Early years project manager jobs

The overall purpose of the role is to lead and coordinate meaningful participation and engagement opportunities for children, young people and adults to shape services, influence decision-making and ensure the voices of lived experience are central to organisational development. The postholder will support in designing, delivering and evaluating initiatives that build trust, inclusion and empowerment.

Main Responsibilities

• To co-ordinate and provide safe spaces for children, young people and adults to participate in user- led activities and projects.
• To be a key link between children, young people and adults within our participation service and staff, making sure their voices and experiences are heard.
• To recruit and engage children, young people, and adults, to enable them to feel comfortable to join our Participation service.
• To support the Head of Voice, Participation & Engagement to develop opportunities for children, young people, and adults to be actively involved throughout the organisation.
• Lead and facilitate small scale participation projects.
• To maintain records of all interactions with stakeholders, using Salesforce.
• To be able to work flexibly, including regular evening and occasional weekend work in response to participants availability.
• Support the Head of Voice, Participation & Engagement in planning and facilitating forums.
• Work with people with lived experience of bereavement to create meaningful content and service recommendations.
• Work across the organisation sharing, promoting and training in best practice in participation.
• To assist in planning, organising and delivering participation events (virtually and in-person).
• Ensure that a range of voices are heard, with particular focus on EDI.
• Ensure the safety and wellbeing of members of the participation service through adherence to the organisation’s safeguarding policy and practice.
• Maintain accurate records throughout all services, complying with the organisation’s recording and reporting requirements.

Communication and Relationships

• Develop and maintain trusted relationships with children, young people, families, adults, and stakeholders to create safe and inclusive spaces for participation.
• Facilitate group and one-to-one engagement sessions using creative and accessible methods to ensure diverse voices are heard and valued.
• Collaborate with internal teams, including service delivery, communication, marketing and fundraising to embed participation principles across all areas of work.
• Represent the organsiation externally at meetings, events and networks, sharing insight from lived experience to inform sector-wide learning.
• Translate feedback and participation outputs into clear reports, presentations or creative formats that inform decision-making.
• Demonstrate empathy, confidentiality and active listening when engaging with individuals or groups who may have experience loss and trauma.
• Establish excellent internal working relationships with peers and colleagues.
• Model the values and culture of the organisation in interactions and relationships at work.
• Adapt communication style and approach to suit the needs, preferences, and emotional states of children, young people and adults, including those with neurodiverse profiles or communication difficulties.
• Provide clear, compassionate explanations of support options, safeguarding procedures, and next steps to children, young people, adults and families.
• Maintain professional boundaries while fostering a safe and supportive environment for children, young people and adults.
• Respond to challenging or emotionally charged situations with sensitivity, professionalism, and a focus on empathy and support.
• Ensure accurate and timely documentation of communications and decisions in line with organisational policies and data protection regulations.

 Knowledge, training and experience

• Proven experience in youth participation, community engagement, co-production, or related areas, ideally within charity, education or health and social care sector.
• Understanding of participation frameworks, rights-based approached and trauma-informed practice.
• Demonstrate a good understanding of grief, loss, trauma, child development, and the psychological and social impact of bereavement on children, young people, families and adults.
• Experience in facilitating groups, workshops, and creative engagement activities both in-person and online.
• Ability to translate engagement insight into practical feedback and recommendations
• Adhere to legislation and statutory guidance related to Safeguarding Children and Young People, Safeguarding Adults, and the Mental Capacity Act.
• Participate actively in clinical supervision and reflective practice to ensure safe, ethical, and effective service delivery.
• Contribute to the development and sharing of knowledge within the team by supporting training, mentoring, and peer learning opportunities.

Analytical and judgment skills

• Ability to gather qualitative and quantitative feedback and identify key themes, trends, and areas for improvement.
• Exercise sound judgement in managing sensitive information, ethical boundaries and participant confidentiality.
• Assess engagement risks and implement appropriate boundaries and referrals in line with safeguarding policies.
• Critically evaluate participation initiatives and contribute to evidence-based practice through reflection, evaluation tools and reporting.
• Balance organisation priorities with participant needs, ensuring representation remains authentic rather than tokenistic.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and meaningful data recording and reporting to inform practice, service evaluation, and organisational performance monitoring.

