Graduate programme recruitment manager jobs

We’re an award-winning charity running local learning centres in the heart of the communities where the young people we support live. Our centres provide a high-impact education programme which includes practical learning support, pastoral care, and motivational and confidence-building activities for young people aged 7-18. Our aim is to enable students from the least advantaged neighbourhoods to realise their ambitions and achieve their wonderful potential.

As the UK’s leading university access organisation, our staff team is helping over 50,000 young people each year at its 44 learning centres and extension projects across England and Scotland, and we plan to scale-up our provision to 50 centres over the coming years.

We are looking for someone who will enjoy working each day with young people and who will thrive in a frontline, community-based, fast-paced and rewarding role. You will be taking up a fixed-term contract as an Education Worker at our
centre in Norwich.

Location: IntoUniversity Norwich
Contract: Full-time, fixed-term until August 2026
Applications close: 9am Monday 13th April 2026
Start date: As soon as possible, to be agreed directly with the successful candidate

Salary

£28,250 per annum

What could my day look like?

The Education Worker role is a frontline, fast-paced and rewarding role where no two weeks will look the same. A typical day will have different activities, possibly spread between the IntoUniversity centre, partner schools and the offices of a corporate partner.

In the morning, you might be setting off with resources to run a workshop for sixth-form students in their secondary school. In the afternoon you may be setting up the classroom ahead of running Primary Academic Support for young people in your IntoUniversity centre. On other days, you may be travelling to a corporate partner to run a business simulation workshop for 15 year-olds or leading a group of final year primary school students on a campus visit for their graduation.

As an Education Worker, you’ll always be delivering the programme as part of your centre team, which means that any delivery is always a team effort. 

About Spear Norwich

Spear Norwich is a partnership between Spear and East Church Norwich!

East Church Norwich

Their vision is to play their part in sharing and reaching the East of England with the good news of Jesus. They are a large and growing church, one church, yet formed of multiple parishes across the city of Norwich. They are a family, journeying through life together, seeking to love God, to love each other, and to love those around us, as we gather and scatter. They gather on Sundays, as groups, communities, teams, and as family to worship, pray, and to open God's word, and to be filled over and over again with the Holy Spirit. They gather to connect with one another, to have fun, and to encourage each other along the way. They then scatter, to play their part in the mission that God calls us to, empowered by his Spirit to live everyday, supernatural lives for him.
 

Spear is at the very forefront of their mission to bring life through Jesus to all. They believe that every person, whether young or old, has a unique call on their life, and they want to see each person find the purpose for which they have been created. Find out more on their website.

You would be employed by East Church with Spear Norwich as a key missional activity. Prayer and worship are embedded into daily working practices, so there is an Occupational Requirement for applicants to be practicing Christians. You are welcome to reach out to the Spear recruitment team to discuss further before applying, although Spear will also provide an informal conversation to discuss East Church's theology early on in the application process.

Key Information:

• Salary: from £28,000 - £32,000 FTE
• Part-time, 4 days a week - Monday to Thursday
• 25 days annual leave pro rata, including bank holidays
• A DBS check will be requested in the event of a job offer
• The Spear Programme offers a rewarding opportunity to work with young people, but it requires a dedicated commitment. Due to the term-based nature of the programme (i.e. two consecutive 4-week programmes in autumn, spring and summer), we expect annual leave to be taken between, rather than during terms

Recruitment Process

Application Deadline: Monday 13th April, 5pm

Informal Call

Short Administration Task

Assessment and Interview Day: Friday 20th April

For more information please read through our Job Specification and Work with us pack.

If you require any reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process please let us know.

Person Specification

• An active Christian, dedicated to representing the values and ethos of Spear and East Church. A commitment to grow and learn spiritually and as a Christian leader.
• Passion for social justice, especially supporting young people in employment or education
• A dynamic and engaging individual with an enthusiasm for and experience of group and 1-1 coaching and training.
• An entrepreneurial and ambitious individual who enjoys starting new projects, works well under pressure and can translate ideas into practice with creativity.
• Self-motivated with strong leadership, management and organisational skills with the ability to exercise initiative and prioritise workload.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, high emotional intelligence, and a sense of fun!

