Governance officer jobs
About SPANA
SPANA (The Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad) is the global charity for the working animals of the world. Since our foundation in 1923, we have worked where they work, to support the welfare of working animals, including horses, donkeys, mules, oxen, dogs and camels.
About this role
SPANA is investing in its Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) function. We have established an independent MEAL team within the Global Programmes Directorate (GPD), led by a Head of Data Insights and MEAL. The MEAL team plays a critical role in ensuring that SPANA’s programmes are effective, responsive and continuously progressing to improve the welfare of working animals globally. The MEAL team works closely with SPANA partners based in different countries and with SPANA colleagues across departments.
Reporting to the MEAL Manager, the Data Management Officer is a key role in SPANA’s MEAL team. The role oversees the full data cycle, including supporting partners with consistent data collection, improving data quality assurance, maintaining data systems, setting standards, co-ordinating consolidation of programme data and producing clear analysis and visualisation. The role contributes directly to better use of evidence in programme design, learning and accountability across the organisation.
Contract, location and salary
This is a full-time (34.5 hour per week), permanent role based in the UK. SPANA works on a hybrid basis, and staff come into our office in London for approximately 1-2 days per month (or more if preferred).
The salary for this role is c.£35k per annum, subject to skills and experience. SPANA provides employee benefits including a generous company pensions scheme and healthcare cashplan with Medicash.
Full details and how to apply
Please review the job description for full details including a person specification and information on how to apply.
The deadline for applications is 23:59 GMT on 04 January 2026.
Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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!
Migrants Organise is seeking an experienced and values-driven Co-Director to join our leadership team and work closely with our CEO and the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to strengthen Migrants Organise’s organisational infrastructure, support growth and sustainability.
This is a pivotal leadership role that combines strategic vision, grassroots solidarity movement building with hands-on management. The Co-Director will contribute to key aspects of organisational development, including strategic leadership, fundraising and financial management, staff management and development, governance, and capacity building of our grassroots membership to ensure that our mission and movement values are reflected in our internal systems, culture and external impact.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Position: Customer Services and Central Administration Officer
Hours: Full time 35 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Location: Office-based in London N4 with the flexibility to work remotely 1 day per week.
Salary: Starting from £26,384 per annum, plus excellent benefits
Salary Band and Job Family: Band 1, Charity
*You’ll start at our entry point salary of £26,384 per annum, increasing to £28,033 after 6 months service and satisfactory performance and to £29,682 after a further 6 months.
About us
We make sure people living with MS are at the centre of everything we do. And it’s this commitment that unites us across the UK.
Our strategy is based on what people affected by MS have told us is important to them. It gives us a clear and determined focus.
Our work is based on the hopes and aspirations of our MS community. Together we campaign at all levels, fund ground-breaking research and provide award winning support and information.
Our people are our greatest asset and the key to our success. We offer a vibrant, progressive working environment where you'll be able to make a difference.
About this job
The MS Society is a dynamic and customer-focused organization dedicated to delivering an exceptional service to our customers.
We are looking for a motivated and friendly Customer Services and Central Administration Officer to join our team and provide outstanding customer support.
As a Customer Services and Central Administration Officer, you’ll be the first point of contact for our customers, providing them with a professional and efficient service. You’ll handle inquiries, resolve issues, and ensure that every customer has a positive experience with contacting the MS Society. You’ll also be responsible for processing a wide range of different income types and supporting with the reconciliation process.
Closing date for applications: 9:00 on Friday 2nd January 2026
Interested?
PLEASE PRESS THE 'HOW TO APPLY' BUTTON FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Equal Opportunities
We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and or from ethnic minority backgrounds.
We’d be grateful if you downloaded and completed the equality and diversity monitoring form and submit it with your application.
Disability Confident Employer
We’re a Disability Confident Employer and we’re committed to promoting equality and diversity.
You can ask for reasonable adjustments as part of both our recruitment and new starter on-boarding processes.
If you need any help or adjustments to apply for this role, please contact us. You can also ask for the application materials to be sent to you in a different format. Such as for them to be sent to you by email or in a larger word format.
