Education policy specialist jobs

We are recruiting a Chief People and Transformation Officer. This newly created role involves leading the development of an effective and high performing People and Transformation team and is an opportunity to provide strategic vision for the Trust’s workforce development and is responsible for operational excellence across all people functions, talent management frameworks and employee engagement initiatives.

We are looking for someone who has experience translating organisational strategy into people strategy, implementing organisation-wide transformation initiatives and accountability frameworks as well as leading and embedding cultural change.

The Chief People and Transformation Officer is a member of the Executive Team, playing a pivotal role in ensuring that the Trust is a high-performing, values-driven institution. The post provides strategic vision for the Trust’s workforce development and is responsible for operational excellence across all people functions, developing modern people systems, talent management frameworks, and employee engagement initiatives that attract, develop, and retain exceptional talent committed to Holocaust education. The postholder is also a trusted strategic advisor to the CEO and Board.

Key Responsibilites:

• Organisational leadership, as a member of the Executive Team
• Strategic People Leadership
• Organisational Development and Transformation
• Talent Management and Employee Engagement
• Volunteering and Internship Strategy
• Learning, Development and Leadership
• HR Operations and Compliance
• Staff Management and Development

For the full Job Description, Person Specification, and details on how to apply, please follow the link to our website.

We have big ambition, and our organisation strategy reflects this. As Senior Trust Fundraising Manager, your role will focus on securing five- and six-figure gifts from grant-giving trusts and foundations. You will provide exceptional stewardship to those trusts with whom we have existing relationships, whilst researching and cultivating new prospects to maximise income, value, and influence for The Children’s Trust. This role will be key in enabling us to strengthen long term financial sustainability, through multi-year funding relationships and to drive restricted and unrestricted income to realise the strategy for 2030.

WHEN APPLYING PLEASE INCLUDE A COVERING LETTER

This role is not open for sponsorship.

Skills and Responsibilities

To develop relationships to secure gifts and grants from Corporate Foundations, Trusts and statutory grant makers to achieve income targets. Responsibilities include:

Prospect Research:

• Identify and develop a pipeline of opportunities from grant-giving trusts and foundations.
• Use internal database, online resources, desk research, and contact mapping to identify new funder opportunities.
• Review trusts’ and foundations’ funding criteria to grow the prospect pipeline.
• Develop a thorough understanding of our work and future developments to identify new funding opportunities.

Submitting grant applications:

• Create compelling and persuasive funding appeals.
• Complete grant application forms and follow application processes as required.
• Work closely with colleagues across the Directorate and the wider charity to articulate our work and build strong funding propositions.

Leadership & Relationship Management:

• Lead and manage the Trusts and Philanthropy Executive by developing skills, conducting appraisals and overseeing ongoing development.
• Lead & steward a portfolio of existing charitable trusts and foundations, and cultivate new potential donors, ensuring their support is recognised and celebrated.
• Ensure funders are thanked promptly and that grant terms and conditions are applied.
• Provide progress reports and manage all formal reporting requirements on time.
• Build relationships in person, by phone, email, or virtual meetings to secure long-term commitment.
• Identify opportunities for funders to meet key staff and attend events and site visits that strengthen their relationship with the charity.
• Implement the High Value Donor Stewardship Plan.
• Take a proactive role in developing assets such as appeals and cultivation events.
• Work with colleagues across the charity to monitor and evaluate funded projects, producing reports that demonstrate impact.

Administration and Reporting:

• Manage trust prospects and donors on the CRM database, ensuring records are accurate and compliant with fundraising regulations.
• Budget management, cost control forecasting and taking corrective action to achieve budgets.
• Use the CRM database to manage task “actions”, prioritise and evaluate opportunities, and record funder interactions.
• Manage and develop a portfolio of high value relationships.
• Liaise with colleagues to ensure grant applications are coordinated across the organisation.

Education & Qualifications:

• Educated to GCSE (or equivalent) English and Maths
• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience

Experience:

• Significant experience and track record in trust fundraising.
• Experience of writing compelling proposals and appeals.
• Proven experience of working as part of a team to deliver ambitious income targets.
• Experience in undertaking prospect research and creating a pipeline of prospects through to cultivation, ask and stewardship.
• Experience of securing and managing statutory funding desirable.
• Demonstrable experience of using fundraising or relationship management databases.

Skills & Abilities:

• Exceptional skills with excellent attention to detail and proof-reading ability
• Excellent research skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills whether on the phone, virtually, in person or in writing
• Excellent relationship building skills.
• Professional, positive, and committed
• Results focussed with strong analytical skill.
• Adaptable and flexible, tenacious, and persuasive
• Financially astute, with the ability to understand project budgets and read the accounts of grant giving trusts.

