Head of community services jobs

As a fundraising and grant-making charity, we bring to life projects that transform patient care - from sensory packs for children in A&E to a peaceful sanctuary garden for people living with dementia. We’re a small, ambitious and supportive team, and in just three years we’ve tripled our income. Our goal is to become the charity of choice for our local community in Islington and Haringey.

Over the past 18 months, this role has built community and challenge events income from the ground up, creating real momentum. There’s still huge untapped potential locally, offering an exciting opportunity to grow and innovate.

This is a varied and rewarding role where you’ll build meaningful relationships with clinicians, donors and the community, and see first-hand the impact of your work. You’ll lead on community fundraising, challenge events and volunteering, with real autonomy. It's a fantastic step up for someone ready to develop and make their mark.

The successful candidate will benefit from an NHS Agenda for Change salary and excellent NHS benefits, including a generous pension and annual leave.

We’re looking for a creative and collaborative Head of Programme Design to lead the Programme Design Team at BookTrust, as part of our central Research and Design function.

The role will cover evidence-informed, human-centred programme design across the full spectrum from new opportunity definition to programme iteration and continuous improvement. It will hold overall programme design accountability for our products and experiences designed for impact with primary audiences - delivery partners and families. 

We have a skilled Design team, experience of applying human-centred design approaches in programme design and strong organisational support for a design-led approach. The post-holder will lead our Programme Design approach to the next level of maturity and help it become even more embedded within the organisation. The post-holder will deliver excellent stakeholder stewardship around our programme design ensuring our detailed product design (e.g. with our communications, partnerships and books teams) stay true to our overall programme intent (ie. against objectives that will include impact and supporting income generation). 

The role will have accountability for innovation in programmes - ensuring that we make rapid progress against our riskiest assumptions using design-thinking approaches to help us define and activate opportunities quickly. 

Please apply through our website and attach your CV and covering letter showing how you meet the person specification and your motivations for applying for the role in addition to answering one of the following questions: 

1. How would you go about setting and maintaining an organisational standard around co-design and inclusive design? How would you balance practical considerations and limitations with best-in-class approaches? 
2. What are the key features of a high performing Programme Design Team and what approaches would you take to help the team achieve excellence?

Your covering letter should not be longer than 2 pages.

For more information and the person specification, please download the full job description.

Closing date: Friday 22nd May

We may choose to close applications early if we have received sufficient numbers of quality applications, so please don’t wait until the closing date to apply.

Are you a bold communicator who knows a great story when you see one? Do you want your work to genuinely matter - amplifying the voices of people who need to be heard, shifting public perception of social care, and putting a passionate, values-driven charity on the national map? 
 
Community Integrated Care is one of the UK's largest social care charities, supporting thousands of people with learning disabilities or mental health conditions to live the lives they choose.

​As we launch our new five-year strategy, Best Lives Bolder this is a defining moment for our organisation. We are setting out to be even more creative, courageous and influential in how we champion the people we support and drive change across the sector.

​We're looking for an exceptional PR & Media Manager to lead our media function and help us tell our story with ambition, imagination and impact - playing a pivotal role in bringing our Best Lives, Bolder vision to life through powerful storytelling and high-impact media engagement.

​This is a full time permanent, national role with hybrid working. You will be required to work from our head office at least once a week, so our ideal candidate will be based within an hour's commute of Widnes, Cheshire.

​What is "The Deal" for you?

• Flexibility: You can work your 37.5 hours over 4 days and enjoy a long weekend, or split the hours over 5 days to accommodate your other commitments.
• Pension: contributory pension scheme
• Benefits: retail discounts, holiday discounts, cycle to work scheme and travel discounts through our benefits app
• Best Lives Possible: You'll be working for an award winning charity who is passionate about ensuring our colleagues and the people we support lead the best lives bolder 
• Development: We'll work with you to develop your career or to learn and experience new things. We're passionate about developing our people! 
• Support: From our Employee Assistance Programme (available 24/7), financial support options, and wellbeing fund you'll have the support available to lead an easier (financial) life

This isn't a press office role. It's a platform for someone who wants to shape conversations, build national influence and champion the people at the heart of social care. 

