Early years programme lead jobs

About Spear North Kensington

Spear is partnering with HTB St Francis Community Church, to deliver the Spear Programme in North Kensington!

At HTB Social Transformation, their mission is to prioritise those who are marginalised within society, creating safe spaces where people are known, are loved and feel that they belong.

The Spear Programme is delivered in Spear North Kensington which offers young people professionally recognised coaching, for free, to support them into sustainable work or education. They leave Spear equipped to thrive in work and life. 

Key Information:

• Salary: from £27,000
• Full-time - Monday to Friday
• 28 days annual leave (including Christmas gift days) plus bank holidays
• Closing date: We interview on a rolling basis and may close the role early if we find the right candidate

For more information please read through our Job Specification and Work with us pack.

If you require any reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process, please let us know.

Person Specification

• An active Christian, dedicated to representing the values and ethos of Spear and HTB St Francis Community Church.
• A commitment to grow and learn spiritually and as a Christian leader, and a desire to learn and understand coaching techniques.
• Passion for social justice, especially supporting young people into employment or education.
• High emotional intelligence, a sense of humour and fun!
• Confident communication and interpersonal skills, both over telephone and face to face.
• An ambitious and self-motivated individual with the ability to prioritise workload, exercise initiative and work well under pressure.

Our ESOL service was established in 2017 and now runs 5 days per week and offers English lessons for resettled refugees and an English Club with an emphasis on learning skills for integration into UK society. We are a growing team of ESOL tutors and creche teams providing training to help refugees and their families to resettle in Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire.

About the role

The Early Years Session Lead holds responsibility for leading sessions in our trauma-informed Early Years setting. They do not hold line management responsibility for other practitioners however supervise a small team of L2 practitioners during the sessions.

The Early Years Session Lead is part of the EY Leadership Team, which meet together online on a Weds 15:00-16:00.

In addition the EY Session Lead works in our EY setting in Bedford on a Friday alongside the EY Session Lead (Bedford) and the Senior Early Years Practitioner who holds line management responsibility for the EY team.

We are open to discussing flexible working requests for the right candidate.

You can download a full job description from our website

Next Step

If this sounds like you, please complete our application form and Equal Opportunities form.

Location: Shefford, and Bedford Town Centre

Closing Date: 21st May 2026 at 6pm

Interview Date: 1st June 2026 in Shefford

A little bit about the role 

Location: National. If London-based you will be required to attend the office 2 days per week.

Contract: Full Time, Permanent

Salary: £50,242.40 (£53,747.68 inclusive of London office allowance) plus competitive pension

Please note that this role will be closing on Thursday 14 May at 9am.

This role provides leadership to three Partnerships and Placements Managers (PPMs), with responsibility for sustaining and securing strong partnerships with local authorities (LAs) and children’s trusts across their region.

The postholder will have strategic ownership of sales activity against recruitment targets across several programmes, with scope for future growth and expansion of business development activity as the organisation evolves. 

Specifically, the role will have overall ownership for the achievement of partnerships targets in their area for the Approach Social Work programme, to develop and support 600+ Fellows (alumni) annually. This is directly linked to achieving Frontline’s organisational objective of having 4,000 impactful Fellows by 2025, who will create social change for children without a safe or stable home.

Working closely with Principal Practice Tutor colleagues, the role will manage and escalate partnership risk within local authorities, ensuring timely resolution and strong ongoing relationships.

The role will also support the Head of Partnerships and Placements in:

• Cultivating a high-performing, positive culture within the partnerships and placements team
• Creating more meaningful relationships and networks with LAs
• Advancing our charitable aims around diversity and inclusion, leadership and innovation – therefore supporting better outcomes for children and families. 

Please review the job pack for full list of responsibilities.

Please note: This role is advertised externally as Partnerships Lead for clarity, with Principal Partnerships Lead being the full internal job title.

A little bit about you 

We are looking for a strategic and relationship-focused leader who thrives in a fast-paced, target-driven environment. You will bring strong experience in business development, partnerships or account management, with a track record of delivering against ambitious targets and building long-term stakeholder relationships. You will be an effective people manager, able to set clear expectations, coach high performance and create a culture of accountability and ownership. A confident and credible communicator, you will be comfortable leading pitches, influencing senior stakeholders and navigating complex partnerships.

We have a fast-moving culture within the team and organisation, so we’re looking for someone who is who is well organised, details-focused and can use their initiative to do what works. You will have excellent communication skills, be able to build relationships with people and be willing to learn. There are lots of opportunities for growth and development in this role – and for the right candidate to make the role their own. 

If you feel you have the skills to make a real impact and contribute to creating lasting social change for children and families, we would love to hear from you. 

Important information

We have increased the diversity of Frontline’s workforce in the last 12 months, but we need to do more to have greater global majority representation in our senior roles. We know the value global majority voices bring and therefore, we are strongly encouraging applicants from these backgrounds to apply. We are also a disability confident employer and welcome applicants with disabilities.

