation summaries to inform future planning. 

• Track attendance, trends and logistical improvements, contributing to quarterly reporting. 

6. Risk, Compliance and Quality Assurance 

• Support event risk assessments and ensure compliance with safeguarding, accessibility and GDPR guidance. 

• Ensure that content and delivery meet Action Duchenne’s quality standards and reflect the needs of families affected by Duchenne. 

NB This is not an exhaustive list, the role holder will be asked to carry out additional tasks as required for the Team’s successful service delivery. Such tasks will always be reasonable and broadly in line with current knowledge levels and skill sets. 

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 

• Event logistics prepared within agreed timelines 

• Accurate event information published and updated within required timeframes 

• Participant satisfaction and engagement measured through surveys 

• Conference and event attendance targets met 

• CRM data entry completed within 2 working days of events 

• Budget expenditure tracked monthly with minimal variance 

• Effective delivery of regional and online events aligned with pre-agreed schedule 

Person Specification 

Knowledge & Experience 

Essential

• Experience organising in person events from start to finish for over 300 attendees. 

• Experience liaising with suppliers, venues and speakers. 

• Experience with CRM/data entry, with close attention to detail. 

• Experience organising and hosting remote events. 

• Understanding of hybrid events. 

Desirable

• Experience in the charity sector. 

• Knowledge of Duchenne or similar life-limiting conditions. 

Skills & Abilities 

Essential

• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust, motivate teams and develop positive relationships with beneficiaries, staff, volunteers and external partners. 

• Understanding of the importance of safeguarding around events. 

• Exceptional communication skills. 

• Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines. 

• Analytical and data literate, able to interpret performance data, identify trends, and use insight to drive improvement. 

• Skilled in problem solving, with a proactive, solutions focused approach. 

• Ability to be assertive while maintaining empathy, particularly when supporting teams dealing with emotionally complex situations. 

• Digital proficiency including Microsoft Office, CRM systems and digital communication tools. 

Attributes 

Essential

• Emotionally intelligent, reflective and able to manage sensitive issues with empathy and professionalism. 

• Values driven, compassionate and committed to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by long term or life-limiting conditions. 

• Resilient and adaptable, able to navigate complexity. 

• Creative, dynamic and innovative, with the ability to take ideas from concept to delivery. 

• Demonstrable commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. 

• Personally, and professionally, responsible with high standards of integrity and accountability. 

• A sense of humour and the ability to bring warmth and humanity to the role. 

Closing date: 25 May 2026 at 9am, with first round, online interviews aiming to take place in week commencing 8th June. 

We are looking for an Activity Plan Consultant to draft RGB Kew’s Activity Plan, which forms a core part of our second round application for the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

If you’re a senior bid writer or experienced development lead, with a sharp eye for detail, please be in touch and/or share the role with your network. 

This role will focus on shaping a clear, compelling and fundable narrative, drawing together existing materials and stakeholder input to demonstrate a well-evidenced, audience-focused programme. 

The activity programme will expand engagement with diverse audiences, integrate co-production within learning and participation and strengthen inclusive access during the closure of the Palm House.

We are building on Kew’s successful first round application to develop our second round submission. We are looking for someone who can draw on existing materials and create a compelling narrative that demonstrates that our programme of activities are well designed and relevant.

We are looking for someone who can:

• Synthesise a wide range of inputs into a coherent Activity Plan

• Align the programme with NLHF priorities and outcomes

• Clearly articulate relevance, need, and impact

• Ensure the programme is robust, deliverable and well evidenced 

Available immediately to join us on a contract basis. 

Applications by 6 May.

Please get in touch if you would like further information. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Job title: Head of Co Production

Location: Working from home

SCIE Vision

We are committed to building a society which enables people who draw on social care to live fulfilling lives.

At the SCIE, we are driven by our values:

· Progressive – always learning and developing.

· Inclusive – working together for equality, diversity, and fairness.

· Credible – evidence-based, robust, and reliable.

· Transparent – open and honest.

· Committed - focused on making a difference to people’s lives.

The role:

We’re looking for a senior leader to make co-production the way we work — not a project, not a principle, but embedded practice across the organisation.