What you’ll be doing:

• Developing and owning our national and regional Media & PR Strategy, aligned to our influencing and advocacy goals. 
• Proactively pitching compelling stories to secure high-quality national, regional, trade and broadcast coverage 
• Building and nurturing relationships with journalists, influencers and media contacts across care, sport, culture and nature sectors. 
• Leading crisis communications - protecting our reputation calmly and decisively when it matters most. 
• Translating complex policy and social care issues into accessible, powerful content for diverse audiences. 
• Collaborating closely with our Head of Influencing, Policy and Public Affairs to align media work with policy goals. 
• Working with our Partnerships & Communities team to turn high-profile community programmes and brand partnerships into media ready stories.
• Supporting and developing confident spokespeople at every level of the organisation.
• Monitoring coverage, producing insight-driven reports and keeping senior leaders informed on media trends and reputational risks. 

Our ideal candidate:

• ​Track record - Proven experience in a PR, media or communications role in the charity, public, health or social care sector. 
• ​Media instinct - You know a story, you know how to place it, and you know when to act fast. 
• ​Strategy - Experience designing and delivering media strategies with measurable outcomes. 
• ​Crisis management - Experience building proactive processes for reputation risks and leading calm, confident responses when issues arise.
• ​Relationships - A strong network of media contacts or the ability to build one quickly across sectors. 
• ​Storytelling - Exceptional writing, from press releases to opinion pieces to compelling human stories. 
• ​Collaboration - Proven ability to work across teams, influence senior leaders and align messaging. 
• ​Policy experience - Ability to turn complex social, regulatory or policy issues into content that lands with public and political audiences. 

Why join us

• You'll be working for an award-winning charity that’s passionate about ensuring our colleagues and the people we support lead the best lives possible.
• Flexible hours - work 37.5 hours over four days for a long weekend, or across five days to suit you. You can also work from home, with at least one day per week at our Widnes Head Office. 
• A collaborative, values-driven team where your work will be seen, valued and celebrated 
• Opportunities to travel nationally and attend sector events and media moments. 
• A contributory pension scheme to help you plan for the future. 
• Wellbeing support, including a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, financial support options and a wellbeing fund. Retail discounts, holiday deals, cycle to work scheme and travel discounts via our benefits app. 

If you're a bold, strategic communicator who wants to use your skills to change perceptions, influence policy and amplify the voices of people in social care - we'd love to hear from you.

​Please note, if you are interested in this role, we welcome your application as soon as possible! Depending on the volume of applications received, the vacancy may be closed before the expected advertising end date.

We’re really proud to be a Hive HR Employee Voice Certified organisation, a recognition that confirms our commitment to creating a culture where our colleagues are not only encouraged to share their thoughts, but where this feedback is actively sought and acted upon to drive positive change at every level.

In our 2025 Colleague Engagement Survey, 59% (nearly 3,800) of our people shared their feedback and insights, giving us an incredible Employee Net Promoter Score of +34.

The Employee Net Promoter Score is a measure of how willing our colleagues are to recommend us as a good place to work to their loved ones – and a score of +34 is considered a Very Good score when compared to global benchmarks set by hundreds of other organisations. 

Position: Area Fundraising Manager

Location: Barnsley, South Yorkshire

Hours: 30 hours per week, 1 day working from home allowance

Salary: £39,000 - £41,500 (FTE) depending on experience; (5% pension contribution), 33 days of annual leave entitlement (inclusive of bank holidays) pro rata

Contract type: 1 year fixed term but with the potential to extend with job role success

Reportable to: Head of Operations and Community Support

Direct reports: No direct reports but this role has the responsibility to line manage people as and when an appropriate need arises with business development.

Job Purpose

This is a unique and exciting opportunity for an experienced fundraiser.  This role won’t just be supporting fundraising internally but will be leading a fundraising change across the borough. As our Area Fundraising Manager, you will lead a new strategy to transform how our communities give, collaborate and create impact.  You’ll organise large‑scale fundraising initiatives that bring the whole town together from landmark public events to innovative collective campaigns to smaller, targeted initiatives.  As our role as an infrastructure charity, we have a vision to help generate more sustainable income for a wide range of VCSE organisations in Barnsley whilst bringing people together to proudly support the brilliant charities, social enterprises and groups who hold up our communities every day.

