Director of services and influencing jobs

Join Disability Law Service and help empower Deaf and Disabled people to access justice. Support our vital work by playing a key role in strengthening our finance and administrative functions. 

Disability Law Service is a Deaf and Disabled Peoples Organisation providing free legal advice and representation to Deaf and Disabled people across England and Wales. We work to promote equality, inclusion, and access to justice through high-quality legal advice, welfare benefits support, and systems change work. Our work is grounded in the social model of disability and is focused on tackling discrimination and structural barriers faced by Deaf and Disabled people. 

Purpose of the role 

To support the financial and administrative operations of Disability Law Service, ensuring accurate financial management and efficient day-to-day organisational support. 

You will manage bookkeeping, legal aid billing, financial records, and general administrative processes, supporting the smooth running of organisational systems and compliance requirements. 

Key responsibilities 

• Manage bookkeeping, invoices, payments, and reconciliations 

• Take responsibility for billing processes and financial records 

• Prepare month-end adjustments (including accruals and prepayments) 

• Maintain accurate financial systems in line with charity and legal aid requirements 

• Support audit and compliance processes 

• Provide general administrative support 

• Use finance and office systems accurately and efficiently 

What we offer 

• Opportunities to develop experience in finance, administration, and legal processes within a charitable setting

• A supportive and inclusive working environment within a committed and experienced team

• A varied role where your work directly supports access to justice for Deaf and Disabled people.

Equality, diversity and inclusion 

We welcome applications from everyone and are particularly keen to support Deaf and Disabled people to join and develop within our organisation. We are a flexible employer committed to creating an inclusive environment in which everyone can thrive. 

To apply

To apply, please upload your CV and a supporting cover letter (up to 2 pages) outlining your suitability for the role via CharityJob. Please make sure you have fully read the Job Description and Person Specification before applying. 

Join Disability Law Service and help empower Deaf and Disabled people to access justice. Support our vital work by deleivering specialist housing legal advice and training.

About Disability Law Service 

Disability Law Service (DLS) is a Deaf and Disabled Peoples Organisation providing free legal advice and representation to Deaf and Disabled people across England and Wales. We work to promote equality, inclusion, and access to justice through high-quality legal advice, welfare benefits support, and systems change work. Our work is grounded in the social model of disability and is focused on tackling discrimination and structural barriers faced by Deaf and Disabled people. 

Purpose of the role 

To provide specialist housing law advice, casework, representation, and training to Deaf and Disabled people and organisations, supporting access to justice and systemic change. 

Overview 

You will deliver housing law advice via our dedicated housing helpline, undertake casework and representation where appropriate, and deliver training to external organisations. You will also contribute to policy work and wider systems change activity. 

Key responsibilities 

• Provide housing law advice and casework, including representation 

• Deliver advice via our Housing helpline and partnership sessions 

• Undertake Legal Aid casework and ensure compliance with regulatory standards 

• Deliver housing law training to external organisations 

• Maintain accurate case management and billing records 

• Contribute to policy and systems change work 

• Support service development and internal collaboration 

What we offer 

• Opportunities to develop experience across multiple areas of law and contribute to a diverse range of projects 

• A supportive and inclusive working environment within a committed and experienced team

• A varied role where your work directly supports access to justice for Deaf and Disabled people

Equality, diversity and inclusion 

We welcome applications from everyone and are particularly keen to support Deaf and Disabled people to join and develop within our organisation. We are a flexible employer committed to creating an inclusive environment in which everyone can thrive. 

To apply

To apply, please upload your CV and a supporting cover letter (up to 2 pages) outlining your suitability for the role via CharityJob. Please make sure you have read the job description and person specification fully before applying for the role. 

We’re looking for a creative and collaborative Head of Programme Design to lead the Programme Design Team at BookTrust, as part of our central Research and Design function.

The role will cover evidence-informed, human-centred programme design across the full spectrum from new opportunity definition to programme iteration and continuous improvement. It will hold overall programme design accountability for our products and experiences designed for impact with primary audiences - delivery partners and families. 

We have a skilled Design team, experience of applying human-centred design approaches in programme design and strong organisational support for a design-led approach. The post-holder will lead our Programme Design approach to the next level of maturity and help it become even more embedded within the organisation. The post-holder will deliver excellent stakeholder stewardship around our programme design ensuring our detailed product design (e.g. with our communications, partnerships and books teams) stay true to our overall programme intent (ie. against objectives that will include impact and supporting income generation). 