About Spear Cheltenham

In Cheltenham Spear is partnered with Trinity Cheltenham!

Their vision is to make committed followers of Jesus who can change communities and nations for Him, and their values seek to express living in response to God, modelling authentic community, and embracing God’s adventure. Spear Cheltenham has been running successfully for over 3 years, and their heart and vision is to see an increase in the number of trainees per cohort and expand their geographic reach.

Key Information:

• You will be employed by Trinity Church Cheltenham
• Salary: from £31,639 to £34,390 pa depending on experience
• Full-time, Permanent
• Closing date: Tuesday 14th April, 09.00am (we interview on a rolling basis and may close the role early if we find the right candidate)

For more information please read through our Job Specification and Work with us pack.

If you require any reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process, please let us know.

Person Specification

• An active Christian that is committed to grow and learn spiritually as a Christian leader and represent the values and ethos of the Spear charity and Trinity Cheltenham. 
• Dynamic and engaging coach with an enthusiasm for and direct experience of coaching and training techniques.
• Passion for social justice and for working as part of the church to transform communities, especially supporting young people in employment or education.
• An entrepreneurial and ambitious individual who enjoys starting new projects, works well under pressure and can translate ideas into practice with creativity.
• Self-motivated with strong leadership, management and organisational skills with the ability to exercise initiative and prioritise workload.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a confidence in group facilitation, high emotional intelligence, and a sense of fun!

Deliver hands-on advice, outreach, training and mentoring as part of a new countywide partnership programme.

This four-year role, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, sits at the heart of the Small and Mighty (SaM) infrastructure support programme, delivered by a partnership of Community First Oxfordshire, OCVA, Oxford Community Action, Charity Mentors and Volunteer Link-Up, working directly with grassroots voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise groups. You’ll help organisations navigate challenges, build capacity and connect with others through outreach clinics, tailored training and collaborative spaces. Alongside staff within partner organisations and the existing CFO and OCVA team, you’ll play a key role in strengthening Oxfordshire’s community sector for the long term.

Job-share will be considered.

Deliver hands-on advice, outreach, training and mentoring as part of a countywide partnership programme.

This four-year role, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, sits at the heart of the Small and Mighty (SaM) infrastructure support programme, delivered by a partnership of Community First Oxfordshire, OCVA, Oxford Community Action, Charity Mentors and Volunteer Link-Up, working directly with grassroots voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise groups. You’ll help organisations navigate challenges, build capacity and connect with others through outreach clinics, tailored training and collaborative spaces. Alongside staff within partner organisations and the existing CFO and OCVA teams, you’ll play a key role in strengthening Oxfordshire’s community sector for the long term.

We are looking for a College Alumni Relations Manager to join our team to refine and expand a bold and innovative alumni volunteering programme to support both the priorities of the College of Medicine and Health and DARO. As a DARO business partner for the College, you will be based both within DARO and the College itself. You will join nine other volunteering professionals as part of the wider team and will be responsible for developing a range of volunteering opportunities for alumni, which support the College’s key priorities, and Birmingham 2030 targets, across a diversified curriculum, the student experience, graduate employability, student recruitment, research and influence. You will be responsible for growing the number of alumni volunteers for the College, reporting on the impact of your work internally and the relationship management of a number of key alumni contacts, with a clear focus on supporting international recruitment for the College. You will work with colleagues across DARO to bring alumni closer to the University to support Philanthropic giving.

The College of Medicine and Health

At the College of Medicine and Health we are shaping the future of health and medicine through the provision of innovative education and exceptional research, delivered by world-leading academics and supported by a diverse range of committed and high-performing Professional Services staff.

Development and Alumni Relations Office

The Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO) exists to support this academic and student community by engaging, inspiring, and celebrating alumni, individuals, and charitable funders who give their money, time, and networks to support the University’s strategic priorities. The Office, which comprises over 50 staff across four teams, is focused on fundraising and volunteering from alumni and individuals who are passionate about changing lives, through funding various research initiatives, supporting student scholarships, mentoring students, and providing internships. The recent launch of the hugely ambitious Birmingham In Action campaign frames these efforts, as we seek to secure one million volunteering hours from our students, staff and alumni and raise £400 million in support of institutional priorities.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy.