More about our employee benefits:
We have a wide range of employee benefits including (but not limited to):
Encouraging work life balance
- 38 days paid annual leave (including bank holidays), pro-rata for part-time
- More annual leave entitlement, based on length of employment
- Smart working options (with the opportunity to work remotely and find a smart working pattern that suits both you and us)
- Flexible working options
Caring for you and your family
- Generous sick pay entitlement
- More sick pay entitlement, based on length of employment
- Opportunity to buy and sell annual leave in each calendar year
- Free access to a GP virtually 24 hours a day/7 days a week allowing you unlimited advice, reassurance and where appropriate diagnosis
- Enhanced leave for new parents
- Free access to a confidential 24 hours a day/7 days a week helpline service for both you and your family with a specialist range of support and information
- Special leave options (such as up to 5 days paid leave for domestic or personal emergencies a year)
- 10 days paid disability leave a year, pro-rata for part-time
- 10 days paid carers’ leave a year, pro-rata for part-time
- Cycle to work scheme
- Death in service scheme
- New family-friendly benefits, including paid leave:
- In the event of miscarriage or still birth
- To support fertility treatments
- For antenatal appointments for both parents
Thinking about your finances
- Enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme
- Discounted season ticket loan and interest-free emergency loans
- Give as you earn to support other charities of your choice before tax
- New employee portal including lifestyle savings vouchers and personal wellbeing
Enriching your life at work
- Personalised development plans with a wide range of training courses and opportunities to source additional training options with your line manager
- Yearly internal apprenticeship opportunities
- New, modern offices that embrace working together both in-person and remotely
- Various opportunities to influence how we internally operate (including surveys, and focus and committee groups)
- Active and supportive internal employee networking groups for collaboration and peer support
- 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering for MS Society activities during normal working hours (such as fundraising events, or campaigning in the local community)
- 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering with other charities during normal
Safeguarding
We’re committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone who uses our services and we come into contact with.
This is regardless of Gender, Race, Disability, Sexual orientation, Religion or belief, Pregnancy, Gender reassignment.
We recognise our particular responsibility to make sure vulnerable adults and children are protected.
We have measures in place to protect everyone we come into contact with from abuse and maltreatment of all kinds.
Your right to work in the UK
You must have the right to work in the UK to work in paid employment with us. You’ll need to share documents showing you’re eligible to work in the UK if we offer you employment.
You can find the UK visas and permits granting you the right to work in the UK on the UK Government website. We currently don’t have a Sponsor Licence agreement with the Home Office and aren’t able to support you with your visa applications.
No agencies please.
To fund world-leading research, share the latest information and campaign for everyone's rights. Together we are a community. Together we can stop MS
Harris Hill is supporting a leading London charity to recruit a new Deputy CEO.
Salary: £65,000 + pension · Full time · Kensington & Chelsea (hybrid)
In this pivotal role, you’ll work closely with the CEO to drive organisational strategy, lead high-quality Health, Wellbeing and Community Services, and ensure the charity continues to grow, innovate and deliver real impact for older people.
You’ll oversee service delivery, impact and quality, lead business development and income generation, and build strong partnerships across the NHS, local authority and voluntary sectors. You’ll also provide compassionate leadership to managers and teams, champion co-production, and deputise for the CEO when required.
We’re looking for:
- A senior leader from the charity, public or community sector
- Experience delivering health, wellbeing or community services
- Strong track record in business development and securing income
- Excellent partnership-building, strategic and communication skills
- A values-led, collaborative leader with commercial acumen
Why apply?
A unique chance to shape the future of a respected local charity, drive innovation and impact, and develop as a future CEO — with a supportive culture, ambitious team and competitive package.
For more information, please send your CV to
Deadline: Wednesday 7th January at 9am
As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp™, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.
Our Midlands team has a new opportunity for an Executive Officer. You will be responsible for supporting effective grant-making across the region, helping us to distribute over £60m to good causes throughout the area.
As an Executive Officer, you’ll be part of a driven and passionate team, led by a Senior Head of Regional Funding. Within the team there is 1 Senior Grant Making Manager, 8 Funding Managers and 26 Funding Officers.
Reporting to the Senior Head of Regional Funding, you will work on a hybrid basis, working both remotely and spending some of your time in the Birmingham office (located near Five Ways). There will also be some occasional travel to other locations across the region throughout the year.
Organising will be at the heart of your role, and you will be in regular contact with the team across the region. The key duties of the role include:
- Supporting the Senior Head of Regional Funding, Senior Grant Making Manager, Funding Managers and their teams.
- Administration of our grant-making database using Salesforce.
- Diary management for the Senior Head of Regional Funding and Senior Grant Making Manager.
- Organising, supporting and minuting a range of regular online and face-to-face meetings.
- Responding to customer enquiries made to the region.
- Supporting teams with stakeholder engagement.
- General administrative and facilities support.
Interview Details:
- Date: 7th & 8th January
- Format: In-Person
- Location: Hybrid, flexible working, Birmingham based, with an expectation to be in the office around 1 day every 2 weeks.
We will be hosting a briefing session about the role on: Wednesday 3rd December 2025, 13:00 – 13:45 pm. To register or ask any questions about the recruitment process, please email the recruitment team.
How to apply:
Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (1000 words) with the following criteria, we will use this to score your application.
Essential:
- Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail with the ability to plan and proactively manage competing demands.
