Governance officer volunteer volunteer roles in Manchester
Applications close at 9.a.m. Monday 23rd February 2026
Location: Home-based but with regular travel, including to periodic board meetings in London or other locations within the UK
This is an opportunity to chair a charity transforming lives by helping more people experience the positive impact of learning. You can help shape the future of this remarkable charity and lead the Board of Shannon Trust to broaden, deepen and mature what we deliver.
Who we are
Picture this: a person in prison who struggles with literacy and numeracy reads their first sentence, they write their first letter home to their children or completes their first numeracy task. They begin to imagine a future beyond the prison walls.
This is what happens when someone learns with Shannon Trust, and it happens thousands of times each year across prisons in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Currently, 65% of people in prison can’t read, or struggle to. Even more struggle with numeracy.
These are not just statistics; they represent people who have been locked out of opportunity, who struggle with daily tasks, such as helping their children with homework or filling out a job application. At Shannon Trust, we believe everyone deserves the chance to learn, and that literacy and numeracy skills help build the foundations upon which people can rebuild their lives.
Where we are now
Shannon Trust has experienced remarkable growth over recent years. We have gone from a team of twelve people to one hundred staff today, supported by a volunteer base that brings us close to 250 people working to change lives through learning. The core of what we do is one-to-one peer mentoring in prisons. In 2025 alone, more than 11,000 learners used our reading and numeracy programmes, with 2,000 new volunteer peer-mentors trained to support them. We work in around one hundred prisons across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, delivering our Turning Pages reading programme and Count Me In numeracy programme. We are increasing our reach into the community, too. This growth is the result of sustained focus, strong relationships with funders who believe in our work, and the proven impact of our peer-led learning model.
What we are looking for
We are looking for a Chair who is strongly motivated by our cause, with a genuine empathy for the people we serve and a commitment to the person-centred language and inclusive thinking which are woven into everything we do. You will bring an engaged and engaging leadership style, have resilience and a personal gravitas.
You will be someone who is comfortable with complexity as we shape our organisation for the next chapter of our development. You will understand the importance of process, culture, and effective operations as the means of delivering a successful strategy and sustaining an organisation.
You will be someone who can help us be better advocates whether that is supporting our Chief Executive to build relationships with policymakers, helping us think through how we position ourselves in the education and criminal justice landscape, or using your own networks to create opportunities for Shannon Trust to influence and inform. We need a Chair who sees advocacy as part of the role.
Most importantly, our new Chair must be a strong partner for our CEO, a mentor, challenger and support.
Please click 'Redirect to recruiter’ to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you can find full details of the candidate profile and register your interest to apply.
Applications for this role close at 9.a.m. Monday 23rd February 2026
We’re an executive search firm working across third sector, education and membership sectors to transform leadership and inspire change.
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!
Treasures Foundation supports vulnerable women recovering from addiction, trauma, mental health and the criminal justice system. We are looking for a committed and enthusiastic Trustee Treasurer to join our board of Trustees.
Role summary
- To ensure that Treasures Foundation works in line with its governing documents and ethos, putting the needs of the beneficiaries at the forefront.
- To safeguard the good name and values of Treasures.
- To promote decisions and take action to help support the financial stability of Treasures.
- Committed to ensuring highest standards of governance in policies and practice related to employee relations, recruitment, retention, reward and recognition as well as staff and trustee development.
- Ensure long-term strategic oversight of the organisation’s personnel and staffing requirements in relation to the overarching goals of the charity.