We recognise that artificial intelligence (AI) such as ‘ChatGPT’ etc can be useful for applicants e.g. to shorten an initial draft, so we do not attempt to have an absolute ban on AI in applications. However we would caution applicants not to rely too much on AI in drafting answers to application questions. We want to hear your authentic voice arising out of your experience, and we will be looking for answers that use examples and experiences that are specific to you. You are more likely to be able to produce that kind of content yourself than an AI will.

We reserve the right to close this role ahead of the deadline once we reach a suitable number of applications, so please apply as soon as you can!

This role is ineligible for sponsorship and so all applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

Carers First is a charity that works directly with, and for unpaid carers, providing personalised information, advice and tailored support making it easier for those caring for someone else to continue living their lives to the fullest.

We have a committed, dedicated staff team and you could be just the person we are looking for to join us to make that valuable difference in carer’s lives. We live and work through our values in all that we achieve by being positive, collaborative and ambitious and we have clear plans to scale our reach, support and impact for carers.

About this role

As a Team Lead your responsibilities would include:

• Provide day-to-day leadership, motivating and empowering the team to thrive.
• Recruit, develop, and support staff in line with Carers First policies.
• Foster a positive culture of continuous learning, role-modelling best practice.
• Ensure quality through record checks, accurate database input, KPI monitoring, and effective workflow allocation.
• Work in co-production with carers to identify needs, develop solutions, and shape services.
• Identify service gaps, create new initiatives, and seek additional funding where possible.
• Manage a small caseload of complex cases, providing personalised advice and support.
• Contribute to budget monitoring and updates.

About you

To be successful in this role you will need:

• Experience of leading and managing remote teams, empowering and developing individuals.
• Strong track record of building partnerships across health and social care.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion in service delivery.
• Experience of person-centred assessments, co-produced support plans, and safeguarding.
• Ability to work in co-production, developing innovative approaches to meet carers’ needs.
• Skilled in building positive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels.
• Confident in using Microsoft Office, mobile technology, and social media platforms.
• Experience of using databases to record interventions and manage workflows.
• Personal integrity, emotional resilience, and alignment with the charity’s values.
• Self-motivated, flexible, collaborative, and able to maintain a healthy work/life balance.

We are looking for passionate people who are committed to the overall aims and objectives of the Charity. Carers First is committed to providing a supportive, vibrant, diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.

Carers First Can Offer You

In return for your contribution, we have an amazing package of staff benefits including 26 days annual leave entitlement which increases with length of service, flexible working options, paid carers leave, access to our work-place pension, staff discount scheme, employee assistance programme and a Benenden Healthcare package. 

Whatever you are aiming to achieve in your career, we are here to encourage, help and support you grow, through our excellent training and development programmes.

How to apply

To apply for our exciting opportunity and make a real difference to the lives of carers, please download our Candidate Pack and click on the ‘Apply Now’ button to begin your application.

Applications can only be assessed if they clearly state how you meet each of the requirements in the Personal Specification.

Appointments are subject to Carers First receiving an appropriate disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service that we consider acceptable.

Interview Process

Following shortlisting, successful candidates will be contacted directly and invited to interview - Date to be confirmed.

Carers First is an Equal Opportunities Employer   

Positive      Collaborative      Ambitious

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

Job Title – Senior Delivery / Programme Operations Manager

Reports to – Director

Working Hours – Either full-time (37.5 hours per week) or part-time (minimum 22.5 hours per week / 0.6 of a full-time equivalent). If part-time, hours can be worked across 3 to 5 days depending on preference.

Location – London - Clapham / Hybrid working (minimum 33.3% - 40% of working time in the office depending on hours worked)

About Us

For over 30 years, The Money Charity has been the UK’s Financial Capability charity. We proactively provide education, information, advice and guidance to people of all ages, helping them to manage their money well and increase their Financial Wellbeing.

We believe that being on top of your money as a part of everyday life reduces stress and hardship, helps you achieve your goals and live a happier life as a result, so we empower people from all backgrounds across the UK to build the skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours to make the most of their money throughout their lives.

We also work to promote Financial Wellbeing in the UK by working with the financial services industry to improve practices and outcomes for their consumers, and influencing policy-makers, media, industry and public attitudes.

We are a small, passionate team with a big reach and an open mind, committed to quality accessibility and inclusiveness. We offer a flexible work environment that values creativity, personal growth and collaboration. For more information about us, please visit our website.

About The Role

We’re looking for a Senior Delivery / Programme Operations Manager who thrives on delivering efficient and pragmatic processes, procedures and systems to support the impactful delivery of our growing suite of Financial Education and Wellbeing Workshops and Programmes. You will help us get stuff done! And deliver important functions and projects yourself.