- Excellent customer service skills, with experience of working in a customer-facing role.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to work with senior stakeholders.
- Ability to work within a team but to also work independently, using your own initiative.
- Good IT skills (including Microsoft Office) with an ability to work across a variety of systems and platforms, interpreting financial information, arranging meetings and booking travel.
Desirable:
- Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and sensitivity.
- Previous voluntary or work experience in the charitable sector.
- Diary management experience
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.
We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition).
It starts with community.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Liverpool Arab Arts Festival (LAAF) is the UK’s leading celebration of Arab arts and cultures. We are a small team that delivers huge impact - rooted in Liverpool’s communities yet connected to artists and audiences across the world. Our work is grounded in representation, collaboration, and exchange, bringing Arab creativity and perspectives to the heart of the UK’s cultural landscape.
As Chief Executive Officer, you will lead this unique organisation through a pivotal period of transition and renewal. Working closely with the Board, staff team, freelance workers, artists, communities and partners, you will provide strategic, financial, artistic and cultural leadership - ensuring that LAAF continues to thrive in an increasingly complex political, social, and financial climate. This is a deeply rewarding role that calls for someone who is rigorous, transparent, and community-minded; someone who understands both the practical challenges of running an arts organisation and a live festival, year-round events and engagement projects, and the responsibility of representing communities whose stories matter.
The ideal candidate will be ready to immerse themselves in the relationships and networks that keep LAAF alive, and to lead with creativity, care, and conviction.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
About the opportunity
Action Tutoring is the largest tutoring charity in the country. At the heart of our work is closing the attainment gap for pupils facing disadvantage in the UK by harnessing the power of tutoring. We are seeking an inspiring and strategic Interim Chief Executive Officer (maternity cover) to lead our growing charity, ensuring the charity continues to achieve benchmark-beating results for the pupils we support. In 2025-26, our work will reach 7,000 pupils supported by more than 80 staff and 2,500 volunteer tutors. This role would suit someone with experience of interim senior leadership roles, wanting to make a difference in an area with proven impact on outcomes for children and young people.
Closing date: Wednesday, 17th December 2025
Interviews: Between 8th and 16th January 2026
Start date: Ideally, Monday, 23rd March 2026
Contract and hours: Fixed-term, 9 to 12-month maternity cover. We are open to discussions regarding the working pattern, and welcome applications for 0.8 FTE up to 1 FTE. A full working week is 37.5 hours. We offer flexible working hours. The core working hours are 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Applications from candidates seeking a secondment are welcome.
Location: Hybrid working with 2 or 3 days per week, in London, dependent on meetings and occasionally with short notice. Our London office address is: Fivefields, 8-10 Grosvenor Gardens, Victoria, SW1W 0DH
Duties and Responsibilities
The Interim CEO (maternity cover) is responsible for maintaining the high performance of the charity, overseeing the delivery of key strategic goals in line with our mission and aims. During the period of this appointment, you will lead the organisation through its annual school sales process (Spring 26), ensure the successful delivery of a key strategic project testing AI in our delivery model (Summer and Autumn 26) and set the organisation up for success in a new academic year (Autumn 26).
Vision, Strategy and Delivery
- Working with the Board to implement the vision and mission of the charity.
- Responsible for implementing the agreed strategy.
People and Cultural Leadership
- Overall people and cultural leadership, empowering the team the maintain the positive working culture with behaviours that align closely to the charity’s values.
- Ensuring operational excellence is maintained across the organisation.
Advocacy
- Representing Action Tutoring externally to a range of stakeholders, including school leaders, policymakers, the media and funders, to raise the profile of Action Tutoring and awareness of the cause.
- Sustain constructive working relationships with other education charities, sharing good practice and working collaboratively to improve educational outcomes.
Finance and Fundraising
- Overseeing financial management of the charity supported by the Director of Finance & Operations.
- Lead fundraising alongside the Head of Philanthropy to ensure fundraising targets set by the Board are met.
Line Management
- Direct line management of the Senior Leadership Team (3 Directors), the Head of Impact & Quality and the Head of Philanthropy, covering the five departments of the organisati
A full list of duties and responsibilities can be found in the job description attached to the BreatheHR advert.
Person specification
Qualifications criteria:
- The right to work in the UK.
We are looking for some of the following attributes, though you might be more experienced in some areas than others:
- Proven track record as a CEO in a not-for-profit organisation, experience as an Interim CEO is desirable but not essential. The ability to get up to speed quickly will be vital.
- Experience of working within a delivery-based organisation and an understanding of how to ensure quality, efficiency, and impact in that context.
- Commercial mindset, with proven success in fundraising and/or sales targets to meet set targets and secure income for ongoing operations.
