Engagement team leaders jobs in London

Post: Expeditions Officer
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-Time
Location: South Kensington, London SW7
Salary: £35,897–£39,180 per annum, depending on experience

About Us

The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) is the learned society and professional body for geography and geographers. It is also a charity and a membership organisation. The Society was founded in 1830 and has been one of the most active of the learned societies ever since. It was pivotal in establishing geography as a teaching and research discipline in British universities and continues to play a key role in geographical and environmental education.

The Society is a leading world centre for geographical learning – supporting education, teaching, research, professional practice and scientific expeditions, as well as promoting public understanding and enjoyment of geography and providing advice to policymakers.

The Society offers professional accreditation to members through Chartered Geographer status.

About You and the Role

Joining a specialised team at a time of growth, the Expeditions Officer will deploy first-hand exploratory field research experience in providing practical support for practitioners, helping reinforce the Society’s role as an international leader and convening power representing diverse forms of geographical exploration.

This operational role is central to evolving the Society's technical resources, strategic programmes, and flagship events, ensuring our support for both our grant recipients and the wider community of practitioners remains rigorous and impactful.

Key Responsibilities

Expedition advisory support

Participate in the provision of advice and support to Society grant recipients and other expedition teams and individuals across their project lifecycles.

Training, events and content

Work with colleagues and external trainers to develop and organise needs-based training opportunities, primarily for Society grant recipients and other supported individuals and teams, across a range of subjects.

Support the development of multimedia resources to support Society members and the wider community of field practitioners in undertaking safe, ethical, impactful expeditions.

Governance and reporting

Contribute data and updates for the bi-annual reporting to the Expeditions & Fieldwork Committee and quarterly workplan reporting to management and trustees.

The successful candidate will have demonstrable experience leading successful exploratory field projects, preferably through overseas, collaborative, impact-driven ventures in remote and challenging contexts.

The successful candidate will apply both academic knowledge and a practical understanding of safe, ethical and impactful field research, significantly expanding the Society’s capacity to support diverse forms of geographical exploration.

Salary and Benefits

This is a permanent, full-time post subject to successful completion of a probationary period of three months. The salary range for this post is £35,897–£39,180 per annum depending on experience and qualifications. The post is based in Kensington, London.

There are a range of benefits at the Society which include the following:

• 35-hour working week with core working hours between 10.00am and 4.00pm.
• Flexible working arrangements are available with a mix of office based and home working.
• 25 days annual leave per annum, pro rata, plus public bank holidays.
• Society closure between Christmas and New Year, in addition to the basic annual leave allowance.
• Pension scheme - 3% employee, 7.5% employer.
• Group Life Assurance at four-times basic annual salary.
• Corporate eye care vouchers.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Free 24-hour Employee Assistance helpline with available counselling support.

Applications must be received by 9.30am on Friday 10th April.
Interviews are planned to take place on 20 April.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

The Society aims to be an equal opportunities employer. We strongly encourage applicants from those traditionally underrepresented in the geographical discipline.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. The Society is unable to offer work visa sponsorships.

No agencies please.

Deputy Service Manager

When registering to this job board you will be redirected to the online application form. Please ensure that this is completed in full in order that your application can be reviewed.

Due to the nature of the service, it is an occupational requirement that the post holder is female and the post is therefore exempt from the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 in terms of Schedule 9, Part 1, and Paragraph 1 of the Act.

Job Title: Deputy Service Manager

Location: Based in Luton. Unfortunately this service has no step free access.

Salary: £28,700 (Annual)

Shift Pattern: Fixed Term Contract until March 2028 working 37.5 hours per week Monday to Sunday on a rota which can vary between 08:00 - 16:00, 09:00 - 17:00, 10:00 - 18:00 and 12:00 - 20:00. You may be required to work outside these hours as per service and resident requirements and will include bank holiday working. You will also form part of the out of hours on call rota for managers.

About the Role

We are seeking a Deputy Service Manager to support the Service Manager in leading our residential based service which is based in Luton. Penrose Women's Luton SHAP support women who have experienced multiple forms of exclusion such as historical/ongoing abuse, involvement in the criminal justice system, mental health challenges, drug/alcohol dependency, and enduring high levels of violence and coercion. The team supports our women to create a safe, secure, and nurturing environment to create a space where they can call home. They provide person-centred care and support to help them overcome personal challenges and rebuild their lives for brighter futures.