As we grow the charity, it is ever more crucial that we break down silos and duplication between our two main delivery teams (Children & Young People and Adults). You will lead on reviewing and consolidating the two processes into one for the support functions of the programme delivery teams, initially progressing priority tasks identified for 2026 as part of our recent strategy refresh, and building a pipeline of future continuous improvement projects for 2027 and beyond.

This will be a vital new role bringing order and cohesion to the vital delivery support functions. You will own and champion key programme delivery-related functions in the charity, ensuring that they are fit for purpose and are understood and used throughout the charity. Reporting to one of the Directors, you will play a key role in bridging and where appropriate joining the two teams, whilst respecting and promoting their technical specialisms and differences.

Closing Date – 11:30pm, Monday 25 May 2026

Interviews – 1st round early June (virtually)

Please visit our website for the full job description including the key responsibilities, person specification and application details. Note that we are currently recruiting for two Senior Manager roles, and further information on the other role can be found on our website as well.

Programme Support & Knowledge Director

Contract: Permanent, Full Time

Location: The role can be based in the London, United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Rwanda, subject to right to work eligibility in the respective countries.

UK hybrid working – a minimum of 40 % of working time is spent face-to-face (London office, external meetings or travel). 60/40 hybrid working at WaterAid means roughly three days wherever you work best and two days together in person.

Salary: Salaries and benefits will vary in line with the location of the successful candidate and depending on experience.

UK: £81,510 per year with excellent benefits.

Other Countries: Competitive with excellent benefits.

*We offer competitive, market-aligned starting salaries. While most roles are offered at the advertised starting salary, we may adjust this in exceptional cases depending on a candidate’s experience, skills, and potential.

Change starts with water. Change starts with you.

Every day, millions of people live without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. WaterAid exists to change that – for everyone, everywhere. Join us, and your energy will help unlock people’s potential and create a fairer future.

About WaterAid

We’re a global federation driven by one vision: a world where everyone, everywhere has clean water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030. Powered by our values of Respect, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration, Integrity and Innovation, we work alongside communities, partners and supporters to make change happen.

About the team

The Programme Support & Knowledge (PSK) team is a critical and dynamic unit within WaterAid UK’s International Programmes Department (IPD), working across 17 countries in Africa and Asia. PSK is a diverse and motivated group of over 20 technical specialists and advisors committed to bringing sustainable WASH to the world’s poorest and most marginalised people.

About the role

As our Programme Support and Knowledge Director, you will play a key role in delivering our mission by providing strategic leadership to the PSK team and the wider IPD, as part of the department’s SMT. You will also input into organisation-wide initiatives, external collaborations and global networks to drive sustainable change.

In this role, you will:

• Provide strategic and technical leadership to WaterAid UK’s programmes
• Lead the Programme Support & Knowledge Team
• Lead programme learning and knowledge management
• Oversee programme support and capacity development
• Support fundraising, external engagement, partnerships and communications
• Champion WaterAid’s commitment to equity, inclusion and safeguarding.

Requirements

To be successful, you will need:

• Extensive and deep experience in WASH development across multiple contexts
• Strong technical WASH skills – e.g. sustainable rural and /or urban water supply service delivery and management, climate resilient WASH, 
• Systems-thinking capability to support transformational WASH programming
• Proven ability to lead strategic, impactful initiatives in large organisations
• Strong understanding of planning, monitoring and evaluation in development
• Experience in knowledge management, learning and capacity development
• Proven experience of developing propositions and donor engagement and
• A track record of leading high-performing teams and supporting change

Although not essential, we’d prefer you to have:

• Working knowledge of French, Portuguese or Spanish
• Experience leading or managing applied research
• Experience establishing and promoting technical standards.

Closing date: Applications close 12:00 PM UK time on 11 May 2026. Shortlisting and Interviews may be scheduled on a rolling basis, and the role may close earlier if a suitable candidate is found. Therefore, we encourage you to apply at an early stage.

How to apply: Click Apply to complete the pre-screening questions and upload your CV and cover letter.

Can I use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in my application?

At WaterAid, we strongly advise against using AI technology at any stage of the recruitment process. Our goal is to ensure a fair and transparent process that provides every applicant with an equal opportunity to succeed. We value hearing about your unique experiences and perspectives in your application, and, if shortlisted, during the interview as well.

Pre‑employment screening

To apply for this role, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the respective country. All pre-employment checks will be carried out according to local law and WaterAid’s Safer Recruitment policy. All UK based roles require a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Benefits

As a global organisation, WaterAid is committed to creating an environment where you can thrive and be yourself at your very best. Alongside our inspiring mission and meaningful work, we offer a range of benefits tailored to each country’s context and policies. These will be shared during the process

Our Global Commitment:

Our people promise

We will work with passion and focus to make sure everyone everywhere has clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. WaterAid is a place of purpose – where people have a real commitment and shared responsibility for the impact we have. We are a global community with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, motivated by inspiring, stimulating work. We are determined to be a place where people feel safe and able to contribute their voice and truly live our values.

