Early years jobs
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
The Alliance is looking to recruit a Children's Services Manager to join the Children's Services Department to lead our services in the South and South East of England. This role focusses on supporting our settings in this area however, you will need to be available to support settings nationally as required.
Main duties:
- To ensure that Early Years Alliance settings offer outstanding early years care and education and meet the charity’s mission to create better futures for children and families, particularly those of the most disadvantaged.
- Alongside the Children’s Services Director and Children’s Services Managers you will lead the development of our early years settings, championing high quality and creative early years practice.
- To provide skilled leadership to Setting Managers, enabling them to develop their skills and effectively deliver high quality early years.
- Leading on complex issues including being lead contact for Ofsted, Safeguarding and Personnel Issues.
Benefits:
- 26 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays, pro rata for part time employees
- Enhanced sickness pay
- Employer and employee contribution pension scheme
- Birthday leave so you can have a day off for your birthday dedicated to you and your well being
- Enhanced sickness pay and paid bereavement leave
- Regular access to internal and external learning and development opportunities
- A Recruitment Referral Payment Scheme, giving you an introductory payment of up to £300 if someone you have referred to the Alliance takes up a role in the charity.
- Access to our Employee Assistant Programme (EAP), which includes 24/7 helpline access, dedicated managers helpline, confidential counselling sessions delivered by accredited specialists, legal, debt and life management advice, discounts, and wellbeing content plus resources.
- Savings of up to 25% on O2 Refresh Airtime Plan on any new phone or tablets
- A dedicated mental health First Aider to support your mental well being
Essential criteria:
- Level 6 qualification in Early Years or Leadership and Management.
- Extensive experience in early years at a senior level.
- Full and relevant early years qualification.
Hours per week: 35
Weeks per year: 52
To support early years providers to deliver high quality, affordable and sustainable care and learning to families.



The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
About Shooting Star Children’s Hospices
We have an exciting opportunity for a qualified Complementary Therapist to join our team at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices as Complementary Therapies Lead.
Shooting Star Children’s Hospices provides specialist care to families who have a baby, child or young person with a life-limiting condition, or who have been bereaved. Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, we support families across Surrey, north-west London and south-west London from diagnosis to end of life and throughout bereavement with a range of nursing, practical, psychological and medical care.
At the heart of what we do are our dedicated staff; their exceptional commitment and professionalism means every family has the opportunity to make every moment count.
It’s a great time to join Shooting Star Children’s Hospices as we have a growing therapies team, supporting families through complementary therapies, arts therapies and EMDR therapy.
About the role
As Complementary Therapies Lead, you will lead the delivery of high-quality complementary therapies to children, parents and families of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. This includes families affected by a child’s life-limiting condition, and families who experience the sudden and unexpected death of their child. The Complementary Therapies service includes individual treatments and therapeutic support groups, to help ease physical discomfort, reduce anxiety, and promote emotional wellbeing in a safe and nurturing environment.
About you
This role requires a minimum of two years post qualification experience as a Complementary Therapist practicing aromatherapy and holistic massage. You may have additional qualification in reflexology, Indian head massage, or acupuncture.
We are looking for someone with experience of working with individuals of different ages and those who have experienced trauma or significant mental health struggles You will be passionate about utilising the complementary therapies for easing a wide range of difficulties, including helping children with medical conditions, carers struggling with the emotional and physical difficulties that arise in caring for their life-limited child and families who have experienced the death of their child.
You must be registered with the Complementary and National Healthcare Council or other professional body (or able to apply and confirm membership ahead of appointment).
Please see the attached job description for more information about this opportunity at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.
What we offer
In return you will receive a competitive salary along with a range of benefits, which include:
Pension scheme
- NHS Pension Scheme (for eligible employees) or our stakeholder pension scheme, with up to 7% employer contributions
Annual leave
- 27 days plus Bank Holidays rising with length of service
- 2 weeks paid sabbatical leave after 5, 10 and 15 years’ service
Contractual benefits
- Generous sick pay scheme
- Enhanced maternity, adoption, and paternity leave pay
- Flexible working arrangements
- Death in service benefits
- Reimbursed professional membership fees
- Eye care
- Employee referral scheme
- Blue Light discount card
Health and wellbeing
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Occupational Health
- Mindfulness sessions
- Cycle to work scheme
- Mental Health First Aiders
Anticipated Start Date: 04/05/2026
Closing Date: 28/02/2026
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 have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Head of Communications to come and join our team providing maternity cover until January 2027 during a period of organisational growth.
