Head of development jobs in maesteg, bridgend county borough

We are looking for a dynamic, values-led, strategic leader to drive our mission for migration justice and social work solidarity. The role entails oversight of the operations and strategy of the organisation, responsibility for financial management and fundraising, maintaining the health of the organisation and embedding anti-racist and anti-opressive values into every aspect of the organisation. 

UnLtd is a vibrant, ambitious organisation at the heart of the UK’s social enterprise sector. As a key stakeholder and leading funder and supporter of social entrepreneurs, we continuously learn and adapt to better meet their needs and maximise their impact.

We are seeking a talented Communications Manager to amplify UnLtd’s voice and influence within the sector while shining a spotlight on the incredible work of social entrepreneurs. This role is about balance: telling inspiring stories that bring their journeys to life, while also demonstrating measurable outcomes, addressing challenges, and showcasing how our unique funding and support model drives impact.

As a core member of a small, collaborative team, you will create and deliver high-quality communications across multiple channels. Your work will include managing media relations, overseeing day-to-day digital communications and social media, updating and optimising website content, producing marketing and campaign materials, managing communications projects, and supporting events.

We are looking for someone with experience in a broad communications role, including press office expertise, who thrives in a dynamic environment and brings a proactive, learning mindset. The potential for impact is significant: your work will strengthen UnLtd’s positioning as the UK’s leading organisation backing social entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey, while engaging funders, partners, and communities to build a fairer, brighter future together.

About Kinship

We are Kinship. The leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. We’re here for kinship carers – friends or family who step up to raise a child when their parents aren’t able to. 

Together, let’s commit to change for kinship families.

About the role

Kinship is undertaking a major feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of Kinship Connected. This is aligned with recommendations set out in the Kinship Care Practice Guide published by Foundations (2024) and builds on evidence from the Kinship Navigator intervention of support for kinship carers in the USA. 

This feasibility RCT is a complex, multi-partner programme involving: 

• An active funding partner 
• An independent evaluation team 
• 5 participating local authorities (to be confirmed) 
• Internal delivery teams and cross organisational services 
• Kinship carers and lived experience subject experts

This role leads and supports the staff team delivering one-to-one navigator-style support to kinship carers as part of the Kinship Connected feasibility randomised controlled trial. You will ensure the team provides consistent, high quality, relational support that reflects Kinship’s values and trauma-informed practice. 

You will work closely with the Mobilisation and Delivery Project Manager and will share responsibility for ensuring high quality performance across the feasibility trial. You will both work closely with the core project team and partners. 

The Programmes Manager leads practice quality, staff development, safeguarding and relational delivery. The Mobilisation and Delivery Project Manager leads operational quality, systems, processes, data and compliance. Together you make sure the trial is delivered ethically, consistently and to a very high standard.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead the day-to-day practice and relational delivery of the Kinship Connected (Navigator) support model.

• Support Kinship Family Workers to deliver high quality, trauma-informed and strengths-based support to kinship carers.

• Ensure clear case management, boundaries, risk management and reflective practice.

• Embed the delivery approach set out in the Intervention Protocol and Kinship Navigator Service Manual.

• Ensure equity, accessibility and inclusion in all aspects of delivery, with particular focus on minoritised ethnic kinship families. 

• Maintain delivery tracking and operational dashboards.

• Provide high quality line management, reflective supervision and pastoral support to Kinship Family Workers

Essential knowledge and experience includes:

• Strong experience leading frontline delivery teams providing emotional, relational or social care support.

• Proven track record ensuring high quality casework, assessments, boundaries and risk management.

• Experience delivering strengths-based, trauma-informed and evidence-informed approaches.

• Substantial experience in line managing practitioners, delivering reflective supervision and supporting wellbeing.

• Experience leading high performing dispersed teams with confidence, consistency and compassion.

• Experience managing change and supporting staff through shifting delivery requirements.

• Strong background in safeguarding decision making, case discussions and organisational safeguarding culture. 

What we’ll offer you 

Kinship offers 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time). We have an excellent wellbeing offer including the Employee Assistance Programme and clinical supervision. We will invest in your professional development with training and career development opportunities.

Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.  We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams.  We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work. We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us.

Key dates:

Application deadline:  11.59pm, Sunday 4 January 2026

First interview: Friday 9 January 2026 (online)

Second interview:Wednesday 14 January 2026 (in-person, London)

How to apply

Respond on CharityJobs to these 5 questions, along with your CV:

1. What is it about Kinship’s mission and values that motivates you to lead the delivery of relational support for kinship carers, and how would these values shape your approach as a Programmes Manager?

2. Describe a time you led or supported a team delivering emotional or relational support. How did you ensure consistent, high-quality practice?

3. Give an example of how you have developed or supported practitioners through reflective supervision, coaching or managing difficult practice situations. What approach did you take and why?