Tandridge Learning Trust is expanding, and we now have a new and exciting position for a HR Manager to join our Central Services team. We are looking for a strategic and operational HR specialist to work collaboratively with our Trust Leaders to successfully deliver a HR Business Partnering service and embed our values driven, positive culture.
The successful candidate will combine excellent technical knowledge of relevant people management legislation and compliance alongside a forward-thinking approach to develop an effective people function which attracts and retains the very best people. We would expect you to develop effective HR systems and processes and drive strategic projects and priorities to support our ambitious vision for children and young people.
We are looking for an outstanding individual to direct and lead our established, committed and hard-working HR team to drive positive change and continuous improvement across our group of schools. You would be expected to provide trusted professional advice to senior leaders on all HR matters and to ensure best practice standards are met in line with educational policy, whilst embedding a consistent, positive culture at every level to impact staff development and employee engagement and satisfaction.
The ideal candidate will:
•
Have an unwavering determination to deliver excellent operational and strategic HR leadership across our multi academy trust
•
Demonstrate proven experience in managing complex HR casework and an understanding of people management processes, legislation and best practice
•
Be CIPD qualified (to Level 5) or have the comparative extensive HR operational and leadership experience at a strategic level
In return we can offer you:
•
The opportunity to lead on the development of HR practices and processes in a growing and ambitious multi academy trust
•
A professional mentor/buddy to support you throughout your first year
•
An established HR operational team, a strong local HR network and HR forum
•
Opportunities for professional growth and personal development
•
Membership of a generous Local Government Pension Scheme
•
A flexible working arrangement

Overview

Change Grow Live are a charity dedicated to the belief that we can make a difference to our Service Users lives, offering support and respect in a safe environment, treating each user as an individual and working with them to find the right treatment and care options.

Our core values are ‘Be open, be compassionate and be bold’ and our team members apply these daily to achieve our mission of helping people change the direction of their lives, grow as individuals, and live life to its full potential.

Are you passionate about supporting young people and shaping education-based interventions? We are looking for a Senior Practitioner – Education & Partnerships to lead strategic engagement with schools, colleges, and community partners across Buckinghamshire. This is a unique opportunity to combine frontline expertise with leadership in developing targeted education programmes and partnership work.

Where: Buckinghamshire (Countywide)

Full Time Hours: 37.5 per week

Full Time Salary Range: £32,002.35- £34,214.20*

*Please note: Full-time hours at Change Grow Live are 37.5 hours per week. For part-time roles, the salary and payments will be pro rata based on contracted hours. 

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a practice lead within our Children & Young People’s Service, working with young people with complex needs.
• Drive the development and delivery of substance misuse prevention and early intervention programmes in educational settings.
• Build strong relationships with schools, PRUs, youth services, and voluntary organisations.
• Represent the service at education forums, safeguarding panels, and partnership boards.
• Line manage the Targeted Intervention Coordinator and oversee the Youth Ambassadors programme.
• Provide training and consultation to professionals on issues facing young people around substance misuse.
• Deliver high-quality interventions for young people with complex needs, including assessments, care planning, and psychosocial support.
• Lead education-focused initiatives such as targeted ter 2 workshops and interventions.
• Develop resources and toolkits for schools and youth settings.
• Ensure accurate data collection and reporting for educational interventions.
• Support the Team Leader with case management, audits, and service development.
• Champion safeguarding and trauma-informed practice across all activities.

About You

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Experienced in multi-agency working and building strong partnerships.
• Knowledgeable about young people’s substance misuse, safeguarding, and harm reduction.
• Skilled in delivering education programmes and managing staff or volunteers.
• Qualified to Level 3 in Health & Social Care (or equivalent). 
• You will need to work flexibly countywide across Buckinghamshire so must hold a full UK driving license and have access to a car.

 What we Offer 

• 25 days holiday (+ bank holidays) rising by 1 day for each years’ service “Capped at 30 days” 
• Paid ‘Wellness’ hour each week along with a ‘Wellness’ hub and Employee Assist Programme 
• Contributory pension scheme 
• A great selection of benefits incl. discounts for shopping, cinema, holidays, etc. 
• Opportunity to lead and shape a vital service alongside a friendly and supportive team 
• Training, career development & progression opportunities 
• Refer a friend scheme.

Please ensure that when completing your application form and supporting statement, you reflect on the details outlined in the job description. This will help us understand how your skills and experiences align with the requirements of the role.