- Experience overseeing pilots of new delivery modes, applying a theory of change approach to learning.
- Experience in developing and executing strategic plans and complex projects to achieve organisational vision and mission.
- Strong communication skills, with experience representing organisations externally to various stakeholders (e.g., school leaders, partners, funders).
- Understanding of the education sector, and the needs and drivers of stakeholders across the education space.
- Ability to diagnose and dissect complex problems and encourage scalable solutions to novel issues.
- Experience in empowering senior leaders and the wider organisations to meet ambitious targets.
- Ability to foster a positive working culture, aligned with Action Tutoring’s values.
- Strong financial management skills.
- Knowledge of governance structures and experience in working closely with a board of trustees, including managing strategic risk.
- Comfortable with data and committed to driving impact across the organisation.
You will be likely be more successful in this role if you have the following personal attributes:
- Passion for addressing educational disadvantage and closing the attainment gap.
- Collaborative mindset and the ability to build strong, constructive relationships with other organisations and charities, fostering collaboration and sharing of best practices.
- High ethical standards and personal integrity, with a commitment to transparency and accountability in leadership.
- Resilient and adaptable with the ability to thrive in an evolving and challenging external environment, and to adjust to shifts in the education landscape.
- Strong commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive working environment.
Award-winning national education charity working towards a world in which no child’s life chances are limited by their socio-economic background.
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!
Our partner, a respected and established international charity supporting programmes across Africa; seeks a qualified and experienced senior finance professional to provide strategic financial leadership, maintain robust systems, controls, and donor compliance across the organisation. The Director of Finance is responsible for organisational financial strategy, budgeting, reporting, external audits, risk management, and supporting programme delivery through high-quality financial oversight.This hands-on role requires the Director of Finance to execute daily tasks as well as overseeing, and mentoring, others within the team to undertake what is required.
Key responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Financial Planning
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Lead the organisation’s financial strategy ensuring sustainability and alignment with mission and organisational priorities.
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Advise the CEO and Board on financial performance, risk, and scenario planning.
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Develop long-term financial models and cashflow forecasts.
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Provide financial insight to strategic decisions, business cases, growth opportunities, and operational planning.
Financial Management & Control
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Oversee and execute specific tasks relating to financial operations including accounting, treasury, cash management, payroll, and banking.
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Ensure monthly, quarterly, and annual financial closes are accurate and timely.
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Maintain and strengthen internal financial controls across central team and country/project operations.
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Implement efficient systems and processes to support a lean but compliant financial environment.
Budgeting & Organisational Performance
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Lead the annual budgeting process
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Monitor budget performance, variances, and financial KPIs, providing clear analysis for senior leadership.
Donor Finance & Grant Compliance
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Oversee donor grant finance, ensuring compliance with institutional donor restrictions and requirements.
Audit & Assurance
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Lead the annual organisational audit: prepare schedules, financial statements, and required disclosures.
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Ensure compliance with charity accounting standards (SORP)
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Oversee financial donor audits, ensuring timely, accurate responses and evidence.
Risk Management
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Contribute to the organisational risk register by recording and presenting on financial risks to the Board and Finance and Audit Committee.
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Implement financial due diligence for donors, suppliers, and country operations as required to meet organisation and donor policies.
Oversight of International Operations
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Ensure strong financial management of new country programmes creating and reviewing and renewing policies as required.
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Support the development or review of financial systems, capacity, and reporting in relation to new country expansion work.
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Oversee financial arrangements for countries where the INGO has no legal entity, including fiscal hosts, secondee payments, and contract structures.
Leadership, Management & Culture
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Lead, mentor, and develop the finance team to achieve operational excellence.
Person Specification
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Worked as a Finance Director or as a Head of Finance (with autonomy of decision making and board reporting duties)
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Strong understanding of charity accounting standards and regulatory requirements.
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Senior-level finance experience in an INGO, charity, or multi-country organisation (preferably with operations in the Global South)
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Fully qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA, CPA or equivalent).
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Demonstrable experience with institutional donor compliance.
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Experience leading annual audits and preparing financial statements.
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Strong leadership and team management skills, including developing staff.
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Strong budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis skills.
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Experience managing multi-currency environments and international financial operations.
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Ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-finance staff, senior leaders, and Boards.
As Managing Director, you will provide strategic direction for the charity, employing a collaborative leadership style to ensure that the achievement of the charity’s vision and objectives is supported by an engaged and culturally healthy staff team.
You will ensure the projects are run in-line with our policies, legal requirements, and budgets, with an overarching understanding of the charity’s finances and fundraising.
You will also be a figurehead for the organisation, effectively networking, partnering and influencing across sectors.
