Education jobs

At Ambitious about Autism, we're looking for a Finance Assistant to join our team on a 12 month MAT cover.

This is a critical role within the Financial Accounting function ensuring that processing is kept up to date and that accounting records are accurately input onto the finance system.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Setting up new suppliers on the finance system
• Managing the purchase ledger
• Entering invoices onto the finance system
• Training new staff on using the finance system
• Entering all expense claims and checking that receipts are attached

We are looking for someone who has:

• Proven financial accounting experience
• Proven experience in all areas of transactional accounting including the purchasing and sales ledgers
• A good level of numeracy and financial literacy
• Ability to work unsupervised to a high standard whilst effectively prioritising workload

In return, we offer great benefits including a generous holiday allowance and commitment to continued professional development (CPD), flexible, hybrid working and more!

This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious individual who would like to work for a forward-thinking, open and honest organisation and make a real impact to the young people we work with. Please find our full recruitment pack on the link below.

If you have any questions about the role or would like to have a confidential chat, please contact James Axford, Recruitment Officer.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion at every level of our organisation. We warmly welcome applications from all qualified candidates, valuing the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives they bring. We encourage applications from individuals regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or parental status, disability, or age.

Our recruitment process promotes equal opportunities, and we are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities or additional needs throughout the recruitment process. Please contact our Recruitment Team for accommodations. We recognise disability as a physical or mental impairment that significantly and long-term affects a person's ability to perform day-to-day activities, as defined by the UK Equality Act 2010. All applications will be considered solely on merit, aligned with our mission to support autistic children and young people.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. As part of our Safer Recruitment checks, an online search maybe carried out in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

The Safeguarding responsibilities of the post as per the job description and personal specification.
Whether the post is exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendment to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2021. This means that when applying for certain jobs and activities certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS Filter Guidance.

Overall Purpose of the Role

Youth Action Alliance (YAA) exists to support the personal and social development of young people in Kensington and Chelsea and neighbouring boroughs, helping them build resilience, confidence, and skills for the present while shaping positive futures.

We are seeking an experienced, values-driven male youth worker to lead the Staying Connected & Boys Project. This is a key role combining strategic leadership with hands-on delivery, focused on engaging boys and young men aged 11–19 (up to 21, subject to funding) who may be facing multiple challenges.

The post holder will design, deliver, and grow a high-quality, trauma-informed programme that provides safe, trusted spaces through weekly group sessions, one-to-one mentoring, targeted interventions, education attainment, Advice, guidance, and signposting, Off‑site trips, enrichment activities, and holiday provision. The role supports young people to remain connected to education, training, positive relationships, and their wider community, while playing a central role in shaping YAA’s youth offer and driving meaningful, lasting change.

Project Trust is an education charity with over fifty years’ experience in international volunteering for young people.  We organise challenging, long-term placements for 17–25-year-olds with partnership organisations in Africa, Asia and the Americas.

We annually select up to 200 young people from across the UK for sustainable teaching and youth development projects around the world.  Our Volunteers are provided with training and support before, during and after their international placements, and return home with broadened horizons and an impressive range of transferable skills, true Global Citizens.

We are looking for a talented and versatile Volunteer & Schools Engagement Coordinator to recruit and support Volunteers for our immersive and focused international placements.  This is an exciting role for a motivated self-starter with excellent communication skills to work with inspirational young people from across the UK, enabling them to achieve their dream of an international volunteering placement.

The successful candidate will be a highly organised individual with the ability to build and maintain relationships with schools and with young people.  We are looking for an inspiring public speaker who is able to engage with and motivate young people to support the recruitment, retention and fundraising efforts of our future Volunteers.

The role is home-based and will involve travel throughout England, including overnight stays, plus some travel to meetings elsewhere in the UK. There will be the occasional requirement to work evenings and weekends.