Location – This role is mainly working from home with one day a week in our London office (usually a Monday). Occasional travel to our other programme sites (currently Stoke-On-Trent, Redcar, Middlesbrough and Scotland) will also be required.
Salary – Circa £60,000
Employment Type – Fixed term until January 2027, 35 hours per week
Team – Communications team
About you
We are looking for someone who can demonstrate the following:
· Strong experience in strategic communications, ideally within a start-up, growing, complex or place-based organisation.
· Experience setting up and embedding communications functions, including establishing foundations and building approaches as priorities evolve.
· Significant experience in people leadership, including developing others and building a strong, collaborative working culture.
· Experience influencing senior stakeholders and working with an SLT, including supporting government policy, media, funding and influence related activity.
· Strong content, storytelling and copywriting expertise and the ability to communicate a clear organisational narrative.
About the role
The responsibilities of this role include:
· Overseeing and ensuring the delivery of national and local communications strategies and plans, including national content activity and priority local campaigns and stakeholder engagement.
· Leading the set-up and embedding of new place-based communications functions.
· Leading and overseeing the planning and delivery of Thrive at Five’s 2026 Impact Report, communications relating to evaluations and learning, and our fifth-year anniversary, working closely with evaluation and fundraising colleagues.
· Maintaining and strengthening relationships with key national and local stakeholders in line with our communications strategy and goals.
· Providing professional and operational leadership and coaching to the wider Communications team to ensure they deliver to a high standard.
About us
Thrive at Five is a national charity focused on giving every child the best possible start in life. We know the foundations for life and learning are built in the earliest years, from pregnancy to five. By working alongside families, communities and local partners, we help build stronger, more connected support for parents, so more children get what they need to thrive and reach a good level of development by age five.
Thrive at Five is a relatively young organisation but with an already strong national and political profile, having been called out in Parliament for our ways of working in Stoke-on-Trent and invited to be interviewed at the 2025 Civil Society Summit by the Secretary of State for Education. We have grown rapidly in our first four years, with a growing team of nearly 40 across the country. 2026 will be a year of further growth and milestones for the charity as we celebrate our fifth-year anniversary and expand into our third and fourth regions. This will involve recruiting for a new teams, establishing our programmes and beginning to co-design and implement our work in partnership with communities.
About our benefits
· Pension contributions – We will contribute 3% and you can contribute 5% towards your pension through NEST.
· Hybrid working with one anchor day a week in our central London office near to Victoria train station, coach station and underground.
· 25 annual leave days per year plus bank holidays.
· In addition to your laptop and phone provided by us, you can also receive a £100 contribution towards your home-working set up.
· £100 contribution towards your professional body membership
Please note that as this role is subject to a successful Basic Level Disclosure check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). If you have any unspent convictions, but wish to apply for this role, please advise us in your application. The successful candidate will also need to provide satisfactory references and current right to work in the UK.
To apply for this role, please submit your cover letter and CV by following the Apply Now button. Applications will be reviewed and shortlisted as they are received. While the closing date is midnight on Wednesday, 18 February 2026, we may close the vacancy earlier if a suitable candidate is identified.
You don’t have to know about Down syndrome. You can learn about Down syndrome, but we need you to know how to nurture the heart of an organisation and its people.
Please see our video on our website for further details from our Chair, James Davis (go to 'meet the team', and 'current vacancies'.
Freelance/self-employed contract for 3 – 4 days per week
Lead the 17-year-old charity into a brighter future
The role demands quality skills and experience in management, governance, building teams and communities, fundraising and finance – in person and online.
Can you simultaneously be creative, a problem solver, ideas person, developmental, positive leader, supporter, confidante, prudent and adventurous?
We are very keen to hear from you. Please send your CV and a 5 min video explaining who you are, why you suit the role and why you want to join us as CEO by Saturday 28 February 2026.
