Early years jobs

Join us in expanding the Young Carers in Schools (YCiS) programme across England as part of the Fair Futures for Young Carers initiative. We're increasing our outreach and closely tracking outcomes to drive continuous improvement and innovation in how young carers are identified and supported.

We're looking for a Programme Officer with a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, ensuring the programme reaches underrepresented groups and champions these values in every activity.

As the postholder you will:

· Build strong relationships with delivery partners, local authorities and education networks.

· Represent the programme at national and regional levels, helping to increase its visibility and impact.

· Boost outreach, training and support to schools and stakeholders

Please download the attached recruitment pack to find out more. 

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

Job purpose: The Early Years Educator/Practitioner will deliver the highest quality of care and curriculum in line with Ofsted guidelines. They will inspire by delivering an exciting, child-led, play-based curriculum. 

An opportunity to join our wonderful, community-focused preschool at the YMCA Sovereign Centre in Reigate. We are looking for individuals who are experienced and passionate about working in Early Years to join our caring and committed team.

Hours of work: 30 hours per week, Monday to Friday 08:30 to 15:00, term time only. 4 or 5 day roles available. 

Location: YMCA Pre-School, Sovereign Centre, Slipshatch Road, Reigate RH2 8HA 

Salary / pay rate: Early Years Educator Level 3 Qualified £17,907.12 (based on 5 days/week, term time only)

Main Responsibilities:

 To provide a diverse range of experiences for children to learn through play  To provide high standards of customer service to children, parents and other stakeholders  To work in cooperation with other team members, to provide a caring supportive environment in which children can thrive  To act as a key worker for a group of individual children.  Keeping development records up to date and working in partnership with parents, to support each key child’s development  To observe key children and plan for each child’s next steps of development on a weekly basis  To liaise with parents/carers to ensure each individual child’s needs are recognised and met  To report termly to the Pre School for each key child’s age and stage  To report any safeguarding concerns to the Pre School Manager and support them with safeguarding for the setting  Comply with the organisation’s childcare policies and procedures  Take part in training and development for own knowledge and understanding  Maintain excellent working relationships with parents, staff and other agencies. Acting as a good role model to children and other staff members  To attend regular staff meetings  Follow YMCAES safeguarding, child protection and safer working practice policies at all times, taking any concerns regarding health or/and wellbeing to your line manager or senior management  To ensure that any information regarding a child, their family or another member of staff is kept completely confidential  Act in the interests of your own safety & the safety of others at all times  Undertake any other duties and responsibilities reasonably requested by the management of the organisation  Report to your line manager any potential risks to which YMCAES is or may be exposed

Benefits: The post holder will be entitled to free use of the YMCA East Surrey fitness centre in Redhill and half-price YMCA childcare for dependents. There is free parking available at all sites. YMCA East Surrey also operates a Bike to Work Scheme. Pension - There is a YMCA East Surrey pension scheme - details available on request

Closing date & interviews: Applications will be assessed upon receipt.

YMCA East Surrey is committed to providing and creating equality of opportunity, inclusion, and valuing diversity. As an organisation, we believe reflecting the diversity of the local community and wider society brings a variety of ideas, perspectives, and experiences that create a productive work environment.

We actively encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

YMCA East Surrey is committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.  In the process of recruitment, selection and appointment we implement a range of Safer Recruitment procedures including DBS Checks to ensure children and vulnerable people are safeguarded.

Successful candidates will already have the right to live and work in the UK without restrictions. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

 An inclusive workplace We are committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment.

 Accessibility if you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please do contact us

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: 

• Grow income from community, corporate, and events fundraising

• Build and manage relationships with supporters, community groups, and corporate partners

• Plan and deliver fundraising events and campaigns

• Identify new income streams and opportunities

• Line manage the Fundraising Officer

• Manage budgets and record activity accurately using a CRM system

• Ability to manage budgets effectively and maintain financial discipline

Required Experience:

• Minimum 2 years' in community, corporate, or events fundraising

• Experience planning and delivering fundraising events

• Strong relationship-building and organisational skills

• Line management experience

• 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

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 

• 25 hours per week (to include Sundays and Thursdays)

• Fixed-term until 31 December 2028, with the possibility of extension subject to funding. 

• £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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 

We’re an award-winning charity running local learning centres in the heart of the communities where the young people we support live. Our centres provide a high-impact education programme which includes practical learning support, pastoral care, and motivational and confidence-building activities for young people aged 7-18. Our aim is to enable students from the least advantaged neighbourhoods to realise their ambitions and achieve their wonderful potential.