Equal Opportunities

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, beliefs, customs, traditions, ways of life and status. This includes, but is not limited to, race, ethnicity, caste, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability status, neurodiversity, age, marital and family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, health status, place of residence, economic and social situation.

Safeguarding

We are committed to protecting everyone we come into contact with. We have a zero- tolerance approach to abuse of power, privilege or trust across our global work, and to any form of inappropriate behaviour, discrimination, abuse, bullying, harassment, or exploitation. Safeguarding the people and communities we work with, our staff, volunteers and anyone working on our behalf is our top priority, and we take our responsibilities extremely seriously. All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks (which can include counterterrorism, safeguarding and criminal records checks).

Together, we’ll change the world through water.

Join us and be part of the change !

Money & Energy Advice Service Lead

Pro rata salary: £39,825 (35 hour week)

Home-based, with travel as required

Up to 35 hours per week with occasional evenings and / or weekend work will be required

Permanent (subject to external funding)

Responsible for: 2.0 FTE Money & Energy Advisers

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced welfare benefits practitioner with a passion for sharing knowledge and enabling teams to deliver above and beyond.

With around 4 in 10 beneficiaries, we support seeking help with financial difficulties, this is a pivotal role for Kidney Care UK.

We are seeking a knowledgeable and confident specialist income maximisation activities for a role with three key parts: to lead a small team delivering benefits and energy advice and support directly to clients; to play a key role in upskilling and supporting our outstanding Patient Support team across the country; and to be the subject matter expert within Kidney Care UK.

Our external partners – British Gas Energy Trust have committed to fund our Money and Energy Service until March 2027. We are advertising this position as ‘permanent’ – we anticipate confirmation by December 2026 whether funding will be extended beyond March 2027.

This role is made possible thanks to the support of British Gas Energy Trust.

About Kidney Care UK

Around 3.5 million people in the UK live with chronic kidney disease, and one million of them don’t know that they do.

Since 1975, Kidney Care UK has been at the forefront of supporting people with kidney disease. From our early days when we campaigned to introduce donor cards in the UK, we have worked hard to support and represent the interests of everyone affected by kidney disease. 

About the Money & Energy Advice Service

The Money & Energy Advice Service (MEAS) provides information and support for welfare benefits and income maximisation and promotes awareness of efficient energy use. Working closely with Patient Support officers, MEAS provides specialist knowledge and directly supports clients to achieve sustainable financial outcomes. The service was established in 2023 with the support of British Gas Energy Trust and is embedded as a valued element of the many ways Kidney Care UK supports people affected by kidney failure.

What we offer

Working at Kidney Care UK is incredibly rewarding and you will see the life-changing impact that the charity has on kidney patients and their families:

• Flexi-time – we are flexible about start and finish times, and flexible about your location.
• Annual and Christmas leave – we offer 25 days annual leave for full time employees plus bank holidays. We also close for three days between Christmas and New Year, and you don’t need to take this from your annual leave allowance.
• Pension – you’ll be eligible for and auto-enrolled into a pension scheme where your employer will contribute 8% of your salary.
• Health cashback plan – ability to claim back a wide variety of routine medical treatments.
• Employee Assistance Programme – access to a wide variety of support including counselling, health resources and advice.
• Cycle2Work scheme

We are launching something rare. Lighthouse is the clearest expression yet of what Under One Sky has been building towards for over a decade - a space rooted in care, consistency, and the belief that people can rebuild their lives when they are met with dignity and trust. At our core is something simple but powerful: a commitment to human connection.

We take our work seriously, because the stakes are high, but we try not to take ourselves too seriously. There is discipline in how we deliver, but also warmth, openness, and moments of joy that matter just as much.

Lighthouse represents a step change for us. It is the point where our ambition is fully realised - moving beyond outreach into a structured, sustained environment where people can stabilise, reconnect, and move forward. We want Lighthouse to be exceptional - not only for the people we serve, but something that sets a standard others look to and learn from. 

We are looking for two people who want to help shape and run this with us. This is not a role to simply manage a programme; it is an opportunity to co-create it. We are looking for people who combine initiative with reliability - individuals who are grounded, thoughtful, and willing to take ownership. People who care deeply about purpose, who value relationships, and who bring energy and discipline to their work. These roles are for people who want to build something meaningful and do it brilliantly.

About Under One Sky & The Lighthouse

Under One Sky works alongside people experiencing homelessness to provide practical support, human connection, and pathways toward greater stability. 

Lighthouse creates the conditions for people who have experienced homelessness to move beyond survival and begin rebuilding their lives. Over twelve weeks, small cohorts come together in a consistent, supportive space where confidence grows, relationships are rebuilt, and people reconnect with their sense of direction and possibility.