Main areas of responsibility include:

• Recruit Volunteer candidates through delivery of inspiring presentations within schools, youth organisations and careers fairs
• Develop relationships with partner organisations within the education and youth sectors
• Support and co-ordinate Returned Volunteers in the delivery of school talks
• Be a point of contact and support for young people at application, selection and throughout fundraising activities

Responsibilities & duties

• Recruit Volunteer candidates through the delivery of inspiring presentations in schools and youth organisations, in-person and online
• Engage and support fundraising Volunteers, offering practical advice, guidance and monitoring of fundraising progress
• Represent Project Trust at career and recruitment fairs
• Develop and maintain relationships with partnership organisations within the education and youth sectors
• Support and co-ordinate Returned Volunteers in the delivery of school talks
• Be a point of contact and support for young people throughout the application, selection and fundraising process
• Maintain accurate and up to date records on our CRM database
• Participate in the selection, training and debriefing of Volunteers

Qualifications & skills

Essential

• Commitment to Project Trust’s purpose, approach, ethos
• Excellent planning and organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise workload and manage time effectively
• Proven ability to deliver presentations to a range of stakeholders, including young people, with an ability to motivate and inspire others
• Experience of working effectively with and developing young people in a variety of settings, eg schools, youth and community groups
• Ability to work autonomously on own initiative and as part of a remote, multi-disciplinary team
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, written and verbal, and ability to communicate with a range of audiences
• Excellent customer service skills, with a commitment to providing an outstanding service to Volunteers and third parties
• Excellent administrative skills, able to keep accurate and up to date records and produce reports
• Good judgement and decision-making skills with the ability to work under pressure
• Working knowledge of Microsoft packages and a variety of social media platforms
• Ability to travel within a designated region of the UK and to other parts of the UK as required
• Ability to work remotely from an appropriate home base
• Willingness to undertake work outside standard office hours
• A full clean driving licence and use of a vehicle

Desirable

• Experience of working and/or living in an international environment
• Qualification in working with young people, or demonstrable equivalent experience
• Knowledge and understanding of the voluntary and charitable sector
• Experience in marketing or sales
• Experience of running small projects
• Experience in using a CRM database

Conditions of Service

The appointment will be made subject to Project Trust’s detailed terms and conditions of employment. Candidates should be aware that:

• The post holder will be required to obtain an enhanced Disclosure Scotland check (PVG)
• Any offer of appointment will be made subject to the receipt of satisfactory references
• The post holder must have the right to work in the UK

If you are passionate about youth development and want to use your skills, knowledge and experience to change the world, apply now.

Sculpt UK: Youth Programme Officer 

Job Title: Bookings Coordinator and Youth Programme Officer  

Salary: £28,860 

Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours 5 days per week 

Contract type: Fixed-term contract until 31 August 2028 

Applications Close: Wednesday 25 February, 23.59 

1. About Sculpt UK 

Sculpt is a UK-based charity with over 20 years’ experience, who support young people to shape their own future. Our vision is that we live in a society where young people can be fulfilled through their education, work and participation in wider society. The need for our work is clear given the increasing problems young people face and their lack of confidence and awareness regarding their journey into the world of work. 

We run a range of bespoke programmes that work directly with young people in conjunction with partners - schools, careers hubs, employers, local government and further/higher education. Sculpt addresses interconnected areas that contribute towards our vision: Employability, Youth Voice and Leadership, and Community Action. We build the skills and experience of young people focusing on the transitions between school, education and work. In particular, we are skilled in tailoring our work to meet the needs of young people in alternative provision and those at risk of not being in employment, education and training.   

What we do and how we do it is also informed by the Sculpt Youth Advisory Board, consisting of young people who meet monthly to advise the Sculpt Board on matters such as the needs of young people, product design and programme impact. In addition, we have a Sculpt Alumni community who contribute to the development of our work. 

In the year 2024-25, we worked with: 

• Over 450 young people  

• 30+ employers and 120 business volunteers 

• 29 schools 

• 4 Careers Hubs 

• 9 London Boroughs 

1. What does the role involve? 

Sculpt UK is hiring a youth programme officer who would deliver our direct intervention work with young people with a focus on skills building around employment through our holistic work experience programmes. Approximately 75% of our work involves working with young people who have SEND or who are at risk of becoming NEET (not in employment, education or training).