You’ll also work closely with our members across the sector to build confidence, skills and long‑term capability, delivering or facilitating high‑quality fundraising training, mentoring and resources. Your efforts will be particularly focused in the areas of regular giving, events, corporate income and fundraising strategies. Through your guidance, local organisations will build skills, ambition and long‑term resilience ensuring no organisation is left behind because of confidence, connections or know‑how.

You won’t just be supporting others but you will play a pivotal role to help Barnsley CVS grow stronger.  One day per week will be spent supporting our own initiatives to generate sustainable income that helps Barnsley CVS expand its support offer, deepen its impact and champion the sector long into the future.  This could be anything from supporting bid writing to exploring new income streams to innovative fundraising.

Benefits

· 5% pension contribution

· 33 days of annual leave pro rata which increases with length of service

· Enhanced sick pay with length of service

· Flexible working with an easy to manage toil system

· Enhanced maternity leave

· Discounts on local Barnsley Gyms

Job Purpose

The Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) Lead will play a central role in ensuring that the voices of patients, carers, and communities, particularly those experiencing the poorest cancer outcomes, are embedded in the design, delivery, and evaluation of cancer services across Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Firmly embedded within the Cancer Alliance Early Diagnosis Team, the postholder will lead the development and delivery of a coordinated PPI approach that strengthens community insight, supports co‑production, and ensures that early diagnosis initiatives are shaped by lived experience and community need.

The role will act as a bridge between the Cancer Alliance, Spring North, VCFSE partners, and local communities, ensuring that engagement is inclusive, culturally competent, and aligned with NHS England’s Working with People and Communities guidance.

The Youth Endowment Fund  

Senior Change Manager, Children’s Services 

Reports to: Head of Change, Children’s Services 

Salary:£54,300 per annum, depending on experience  

Location:  Central London or Hybrid*(see below) 

Contract: 2-year fixed term contract

Closing date for applications: 12 pm on Monday, 1st June 2026 

Interview dates: Week commencing 15th June 2026 

About the Youth Endowment Fund 

All of us will experience violence at some point in our lives. For many children, it is a daily reality. Each year, tens of children are killed, hundreds are hospitalised, 1 in 5 teenage children are victims and the majority admit to feeling afraid of violence. It scares them when they travel home from school, prevents them from going out and makes the most vulnerable feel like they don’t matter. It is taking lives, traumatising families and dividing communities. It robs potential, progress and hope.    

But it doesn’t have to be this way.    

The Youth Endowment Fund believes that no child should be affected by violence. We research violence to understand it; we find, fund and test what works to prevent it; and we are building a movement to end it.   

A big part of the movement that we need to build is in the world of children’s services. We need to inspire and connect with senior leaders in England and Wales to spread what works and make our country safer for some of our most vulnerable children. We need someone who can deliver this whilst understanding and working within the context of the major sector reforms that are currently being delivered via the Families First Partnership programme. 

Key Responsibilities  

We are at an exciting moment in our work. In June we will publish our children’s services practice guidance, setting out the evidence for what works to reduce serious youth violence in the children’s services sector. 

We have plans to work with the sector over the rest of the financial year and beyond, including designing a self-assessment tool to help senior sector leaders benchmark their existing practice against the evidence. We will also launch a new change programme, working hand-in-hand with the sector to implement the evidence for what works, gaining valuable insights in the process.

Your role is to help us turn these plans into a reality. 

This will include launching the self-assessment tool and promoting its use within the sector. It will also involve planning, designing and delivering the change programme to turn the theory into reality.

You will also contribute by designing and delivering a range of sector engagement activities, such as webinars, events and learning opportunities, that reach the sector, helping to build momentum, understanding and commitment across children’s services.

Lastly, you will support the Head of Change for Children’s Services with government engagement as required and support the establishment of a new network for senior sector leaders to share the latest evidence and best practice. 