Through outreach, partnership working, and volunteer-led programmes, we aim to create spaces where people are treated with dignity, trust, and consistency.

The role

The Programme Manager leads the operational delivery of Lighthouse, ensuring the programme runs safely, reliably, and to a consistently high standard across the programme week. This role sits at the centre of the work - creating the conditions that allow Lighthouse to function with both structure and humanity.

Lighthouse operates in a dynamic environment where participant needs, operational demands, and volunteer teams intersect daily. You will bring clarity and calm to that complexity, maintaining strong systems and organisation while responding thoughtfully and decisively to what emerges in real time.

You will take ownership of the systems, planning, and operational coordination that underpin delivery. This includes overseeing key sessions, ensuring volunteers are well supported, and maintaining a physical space that is safe, welcoming, and well run. Your role is to make sure Lighthouse works - consistently, reliably, and with care.

You will also play a central role in shaping how Lighthouse develops over time. By observing how delivery works in practice, you will identify what can be strengthened and translate this into practical improvements. This requires sound judgement, attention to detail, and a commitment to doing things well.

You will work closely with the Engagement Manager to ensure Lighthouse remains both operationally strong and deeply responsive to the people it serves.

Key responsibilities

Operational leadership

• Lead the day-to-day operational delivery of the Lighthouse 
• Plan and coordinate the weekly programme schedule, ensuring delivery is reliable and consistent
• Ensure sessions are well staffed and supported by volunteers and team members
• Provide operational leadership during high-demand sessions
• Respond calmly and effectively to challenges if they arise

Programme systems and coordination

• Develop and maintain systems that support consistent high-quality delivery
• Coordinate logistics including spaces, equipment, supplies, and delivery resources
• Support budgeting, resource planning, and cost oversight
• Maintain clear and consistently applied operational processes 

Space and facilities management

• Ensure the Lighthouse space is safe, organised, and ready for delivery
• Oversee opening and closing procedures 
• Coordinate setup and breakdown of delivery areas, equipment, and supplies
• Maintain a welcoming, well-structured environment for participants, volunteers, and staff
• Liaise with venue partners or building managers where required

Volunteer coordination

• Coordinate volunteer scheduling and session rotas across the programme week
• Ensure sessions are appropriately supported by volunteers
• Maintain clear and timely communication with volunteers 

Programme monitoring

• Ensure delivery data is recorded accurately and consistently
• Maintain operational records to support reporting and learning
• Support monitoring of delivery against agreed objectives and metrics

Programme development and operational improvement

• Monitor how Lighthouse operates in practice and identify opportunities to strengthen delivery
• Translate learning from day-to-day delivery into practical adjustments to programme design, scheduling, and systems
• Work with the Engagement Manager and the Co-Leads to implement improvements
• Ensure changes are communicated clearly and embedded across volunteers and teams

Operational partnerships

• Coordinate practical relationships with venues, delivery partners, and collaborators
• Manage operational arrangements for Lighthouse sessions
• Ensure partnerships support reliable and well-organised programme delivery

Requirements

About you

This role requires someone who is organised, decisive, and comfortable taking responsibility in a complex delivery environment.

You will be able to maintain structure and clarity even when situations change quickly. You will bring a calm and practical approach to problem-solving and be confident supporting volunteers and teams during live programme delivery.

You will likely bring:

• significant experience coordinating programmes, projects, or complex operations

• the ability to manage multiple moving parts while maintaining attention to detail

• confidence making practical decisions in real time

• experience supporting teams or volunteers in delivery environments

• strong organisational discipline and systems thinking

• a commitment to dignity and respect when working alongside people experiencing homelessness

Working pattern

Lighthouse operates primarily between 8:00am and 8:00pm, with occasional evening events. Programme delivery is supported by a team of volunteers.

The two Managers coordinate their working schedules to ensure presence during key delivery periods across the programme week.

Working patterns are flexible and planned collaboratively to support delivery while maintaining sustainable workloads.

Lighthouse Management Structure

Lighthouse is delivered through a shared model, with two Managers working together to ensure the programme remains a safe, consistent, and dignified space for people experiencing homelessness.

Delivering this well requires both strong programme organisation and careful, trauma-informed engagement with participants.

The two Managers hold complementary responsibilities that ensure Lighthouse is both well-run and deeply responsive to the people it serves. While each role leads on specific areas of the programme, they work closely together to maintain consistent standards, clear communication, and a reliable experience for participants.

Joint responsibilities

Together the Managers ensure that Lighthouse operates with consistency, safety and care:

• Participants experience Lighthouse as a safe and welcoming space where they are treated with dignity and respect.

• Delivery remains trauma-informed, relational, and grounded in Under One Sky’s values of presence, trust, and follow-through.

• Lighthouse sessions are appropriately staffed, with volunteers and team members supported to deliver confidently and reliably.