This is a high-impact role shaping how lived experience drives strategy, design, delivery, and decision-making. You’ll lead a specialist team, but your influence will stretch internally and externally.

You’ll be responsible for turning ambition into action — building a clear roadmap, strengthening capability, and ensuring co-production is consistent, credible, and genuinely embedded into our work.

You’ll lead the development and delivery of new co-production products and partnerships, generating income and strengthening our position as a sector leader in co-production practice.

What we are looking for:

Example as below

• Embedding co-production across the organisation so it becomes business-as-usual.

• Developing and delivering co-production products internally and externally and generating new income streams.

• Leading a bold roadmap for culture change and continuous improvement

• Influencing partners across social care and beyond.

• Strengthening governance, accountability, and consistency of practice

If you can help shift co-production from aspiration to reality — we want to hear from you.

What we offer in return:

We offer excellent staff benefits including a competitive salary and homeworking allowance. We provide an employer pension contribution above the statutory minimum, an award-winning employee assistance programme, and an attractive holiday package which rises with length of service. Benefits of working for SCIE can be found here Work for the Social Care Institute for Excellence - SCIE

If you would like to access the application form in a different format or if would like any assistance that might help improve your experience while completing the application, please contact us.

We reserve the right to close the advert at any point we are actively reviewing applications.

Pro Bono Community is seeking a Training and Volunteer Coordinator to help us achieve greater access to justice.

Pro Bono Community is a registered charity that has developed specialised training programmes for students, trainees and lawyers covering the practical skills involved in delivering free legal advice and areas of social welfare law. In conjunction with the training, the charity arranges and manages volunteering placements at Law Centres and other advice agencies. The charity’s activities include a number of grant-funded projects which the coordinator will be heavily involved in.

We are looking for individuals to join our team who share our aims and mission and are driven to make them a reality.

About the role

Pro Bono Community is looking for a Training and Volunteer Coordinator to help us run programmes aimed at improving the amount and quality of access to justice by training law students and others and then placing them to work as volunteers at advice agencies.

The Training and Volunteer Coordinator will report to and work alongside the Director to undertake work supporting the charity’s activities with a focus on recruiting and training students and lawyers and then coordinating volunteering placements for them at Law Centres and advice agencies. The role also includes administrative work relating to a pioneering digital advice clinic the charity runs in conjunction with a Citizens Advice agency in London.

This is a full-time role with a salary of £31-35,000 depending on experience and the charity is seeking to appoint someone with knowledge of training and the legal/advice sectors and/or experience in a similar role. Occasional weekend work may be required. The role will involve working from home with some travel involved to London and elsewhere in support of the charity’s activities. The role includes annual leave of 25 days and a workplace pension scheme.

Responsibilities

Training and General Administration

· Producing and printing publicity and training materials

· Maintaining databases, content management systems, websites, social media and other tools

· Dealing with enquiries, including those made via the PBC mailbox and telephone line

· Organising the location and timetabling of training programmes

· Liaising with trainers and others to facilitate training

· Attending training programmes and assessments where necessary

· Keeping attendance records

· Monitoring development of the training content and facilitating discussions between stakeholders/authors

Volunteer coordination

· Arranging volunteer placements with advice agencies

· Designing and implementing rotas for volunteering

· Managing PBC’s online volunteer portal and volunteer activity logs

· Monitoring attendance and feedback

· Reacting to problems arising from attendance and other issues

· Dealing with volunteer enquiries

· Liaising with advice agencies on volunteers’ performance

· Dealing with enquiries from advice agencies

Monitoring and Evaluation

· Assisting advice agencies to evaluate volunteers’ impact through focus groups, surveys and other research tools

· Collating and analysing data

· Coordinating monitoring and evaluation reporting

· Designing and implementing monitoring and feedback tools

· Reviewing and revising monitoring and evaluation processes

Partnership management

· Working with the Director to:

o Develop and maintain productive relationships with Law Centres, advice agencies, universities, law firms and other stakeholders

o Identify and source partnership opportunities

o Explore new ways of working with partners 

Competencies

Essential

· Administrative experience in the legal, educational or voluntary sectors

· Excellent organisational and interpersonal skills

· Strong written and oral communication skills

· Attention to detail

· IT skills

· Ability to work well independently and as part of a team

· Very good internal and external stakeholder management skills

· Problem solving

· Ability to identify areas for improvement in processes and policies

· Ability to be flexible and assist with different aspects of the project as necessary

