Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
We're looking for someone a lttle bit special - someone who believes in the deep potential of children who are not thriving elsewhere in life and who has the experience, passion, energy and the drive to go the extra mile on these young people’s behalf.
The position is an exciting dual role:
1. Volunteering & People Manager (80% of workload)
You'll become a key cog at the heart ofFree to Be's management team, taking lead responsibility for volunteer and staff recruitment and retention, holding and delivering our volunteering strategy, launching a new training infrastructure through 2026-27, and heading up 'all things volunteering'. With one direct report, you'll aim to grow volunteer numbers year on year, ensure volunteers are well matched, and well supported, onto our residential projects, and lead on quality assurance, including volunteering standards concerns/grievances. Alongside our Services, Operations and Fundraising Managers, you'll be a core management team member holding shared responsibility for the day to day running of an impactful and growing children's mental health and adventure charity and will work closely with our inspiring and supportive CEO to set longer-term key strategic goals underpinning Free to Be's future development.
2. Residential Project Lead Coordinator (20% of role)
Our residentials are fun, immersive, tiring (in all the right ways), impactful and inspiring. A core aspect of all Free to Be Kids staff's roles is leading circa 8-10 of our residential projects across each year - working on the ground with the children, leading the volunteers & staff team on project, and helping make the projects special, safe, and transformative for vulnerable young people, many of whom have damaged confidence, low self-worth, or other social-emotional needs.
Attendance at approximately 8-10 five-six night residential projects per year outside London is a core component of this role. As a manager, you'd likely attend 8-10 residentials in year 1 to build familiarity with both the projects and our volunteer base, with this dropping to c.8 per year thereafter.
On offer to the right candidate:
Salary: Circa £38,000 - £40,000, dependent on experience.
Hours: Fulltime: 37.5 hours per week. Essential attendance on at c.8-10 residential projects a year.
Leave: 25 days per year, plus bank holidays and up to 13 additional pre-set discretionary reward days in September and during the Christmas period. A substantial perk of the role is potential to take up to 4 consecutive weeks off to travel each September.
Other benefits: 4% employer pension contribution paid on full base salary, rising by 1% per year of service, up to a maximum of 7%; hybrid working; office with great transport links; flexible working (outside core hours); employee reward scheme; tight-knit, fun, vibrant, cohesive staff team with great morale.
Based: Hybrid – our small office in Waterloo, London. Hybrid working is well established with the majority of the team splitting time around 50:50 between the office and home.
To start: Early January 2026.
Who we’re looking for:
Our next Volunteering Manager hero. You'll be fun, flexible, energised, experienced in work with young people with addtional needs, and looking to join an organisation you can believe in and who in return will believe and invest in you.
Kind, empathetic, resilient and efficient, you’ll have a real affinity for supporting others - whether volunteers, more junior staff, or children themselves. We're looking for someone who loves working with young people, as you'll be role modelling that commitment and energy to our volunteers and playing a leading role in holding our already thriving team culture. Volunteer Management or HR experience is a bonus, and capacity and personality to quickly pick that up is a must, but ultimately we're looking for the right organisational fit - someone who believes in what we do and wants to step up to join a management team working hard to deliver it.
You’ll have the flexibility to work away from home on (up to) 10 five to six day residential projects per year. Ideally, you’ll also have experience of leading projects for children – whether residential or non-residential - for example as a teacher, or running groups in other settings. Experience of working on or leading residentials projects themselves is not required but may be an advantage.
We are a small, vibrant, 'can do', friendly staff team of 10, supported by a committed volunteer base of around 300.
We are particularly keen to encourage applications from those who can help us represent the lived experiences of our children through their own lived experience or background.
To apply:
See full Job Description & Person Specification on our website.
Send a copy of your CV or up to date LinkedIn profile, as well as a covering letter and introductory short video, by the closing date of 10pm, Wednesday 26th November 2025.
Covering letters should be very approximately 1 to 1.5 sides A4 and address the question of: ‘Why this role, why now’, as well as ‘what strengths, experience and skills you would bring into the role’.We also ask for a short (1-3 minutes) informal video introducing yourself and touching on the person specification. We have found this helps bring the strongest applications to life, and filters out AI driven applications.