• Safeguarding is embedded into day-to-day delivery, with clear processes for responding to disclosures, incidents, risk, and vulnerability.

• Participant needs, concerns, and wellbeing are recognised early and responded to appropriately.

• Volunteers and staff are supported to hold clear boundaries while maintaining compassion and respect.

• Communication and follow-through are strong so participants do not experience gaps, confusion, or inconsistent responses.

• Lighthouse maintains a high standard of care, professionalism, and stability across the programme week.

Culture and approach

The Managers help shape the tone of Lighthouse through calm, grounded leadership and consistent presence within the programme.

They help ensure Lighthouse remains a place where participants feel:

• seen and respected

• safe and protected

• met with consistency rather than unpredictability

• supported without judgement

• able to access help with dignity

They create the conditions for volunteers and staff to provide meaningful support while ensuring Lighthouse remains structured, accountable, and deeply human.

Research Programme Manager

Are you an experienced research professional looking to make a difference to children and young people’s lives?

Please note: this role is known internally as Research Lab Manager

Anna Freud are seeking a Research Lab Manager to join our world-leading mental health charity for children, young people and their families on a part-time basis.

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.

This role offers the chance to work on high-impact mental health research, gain exposure to leading experts across Anna Freud and UCL, and take real ownership of projects from start to finish. You’ll build experience across a range of research methods, develop your profile through publications and funding work, and play a meaningful role in improving outcomes for children and young people.

What you’ll do

A central role supporting the delivery of a programme of mental health research, coordinating projects, managing operations, and ensuring studies are delivered to a high standard from set-up through to completion.

• Coordinate and manage multiple research projects, ensuring timelines, risks, and deliverables are effectively tracked and met
• Oversee research operations, including data management, documentation, and project governance
• Lead on funder reporting and support grant applications and wider research opportunities
• Liaise with key stakeholders, including funders, NHS services, local authorities, and research participants
• Support and supervise junior team members while contributing to high-quality research outputs

What you’ll bring

For the Reseach Lab Manager role, you will be an organised and proactive research professional, with strong experience managing complex projects and data, who can confidently coordinate studies, work with a range of stakeholders, and drive high-quality research delivery in a mental health setting.

• Proven experience managing and coordinating large-scale quantitative or mixed-methods research projects
• Strong data management and administrative skills, with attention to quality, accuracy, and compliance
• Experience contributing to research outputs, including funder reports, publications, or dissemination activities
• Ability to plan, prioritise, and manage multiple deadlines independently, using initiative to solve problems
• Effective communication skills and experience working with diverse stakeholders, including supporting or supervising junior team members

Key details

Hours: Part-time: 14 hours per week (two days). Usual working hours are Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00. Specific days to be negotiated. Flexible working is possible.

Salary: £46,062 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). Attendance in-person for meetings, as and when required.

Contract type: Permanent

Next steps

Closing date for applications: midday (12pm), Friday, 08 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 Friday, 15 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 in Week commencing 18 May 2026.

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 get in contact 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.

About Chapter One 

Chapter One is a dynamic, growing charity with a vision of a world in which all children have the literacy skills needed to thrive. Our mission is to close the reading gap by providing children with one-to-one support at the time they need it most. We work in thirteen areas/regions of the UK and will support over 4,000 children in 2026-27.

Our unique Online Reading Volunteer programme pairs struggling five to seven-year old (P2-4) readers with reading support volunteers who are working professionals. The volunteer ask is very focused: readers commit 30 minutes a week to read with a child using a bespoke digital platform for an entire academic year. The results are transformative, boosting children's reading confidence and ability. 

From a school perspective, online reading volunteers provide direct, meaningful literacy support for up to 10 pupils per class. The programme is particularly suitable for communities where it might be challenging to find parents and other volunteers who can commit to physically visiting schools to boost reading. For more information please visit our website and watch this short video!

About the Role

Chapter One is seeking a Scotland Programme Manager who is an excellent communicator and is able both to motivate and support schools and teachers to implement our online reading volunteers programme, and also to ensure that the programme’s impact and benefit to disadvantaged communities is maximised throughout the academic year. 

The post is ideal for someone looking for part-time, flexible, term-time only work from a home base and who is able to travel frequently in and around Edinburgh and Glasgow. The postholder will be joining a team of established Programme Managers who work in different parts of the UK and will need to have some flexibility to work some additional hours during busy autumn weeks, and conversely to work fewer hours during quieter periods of the year. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Effectively explain Chapter One’s online reading volunteer programme and its benefits to school leaders and teachers.

• Install, setup and maintain Chapter One equipment in participating classrooms. This will include technical configuration/troubleshooting of mobile internet hotspots with IT team support.

• Organise and conduct initial teacher training and follow-up.

• Ensure a smooth initial launch of Chapter One’s programme in every classroom.