In Cardiff, Spear is partnering with Citizen Church, which is part of the HTB Network of churches. In joining the Spear South Wales team, you will be part of the social outreach programme at Citizen Church.

Spear is a dynamic, growing youth employment charity that coaches young people to overcome barriers and thrive in work and life. We do this through the Spear Programme. 

While the Spear programme will maintain a close connection with Citizen Church and coaches will be expected to get to know the team and congregation to enable them to support the Spear programme, the Spear Coach is not required to join the church if they are already involved in another local church.

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The important stuff 

Salary: from £24,000 FTE

Hours: 9.30am – 5.30pm, Tuesday – Thursday, Part-time, with some flexibility and occasional evening or weekend work for events such as Spear Celebrations

Location: Citizen Church, Cardiff

Closing date: Wednesday 1st April (We are interviewing on a rolling basis and might close the application early if we find the right candidate)

For more information please read through our Job Specification and Work with us pack.

If you require any reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process please let us know.

Person Specification

• An active Christian, able to personally represent the values of Spear and Citizen Church, and a commitment to grow and learn spiritually and as a Christian leader.
• A confidence in group facilitation, and a desire to learn and understand coaching techniques.
• Passion for social justice and for working as part of the church to transform communities, especially supporting young people in employment or education.
• An ambitious and self-motivated individual with the ability to exercise initiative, prioritise workload and work well under pressure.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• High emotional intelligence, and a sense of humour and fun!

Our working hours are 9:30am - 5:30pm, with occasional evening work for events such as our Spear Celebrations. We value a culture of excellence, authenticity, and fun.

We are an office-based organisation, working face-to-face with the trainees and value the collaboration and opportunities to work creatively and build community that this offers us.

Summary of the role

Just Like Us is the LGBT+ young people’s charity and works with thousands of schools and young people across the UK through its programmes. This role is critical to the delivery of our mission and will support the Volunteering Programmes Manager to meet the needs of our community of 350+ volunteers so that we can reach even more LGBT+ young people across the UK. The role will be working across the Programmes Team, working on the Ambassador Programme and supporting the School Talks programme weekly. This role is an entry-level position and will provide the successful candidate with a strong foundation for a career in the voluntary sector. We are looking for someone who is eager to learn, with strong organisational and administrative skills, and good communication skills to join a friendly, driven Programmes Team. We are very keen to hear from underrepresented voices, particularly trans and non-binary, Black and/or PoC candidates.

About Just Like Us

Just Like Us is the LGBT+ young people’s charity. Founded in 2016, we work with primary schools, secondary schools and sixth form colleges across the UK to improve the lives of LGBT+ young people. To do that, we run several programmes:
● Ambassador Programme: We support our ambassadors to use their voice, develop skills and find community. They also deliver our School Talks programme to schools across the UK.
● School Talks programme: We train and support our LGBT+ 18 to 25 year olds to speak in secondary schools about growing up LGBT+ and allyship.
● Pride Groups: We help secondary schools set up and run lunchtime or after school clubs for LGBT+ pupils and their allies to meet, learn and get support, creating a safe space in every setting.
● Resource Library: We provide free resources to thousands of schools, making LGBT+ inclusive education accessible to all. This includes free e-learning for teachers to increase their confidence in creating LGBT+ inclusive educational settings.
● School Diversity Week: We run the UK-wide celebration of LGBT+ equality in primary and secondary schools. We provide free educational resources to thousands of schools, making LGBT+ inclusive education accessible to all.

Job Description

This role reports directly to the Volunteering Programmes Manager.