Planning and organisational skills

• Plan, coordinate and deliver participation activities, forums and events with clear objectives, timelines and outcomes.
• Support the development of annual participation calendars or frameworks as needed.
• Manage competing priorities across multiple projects, ensuring timely communication with internal teams and external partners.
• Maintain accurate records, consent forms and participation data using appropriate digital systems.
• Support logistical arrangements including venue booking, accessibility adjustments, transport and safeguarding measures.
• Contribute to strategic planning by identifying emerging themes, opportunities for partnerships and areas for innovation.
• Provide cover and support for participation and engagement team members during periods of absence or high demand.
• Demonstrate self-awareness and reflective capacity, using supervision and peer support to sustain personal wellbeing and professional effectiveness.
• Contribute to the development of efficient, evidence-based practices by supporting team planning, service evaluation, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Person Specification

Essential

• Minimum 3 years’ experience of working with children and young people or adults in health, social care, youth, community or education setting
• Experience of advocating for the interests of children, young people or vulnerable adults or individuals from ethnically diverse communities
• Strong written and oral communication skills, with experience of tailoring these to a wide range of audience
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage sensitively with children, families, and professionals while maintaining professional boundaries at all times
• Experience of facilitating participation groups both in person and online
• Knowledge of different facilitation approaches and methods
• Demonstratable experience of safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and an ability to practice in a way that promotes this
• Experience of building trusting relationships with children, young people, and adults creating safe space
• Passion for the power of Voice and Lived Experience
• Understanding of the challenges that participation work can present, and experience of how to overcome this
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team and with external organisations
• Emotional maturity, stability and resilience with a strong commitment to self-care and the ability to seek support and guidance when difficulties arise in the course of work
• Strong IT skills, including confidence in using multiple IT systems

Desirable

• Experience of working in bereavement sector

Benefits

• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays (pro rata if applicable) with increase for long service.
• TOIL for our hours work.
• Contributory pension scheme.
• Company sick pay.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Life assurance.
• Training loans.
• Enhanced family friendly policies.

Recruitment Timetable

Application deadline: 16th June 2026 at midnight

Winston’s Wish reserves the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications for the role before the closing date.

Please refer to our recruitment pack for further details on the interview process.

Job Title: Policy and Research Officer

Hours: Part time - 27 hours, working pattern to be agreed.

Contract: Fixed-Term contract until 31st March 2027 (This may be extended subject to funding)

Salary: £21,600 per annum (£28,000 FTE)

Location: Home-based in Wales

About Coram

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity founded by Thomas Coram in London helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive. We work in a dynamic environment, always innovating and changing whilst ensuring that our standards of data management are at the highest level and the best it can possibly be.

About Coram PACEY

Coram PACEY is the professional association dedicated to supporting home-based child carers, including childminders and nannies, to provide high quality services, information and advice to children, their families and carers.

The role

As part of the Wales team develop, deliver, and drive forward Coram PACEY Cymru’s policy, research goals and campaigning activities in Wales, supporting the Head of Contracts and Projects to effectively represent members’ concerns and the importance of early years and childcare for children’s future life chances. As part of this you will provide expertise and research support on key policy areas; supporting Coram PACEY to work with decision makers and campaigners in Wales to drive meaningful change for our members and all home-based childcare professionals.

You will play a vital part in helping Coram PACEY deliver our key mission- To reverse the decline in registered childminders. We welcome applications for this role through English or Welsh.

To apply for this role, please click on the 'apply now' button below to complete the application.

Closing Date: Monday 29th June 2026 at 23:59

Interview Date: 14th to 15th July 2026

Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from global majority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBQT+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.

If applicants feel comfortable, we would encourage them to draw on lived experience as well as professional experience in their personal statement as part of their application.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Registered Charity No. 312278.

Teitl Swydd - Swyddog Polisi ac Ymchwil

Oriau - Rhan amser 27 awr, patrwm gwaith i'w gytuno.

Contract cyfnod penodol (tan 31 Mawrth 2027, gellir ymestyn hyn yn amodol ar gyllid.)

Cyflog - £21,600 (£28,000 cyfwerth ag amser llawn)

Lleoliad - Gweithio gartref yng Nghymru

Ynglŷn â Coram

Coram yw'r elusen hynaf i blant yn y DU a sefydlwyd gan Thomas Coram yn Llundain i helpu plant a phobl ifanc bregus er 1739. Heddiw, mae grŵp Coram yn helpu mwy na miliwn o blant, pobl ifanc, teuluoedd a gweithwyr proffesiynol y flwyddyn trwy gynnig mynediad at y sgiliau a'r cyfleoedd y mae eu hangen arnynt i ffynnu. Rydym yn gweithio mewn amgylchedd dynamig, yn arloesi ac yn newid drwy'r amser wrth sicrhau bod ein safonau rheoli data ar y lefel uchaf a'r gorau y gallant fod.

Ynglŷn â Coram PACEY

Mae Coram PACEY yn gymdeithas broffesiynol sy'n ymroi i gefnogi gofalwyr plant yn y cartref, gan gynnwys gwarchodwyr plant a nanis, i gynnig gwasanaethau, gwybodaeth a chyngor o ansawdd uchel i blant, eu teuluoedd a'u gofalwyr.