Please also submit a video of no more than five minutes explaining who you are, why you suit the role and why you want to join us as CEO. This can be instead of the cover letter if you prefer not to do both (but please do do the video as we'd love to hear from you)
Enabling children with Down syndrome to maximise their potential
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Job title: Corporate Community and Events Manager
Location: Hemel Hempstead & Watford. Hybrid where agreed.
Responsible to: Head of Fundraising & Marketing
Key relationships: Head of Fundraising, Fundraising Officer, MarComms Lead, Marketing & Events Officer
Hours: 37 hours per week
Salary: £35,000 FTE
Contract Type: Permanent
Disclosure Level: Enhanced DSB clearance required
About Us:
Playskill is a Hertfordshire-based charity supporting pre-school children with physical disabilities and their families. The charity relies entirely on voluntary donations to fund its vital services.
Using therapeutic play as a tool for development of key milestones, Playskill steps in during the crucial early intervention window when the brain is developing faster than at any other time. Through expert therapies, vital in-home support, specialist training and all important social and respite events for the whole family.
We stand alongside families throughout the challenges of living with disability, offering guidance, care, and community, helping them to build skills, resilience and networks to face the journey ahead.
About the role:
We have an exciting opportunity for a Corporate Community and Events Manager who will play a key role in growing Playskill's income through community, coporate and event fundraising.
Working closely with the Head of Fundraising & Marketing, you will develop new fundraising opportunities, steward existing supporters, and create initiatives that introduce new people to the Playskill community.
You will lead on community and corporate partnerships, manage flagship and fundraising events (including Playskill’s Annual Golf Day), and line-manage the Fundraising Officer.
Key Responsibilities:
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Grow income from community, corporate, and events fundraising
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Build and manage relationships with supporters, community groups, and corporate partners
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Plan and deliver fundraising events and campaigns
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Identify new income streams and opportunities
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Line manage the Fundraising Officer
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Manage budgets and record activity accurately using a CRM system
- Ability to manage budgets effectively and maintain financial discipline
Required Experience:
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Minimum 2 years' in community, corporate, or events fundraising
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Experience planning and delivering fundraising events
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Strong relationship-building and organisational skills
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Line management experience
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Experience using a CRM system (Donorfy or similar)
Diversity statement:
Playskill is an equal opportunities employer and has a high number of team members with caring responsibilities and is keen to encourage applicants from a diverse number of backgrounds.
Safeguarding statement:
Playskill is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment. Playskill has a full safeguarding policy and expects all staff to undergo safeguarding training.
Interview date: TBC
Interview location: Hemel Hempstead
A rare chance to join an incredibly supportive and inclusive employer that values hard work, flexiblity and employee well-being, and recognised by the GM Good Employment Charter! We are a small but vastly experienced team of family support/volunteer Coordinators, delivering highly respected volunteer-led home visiting support to families in the early years.
We are looking for someone to provide direct support to families and also recruit, train and support a team of local parent/carer volunteers who will provide weekly home visiting and community support to families.
You will work with other professionals from universal and specialist services to provide a coordinated response to families’ needs. You will assess need and risk prior to carefully matching volunteers with families or offering direct support, working as part of multi agency support, ensuring information sharing and safeguarding is at the forefront of your work. This will include instigating Early Help assessments, preparing for and attending Child in Need and Child Protection meetings.
You will have an understanding of recruiting, carefully selecting and managing volunteers to ensure they feel supported and fully trained to offer effective support to families in order to get the best outcomes for the family and in particular the children.
You will be experienced in working with families in their own home - skilled in recognising and responding to safeguarding concerns, be apt in completing strengths-based assessments and conversations and have a deep understanding of the issues families can face and the link with childhood development and difficulties they may experience later in life.
Supporting families to give their children the best possible start in life, because we believe childhood can't wait

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Role Purpose:
The Circle is an alternative to A&E for young people and children who are finding it hard to cope with their mental health, when medical intervention might not be necessary. We provide one-off in the moment support, and we are open every day of the year.
Mental health advisors are part of the core team, supporting children and young people aged 5-18 and their families every day. We do not have waiting lists. You are expected to work within HFEH Mind’s policies and procedures and adhere to our code of conduct/values.