In this role, you will support in leading the team by providing overall leadership to the service and line management responsibilities to support, enable, and empower your team to deliver high quality support to our residents. You will support in driving service outcomes in line with contractual requirements, ensuring quality and consistency within a trauma and psychologically informed environment. You will ensure the service runs smoothly in collaboration with the team, wider teams, and external partners. We're looking for someone who is solution focused, has experience within a similar service environment, and can create a safe space for individuals to learn, and grow. 

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Line management and leadership, offering guidance and support throughout the employee lifecycle, fostering a supportive leadership culture focused on staff wellbeing, learning, and development.
• Encourage productivity, engagement, and wellbeing of the team through regular check-ins, training, meetings, and supervisions.
• Support with day to day tasks within the service, supporting the team to deliver the best possible outcomes with their residents.
• Ensure Risk Management processes and policies are followed within the service.
• Property and housing management, ensuring accommodation standards, timely maintenance and reporting.
• Striving to ensure excellence and quality in our service delivery.
• Financial Management of service budget with cost saving mechanisms. 

About You

We're seeking someone who has a genuine passion for making a difference to lives, and helping to create safer communities for all. You will be a proactive leader, with the ability to motivate and empower a team to drive excellence, both as individuals, and as a team, whilst providing practical solutions to challenges which arise. 

You will be knowledgeable of the trauma and challenges that women face within the service including exclusion. We're looking for someone who can build rapport, trust, and create an environment which allows individuals to grow their skills and experience and develop as individuals. 

• Due to the nature of the service, it is an occupational requirement that the postholder is female.
• Previous experience in supporting individuals in a similar capacity or managing a service which supports residents who have experienced multiple forms of exclusion such as historical/ongoing abuse, involvement in the criminal justice system, mental health challenges, drug/alcohol dependency, and enduring high levels of violence and coercion.
• Ability to provide high quality support and line management to staff.
• Ability to motivate and empower a team to achieve KPI's
• Ability to support the Service Manager and help manage staff with daily tasks, caseloads and overall day to day running of the service.
• Ability to provide advice, guidance, and support to the team on all aspects of service delivery including resident related queries.
• Ability to work flexibly to meet the demands and needs of the service. For example, Provide an emergency on call service as and when required in case of emergency.
• IT proficiency - we use various systems so look for someone who can learn and navigate new systems including case management, Microsoft, ATS, HR systems, and other types of organisational software.
• Alignment with our values of Ambition, Empowerment, Inclusivity, and Transparency.

Please refer to the JDPS attached for more details on the vacancy and our requirements/key criteria.

What we Offer

• 25 days (Full time equivalent) annual leave, increasing with the length of service
• Employer Pension Contribution
• Eligibility to register with Blue Light Discount Card
• Access to discounted tickets for music events, shows, sports and more
• Reflective Practice regular sessions with a therapist provided by an external provider to support Mental Health and Wellbeing at work
• Training and Development, including access to courses, upskilling, and progression plans
• Employee Assistance Programme, including counselling
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Annual Staff Awards
• EDI Ambassador programme

About Social Interest Group (SIG)

SIG is a not-for-profit organisation providing thousands of people with good-quality support and care in residential, drop-in centres, community floating support settings, probation settings, and hospitals. We do so across London, Brighton, Bedfordshire, Luton, Kent and Liverpool. Our goal is to transform lives through empowering change. 

We believe good care and support improves lives with the vision to create healthier, safer, and more inclusive communities. Join us on our mission to empower independence through trauma-informed solutions and dynamic partnerships that keep people out of prison, out of hospital, and off the streets.
Want to know how we work? Watch our short Theory of Change video to see how we support people towards a brighter future: Theory of Change Further details can be found on our website here: Theory of Change - Social Interest Group - Social Interest Group. 

Additional Information

Please note that this job advert may close early due to screening applications on an ongoing basis. We advise applying as soon as possible for your application to be taken into consideration at the early stages.

Please note that as part of our process, we complete an enhanced DBS check, some roles may require further vetting. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact us on the details below.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide sponsorship, please ensure you have full right to work in the UK prior to applying to our positions. 

Healthwatch Brent, Westminster and RBKC

Healthwatch was set up in 2013 to champion the rights of health and social care users, and hold the health and social care system to account for how well it engages with the public. During 2026/27 these services are preparing for transition while continuing to build on their legacy.