Report to: 

Programmes Manager 

Accountable to: 

CEO / Project Funding Bodies 

Key working relationships: 

CEO, Programme Manager, Operations Manager, Youth Programme Officer 

People management: 

None

Operating budget: 

None 

Location: 

Based in our office in central London, with frequent travel across London 

Responsibilities: 

Youth Programme Officer: 

• Adhere to Sculpt UK’s safeguarding practices and procedures at all time  

• Deliver funded programmes focused on youth employability, leadership and youth voice in line with Sculpt UK’s delivery style and ethos 

• Lead on the Futures Unlocked programme delivery – working with 375 students across London on Free School Meals with SEND to run work experience days with a range of employers 

• Engage employers to deliver work experience days 

• Work with other Youth Programme Officers to successfully to deliver projects and support in data collection required for reporting 

• Use their experience and knowledge of the issues affecting young people to tailor the workshops accordingly to age, need and interest 

• Run mock interviews with programme participants 

• Ensure young people complete relevant entry and exit surveys  

• Undertake relevant training associated with Sculpt UK’s work included but not restricted to child protection & safeguarding 

• Contribute toward and keep up to date with Sculpt UK’s internal / external communications platform such as slack, newsletters and social media  

• Engage with Sculpt UK’s Youth Advisory Board members when invited to do so. 

1. Who are we looking for? 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience  

• Exceptional organisational and planning skills 

• Skilled at designing and facilitating workshops and working with young people who have a range of backgrounds and experiences 

• Experience working with young people in an educational or community setting 

• Ideally experience working with SEND young people 

• Confident, self-motivated and with a collaborative mindset  

• Commitment to young people and knowledge of issues affecting their lives  

• Excellent communication, interpersonal skills with the ability to create a safe and non-judgemental space, that allows young people to speak freely 

• Able to adapt and be flexible in workshops to get the best engagement from a range of participants 

• Skilled at facilitating virtual workshops and working with a selection of online portals 

• Capable to maintaining confidentiality and professional boundaries with young people, peers and professionals 

Requirements  

• Hold an enhanced DBS certificate or be willing for us to undertake a check on your behalf 

• Have a recent safeguarding qualification from a recognised provider or be willing to undertake additional training in this area 

• Ability to travel - the role will require you to travel around London when delivering at schools or employers 

• Comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection, confidentiality, data protection and commitment to reporting concerns to an appropriate staff member 

How to Apply  

Once you have applied we will send you a few questions to fill out. 

We will only consider applicants who have submitted a CV, covering letter and answers to the questions in the form. 

Applications close on 25 February, but we reserve the right to close applications early so please do not wait until the last minute if you would like to apply. We aim to conduct interviews in the week commencing 2 March. 

Programmes Coordinator

We are seeking a highly organised Programmes Coordinator to support the smooth delivery of music education and teacher training programmes across London and nationally.

Position: Programmes Coordinator
Salary: £28,680 per annum
Location: London / Hybrid working. Minimum one day per week in the office
Hours: Full time, 35 hours per week. 8am start required during term time
Contract: Permanent
Start Date: From mid April 2026
Closing Date: 10am, Friday 13 March 2026
Interviews: First round 30 or 31 March 2026. Second round 9 April 2026

The successful candidate will be required to hold or apply for an Enhanced DBS check and complete annual safeguarding training.

About the Role

Working within a proactive and collaborative Programmes Team, you will play a central role in coordinating Schools and Educator Development Programmes.

You will support the day to day delivery of music provision across five partner schools in central London, alongside national teacher training programmes including a postgraduate level qualification.

Key responsibilities include:

• Coordinating timetables, lessons, scheduling and room allocations
• Managing programme inboxes and responding to queries from parents, teachers and stakeholders
• Supporting finance administration including invoices, payments, bursaries and budget tracking
• Managing instruments and resources, maintaining accurate records
• Coordinating assessments, examinations and student progression processes
• Supporting the planning and delivery of concerts, festivals and events
• Coordinating training schedules, workshops and meetings
• Maintaining systems including databases and virtual learning environments
• Supporting evaluation processes and data collection

About You

You will bring:

• Proven experience coordinating schedules, meetings, timetables or bookings
• Experience working in a busy office or team environment
• Financial administration experience and confidence working with budgets
• Strong IT skills including Microsoft Office 365
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities
• A proactive and solutions focused approach
• Confidence handling data securely and sensitively

Desirable experience includes working within schools, further or higher education, the music or arts sector, or using systems such as Salesforce or other workflow platforms.

You will have a strong belief in equity, diversity and inclusion, a commitment to safeguarding, and a genuine interest in supporting children, teachers and communities to thrive through music.

About the Organisation

The organisation is a national music education charity committed to improving equitable access to high quality, inclusive music education.