4. Describe a situation where you had to make or support a safeguarding decision. How did you balance risk, judgement and support for staff?

5. Tell us about a time you worked with a local authority, commissioner or another external partner to resolve a challenge or improve delivery. What did you do?

We are looking to fill this role quickly and reserve the right to close a recruitment campaign earlier than the advertised where we have received sufficient applications so please apply early! 

About Kinship

We are Kinship. The leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. We’re here for kinship carers – friends or family who step up to raise a child when their parents aren’t able to. 

Together, let’s commit to change for kinship families.

About the role

Kinship is undertaking a major feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of Kinship Connected. This is aligned with recommendations set out in the Kinship Care Practice Guide published by Foundations (2024) and builds on evidence from the Kinship Navigator intervention of support for kinship carers in the USA. 

This feasibility RCT is a complex, multi-partner programme involving: 

• An active funding partner 
• An independent evaluation team 
• 5 participating local authorities (to be confirmed) 
• Internal delivery teams and cross organisational services 
• Kinship carers and lived experience subject experts

The Mobilisation and Delivery Project Manager is the operational engine of the programme, ensuring that every workstream is scoped, resourced, sequenced, delivered and evidenced, and that Kinship is trial-ready, compliant, and well-coordinated through set-up and delivery.

This role needs someone who is an excellent communicator, highly organised, unflappable, curious, and able to sit comfortably in the detail. The successful person will keep a firm grip on timelines, dependencies and risks.

You will manage a Programmes Officer as well as the set-up, processes, documentation, reporting, trial readiness, communications and cross-team coordination. You will work closely with the Programmes Manager who will share responsibility for ensuring high quality performance across the feasibility trial. You will both work closely with the core project team and partners.

You will lead operational quality, systems, processes, data, and compliance. The Programmes Manager will lead practice quality, staff development and supervision, safeguarding and relational delivery. Together you make sure the trial is delivered ethically, consistently and to a very high standard. 

Key responsibilities include:

• ​Lead the mobilisation plan across all workstreams and ensure trial readiness.
• Develop all processes, documentation and operational frameworks in line with the intervention protocol.
• Coordinate local authority onboarding, staff training and internal operational setup with the Programmes Manager.
• Work with internal Kinship teams to ensure everyone has clear expectations and is held to account for their performance during mobilisation and delivery – owning the workstreams.

• Ensure weekly pipeline monitoring for treatment and control recruitment.

• Work with the Programmes Manager and Kinship Family Workers to strengthen referral and screening processes where appropriate.

• Identify recruitment risks early and drive rapid problem-solving. 

• Maintain delivery tracking and operational dashboards.

• Identify throughput or workload risks and support adjustments. 

• Lead operational quality assurance (QA) including data quality checks, file audits and process compliance. 

• Coordinate data collection, monitoring and data quality for evaluator requirements (both treatment and control).

Essential knowledge and experience includes:

• Project Management Qualification or commensurate experience.

• Significant experience managing complex projects or programmes with multiple partners and tight delivery requirements.

• Proven experience designing and maintaining structured workflows, operational systems and project plans in fast-paced environments.

• Experience coordinating across multidisciplinary teams without direct line management responsibility.

• Strong background in quality assurance, process improvement and operational risk management.

• Experience translating evaluation, compliance or regulatory requirements into practical delivery processes.

• Experience developing and maintaining documentation, SOPs, manuals and operational toolkits.

• Experience working with data for monitoring, decision making and evaluation readiness.

• Proven ability to ensure data quality, consistency and audit readiness.

What we’ll offer you 

Kinship offers 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time). We have an excellent wellbeing offer including the Employee Assistance Programme and clinical supervision. We will invest in your professional development with training and career development opportunities.

Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.  We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams.  We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work. We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us.

Key dates:

Application deadline: 11.59pm, Sunday 4 January 2026

First interview: Thursday 8 January 2026 (online)

Second interview:Wednesday 14 January 2026 (in-person, London)

How to apply

Respond on CharityJobs to these 5 questions, along with your CV:

1. Kinship’s mission and values emphasise putting kinship families first, being bold, stepping up and working stronger together. What motivates you to apply for this role, and how would these values shape how you lead mobilisation and delivery?

2. Describe a time you managed a complex programme or project with multiple partners or workstreams. What approach did you take to keep delivery coordinated and on track?

3. Give an example of how you improved data quality, compliance or process consistency. What actions did you take and what was the outcome?

4. Tell us about a situation where you worked closely with colleagues delivering frontline or relational support to solve a delivery or operational challenge. What did you do to ensure alignment and shared ownership?

5. Describe a time you worked in a fast-changing or uncertain environment. How did you stay grounded, support others and keep delivery moving forward? 

We are looking to fill this role quickly and reserve the right to close a recruitment campaign earlier than the advertised where we have received sufficient applications so please apply early!