Healthwatch’s remit covers all publicly funded health and social care services for adults and children.

Healthwatch Brent, Healthwatch Westminster and Healthwatch Kensington & Chelsea are three of 152 local Healthwatch organisations. The Advocacy Project Hosts three services. We’re building on the important work that’s been done to date,  planning for the future while bringing new insights from the voices of seldom heard and hard to hear groups.

About the role

Are you an accomplished Health and Social care manager looking for a new exciting challenge?  Are you adept at managing teams and services through change? Passionate about the role of independent voice and the value of lived experience in the NHS?  The Healthwatch senior manager role is for you.

As Healthwatch senior manager for The Advocacy Project you will play a central role in shaping the strategic and operational management of our Healthwatch services. This includes direct support to Healthwatch managers in Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, and Brent, ensuring that the services are inclusive, effective, and of high quality.

Key responsibilities

• To Provide strategic management for effective, inclusive and high quality local Healthwatch.
• Supporting the 3 advisory boards to be at their most effective during this period.
• Working with the CEO to engage with the ICB and other stakeholders to plan for next steps
• Make sure the work of HW Westminster (HWW), HW Kensington & Chelsea (HWRBKC) and HW Brent (HWB) conforms to all required principles, objectives and statutory obligations, and meets all contractual requirements between The Advocacy Project (as host organisation) and the local authorities.
• Line management of HW managers in each borough.
• Provide leadership to make sure the patient and public voice is heard across health, social care, in a continuously changing external environment.
• Working with managers in each borough, make sure HWB, HWW and HWRBKC involve the local community, particularly seldom heard groups, in influencing local and national policy and are responsive and sensitive to the needs of community groups with protected characteristics.
• Be available to represent The Advocacy project, HWB, HWW and HWRBKC at all strategic governance and external meetings with key stakeholders, liaising with nominated Board leads regularly.
• Support local managers to develop the services to respond to emerging trends and needs, while keeping abreast of Healthwatch England best practice to continually enhance the quality of the service.
• Develop effective partnerships with key staff in health and social care services.
• Work with local managers in each borough to ensure all projects are informed and influenced by local communities and strategic partners.
• Support the effective planning and resourcing of project work, working to Healthwatch England best practice guidance.
• Ensure that project plans and intended outcomes are clearly communicated to key stakeholders.
• Work with the shared Insight and Outcomes Analyst to make sure quality systems are effective and used to demonstrate the Healthwatch service is achieving outcomes and impact,and meeting key performance indicators.
• Ensure that lived experience and service user involvement is embedded in all evaluation.
• Provide reports to key stakeholders, including The Advocacy Project Trustees,  Commissioners, Advisory Boards, Health and Wellbeing Boards and Healthwatch England demonstrating our impact.
• dentify funding opportunities and work with The Head of Business Development to support funding bids.
• Work with the borough Communications leads to make sure all relevant internal and external stakeholders receive relevant, timely and up-to-date communication about all Healthwatch projects.
• Keep up to date with current trends in health policy, service provision, current practice and matters concerning people as citizens, by reading, attending courses and networking.

General responsibilities

• Participate in team meetings, training and organisational development.
• Contribute to monitoring reports.
• Keep to our policies, including health & safety, safeguarding and risk regulations.
• Work to our mission, vision, and values.
• Work flexibly to meet the needs of the service, in line with the changing local and national landscape and carry out other projects and tasks as needed.

Person specification

Essential

• Excellent knowledge of and experience of working at a high strategic level with the health and social care system and the voluntary and community sector, in particular Healthwatch.
• Thorough understanding of user engagement, community development, user involvement, and co-production principles and practice.
• Comfortable and capable of engaging with senior leaders in Health and Social Care both on a one-to-one basis and at strategic meetings such as scrutiny boards.
• Experience of managing through periods of change and uncertainty
• Experience working with diverse communities and tackling discrimination and inequality.
• Relevant experience in project delivery and evaluation, including data gathering and analysis, or training in research methods, statistics, or data analysis.
• Significant leadership or line Management experience including managing, developing and motivating a staff team.
• Experience in contract management and compliance.
• Excellent communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills. Effective in working with a wide variety of stakeholders ranging from trustees, commissioners, partners, colleagues, and local residents.  
• Excellent organizational skills; ability to work on own initiative and plan and prioritize own workload.
• Experience managing a budget.
• Commitment to working within The Advocacy Project and Healthwatch code of conduct, equality and safeguarding policies.
• Willingness to attend further training as appropriate and to adopt new procedures.
• Willingness to promote Healthwatch and The Advocacy Project in line with our mission, vision and values.