Programme delivery
● Support the Programmes Team to deliver our programmes
● Good regular communication and reporting to the Volunteering Programmes Manager
● Manage the administration of our Ambassador and School Talk programmes. Including the recruitment, training, opportunities and engagement of volunteers
● Deliver Ambassador volunteer training on the weekend, in-person at different locations across the UK and online
● Act as a first point of contact for ambassadors on our programmes, answering questions, sharing new resources and encouraging participation. This includes supporting ambassadors with their direct questions, managing the group chats on a daily basis and inboxes
● Support the School Talk programme, including organising bookings with schools, organising volunteers, supporting schools, supporting the whole delivery
● Represent the charity at conferences, events, prides and fairs
● Ensure volunteers to have a fulfilling and engaging experience when volunteering with Just Like Us, that they feel recognised and understand the impact of their contribution
● Work collaboratively across teams to manage logistics and ensure the smooth running of Just Like Us programmes throughout the academic year.
● Support with the creation and development of resources for volunteers
● Assist the monitoring and evaluation of volunteering programmes by distributing surveys, collecting case studies and providing analysis of data obtained to evidence our impact
● Support our marketing and communication initiatives, writing emails and monitoring open rates
● Assist with the maintenance of our online databases and systems for confidential data
● Support programme effectiveness by contributing to improving internal workflows and procedures
● Escalate any issues, monitor risks and ensure compliance with relevant regulations

Cross-team working
● Collaborate with colleagues in our Communications, Development and Education to deliver our charitable purpose
● Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives: Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the charity, promoting a culture that embraces and celebrates individual differences and ensures the organisation's programmes and workplace practices are inclusive and reflect the diverse communities it serves.

Safeguarding is a collective responsibility and all employees, volunteers, and stakeholders are expected to actively contribute to creating a safe and supportive environment for children, young people, staff, adults at risk and programme participants.

The listed role responsibilities are not exhaustive and employees may be required to take on additional tasks related to other organisational needs as and when necessary.

Person specification: experience, skills and attributes

The applicant must:
● Be passionate about LGBT+ inclusion and be highly motivated to support us to grow
● Have excellent interpersonal skills and be a relationship builder with our volunteers who are LGBT+ young people across the UK aged 18-25
● Have good written and verbal communication skills
● Have excellent organisational and administrative skills, with great attention to detail
● Have a willingness to learn and develop
● Be able to travel across the UK, working some evenings and weekends to deliver ambassador training and oversee skill workshops for our volunteers
● Be able to work effectively both independently, as part of a team and across the organisation
● Be highly computer literate, willing to learn and use our database Salesforce quickly and proficient in using email, Google Sheets and Google Docs (or equivalent)
● Be able to work very effectively under pressure and meet tight deadlines

Desirable but not essential 
● Experience of working with and/or managing volunteers
● Experience of working with LGBT+ young people

The application deadline is 23:00 on Monday 20th April 2026.
Interviews will be held on Thursday 7th May and Friday 8th May 2026.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Our School Talks are a key part of our work at Just Like Us. We take hundreds of bookings from schools every year, and deliver hundreds of school talks across the UK with the support of our LGBT+ volunteers aged 18-25.

This role will be key in working with schools to clarify and action their bookings with us, and supporting our volunteers to deliver those talks, working with the Volunteering Team.

The application deadline is 23:00 on Monday 20 April 2026. We look forward to receiving your application!

Summary of the Role

Just Like Us is the LGBT+ young people’s charity and works with thousands of schools and young people across the UK through its programmes. This role is critical to the delivery of our mission and will support the Education Programmes and Impact Manager to deliver School Talks so that we can reach even more young people across the UK with our stories of allyship. The role will be working across the Programmes Team, working on the School Talks programme primarily. The Programmes Team delivers the Ambassador programme, Pride Groups and resources for schools. This role is an entry-level position and will provide the successful candidate with a strong foundation for a career in the voluntary sector. We are looking for someone who is eager to learn, with strong organisational and administrative skills, and good communication skills to join a friendly, driven Programmes Team. We are very keen to hear from underrepresented voices, particularly trans and non-binary, Black and/or PoC candidates.