· Use of initiative

Desirable

· Legal background

· Knowledge of or experience in the free legal advice sector

· Knowledge of or experience in the training/HE sector

· Experience of working with volunteers

· Knowledge of digital training and communications tools

Reporting to the Chief Executive, the Director of Development will have responsibility for the leadership for innovation, improvement, and development at the Bikeability Trust. The role ensures the Trust fulfils its development commitments under the Active Travel England (ATE) grant agreement to deliver a high-quality national cycle training programmes, and drive forward the Trust’s 2025–2035 strategic ambitions.

This post oversees the development and delivery training guidance, evidence-based pilot projects, digital learning products, and cross sector partnerships, ensuring the Bikeability programme remains effective, future-focused and aligned with Government priorities.

Part time or flexible working offered 

This role will support the work of the World Obesity Federation in its role leading dissemination activities under a specific research consortium project; alongside support for intersecting areas of work across the WOF portfolio. Key activities will include: Developing content for website and social media from scientific outputs; using a media monitoring tool to gather relevant data and insights to support dissemination; and co-ordinating planning for webinar and event hosting and project participation at wider events. The role will liaise with cross-team colleagues to identify relevant dissemination opportunities, and support article formatting and submissions, alongside regularly engaging with project teams and wider stakeholders as relevant, and developing project reports. Additionally the role will support engagement of people with lived experience as part of project and wider activities. 

This is a vital role for the Bikeability Trust in leading the management of over £78 million of Active Travel England grant funding to 2029 for the provisiion of Bikeability training and management of the grants programme. We are also launching a new fundraising and income generation strategy for the next three years. You will have significant experience of charity finance and reporting. An established leader with excellent financial acumen, you will have used these abilities to establish and maintain effective relationships with colleagues, external stakeholders and networks.

Do you want to join an organisation committed to addressing low literacy and numeracy levels amongst people in the criminal justice system?

We’ve made substantial progress in recent years, with improvements and expansions to our delivery model and significant growth in our staff team. In Spring 2026, we will launch our refreshed organisational strategy, which will shape our work over the next three years and beyond. To support this growth, we are recruiting for a full time National Director of Operations to lead our delivery across England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and emerging community settings, with an ambition to reach Scotland. This is an exciting opportunity to play a central role in scaling our impact and strengthening our presence across the criminal justice system and beyond.

As National Director of Operations, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for our learning programmes in prisons and community settings. You will ensure high‑quality, consistent and accessible delivery, overseeing a team of six Regional Managers and a wider workforce of around 65 staff, volunteers and over 2,000 peer mentors trained each year.

Working closely with senior colleagues, partner organisations and national bodies such as HMPPS, you will drive programme excellence, innovation and partnership working. You will also play a key role in new business development, operational strategy, contractual delivery and ensuring we can reliably demonstrate the impact of our work.

The role requires an experienced operational leader with a deep commitment to improving outcomes for people facing disadvantage. You will bring:

• Senior leadership experience in a complex, multi‑site environment.
• A track record of delivering large-scale programmes and leading distributed teams.
• Strong strategic thinking, problem‑solving and relationship‑building skills.
• Experience working with statutory bodies or large public-sector partners (e.g. HMPPS).
• Excellent judgement, communication skills and the ability to influence at all levels.
• Understanding of the criminal justice system, safeguarding, or alternative education environments (desirable).
• A collaborative, inclusive leadership style aligned with Shannon Trust’s values.

We want to hear from applicants who are as committed to the cause as we are.

This is a home-based role but will require travel around the UK including overnight stays. This role is 5 days per week (35 hours) with working days/hours to be mutually agreed in line with business needs.

Employee benefits include a company contribution to pension scheme of up to 5%, 30 days holiday plus bank holidays, life insurance, paid volunteering days, discounts via Reward Gateway and an Employee Assistance Programme. The biggest benefit though is our culture – our people really want to work for the organisation.