This role may suit those that have worked with vulnerable children in the past, including, but not limited to, support workers, CAMHS workers and mental health workers. We work within a diverse borough and look to reflect this in our team.
Job Summary:
The mental health advisor role is a key part of the delivery of the Circle, working to support young people and their families who are finding it hard to cope. They will conduct (up to) hour long, one-off sessions with children and young people aged 5-18, providing: safety planning, coping mechanisms, psychoeducation, and signposting, and supporting in de-escalation. This will be delivered with a non-judgemental and empathetic approach.
As a mental health advisor, you will need to be ready to respond in the moment to presenting (often unknown) concerns. You will dynamically risk assess situations and be confident in raising concerns when necessary.
Key Responsibilities:
Service Delivery:
- Work as part of a team to provide support to children, young people and their families.
- Work within the Circle framework and follow all HFEH Mind’s policies and procedures.
- Develop an understanding of the local area, and other services, to effectively signpost to.
- Deal with all safeguarding concerns in line with HFEH Mind’s safeguarding children policy.
- Take pride in the working environment, keeping it clean and tidy, and reporting any Health and Safety concerns appropriately.
- Utilise skills flexibly and effectively so that support can be tailored in a creative way.
Service Accountability:
- Maintain accurate, clear and concise records of all interactions with children, young people, parents/carers and professionals.
- Attend and engage in mandatory training, as directed by HFEH Mind.
- Ensure all support provided has an inclusive values base, which recognises and respects difference and diversity.
- To work collaboratively with all other partners and professionals and represent HFEH Mind in a positive light.
Other:
- To attend and engage constructively in 1-1 supervision, team meetings and group reflective practice, where applicable.
- Carry out any additional tasks as required by a manager in Children and Young People Services.
Person Specification
Essential
- A minimum of two years’ experience supporting vulnerable or at risk children and young people in a paid or voluntary capacity, or equivalent.
- An ability to form supportive relationships with families, and tailor support to individual need.
- A child-centred approach to work
- Working knowledge of child and adult safeguarding.
- Organisational skills and excellent time management.
- Excellent communication and listening skills with the ability to tailor messages to a variety of audiences.
- Ability to organise and prioritise workload.
- Ability to work flexibly according to the needs of the service, whilst managing your own self-care.
- An openness to your approach to colleagues, managers and in 1:1s and reflective practice sessions.
- Experience of using Microsoft Office package.
- Working understanding of General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
- Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the importance of equality, equity, diversity and inclusion and the ability to integrate into your work.
Desirable
- Experience of working with children or young people presenting with complex needs, and/or who are neurodiverse.
- Experience in managing relationships with professionals (e.g. schools, education psychologists, early help teams), commissioners and other stakeholders.
- Experience in co-producing activities and campaigns with young people.
- Experience of working within a multi- disciplinary team.
- Experience of supporting young people experiencing episodes of heightened stress/distress.
We are an equal opportunities employer; and are proud to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve.
This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check
We are actively recruiting for a variety of roles – whether you're seeking full-time, part-time or bank work, we welcome your application. Our service runs seven days a week, out of hours, no later than 10pm. Shifts are set in advance on a monthly rota. Please indicate your preferred availability (e.g. weekends, evenings, specific days) in your application.
We are especially keen to hear from applicants available for weekend work.
We’re here to make sure that everyone suffering with a mental health problem gets the help they need to recover.



The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
The Young Ealing Foundation is a place-based charity based in Ealing, West London which brings together the voluntary, statutory and private sectors in the local area to increase and improve opportunities for children, young people and families.
The Young Ealing Foundation’s vision is to ensure all young people in Ealing can access the opportunities and support they need to grow up and lead happy and safe lives, fulfil their potential and become a valued and listened to part of the local community. We work towards this by working with and in the community to empower small, local charities to thrive and flourish to enable and advocate for sustainable, high quality service provision for children and young people.
The Hub at Greenford Library is a key part of this vision. It provides a welcoming, inclusive, and vibrant space for local residents, combining essential library services, community activities, and partnership working. By empowering local charities, volunteers, and community groups, we aim to create a sustainable and thriving centre of activity that reflects the needs and aspirations of the people of Greenford and beyond.