Direct applications only — we will not be engaging agencies for this vacancy. 

Please note: This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK at the time of application. For applicants with time-limited visas, unfortunately, we are unable to support new visa applications or extensions. 

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. 

Salary Range (pro rata if part time)

CGL points 28 to 30 (£32,002.35 - £34,214.20)

ILW / OLW /Fringe

N/A - Outside London Weighting Area

Interview Date

23/1/2026

Closing Date

12/1/2026

This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at an enhanced level.

The Chief Programmes and Outreach Officer is a member of the Executive Team and a key advisor to the Board and the CEO, responsible for evidence-based pedagogy and practice, partnership development and adoption of innovative methodologies.

This is an exceptional opportunity to shape the future of Holocaust and antisemitism education in the UK at a pivotal moment in history. We are undoubtedly at a crucial juncture in Holocaust education and remembrance. Our work faces two  profound challenges: the international backdrop of rising antisemitism, Holocaust denial and distortion, alongside the inevitable loss of the remaining survivors and the need to develop effective new educational models that no longer rely on live testimony. In this challenging context, this post’s work will be critical in ensuring we carry the legacy of Holocaust survivors forward through innovative, impactful programmes that reach diverse audiences across the UK.

The post is accountable for the strategic vision and operational excellence of all the Trust's educational programmes, developing and delivering innovative, historically sound, educationally robust learning programmes that are recognised nationally and internationally as best practice. A key focus of the role is driving greater technological excellence in both teaching and operations, particularly digital testimony preservation and the use of educational technology.

The post’s success is the continuous improvement of both programme reach and impact, engaging new and diverse audiences and demonstrating meaningful long-term impact in line with the Trust’s mission and vision.

Key Responsibilities:

• Organisational leadership, as a member of the Executive Team
• Team Management and Development 
• Financial Management 
• Programme Innovation, Development and Delivery
• Partnerships and External Relations
• Impact, Evaluation and Learning
• Safeguarding and Quality Assurance

For the full Job Description, Person Specification, and details on how to apply, please follow the link to our website.

Policy Specialist (children and young people)

Are you interested in improving the lives of children and young people with a learning disability? Can you turn complex ideas into evidence-based policy? Are you a skilled communicator able to influence decision-makers? If so, we would love to hear from you!

We are currently looking for a Policy Specialist to join Mencap. This position sits within the Policy and Public Affairs teams of Mencap’s Campaigns, Advocacy and Activism Directorate (CAA). You will work closely with our influencing, information and advice, campaigning, and research work, as well as sector partners like the Disabled Children's Partnership.

This is an exciting new role to deliver policy change and enhance the rights of children and young people with a learning disability. At a key time to influence Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) education reform, we are seeking a policy specialist to shape policy work that reflects the needs and experiences of children, young people, and their families. Working within the policy team, you will be responsible for developing evidence-based policy work and influencing decision-makers. 

This is a full time position (37.5 hours per week). We are flexible with your work location, but there may be some occasional travel needed to our London office or Westminster.

You will:

· Translate complex work into clear and persuasive policy briefings, consultation responses and reports.

· Work within wider coalitions of charities, building collaborative relationships and ensuring that the needs and priorities of our community are addressed.

· Develop and expand Mencap’s ‘Policy Shapers’ work, ensuring our work reflects the experiences of children and young people with a learning disability and their families.

· Support our information and advice team, briefing them on important developments, inputting into casework discussions relevant to your areas of work, and supporting the creation of public information resources.

· Represent Mencap at meetings and events, with MPs, civil servants, and sector partners.

· Identify and analyse relevant research to develop evidence-based policy recommendations.

You will bring to this role:

· Experience of working on public policy issues.

· Strong communication skills: experience tailoring your messaging to a variety of different audiences and representing an organisation.

· Experience building positive relationships and working collaboratively to achieve outcomes; able to positively challenge, negotiate and compromise.

· The ability to work on your own initiative while contributing to team priorities and sustain enthusiasm under pressure.

· Experience analysing evidence to develop recommendations.

· Knowledge the issues facing children and young people with a learning disability and/or the SEND system, as well as the wider parliamentary system.

· Passion about making the world a better place for people with a learning disability.

If you're passionate about driving meaningful change for children and young people with a learning disability and you're ready to use your policy expertise to make a real impact, please apply now with an up-to-date CV. This advert has been extended and will now close on Sunday, 4th January, 2026. Interviews are scheduled to take place via Microsoft Teams during the week commencing 12th January 2026.