Lastly, but most importantly, you will be passionate about the transformative power of connection across division, and how the projects we create serve this core purpose.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
We are seeking a Deputy Chief Executive Officer to support the current Chief Executive Officer and strengthen the senior leadership of our charity. Working closely with the Chief Executive Officer, Managers and Trustees, you will play a key role in driving our long term strategic goals and ensuring our values remain at the heart of everything we do.
Are you...
- A passionate, dedicated leader?
- Committed to our ethos, values and mission?
- Skilled in mentoring, supporting and empowering others?
- Looking for a leadership role within the charity sector?
- Ready to take on a new and rewarding challenge?
You will provide strong effective leadership to service managers and operational teams, ensuring decisions are made responsibly within available financial and organisational resources. This role is central to maintaining high quality services and supporting the continued success and sustainability of Health for All.
The ideal candidate will bring...
- Significant senior level management experience
- Proven people management experience
- A collaborative, adaptable and inclusive leadership style
- Excellent communication and relationship building skills
- The ability to develop partnerships that enhance our work and impact
There is scope for this role to evolve over time into the Chief Executive position, offering an exciting development opportunity for the right candidate.
The main purpose of the role:
- To act as a Deputy to the Chief Executive Officer
- To lead the operational management team, mentor, support and empower managers to achieve objectives.
- To play a key role as a member of the senior leadership team.
- To identify and inspire process improvements, collaborating with team members to implement good practice.
- To develop and represent the charity in building strategic relationships.
Hours and contract period:
Full time, 35 hours per week, normally Monday to Friday but flexibility is required given the seniority of the post. There may be some need to work outside normal office hours and may include some weekend work. This post is offered on a permanent contract with a 6 month probationary period. This post will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service
check and satisfactory references.
Location:
Based at Tenants Hall Enterprise Centre in Middleton, Leeds, the role involves regular travel to other Health for All centres and locations. It is desirable that the successful applicant is a car driver with access to a suitable vehicle. Mileage and travel costs will be reimbursed through expenses. Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK.
Benefits:
- 31 Days annual leave plus bank holidays
- 5% Employers Pension Contribution
- Free Parking at Health for All centres
- Mindful Employer Plus employee assistance programme
Reports to:
Chief Executive Officer.
Responsible for:
Operational Service Managers (6 Managers)
Application closing date: Friday 19th December 2025
First Interviews: Early January 2026
To apply please download the application pack from our website and complete an application form, please note we do not accept CV's.
Are you passionate about improving technical education? Gatsby Charitable Foundation is looking for a highly organised Project Officer to play an integral part in its programme delivery, with a particular focus on T Level industry placements.
Location: Manchester (On-site Tuesday-Thursday)
Applications close at 9 a.m. Friday 12th December.
Who we are
In 1967, David Sainsbury wrote out a cheque for five pounds to establish the Gatsby Charitable Foundation. Lord Sainsbury has since given Gatsby more than £1 billion to distribute to charitable causes in fields he is passionate about, including neuroscience, plant science, development in East Africa and public policy.
Gatsby established a small team focused on education policy in England almost 40 years ago. The team’s priorities have typically mirrored and sought to address the policy challenges of the times, from addressing the uptake of engineering degrees in the 1980s to our commitment to the improvement of the nation’s technical education and career guidance systems today. While priorities have changed and evolved, our approach has been consistent: we aim to be more than a funder. We act as an enabler for projects, working with partners in designing, developing, and, in some cases, delivering activities. We take a long-term view as we do not think much can be achieved by short, one-off projects.
We believe that a strong technical education system can open up good career opportunities for young people and adults, as well as drive greater national productivity and economic competitiveness. That is why our current work is focused on supporting the implementation of technical education reforms and the embedding of a stable career guidance system in England.
About the role
Gatsby is seeking a proactive and curious Project Officer to support the delivery of work that strengthens T Level implementation and expands high-quality industry placements across England. Working in the Industry Placement Team, you will help manage grants and contracts, coordinate employer-facing projects, organise events and networks, and capture insights and outputs to inform future activity. You will contribute to developing training and support for industry placement coordinators, produce case studies and blog content, and build relationships with providers, employers and sector partners.
This role works across several T Level subject areas. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with experience in or adjacent to further education, strong organisational and communication skills, and an enthusiasm for supporting technical education.
Please click 'Redirect to recruiter’ to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you can find full details of the job description and register your interest to apply.
Applications for this role close at 9 a.m. Friday 12th December.
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!
Secretariat – Reading Students’ Union
Location: University of Reading, Whiteknights Campus, Reading, Berkshire
Salary: £30,981.64 per annum
Contract: Permanent, full-time (35 hours a week)
'Governance that matters - because students matter'
About Reading Students’ Union
We are a dynamic, student-focused organisation dedicated to empowering students and enhancing their university experience. Our vision is to be a place for everyone, we inspire and empower students to change the world.