The Children’s Activities Coordinator will oversee the site’s sessions for children and young people. This will include planning and delivering sessions such as story time, ensuring safeguarding and management of the space, coordinating the cohort of library volunteers, liaising with community partners, and supporting the programme of activities for children and families. They will take creative ownership of the displays and maintain an immersive and welcoming space for our youngest visitors and community members.
The ideal candidate will have a passion for engaging children and young people in a community or education setting. We are looking for people that enjoy working with the public and creative inclusive and engaging experiences for children and families. They will have excellent communication and customer services skills and will be able to adapt their communication style to suit working with children of all ages and community members from a range of backgrounds. We are looking for people that want to make Ealing a better place to live.
This role will include some evening and weekend work.
Please submit your CV and a cover letter of no more than 1,000 words outlining how your knowledge, skills and experience are in line with the person specification via Charity jobs.
Young people in Ealing can access the opportunities to lead happy and safe lives, fulfil their potential and become listened to in the local community
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Job Title: Marketing Manage
About BookTrust
BookTrust is the UK’s largest children’s reading charity. Each year we reach over 1.3 million children and families across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, delivering evidence-informed programmes that make a measurable difference to children’s reading behaviours.
Our work is rooted in the belief that every child deserves the chance to enjoy reading and all the lifelong benefits it brings. Children who read regularly are happier and healthier, they form stronger bonds, they are more creative and enjoy more success in life.
BookTrust’s most recent strategy, "Reading for a brighter future", sets out our mission - to get children from low-income households and vulnerable family backgrounds reading regularly and by choice. What we do has never mattered more; or been more needed.
We deliver our mission through evidence-based interventions, with a strong focus on children in the early years and their families. Our carefully selected books and well-researched programmes are delivered by a network of over 30,000 local partners, bringing the magic of reading to children in every community in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We work with every local authority across England and Wales, as well as health visitors, schools, libraries, social workers and early years workers. We also have an excellent and increasingly diverse community of children’s authors and illustrators and committed and expert support from publishers.
Everyone at BookTrust is committed to our mission, and are passionate about the real difference that shared reading from the earliest days can make. We are a genuinely family/life-friendly organisation, offering a caring workplace with supportive and expert colleagues.
Job summary
We’re looking for a Marketing Manager to join our team to create, deliver and analyse integrated marketing plans that utilise the full marketing mix to extend the reach and maximize the sales of BookTrust’s traded reading programmes to schools.
In this role, you’ll be responsible for using data and insight to develop and deliver marketing activity to support a wide range of BookTrust campaigns, events and initiatives to meet our ambitious targets. You’ll establish an ongoing evaluation process and utilise sector and customer insight to continually improve our marketing.
Experience of working across multiple campaigns in an agile way and prioritising your workload effectively is essential.
The ideal candidate will have a breadth of marketing skills and experience and a proactive and collaborative approach to working with colleagues across the charity to deliver marketing campaigns and activity to a consistently high standard.
The successful candidate must have at least three years of marketing experience, have previously worked in a B2B, traded and/or commercial marketing role at a similar level including people management experience.
Full details about the role and candidate requirements can be found in the attached Job Description.
Application deadline: 23:59 on Friday 20 February 2026.
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.
How to apply: Please apply via our vacancies website along with your CV and covering letter explaining why you think you are the right candidate for this role and highlighting any experience that may support your application. Your covering letter should not be longer than 700 words.
Shortlisting and interview schedule:
• Shortlisting will take place w/c 24 February.
• First interviews will take place on Wednesday 4 March and Monday 9 March.
Please note: As part of the selection process, shortlisted candidates may be invited to attend a second interview to further assess suitability for the role.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Location: MK ACT Office
Hours: 30 per week
Salary: £20,998.0 per annum
Contract: Permanent
Reporting to: Refuge Manager
Closing Date: 23rd Fabruary
About MK ACT
For nearly 50 years, MK ACT has been dedicated to supporting victims of domestic abuse in Milton Keynes. As a highly respected organisation, we are committed to ending domestic abuse and tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). We deliver specialist, survivor-centred and trauma-informed services that promote safety, recovery and long-term independence.
We are seeking a compassionate and motivated Children and Young People’s Support Worker (C+YPSW) to join our refuge team and help create a safe, nurturing and empowering environment for children and families affected by domestic abuse.