The role will have accountability for innovation in programmes - ensuring that we make rapid progress against our riskiest assumptions using design-thinking approaches to help us define and activate opportunities quickly. 

Please apply through our website and attach your CV and covering letter showing how you meet the person specification and your motivations for applying for the role in addition to answering one of the following questions: 

1. How would you go about setting and maintaining an organisational standard around co-design and inclusive design? How would you balance practical considerations and limitations with best-in-class approaches? 
2. What are the key features of a high performing Programme Design Team and what approaches would you take to help the team achieve excellence?

Your covering letter should not be longer than 2 pages.

For more information and the person specification, please download the full job description.

Closing date: Friday 22nd May

We may choose to close applications early if we have received sufficient numbers of quality applications, so please don’t wait until the closing date to apply.

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.

Do you have experience providing high quality support for an IT Service Desk?Are you passionate about helping people with their IT issues and keen to work for an Organisation with People at the heart of everything they do?

Samaritans is one of the UK and Ireland’s best known and respected charities. In these challenging times of rising cost of living, and more people struggling with their mental health, Samaritans is needed more than ever before. If you are a technological whizz and want to make a real difference to people’s lives – this is the role for you!

We are looking for a Service Desk Analyst to join our friendly Service Desk as part of the fantastic IT team. In this crucial role you’ll help respond to our staff and volunteers to resolve various 1st and 2nd line IT issues.

We are a fun, friendly and supportive team whose focus is on delivering excellence to our callers and volunteers. If you are looking for a new opportunity or a chance to learn new skills, please consider applying.

As this is a fixed term role, we are looking for candidates who are immediately available.

​

Contract terms:

£27,000 - £28,500 per annum, plus benefits

5-month fixed term contract

Full time hours are 35 hours per week, but we are passionate about flexible working, talk to us about your preferences

Linked to our Ewell (Surrey) office

In-person working: Meeting in person and working collaboratively are things we value. We work in person around 2 days per month.

​

​What you'll do:

​Provide 1st and 2nd line support to staff and volunteers

Respond to support requests via our service desk, as well as face to face, over email and by telephone

Manage incidents and requests through to resolution

Escalate issues to third parties where required

Provide support for a range of software platforms and equipment

Assist with new starter account creation

Participate in the out of hours on call rota

​

What you’ll bring:

​Demonstrable experience of 1st and 2nd line IT support in a service desk environment

Experience providing support for both applications and hardware

Experiencing owning and managing support requests through to resolution

Great customer service skills

Experience working within SLAs

Experience supporting volunteers is desirable

​

For full Job Description and Person Specification click here

​

Why Samaritans?

At Samaritans, you’ll be part of a people-first organisation deeply committed to inclusion, compassion and learning. You’ll contribute to a team where your voice matters, your expertise makes a difference, and your work helps save lives.

We welcome applications from individuals with lived experience and encourage those from underrepresented communities to apply. We are committed to creating an environment where all our people feel seen, heard and supported.

You’ll join a values-led organisation with a powerful mission and a collaborative culture. We offer flexible hybrid working, excellent benefits, and the chance to make a tangible difference in suicide prevention across the UK and Ireland.

For further information about Samaritans, including our charity structure, values, employee benefits, and application process, please read our recruitment brochure available here. You can also visit our careers website to access this.

We recognise the enormous benefits and the social justice imperatives of ensuring diversity at every level of our organisation. Samaritans is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person they are. To ensure Samaritans is representative of those we support and who support us, we particularly welcome applications from disabled, racialised minority and LGBTQ+ candidates, as these people are under-represented at Samaritans.

​

Apply now

If this sounds like the opportunity for you, please apply. You will be asked to some answer short application questions and to upload your CV.

Applications close:​Sunday 17th May 2026

​

At Samaritans, human connection is at the heart of everything we do.

We do not use AI at any stage during the selection process. Your application will always be carefully reviewed by the recruiting manager or a member of the Talent Attraction Team.

We kindly ask that you avoid using AI tools to generate your application or interview answers. We want to hear your own ideas, insights, and writing style so your unique strengths can shine through.

Bible Society is on a mission to increase Bible confidence in the Church and change the conversation about the Bible in culture.  We are ambitious to see the Bible ‘translated’ into every part of life and society.

We see a huge mission opportunity in England and Wales and increasingly our attention is focused on growing Bible confidence in the Church and inviting the spiritually open to engage with what the Bible has to say in their own lives.

As Director of Domestic Mission you will be responsible for:

- Leading and implementing programmes to mobilise the domestic Church for Bible mission, and to enable spiritually               open people to discover and engage with the Bible.