Selection Process and Timeline:
Selection will be via two stage interview. As there is only a short turnaround from application closure on 26th November to 1st stage interviews 1st-2nd December, we will assess applications and offer interview slots throughout the window. However, you will not be disadvantaged if you need to wait till the closing date to submit.
1st stage interviews: Mon 1st - Tues 2nd December (virtual)
2nd stage final interviews: Mon 8th - Tues 9th December (in-person preferred, London Waterloo)
Please hold interview dates as alternate dates are unlikely to be available.
The role requires an Enhanced DBS check and existing right to work in the UK.
If you have any questions about the role, contact us via our website and we’d be happy to arrange an informal chat. We look forward to hearing from you!
Registered Charity
6 - 10
Using joy, adventure and the outdoors to transform particularly vulnerable London children's mental health.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Practice Development Officer
We are looking for a Practice Development Officer to support the design and delivery of projects that influence local leaders and commissioners to improve the availability of evidence-based support for families across early family help and children’s social care.
If you want to join an impact-driven organisation, improving outcomes for vulnerable children and families, then apply today!
Position: Practice Development Officer x 2
Location: London/hybrid
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours/week
Salary: £46,125- plus generous benefits
Contract: Fixed term until March 2027
Closing Date: 9th November
The Role
The organisation supports local areas to use evidence to improve their services and outcomes for children and families. The Practice Development Officer will be part of a team who work with local leaders to support their decision making about how to increase the availability of services and approaches which have evidence of improving child outcomes.
As Practice Development Officer, you will support work that helps local services for children and families use evidence more effectively across Family Hubs, Family Help, and statutory social work. You will contribute to projects aligned with Foundations’ priority areas, including domestic abuse, supporting parenting, strengthening family networks and relationships for care experienced children.
Your tasks will include organising and coordinating activities that support service improvement, designing and delivering learning sessions to build skills and confidence in using evidence, supporting the generation of new evidence to understand what works, and working with national organisations to promote the wider use of evidence in practice.
About You
We are looking for someone with an in-depth understanding of UK policy, legislation and practice relating to children’s services, including how this responds to the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.
You will have experience of:
- Practice in children’s social work and/or early intervention services
- Co-ordinating projects for service improvement or practice development in a relevant sector, for example local authority children’s services, health, or NHS
- Translating complex information into practical messages, advice, and tools.
The Organisation
This is a great place to work, where everyone is high performing and where together everyone can achieve impact that makes a real difference for vulnerable children and families. Focusing on using and championing high-quality evidence, working directly with government and local leaders, the team provides practical solutions and encourages change. This is an organisation with ambitious aims and people are essential to its success.
Benefits include:
- 30 days annual leave, plus one extra day off for your birthday, paid bank holidays with up to three which may be switched for religious observance
- Up to five days carers’ leave, in a 12-month period, three days paid
- Paid compassionate leave
- Enhanced sick pay
- Enhanced parental leave and pay
- 6% employer and 3% employee contribution. No limit on any additional employee contributions made via auto enrolment
- Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 counselling, legal and information line
- Unlimited access to 24/7 GP
- Mental health support
- Life cover at x4 annual salary
- Bike to work scheme.
The organisation offers excellent salaries, learning and development opportunities, and a great office location situated in the heart of St James’s. Working in a hybrid and flexible way, the organisation recognises the importance of a good work-life balance. Please note that where staff live within approximately two hours travel of the office, they are expected to work onsite two days per week. For those based further afield, more flexible or home working arrangements can be discussed.
Do you want to work somewhere that values and celebrate diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive environment for all employees? People are at the heart of everything we do. It’s vital that the workforce reflects the diversity of stakeholders, and the wider society in the UK, and we actively seek candidates from diverse backgrounds and communities.
You may have experience in other areas such as Practice Development Advisor, Social Worker, Key Worker, Early Intervention, Early Intervention Officer, Childrens Service, Project Manager, Public Health, NHS.
This role is currently unable to offer sponsorship. Please ensure you have the right to work in the UK before applying.
PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation. #INDNFP
There will also be two drop-in sessions to find out more about the role:
- Tuesday 21 October, 3:30 – 4:15
- Wednesday 29 October, 4:00 - 4:45
To register to a drop in session please see our job pack to register. Please note that you will only need to attend one drop in session