Benefits

Here at Mencap, we offer an impressive range of benefits designed to support and reward our employees to ensure that our teams feel valued and appreciated.

Our benefits package offers 32 days of paid holiday (including bank holidays, pro rata), along with a range of perks such as discounts at leading high-street retailers, access to health cash plans, interest-free loans, and many more exciting offerings.

For more details on what we have to offer, please see the attached document outlining all the fantastic benefits available to you as a member of our team!

About Mencap

Our vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.

We're here to support people with a learning disability, their families and their carers. We fight for a kinder, fairer and more inclusive society for people with a learning disability to live in.

At Mencap, everyone works with people with a learning disability either providing support or advice, or alongside one another as colleagues.

Belonging at Mencap is for everyone, every day, everywhere.

· Everyone is expected to treat people well and make Mencap an inclusive organisation.

· Every day we grow and learn. It’s okay to make mistakes but we learn from them and make changes

· Everywhere people will feel respected, valued, and safe to be themselves.

We have Belonging network groups that meet online and are open to all colleagues. The groups include people who identify as Black and Asian, LGBTQIA+, disabled or with a long- term health condition, women, parents and carers, and their allies.

We want to encourage everyone to apply to work at Mencap and we offer a variety of different contract types and working patterns. We’re not looking for specific experience. It is your personality and values that will make you a great colleague. We will train and develop you to succeed in the role you’re applying for.

Job Title: Employment Specialist

Location: East Sussex, covering Kent border, Eastbourne, Hastings, Bexhill, Heathfield and Crowborough

Salary: £25,497 - £30,476 per annum (depending on experience)

Hours: Full-time (37 hours per week) OR Part-time (4 days per week maximum)

Contract: Permanent

Report to: Area Manager

About CXK

CXK empowers people to succeed in employment, education and training. The charity strives for a fairer society where everyone can grow and realise their potential. “The CXK Way” embodies the following core values:

Ø  Ethical – We work with professionalism, honesty and integrity.

Ø  Passionate – We reach out enthusiastically to all who need out support.

Ø  Innovative – We inspire, enhance and improve.

Ø  Collaborative – We engage, support and share with others.

The Team

The Targeted Support Team deliver a wide variety of programmes to empower young people and adults to improve their confidence and skills and then progress into training and employment.

The Role

This is an exciting time to join CXK as we are looking to extend our work in Supported Employment. These roles will support a small caseload of individuals with a range of needs who are looking to move into work, enabling them to find the right opportunities and sustain the roles through in-work support. The coaches will also need to be skilled in working with employers to support them to make their roles accessible and sustainable. Growing and maintaining a strong employer base will be a central part of these exciting new roles.

Skills and Knowledge

At CXK we are proud to be a disability confident and equal opportunities employer. We actively promote diversity within our workforce and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Minimum Criteria

· An understanding of the employment needs, and challenges faced by people who experience labour market exclusion

· Experience of working with individuals on a one-to-one basis, developing personalised plans and goal setting

· Experience of managing a range of tasks at any one time, and holding positive relationships with different stakeholders

· Full UK drivers’ licence and use of own vehicle

Core Competencies

· Maths and English GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent)

· Experience working in employment services supporting people to obtain or keep work

· Proven experience of meeting and exceeding outcomes and targets

· An understanding of the employment needs, and challenges faced by people who experience labour market exclusion

· Experience of working with someone on a one-to-one basis

· Experience of providing supported employment services

· Responsible for liaising with employers to facilitate effective communication and coordination

Employee Experience

A career with CXK is rewarding work, enabling you to fulfil your potential. This fulfilling and exciting role provides the opportunity to develop and grow meaningful relationships with a range of services and employers in East Sussex. You will build upon the specialised skills and knowledge relating to Supported Employment and be a positive influence on the lives of people entering work.

Benefits of working with us

Our employee benefits include:

· 30-33 days holiday, plus bank holidays

· Defined contribution pension scheme (matched by CXK up to 10% depending on length of service criteria)

· Benenden private healthcare cover

· Flexible working

· Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

· Training and development programmes and opportunities

· Mental and physical healthcare initiatives and more

Recruitment Timeline

Vacancy closing date: Sunday 28th December 2025

Application review date: Monday 5th January 2026

Interview date: Friday 9th January 2026

Useful Information

If you have any questions or wish to have an informal conversation before submitting your application, please contact the Recruitment Team at recruitment @ cxk. org

Please note: Applicants will need to complete an enhanced DBS check and provide references before any offer of employment is made.