- Embedding a mission culture marked by prayerful humility, relational partnership and inter-confessional                                 collaboration.

If you are content with the state of contemporary Christianity in modern society and the place of the Bible in popular culture, then this is not the role for you. On the other hand, if you are provoked and stirred by the confusion, misunderstanding and lack of knowledge about the Bible in society; if you know the transforming power of Scripture to bring us into an encounter with Jesus by the Holy Spirit and change our lives and relationships; and if you want to harness your excellent leadership, relationship-building and missional vision-casting skills to help mobilise a Bible movement in our generation, then we are excited to be talking to you.

At Samaritans, our vision is that fewer people die by suicide. Every day, our volunteers and staff provide life-saving emotional support to people in distress, and behind that work is a culture built on compassion, inclusion, learning and human connection.

We are looking for an experienced and values-led leader to join us as our new Assistant Director of Organisational Development & Learning within our People and Culture Directorate.

This is a rare opportunity to shape how learning, leadership and organisational capability enable one of the UK and Ireland’s most respected charities to deliver its mission.

You will lead the development of an ambitious organisation-wide learning and organisational development strategy, ensuring our 23,000 volunteers and 300 staff members, have the skills, confidence and support needed to deliver safe, effective and compassionate services.

About the role

Reporting to the Executive Director of People & Culture, you will lead a talented team responsible for organisational development, leadership capability, learning and development, delivery of training through our training school and external learning provision through STEP, our commercial training offer.

Samaritans is on an ambitious journey of change, we are evolving how we work, strengthening collaboration across the organisation to meet growing need for our life-saving listening services.

You could not be joining us at a more pivotal time and the capability of our people has never been more important. Working closely with senior leaders across the organisation, you will:

• Lead the development and delivery of innovative, inclusive and high-quality learning solutions
• Shape and embed leadership capability frameworks that support a positive, accountable and compassionate culture
• Support organisational transformation and change through strong organisational development expertise
• Drive strategic approaches to learning, talent and succession planning
• Partner with leaders to build a high-performing and psychologically safe learning culture
• Ensure our learning approaches reflect best practice, accessibility and equity, diversity and inclusion principles
• Support the development of our geographically dispersed volunteer and staff teams
• Bring external insight, thought leadership and innovation into the organisation

You will also play an active role as part of our Senior Leadership Group and People and Culture Senior Leadership Team, contributing beyond your specialist area to help deliver our wider organisational strategy and mission.

About you

You are an experienced organisational development, learning or people capability leader with a strong track record of delivering strategic cultural and organisational change.

Importantly, you are someone who leads with empathy, curiosity and integrity. You understand that high performance and compassion go hand in hand, and you are passionate about creating environments where people feel supported, empowered and able to grow.

You will bring:

• Significant experience leading organisational development and learning strategy at a senior level
• Expertise in leadership development, capability building and organisational change
• Experience of identifying future capability needs through workforce planning’
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, including experience working with senior leadership teams
• Experience developing inclusive learning cultures and blended learning solutions
• Knowledge of talent and succession planning approaches
• The ability to inspire and lead geographically dispersed teams, including volunteers
• A collaborative and values-driven leadership style

Experience within the charity or not-for-profit sector would be welcomed, though we also encourage applications from candidates outside the sector who share our values and mission.

Why Samaritans?

At Samaritans, people matter deeply. We know that meaningful impact starts with how we support each other.

We are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive and flexible workplace where everyone can thrive. We value diversity of thought, background and lived experience, and we actively encourage applications from people from all communities.

In return, we offer:

• Competitive Salary and Rewards; £73,000 - £75,000 per annum plus Benefits.
• Flexible and hybrid working; Our full time hours are 35 hours per week, but we are committed to flexible working and offer a hybrid approach to working. Due to the nature of our work, some evening and weekend working is required with time off in lieu given.
• Hybrid working: Meeting in person and working collaboratively are things we value. This role is linked to our Ewell (Surrey) office with a blend of home working and option to work out of our London office as required.
• The opportunity to shape learning and organisational capability in a nationally recognised charity
• A supportive and inclusive culture
• Professional development opportunities
• The chance to contribute directly to work that saves lives

Every person at Samaritans plays a role in helping fewer people die by suicide. If you are motivated by purpose, compassion and the opportunity to make a lasting difference, we would love to hear from you.

Full outline in the Job description file here. You can also read more about our change programme (future proofing) here - Our need for change

For further information about Samaritans, including our charity structure, values, employee benefits, and application process, please read our recruitment brochure available here. You can also visit our careers website to access this.

