About us
Literacy Pirates’ vision is for every child to have the literacy skills, confidence and perseverance to succeed at school and beyond. We provide free, after-school literacy support to children who are falling behind in class and who have fewer opportunities for additional support due to their personal circumstances than others. Founded in East London, Literacy Pirates’ programme now runs online and serves children anywhere in the United Kingdom.
Literacy Pirates is on an exciting journey of growth, rolling out our innovative learning programme to reach more children than ever before. An ambitious, fast-growing charity we have set ourselves a goal of reaching 3,000 children a year nationally, by 2030 compared with 650 this year.
What we're looking for
We are looking for a talented Bookkeeper to maintain our financial records and handle financial operations in the charity.
Core duties include processing all routing transactions encompassing supplier invoices, sales invoices, bank transactions, petty cash, credit cards and treasury management. You will also make payments, prepare our in-house payroll and submit pension returns.
You will work closely with our Finance Director to support the month end close while complying with and upholding the Charity’s policies and procedures.
Our ideal candidate will have experience in a similar role, ideally have worked for a charity and be familiar with Xero. You will also have at least one of the following:
- A relevant qualification such as an accountancy or business degree
- Part or fully qualified with an accountancy body, such as the AAT
- Demonstrative qualification by experience.
Required skills
- Proven bookkeeping experience in a similar enviroment
- Solid understanding of financial operations in a SME environment
- Proven ability to calculate, post and manage accounting figures and financial records
- Accurate data entry skills along with an eye for numbers
- Proficiency in English and in MS Office
- Qualified to degree level, or partly or fully qualified with an accountancy body, or demonstrable QBE
Person specification
- Highly organised
- Dedicated to providing excellent service and building positive working relations
- Able to balance speed of work with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Able to work independently at times and use initiative
Responsibilities
Process all financial transactions in our finance IMS (Xero) accurately and promptly encompassing:
- Accounts payable
- Employee and volunteer expense claims
- Sales invoices, grants, donations and other income
- Bank transactions
- Petty cash
- Credit cards
- Download bank records into the IMS and reconcile all bank accounts
- Monitor savings and move funds between accounts ensuring that we comply with our investment policy
- Operate credit control on the sales ledger and issue payment receipts to customers and donors
- Make payments to creditors and settle expense claims
- Prepare payroll to draft status, pay staff and HMRC, report pension contributions
- Electronically store all required records in line with statutory requirements
- Update contacts and restricted fund profiles in the finance IMS
- Make Gift Aid claims
- Operate within the Charity’s financial procedures and prevailing accounting standards
Support the Finance Director with any of the following:
- Operating restricted funds
- Balance sheet reconciliations
- Financial reporting (internal/external)
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Statutory reporting
- Supporting the annual audit process
- Any other reasonably requested duty
We develop the literacy, confidence and perseverance of children who are falling behind in class and have fewer opportunities in their personal lives.

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
About Planet Patrol
Our vision is a world where all beings can enjoy our waterways, free from pollution. We are a global community dedicated to placing people-powered environmental data at the heart of decision-making. Through our unique anywhere, anytime, anybody approach to citizen science, we gather critical evidence of water and litter pollution to drive solutions that protect both environmental and human health. Our data and citizen science methods have been featured in academic journals (Stanton, et al., 2022) and media investigations (Channel 4 and ITV), enhancing public and scientific knowledge of litter pollution.
About the role
As Director, you will oversee daily operations, including forecasting and budgeting for the entire organisation (currently c£300K per annum). As such, you will lead on developing a sustainable funding stream for our mission-driven work, ensuring we maintain a 6-month runway at all times. You will build and maintain strong external relationships to help grow and develop the organisation. The Director will provide leadership to a small, remote team (4 x PAYE) and create a happy, sustainable and productive work environment. Most importantly, the Director will ensure objectives are being met - both personal and organisational - to deliver impactful, positive change for our waterways in the UK, and abroad.
About you
The successful candidate will be a strong leader who excels at strategic thinking, with the natural ability to analyse situations and relationships to maximise impact and return on investment. They will have experience in line management, fundraising and financial management. We are seeking candidates who have experience in senior management in a non-profit setting, ideally within the environmental sector but not essential. Critically, you must thrive in a start-up environment and have a can-do attitude to problem solving. You’ll be one of only a handful of employees and a team of excellent freelancers, so being a team player is a must! This is a great opportunity to really shape the organisation and our impact, so if you like having agency and being innovative, Planet Patrol would be a great fit.
Your top qualities as a leader
- Ambitious
- Collaborative
- Agile
- Resilient
- Resourceful
Key Responsibilities
Funding Development + Stakeholder Relationships (40%):
- Significant responsibility for successful contractual negotiations and maintaining a healthy new funding pipeline. Secure six-to-seven figure funding opportunities to provide a sustainable revenue stream for 3+ years.
- Strategic understanding and experience of competitive and fast changing charitable financial landscape.
- Build and maintain strong partnerships with funders and other voluntary sector organisations.
- Ensure we are suitably represented at appropriate meetings, events, conferences, management groups etc. and that issues that impact our work are raised appropriately.
Operational Leadership including Compliance + Budgetary Control (30%):
- Effective leadership driving business operations and strategic targets. Inspire teams to deliver high-quality programmes and foster a culture of creativity and innovation.
