Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
‘Communication is one of the most important things, and I feel the ESU has set us up for life.’ Schools’ Mace 2024 participant
Oracy gives young people the skills and confidence to shape their lives and to build a more connected and cooperative world
Both nationally and internationally, public discussion and political debate are increasingly polarised and divided. Social media, fake news and new technologies such as AI can create echo chambers, where claims pass unchallenged, and different views are hard to find. The English-Speaking Union shows that there is a more constructive and collaborative path. The ESU was founded in 1918 to build greater understanding and friendships between people and nations. We are an educational charity with international reach, with an ESU in over 50 countries. Today our work is focussed on training young people in oracy – speaking and listening skills, in critical thinking and self-expression - to build skilful communicators and engaged citizens and leaders.
The English-Speaking Union and our work is more important now than ever.
Overview of the Team
The Corporate Services team provides essential strategic and operational support across the organisation. Our governance function oversees compliance, risk management, and performance frameworks. The finance team manages budgets, financial planning, and reporting. All of this contributes to effective decision making. We are also responsible for looking after our properties, which includes maintaining oversight of two commercial leases, and maintaining Dartmouth House which is a grade II* listed events venue and our Head Office in Mayfair.
Purpose of this role
The Senior Governance Officer will provide high quality support to the Board of Trustees and its sub-Committees, and the Chief Operating Officer. This role will work closely with the Executive Assistant to the Director General.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys being at the heart of an organisation’s operations—helping to keep the corporate services running smoothly, so that our Education and Supporter teams can focus on delivering impact through our programmes.
Responsibilities and Expectations
- Provide governance support including the preparation and timely circulation of agendas, papers, minutes and action logs for Board and Committee meetings.
- Monitor and report on progress against Board and Committee actions, ensuring timely follow-up and delivery.
- Ensure the charity complies with statutory, regulatory and sector best practice, including maintenance of key registers including the risk register, gift & hospitality register, declarations of interest, and compliance trackers.
- Maintain the organisation’s contract register, tracking review dates and supporting internal contract reviews and renewals.
- Provide high-quality administrative and organisational support to the Chief Operating Officer, helping to ensure smooth day-to-day operations.
- Assist with the planning and delivery of the annual external audit, working with colleagues and auditors to meet key deadlines.
- Support the delivery of the annual Board effectiveness review, gathering feedback and helping to implement improvements.
- Facilitate due diligence checks as needed, liaising with legal advisors to ensure accuracy and compliance.
- Deliver one-off projects and provide flexible support across the Corporate Services team as required.
Skills and Experience
- A good understanding of Charities Act and Charity Governance Code.
- A track record of providing secretariat support, including minute taking.
- Excellent administrative skills, highly organised with very good attention to detail.
- A tactful and conscientious individual who can navigate through complex situations
- Understands the importance of maintaining confidentiality
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
- A motivated self-starter who can quickly translate issues into solutions.
- A team player who can quickly build trusted relationships at all levels.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Can confidently and professionally challenge and hold people to account.
- The ability to manage several projects simultaneously whilst working at a high standard.
- Excellent IT skills including Microsoft Office.
- 28 Days Annul leave plus bank holidays
- Enhanced pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Group life cover
- Employee Assistance
- Virtual GP
- Season Ticket Loan
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Battersea has an exciting new strategy and the care of our cats and dogs is at the heart of this. Over the next few years, we aim to continuously improve how we can help more cats and dogs through our centres, extend our support more widely to those that need help, and improve our customer experience.
We have recently introduced a new CRM system for the animal journey and now want to introduce changes that will improve how our teams work together better across animal care and how we can make best use of the tools and system we now have.
This leadership role will play a critical part in leading the strategic change programme for animal care, by planning, co-ordinating and monitoring all the change projects as one overall plan needed to drive the continued transformation of our animal care and teams. They will also oversee the regular planning and monitoring of Operational business plans to ensure they are on track and in synchrony with the change plans.
What we can offer you:
In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, Battersea offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:
- 28 days of annual leave (plus 8 days paid public holidays) per year.
- Discounted gym memberships and cycle to work schemes.