Main responsibilities
Governance & Strategic Oversight
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Ensure the organisation pursues its charitable objects as defined in its governing document
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Contribute actively to the development, review, and monitoring of strategy
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Ensure the organisation is well-governed, accountable, and transparent
Uphold Treasures Foundation values, mission, and reputation
Legal & Regulatory Duties (UK)
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Act in compliance with:
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Charities Act 2011
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Charity Commission guidance
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Companies Act 2006 (if a charitable company)
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Other relevant legislation (e.g. safeguarding, data protection, employment law)
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Ensure required reports and accounts are prepared, approved, and submitted on time
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Ensure compliance with the organisation’s constitution
Fiduciary & Financial Oversight
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Act solely in the best interests of the charity and its beneficiaries
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Ensure charitable funds and assets are used appropriately and protected
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Oversee financial performance, budgets, and reserves
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Ensure appropriate financial controls, risk management, and audit arrangements are in place
Duty of Care & Prudence
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Exercise reasonable care, skill, and diligence
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Make informed decisions using appropriate information and advice
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Manage risks effectively, including reputational and operational risks
Safeguarding & Risk
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Ensure robust safeguarding policies and practices are in place and followed
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Oversee risk registers and mitigation strategies
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Ensure health and safety responsibilities are met
Leadership & Accountability
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Support, challenge, and hold to account the Chief Executive / senior leadership
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Participate in board and committee meetings
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Act collectively as part of the board; support decisions once made
Equality, Diversity & Integrity
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Promote equality, diversity, and inclusion
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Declare and manage conflicts of interest
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Act with integrity, independence, and good faith
Time Commitment
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Approximately 4 meetings per year, plus preparation time
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Participation in committees, working groups, or events as required
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Occasional representation of the organisation externally
Person Specification
Essential
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Commitment to Treasures Foundation purpose and values
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Understanding of, or willingness to learn about, trustee responsibilities
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Ability to think strategically and exercise good judgement
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Willingness to question and challenge constructively
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Strong communication and teamwork skills
Desirable
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Experience in one or more of the following:
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Finance or audit
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Legal or governance
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HR or organisational development
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Safeguarding
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Fundraising or income generation
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Previous board or senior leadership experience
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Legal Status
Trustees are unpaid volunteers, though reasonable expenses may be reimbursed. Trustees carry personal legal responsibilities but are usually indemnified by the organisation, except in cases of misconduct or breach of duty.
Time commitment and location
The board meet once, every three months for approximately 1.5 hours. Any other involvement would add up to about 6 hours per month. The meetings take place virtually on zoom. In addition to the minimum commitment you may like to be part of working groups that look at particular areas for example budgeting. There is always opportunity for you to work more intimately with the charity too.
What impact will you have?
We are an ambitious, growing organisation. Helping women change their lives is at the heart of what we do and are successful at. You will be contributing to
It’s a very exciting time to be a trustee of Treasures; everything the trustees do or get involved in will have a great impact on the organisation and everyone’s contribution makes a difference to our beneficiaries. You will also have the opportunity to attend courses, join networking events and meet our funders.
Treasures Foundation was established to provide accommodation and outreach support for women who have a history of drug abuse and offending.

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!
The Africa Health Organisation (AHO) seeks to engage in bidding and tendering to deliver health and social care services effectively. Our goal is to ensure sustainability and positively impact the lives of more people. We want assistance in developing an ambitious strategy.
What will you be doing?
We are excited to announce an incredible opportunity for a talented Bid Manager to join our passionate team at the Africa Health Organisation (AHO)! Since 1999, we've been dedicated to delivering health and social care to millions across Africa and the Diaspora, and now we're ready to further elevate our impact.
This year, we're embarking on a mission to broaden our funding strategy by incorporating bid and tender opportunities. Our goal is to engage with governments in Africa and the UK, the public sector, and the public, providing essential, practical, and emotional support to those facing chronic conditions. We need a visionary like you to help us achieve our goals.
We're seeking a dynamic, experienced Bid Manager to develop and execute a winning strategy to secure the necessary financial backing. There are numerous exciting possibilities ahead, including central government tenders, local and statutory opportunities. We're eager to explore them all.
In this pivotal role, you'll plan and execute our bids and tender writing efforts, ensuring that our bid proposals not only shine but also come to life in meaningful ways. If you're a bid writer who thrives on creativity and collaboration, we want to hear from you! Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to inspire and mentor volunteers within our bid and tender team, making a positive impact together. Join us on this exciting journey!