- Draw up and monitor budgets, with support from the Founder and Team Leaders, and ensure effective management and use of all resources. Ensure maximum operational efficiency and maintain a six-month runway at all times.
- Work collaboratively with the Founder and Team Leaders to build annual Business Plans and long term strategies for the organisation.
- Ensure compliance across product / project delivery, finance, human resources, IT, legal, health and safety, customer services and facilities management. Ensure that all data is collated and managed in line with data protection requirements.
- Maintain and develop effective human resource systems for the recruitment, management, support, training, and appraisal of staff and volunteers. Ensure systems are in place to monitor and evaluate the work.
Team + Performance Management (30%):
- Build high-performing, committed teams. This includes line managing, coaching, and supporting team members to create a positive, productive work environment.
- Oversee the team to deliver comprehensive planning and reporting.
- Set benchmarks, monitor performance, and develop a culture of continuous improvement.
- Proactively manage the performance of Team Leaders by carrying out inductions, regular accountability meetings, supervisions, and probation reviews, while also setting clear work and development objectives.
Person Specification
The role is for up to 30 hours a week over 4 days - for the right person we would consider fewer hours. If you think you could do the role but do not meet all of the specification points below, we would still like to hear from you.
Essential Experience and Ability
- Senior management experience working within a small charity or Community Interest Company (CIC).
- Track record of driving operational excellence, including organisational finances and resources.
- Experience of line management, team development and performance management.
- Experience of securing sustainable and diverse revenue streams; including multi-year, strategic deals worth six-and-seven figures.
- Proactive approach to risk management and maintaining compliance.
- Experience in a strategic role, including developing organisational strategy and/or developing and overseeing monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
- Experience of working with a range of stakeholders and managing stakeholder relationships.
- Ability to effectively prioritise, manage and oversee programmes of work across the organisation and lead through change.
- Ability to work under own initiative, delegate where appropriate, prioritise work and meet strict deadlines.
- Good general IT skills and appreciation of new platforms that can increase efficiency and effectiveness (Slack, Trello, Canva, Dext, Xero, HubSpot, SenseHR).
- Broad understanding of GDPR and other essential legislation and organisational policies, including use of AI.
- Passionate about the environment and the importance of citizen science.
- A commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.
- Legal right to work in the UK without visa sponsorship.
What we offer
Planet Patrol values collaboration, innovation, and agility. That’s why we’re proud to be a 4-day week employer. We offer a flexible, remote working environment, paired with regular opportunities to connect as a team. We’re a vibrant, mission-driven non-profit that supports professional growth, alongside wellbeing. We offer a generous annual leave package, your birthdays off and encourage you to get out into nature whenever possible.
Application details
If you believe in the work we’re doing and think you could add something to it then we would love to hear from you.
Please submit your CV, LinkedIn profile and answers to the four questions listed on the application page. We are unable to process applications which are not complete.
Applications close midnight Sunday 23 November.
First stage interviews will be held virtually on Wednesday 26 November.
Second stage interviews will be held in person on Wednesday 3 December.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Regional Net Zero Carbon Fundraising Officer
Salary £35,000 - £38,000 FTE
35 hours per week
Three-year fixed term contract
Are you an experienced fundraiser with a proven track record of stakeholder engagement and experience of coordinating and developing large-scale funding proposals? Do you have a passion for the environment and reducing carbon emissions? If so, read on.
The Church of England’s Net Zero Carbon (NZC) programme has been established to help the Church deliver its commitment to reaching its NZC goals. It aims to equip, resource and support all parts of the Church to reduce carbon emissions from the energy used in its buildings, schools and through work-related transport.
All parts of the Church will need to raise funds to implement this Net Zero plan. To this end, the Dioceses of Chelmsford, Ely, Norwich, St Albans and St Edmundsbury and Ipswich are collaborating on the shared ambition to achieve NZC across our diocesan estates and are looking to appoint a Fundraising Officer to work across the region to identify funding opportunities and secure funding towards delivering net carbon zero projects.
This is a new role and, as such, offers an excellent opportunity for the successful candidate to make their mark. You will develop and maintain relationships with a range of potential funders and internal and external stakeholders across the region. You’ll need drive, initiative, resilience and the ability to shape an approach to NZC fundraising across the region. Above all, you’ll need to be an excellent communicator and relationship builder with a proven ability to adapt your approach as appropriate, be this creating links with the national NZC Team, influencing and securing funding from grant-making bodies, or delivering training and advice on securing funding locally. Given the scope and nature of the role you’ll also need to be highly organised, flexible and sympathetic to the ethos of the Church of England.
We recognise that this is a specialised role, and training and support will be available for the post-holder both locally and from the national Church of England NZ Fundraising team.
A full driving licence and access to a vehicle are also required. The role will be home-based and can be anywhere within the region, with regular travel across the region required. The role will be employed by the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich so line management meetings will be in Ipswich.
The five dioceses are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders and volunteers are expected to share this commitment.
All appointments are subject to acceptable pre-appointment checks, including a satisfactory DBS check where required.
Closing Date for Applications: Tuesday, 18th November 2025
Interviews: Wednesday, 3rd December 2025
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.