Tender is an arts charity working with children and young people to prevent domestic abuse and sexual violence through creative projects. Our programmes are safe, enjoyable, age-appropriate spaces where young people can engage with sensitive topics and “rehearse” for real-life scenarios. Participants are encouraged to be both consumers and producers of learning through script-work, role-play and creative media such as films and art. Throughout, we enable young people to explore their choices, rights and expectations in relationships and to recognise the early warning signs of abuse.

We have an exciting opportunity for someone who is interested in both research and converting that research into compelling data and stories to support our policy and influencing work.

This role will sit within our Research & Impact team, but will work across our communications, fundraising, and policy & influencing teams, particularly working closely with our senior leadership team to support our policy & influencing work. By converting the evidence and research from the research & impact team in to actionable insights and recommendations which can be shared with our funders, supporters and key decision makers such as policy makers and civil servants, you will play an important role in promoting the importance of prevention work as a tool to prevent domestic abuse and sexual violence.

We are looking for someone with some experience in research and evaluation who has a passion for communication and storytelling. You will enjoy exploring quantitative and qualitative data to pull out meaningful insights, building relationships with a range of internal and external partners, and using data and evidence to persuade others to prioritise prevention-focused approaches to addressing societal issues.

Key responsibilities

The main responsibilities of this role are:

• EnsuringTender’s projects implement Tender’s Theory of Change and evaluation processes, and ensure learnings from evaluations are used to improve Tender’s work
• Analysing Tender’s evaluation results and carrying out secondary research to produce reports and guidance on best practice approaches to preventing domestic abuse and sexual violence
• Using the findings from Tender’s evaluations and research to author and disseminate (on behalf of Tender and working in partnership with other organisations) recommendations for policy makers on preventing domestic abuse and sexual violence

This is an exciting role leading our committed policy team leading the fight to end child poverty in the UK. The development and implementation of a UK-wide cross-government child poverty strategy means this is a great time to join CPAG as we look to influence policy makers to adopt our evidence-based policy solutions to child poverty.

We are looking for someone to take a lead role in developing evidence-based policy positions to support CPAG’s influencing and campaigns work. You will have knowledge of political processes and how external organisations can effect change. You will have a track record of producing high quality research and analysis, including policy briefings, on social policy issues. You will have experience of managing a small team and working collaboratively to identify policy issues and develop solutions with colleagues across the organisation, as well as externally.

The postholder will be working in a fast moving, high profile and complex policy environment and will need to balance short term priorities with long term objectives. Current priorities include influencing the implementation of the forthcoming child poverty strategy, gathering and sharing analysis and expertise with the DWP as part of their review of universal credit, and monitoring the development of forthcoming changes to disability benefits.

We welcome applications from individuals with the skills and experience outlined and we can be flexible about working arrangements. We operate a hybrid working system and would be happy to discuss any flexibilities required. CPAG is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion which you can read more about in the job pack.

We welcome applications on a secondment basis.

For more information about this post and to apply download the Head of Policy job pack.

If you have questions or need specific arrangements or reasonable adjustments to take part in the selection process, please contact us.

Closing date for applications: Sunday 4th January 2026 (midnight)

Interviews will take place: Tuesday 13th January 2026

Job Title: Employment Specialist

Location: West of East Sussex, covering Eastbourne, Saltdean, Newhaven, Hailsham and Lewes

Salary: £25,497 - £30,476 per annum (depending on experience)

Hours: Full-time (37 hours per week) OR Part-time (4 days per week maximum)

Contract: Permanent

Report to: Area Manager

About CXK

CXK empowers people to succeed in employment, education and training. The charity strives for a fairer society where everyone can grow and realise their potential. “The CXK Way” embodies the following core values:

Ø  Ethical – We work with professionalism, honesty and integrity.

Ø  Passionate – We reach out enthusiastically to all who need out support.

Ø  Innovative – We inspire, enhance and improve.

Ø  Collaborative – We engage, support and share with others.

The Team

The Targeted Support Team deliver a wide variety of programmes to empower young people and adults to improve their confidence and skills and then progress into training and employment.

The Role

This is an exciting time to join CXK as we are looking to extend our work in Supported Employment. These roles will support a small caseload of individuals with a range of needs who are looking to move into work, enabling them to find the right opportunities and sustain the roles through in-work support. The coaches will also need to be skilled in working with employers to support them to make their roles accessible and sustainable. Growing and maintaining a strong employer base will be a central part of these exciting new roles.