Y rôl:

Fel rhan o'r tîm yng Nghymru, cyfrannu at ddatblygu, cyflawni a hyrwyddo amcanion polisi a gweithgareddau ymgyrchu Coram PACEY Cymru yng Nghymru, gan gefnogi'r Pennaeth Contractau a Phrosiectau i gynrychioli pryderon aelodau a phwysigrwydd y blynyddoedd cynnar a gofal plant ar gyfer cyfleoedd bywyd plant yn y dyfodol yn effeithiol. Fel rhan o hyn, byddwch yn cynnig arbenigedd a chymorth ymchwil mewn meysydd polisi allweddol, gan gefnogi Coram PACEY i weithio gyda llunwyr penderfyniadau ac ymgyrchwyr yng Nghymru i sbarduno newid ystyrlon er budd ein haelodau a phob gweithiwr gofal plant yn y cartref proffesiynol.

Byddwch yn chwarae rhan hanfodol wrth helpu Coram PACEY i gyflawni ein prif genhadaeth – gwrthdroi'r dirywiad yn nifer y gwarchodwyr plant cofrestredig.Croesawn geisiadau am y rôl hon trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg a'r Saesneg.

I wneud cais am y rôl hon, cliciwch ar y botwm 'gwneud cais yn awr' i lenwi'r cais.

Dyddiad Cau: 29th Mehefin 2026 23.59pm

Dyddiad Cyfweld: 14-15th Gorffennaf 2026

Mae Coram yn gyflogwr cyfle cyfartal a chredwn fod gweithlu amrywiol yn galluogi inni wella'r gwasanaethau i'r plant a'r teuluoedd rydym yn eu helpu. Rydym wir wedi ymrwymo i annog ymgeiswyr o bob rhan o'r gymuned y ceisiwn ei chefnogi. Mae hyn yn cynnwys y rheini o gefndiroedd ethnig mwyafrif byd-eang, y rheini sy'n uniaethu fel LGBQT+, y rheini ag anableddau, y rheini â phrofiad byw o ofal, y rheini â niwroamrywiaeth, a'r rheini o grwpiau eraill sydd wedi'u tangynrychioli yn Coram.

Os yw ymgeiswyr yn teimlo'n gyfforddus, byddem yn eu hannog i dynnu ar brofiad byw ynghyd â phrofiad proffesiynol yn eu datganiad personol fel rhan o'u cais.

Rydym wedi ymrwymo i ddiogelu plant a lle fo'n briodol byddwn yn gofyn i'r ymgeisydd llwyddiannus ymgymryd â gwiriad gan y Gwasanaeth Datgelu a Gwahardd.

Rhif Elusen Gofrestredig. 312278.

Welcome to Ada!

At Ada, the National College for Digital Skills, our mission is to educate and empower the next generation of diverse digital talent. Through the quality of education we deliver, the depth of our industry partnerships and focus on diversity, we are changing the face of the tech sector, expanding the talent pipeline and transforming lives.

We are a specialist Further Education college, where every 16-19 student takes Computer Science and all of our diverse Higher Level and Degree Apprentices work in skills shortage disciplines in innovative, blue-chip companies.

The digital skills gap is costing the UK economy an estimated £63 billion a year in lost GDP. Ada seeks to fill this skills gap by equipping young with the skills industry actually needs.

Ada was announced by the Prime Minister in December 2014; England’s first new FE College since 1993 and since then we’ve gone from strength to strength including a Good with Outstanding features in our first Ofsted Inspection.

16-19 Provision:

As of 2024, we have 187 16-19 students enrolled. Our most recent results are outstanding; 39% of A level results at A*- B and 74% achieving at least one Distinction or better in their externally assessed Computing BTEC. This makes us the best education institution in the country for this BTEC.

Degree Apprenticeships:

Across our London Victoria and Manchester Ancoats campus, we have 363 apprentices currently enrolled on our Higher and Degree Level Apprenticeships. We specialise in five disciplines at present: software development, data analytics, tech consultancy, cyber security and business analysis, working with a wide range of SMEs and corporate organisations such as PwC, Bank of America, Deloitte, Clearscore, Just Eat, Capita, MHRA, Booking,com and Salesforce.

At present 38% of our learners are female, 51% are from ethnic minority backgrounds and 50% come from low-income households compared to national averages of c. 20%.

This is an exciting time to join Ada with our new state-of-the-art campuses in Victoria, London and Ancoats, Manchester. We’re passionate about building a supportive, values driven environment for both our students and staff.