Through its partner schools in London and its national teacher development programmes, it works to remove systemic barriers to music education and progression, supporting children from diverse backgrounds to achieve their creative potential.

As one team member shares:
“Why work here? If you want a collaborative and positive environment, where people support each other, share successes and are generous with each other, then this is the place for you. We do meaningful work and the focus on well being is sincere.”

The organisation is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus public holidays and office closure between Christmas and New Year
• Contributory pension including 5 percent employer contribution
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• In house and external training opportunities
• Flexible working to support work life balance

Other roles you may have experience of could include Programme Administrator, Education Coordinator, Project Coordinator, Training Coordinator, Schools Liaison Officer or Arts Administrator.

At SATRO our mission is to raise young people's aspirations about their futures, and help equip them with the skills and confidence they need to pursue their goals.

About the Role

This role is all about preparing students for their futures after education by enabling them to acquire and develop key transferable skills, confidence and experiences of the workplace that they will need to make more informed decisions.

You will deliver engaging, interactive workshops and challenges aimed at developing students’ essential employability skills, building their confidence, and increasing their understanding of the variety of career pathways available.

About You

We are looking for someone enthusiastic, creative, who is a great communicator and comfortable working with young people in the full range of educational settings. 

You should have experience of working with young people, including delivering workshops, a strong understanding of employability skills and the ability to engage and motivate learners. 

About us

You will be joining a passionate and dedicated team who are committed to harnessing our relationships with businesses to raise young people's aspirations about their future careers, and through those partnerships help them understand employer expectations and develop the skills they will need to be successful. 

We offer flexible working arrangements and a fun and supportive working environment

For more details please see the attached role description.

UK Maths Trust is a charity that exists to advance the education of children and young people in mathematics. We do this by working with hundreds of volunteers across the UK to organise Competitions and Challenges that promote problem solving and teamwork.

As the Mathematical Programmes Administrator, you will work closely with Programme Coordinators to support the delivery of the UKMT’s competitions and activities. You will collaborate with teams across the charity, providing additional support as required during periods of high workload.

Position: Mathematical Programmes Administrator
Location: Leeds - Thorpe Park (Hybrid working)
Salary: UKMT Grade A1 - A5 (Salary range £25,730-£28,560 dependent on previous experience)
Post type: Full time
Contract: Permanent
Reports to: Director of Mathematical Programmes
Annual leave: 25 days plus 3 days to be taken between Christmas and New Year, when the trust is closed

How to apply: Submit a CV and a short statement (no more than 300 words) explaining what interests you about the role, and how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.

The deadline for applications is 20 February. We expect to hold interviews shortly afterwards. However, we will sift applications as they are received, and may schedule interviews or even close the vacancy early if a suitable candidate is found, so early applications are encouraged.

Main duties:

• To work with the Director of Mathematical Programmes and the wider Mathematical Programmes team to assist with the smooth operations of our activities. This may include:

  • Helping with the administration and distribution of Competitions, including the Team Maths Challenges.

  • Assisting with the organisation of both international and domestic mathematics training camps and Olympiad competitions.

  • Supporting the administration of the annual Summer School and Mentoring Programmes.

• To provide excellent customer service to external customers and to UKMT volunteers as required. This includes managing emails, correspondence, and routine enquiries where necessary.

• To use a variety of computer systems to facilitate tasks and analyse data including, but not limited to Competition Systems, Google Workspace, Overleaf, Canva and Mailchimp.

• To tracking tasks, deadlines, and workflows to ensure smooth delivery of our activities, in line with our organisational policies and agreements with sponsors.

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list.

Person Specification

You do not need extensive prior work experience for this role. This means the opportunity may be suitable for someone that is still early in their career, or who wants to switch to a different sector to try something new. It is far more important to us that you are a positive team member, keen to learn, and willing to try your hand at a range of different tasks.

Essential

• Strong interpersonal abilities, showcasing initiative, teamwork, and adaptability to manage competing priorities effectively. Demonstrable ability to ensure key deadlines are met.

• Proficiency in the use of core office suite IT software, like Google Drive, Microsoft Office, etc. and various social media platforms.

• The ability to work effectively with others in a busy role but also to make progress with your work independently when required.

• A willingness to learn and quickly acquire knowledge in a new role or context.

• The ability to build strong relationships with colleagues and the UKMT volunteer network.