The Role: Secretariat
As our Secretariat Officer, you’ll be the heartbeat of our governance and democratic life. You’ll make sure everything runs smoothly, transparently, and in line with our charitable purpose. From supporting our CEO and Board of Trustees to guiding student leaders, you’ll be our trusted expert.
What You’ll Do
- Act as the go-to expert for governance and democracy queries, providing timely, accurate advice an training to trustees, student leaders, and staff. You’ll keep us compliant with charity law and sector best practice, and lead governance reviews to drive continuous improvement
- Own the annual cycle of Board and committee business—schedule meetings, prepare agendas, write clear and accurate minutes, and track actions. You’ll also coordinate trustee inductions and training, building strong relationships that enable effective decision-making
- Facilitate democratic processes, from elections to policy development. You’ll guide student candidates and elected officers, ensuring they have the tools and knowledge to lead confidently. You’ll design and deliver induction programmes for our elected sabbatical officers, setting them up for success
- Provide high-quality support to the CEO and Senior Management Team—managing diaries, inboxes, and meetings, and ensuring smooth communication across the organisation
- Maintain governance records, policy schedules, manage statutory filings, and oversee the student complaints process
- Identify opportunities to streamline governance systems and introduce digital tools that make processes more accessible and efficient
- Analyse governance and democratic participation data to produce reports that inform strategy and improve engagement. You’ll turn numbers into actionable insights that enhance student representation
About You
You’re passionate about governance and thrive in roles where precision, integrity, and impact matter. You’ll bring a mix of expertise, confidence, and curiosity to help us deliver exceptional governance and democratic processes for our students.
You’ll have:
- Proven experience in governance, democratic processes, or charity administration
- Knowledge of charity law and governance best practice
- A track record of supporting senior leaders or Boards—minute-taking, meeting coordination, and managing confidential information
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to juggle calendars, inboxes, and complex projects in a fast-paced environment
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including clear, accurate minute writing
- Excellent stakeholder management skills
- Experience designing and delivering training in all things governance
Desirable:
- Experience managing complaints
- Charity experience in an education or student-focused environment
- Knowledge of Student Unions, university structures and student representation systems
Why Join Us?
- Inclusive and supportive team culture
- Flexible working options
- 35 days annual leave including Christmas and Easter closure days
- Professional development opportunities
- Unique working environment in the heart of a vibrant Student’s Union, set on a stunning, green campus
Ready to make an impact?
Apply today and help us bring our ambitious new strategy to life with sector-leading governance!
Committed to equality, celebrating diversity, and embedding sustainability — building an inclusive workplace and a brighter future for all.
To be a place for everyone, we inspire & empower students to change the world
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Join our Stories Team and help amplify the voices of patients and fundraisers, showcasing the impact of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Collaborate across departments to deliver inspiring campaigns and case studies that raise awareness and drive action. Be part of a rewarding career where your work supports The Royal Marsden to save the lives of people affected by cancer, everywhere.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Collaborating across the Charity and the hospital to identify opportunities where patient and supporter stories can amplify fundraising and awareness.
- Interviewing patients, families, and supporters to create powerful stories for fundraising materials, campaigns, and digital platforms.
- Building and stewarding relationships with case studies, ensuring diversity, representation, and sensitive management across all communications.
- Reviewing and shaping case study briefs to ensure clear objectives and agreed criteria are met.
- Maintaining and auditing the case study database to keep an up‑to‑date, ethically managed bank of stories and images.
- Working with colleagues in the PR, fundraising, marketing and digital teams to showcase stories across channels, support events, and maximise the Charity’s impact.
What We’re Looking For
- A natural storyteller with strong copywriting, interviewing, and editing skills, able to craft powerful patient and supporter stories across digital, print and campaign channels.
- A relationship builder with excellent interpersonal skills, empathy and resilience, who can connect sensitively with case studies while maintaining professional boundaries.
- A creative communicator who can interpret briefs, tailor content for diverse audiences and showcase stories that drive engagement, fundraising and brand awareness.
- A collaborative team player who thrives on working with colleagues across fundraising, marketing and PR and communications, building strong relationships and sharing ideas to create impactful stories together.
Why Join Us?
We’re a values-driven charity committed to saving the lives of people with cancer everywhere by funding life-saving research and world-leading treatment and care at The Royal Marsden. You’ll be part of a collaborative team that’s ambitious, kind, and purposeful – with the flexibility to work in a way that suits you.
What we offer:
- Hybrid working between home and Chelsea with occasional travel to Sutton.