Desirable

• Experience working with volunteer boards and high caliber volunteers.
• Evidence of ongoing personal development and training related to the role.
• Detailed knowledge of NHS systems
• Understanding the public health challenges in Westminster, RBKC, and Brent.
• Experience working with senior managers in public sector bodies.

Benefits of working for us

We’re committed to providing an empowering, flexible and supportive working environment for all our staff.

Our employee benefits include 30 days annual leave (including up to 3 days between Christmas and New Year), participation in a pension scheme with 6% employer contribution, access to a free confidential counselling service, and an interest-free travel/bike loan.

All our staff are supported to learn and develop in a variety of ways, including a monthly lecture series where we invite sector experts to talk to our staff on topical issues.

Full time (flexible working options available)

Closing Date: 1 April 2026

Ref 7335

Save the Children UK has an exciting opportunity for a collaborative and fashion-savvy retail leader with strong volunteer management experience to join us as our Store Manager for our Mary's Living & Giving (MLG) Store in Chiswick, London, where you'll inspire a longstanding and dedicated volunteer team to deliver an exceptional retail experience and maximise income that helps transform children's lives.

About Us

Save the Children UK believes every child deserves a future. In the UK and around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm.  When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave.  We ensure children's unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach.

About the role

As Store Manager, you will lead one of our flagship Mary's Living & Giving stores – a premium, fashion-forward charity retail concept created in partnership with Mary Portas. You'll be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Chiswick store, ensuring that it not only meets its commercial goals but continues to offer a unique, community-focused shopping experience that reflects the MLG brand.

You'll lead and support a passionate team of around 40 volunteers, maintaining their engagement while evolving the store's offer to reflect local trends and align operationally with other Mary's Living & Giving stores across the network.

In this role, you will:

• Lead, motivate, and develop a diverse volunteer team, creating an inclusive, supportive and empowering culture that celebrates each individual's contribution.

• Manage all aspects of store operations, ensuring excellence in visual merchandising, stock management, and customer service standards.

• Analyse sales performance and local trends to maximise income and profit, while maintaining the premium and distinctive MLG brand identity.

• Build strong links with the local community to grow the store's supporter base and reputation as a destination for high-quality womenswear and new goods.

• Diversify the product offer in line with community insight and MLG strategy, ensuring the store remains relevant, inspiring, and competitive.

• Ensure compliance with Save the Children's policies, safeguarding, and operational standards.

About you

To be successful, it is important that you have:

• Proven leadership experience in retail or charity retail, with a track record of managing and motivating teams (paid or volunteer).

• A strong sense of fashion retailing, with the ability to curate, present and sell products to a fashion-conscious, label-driven customer base.

• Commercial awareness and experience of working to sales targets, with the ability to interpret data and identify growth opportunities.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, able to engage confidently with volunteers, customers, and the wider community.

• A flexible, positive, and resilient approach, with the ability to adapt and problem-solve in a fast-moving retail environment.

• Commitment to Save the Children's vision, mission and values.

This role will be based on-site in the Chiswick, London shop. We're looking for someone able to work 5 days (35 hours) per week to include weekend working.

What we offer you:

Our benefits package is extensive and generous, including:

• Competitive Pay – Our transparent pay policy ensures fair and equitable compensation.

• Generous Holidays – Start with 27 days off per year (pro rata for part-timers) and enjoy up to 32 days after 10 years.

• Pension & Life Assurance – Secure your future with excellent contributions.

• Employee Discounts – Save on groceries, high-street brands, home, tech, gyms, holidays, and more! Over 6,000 deals are available through our benefits platform.

• Maternity/Adoption Benefits – Get 21 weeks of full pay after just six months of employment.

• Paternity/Adoption Leave – Enjoy 10 weeks of full pay (plus statutory 2 weeks) after six months with us.