Key responsibilities will include: 

• Supporting the launch and roll-out of the children’s services self-assessment tool, driving up demand and ensuring widespread completion of the tool across the sector; 

• Work hands-on with Local Authorities to help them put evidence into practice via our change programme; planning, delivering and learning as the work continues; 

• Continuously capture and act on learning from the self-assessment tool and deep dive change programme to inform future work; 

• Supporting the design and roll-out of a children’s services network to spread learning of what works to reduce serious youth violence; 

• Spend time genuinely understanding the pressures, priorities and constraints facing children’s services leaders to inform our longer-term approach to change. 

As part of your wider contribution to the organisation, you will also: 

• Build a culture where it is natural to perform well and support colleagues brilliantly.

• Contribute to setting the strategy, delivering results and building and modelling the culture that we need to succeed.

You are this sort of person: 

• You are fascinated about change and are experienced in making it happen. You have outstanding analytical judgment alongside the emotional intelligence and experience needed to identify the right opportunities for change, then make them happen. You understand why people find change difficult. You come alive talking about how people make decisions and why they do the things they do. 

• You understand the children’s services sector. You understand how the sector really works. This could include experience of working with/supporting senior sector leaders to facilitate change and improvement that improves the lives of young people.

• You win people over. People tend to warm to you and respect you. You have built good relationships with very senior people and with very junior people. You are good at chairing meetings, connecting people and having good introductory meetings. You are comfortable talking to a government minister, a youth worker, a company CEO, a social worker and a 15-year-old student. Listening to people from all backgrounds matters to you.

• You have experience of developing resources which support children’s services. You understand and take a curious approach to learning about the needs of sector leaders. You are able to skilfully translate these insights into helpful resources and tools which support leaders to improve practice. 

• You learn fast but remain humble. You are very quick at getting your head around things. You like learning. You are very good at synthesising information. You know how much you don't know. You know that you can learn more. You know that it's easy to assume you know when you don't. You care more that good things happen than who gets the credit. You are a great and supportive team player. 

• You don't want your days to pass without making a difference. You want to play a significant part in reducing violence.

• You understand young people. You understand what the lives of vulnerable young people can be like, and you understand some of the organisations that work with them, ideally through first-hand experience.

• You are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. 

You must have this sort of experience 

• Delivering positive change within children’s services: You have significant experience of working with sector leaders to support the development and improvement of practice.

While it’s not a criteria, we’re especially interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of violence affecting children and young people. 

It’s also important to us that the people we hire do not discriminate. We believe in being inclusive and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation, transgender status or social economic background.

All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process. In line with the Equality Act 2010, however, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well. 

Hybrid Working 

The office is based in Central London. Those living in and around London are expected to be in the office a minimum of 2 days per week. If you live outside of London and work remotely, you’ll be expected to work from the London office 2 days per month. 

To Apply 

Please click on the "Apply for this" button and submit your CV, your completed monitoring form and ensure your covering letter answers the following three questions below. Please submit your application by Monday 1st June 2026 at 12pm. 

Application Questions 

1. How have you used evidence to deliver effective change and improve outcomes? How did you gather and use the evidence and influence senior leaders to act differently? 

1. Describe your experience and understanding of working in or with the children’s services sector, in particular working with senior sector leaders. Please be specific about the context and impact you made.

1. What personal and professional experiences shape your understanding of the children’s services sector and its role in preventing youth violence? 

As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at the interview stage. 

Interview Process 

This will be a two-stage interview process. Interviews will take place the week of 15th June 2025. 

Please Note: We do not sponsor work permits and you will be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK. 

Benefits Include 

• £1,000 professional development budget annually 

• 25 days annual leave, 3 days end of year shut down, plus Bank Holidays 

• Four half days for volunteering activities 

• Employee Assistance Programme – 24hr phone line for free confidential support 

• Volunteering days - 4 half days per year 

• Death in service - 4 times annual salary 

• Flexible hours. Core office hours 10am – 4pm 

• Financial support including travel and hardship loans 

• Employer contributed pension of 5%. 

Your Data 

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful, and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area. 
 

About Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT)

JRCT is a grant-making Quaker Trust that supports people who are passionate about making a positive difference; whether they are advocating for some of the most vulnerable people in our society, promoting nonviolent responses to conflict, or taking steps towards an environmentally sustainable future.

Every year JRCT makes grants for all kinds of charitable work, from grassroots community groups to well-established charities working to build a peaceful and just world. We aim to be a responsive and supportive funder, working to strengthen the hands of people who are tackling the root causes of conflict and injustice.

In 2019, the Trust announced plans to significantly increase annual grant spending to over £10 million per year for the next ten years. The Trust further increased its grant-making in response to the Covid-19 crisis. Since then, we have grown our programme staff team in order to better support increased grant portfolios. 

Having publicly recognised the ways in which the Trust benefited from or contributed to oppressive practices including enslavement, indenture, colonialism, and Apartheid, JRCT has hired a Head of Reparations and made a commitment to a multi-million programme of reparative justice, the first phase of which will take place between 2026 and 2029. 

Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust currently runs five grant programmes: Peace and Security, Rights and Justice, Power and Accountability, Sustainable Future, and Northern Ireland as well as a Grassroots Movements pilot fund.

About the Role

As Executive Assistant, Reparations, this role supports the Head of Reparations and enables the smooth administrative and support aspects of the Head of Reparations’ affairs.

You will support the Head of Reparations in the effective execution of the reparations projects, which will include coordinating project activities, maintaining meticulous project and workplan documentation, managing communication within the reparations team, with the wider JRCT team, and with external stakeholders. Your role will also extend to scheduling and organising meetings, maintaining clear records, and aiding in the organisation of project tasks. You will work in an administrative capacity to ensure that project deadlines are kept and deliverables are met. As the reparations projects will involve extensive work with stakeholders in Africa and thew Caribbean, familiarity with African and Caribbean cultures, as well as relevant multi-lingual and / or multi-cultural competencies will be essential. 

This is a hybrid role requiring in-office attendance once or twice a week. The position is fixed-term until  April 2029, with a salary of £47,814 per annum.

The role is for 35 hours a week, and we are open to flexible working patterns.  We try to schedule meetings to accommodate caring responsibilities. Someone working remotely would be required to come to the York office for up to four days per month and also travel to meetings with some occasional overnight stays.

About the Mercury

The Mercury creates and shares stories that are exhilarating, revelatory and relevant. Through the reinvention of classic texts and the creation of bold, new writing, we believe that the transformative power of theatre can enrich the lives of our community.

The Mercury is a significant regional developer of new talent, working with a range of partners across the arts, education and creative industries to deliver a studio programme and a learning, participation and professional development programme aimed at nurturing the next generation of theatre makers.

Everything we do is driven by our values of quality, innovation, diversity, and connection.

About your new role

Are you a commercially minded fundraiser, passionate about garnering support for a cause you love? Come and join #TeamMercury as our new Head of Development and Partnerships.

We are looking for someone with a strong track record in identifying and securing funding, building commercial partnerships, and nurturing meaningful strategic relationships that drive sustainable growth.

You will lead on securing income from Trusts and Foundations, statutort funders, lottery sources, individuals, corporate partnerships, membership schemes and commercial coproduction investments.

The successful candidate is creative, highly collaborative and forward-thinking. You will bring experience across a range of fundraising approaches and the ability to make the most of a mix of commercial streams. We would love to hear from you!

To find out more, download the candidate pack.

Applications close at 10am on Monday 18 May 2026. First round of interviews will take place on Wednesday, 27 May 2026.

Job Title: Head of Finance

Duration: Permanent

Hours: 36 hours per week – Monday to Friday

Salary: £62,300 per annum, plus pension and benefits

Location: Hybrid – Homebased and National Office, Northampton

Overall job purpose

To lead and develop the Finance team and provide financial management and business support. To lead CCT’s audit process, month-end process and the Trust’s investments and banking services. To support the Director of Finance and Commercial on projects as required.

The Head of Finance will have responsibility for managing the Trust’s accounting system.  The postholder will also lead the annual audit, month end reporting and investment and banking services.  Working closely with the Director of Finance and Commercial and Finance Analyst, they will provide internal and external stakeholders with the necessary financial reports to manage Trust business.