Post Title: Learner Experience and Inclusion Officer

Nature of the Role: Full-time, Permanent

Reporting to: Assistant Principal- Head of Learner Services

Annual Salary: £28,000- £31,000 (DOE)

Pension: Aviva Pension Scheme

Holidays: Largely in line with local authority term dates (October Half term- 2 weeks)

Location: London Campus- Victoria

KEY ASPECTS OF THE ROLE & MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

I. Learner Experience and Inclusion

●Lead student voice and engagement initiatives, delivering a dynamic programme of assemblies, enrichment activities and student-led opportunities.

●Coordinate weekly enrichment clubs and lunchtime activities to enhance student participation and wellbeing.

●Build positive relationships with students, parents and carers to create an inclusive and supportive college environment.

●Support the implementation of the college’s inclusion strategy, ensuring high standards of student support and participation.

●Facilitate student forums, surveys and focus groups, working closely with curriculum teams to strengthen learner engagement.

II. Student Finance and Administration

●Administer student bursaries and financial support, providing guidance to students and responding to learner and parent enquiries.

●Work with Finance and Attendance teams to manage student finance processes through Applica and ensure timely bursary payments linked to attendance.

●Maintain accurate records of support interventions and financial assistance on college systems.

●Promote financial wellbeing and literacy through assemblies and enrichment activities.

III. Attendance and Engagement

●Support the college’s attendance and engagement strategy, identifying and responding to persistent absence and disengagement.

●Monitor attendance and punctuality, escalating concerns to relevant staff and leaders where appropriate.

●Collaborate with pastoral and attendance teams to improve punctuality and student engagement, including parent/carer meetings where required.

IV. Pastoral Support and Personal Development

●Provide pastoral support, advice and guidance to students, helping them overcome barriers to success.

●Contribute to safeguarding processes, reporting concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Welfare team.

●Monitor the progress and wellbeing of assigned students, implementing interventions to support achievement and retention.

●Support Sixth Form induction, enrolment and behaviour management processes.

●Develop and deliver diverse enrichment and personal development opportunities, including community projects and student-led initiatives.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Education/Qualifications

●GCSE English and Mathematics at Grade 4 or above (or equivalent)

●Level 3 qualification in Education, Youth Work, Social Care, Student Services, Business Administration, or a related subject.

●Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to attendance or learner support.

DESIRABLE

●Bachelor’s degree in one of the following areas, education, youth and community work, sociology, health and social care.

●Level 4 or 5 qualification in Advice and Guidance, Safeguarding, Inclusion, or Education and Training.

●Mental Health First Aid qualification.

●Safeguarding Level 2 or 3 training.

KNOWLEDGE

●Student finance/bursary processes for vulnerable learner support funding.

●Attendance monitoring and intervention strategies.

●Inclusion and widening participation.

●Safeguarding and well-being practices.

●Personal development.

●Behaviour and Attitudes.

●Using student record systems or MIS platforms (Desirable Knowledge)

EXPERIENCE

●Minimum of 1 year’s experience of working with children and young people who my face barriers to learning or engagement

●Ability to build positive professional relationships with learners/parents, carers and external agencies

●Understanding of digital learners and industry culture (Desirable)

Skills and Abilities

●Good written and verbal communication skills

●Ability to work independently

●Positive communication and listening skills

●Patience, tolerance and sensitivity

●A mature and non-judgemental outlook Enthusiasm, energy, and a sense of humour

SAFEGUARDING

The successful candidate will be required to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check when appointed to the post.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Ada, the National College for Digital Skills recognises that equality of opportunity and the recognition and promotion of diversity are integral to its strengths. The following principles apply in respect of the College’s commitment to equality and diversity:

• To provide and promote equality of opportunity in all areas of its work and activity;
• To recognise and develop the diversity of skills and talent within its current and potential community;
• To ensure that all employees and prospective employees of the College are treated solely on the basis of their merits, abilities and potential without receiving any unjustified discrimination or unfavourable treatment on grounds such as age, disability, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender reassignment, trans status, socio-economic status or any other irrelevant distinction;
• To provide and promote a positive working, learning, and social environment which is free from prejudice, discrimination and any forms of harassment, bullying or victimisation.

APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES

Ada, the National College for Digital Skills is keen to increase the number of disabled people it employs. We therefore encourage applications from individuals with a disability who are able to carry out the duties of the post. If there is anything in this regard that you would like to discuss in relation to your application please contact .

SPONSORSHIP

Sadly, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role, so can only accept applications from candidates who have the legal right to work and remain in the United Kingdom.

Thank you for your interest in Ada, the National College for Digital Skills.

CLOSING DATE: 17th June 2026 Candidates' applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, early applications are advised.

Good Luck with your application!