We recognise the enormous benefits and the social justice imperatives of ensuring diversity at every level of our organisation. Samaritans is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person they are. To ensure Samaritans is representative of those we support and who support us, we particularly welcome applications from disabled, racialised minority and LGBTQ+ candidates, as these people are under-represented at Samaritans.

To Apply

Please complete the application questions including those outlined below, and submit your CV, with a brief supporting statement. Please note the following questions have a 300word limit for answers.

1. Please outline your most relevant experience/role that gives you confidence you

could broadly deliver all that’s outlined in the job description?

1. Tell us about a learning and development strategy you have designed and implemented across an organisation or large workforce.
2. Describe a time when you influenced senior leaders or stakeholders to adopt a new approach to leadership, culture, learning or organisational capability.
3. Please describe a significant organisational development, culture change or transformation programme you have led.

We kindly ask that you don’t rely on AI tools for your application answers, or to generate interview answers. We want to see your own unique ideas and writing skills. We want your application to stand out from the rest and showcase your own strengths.

Applications close at Midnight Sunday 17th May

Interviews

All applicants will receive notification of the outcome of their application, at the appropriate time.

The interview process will be in two stages, allowing enough time to connect with leaders and explore this great opportunity with candidates.

Interviews will be taking place as outlined;

First stage Interviews: 28th May and 1st June

Second stage interviews to be held at our Ewell Office (Epsom, Surrey) on 3rd and 4th June.

Please hold these dates in diaries if applying.

Anna Freud is seeking a Module Lead to join our world-leading mental health charity for children, young people and their families. Our mission is to close the gap in wellbeing and mental health by advancing, translating, delivering, and sharing the best science and practice with everyone who impacts the lives of children, young people and their families. More information about Anna Freud is available on our website.

Our EDI commitment

We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and being an equal opportunities employer, whereby equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are core to our recruitment practices. All candidates who meet the job criteria will be considered for employment, regardless of ethnic origin, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, socioeconomic background, caring responsibilities and care experience.

We ask candidates to share their diversity dimensions with us to help us identify, tackle and prevent bias across the employee lifecycle. We believe a diverse workforce enhances our ability to support mental health and wellbeing, allowing us to better meet the needs of the children, young people and families we serve.

As a Disability Confident employer, disabled candidates meeting our criteria are guaranteed an interview. Applications are submitted anonymously and assessed using a fair evaluation process based on the criteria set out in our job profiles.

What we offer

We offer a range of staff benefits, including an all-in-one rewards and recognition platform called Perkbox and wellbeing offers such as finishing early on Fridays and free counselling through our Employee Assistance Programme. We are proud to have staff-led Diversity Networks offering unique opportunities for learning, connection and impact.

What you’ll do

As the Module Lead for Clinical Practice in Context (CPIC), you will lead the delivery and ongoing development of a core Year 2 module within the MSc Developmental Psychology and Clinical Practice programme. You will ensure the module is delivered to a high academic standard, supporting students to develop their clinical knowledge, reflective practice, and understanding of child and adolescent mental health within wider social, cultural, and professional contexts.

• You will plan and deliver weekly lectures and seminars, ensuring engaging and high-quality teaching throughout the module
• You will develop and maintain the module syllabus, reading lists, teaching resources, and Moodle content in line with UCL requirements and deadlines
• You will coordinate guest lecturers, including arranging sessions, agreeing teaching content, and ensuring materials are shared with students appropriately
• You will oversee module assessments and student feedback processes, including marking coordination, moderation, and providing constructive feedback to students
• You will work closely with the wider programme team to review module quality, support student wellbeing, and contribute to ongoing programme development

What you’ll bring

The ideal candidate will be an experienced mental health or developmental psychology professional with strong teaching and clinical expertise, who is passionate about delivering high-quality, inclusive learning experiences and supporting students to develop reflective and culturally informed clinical practice.

• You will hold a relevant doctoral qualification, such as a DClinPsych or PhD related to mental health or developmental psychology
• You will have clinical experience working within child and adolescent mental health settings
• You will have experience delivering teaching, training, or facilitation to adult learners
• You will demonstrate a strong understanding of the legislative, policy, and practice contexts surrounding Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
• You will have excellent communication, organisation, and workload management skills, alongside a proactive and flexible approach to problem solving and inclusive teaching

Key details

Hours: 130 hours annually/ 2.5h a week. Teaching takes place in person at the London site on Fridays during term 1 of the academic year (October- December). Flexible/home working is possible for other duties such as marking and module planning.