You will deliver trauma-informed, child-centred support, ensuring that safeguarding, wellbeing and recovery are at the heart of everything you do.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Provide one-to-one emotional and practical support to children and young people.
- Complete assessments, safety planning and support plans.
- Deliver age-appropriate activities and holiday playschemes.
- Work closely with Family Support Workers and partner agencies.
- Identify, record and respond to safeguarding concerns.
- Support mothers to ensure children’s needs are met.
What We’re Looking For
- You will need to have experience of working with children, a Level 3 qualification in Early Years or Childcare, and a Paediatric First Aid qualification
- Full UK driving licence held for a minimum of two years (insurance requirement for use of work vehicles)
- Experience working with children and young people, ideally within domestic abuse, safeguarding or trauma-informed services
- Strong understanding of safeguarding and child protection
- Ability to build trusting, professional relationships
- Good record-keeping and IT skills
- Commitment to equality, diversity and survivor-centred practice
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!
Head of Corporate Partnerships
Location: North London (3 days per week in the office)
Hours: 37.5 per week
Salary: £50,000 to £55,000 per annum
Reporting to: Director of Fundraising
Term: Permanent
Aquilas is delighted to be partnering witth a much loved children's charity to recruit a Head of Corporate Partnerships to join their successful fundraising team.
About the role:
In this role, you will work closely with the Director of Fundraising & Communications to develop and enhance their Corporate and Special Events Programme. This is very much a hands-on role of team leadership and direct account management. This includes six figure partners.
The post-holder has a key role in the management of their Philanthropy & Corporate Board, which bring together industry leader to help move both these programmes forward. There is great freedom to innovate and a healthy pool of local business with an affinity to our cause. The post-holder takes a key leadership role across fundraising and marketing, working with their peers and Director to take strategic decisions for wider benefit of the department.
Line managing a small team of two you will play a key role in building and maintaining relationships with existing and prospective partners of the charity. You will ensure our partners have the best possible experience, making them feel engaged and motivated, valued and informed about the impact of their involvement and help them achieve their organisation’s objectives.
About you:
You will be an inspiring Corporate Fundraising Head, excellentcommunicator and a natural relationship builder. You will have demonstrative experience in people management within Partnerships and ideally a strong, broad background in corporate fundraising or commerical sales. Excellent donor stewardship skills in terms of account management of existing supports
To Apply:
To receive a candidate pack or arrange a confidential conversation, please contact:
Kieran McGorrian, Head of Not for Profit Appointments, Aquilas
Passionate about nature? We are looking for a Training & Development Officer to deliver sessions to educators across southwest England.
We are looking for a Training and Development Officer to cover the South West of England, 29.6hr/week, term-time only. You will be working directly with teachers and other education staff supporting their journeys in taking curriculum learning and play outside and to utilise their school grounds. You will deliver Learning through Landscape’s training and projects within diverse communities across a significant geographical area.
You’ll need to have a passion for nature, have experience in training and advising educational staff in primary or secondary schools, been involved in delivering outdoor nature-based and curriculum linked learning activities and have good IT skills.
Ideally, you’ll be based in the Exeter/Barnstable/Yeovil area as it is essential that you are able and willing to travel in the Southwest. There could be travel throughout the UK, including overnight stays.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Children’s and Families’ Worker
Community of St Paulinus, Sheffield Cathedral
We are seeking a creative, relational and passionate Children’s and Families’ Worker to join our newly forming team, working at the heart of the Cathedral’s life and mission with children, families and local communities.
Based at the Cathedral, you will be responsible for shaping and delivering engaging children’s work, including Sunday provision, early years activities, and creative opportunities that help children grow in their Christian faith and feel at home within the worshipping life of the Cathedral. You will recruit, support and develop volunteer teams, work closely with Cathedral colleagues, and help create welcoming spaces where children and families can explore faith together.
You will also contribute to the wider mission of the Cathedral through the Community of St Paulinus, supporting the development of new worshipping communities for young children and their families, and working in partnership with local churches and the Centenary Project Network.
This is an exciting opportunity for a practising Christian with experience of working with children—whether in a church, school, youth work or community setting—who is passionate about children’s spiritual development, inclusive mission and creative engagement with families, particularly in areas of social and economic disadvantage.