• Adherence to organisational policies at all times when carrying out your work, in particular but not limited to Child Protection policy, Data Protection policy and Health and Safety policy.

• Pride in a culture of effective customer service, with the resilience to respond to feedback in order to improve service delivery where required.

• Candidates may also be required to pass an enhanced and barred list criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This will be arranged by UKMT upon starting the role.

Desirable 

• An interest in education and/or mathematics.

Administration and Cover Manager

Location: Bournville School, Birmingham

Salary: £32,597 FTE (£29,883 actual term time plus 10 days)

Vacancy Type: Permanent, Full Time

Closing date: 22/02/2026

Your Role

Are you looking for a position where you will be truly valued? Have you previously shown loyalty and longevity in roles as an Administrator? If you have answered ‘Yes’ , then we have great news for you!

We are looking for an Administration and Cover Manager to:

1. To effectively manage the day-to-day cover in the academy. 
2. To lead on and manage the academy’s admissions procedures. 
3. To manage the administrative team

Responsibilities will include:

• Managing both planned and daily cover in accordance with the academy’s policy and safeguarding requirements.
• Utilising the Supply Bank platform effectively to meet the academy’s day-to-day cover requirements
• Managing the academy’s admissions procedures for students in Years 4-11
• Being the point of contact between parents and the Academy concerning all aspects of the admissions process.

Due to the cover responsibilities of the role the successful candidate would need to be available to start work daily at 7:30 am.

Bournville School is a vibrant and diverse school. We are an ambitious school and value enthusiastic and hardworking staff. It is a very exciting time to join us.

We believe that every child should leave school proud of the young adult they have become, and that every youngster attending our Trust deserves the opportunity to thrive in an atmosphere where high expectation meets endless possibilities.

Applicants will join a well-led and motivated team committed to continuous improvement.

You should be:

• Passionate with an appetite to inspire young people
• Hardworking, imaginative and have excellent organisational and time management skills
• Experience of using Microsoft Office programmes
• Flexibility and be able to take both a proactive and responsive approach
• A dedicated team player who wants to work and engage with colleagues at all levels

In return we will offer you:

• Access to support and guidance from other subject leaders across the MAT and form subject expertise within the Academy SLT
• Bespoke Continual Professional Development (in the academy and online via the National College)
• Perkbox example benefits;
• Discounts at nationwide retailers
• Gym discount
• Cinema discounts
• Employee assistance programme
• Up to 4 structured counselling sessions per year
• A MAT wide focus on staff well-being

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Fairfax Multi-Academy Trust, please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application.

Help improve the life chances of young people through physics education. We’re looking for an experienced, creative Marketing and Communications Manager to raise awareness of our work, strengthen our brand, and inspire engagement across schools, teachers, industry partners, and supporters.

Physics Partners is a charity dedicated to improving young people’s life chances through high-quality physics teaching. We work with schools, teachers, and industry partners to make physics accessible for every student, helping to build the skilled workforce the UK needs for the future.

As our Marketing and Communications Manager, you’ll lead campaigns that tell our story, grow our reach, and celebrate the impact of our programmes. You’ll manage content across digital, print, and social media, shape our online presence, and develop creative materials that connect with diverse audiences.

We’re looking for someone who combines strategic thinking with hands-on creativity - confident in digital communications, content creation, and stakeholder engagement. You’ll join a small, collaborative team where your ideas will make a real difference.

Key details

• Hours: 14 hours per week (0.4 FTE) – flexible working arrangements available

• Contract: 6-month initial term, with potential to become permanent

• Salary: £35,000 FTE (negotiable depending on experience and contract type)

• Reports to: Chief Executive

• Location: Home-based, with occasional travel

• Contract type: Employment or freelance considered

Essential skills and experience

• Proven experience in developing, planning, and executing marketing communications campaigns.
• Strong digital communications skills (CMS, SEO, email marketing, social media, Google Analytics).
• Excellent writing, editing, and storytelling ability with a strong eye for design and detail.
• Track record of managing external agencies and multiple stakeholders.
• Creative and proactive mindset
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities.
• A genuine commitment to diversity, inclusion, sustainability, and Physics Partners’ mission.

Application process

The full role description is available to download.

Submit your CV and a brief cover letter outlining your suitability for the role.

• Deadline: 5:00 pm, Sunday 1 March 2026

• First interviews: Online on 9 and 10 March 2026

Physics Partners is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce.