Salary: £46,057 FTE per annum, plus 6% contributory pension scheme

Location: Hybrid (a mixture of home/onsite working): staff are working onsite for at least 20% of their working hours, at our London site (4-8 Rodney Street, London N1 9JH)

Contract type: Permanent

Next steps

Closing date for applications: midday (12pm), Friday, 22 May 2026. Please note that due to high application volumes, we may close this advert early. We encourage you to apply promptly and to keep an eye on our future vacancies for more opportunities.

Notification of interview: shortlisted applicants will be notified no later than Thursday, 28 May 2026. During shortlisting, applicants are anonymously assessed using the criteria visible in the Job Profile. Please note: due to the high volume of applications received, we will not be able to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

Interviews: will be held remotely in week commencing 1st of June and 8th June

How to apply: click on the 'apply now’ button to apply online. We are unable to accept CVs and kindly request no contact from agencies.

Questions?

Please email us with any job enquiries, or if you require assistance or experience difficulties when applying. Please note that successful candidate(s) will be asked to evidence their Right to Work in the UK post-job offer – we do not hold a sponsor license therefore we are unable to provide Visa sponsorship.

Following the growth of the Income Generation team Severn Hospice is expanding.

Severn Hospice is a leading charity supporting people with incurable illness across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales. We are looking for an experienced, empathetic and relationship-focused Philanthropy Lead who wants to make a real difference by securing vital income for our caring services.

You will play a pivotal role in developing and growing our philanthropy programme by cultivating and strengthening meaningful relationships with mid- to high-net-worth donors, developing tailored engagement plans that inspire long-term support and securing significant and transformational gifts.

Being a strategic thinker, you will lead the growth of major gift income through a relationship-led approach that delivers sustainable fundraising over the long term. You will identify and develop new prospects, build a strong pipeline of supporters and confidently secure significant donations through compelling funding propositions and high-quality and personalised stewardship.

You will translate our priorities and impact into persuasive cases for support, creating bespoke supporter journeys that build trust, inspire long-term commitment, deepen engagement and connection to our cause and ensures donors feel informed, inspired and valued.

You will also be experienced in managing budgets, monitoring performance and maintaining accurate data and reporting in line with fundraising regulations and best practice.

Severn Hospice is a wonderfully rewarding place to work and if you’re dynamic, highly organised and passionate about building genuine relationships that make a lasting difference for our community, we would love you to get in touch.

Fixed term 12-month contract

About the role:

We are recruiting an Associate Director, Strategic Planning, People & Culture to join the Estates & Facilities (E&F) Strategic Management Office (SMO) on a 12‑month maternity cover.

This is a great opportunity to make a visible impact at a pivotal time, supporting the recalibration of E&F’s flagship Fit for King’s programme and embedding the Estates & Facilities Philosophy. Working with senior leaders, you will help shape the strategic direction of the directorate so that we can deliver a Fit for King’s Estate for the King’s community.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Strategy & Performance, you will lead the Strategic Planning, People & Culture team and be accountable for effective strategic planning, robust programme oversight, and directorate-level budget planning and risk management. You will take ownership of key strategic initiatives, ensuring appropriate governance, reporting, benefits realisation and change management arrangements are in place. You will work closely with the Senior Director of Strategy & Performance to establish and embed the structures, governance and reporting needed to provide assurance against delivery of the directorate’s strategic plan (the Estates & Facilities Philosophy), with a particular focus on finance, people and internal processes.

As a key member of the SMO leadership team, you will build and maintain trusted relationships across Estates & Facilities and the wider university, bringing clarity to priorities, enabling effective collaboration, and supporting confident, evidence-based decision making.

This is a full-time post (35 hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term 12-month contract or until the return of the substantive post holder (maternity cover).

About you:

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. Strong experience in strategic business planning, with the ability to develop and deliver strategy.
2. Expertise in programme and project management, including establishing governance, managing risks and dependencies, and leading change activity across complex, multi-year programmes.
3. Demonstrable leadership abilities, with experience managing teams and developing high-performing teams.
4. Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to collaborate across diverse stakeholder groups all levels of the organisation.
5. Proven experience of building and maintaining effective senior-level relationships with sophisticated influencing/negotiating skills
6. Experience of budget planning and financial oversight of large and complex, including building business cases and balancing risks.
7. Strong analytical skills, with experience in risk management and the use of data to inform strategic decision-making.
8. A collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset, with a commitment to high standards of service, innovation and continuous improvement.