Skills and Knowledge

At CXK we are proud to be a disability confident and equal opportunities employer. We actively promote diversity within our workforce and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Minimum Criteria

· An understanding of the employment needs, and challenges faced by people who experience labour market exclusion

· Experience of working with individuals on a one-to-one basis, developing personalised plans and goal setting

· Experience of managing a range of tasks at any one time, and holding positive relationships with different stakeholders

· Full UK drivers’ licence and use of own vehicle

Core Competencies

· Maths and English GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent)

· Experience working in employment services supporting people to obtain or keep work

· Proven experience of meeting and exceeding outcomes and targets

· An understanding of the employment needs, and challenges faced by people who experience labour market exclusion

· Experience of working with someone on a one-to-one basis

· Experience of providing supported employment services

· Responsible for liaising with employers to facilitate effective communication and coordination

Employee Experience

A career with CXK is rewarding work, enabling you to fulfil your potential. This fulfilling and exciting role provides the opportunity to develop and grow meaningful relationships with a range of services and employers in East Sussex. You will build upon the specialised skills and knowledge relating to Supported Employment and be a positive influence on the lives of people entering work.

Benefits of working with us

Our employee benefits include:

· 30-33 days holiday, plus bank holidays

· Defined contribution pension scheme (matched by CXK up to 10% depending on length of service criteria)

· Benenden private healthcare cover

· Flexible working

· Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

· Training and development programmes and opportunities

· Mental and physical healthcare initiatives and more

Recruitment Timeline

Vacancy closing date: Sunday 28th December 2025

Application review date: Monday 5th January 2026

Interview date: Friday 9th January 2026

Useful Information

If you have any questions or wish to have an informal conversation before submitting your application, please contact the Recruitment Team at recruitment @ cxk. org

.

Please note: Applicants will need to complete an enhanced DBS check and provide references before any offer of employment is made.

Senior Practice Tutor

Join our team as a Senior Practice Tutor and make a difference to children and young people’s lives

Anna Freud is seeking a Senior Practice Tutor – Autism Spectrum Conditions and Learning Disabilities to join our world-leading mental health charity for children, young people and their families. 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 and you can view them all on our careers page.

Alongside our benefits, this role gives you the chance to shape the next generation of clinicians working with autistic children, young people and those with learning disabilities. You’ll contribute to a high-profile NHS England–funded training programme delivered with UCL, strengthening your expertise while influencing clinical practice at a system-wide level. You’ll have protected time for academic work, meaningful contact with trainees, and a flexible hybrid set-up that balances in-person teaching with remote preparation and supervision.

What you’ll do

In this role, you’ll support the delivery, supervision and academic quality of a specialist postgraduate programme training clinicians to work with autistic children, young people and those with learning disabilities.

• Delivering and developing teaching, particularly skills-based workshops, across the Pg Dip programme
• Marking assignments and taking part in calibration workshops to ensure fair, consistent assessment
• Facilitating small Practice Tutor Groups, supporting trainees’ clinical skill development and monitoring their progress
• Providing personal tutoring, responding to trainee queries and supporting an inclusive, positive trainee experience
• Contributing to programme operations, attending team meetings and maintaining high standards in safeguarding, EDI and professional practice

What you’ll bring

You’ll be a strong fit for this role if you’re an experienced clinician in ASC/LD who brings confidence in teaching, supervision and supporting trainees, and can work collaboratively within a busy academic and clinical training environment.

• A recognised core mental health qualification plus specialist training in ASC/LD evidence-based therapies for children and young people
• Extensive clinical experience with autistic children, young people, parents and families, including work within CYPMH or wellbeing services
• Significant experience providing ASC/LD-specific clinical supervision and managing or overseeing practitioners
• Knowledge and experience of delivering clinical training or university-level teaching
• Strong organisational skills, the ability to work flexibly, manage deadlines, and create an inclusive, reflective learning environment

Key details

Hours: Part-time (7 hours per week)

Whilst this will usually be worked on Mondays during term time, there may be occasions where you are requested, or you may request, to work flexibly and on a different day of the week to support peak points in the academic cycle, e.g. to meet marking deadlines.

Salary: £52,000 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). Flexibility will be required to attend in-person teaching days during term time.

Contract type: Permanent

Next steps

Closing date for applications: Morning (10am), Monday, 05 January 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 Monday, 05 January 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-person/remotely on Thursday, 08 January 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.