For an informal chat about the role, contact Dr Genevieve Langdon, Sub-Prior of the Community of St Paulinus
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25 hours per week (to include Sundays and Thursdays)
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Fixed-term until 31 December 2028, with the possibility of extension subject to funding.
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£20,270 per year for 25 hours/week (£30,000 FTE), plus Cathedral pension
Closing date: 2 pm, Friday 13 February 2026
Shortlisting: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
About the Role
We are seeking a passionate and organised Children and Families Worker to lead and grow our ministry with children and families in the parish. This role is perfect for someone who loves helping children explore faith, has experience working with different age groups, and enjoys building relationships in the community.
Key Responsibilities
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Run Children’s Church on Sundays during term-time — including leading sessions and coordinating a team of volunteers.
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Develop a new older children’s group, including volunteer recruitment and curriculum planning.
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Help lead monthly All-Age Services in collaboration with the Vicar.
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Run a monthly Bubble Church service and manage related outreach and admin.
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Co-lead Tufnell Tots (stay-and-play group) on Thursday mornings.
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Build relationships with local primary schools (Tufnell Park and Yerbury) through regular lunch clubs, assemblies, and visits.
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Support and co-run termly community events such as our Pancake Party, Fireworks Night, and Back to School Party.
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Develop creative, new initiatives — such as after-school activities or holiday clubs — to help children and families engage with faith.
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Ensure full compliance with our safeguarding policy and support safeguarding admin.
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Encourage sustainability in children’s events and teach the importance of caring for God’s creation.
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Support an inclusive approach to working with children with additional needs and disabilities, adapting content and approaches as needed.
About You
Essential:
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A living Christian faith and a desire to help children grow in their knowledge and experience of God.
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Good knowledge of the Bible and enthusiasm for sharing its stories.
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A strong understanding of safeguarding principles.
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Excellent team player who relates well to both children and adults.
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Experience in recruiting and supporting volunteers.
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Confident organisational and communication skills.
Desirable:
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A qualification in children’s ministry or a related field.
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Experience working with a range of age groups — from toddlers to pre-teens.
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First Aid certification.
Why Join Us?
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A caring, inclusive church committed to your growth and well-being.
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Flexibility, creativity, and scope to shape and develop this ministry.
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A part-time role that makes a full-hearted difference in the lives of local children and families.
Deadline for completed applications: 23 February 2026 at 5:00 PM.
Interviews: We expect to interview in late February to early March.
It is a genuine occupational requirement that the post holder is a committed Christian.
The Diocese of London is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults through the use of the Safer Recruitment practice guidance. This role is subject to acceptable pre-appointment checks, including a satisfactory Enhanced DBS.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
About the job
We are seeking an experienced and passionate Deputy Charity Development Manager to join our team. The ideal candidate will be responsible for support the strategic growth and long-term sustainability of the charity’s services and fundraising efforts. As Deputy Charity Development Manager at Dovecote Children & Families project you will play a key role in you will help lead a small, dedicated team in delivering impactful campaigns and high-quality frontline services for vulnerable children and families.
Our Organisation
Dovecote Children & Families project is a small but ambitious charity dedicated to supporting disadvantaged children and families in Blackbird Leys and surrounding areas. We offer practical, emotional, and developmental support to help families overcome challenges and build brighter futures. Our work is rooted in the community, and we pride ourselves on being compassionate, flexible, and responsive to the needs of those we serve Our success is driven by our talented and dedicated team of professionals who work together to achieve our goals.
Role and responsibilities
- Service Development & Delivery
- Collaboration & Strategic Input
- Operational Support & Leadership
- Communications & Marketing
- Monitoring & Evaluation
About you
- Passionate about social justice and committed to improving outcomes for children and families.
- Proactive, flexible, and solutions-focused.
- Empathetic and approachable, with strong emotional intelligence.
- Committed to the values of inclusivity, dignity, and respect.
- Level 3 or above in Early Years
- Proven experience in community development work, including community engagement, needs assessment, and implementation of development initiatives.
The Dovecote Community Children & Families project is a community led, parent managed scheme delivering services to support families
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.