- Flexible working around our core hours of 10am to 4pm
- 27 days annual leave rising with length of service
- Up to 6% employer contributions subject to matched contribution from you (increasing with length of service)
- Training, support and development opportunities
- Access to the blue light discount scheme and other discounts opportunities
- Access to subsidised staff restaurants, on-site yoga and wellbeing classes, staff choir and much more
- Range of wellbeing initiatives including access to an employee assistance programme designed to save money and improve your physical, financial and mental health and wellbeing, access to free online GP appointments and free eye tests and contribution towards any glasses required for work purposes
Inclusion Matters
We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and walks of life. If this sounds like the opportunity for you, we’d love to hear from you.
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 is 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.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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!
This is a unique opportunity for an astute, super-efficient, fast learner to join the first international climate campaign organisation focused on the steel sector, one of the largest and least-challenged drivers of climate change. In this role, you will provide critical executive administrative support to our Executive Director and leadership team in a fast-moving and developing organisation, bringing invaluable organisational expertise that we need to thrive. There will be plenty of opportunity to develop your own skills and responsibilities as SteelWatch evolves. You will join an international team across countries that are nimble, collaborative, and hugely ambitious in the task of influencing the steel sector, which drives 7% of annual greenhouse gas emissions.
ABOUT THE ORGANISATION
SteelWatch is an international non-profit civil society organisation established in June 2023, driving corporate accountability in the steel sector and urgent climate action. Our vision is a steel sector that underpins a thriving zero-emissions economy. We are still in 'start-up' mode, actively campaigning while developing our team and systems. We are small but growing, seeking to hold the huge steel industry to account for its impacts and drive urgency into a sector that is, so far, slow to change. The team is spread across countries and timezones, working closely collaboratively and remotely.
ABOUT THE ROLE
The Executive Assistant is responsible for providing critical, executive administrative support to enable the Executive Director and SteelWatch Leadership team to operate effectively. The Executive Assistant will be a vital team member, ensuring smooth operations across executive functions and key organisational processes. We are looking for a candidate with curiosity and the capacity to adapt as SteelWatch continues to evolve. The Executive Assistant reports to the Operations Director and works closely with the Executive Director on day-to-day priorities.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
The role is focused on supporting the Executive Director and SteelWatch Leadership team on a number of tasks, not limited to:
Executive Support
- Stay up to date on ED priorities and tasks. Manage diaries, schedule appointments, set up meetings accordingly, adapting to priorities.
- Organise and book travel arrangements according to diary needs, ED needs, and internal policies.
- Arrange and prepare for meetings with external partners, allies, industry experts, donors and industry meetings, handling logistics (timing, location, travel, virtual arrangements) and ensuring advanced preparation where needed.
- Draft supporting materials (e.g., presentations) and assist with minute-taking, ensuring team input.
- Track and manage written communication with key external contacts, including funder updates.
- While managing immediate diary priorities, stay one step ahead on the medium and long-term diary, to flag to ED, others in LT or in the staff team where advanced action or decisions are needed.
Governance and Operational Activities
- Manage ongoing engagement with the Supervisory Board by ensuring clear agendas, logistical support in organising these meetings, plus minute taking, sign-off and circulation.
- Manage the logistics for the annual staff retreat and other face to face meetings
- Coordinate weekly team meetings as directed by the Executive Director.
- Assist with key organisational processes and tasks, collaborating closely with the Operations Lead and team members on document management, process improvements, new staff recruitment, and onboarding processes.
- Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
The ideal candidate will bring proven experience of executive support and a proactive, creative and tactful approach to making logistics and relationships run smoothly in a busy, evolving, international organisation, and must be happy working in a fully remote environment.
They will be detail-oriented and fussy about accuracy while comfortable operating in a context where systems are improving.
They will be able to navigate ambiguity, drive action forward in a fluid context, and enjoy doing so. Additionally, they will have enthusiasm for a start-up culture, demonstrating a willingness to lean into each other's roles and support team members as needed. They will have the highest professional standards and strong interpersonal communication skills.
Essential skills and experiences
- At least 3-5 years' experience (and possibly much more) and a proven track record as a proactive and problem solving assistant, supporting an Executive Director with calendar management and other administrative challenges.
- Strong belief in the organisation's mission.
- Tech savvy and able to work highly effectively using collaboration tech tools, including Google products (Google Docs, Google Drive, Google sheets, etc.) and other tools (Slack, Zoom, etc).
- Strong organisational and logistical skills with enthusiasm for supporting smooth operations across the leadership team and wider organisation.
- Proven track record as a team player, able to work well with colleagues across cultures and geographies, creating respectful collaborative relationships and efficient teamwork.
- Comfortable in a fully-remote working environment, and able to adapt to the team working practices and team building of an online environment.