• Additional benefits: include cycle to work scheme, employee assistance programme, eye care, flu jabs, season ticket loan

Closing date: 1st April 2026

Please note: To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: 

Save the Children UK believes in a world that is fair, inclusive and equitable where all children have the opportunity to change their world. We apply this to our workforce and we are committed to developing and supporting a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organisation where all employees have a sense of belonging and feel that they can be "Free to Be Me". We are not looking for just one type of person - we want to recruit people who can add fresh perspectives, innovative ideas or challenge that disrupts the risk of group think. 

We are especially interested in people whose childhood experiences - of life on a low income, of migration, of being in a racialised community, of the care system, of being LGBT+ or in an LGBT+ family or living with (or with someone with) a disability - help us to see things we might otherwise miss. Whatever your story is we want to hear it because we know that different voices, ideas, perspectives and knowledge, working together will enable us to better the lives of children around the world. This is the reason why we are all here. 

Associate Director, Scotland
Ref: REF000006
Location: Home-based, Scotland (However, travel and overnight stays within the UK will be required as part of this role)
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 35 hours per week
Salary: Circa £66,000 per annum

Finding strength through support

The Stroke Association is the UK’s leading charity providing lifelong support for all stroke survivors and their families. We provide tailored support to tens of thousands of stroke survivors each year. This support includes one-to-one and group support, funding vital scientific research into stroke prevention, acute treatment, recovery and long-term care, and campaigning to secure the best care for everyone affected by stroke. 

We’re here for stroke survivors and their loved ones, from the moment they enter the new and frightening post-stroke world, supporting them every step of the way as they find their strength and their way back to life.

It’s only thanks to the generosity of our supporters and donors that we can provide vital support.

Stroke Association is driven by our ambition to improve the lives of everyone affected by stroke. This means we’re determined to create an equitable and inclusive workplace that benefits from the difference, and thrives on the diversity, of our people. Guided by Our approach to solving inequity in stroke, we are prioritising listening to, and learning from, lived experience across our charity.

We are working to improve the representation of this lived experience at all levels within the Stroke Association, and we are eager to recruit applicants from a variety of communities and backgrounds. We are keen to receive applications from people affected by stroke, people of colour, members of LGBT+ communities, and disabled people because these identities and experiences are underrepresented and would add enormous value to how we work.

We are a Disability Confident employer, and we are making great progress focusing on flexible working, reasonable adjustments and access to work. Our charity has a variety of staff network groups, and we're committed to continuously improving our diversity and inclusion efforts. If you have questions, or access needs, we’re happy to discuss any support and adjustments we can make throughout the recruitment process so that you’re able to contribute your best in a way that meets your needs.

About You and The Role

We’re looking for an exceptional systems leader to drive our work across Scotland and ensure people affected by stroke have the support they need to rebuild their lives. You’ll shape and deliver our vision for Scotland, focusing on what matters most to stroke survivors and ensuring our work has real, measurable impact.

In this influential role, you’ll build strong relationships across health and social care, Scottish Parliament and Government, and the wider stroke community. You'll bring deep understanding of the Scottish context and ensure our work is grounded in the lived experience of stroke survivors and their families.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Lead the Stroke Association’s strategic direction and impact in Scotland, ensuring people affected by stroke receive high quality support.
• Build and manage relationships with key health, social care and political stakeholders, acting as a credible and respected systems leader.
• Adapt organisational priorities for Scotland and ensure effective delivery through strong planning and performance oversight.
• Lead and develop the Scotland team, addressing capacity needs and building volunteer capability to meet local priorities.
• Strengthen partnerships across the stroke community to improve access to support and tackle health inequalities.
• Lead engagement in local policy and pathway development, influencing improvements at health board level.

You will have:

• Significant senior-level experience in advocacy and influencing, including shaping policy change in values-driven, social-impact contexts within Scotland’s health and social care sector.
• Substantial experience developing and managing senior-level relationships across partner organisations, using strong negotiation skills and sound political judgement.
• Experience leading complex organisational change and transformation, ensuring people-centred and sustainable outcomes.
• Strong understanding of the Scottish health and social care landscape, including Parliament, Government, influencing systems, and awareness of UK-wide legislative procedures.
• Ability to balance local, national and UK-wide organisational priorities.

To fulfil the role, you must live in Scotland and have the right to work in the UK. This role requires travel and overnight stays across the UK. Candidates must be able to demonstrate how they can meet this requirement of the role.