About Just Like Us

Just Like Us is the LGBT+ young people’s charity. Founded in 2016, we work with primary schools, secondary schools and sixth form colleges across the UK to improve the lives of LGBT+ young people. To do that, we run several programmes:
● Ambassador Programme: We support our ambassadors to use their voice, develop skills and find community. They also deliver our School Talks programme to schools across the UK.
● School Talks programme: We train and support our LGBT+ 18 to 25 year olds to speak in secondary schools about growing up LGBT+ and allyship.
● Pride Groups: We help secondary schools set up and run lunchtime or after school clubs for LGBT+ pupils and their allies to meet, learn and get support, creating a safe space in every setting.
● Resource Library: We provide free resources to thousands of schools, making LGBT+ inclusive education accessible to all. This includes free e-learning for teachers to increase their confidence in creating LGBT+ inclusive educational settings.
● School Diversity Week: We run the UK-wide celebration of LGBT+ equality in primary and secondary schools. We provide free educational resources to thousands of schools, making LGBT+ inclusive education accessible to all.

Job Description

This role reports directly to the Education Programmes and Impact Manager.

Programme delivery
● Support the Programmes Team to deliver our programmes
● Good regular communication and reporting to the Education Programmes and Impact Manager
● Manage the administration of our School Talk programme, including organising bookings with schools, organising volunteers, supporting schools and ambassadors, supporting the whole delivery
● Represent the charity at conferences, events, prides and fairs
● Ensure volunteers have a fulfilling and engaging experience when volunteering with Just Like Us, that they feel recognised and understand the impact of their contribution
● Work collaboratively across teams to manage logistics and ensure the smooth running of Just Like Us programmes throughout the academic year
● Support the delivery of our education programmes, including delivering talks, workshops and training for teachers on LGBT+ issues
● Support with the creation and development of resources
● Assist the monitoring and evaluation of programmes by distributing surveys, collecting case studies and providing analysis of data obtained to evidence our impact
● Support our marketing and communication initiatives, writing emails and monitoring open rates
● Assist with the maintenance of our online databases and systems for confidential data
● Support programme effectiveness by contributing to improving internal workflows and procedures
● Escalate any issues, monitor risks and ensure compliance with relevant regulations

Cross-team working
● Collaborate with colleagues in our Communications, Development and Education to deliver our charitable purpose
● Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives: Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the charity, promoting a culture that embraces and celebrates individual differences and ensures the organisation's programmes and workplace practices are inclusive and reflect the diverse communities it serves

Safeguarding is a collective responsibility and all employees, volunteers, and stakeholders are expected to actively contribute to creating a safe and supportive environment for children, young people, staff, adults at risk and programme participants. The listed role responsibilities are not exhaustive and employees may be required to take on additional tasks related to other organisational needs as and when necessary.

Person specification: experience, skills and attributes

The applicant must:
● Be passionate about LGBT+ inclusion in education and be highly motivated to support us to grow
● Have excellent interpersonal skills and be a relationship builder with school teachers, head teachers and our volunteers who are LGBT+ and 18-25
● Have good written and verbal communication skills
● Have excellent organisational and administrative skills, with great attention to detail
● Have a willingness to learn and develop
● Be able to travel across the UK to represent Just Like Us at national conferences and event
● Be able to work effectively both independently, as part of a team and across the organisation
● Be highly computer literate, willing to learn and use our database Salesforce quickly and proficient in using email, Google Sheets and Google Docs (or equivalent)
● Be able to work very effectively under pressure and meet tight deadlines
● Flexibility to commence work from 8:00am, Monday to Friday to support early-morning school programme delivery when needed

Desirable but not essential
● Experience of working with schools

The application deadline is 23:00 on Monday 20 April 2026.
Interviews will be held on Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th of May 2026.

We look forward to receiving your application!

At TLG, we’re passionate about building an exceptional staff team that’s committed to making a real difference in the lives of struggling children across the UK. We’re always on the lookout for great people to journey with us towards our vision, and we’re excited to offer a unique opportunity for a motivated and mission-driven individual to join our Graduate Programme.

An opportunity...

This programme offers an exciting opportunity to gain hands‑on experience in the non‑profit sector, develop essential professional skills, and play a meaningful part in transforming the lives of children and young people.

What sets our graduate programme apart is the real responsibility and purposeful work we release our graduates into - our relational culture and approach to leadership brings significant opportunities for influence. You’ll build on your passions, strengths and interests as you get involved in key areas of TLG’s work, contributing to impact that truly matters.