High Trees is seeking a Youth Employment Support Service Coordinator for our Build Your Future programme. Build Your Future is a targeted youth employment project supporting young people aged 16–24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). The project provides holistic, person-centred support combining outreach and engagement, pastoral support, employability skills development and progression into education, training or work.

The project is primarily delivered in-house by High Trees, working in partnership with other local delivery partners. Build Your Future focuses on young people facing multiple barriers, including care-experienced young people, migrants and refugees, young people with SEND, and those experiencing social or economic exclusion.

The Build Your Future Project Coordinator plays a central role in ensuring the effective day-to-day delivery of the project. Working closely with High Trees delivery teams and partner organisations, the postholder will coordinate outreach and engagement activity, support the provision of high-quality pastoral support for young people, and ensure strong project coordination, monitoring and reporting.

This role will suit someone who is highly organised, collaborative and passionate about supporting young people facing multiple barriers into education, training and employment.

The role requires a balance of coordination, communication and relationship-building skills. You will work closely with colleagues across Employment & Careers and Children, Young People & Families teams, as well as with delivery partners, to ensure Build Your Future is delivered to a high standard.

The post holder will also play an important role in monitoring and evaluation, maintaining accurate records and supporting reporting requirements linked to external funding.

Reporting to: Marketing & Audience Engagement Lead

Salary Range: up to £45,000 to £50,000

We are the national body for careers education in England, delivering support to schools and colleges to deliver modern, 21st century careers education.

The Careers & Enterprise Company is a great place to work. We operate within a fast-paced and collaborative environment. We are brought together by one thing: our passion to ensure young people get the best possible start in life and are supported to find their best next step.

Do you want to be part of a mission-driven team focused on transforming young people’s lives? If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Role Summary

CEC’s marketing team is at the forefront of showcasing the company’s work across multiple audiences involved with our mission. You will help lead our campaigns, including the Let’s Make it Work campaign, to drive the Government’s national work experience guarantee for all young people and be part of our creative efforts to amplify opportunity for educators and employers to connect and deliver high-quality careers education.

The Marketing Manager is responsible for the planning, coordination and delivery of our marketing and audience engagement activity ensuring workflows run smoothly, stakeholders are supported effectively, and marketing outputs meet agreed standards.

You’ll report directly to the Marketing & Audience Engagement Lead, with close interaction with our Strategic Communications, and as part of a high-functioning Strategy & Communications division. This role supports senior leadership on strategy and planning, while strengthening delivery pace, consistency and quality across External Affairs.

To apply, please complete the application form including your cover letter and upload a copy of your most recent CV removing any personal details i.e. name, DOB, address.

Closing date: Monday 23rd February 2026 (Midnight)

*PLEASE NOTE THAT WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CLOSE THIS ADVERT EARLY SHOULD WE RECEIVE SUITABLE APPLICATIONS*

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion       

At the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) we are committed to fostering a culture of belonging. We know that engagement at work relies on feeling included and valued. Inclusion is both a choice and a practice, for us as an organisation and for individuals within our team. We aim to drive inclusion through every aspect of our work and we understand that diverse teams are essential for innovative careers education and are central to our mission and impact. CEC values the visible and invisible qualities that makes each member of our team who they are. We are a disability confident employer and if you need any help or support through the application process, please contact the HR team and details can be found on our website.

The Difference is an education charity, founded to change the story on lost learning. Our vision is to see lost learning falling nationally by 2030 and for schools to be better equipped to support all children, particularly those most vulnerable.

Leading national policy strategy

As Head of Policy and Public Affairs, you will work closely with the CEO to develop and execute a four-year influencing plan.  Together we’ll aim to shift local and national incentives on inclusion by 2030, which see the national trend of rising suspension and absence begin to fall. 

You will hold relationships with the Department for Education and Ofsted and advise on policy priorities ahead, such as:

• Widening the definition of inclusion beyond special needs, recognising the needs of those young people historically or currently interacting with social services

• Reducing perverse incentives for schools to alter their school roll through admissions and pupil exits

• Expectations for multi-academy trusts in capturing and analysing data on lost learning, including how it disproportionately affects different groups

• Improving local alternative provision eco-systems, to improve outcomes for young people

• National standards for inclusive school practice, at a universal and targeted level

• Professional development standards for school inclusion

Developing implementation expertise in the middle tier

In your first six months, you will advise on the internal development of a new programme for middle tier policy actors: multi-academy trust and local authority leaders.  You will support the Programme team in its design, to plan strategically for the recruitment of trusts and local authorities, and you will plan the research and influencing work which will seek to share their success nationally.