The Director is the senior leader of Firefly International, responsible for driving the charity’s mission to support war-affected children through the provision of education, mental health and peacebuilding programmes delivered in genuine partnership with our overseas partners. This is a hands-on leadership role within a small, donation-dependent charity, suited to an adaptable all-rounder who is motivated to lead growth and change rather than maintain the status quo. Firefly has a good track record and a good reputation and has both the will and the capacity to do more and do better, for the children it exists to serve.  To do that, it needs to recruit the right Director.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Essential:

• Experience in fundraising from individuals, charitable trusts and foundations, and companies: developing successful grant proposals, managing implementation of grants and reporting to funders
• Experience of working in a small charity
• Experience in organisational strategy development and implementation
• Experience of management, working with Trustee boards and of managing partnerships
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including representing an organisation in public

Desirable Skills and Knowledge:

• Experience of international humanitarian relief and development
• Experience of safeguarding policies and practices
• Demonstrated ability in budget setting and in management of budgets and financial reporting
• Capacity to plan and prioritise and to manage multiple, sometimes competing demands efficiently
• Experience of event management
• Experience of using social media to build awareness and engagement and for fundraising
• Experience of developing and managing close working relationships with partners
• Understanding of the contexts in which our partners work, in Bosnia, Palestine/Cairo and in Syria, and of the contexts for fundraising in the UK for these areas
• Awareness and sensitivity to the needs of war-affected children and the concerns of the individuals and organisations who support them
  

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Director’s role is to lead Firefly International in its mission to safeguard, extend and develop the activities conducted by its overseas partners.  Within that over-arching goal, to:

• Provide strategic leadership in collaboration with the Chair of the Trustee Board
• Secure sufficient funding to sustain long-term growth
• Manage existing partnerships in overseas project areas and build new ones, overseas and in the UK, in response to any new opportunities to meet the needs of war-affected children where we have relevant experience to offer.
• Lead and support the staff team and any volunteers
• Represent Firefly International as an ambassador for the organisation, its partners and more broadly for war-affected children

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership & Growth

• Lead Firefly’s strategic direction in Scotland, ensuring alignment with the charity’s mission and values
• Build Firefly’s visibility, credibility, and influence with its key stakeholders.

Income Generation

• Strengthen existing funder relationships and develop new funding opportunities
• Develop a compelling case for support

Stakeholder Engagement

• Represent Firefly at events and within networks relevant to its mission and objectives
• Build our supporter base and opportunities for engagement

Communications

• Ensure production of a high quality Annual Review and newsletters
• Take prime responsibility for the website as an attractive, user-friendly communications tool and mechanism for giving
•  Extend and develop our social media presence, ensuring high quality content.

Financial Management and Compliance

• Work with the Treasurer and Finance and Admin Officer to develop budgets and manage expenditure against them, providing accurate and timely information for the Board.
• Work with the independent examiner to facilitate a smooth process of examination of the annual accounts
• Ensure that Firefly remains fully compliant with all statutory authorities such as OSCR and that statutory reports and accounts are produced and filed to time.

OTHER DETAILS

• Our office is in central Edinburgh.  If you live further afield, you may still apply.  One of our team lives and works from home in south west England.
• The role requires travel within the UK and occasionally to project areas overseas.
• Reports to: Chair of the Board of Trustees
• Manages: staff team of three/four plus ad hoc volunteers
• Contract: Permanent, 35 hours pw.
• 25 days leave plus 8 public holidays
• Time Off In Lieu (TOIL)or extra hours worked
• Pension contribution.
• Open to discussing part time or flexible working arrangements

This new role at Young Sounds UK will lead on securing grant income from and coordinating relationships with Trusts and Foundations. This will include identifying and researching funders, submitting compelling applications and completing timely and accurate reports.

You'll need to be comfortable with managing budgets, using CRMs, and demonstrating our impact through writing case studies that bring our work to life. You'll also need to have excellent communication and relationship building skills, and be organised, flexible and with a great attention to detail.

We're looking for someone who has at least three years experience of fundraising in a charity, especially if they’ve focused on fundraising from Trusts and Foundations, and who is looking for an opportunity to take the next step in their career.

For full information on this role, including key responsibilities and person specification, please view the job pack.

The closing date for applications is Monday 19 January 2026 at 12 noon.

About Young Sounds UK 

Young Sounds UK exists because musical talent is everywhere but opportunity isn’t: family finances and other obstacles too often get in the way. We’re here to change this in two key ways:

• We support young musicians from low-income families with funding and other help 
• We support music education through training, advocacy and research.