Closing Date: 5 April
First Interview (online) Date: Monday 20 April or Tuesday 21 April
Second interview and Roundtable Discussion (face to face): week commencing 27 April 
Please note all roles close at midnight

Please state any preferences for flexible options in your application. Applications from individuals who are seeking flexible working options, including reduced hours or job shares are welcomed.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

No agencies please. 

Martingale Postgraduate Foundation (Martingale) exists to fund and support the next generation of talented researchers. We believe that family income should not be a barrier to the pursuit of excellence, and our mission is to enable and nurture talented individuals from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to thrive within world-leading postgraduate research.

Martingale’s flagship programme is the Martingale Postgraduate Scholarship, which supports students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to pursue and excel in postgraduate degrees, by providing:

• A fully-funded Living Wage Scholarship to pursue a one-year Masters degree or a four-year PhD.
• All tuition fees and research expenses, including a tax-free stipend for living costs.
• Tailored support to apply for Martingale courses at our partner universities.
• Access to Martingale programmes, including leadership training and connections with top academic and industry professionals.
• Membership of a pioneering community of talented researchers.

In the three years since Martingale launched, we are now supporting over 100 Scholars to undertake postgraduate degrees across our ten partner universities and have committed over £7.7m in Scholarships. We are continuing to expand our offer, bringing on new partners each year.

We are seeking an experienced, strategic and collaborative Head of Programmes to join our Senior Leadership Team and play a pivotal role in shaping our fast-growing Martingale Scholarship Programme.

As Head of Programmes, you will join our senior management team, overseeing the growing programmes team. Working closely with the CEO, you will oversee all aspects of Martingale’s Scholarship Programme from application to alumni, ensuring that the programme maintains a strong reputation for being both supportive and prestigious.

You will set the strategic direction of Martingale’s Scholarship Programme, working closely with the CEO on a day-to-day basis to ensure that as we expand across STEM the programme remains of a high quality and meeting Martingale’s mission. You will ensure that Martingale’s programmes are impactful, data informed and meet the needs of the scholars we are supporting. You will also be responsible for managing relationships with various external stakeholders including universities, funders and evaluation partners.

We are looking for a strong strategic leader with extensive programme experience including line management, partnership management and external relations. You will bring excellent organisational skills, strong attention to detail, a proactive mindset, and a strong alignment with Martingale’s mission. We welcome applicants from a range of career paths who are excited to be part of a growing, fast-paced charity delivering meaningful impact.

Martingale Foundation is incubated by Purposeful Ventures who provide operational and strategic support. The Head of Programmes will be employed by Purposeful Ventures.

About Purposeful Ventures

Our vision is for a fairer society where all young people thrive. We work with social entrepreneurs, organisations and philanthropists that share our vision. Through our work with these partners, young people are given opportunities in education and beyond, helping them reach their true potential.

Purposeful Ventures offers philanthropists and funders bespoke advice, using an evidence-based approach to help them to identify high-impact opportunities to fund. We then partner with visionary individuals and mission-driven organisations with strong theories of change. We help them turn great ideas into sustainable and successful ventures by offering fully individualised and very hands-on support, access to funding and a ‘high-challenge, high-support’ home. We do the minimum necessary and whatever it takes to succeed.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership of the Scholarship Programme

• Provide strategic oversight of the end-to-end Martingale Scholarship lifecycle, from selection and admissions through to scholar progression and alumni outcomes.
• Develop and deliver a multi-year operational strategy for Martingale’s Development Programme (MDP), ensuring scalability, academic excellence, and alignment with organisational growth plans.
• Continuously refine the scholar journey to ensure it is sector-leading, prestigious, and tailored to the needs of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Build deep expertise in postgraduate education, research culture, and enabling access to inform programme evolution and innovation.

Admissions & Selection Strategy

• Lead the design, governance, and continuous improvement of a rigorous, fair, and high-quality admissions and assessment process across subject areas.
• Oversee shortlisting, interview frameworks, assessment centres, and final scholarship recommendations to the Selection Committee.
• Ensure alignment between Martingale’s selection processes and university partner requirements.
• Maintain oversight of scholar allocation, including place management, deferrals, intermissions, withdrawals, and reallocations.