Building the evidence base

In your second six months, you will work with the CEO to build out our research function. Your influencing plan will include how The Difference can learn from the work across our multi-academy trust, local authority and internal AP pioneer partners over the next four years, to develop influential publications. Research work ahead will include publishing sector-facing publications of The Difference’s own research, carried out by our research lead and associates; alongside managing external contractors and internal colleagues to bid for and deliver aligned research disseminating our ideas.

Raising your voice

This is an exciting opportunity for someone committed to inclusive policy change. The Difference has always punched above our weight in national and sector press reach. In post,  you will publish blogs and comment pieces, disseminating our shared ideas.  You will be a prominent voice on inclusion.

The Difference is still a small and growing charity. This means that our work is fast-paced, our roles are broad, and there is a culture of being highly autonomous, reactive and flexible, as the needs of the organisation evolve. If this sounds exciting rather than daunting, then this could be the role and team for you!

The Role
This is an exciting time to join The Difference as we increase our impact, reach more schools, and develop our influencing strategy. As Head of Policy and Public Affairs you will: 

Design and execute an impactful influencing plan 

• Design an influencing plan - Identify via horizon scanning opportunities to influence national policy using open policy windows, or by nudging/creating new ones. 

• Execute an influencing plan - Utilise own assets and assets across the organisation, including the Director team, to deliver against the influencing plan.

• Relationship building - Build highly credible and impactful relationships with a variety of stakeholders who hold power. This will include policy makers in national governments, local government officials, politicians, other third sector organisations and think tanks. 

• Leadership - Play a significant role internally and externally in communicating the organisation’s policy position, raising organisational and own brand.

Build policy capacity and credibility across the organisation

• Policy positions and solutions- Use the concepts, work and experience of The Difference’s programmes to develop new, and refine existing, national policy positions to shift incentives. 

• Thought leadership - Be the organisation’s education policy and political expert. 

• Generating income - Use own and team’s expertise and credibility to generate income via speaking engagements and consultancy to support the organisation’s financial sustainability. 

Person Specification

Essential – We are looking for someone with the following knowledge, experience and skills, though you may be stronger in some areas than others:

• Deep expertise in education policy, particularly on the topic of lost learning and the various policy and political debates, including areas of controversy, surrounding this policy topic. 

• Strategic thinker with a proven track record in identifying policy windows and designing activities that lead to meaningful national policy change. 

• Excellent relationship builder, who brings with them their own network of influential stakeholders and has a plan for building new relationships. Adept at navigating tricky situations and explaining complex, sometimes difficult, messages.

• Expert convener with a strong knowledge of the education sector, including which schools, trusts and local authorities are influential and experience in bringing a variety of perspectives together to generate consensus. 

• Persuasive and clear writing style for publication, including reports, press, blogs and ghost writing for members of the senior leadership team, often based on consensus positions, and designed to communicate key messages for impact. 

• Confidence and credibility in communicating nuanced messages in a contentious landscape, in writing, verbally and in public (e.g. on panels), to raise the profile of The Difference. 

• Strong project manager who can design systems and processes to keep self, team and other stakeholders on task and on time. Experience of designing programmes of work and monitoring their effectiveness. Flexible project management style that can adapt to a changing environment. Confidence in managing a variety of stakeholders and supporting them to deliver on time. 

Desired – You are more likely to be successful in your application if you have one or more of the following: 

• Familiarity with The Difference’s programmatic work, theory and practice. 

• Lived experience or insight into the school experiences of marginalised young people (e.g. those with experience of the care system, mental ill health, special educational needs, exclusion, and racism).

We know that some people, especially those from marginalised backgrounds, may hesitate to apply unless they meet every listed requirement. If this role excites you and you believe you could make a strong contribution, we warmly encourage you to apply. 
We actively welcome applications from people whose backgrounds are under-represented in the charity sector, including but not limited to: people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, people with experience in the case system, non-graduates and first-in-family graduates.