- Employee Assistance Programme and access to Wellbeing Resources.
- Generous pension contributions - up to 10% employer contribution.
- Free healthcare cash plan, where you can claim for a range of treatment including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropody and acupuncture every year.
- Annual interest-free season ticket loans.
We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital and in-person training programmes, leadership and management training, mentoring and much more.
Our hybrid working model:
We operate a 50% onsite hybrid working model, with our office-based staff splitting their time between site based and home working. This enables our office-based staff to balance the benefits of home working with onsite collaboration and maintaining a connection to our cause.
Diversity and inclusion:
We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for all staff, volunteers and trustees and those hoping to join us. We operate an anonymised shortlisting process and actively seek to ensure our process is fair and equitable for all.
We understand the value of diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences to help us deliver even more for our dogs and cats, and we welcome applicants from all sections of the community.
As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we will ask about any adjustments you may need at application and/or interview stage, and if you are offered a role with us, we’ll talk to you about any workplace adjustments you may need to help you perform at your best.
More about us:
At Battersea, we aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. We give each one lots of love, expert care and get to know their characters and quirks so we can find them a new home that’s just right for them. Join us and help us be here for every dog and cat, wherever they are, for as long as they need us.
Closing date: 3rd August 2025
Interview date(s): 13th August 2025 and 14th August 2025
All applications must be submitted before the closing date advertised.
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received.
For more information, please download the recruitment pack.
Registered Charity
501 - 1000
Battersea is here for every dog and cat, and has been since 1860. We believe that every dog and cat deserves the best.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
You will be part of a small team that works collaboratively towards making a huge impact on the lives of the children and families we work with. We look for people who want to be part of a service that is innovative, creative and constantly striving to do better.
We are seeking a highly organised and proactive Adoption Service Coordinator and Panel Administrator to support the effective delivery of adoption services. This pivotal role ensures smooth coordination of assessments, panel meetings, and administrative tasks across the Permanency Service. You will act as a key point of contact between professionals, adoptive families, and external agencies, ensuring efficient communication and compliance with regulatory standards. The successful candidate will possess exceptional attention to detail, excellent time management skills, and the ability to work in a sensitive and dynamic environment
You will be involved in the development of the service and your views, and insights are encouraged.
· Coordinate diaries and communication across the Permanency Service team.
· Manage and log adoption enquiries; maintain records in Beacon CRM and CHARMS.
· Support adoption assessments, events, and i-adopt marketing updates.
· Organise Adoption Panel meetings, including scheduling and report preparation.
· Take and finalise panel meeting minutes; ensure timely decisions and notifications.
· Maintain panel member records, training logs, and meeting attendance.
· Update web content, brochures, and social media with adoption recruitment materials.
· Collect and share feedback for service improvement and performance reporting.
You will have regular informal guidance and formal supervision on a monthly basis. You will be part of the wider service of Family Futures and attend monthly Team Days to learn, share and develop the service and your practice.
We are looking for an individual who is:
- Motivated to work with families and derive satisfaction from seeing the development of adopters
- Not fazed by complex needs, challenges, and adversity
- Embraces a parent-positive and child friendly approach
- Able to work in a small team and be a team player
- Wants to develop their knowledge base and interest in multi-disciplinary working through a therapeutic lens.
- Thrives in a collaborative and integrated team environment.
What we offer
Benefits of joining Family Futures
· High-quality supervision and professional development training.
· We run regular Learning Forums to support and learn from each other
· An empowering and encouraging environment
· A nurturing environment for staff to work, including a weekly self-care session.
We believe that embracing different perspectives enriches our agency's culture and strengthens our ability to serve the children and families we work with. Therefore, we welcome applications from candidates from a wide range of lived experience and are actively recruiting people from the global majority. By ‘global majority’, we mean Black African, Black Caribbean, Asian and dual heritage communities.
We are an equal opportunities employer and committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workforce. We encourage applications from suitably qualified applicants regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.
Family Futures is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. The organisation follows safer recruitment practices to protect children and adults at risk of harm and will require the successful applicant to undertake an enhanced DBS disclosure.
Family Futures is a menopause friendly employer.