You’ll be based primarily within one TLG team, giving you the space to grow specialist skills and make a real difference. Your placement will be matched to your unique strengths and interests. Alongside this, you’ll gain wider experience through inter‑departmental projects, enabling you to develop a broad understanding of the charity sector and how different teams work together.

Examples of teams your role could sit within include Fundraising & Supporter Engagement, Marketing, Communications & Advocacy, Programmes, Executive Support & Operations, Digital/IT.

There will be a wealth of development opportunities at you fingertips as part of the programme, designed to accelerate your growth and equip you for a successful career in the charity sector.

You’ll be the driving force in drawing together your own unique mix of diverse experiences to maximise your career development and enhance your impact. Some of what’s on offer includes:

· Potential for a funded qualification or further professional training

· Access to an external coach to support your development

· Potential for external mentoring or short-term external placements

· Opportunities to work with and shadow Heads of Department across TLG

· Dedicated time to visit other organisations and build sector insight

· Participation in the Graduate Programme book club, with input from senior leaders

· Action learning sets and development sessions led by senior leaders

· Access to TLG’s internal leadership and development programmes

TLG is a Christian charity and, as a team, we want to bring our faith to the work we do; as such, we are recruiting an individual with a strong and vibrant Christian faith. We would welcome applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds to enable us to better reflect the needs of the communities we serve.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis prior to the closing date, so we would encourage you to apply as soon as you’re able. We reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to the closing date.

Hours: Full time (37.5 hours per week)

Closing Date: Tuesday 12th May

About Us

Bringing Unity Back into the Community (BUBIC) rebuilds lives through peer support, practical action and unwavering community presence. A peer‑led charity supporting people facing substance misuse, homelessness, exploitation and multiple disadvantage in Haringey.

Job Purpose

As Operations Manager (OM), you’ll lead safe, high‑quality services, guide a committed frontline team, ensure compliance, strengthen partnerships, and drive performance across all operations; keeping our work moving from outreach and hotspot engagement to groups, community stalls, and the everyday moments where trust is built. As part of BUBIC’s commitment to meeting people where they are, the post holder will also share night‑outreach duties with the Team Leader, working one evening per week (5pm-midnight, typically Wednesday or Friday) to reach those most visible and vulnerable at night, enabling early intervention, safer engagement, and stronger pathways into support. If you want your skills to fuel transformation and strengthen a community from within, this role gives you the platform to do exactly that.

Please see attached the full job description.

Our Second Home (OSH) is the UK’s youth movement for people with refugee backgrounds. We support young people to build community, become leaders, and flourish into adulthood in the place they call home.

Each year, hundreds of young people from dozens of countries and living in London & Bristol take part in our residential programmes, leadership training and youth hubs. Our residentials are often the first step – immersive, relationship-rich spaces where young people connect, reflect and begin to see themselves as leaders. From there, many move into leadership training and take on volunteer roles within the movement.

Our work is youth-led and rooted in lived experience. We are now implementing our 2025–2028 strategy, focused on strengthening quality, embedding learning and ensuring our growth is sustainable and safe.

The Head of Programmes is a senior leadership role, reporting to the CEO and managing two senior colleagues. You will hold responsibility for the quality, coherence and safeguarding of all programme activity.

Responsibilities (abridged - see attached job description)

Programme Leadership & Strategy in Practice

• Lead implementation of OSH’s 2025–2028 programme strategy.

• Oversee the design, quality and coherence of residentials, leadership training and hubs.

• Take operational responsibility for residential delivery, including participant referrals, recruitment of staff and freelancers, programme content and educational standards.

• Attend and lead approximately five residential programmes per year.

• Identify opportunities to strengthen youth engagement and leadership pathways as the organisation scales.

• Ensure programme data is accurately recorded and used to improve delivery.

Team Leadership

• Line manage the Communities Manager and Leadership & Volunteering Manager.

• Provide structured supervision, clear objectives and professional development support.

• Ensure strong coordination between hubs, residentials and leadership pathways.

• Build a culture of accountability, reflection and continuous improvement.

Safeguarding & Welfare

• Act as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and serve as DSL at events as required.

• Ensure safeguarding practice is robust, consistent and embedded across all activities.