Key Duties and Responsibilities
The Role Description:
Bid Management: Lead and manage the entire bid and tender process, ensuring submissions meet deadlines and align with client requirements across the UK & Ireland.
Proposal Development: Collaborate with internal stakeholders to develop tailored, high-quality, and persuasive proposals that align with our value proposition.
Stakeholder Engagement: Work closely with sales, operations, legal, and clinical teams to gather critical input and ensure accurate, compliant, and compelling submissions.
Market Analysis: Stay informed on market trends, tender opportunities, and competitor activity to identify and secure strategic opportunities.
Compliance: Ensure all submissions adhere to company standards, client specifications, and relevant regulatory requirements.
Process Improvement: Continuously refine bid processes, content libraries, templates, and tools to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
Post-Submission Activities: Manage debrief processes and gather feedback to inform future submissions.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
- Lead AHO bids: Manage the whole bid process with a hands-on approach.
- Create strong responses: Tailor solutions that clearly show our value.
- Support growth: Work with Business Development and Marketing to boost propositions.
- Drive best practice: Lead bid qualification, governance, and reviews.
- User-focused: Understand needs and clearly present our solutions.
- Know the landscape: Medical, research industries, and opportunities.
- Know our strengths: Stay sharp on our services and competitors.
- Seal the deal: Coordinate smooth contract closures.
- Stay tidy: Keep the bid library updated and accessible.
- Keep comms clear: Align stakeholders throughout the process.
- Stay compliant: Follow governance and secure approvals.
- Push for quality: Lead reviews to ensure high-standard submissions.
- Maintain the opportunity pipeline: utilising CRM and creating reports for management.
- Taking the lead on other business development activities, such as award submissions, whitepapers, and sales collateral.
- Supporting every stage of the sales funnel: by working closely with marketing, sales, implementation, and operations teams.
What are we looking for?
Person Specification: What You'll Bring:
- At least two years of proven experience in bid and tender management, preferably within the healthcare (NHS & private), medical, or technology sectors.
- End-to-end bid management experience: A minimum of 4 years' experience leading the whole bid process.
- Preferred qualifications include a degree in Business, Communication, Marketing, Creative Writing, English or equivalent.
- APMP Certification is also desirable.
- Sector versatility: Experience with both public- and private-sector bids in the medical, biotech, biomed, health, and social sectors is preferred.
- Industry knowledge: Understanding of contact centres and/or customer experience is essential.
- Commercial acumen: Strong business sense, negotiation skills, and a hands-on approach.
- Resilience under pressure: Able to thrive in a fast-paced environment and meet tight deadlines.
- Detail orientation: High attention to detail to ensure quality and accuracy.
- Growth mindset: Self-motivated, proactive, and focused on continuous improvement.
- Strong communicator: Confident and articulate, with the ability to build trusted relationships across stakeholders.
- Time management: Skilled at prioritising tasks and managing competing deadlines.
What difference will you make?
In this exciting role, you will lead the strategic process for winning new business through competitive bids, tenders, and proposals, ultimately elevating AHO's success. Your specialised knowledge will enhance our win rates and maximise revenue by bringing clarity, quality, and coordination to what can be a complex and high-stakes journey. impact
Your primary mission is to boost AHO's tender win rates and strengthen our strategic advantage. By diligently overseeing each step of the bidding process—from initial evaluation to final submission—you will significantly improve the quality and persuasion of our proposals, directly increasing our chances of securing valuable contracts.
You'll provide key insights to help AHO target the most promising opportunities by implementing a thoughtful "bid/no-bid" process. This approach will ensure we focus only on lucrative and winnable contracts that closely align with our strategic goals, ultimately saving time and resources and allowing us to prioritise high-potential projects.
In this role, you will orchestrate a well-coordinated process that drives operational efficiency. As the central point of contact, you will gather input from diverse internal teams—sales, finance, legal, and technical—ensuring everyone collaborates smoothly to meet critical deadlines.