Desirable criteria

1. Experience and/or knowledge of the challenges of UK higher education.
2. Change management qualifications and/or experience of implementing cultural change
3. Experience of working in EDI or knowledge of EDI including EDI legislation and issues that may impact workplaces and/or education

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Closing date: 10 May 2026.

This is an exciting opportunity to work on the frontline of policy advocacy and development in child health. As Head of Policy and Research you'll be responsible for overseeing the development of our policy positions and all related outputs, as well as the research that underpins our campaigns and advocacy, across England, Scotland and abroad. You will be an integral thought partner to the Director of Strategy & Delivery and wider leadership team on the development of pioneering research concepts that will drive the child health agenda forward. You will be our internal technical expert on food policy, ensuring all of our work is evidence-based and impactful, as well as being our external representative, liaising with leading policy and research experts across academia, civil society, and government agencies. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Research

• Work with the Director of Strategy & Delivery and Research Manager to plan research projects and support their delivery, ensuring they support policy calls and reflect young peoples’ experiences.

• Lead the translation of  Bite Back’s research into high quality outputs including reports, briefings and submissions.

• Work with campaigns, communications and content teams to turn research findings into high impact creative communications for a range of audiences.

• Serve as a primary spokesperson for our research including in media placements, speaking slots and government evidence sessions. 

Policy development

• Lead on the development of Bite Back’s policy positions in key and emerging areas, ensuring young peoples’ views and experiences are fed in at every stage.

• Lead the development of all policy outputs including submissions, consultation responses and briefings, ensuring they are evidence-based and reflect young peoples’ voices. 

• Lead the technical policy liaison with stakeholders and experts in the field to gather evidence and critically assess the Bite Back’s positions. 

Evidence

• Keep abreast of new evidence on key areas relating to nutrition, climate and health and consider the implications for Bite Back’s policy and relevant activity.

• Collaborate internally to provide knowledge and advice on policy and evidence issues with colleagues and the youth board.

• Review and sign off key outputs to ensure they reflect the latest evidence and data.

Stakeholder engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with a range of external stakeholders to support Bite Back’s influencing agenda, including with senior government policymakers, academia, WHO and other charities in England, Scotland, and abroad.

• Represent Bite Back on a range of alliances, coalitions and partnerships.

• Deputise for the Director of Strategy & Delivery when needed.

Leadership

• Line management of Research Manager and Impact & Evaluation manager, with a dotted line to the Policy & Engagement Executive and Senior Programmes & Policy Manager for Scotland.

• Operate as a member of the extended leadership team, collaborating with other Heads and the Directors to ensure research and policy considerations are embedded seamlessly into campaigns, communications and programmes.

• Lead the policy and research strategy development for Bite Back in new geographies, providing visionary technical leadership in how we expand to new countries across the UK and abroad.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

We will be looking for applications that demonstrate experience in at least some of these areas, and evidence of capacity to build skills in others. Please don’t be put off applying for one of our jobs because you can’t demonstrate every skill. If you're passionate and excited about working for us, and possess the main skills and experience we are looking for, go ahead and apply. You could be just what we are looking for!

Required: 

• Significant experience  of managing food policy work, which has informed and influenced national and local food policy in England. 

• In depth knowledge of the breadth of the food, nutrition and obesity public health landscape and the key challenges faced in the policy environment.

• Deep technical expertise in food policy research, development, and communication - with a strong focus on commercial determinants of health.

• Strong analytical skills, including a good understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods, including creative implementation research techniques. and experience with commissioning external research.

• Ability to synthesise and utilise evidence to support policy development and influencing. 

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including ability to communicate complex issues.

• Calmness under pressure, with ability to prioritise multiple projects to agreed objectives and deadlines. 

• Line management experience.

• A passion for our mission and a commitment to our values: Fresh, Resilient, Respectful, Energetic, Real.

Desired: 

• Strong policy and research networks in the UK across academic, civil society, and government agencies. A trusted technical voice.

• Post graduate experience in public health or nutrition and/or evidence of continuing professional development of relevant knowledge and skills in the field. 

• Experience in working with young people.

• Experience with designing creative, outside the box research with fresh ways of influencing food policy change.

• Understanding and some experiencing working on food policy across devolved nations (Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland), and within other global contexts.