Scholar Experience & Case Management

• Ensure effective advocacy for Scholars including maximising progression and retention across cohorts.
• Oversee complex scholar casework, including deferrals, intermissions, safeguarding concerns, funding queries, disciplinary action and university liaison.
• Ensure consistent, professional, and high-touch support across the scholar lifecycle.
• Strengthen cohort cohesion and long-term alumni engagement.

Safeguarding & Compliance

• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Martingale, ensuring safeguarding policy implementation and record keeping in line with best practice in relation to vulnerable adults.
• Oversee data protection compliance relating to scholar and applicant data, in partnership with the organisation’s Data Protection Officer.
• Ensure programme delivery complies with charity, funding, and regulatory requirements.

Budget, Contracting & Financial Oversight

• Hold responsibility for programme budgets, ensuring effective resource allocation, cost control, and value for money.
• Oversee scholarship programme financial management, and work with Head of Strategy and Operations on onwards grants including deferrals, funding adjustments, and invoicing.
• Work with the Head of Strategy and Operations on university contracting, scholarship agreements, and financial reconciliation with partners.
• Ensure timely and accurate invoicing and reporting processes across programme operations.

University & Sector Partnerships (Programme-Focused)

• Lead programme-level relationships with university partners, including Heads of Departments, Graduate Tutors, CDT leads, and admissions teams.
• Ensure universities meet partnership commitments and that Scholars are appropriately supported institutionally.
• Contribute to partnership negotiations where programme design or operational delivery is concerned.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen university research culture and scholar support mechanisms.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Impact

• Lead development and oversight of Martingale’s Theory of Change and evaluation framework, working with our external independent evaluators.
• Develop robust systems to track scholar progression, outcomes, and programme effectiveness.
• Provide high-quality reporting to the CEO, Board, funders, and partners, evidencing impact and continuous improvement.

New Programme Development & Innovation

• Work with the CEO to design new subject expansions, pilots, or initiatives aligned to Martingale’s mission.
• Assess operational, financial, and reputational implications of programme growth.
• Develop business cases, delivery models, and implementation plans for expansion.

Team Leadership & Culture

• Provide senior leadership to the Programmes team, including line management of programme staff.
• Build a high-performing, mission-driven team with clear accountability and ownership.
• Develop succession planning and team capability as Martingale scales.
• Model Martingale’s values of excellence, professionalism, and thoughtful support.

Organisational Leadership

• Serve as a member of the Senior Management Team, contributing to organisational strategy and governance.
• Represent Martingale externally in academic, sector, and policy contexts where appropriate.
• Support Board and Committee reporting related to programme performance and scholar outcomes.

Key Requirements:

Essential Criteria

• Right to work in the UK

Experience and skills

Essential

• Significant experience leading and delivering high-quality programmes, ideally in higher education, research, scholarships, or a mission-driven organisation.
• Strong stakeholder management experience, with evidence of working effectively with universities, academics, funders, or equivalent partners.
• Proven line management experience, with the ability to develop and lead a high-performing team.
• Experience managing complex operational delivery, including planning, timelines, and coordinating multiple moving parts.
• Strong experience handling sensitive casework and providing professional support to individuals.
• Budget management experience, including planning and overseeing programme delivery costs.
• Excellent written communication skills, including producing clear reports and briefings for senior audiences.
• Commitment to safeguarding, wellbeing and compliance, with willingness to act as safeguarding lead.

Desirable

• Experience working directly with postgraduate research, PhD programmes, or doctoral training environments.
• Experience designing or overseeing selection and assessment processes (e.g. interviews, admissions, recruitment pipelines).
• Experience managing programme evaluation frameworks, including Theory of Change and external evaluators.
• Familiarity with contracting, invoicing, and operational finance processes.
• Knowledge of UK higher education systems and research culture.
• Experience working in a start-up, scale-up, or fast-growing charity.

Personal Characteristics

• Highly organised, proactive, and able to prioritise effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills: able to build rapport and trusting relationships, able to work co-operatively in a multidisciplinary setting.
• Strong judgement, discretion and professionalism, including ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
• A commitment to Martingale’s mission to support postgraduate students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Comfortable working in a rapidly growing and changing organisation with a degree of ambiguity – confident to create processes and ways forward where they might not yet exist.
• Creative and innovative: willing to think outside the box to maximise reach.
• Resourceful, able to act on initiative, hardworking, detail-oriented, and systematic.