This role is also responsible for deputising for the Director of Finance & Commercial in their absence.

If you would like to apply for this role, please visit our recruitment portal to begin your application. You will be asked to submit a CV and a short supporting statement (max 2 sides A4) outlining why you’d like to apply and how you fulfil the person specification for this post, so you’ll need to refer to the job description.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 8am on Thursday 21st May 2026.

The interviews will take place in Northampton on Monday 1st June 2026. Please note that the interview date and location have been specifically chosen according to the availability of the panel.

​We have recently published our TRUST values, which outline the behaviours and expectations that act as our foundations at CCT. We have attached the pack, outlining each value, which we will also be using as part of our shortlisting and interview process to find the right candidates that align with our values.

Please note: As part of our recruitment process, we undertake candidate psychometric testing, you will receive an email following your application submission asking you to complete a series of activities.

All successful applicants will be subject to a basic DBS, credit check, references and right to work checks.

We are a Disability Confident Committed Employer. Candidates who declare that they have a disability and who meet the essential criteria for the job will be offered an interview.

If you have any queries about this role, or if you have a disability and wish to request a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us.

We are an inclusive employer and offer equal opportunities to all regardless of an individual’s age, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We are not a licensed sponsor at this time. Any offer of employment will be made subject to valid right to work in the UK being provided.

This is a new role, expanding the management team in our Services team, and providing some additional focus for our grant making, commissioning and direct service provision work.

This is an exciting time to be joining our team. Our grant making work is providing support for wellbeing services across the county, in addition to the £5m Sunflower Appeal, which will provide a major capital grant for a new cancer centre at the Princess Royal Hospital, Telford. We have recently begun commissioning services directly, with our counselling service for family and carers of cancer patients being our first step into this way of working.

There are huge opportunities to develop our work further. Our Bins for Boys project launched in 2024, and we want to see Bins for Boys venues across our region by 2028. Our monitoring, evaluation and impact work is building, and there is grant potential to shape how we report on the value our work has to the communities around us.

We are looking for someone who is a confident communicator, able to develop strong partnerships and has the skill to understand and interpret new project ideas. A clinical background is not a requirement, but a genuine interest in how we can make a difference for people living with cancer is essential.

Our ideal candidate will have an understanding of managing grant-funded projects, a creative approach to challenges and a supportive attitude to managing others. They will be able to navigate complex governance and work with internal and external stakeholders effectively. They will have the ability to see and realise opportunities for income generation to support their work.

This role will work alongside the Head of Services (Cancer Awareness), and there is an expectation of close collaboration and cross-working between the two sides of the team. It will also form part of the wider Lingen Davies management team, attending senior team meetings and collaborating with others to ensure smooth running and development across the charity.

Please note, this role requires travel across our large, rural region. Therefore, a UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle is essential.

Today, 12 children and young people will be diagnosed with cancer. We’ll stop at nothing to make sure they get the right care and support at the right time.  ​

• Directorate: Innovation, Policy & Systems Change
• Reporting into: Associate Director of Research, Learning and Systems Change
• Colleagues reporting into role: No direct reports at present. However, coaching and managing of volunteers and/or consultants is expected. 
• Location: You can be home-based anywhere in the UK, with travel for meetings. You can also choose to work from our Bristol or London offices.
• Closing date: Monday 8 June at 12 midday
• Interview dates: Monday 15 June and Tuesday 16 June (please tell us in your application if you cannot attend interview on one of these days)

Change lives in a life-changing career

When a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer, their whole world can feel like it’s falling apart. Independence is taken and confidence is stolen. Stability no longer exists. The future suddenly feels uncertain.

The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical. And that impact can be felt by entire family. That’s why we exist. Our specialist social workers help children and young people with cancer and their families navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer.

We remove barriers, solve problems and prioritise well-being. And we stop at nothing to make their voices heard and their unique needs understood, so they can get the right care and support at the right time.

About the role

We’re looking for a Head of Research & Evidence to join our ambitious Research, Learning & Systems Change Team. 

