Engagement and student membership jobs in Nottingham

Contract: Full-time (open to part-time for right candidate, minimum 3 days per week) 
Salary: £35,000-£37,000 (based on experience, pro-rata if part time)
Contract type: 12-month fixed-term (with strong intention to extend subject to funding) 
Start date: May 2026
Reporting to: Director, John Schofield Trust 
Location: Remote (UK only), with occasional travel

1. About the John Schofield Trust

The John Schofield Trust is a charity dedicated to improving social mobility and diversity in journalism and the media. We support early‑career journalists and university students from under‑represented backgrounds through high‑quality mentoring, professional development and access to industry networks.

Our work focuses on long‑term, meaningful relationships between experienced media professionals and talented individuals at the start of their careers. As demand for our programmes continues to grow and we work to adapt to a changing sector, we are looking for an Operations Manager to play a central role in delivering our work.

2. Role Summary

The Operations Manager will be a pivotal new role within the John Schofield Trust’s small staff team. You will be responsible for the end‑to‑end delivery of our mentoring programmes, ensuring an excellent experience for both mentors and mentees.

You will manage relationships with mentors, mentees and partner organisations, oversee programme operations, and contribute to the Trust’s learning, impact reporting and future development. This role suits someone who enjoys working with people, managing multiple moving parts, and taking initiative in a mission‑driven organisation.

3. Key Responsibilities

Programme delivery and quality

• Manage the day‑to‑day delivery of the Trust’s mentoring programmes, including supporting a new ‘emerging newsroom leader’ pilot scheme

• Oversee recruitment, selection, training and matching of mentors and mentees 

• Ensure a high‑quality experience for participants throughout the programme lifecycle

Relationships and partnerships

• Build and maintain strong relationships with mentors, mentees and alumni 

• Represent the Trust in meetings with universities, newsrooms and other partners 

• Support the growth and engagement of our mentor and supporter network 

Data, impact and learning

• Maintain and develop the Trust’s database of mentors, mentees and supporters 

• Collect and analyse programme data to monitor impact and learning 

• Gather testimonials and case studies for reporting to stakeholders and the wider public

Organisational contribution

• Support events and occasional in‑person activities 

• Administer elements of our governance, including minuting of meetings and assembling annual report 

• Contribute to the wider work and development of the Trust, including our marketing and communications

• Undertake other tasks in line with the role 

4. Essential Experience and Skills
 

• Experience of successful programme or project management 

• Strong relationship‑building and stakeholder management skills 

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines 

• High standards of professionalism and attention to detail 

• Confidence using Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, to manage and analyse data 

• Experience supporting or delivering events 

• Awareness of journalism, media, education and/or training and development 

5. Attributes
 

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills 

• Proactive, organised and solutions‑focused 

• Comfortable working independently in a small, remote team 

• Motivated by social impact and widening access to opportunities 

6. Desirable (Not Essential)
 

• Experience working in or with the journalism or media sector 

• Experience running mentoring, coaching or development programmes 

• Experience of fundraising or donor engagement 

• Experience using social media or digital marketing 

• Confidence using AI tools

We encourage applications from candidates who meet most, but not all, of the criteria above.

7. Application Process

Please submit the following by email to info[at]johnschofieldtrust[dot]org[dot]uk with the subject line ‘Operations Manager application’:

• A CV (maximum three sides of A4)

• A cover letter (maximum two sides of A4)

Your cover letter should explain why you are well suited to the role, referring to the responsibilities and criteria above and giving specific examples.

Please provide both documents in PDF form and include your name in the file name e.g. ‘Tom Smith Cover Letter’ or ‘Tom Smith CV’.

Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments during the application process.

8. Key Dates
 

Application deadline: 23:59 on 23rd March 2026 

Interviews: End of March – Beginning of April

Start date: May 2026 or sooner if notice period allows

9. Equal Opportunities
 

The John Schofield Trust is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and do not tolerate discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We are open to flexible working arrangements, and we welcome candidates who have taken non-linear career paths.

Due to the volume of applications, we cannot provide feedback to candidates not invited to interview.

10. Questions
 

If you have any questions about the role email info[at]johnschofieldtrust[dot]org[dot]uk

Thank you for your interest, and good luck.

About the Role

As a passionate professional in the identification, development and management of a wide range of relationships in support of our programme partnership, you will ensure the Career Ready programme in Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire continues to thrive, which includes securing charitable donations from supporting partners. You will work closely with our Programme & Partnerships Manager for Glasgow, in support of our work growing there.