• Fully understand the operation of the Chapter One platform and database and effectively communicate this to others as needed.

• Liaise with colleagues performing technical and volunteer support roles.

• Through regular visits to/contact with schools, provide on-going embedded professional learning and support to teachers throughout the year as needed.  

• Proactively monitor classroom adherence/fidelity to the Chapter One model, including systematic review of data reports and volunteer feedback, taking proactive action to resolve problems that arise.

• Analyse and manipulate data (largely in Google sheets) to produce reports and identify trends.

• Create regular data summaries for all participating classrooms.

• Lead annual review meetings for senior leadership at participating schools.

• Support programme monitoring, evaluation and research as required.

• Coordinate in person and virtual school ‘visits’ of volunteer teams to classrooms where necessary. This may include opportunities for Chapter One children to visit the office of the volunteers.

• Liaison with corporate partners as required.

• Weekly communication and status updates with Senior Programme Manager(s) and wider team.

• As a new school year approaches, secure commitments from returning schools and help find and target new schools to join Chapter One’s programme. 

We are looking for applicants with the following essential qualities:

• Highly motivated individual with excellent interpersonal and organisational skills. 

• Proven track record of working at a senior level in education, project management or a related field. 

• Proven strength in both written and verbal communication. 

• Highly IT literate, with excellent computer skills, able to troubleshoot software and technical  hardware issues, adept with Google suite and Microsoft Teams.

• Ability to manipulate and analyse data to draw useful conclusions to improve programme delivery.

• Proven ability to work independently. 

• Self-starter and quick learner.

• Ability to adapt and embrace a changing environment. 

• Ability to drive and access to a car for work purposes.

Ideally, applicants will also have the following desirable qualities:

• Two years of teaching/education experience with primary age children.

• University degree.

How to Apply

Please send your CV (maximum 2 A4 sides) and a covering letter via Charity Jobs. Your covering letter (maximum 1 side of A4) should:

1) Explain your relevant experience and why you’re interested in this role at this point in your career.

2) Share your ability to be resilient when things are not going the way you thought, including clear examples of past experiences.

3) Explain how our organisational mission is in line with your values.

Applications that fail to meet these criteria will automatically be discounted. We understand that you may use AI to help craft your application, but do remember that we will be looking for individuals who write a letter that stands out. We want you to have every opportunity to shine and to show us your talents - please let us know if there is anything we can do to make sure the assessment process works for you.

Chapter One is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value and celebrate diversity in backgrounds and experience and are deliberate about the kind of teams we are building. Literacy is a universal concern, and we need people from all backgrounds to maximise our innovation, creativity and impact. We especially welcome applications from persons who have experienced disadvantage and/or from those who are of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities who are currently underrepresented in the organisation. 

Chapter One is committed to safeguarding children and young people. All postholders are subject to satisfactory references and a PVG check.  Copies of our Safeguarding Policy and Safer Recruitment Policy are available on request.

N.B. Shortlisting and phone screening are likely to take place week commencing Monday 18th May.  For successful candidates, interviews are likely to begin week commencing Monday 1st June.

Smile Train is the world’s largest cleft-focused organisation, supporting life-changing surgery and comprehensive cleft care for children and adults globally. Through its unique local model, Smile Train has supported more than 2 million surgeries and works with medical partners across 75+ countries to deliver sustainable, high-quality care.

The UK plays a vital role within this global organisation, contributing significant income, insight and strategic input. The programme is performing strongly, with income expected to reach c.£14–15m this year, underpinned by a successful individual giving and legacy programme.

Smile Train is now entering its next phase of growth in the UK, with a clear opportunity to build and strengthen high-value income, particularly across major donors, mid-value giving and trusts & foundations. We are seeking a Director of UK Fundraising to lead this next stage – shaping strategy, strengthening delivery and building a more balanced, sustainable income portfolio over time.

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer in New York, you will lead the UK fundraising programme and team of six, sitting at the heart of a global organisation. You will combine strategic leadership with hands-on delivery, setting direction while personally driving key relationships and opportunities at the highest level.

With a strong foundation in place and growing investment in the UK, this is a significant opportunity to build high-value fundraising from a relatively early stage, while contributing to a global fundraising strategy and organisation with exceptional scale and impact.

As Director of UK Fundraising, you will:

• Lead and deliver the UK fundraising strategy, aligned to global priorities
• Drive income growth across all streams, with a particular focus on high-value fundraising
• Develop a more structured, relationship-led approach to major donors, mid-value giving and trusts & foundations
• Personally manage and grow a portfolio of high-value donors and prospects
• Lead, develop and bring clarity to a UK team of six staff
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting and performance management
• Work closely with global colleagues to translate strategy into effective UK delivery
• Act as a senior ambassador for Smile Train in the UK

Essential skills and experience:

• A strong track record of developing and delivering successful fundraising strategies, including high-value income streams
• Proven success in securing major gifts and building long-term donor relationships
• Experience leading and developing high-performing teams
• Strong financial and analytical skills, including forecasting and performance management
• Experience working with senior stakeholders, including trustees or boards
• The ability to operate both strategically and operationally in a senior leadership role
• Excellent relationship-building, influencing and communication skills

Desirable:

• Experience working within a global or matrix organisation
• Exposure to mass fundraising or individual giving programmes
• Experience contributing to organisational or multi-market strategy development

Experience working in an international or globally distributed organisation is strongly preferred. This will include experience of effective collaboration in a global organisation ensuring strategic alignment with headquarters and across global teams.