Established in 1998 we work across genres and across the UK. Our four programme areas are: 

• Discover: training teachers in how to spot young people’s musical potential 
• Connect: targeting and sustaining young people’s emerging talent through strategic support
• Thrive: funding young talent UK wide through annual grants and tailor-made help for individual musicians
• Innovate: leading new thinking and action on talent development

FearFree delivers services across the Southwest for victims, children and perpetrators of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking with the aim to break the cycle of abuse and support all to live free from fear. We provide trauma responsive support, and this post will be fundamental to ensuring service users, stakeholders and partners experience this in our daily delivery.

Our Triage Team act as the front door into our service working within a multi-disciplinary team to provide triage and early intervention support to individuals of all ages and risk levels affected by domestic abuse, sexual violence, stalking, including those with harmful behaviours.

This varied and rewarding role involves providing trauma responsive support to our service users as well as advice and support to partner agencies through our dedicated duty line. Our duty line operates Monday to Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm and allows for service users and professionals to get a quick response from our service.

FearFree is committed to flexible and hybrid working and this role will be a mix of home based and office based, alongside requiring travel for multi-agency meetings and other deliverables.

This role may include evening and weekend work when required.

Key Responsibilities

Working with Vulnerable People and Risk Management

• Provide a trauma-responsive service to individuals of all ages and risk levels who have been affected by domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking including those with harmful behaviors.
• Demonstrate specialist knowledge of domestic abuse, sexual violence, stalking and behaviour change including the associated risks to victims, perpetrators, and the wider family unit.
• Offer advice, guidance, and emotional and practical support to individuals of all ages and risk levels affected by domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking.
• Support those who harm abuse by providing information, guidance, and risk assessments using specialist tools.
• Assess, manage, review risks to service users, using tools such as the DASH risk assessment, SOAG and RIC. Providing risk reduction and safety planning advice.
• Respond to emergencies and crisis situations, including suicidal ideation and the need to access a place of safety.
• Make safeguarding referrals to appropriate agencies including Children’s Social Care, Adult Social Care, mental health crisis teams, and MARAC.
• Work sensitively with service users to share and explain MARAC outcomes and other safeguarding decisions.
• Manage and support service users via telephone of all risk levels in line with service values.
• Safeguard the health and welfare of service users and their families at all times.

Team and Multi-Agency Working

• To be the advisory point of contact for colleagues across all areas of our support offer.
• Offer professional advice and support to multi-agency partners and stakeholders.
• Work closely with statutory and voluntary agencies to enhance safety, support and safeguarding.
• Make referrals to and maintain positive working relationships with external agencies.
• Feedback information related to service users’ needs, risk concerns, and trends to the appropriate team manager.
• Support effective team operations with a proactive, flexible approach, including covering for staff absences.

Administrative and Operational Duties

• Provide a responsive support service with high-quality customer care.
• Answer telephone calls, respond to voicemails and referrals, and carry out triage, assessments and action as appropriate.
• Assist with referral processes and early interventions, including contacting other agencies and coordinating appointments.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential written and digital records, including identifying service user needs and risk information.
• Assist with monitoring and evaluation procedures and contribute to the production of reports.

General

• Live and embody the FearFree values.
• Promote the service to external agencies where applicable.
• Give information and support to service users regarding their other needs and refer them to other support services as required.
• Ensure our service is widely accessible – adapting practice as required to suit individuals.
• Work across a large geographical area to ensure locality is not a barrier to accessing services.
• Deliver training and information sessions to promote our service, and increase awareness and understanding of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking for victims and those who harm.
• Have a responsibility around safeguarding of both adults and children, maintaining knowledge of appropriate policies and procedures and integrated working.
• Support other agencies in the identification and referral of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking issues via promotion of service and institutional advocacy.
• Ensure all referrals are clearly logged on our database and all case records are kept fully updated, according to FearFree policies and procedures.
• Engage with case management supervision, reflective practice and clinical supervision as required, taking an active role in managing own wellbeing and supporting the wellbeing of your colleagues.
• Support colleagues in all services across FearFree as required.
• Support the sustainability of the organisation by participating in fundraising activities and sharing ideas and contacts for income generation.
• To engage in and contribute to effective team working with a flexible and pro-active approach, including cover for other team members’ holidays and sickness.
• Undertake all statutory and mandatory training, as required by the organisation.

Application

To apply, please download the full job description/person specification along with the application and equality monitoring forms. Please send the completed application form and optional equality monitoring form direct to FearFree. 

There is no specific closing date for this role and this vacancy will close once a suitable candidate is found, so early applications are encouraged. 

For information about the processing of your personal data at FearFree, please visit our website. 

FearFree is committed to encouraging equality and diversity in the workplace.  We strive to be a diverse and inclusive place to work where we can all be ourselves and individual differences are recognised and valued.