Young Lives vs Cancer has a strong and growing commitment to changing the system for children and young people with cancer, and their loved ones. Our North Star vision and Time is Now Strategy focus on influencing how the wider system works – from services and policy to practice on the ground – so that families get the support they need.

The Head of Research and Evidence sits in the Research, Learning & Systems Change team, within our Innovation, Policy & Systems Change Directorate. The role is responsible for ensuring our work is grounded in strong, credible and useful evidence, and that learning is actively used to shape decisions, practice and change across the system.

This is a leadership role within a small but ambitious team. You will set direction and provide thought leadership, but you will also be hands on – designing, commissioning, managing and using research alongside colleagues and partners.

Building trusted relationships and using evidence to influence thinking and action are central. You will work with colleagues, children and young people, families, and partner organisations (such as the North Star Cancer Collective) to learn, strengthen credibility and create change.

This role is subject to a Criminal Record Check. In the event of a successful application, a Basic Criminal Record Check will be completed. A previous conviction is not necessarily a barrier to employment. We encourage qualified applicants to apply, and we will consider each case individually.

What will I be doing?

No two days are the same at Young Lives vs Cancer. So, summarising your ‘day to day’ isn’t easy. You’ll work as part of a strong internal team, collaborating closely with colleagues across the organisation and with key external partners to generate, use and apply evidence that supports learning, influence and system change. Here are some of the main things you’ll be doing, but you’ll find more details in the job description and pack:

• You’ll be setting the direction for research and learning, leading a clear and purposeful research programme focused on the psychosocial experiences of children and young people with cancer. You’ll ensure research is high‑quality, ethical and impactful, including commissioning work with partners and contributing to research funding bids.

• You’ll be understanding needs and experiences to grow a strong, credible evidence base, building and using robust evidence on need, inequality, impact and progress to inform strategy, services, policy and system change. You’ll ensure children, young people and families meaningfully shape research and that insight is shared in clear, practical ways.

• You’ll be providing system insight and leadership, analysing how the system works, identifying trends and pressures, and using evidence to guide where change is most needed. You’ll build trusted relationships across the voluntary sector, NHS and research community, sharing learning and strengthening our credibility and influence.

• You’ll be turning learning into action and influence, helping teams apply research to real‑world practice and supporting testing, learning and improvement over time. You’ll put feedback and learning loops in place and assess how research‑informed change is affecting practice and outcomes.

What do I need? 

Diverse perspectives and unique skill sets are at the heart of Young Lives vs Cancer. If you're passionate about making a positive impact and eager to learn, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet the criteria and person specification fully. Your potential is what matters most to us, and we’re committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment to help you develop.

The key skills we’re looking for in this role are:

• Experience leading and delivering research, including setting direction, choosing methods, commissioning or carrying out research, analysing data, and ensuring high quality and ethical practice.

• Strong research and analytical skills, with confidence working with both qualitative and quantitative data and evidence, and turning insight into practical action.

• Experience using evidence to support change, such as shaping strategy, influencing policy, improving services or supporting system change.

• Experience working across organisations, building trusted relationships with colleagues, partners, and where appropriate, children, young people and families.

• Ability to communicate complex research clearly and accessibly to different audiences, in writing and in conversation.

• A collaborative way of working, with strong people skills, curiosity and a learning mindset, and a clear commitment to equity, inclusion and anti‑oppressive practice.

What will I gain?

For people to reach their full potential, they need the right environment. As a member of Team Young Lives, you’ll be made to feel supported, valued and appreciated. Here’s how we do it:

• Flexible working: we’re open to working hours outside of 9 - 5 and we can talk through your flexibility requirements at interview stage
• Well-being, Thinking & Growth Days: four days a year to to step back from the day-to-day and focus on your own learning and development
• Generous annual leave allowance
• Great family/caring leave entitlements
• Enhanced pension
• Access to our employee savings scheme

To find out more about our benefits package, have a look on our website.

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

At Young Lives vs Cancer, we recognise that opportunities for too many people remain a condition of their sex, ethnicity, class, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation – or a combination. This has never been acceptable to us as an organisation. We don’t just accept difference, we value it, celebrate it, nurture it and we thrive because of it.