First Give

First Give is a national charity that partners with secondary schools to inspire and equip young people with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to drive change. Through our structured programmes, students explore social issues, connect with charities, and take tangible steps to improve their community.

Empowering and equipping young people to meaningfully contribute to their community is a first step to addressing many of the challenges we face at this time of social disconnection and division. Our vision is of a more generous society where everyone is willing and able to give their time, money and skills to the causes they care about.

Corporate Parnterships Manager

We are seeking a self-motivated and driven Corporate Partnerships Manager to lead on growing and stewarding First Give’s portfolio of high-value funders. This role will focus on developing corporate partnerships and will also support our Campaign Board and major donor activity.

First Give is a small charity, with a growing fundraising team and big ambitions. You will therefore be someone who thrives in a start-up environment, brings new ideas to the table and is comfortable setting up new systems and processes. You will play a pivotal role in shaping First Give’s income growth, working closely with our Head of Philanthropy and the Director. This role will also support key engagement activities, including hosting donors at student-led Final events and facilitating employee volunteering at schools.

This is an exciting opportunity for a confident fundraiser and communicator looking for the next step in their career. Someone who thrives on strategy, storytelling, and social impact.

Contract: Full-time, 35 hours per week. Permanent.

Salary: £40K (+£2K London weighting if applicable)

Location: The successful candidate will be expected to work from our London office or attend in-person meetings and host donors at school Final events for two days per week on average. The remainder of the week can typically be worked remotely, with flexibility as required.

Reporting to: Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships

The students we work with come from a diverse range of backgrounds, and so do we.  We want to foster a diverse and inclusive culture, to empower our teams to achieve our vision drawing on the broadest possible range of experiences. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates from minoritised groups currently underrepresented on our executive team, particularly black and minority ethnic and disabled candidates.

Please download the candidate pack for more details, and don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like a chat about the role or any reasonable adjustments we can make before applying: contact details provided in the candidate pack.

First Give

First Give is a national charity that partners with secondary schools to inspire and equip young people with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to drive change. Through our structured programmes, students explore social issues, connect with charities, and take tangible steps to improve their community.

Empowering and equipping young people to meaningfully contribute to their community is a first step to addressing many of the challenges we face at this time of social disconnection and division. Our vision is of a more generous society where everyone is willing and able to give their time, money and skills to the causes they care about.

The Route to a Million Campaign

This is an exciting time for First Give, as we seek to expand and diversify our fundraising streams into Corporate and HNWI. To support this, we are launching the Route to A Million campaign in March, aiming to raise an additional £1.5 million over the next 3 years on top of our forecast income. The campaign is supported by a newly recruited campaign board, and the new Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships will spearhead the work required to achieve this target.

Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships

We are seeking a dynamic, strategic and entrepreneurial Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships to supercharge First Give’s next phase of income growth. This is a pivotal role at the heart of our mission, offering the opportunity to shape and deliver a multi‑year fundraising strategy that fuels real, measurable impact for young people and society as a whole. First Give is a small charity, with a growing fundraising team and big ambitions. You will therefore be someone who thrives in a start-up environment, brings new ideas to the table and is comfortable leading a brand-new team.

As the senior leader for all income streams, you will own and drive our major donor programme; unlock new philanthropic partnerships; and build a talented team across other income streams to achieve ambitious goals. Working closely with the Director and our emerging Campaign Board, you will play critical role in growing our £1m+ annual income, deepening donor engagement and building the culture, systems and relationships that will propel First Give into its next phase of expansion.

This is an exciting opportunity for an exceptional fundraiser who thrives in a values‑driven, high‑ambition environment and wants to make a lasting contribution to a fast‑growing education charity.

Contract: Full time (35 hours per week), Permanent

Salary: £60K (+£2K London weighting if applicable)

Location: This is a hybrid contract. The successful candidate will be expected to work from our London office or attend in-person meetings and host donors at school Final events as required. The remainder of the week can typically be worked remotely, with flexibility as required.

The students we work with come from a diverse range of backgrounds, and so do we.  We want to foster a diverse and inclusive culture, to empower our teams to achieve our vision drawing on the broadest possible range of experiences. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates from minoritised groups currently underrepresented on our executive team, particularly black and minority ethnic and disabled candidates.

Please download the candidate pack for more details, and don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like a chat about the role or any reasonable adjustments we can make before applying: contact details provided in the candidate pack.