• Respond to safeguarding and behavioural issues appropriately and oversee safe recruitment processes.

Partnerships, Budget & Oversight

• Maintain referral partnerships and represent OSH externally where appropriate.

• Hold programme budgets within agreed limits and ensure financial discipline.

• Embed monitoring, evaluation and reflective practice across the programme team.

Experience & Competencies (abridged - see attached job description)

Essential

• At least 5 years’ experience in youth or youth-centred programming, including residential or intensive settings.

• Experience designing and delivering leadership development or informal education programmes.

• Strong facilitation and training skills.

• Demonstrable experience managing staff and developing teams.

• Strong understanding of safeguarding practice and willingness to act as Deputy DSL.

• Experience working with young people from refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds, or strong understanding of the issues affecting them.

• Ability to balance strategic oversight with hands-on delivery in a part-time senior leadership role.

• Strong organisational skills and commitment to inclusive, youth-led practice.

Desirable

• Level 3 Safeguarding training.

• Experience managing programme budgets.

• Experience contributing to organisational strategy or scaling programme models.

• Familiarity with Google Workspace, Beacon CRM, MyConcern or similar systems.

• Lived experience of migration or displacement.

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.

Key Information:

LOCATION: Bristol, Newcastle, Nottingham, London and Manchester (hybrid working pattern). We are prioritising applications for the Nottingham and Newcastle locations in line with our regional development strategy.

HOURS: 37.5 hours per week (flexible working around core hours of 10am-4pm)

START DATE: 10th August 2026

DURATION: 18-month graduate programme with optional apprenticeship opportunity upon completion. Permanent contract from August 2026. 

SALARY: £27,375 per annum (Bristol, Manchester, Nottingham and Newcastle), £30,025 (London).

DEADLINE: Thursday 2nd April at 12pm (noon).

The application process: written application > video interview > assessment centre.

Assessment Centres will take place between 20th April and 8th May 2026. They will be conducted on Zoom and consist of 3 tasks: An interview, a written exercise and a group task (with up to 3 other candidates)

In keeping with upReach's mission and values we would particularly encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented groups and those with lived experience of barriers to social mobility.

We encourage all applicants to review our Application Pack before submitting your application.

About upReach

Do you think that your socio-economic background should determine your career prospects?

upReach’s vision is of a society in which everybody has an equal opportunity to realise their full career potential. Our work is important because right now a student from a disadvantaged background who gains a first-class degree from a top university is less likely to secure an elite job than a more privileged student with a 2.2.

We are an award-winning charity employer working to address this issue in partnership with employers and universities. We help undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds achieve their career potential by providing an intensive programme of support that addresses socio-economic barriers to graduate employment. 

To find out more about how we support our students, visit our website and read our Annual Report, and Impact Report. 

About the FCLP

upReach is recruiting for our unique Future Charity  Leaders Programme (FCLP). This is a great opportunity for anyone who is passionate about social mobility, and looking to gain exposure to various aspects of charity management whilst working with university students who are exploring their career options. We welcome applications from those in the corporate world who are looking for a career change as well as recent graduates wanting to kick-start their career in the third sector.

upReach’s Future Charity Leaders Programme (FCLP) combines delivery work (supporting our Associates) with exposure to a range of aspects of charity management.

As a Programme Coordinator on the FCLP, you will deliver personalised, employment-focused support to a cohort of approximately 80 Associates, helping to transform their lives by equipping them with the necessary skills to secure a top graduate job. During a typical week, you should expect to be working across a range of projects including:

• 1:1 undergraduate coaching

• Events organisation

• Application support

• Partnership management (with university partners or employer partners) 

• and more!

In addition to this, the programme offers the opportunity to develop skills in key areas of charity management by participating in 3 rounds of six-month 'rotations' across different functions. After your initial 18 months and the completion of 3, six-month rotations, you will have the opportunity to undertake an apprenticeship in Leadership and Management to further develop your skills and gain a level 3 qualification.