Employee benefits

Benefits include:

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Private Medical Insurance
• Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Up to 7 days paid sick leave per year
• Interest free Travel to Work loan

Keychange is a Christian charity with a proud history of supporting people by providing community for over a century. We believe that everyone has dignity and worth, and that people thrive best in communities where they are known, valued and supported. Across our care homes and housing communities, we seek to provide support that goes beyond compliance and is rooted in compassion, excellence and Christian values.

We are now seeking a Housing Operations Manager to play a pivotal role in overseeing our supported housing delivery.

The role

As Housing Operations Manager you will oversee both the ongoing supported housing operations and be tasked to bring improvement and consistency of delivery. We have a vision to grow our women’s housing provision over the next five years and this role will be key in developing an impacting and financially sustainable supported housing model.

The focus of the role includes:

• Building high quality, financially sustainable and well-led housing communities
• Ensuring smooth daily running of Keychange supported housing operations, led by sector compliance
• Managing community managers and building relationships for collaborative impact with internal and external stakeholders
• Building a model of support for housing to increase best practice and consistency
• Creating partnerships with other organisations to enable the delivery of support
• Contributing to a hard-working, open and transparent culture which supports continuous improvement
• Liaising with local authorities and statutory agencies to ensure the appropriate interactions with communities

This is a management role with real impact – both within Keychange and in the lives of people we support.

About you

We are looking for a values-led manager who brings:

• Experience in managing supported housing provisions, with good knowledge of Supported Housing and Ofsted regulations and sector best practice
• Experience of managing people, providing leadership and empowering development to a team delivering housing support
• Proven ability to build positive relationships effectively with internal stakeholders, external partner agencies and local authorities
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and find solutions to operational challenges
• Ability to travel up to 40 days per year
• Sympathetic to Keychange’s Christian values, vision and mission

You will be someone who combines operational management with high standards of support, and who leads with integrity, humility and purpose. This is a management role where you can make a lasting and meaningful difference.

The role involves regular travel across our sites in the south of England.

What we offer

• Flexible hybrid working, generally at least one day in London Central Office, with family friendly working arrangements available
• Employee assistance programme (EAP) and life insurance
• Contributory pension scheme, up to 5%, with matched employer’s contribution up to 5%
• Enhanced sick pay for up to four weeks, in accordance with our sickness procedure

Please see the attached job pack for a full job description and person specification, and more information about how to apply.  Please note that we will be interviewing on a rolling basis and reserve the right to close applications early, so we recommend that you apply at your earliest opportunity.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Senior Communications Officer to come and join our team in Middlesbrough.

Location – This role is both community-based in Middlesbrough, with the ability to work from home as agreed with your manager. There may also be occasional travel to other programme sites (currently Redcar, Cleveland, Stoke-On-Trent and Scotland) or travel to our London office.  

Salary – Up to £35,000 DOE 

Employment Type – Permanent

Team – Communications team

About you

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate the following: 

• Significant experience in a communications role, including experience with copywriting and content creation. 
• Experience producing high quality, clear, compelling and audience appropriate content for a range of platforms.
• Empathy, cultural awareness, and sensitivity when communicating with and about communities whose voices and experiences are often underrepresented, including those with English as an additional language or limited literacy in English.
• The ability to clearly demonstrate our impact and inspire collaboration among our partners and stakeholders by sharing compelling and meaningful stories.
• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the local community, including its strengths, needs, and challenges. 
• Strong knowledge and skills in Adobe Creative Suite such as Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop or Canva. 

About the role

The responsibilities of this role include: 

• Actively identify opportunities where communications can strengthen programme delivery, support parent outreach and increase engagement with families and communities. 
• Develop the local stakeholder engagement approach in line with agreed objectives, proactively identifying opportunities to strengthen relationships and using data and team insight to increase engagement.
• Support effective communications with stakeholders across sectors including community, health, education and local organisations. 
• Develop and produce compelling, audience focused content for a range of channels, including newsletters, case studies and promotional materials. 
• Work closely with the Head of Communications, Programme Leads and colleagues across the organisation to align communications priorities with programme and organisational objectives. 

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. 
• 25 annual leave days per year plus bank holidays.
• £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. Closing date for applications is midnight on Friday 8th May 2026.