As a leader, you'll elevate the quality of our bid content. By overseeing the creation of compelling, polished materials, you'll ensure our final submissions are professional, cohesive, and error-free. You will utilise a centralised content library containing valuable resources, such as case studies and CVs, to streamline efforts and enhance our proposals.
You will keep projects on track by developing detailed project plans and timelines, ensuring all tasks are completed on time—especially critical in the fast-paced environment of tender submissions. Your effective management will ease colleagues' workloads, allowing the entire team to shine.
To foster long-term business growth, you'll create a wealth of knowledge around our tenders and bids. By conducting insightful post-submission debriefs and analysing feedback, you will capture invaluable lessons from both successes and setbacks. This ongoing improvement process will enhance our bidding capabilities for future opportunities.
You also have the opportunity to enhance AHO's brand reputation by submitting well-organised, accurate, and compliant bids. By doing so, you'll showcase our professionalism and reliability to clients, building trust and solidifying our credible standing in the market.
Strategic alignment is vital for sustaining consistent, stable business growth. Together, we can make a remarkable impact on development.
Applicants must submit a CV and a cover letter explaining how they meet the role description and the person specification.
Interviews will be arranged and conducted via Microsoft Teams.
Interview dates are agreed with the applicant.
To promote equity in health, to combat disease, and to improve the quality of, and lengthen, the lives of the people in Africa and the Diaspora.



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!
Background information:
Harry’s HAT is a UK-based charity focussing on paediatric hydrocephalus. Our mission is to make life better for children and their families who are affected by hydrocephalus. We work towards this aim through:
• Awareness: raising awareness of paediatric hydrocephalus through workshops and training.
• Research: supporting research and funding training (for front-line medical, health and social care workers) to increase understanding of the condition.
• Signposting and support: directing families affected by the condition to organisations that can offer support, advice and guidance and by providing access to our peer-to-peer programme. We do not, however, provide advocacy.
We currently have a vacancy on our Trustee Board for an individual with experience in fundraising and income generation. The Charity is ambitious about extending its reach and ensuring that more families and professionals can benefit from our work. To achieve this, we recognise the importance of growing and diversifying our income.
Key responsibilities of the role:
• Actively participating in Trustee Board meetings.
• Attending quarterly Fundraising and Risk Group meetings, held in the evening for approximately 1.5 hours.
• Working closely with the CEO to support the fundraising pipeline and to ensure all grant applications complement the mission and values of the charity.
• Working with the CEO and other Trustees to strengthen the charity’s fundraising strategy and ensure it aligns with our long-term goals.
• Supporting the development of sustainable income streams, including grants, corporate partnerships, individual giving, and community fundraising.
• Providing ad-hoc input on subjects raised by the Trustee, staff, and volunteer teams.
• Voting on grant applications from medical professionals and clinical researchers. Trustee would also be able to participate in specific projects if they wished to.
Required skills and experience:
The ideal candidate will have experience of fundraising or income generation in a charity or relevant setting. The key attributes for the role are as follows:
• Knowledge of different fundraising approaches such as grants, corporate partnerships, or community fundraising.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to display sound judgement and objectivity.
• Experience of working in partnership with healthcare or other relevant organisations or programmes.
• Clear understanding of the importance of safeguarding.
• Discretion when working with sensitive information, and strict adherence to confidentiality when required. Time commitment
• Attendance at six Trustee Board meetings per year (usually Sunday evenings, 18:00–19:30, via Teams).
• Attendance at quarterly Fundraising and Risk Group meetings (1.5 hours, evening).
• Attendance at two 1-2-1 meetings per year with the Chair of Trustees.
• Participation in the AGM and other relevant meetings as needed.
• Timely responses to communications from Trustees, staff, and volunteers.
• Completion of mandatory online training modules. Term and remuneration
• The initial term is 1–3 years, which can be extended by agreement.
• This is a voluntary role. Out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed.
• All new Trustees, including the Vice Chair, will serve a 3-month probation period.
#trustee #fundraising
We’re a small, family-led charity dedicated to improving life for children and young people with hydrocephalus.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.