Throughout the programme, you will receive dedicated internal training developing your leadership skills and building your confidence in the role.Through our partnership with The Circle Line, you will be part of a supportive peer group, offered regular personal development training workshops online and in-person on their '12 Tools for Life'. You will also be able to choose your own practitioner to support you in 1:1 sessions throughout the programme to help you unlock more of your unique potential.

What will I be doing?

The FCLP is a fast-paced but rewarding role. Programme Coordinators spend 80% of their time (4 days per week) working directly with Associates to enhance their career knowledge and skills and 20% (1 day per week) on a charity management rotation (or an apprenticeship after 18 months). No two days are the same, but your responsibilities may include:

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with Associates, helping them to achieve their career goals 

• Developing and delivering professional development-focused support

• Individual and small group work with Associates 

• Assisting Associates with their applications to undergraduate positions and graduate jobs 

• Developing sector and/or employability skill knowledge while building resources to aid all Associates 

• Developing and maintaining strong relationships with university and/or employer partners 

• Delivering informative workshops to enhance sector knowledge and employability skills

• Planning, delivering and reporting on events and workshops with partners

When applying for this role we ask that applicants are able to commit to the full 18-month training programme, and we encourage participation in the apprenticeship scheme beyond this. As you will be working directly with our beneficiaries throughout their degree, this consistency will allow you to build bonds with your Associates and ensure continuity, thus allowing us to have the most impact for the young people we work with.

What Skills and Experience do I need?

This programme would be suited to individuals who are committed to upReach’s mission, motivated to work with undergraduates and interested in learning about, and gaining experience in, charity management. We are looking for people who are passionate about social mobility and believe that background should not be a barrier to graduate employment. 

Essential Skills/Experiences:

• Working in a fast-paced environment and working independently to find solutions to problems

• Strong organisational and time management skills with a keen eye for detail and the ability to manage a varied workload

• A University degree in any discipline, or equivalent experience

• Self-motivation and an ability to work in a small team as well as solo

• Excellent communication skills and strong written English

• The ability to engage and communicate confidently with undergraduates, corporate volunteers (mentors) and employers via phone, email, and in person

• Confidence with public speaking or facilitating workshops

Desirable Skills/Experiences:

• Knowledge of the graduate labour market in the UK and experience supporting individuals through an application process 

• Working in one or more of the career sectors that upReach support Associates in applying to.

Team Culture & Benefits: 

By joining the upReach team, you will be joining a team who are dedicated to encouraging you in your career journey and fostering an inclusive culture. 

We offer: 

• Flexible working, hybrid working and reduced Summer Hours (June-August)

• Statutory Holiday Entitlement of 25 days, plus bank holidays. (This increases to 27 days entitlement after 2.5 years and then to 30 days after 5 years of working with us)

• Enhanced Parental Leave beyond statutory requirements for all team members

• 1 day of Birthday leave, 1 day of Volunteering leave and discretionary annual wellbeing days

• Optional extended unpaid leave

• 3% Pension Contribution, this increases to 5% after 5 years of working with us 

• Cycle-to-work scheme, Tech scheme

• Monthly socials, Annual in-person Team Day

• Dedication to Staff Wellbeing through our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aid Training 

• A range of discounts through the Charity Workers Discount and Tickets for Good websites

• The opportunity to participate in our fantastic staff networks: 

  • Disability and Inclusion Network

  • Diverse Roots Network 

  • Green Network 

  • LGBTQ+ Network

  • Mindfulness Network

  • Parents and Carers Network

  • Socio-Economic Background Network

  • (Im)Migrants Network

Ready to apply?

We are dedicated to making our recruitment process inclusive. All applications will be blind screened, and our job packs are available in Braille, large text or another format upon request. We can provide reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment application process and on the job, and we'll always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible. 

Unfortunately, upReach is unable to offer Visa Sponsorship.

Applications close at 12pm on Thursday 2nd April

Equal Opportunities

At upReach, we are committed to being an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate in employment matters on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability, social background or any other protected class. We celebrate and value the diverse perspectives that people from all backgrounds bring to our team. We are passionate about creating a workplace that is inclusive and reflects the diversity of communities across the UK. Thus, we encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds, those with disabilities, those who are care-experienced, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those who are LGBTQIA+.