We welcome job applications from people with lived experience of the criminal justice system and do not routinely ask for details of any criminal convictions. This role does require prison security clearance, so we will need to ask for details of any relevant criminal convictions before an offer of employment is finalised.

Interviews, which will be held online, are planned for the w/c 18th May.

For more than 140 years, the Forces Employment Charity has helped the military community succeed beyond service – building careers, shaping futures, and living with purpose. Last year, we provided dedicated and specialist employment and justice support to over 23,000 people to create careers and long-term stability.

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Are you a passionate leader with a commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community? We’re looking for an experienced and driven individual to lead and shape our national employment support service, helping veterans and their families build meaningful and sustainable careers.

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This is a unique opportunity to lead a high-performing team, influence strategy, and make a real difference across the UK.

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Brief role description

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The Programme Manager plays a pivotal leadership role in delivering the Forces Employment Charity’s Ex-Forces Employment Charity Programme. This programme provides regionally-based, comprehensive employment support to all who have served in HM Armed Forces, ensuring personal and locally informed guidance for veterans seeking employment or career change.

Working closely with the Director of Veterans and Families Employment, the Programme Manager drives operational excellence, strengthens service consistency across the UK, and represents the charity’s employment offer in the devolved nations. They ensure that our national network of Advisors is supported, empowered, and aligned to strategic goals, enabling the very best outcomes for the veteran community.

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It’s essential that they have experience managing multi-site or national teams, alongside a strong understanding of employment support or careers guidance. They will be confident working with a range of stakeholders, able to use data to inform decisions, and an excellent communicator. Strong IT skills and a genuine commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community are also key.

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Ideally, they will bring experience from the veterans or employability sector, along with some understanding of devolved nation policy or frameworks such as safeguarding or vocational training.

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This role requires an Enhanced DBS check.

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Interested? Want to know more about the Charity? Check our website.

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Eager to know more the role? Have a look at the Job Description.

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What’s in it for you? Check out our Benefits.

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Have we convinced you to apply? If so, submit your CV and Covering Letter by closing date Wednesday, 6 May 2026.

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Please note: Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert; therefore, we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as possible. If you are an internal applicant, please ensure you have made The People Team aware before applying.

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We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff by fostering an inclusive, supportive environment where everyone, including those with disabilities, can thrive, develop, and achieve their full potential. We actively encourage applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds and ensure reasonable adjustments are made to support candidates with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.

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We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process.

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#LI-DNI

This is an exciting home-based role where your work can really have an impact and help transform lives. The role is crucial to Ufi’s ambition to help more people get the skills they need for work by making sure Ufi’s grant giving activities and partnerships are brilliantly supported. Working closely with the Associate Director of Grants you will become part of the engine of our grant funding activity. You will be an integral part of a fast-paced team with a growing national profile and reputation for expertise and excellence in delivery. 

We are looking for candidates with a real passion for working in an organisation that has a positive impact on people’s lives, with experience of building strong collaborative working relationships with partners at all levels, with excellent organisational and project management skills, and a good eye for detail and problem-solving. You'll also be able to work flexibly and effectively as part of a small team and develop productive working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. Most importantly - you will be eager to learn and able to work in an agile team. Ufi VocTech Trust has a vibrant working environment, and we welcome diversity of thought and perspective to help create exciting and innovative projects, ventures investments and partnerships.

Job Purpose

The Research Programme Manager will have a strong grounding in scientific research, expertise in grant management, and report to the Director of Research. 

The role’s core responsibility will be to lead on the implementation and delivery of large-scale collaborative programmes and funding schemes. The post holder will have a visible presence within the research community acting as an important point of contact between partner organisations, researchers, committee members, peer reviewers and the charity. They will be expected to keep updated with the latest research developments in order to use strategic scientific expertise and judgement in the ongoing development and improvement of the Foundation’s grant funding schemes.

They will be responsible for the successful delivery of a large portfolio of active projects by working closely with others in the team to ensure all awards are expertly administered, monitored, evaluated and reported against, ensuring the outputs are of the highest quality and supporting the charities activities. The post-holder will identify opportunities to communicate the progress or impact of the work we fund and work with the communications team to develop compelling communications for our supporters.