- Comfortable working with fluidity and the flexibility of a start-up organisation, able to work independently and adapt to team priorities, committed to investing in strengthening the organisation.
- Willingness to lean into building system improvements and adapting to the pace and urgency of changing priorities.
- Strong oral and written communication.
- Willingness and ability to work across time zones, collaborate with diverse teams, and accommodate some early start times to work with colleagues in Asia.
- Ability to travel once per year internationally, potentially twice a year in Europe, and to meet irregularly with the UK-based ED and/or Netherlands and Belgium-based Operations team in person.
Desirable
- Prior experience in a non-governmental organisation (NGO) setting is preferred.
- Experience in a fast-paced, start-up environment.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with a wide variety of audiences from analysts to communication experts and campaigners.
- Proven strong organisational skills to coordinate multiple inputs and manage different deadlines, working on immediate tasks as well as longer pieces of work.
- Demonstrated ability to think both strategically and creatively.
- Desire and ability to take initiative and to learn as you go.
- Enthusiasm to work with colleagues who bring different skills and expertise, and many of whom are on a learning curve about steel.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Location/remote working
- The position is fully remote with some occasional face-to-face time with colleagues, particularly the Executive Director and Operations Director.
- The UK is the preferred location due to ease of travel and contracting, but we will also consider exceptional applicants located in Belgium and the Netherlands.
- The successful applicant must be based in a time zone within one hour of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
- Being within a four-hour train journey of London is strongly preferred to facilitate travel and in-person collaboration, though we will consider exceptional candidates outside this range.
- While we offer some flexibility for you to work away from home base, this will need to be coordinated with travel of other colleagues, may depend on timezone changes and/or be limited by legal contracting constraints.
- You must have the right to work in your location. You will be employed in that country. SteelWatch is unable to support any visa application process. Work environment/Travel
- Working hours are flexible, but to facilitate collaboration, the core coordination window is 08:00-17:00 GMT/BST, Monday-Friday and you should be reasonably accessible during this window for meetings and coordination purposes. Work may occasionally be required outside of this standard time frame to meet deliverables.
- You will have the flexibility to adjust your weekly schedule to balance out those hours and fit into other commitments.
- Occasional travel will be required to collaborate with the team, including:
- Annual full team retreat (once per year, may be in Asia, Europe or elsewhere) - essential.
- Additional travel for events and face-to-face time with the team as needed.
- Face-to-face time with other colleagues may not be frequent, but it is essential. If you are constrained in your ability or permissions to travel, please discuss this before investing in an application.
- We pride ourselves on building a collaborative team of different cultures and working styles. Team members embrace the flexibility and learning curve of a start-up, and adapt to supporting each other as priorities arise.
Terms
This role is full time, 5 days/week. The initial contract period will be up to 12 months with a possibility to renew, depending on country regulations. The type of contract will depend on the location.
The gross salary for this position, if based in the UK, is in the range of £33,423-£44,576, based on experience and qualifications. Salaries are adjusted by location.
Our leave policy, unless varied by national regulation, provides 34 days in total combining public holidays and paid leave in all countries, plus birthday leave and inspiration time.
Ethics
We are a values-based organisation. Every staff member and consultant is asked to sign our Ethics statement and help us as an organisation live up to our values.
Equal opportunities
We strive to be an equal opportunities employer. We actively welcome applications from candidates from historically underrepresented groups in the climate change movement. If you require any adaptation or assistance during the application process, please be sure to let us know so that we can adjust.
Our Mission is to turbo-charge the transformation to a decarbonised steel sector that enables the environment, communities and workers to thrive.
Social Development Direct is a mission-driven, international development consultancy with a global reputation for excellence in gender equality and social inclusion. As a social enterprise subsidiary of Plan International UK, we combine commercial agility with a deep commitment to social change.
We are seeking a Managing Director who will lead the next phase of SDDirect’s development, advancing the organisation’s influence and impact.
The Managing Director will report into the CEO of Plan International UK and the SDDirect Board, and will provide inspirational leadership to SDDirect’s talented and motivated executive and staff, ensuring the organisation continues to deliver excellent technical quality alongside sustainable commercial performance.
This role offers a unique opportunity for a dynamic, values-led and engaging leader, with drive, resilience and commercial acumen.A high level of commercial awareness combined with a social justice technical background, and a proven track record of successfully leading and managing a commercial enterprise, consultancy or similar organisation or unit in the international development sector, is highly preferable for this position.
For more information about the company, role and responsibilities, please find the full job description and person specification below.
How to Apply: Please click 'Redirect to recruiter' for details on how to apply for this position.
If you would like a confidential discussion about the role, please get in touch with Sue Griffiths, Managing Director, to arrange this. Contact details can be found in the job description.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.