A fantastic opportunity to join the Cure Parkinson’s Research team – a medical research charity supporting research to slow, stop or reverse Parkinson’s. Working with the Director of Research, this role will have management of Cure Parkinson’s clinical portfolio. The charity supports a large treatment selection process that feeds new clinical trials seeking disease modification. This is an exciting time in Parkinson’s research and there is the opportunity to have a really meaningful impact by joining the Cure Parkinson’s team as we expand our funding schemes and initiate new ventures.

As our Clinical Research Manager, you will have a PhD in life sciences (an MD or MBSS would be advantageous) and significant experience in clinical trial development. A healthcare professional engaged in medical research you will be looking to move to the charity sector to influence the strategic direction of the Parkinson’s research field and drive forward the search for a cure. You must have a strong understanding of Parkinson’s, the biology associated with the condition, and the agents currently in development. You will require excellent organisational and communication skills as you will be representing the charity via stakeholder engagement. Working as an effective member of our Research Team you will be able to handle multiple tasks with precision simultaneously and be comfortable building relationships and providing support for researchers.

The Bridge Project has been supporting people across Bradford since 1983. We work with individuals, families and communities to create lasting, positive change, recognising that people’s needs are often complex. Our dedicated team of around 120 staff, helps address a wide range of challenges, including housing instability, health and wellbeing, employment barriers and more.

We are looking for a forward-thinking Finance Manager to play a pivotal role across the organisation, with a particular focus on our supported housing projects. This is an exciting new position that not only takes on key responsibilities from our Director of Finance, but also additional work linked to our housing projects as we grow. 

With major expansion planned over the next two years and our journey towards becoming a Registered Provider of Social Housing (RP) well underway, this is a rare opportunity to shape the financial foundations of a rapidly developing housing portfolio.

The Finance Manager will line manage the Finance Administrator, who undertakes much of Bridge’s day-to-day finance processing, and will work closely with the Director of Finance on organisational wide financial management.

Because of our size, the post will cover a range of financial responsibilities that in larger organisation would be divided across several posts.  These responsibilities will include; managing income and expenditure for our housing projects; oversight of the organisation’s purchase ledger; payroll; producing internal management accounts and financial monitoring reports to funders; assisting with organisational budgeting, annual accounts and the audit process. This makes the role ideally suited to someone with a broad range of accounting and financial experience and skills, ideally with either a social housing or charity background.

We are looking for someone who is a part-qualified or a fully qualified accountant, with knowledge of UK accounting regulations.  Strong financial reporting and analytical skills along with an understanding of payroll processes and systems is essential.

This is a full-time permanent position, with the potential for hybrid working.   A willingness to undergo an enhanced DBS check is also a requirement of the post.

If you would thrive working as part of our supportive and positive staff team, we’d love to hear from you.  Alongside a rewarding career, you’ll enjoy a benefits package designed to help you thrive:

• Competitive salary that reflects your skills and contribution
• 32 days of annual leave to rest, recharge, and enjoy life outside work
• 5% employer pension contribution to support your long‑term financial security
• A dedicated Learning & Development programme to help you grow and progress
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme offering confidential advice whenever you need it
• Death‑in‑service benefit worth three times your salary for added peace of mind
• Refer‑a‑friend bonus of £500 when you help us bring great people on board
• Two hours of monthly wellbeing time to pause, connect, and reset with your team
• A programme of mindfulness activities to boost focus on overall wellbeing

The Bridge Project is proud to be a Mindful Employer, championing a workplace where wellbeing truly matters.

If you would like to have an informal conversation about the role, please contact Martin Brook, Director of Finance and Support Services to arrange this.

To find out more information and to download an application pack, please visit Jobs and Volunteering - The Bridge Project.

You must complete the Bridge Project’s application form in order to be considered for the role.  The application form plays a key part in our recruitment and selection process.  We use the information you provide about your skills, experience, career and education history to decide whether or not to invite you for an interview.  It is important that you complete the application form as fully and accurately as possible, ensuring that you give specific examples which demonstrate how you meet the criteria.

No CVs are accepted.  No Employment Agencies please.

Closing Date: 9.00 am Monday 18 May 2026

Shortlisting Date: Tuesday 19 May 2026

Interview Date: Thursday 4 June 2026

We are seeking an exceptional leader to be our next chief executive, leading a respected and influential membership organisation at the heart of a thriving grassroots movement.

You’ll be working to build on the success we’ve seen and strong position and voice we have established for ourselves and our members, as a leading force for inclusive and sustainable transport and communities.

You’ll bring an impressive track record in values-based leadership, a proven ability to engage and inspire grassroots change-makers, strategic partners and policy-makers, and a deep belief in the importance of community-led change towards a sustainable, equitable future.