Key responsibilities:

Grant Funding Programme

● Lead on the setup of large-scale collaborative research programmes ensuring robust peer review, effective contracting and close collaboration with funding partners;

● Lead on the management of multiple grant funding schemes, as well as ad-hoc applications that come to the Foundation;

● Oversee the smooth running of application rounds, peer review and ensure that funding committees function in line with AMRC guidance;

● Be the main point of contact for the AMRC with regards to research management;

● Support the ongoing implementation and development of the Foundation’s Grant Management Software, ensuring the research team are using the platform effectively;

● Manage project set-up including contracting, the development of detailed project plans, including go/no-go milestones and budgets;

● Work with the other Research Programme Managers to oversee the research programme budget including planning, monitoring and forecasting; work with the Directors of Research and Finance to ensure that accurate research finance information is available for organisational budgeting and planning;

● Seek opportunities to improve the Foundation’s grant funding schemes to increase the number and quality of applications received year on year, ensuring funding projects support the delivery of the Foundation’s research strategy;

● Monitor any developments or innovations across the sector and implement changes to maintain a high-quality impactful research funding programme.

Project Portfolio and Impact

● Oversee the delivery of large-scale collaborative research programmes including:

• Leading on management on behalf of funding partnerships

● Manage and oversee project delivery of the Foundation’s active project portfolio by:

• Building and managing relationships with award holders and attending site visits;
• Approving grant payments and managing the change process for any project amendments;
• Ensuring project progress is effectively monitored and reported against;
• Identifying opportunities for and approving any project communications.

● Lead on the development and implementation of an Impact Evaluation Framework, to monitor and evaluate the impact of the research we fund.

● Lead on the development of an annual impact report to demonstrate the impact of the research we fund.

Line Management

● Provide line management responsibilities to the Research Officer, supporting their performance and ongoing development.

General Responsibilities

● Support the Director of Research to deliver the Foundation’s research strategy;

● Support more junior members of the team through training and mentoring;

● Contribute to the team being proactive and supportive, and working effectively and efficiently to achieve agreed objectives;

● Support the development of research communications activities, working closely with our communications team.

● Contribute to the development and maintenance of strong internal relationships across the charity, working specifically with the Fundraising Team to support income generation;

● Support the Director of Research in the development of updates for the Board of Trustees and other groups such as our Scientific Advisors;

● Keep updated with the latest scientific developments in the field, attend conferences and build strong relationships with MND experts and other relevant stakeholders;

● Represent the Foundation at external scientific meetings and conferences;

● Undertake other work as required by the Director of Research.

Skills and experience required:

● Educated to PhD level or with equivalent experience in a science subject relevant to MND;

● Experience of research management, including the management of grant schemes, preferably with experience of using Flexi-Grant;

● Experience of research communications, including the ability to disseminate complex scientific information and present it to non-technical audiences;

● Experience of liaising with senior individuals in a variety of organisations with an ability to create favourable working relationships;

● Proven project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects at the same time;

● A great communicator, with excellent written and oral skills and the ability to maintain relationships with a wide variety of individuals, including those within the Foundation, researchers and clinicians, relevant organisations and industry bodies, MND patients, and other MND charities;

● Self-motivated, proactive and able to work using own initiative;

● Organised, with a proven ability to successfully manage a broad spectrum of tasks, deadlines and individuals;

● Motivated to make a real difference for those living with MND and future generations.

Working Pattern: Full time, permanent, home-based with regular travel across the UK

Salary: Circa £45,000 dependent on experience

Direct reports: Research Officer, 1 FTE

Closing date: Friday 8th May

Interviews: Week commencing 11th May

An exciting opportunity to help turn a new national initiative into reality as it moves from planning into delivery. Over the next year, we will launch a new national Foundation Degree while building the foundations of a wider programme of work. In the initial phase, this role will focus on working locally with partners and participants in one or more locations to support recruitment, onboarding and preparation for launch, while also contributing to the wider programme build-out alongside a national team. As delivery begins, the role will transition into ongoing programme management across a cluster of delivery centres, leading high-quality delivery, participant experience and programme quality, and helping to build strong, sustainable centres over time.