As the UK’s leading university access organisation, our staff team is helping 56,000 young people each year at its 44 learning centres and extension projects across England and Scotland, and we plan to scale-up our provision to 50 centres over the coming years.

We are looking for a high-calibre candidate who will enjoy working each day with young people and who will thrive in a frontline, community-based, fast-paced and rewarding role. You will be taking up a permanent role as Centre Leader at our IntoUniversity centre in Clacton-on-Sea. You will have responsibility for running your IntoUniversity centre, including managing your team, planning and delivering the programme, liaising with external stakeholders and meeting  IntoUniversity’s targets for delivery.

A substantial element of this role is delivering our education programme to children and young people aged 7-18, so you will need to have a genuine passion and enthusiasm for working with young people, including leading a class of 30 from the front, working with small teams of children and providing one-to-one support.

The role at a glance

Contract: Full-time, permanent

Application deadline - 9am Monday 2nd March 2026.

Interview day (in-person) - Friday 13th March 2026.

Start date: As soon as possible, to be agreed directly with the successful candidate

Working hours
Mon and Thurs: 09:30-18:00
Tues, Weds, Fri: 09:00-17:30

(Some additional weekend & unsocial hours will be required)

Centre Leaders are based at one of our IntoUniversity learning centres and work directly with young people, schools and families on a daily basis. It is therefore not a hybrid role and is based full-time in our centres

Location

IntoUniversity Clacton-on-Sea

The role requires intermittent travel in your region (usually within the day). Periodic travel out of the area is also required e.g. to London, this may include occasional overnight stays. 

Salary

£36,400 per annum.

Annual leave
33 days (inc bank & public holidays) + 3 closure days (two in December and one in July) + additional length of service entitlement (one day per year of service, up to 5 days)

Staff benefits

• Employer pension contributions of 6% (and up to 8% after two years)
• Year round ‘early finish’ Fridays at 4.30pm
• Summer working hours (finish at 1pm on Fridays for six weeks in the summer), pro-rated for staff joining after January in the same year 
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to wellbeing and legal support 
• Life Assurance scheme with Aviva including SmartHealth service with access to 24/7 online GP appointments
• Interest-free new starter loans of up to £1,000
• Cycle to Work Scheme and Travelcard Loan Scheme
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption pay and sick pay allowances
• Staff in FOCUS – rewards, competitions and prizes across the year

The CEO will play a pivotal leadership role in ensuring the continued success and sustainability of Clwyd Special Riding Centre. This is a wide-ranging role combining strategic leadership with hands-on people management.

The postholder will oversee the daily running of the Centre while also working closely with Trustees to deliver long-term development plans. The role demands strong financial and organisational management, excellent people skills, and the ability to balance compassion with pragmatism.

The CEO will act as a key ambassador for the Centre, building relationships with supporters, stakeholders, and the wider community to secure funding and grow the charity’s impact.  The CEO will create the strategic plans for the next 5 years and work with the Trustees, Stakeholders and Staff to implement the plan.

This is an exciting opportunity to transition the organisation into a sustainable, self-funded and agile organisation able to meet the needs of their traditional participant and those members of the community who could benefit from equine activities.

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

• Run Children’s Church on Sundays during term-time — including leading sessions and coordinating a team of volunteers.

• Develop a new older children’s group, including volunteer recruitment and curriculum planning.

• Help lead monthly All-Age Services in collaboration with the Vicar.

• Run a monthly Bubble Church service and manage related outreach and admin.

• Co-lead Tufnell Tots (stay-and-play group) on Thursday mornings.

• Build relationships with local primary schools (Tufnell Park and Yerbury) through regular lunch clubs, assemblies, and visits.

• Support and co-run termly community events such as our Pancake Party, Fireworks Night, and Back to School Party.

• Develop creative, new initiatives — such as after-school activities or holiday clubs — to help children and families engage with faith.

• Ensure full compliance with our safeguarding policy and support safeguarding admin.

• Encourage sustainability in children’s events and teach the importance of caring for God’s creation.

• Support an inclusive approach to working with children with additional needs and disabilities, adapting content and approaches as needed.

About You

Essential:

• A living Christian faith and a desire to help children grow in their knowledge and experience of God.

• Good knowledge of the Bible and enthusiasm for sharing its stories.

• A strong understanding of safeguarding principles.

• Excellent team player who relates well to both children and adults.

• Experience in recruiting and supporting volunteers.

• Confident organisational and communication skills.

Desirable:

• A qualification in children’s ministry or a related field.

• Experience working with a range of age groups — from toddlers to pre-teens.

• First Aid certification.

Why Join Us?

• A caring, inclusive church committed to your growth and well-being.

• Flexibility, creativity, and scope to shape and develop this ministry.

• 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.

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.