About us

Community Rail Network is a national not-for-profit organisation, which is in the process of applying for charitable status, supporting a growing ‘community rail’ movement, which helps communities get the most from their railways, promotes sustainable and inclusive travel, coordinates volunteering and place-making, and brings people together.

Community rail is made up of 77 community-based organisations, and around 1,300 station volunteer groups and other community-led initiatives around Britain. Their activities range from creative projects for young people, to advising train operators on service improvements, to building travel confidence among marginalised groups, to biodiversity projects at stations, to promoting greener tourism by rail.

Our enthusiastic team of 24 works from home in dispersed locations, but we come together regularly in person and online. We work collaboratively to support members, provide training, events and resources, run campaigns, and champion community rail and its insights. We believe in helping everyone reach their potential while having a good work-life balance.

About this role, and your main responsibilities

Our current CEO is moving on after nine years in role, leaving the organisation, team and wider movement in a strong and empowered position to deliver on the next phase of our development.

Your opportunity is to lead the organisation, and to deliver on our new five-year strategy setting an ambitious course for the future during a period of major transformation for our railways and the wider transport system. You will ensure that we are:

• clear in our identity and our independence, and seen as thought leaders in our field;
• are supporting our members and stakeholders to meet their changing and diverse needs; and
• ensuring the financial and operational resilience of the organisation in an environment that is undergoing a period of rapid change.

As CEO, you will lead a passionate and experienced senior leadership team with three direct reports, while working closely with and reporting into our Board, key partners and funders, and ensuing an engaging, empowering, tenacious approach across all we do.

Advocacy of community rail and its benefits will be high on your agenda, and you will be working closely across multiple stakeholders including UK and devolved national governments, regional and local authorities as well as forging collaborative partnerships with like-minded organisations.

Maintaining our community-centric ethos, you will need to ensure we're effective in enabling members to unlock greater value from the railways at a grassroots level, while drawing on their insights to affect wider change. With hundreds of member groups and organisations across Britain delivering life-changing, place-enhancing work, you will have a solid foundation to build on, to take community rail forward and expand our impact in the years ahead.

Last, but not least, you will be responsible for ensuring the strong and effective governance of the organisation, modelling our governing principles, values and behaviours, and ensuring that we have robust financial and resource management in place.

Skills, competencies and qualities

1. Exceptional leadership skills, including a proven ability to lead, develop and grow third sector organisations or multi-faceted teams delivering complex activities, projects and campaigns;
2. Excellent communication and external leadership skills: articulate, assertive, with the ability to work diplomatically and persuasively with stakeholders at all levels;
3. Experienced in acting as the public face of an organisation, such as through the media, public speaking and high-level meetings, and using evidence and storytelling to articulate and champion a cause;
4. Politically astute, with knowledge of and commitment to social inclusion, social justice and sustainability, and a sound grasp of the importance of public transport, sustainable travel, and community-led action;
5. A proven ability to influence policy and decision-makers, and to identify influencing opportunities, ideally in relation to community development, sustainability and/or transport, including sharing community insights;
6. A strong track record in income generation and development, building strong funder relationships and delivery partnerships, managing programme or organisational budgets and controlling expenditure;
7. Experience of working with and/or reporting to a board, ideally in a not-for-profit and/or membership context;
8. An empowering, engaging approach to leadership, management and change-making;
9. Resilient, pragmatic and determined, with the ability to work under pressure, seize emergent opportunities, manage risk, and support others dealing with competing priorities.

Other information

The role will involve extensive travel within Britain as part of building your profile and that of the organisation with central and devolved government in Scotland and Wales, and increasingly with the devolved regions of England.

There is flexibility on location given the requirement to travel and that your office will be home-based. You will need to travel to in-person quarterly team meetings (usually in London or West Yorkshire) and to Board meetings which alternate between online and London. It is expected that travel will be by public transport and easy access to the rail network is therefore required to ensure journeys can be made sustainably. 

This is a full-time position, 37 hours per week. We use a flexi-time system with core hours 10am-3pm, and are committed to being a flexible, supportive and understanding employer. This is a permanent position with a probationary period of six months. 

Benefits: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (rising up to 30 days, plus Bank Holidays, in line with long service); pension with employer contribution of 7%; and access to Employee Assistance Programme.

Successful applicants will need to provide proof that they have the right to work in the UK and provide two references.

Community Rail Network is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from disabled people and Black, Asian and other minoritised groups, who meet with the skills and competencies for this role. We will provide reasonable adjustments for interviews as required.