This role requires experience of partnership and account management and the scale and ambition of our social mobility work means you will need to be well organised, confident and able to positively influence a wide range of people including headteachers, teachers, CEOs and HRDs.

You will identify and approach opportunities that are well researched and pursue with unswerving perseverance. It’s also a great chance to develop personally.

Programme & Partnership Managers lead the delivery of our programme locally. In this role, you’ll grow, develop, and maintain the employer and education partnerships that make the Career Ready programme work — including our Local Advisory Boards, Local Authorities, school coordinators, the Developing the Young Workforce Regional Group, and the employers and volunteers who provide mentoring with the accompanying paid internship, deliver engaging masterclasses, and support events.

Once you’re confident in what, why, when, and how of our work, you will:
1. Lead, grow, and strengthen the Career Ready partnerships in Renfrewshire & West
Dunbartonshire.

You’ll ensure an excellent programme experience for all stakeholders and secure employer engagement for approximately 60+ students each year (with growth expected) who take part in our 18-month programme. This includes ensuring
sufficient mentors with the accompanying paid internship, high-quality masterclasses and purposeful events.

2. Support programme delivery, stakeholder engagement and the generation of new programme and funding partnerships across Renfrewshire & West Dunbartonshire. 

You’ll work closely with the Career Ready Glasgow & West Areas Local Advisory Board, the Programme & Partnerships Manager for Glasgow, the Head of Programme & Operations, the Scotland Partnerships Manager, Partnerships Lead, and your fellow Programme & Partnerships Managers — all committed to delivering quality, impact, and sustainability. You’ll also collaborate with the Scotland Operations Team to
ensure accurate data, strong processes, and effective management information for the area.

Find out more

You can find out more about the role, and working at Career Ready, in our candidate pack.

• £36,000 - £39,870 DOE (pro rata for part time)
• A working from home allowance of £300 pa is provided (pro rata for part time)
• Annual leave: 27 days holiday plus bank/public holidays. In addition, Career Ready is closed between Christmas and New Year. Career Ready also allows flexible use of some Bank & Public Holidays
• 6% of salary contribution to a private pension subject to an employee contribution of 3%
• Access to both our Reward Gateway Portal and an Employee Assistance Programme
• Business expenses including mileage allowance for car usage

How to apply

Please visit our website for full details of how to apply.

Timetable

• Closing date: 5 pm, Monday 16 March 2026 (early applications are encouraged)
• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an initial screening conversation prior to interview
• Interviews will take place from w/c 30 March 2026

The Vacancies

We are seeking to appoint one registered medical practitioner and one business registrant (Companies Committee), one lay member (Education Committee) and one optometrist (Standards Committee) to our Advisory Panel Companies Committee.

About the GOC
We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance, and conduct.  For more information about us please visit our website.

About the Advisory Panel
The Advisory Panel is a meeting of the four Council’s committees (Companies, Education, Registration, and Standards) in plenary session. They are established by statute for the purpose of giving advice and assistance to Council (whether or not in response to a request from them) on:

• matters relating to business registrants other than matters required by the Opticians Act to be referred to the Investigation Committee, the Registration Appeals, Committee or the Fitness to Practise Committee;
• matters relating to optical training, education, and assessment;
• matters relating to registration, other than matters required by the Opticians Act to be considered by the Registration Appeals Committee; and
• matters relating to the standards of conduct and performance expected of registrants or those seeking admission to the register.

Time Commitment and Remuneration

This role is part time with a commitment of approximately 2-3 days per year, including time spent preparing for meetings.  Meetings will usually take place via MS Teams but may on occasion be held at the GOC Offices in London or other suitable venues.

Members are paid up to £185 per meeting. This is taxable and subject to National Insurance (NI) contributions. This is in line with our member fees policy and member fee schedule.

How to apply

Please apply with the following:

• your CV outlining your employment history, any relevant voluntary work, public service, or other experience; together with any relevant professional, academic, or vocational qualifications (please keep this to two sides of A4);
• the application form (attached), stating how your experience matches the essential criteria for the vacancy you are applying for; and
• an EDI monitoring form (linked in the candidate pack) 

Please email your completed application quoting reference GOC01/26 to appointment@optical. org.

We would welcome applications from individuals who are disabled and from diverse ethnic backgrounds, as these are currently under-represented on our Council and committees.

For more information about these roles please download the candidate information pack attached.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: midnight Sunday 29 March 2026.

Online interviews will be held on 14,15,18 and 19 May 2026.

If you have any questions, please email them to appointment@optical. org and we will aim to respond to you within 48 hours. 

We strive to be as diverse as the public we protect and welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, and geographical locations outside of London.