We’re on a journey to be reflective of the diverse children, young people and families we support. We know we aren’t there yet, and we’re passionately committed to taking actions and making changes to be a truly diverse, inclusive and equitable organisation. This includes taking anti-oppressive action and removing barriers in our recruitment practices. Our Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging strategy will tell you more.

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value AI adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to tell us about your skills and experiences in your own voice.

Accessibility

We’re committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always aim to be as accommodating as possible. Please let us know in your application form of any adjustments or access requirements we could make to help you with the application process and interview.

To hear more about this role, please sign up to one of our informal drop in sessions taking place at 12:30pm on Tuesday 26th May and 17:30pm on Monday 01st June.

#ShowTheSalary #NonGraduatesWelcome

Are you passionate about children’s literacy? Do you want to use your skills and experience to enable opportunity for children living with little or no access to books and reading? Can you help create a home environment where reading for pleasure is part of the fabric of family life? If so, read on - we may have just the job for you here at Doorstep Library!

We are now looking for a second Service Deilvery Manager to share the delivery of our reading projects across London to ensure that all of our projects are delivered to schedule and our families and children are supported. You will directly manage half of our small team of amazing delivery staff, who work part-time during term time, supporting them to deliver our volunteer-led reading sessions and creating a positive culture of inclusion, development, and above all – fun!

This is an excellent opportunity for a service-focussed, poeple manager to apply and develop their skills in the non-profit sector and help us to help more children read for pleasure and see where words will take them. 

Location: Northmead House, Creekmoor, Poole, Dorset – CAN operates hybrid working

Salary: £31,500

Hours: 37 hrs per week

Contract: 12 months initially

Closing date: 1st June (midnight)

Interviews: 10th June in person at our Creekmoor offices

Help strengthen communities across BCP 

Community Action Network (CAN) works alongside voluntary, community and faith sector (VCS) organisations so they can focus on what matters most: supporting people and communities. We’re now looking for an Infrastructure & Partnerships Officer to help deliver our commissioned service in partnership with VCS organisations and BCP Council Children and Young People Partnership colleagues.

About the role 

You’ll be a delivery-focused connector, supporting VCS organisations with practical organisational support, strengthening relationships between the sector and statutory partners, and helping local services work better together for children, young people and families.

This role is about turning plans into action and building trust, supporting

collaboration and ensuring community organisations can contribute effectively to local priorities.

About you 

You’ll bring experience of working in the voluntary, community or public sector, confidence building partnerships, and a strong commitment to inclusion, co-production and community development. You’ll be organised, approachable and comfortable working across the BCP area.

Our commitment to inclusion 

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and identities and are committed to being an inclusive, anti-discriminatory employer.

Why Join Us?
At CAN, you’ll be part of a dynamic team making a real difference in Dorset. We offer a supportive and flexible working environment, opportunities for professional development, and the chance to shape the future of a vital local charity.

We offer a competitive salary and great benefits, including contributory pension scheme, 25 days holiday (pro-rata) plus all bank holidays, season train ticket loan, flexible working and much more.

About you

We are seeking an ambitious leader to drive complex healthcare policy initiatives and high-level programmes of work. As a subject matter expert in policy and standards, you will balance a passion for innovation with an unwavering commitment to customer service. If you have a proven track record of turning healthcare strategy into decisive action, we want to hear from you.

About the College

The Royal College of Pathologists is a professional membership organisation with charitable status concerned with all matters relating to the science and practice of pathology. It is a body of its Fellows, Diplomates, Affiliates and trainees, supported by the staff who are based at the College's London offices.

The College is a charity with over 13000 members worldwide. The majority of members are doctors and scientists working in hospitals and universities in the UK.

The College oversees the training of pathologists and scientists working in 17 different specialties, which include cellular pathology, haematology, clinical biochemistry and medical microbiology.

Although some pathologists work in laboratories, many work directly with patients in hospitals and the community. Together, they are involved in the majority of all diagnoses and play an important role in disease prevention, treatment, and monitoring. If you have ever had a blood test, cervical smear or tissue biopsy, a pathologist will have been involved in your care.