Head of education advocacy jobs

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.

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.

Location: London-only (a minimum of three days in our South London Centre per week) 

1st stage interviews: 01/06 and 02/06

2nd stage interviews: 09/06

At The King's Trust, every relationship we build helps young people across the UK turn potential into opportunity. As a Senior Head of Collective Philanthropy, based in London, you will lead one of our most influential fundraising portfolios, shaping high-value collective giving that fuels life-changing programmes. You will oversee flagship initiatives, Women Supporting Women and the Enterprise Fellowship, working at the heart of a charity that blends entrepreneurial drive with deep social impact. 

This is a senior leadership role with real scope. You will inspire and empower a specialist team to deliver multi-million-pound income, stewarding six and seven-figure gifts while developing new networks of committed supporters. Working closely with senior volunteers, trustees, ambassadors and colleagues across the Trust, you will create compelling philanthropic opportunities that reflect both donor ambition and the realities facing young people today. Strategic thinking, disciplined financial management and first-class relationship-building sit at the centre of your work. 

Joining The King's Trust means joining an organisation defined by optimism, integrity and belief in young people. From our South London Centre, you will play a visible role during a landmark period for the charity, helping shape the future of collective philanthropy while modelling inclusive, values-led leadership. This is a rare opportunity to combine senior fundraising expertise with a clear social mission and lasting national impact. 

What happens next?  

Please submit a CV and a Cover Letter that includes your experience, transferable skills and motivation to work for The King's Trust! The Team will be in touch about the next steps shortly after the closing date. 

Why do we need a Senior Head of Collective Philanthropy? 

Last year, we helped more than 40,000 Young People, with three in four young people on our programmes moving into a positive outcome in work, education or training. The young people we help face a range of challenges, such as unemployment, mental health issues or some who have been in trouble with the law. We believe all young people should have the chance to succeed, and that young people are the key to a positive and prosperous future for all of us. We want to continue having a positive impact on young people’s lives, and we couldn’t do this without the important work of our Senior Head of Collective Philanthropy! 

Perks for working at The Trust! 

• Great holiday package! 30 days annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays. Office closure on the days between Christmas and New Year 
• Flexible working! Where operationally possible, our roles require a combination of office days and working from home (please speak to the hiring manager about this particular role)
• You can volunteer for and/or attend events – The King's Trust Awards, Pride, active events, etc. 
• In-house learning platform! Develop your skills for your career and your role 
• Benefits platform! Everything from health and financial well-being support to discounts on your favourite restaurants, shops and cinemas. 
• Personal development opportunities through our Networks – KT CAN (Cultural Awareness Network), KT GEN (Gender Equality Network), KT DAWN (Disability & Wellbeing Network), and PULSE (LGBTQIA+ Network). 
• Fantastic Family leave! Receive 13 weeks of full pay and 13 weeks of half pay for maternity and adoption leave. Receive 8 weeks of full pay for paternity leave. 
• Interest-free season ticket loans 
• The Trust will contribute 5% of your salary to the Trust Pension Scheme 
• Generous life assurance cover (4 x annual salary) 

Head of Public Affairs

Over the past 2 years, GuildHE has been transforming into the voice for distinctive higher education providers, building our brand on the principle that diversity is necessary for a healthy and vibrant higher education sector.  We have a new look, a renewed energy, and a bold vision for the future of distinctive institutions. Now, we need the final piece of the puzzle: our first-ever Head of Public Affairs. 

This is a landmark appointment for us. As a newly-created role following our recent rebranding, you’ll be building our external presence, taking our fresh identity and the work we’ve undertaken so far to the next level as we seek to double-down on our high-impact advocacy and engagement work.

As our inaugural Head of Public Affairs, you will have a unique mandate to shape the way GuildHE interacts with the world, where you can:

• Own the Narrative: Take our new brand and shape the 'GuildHE voice' across Westminster, the media, and the wider HE sector.

• Build the Blueprint: You will have the autonomy to design our engagement frameworks from scratch—working with the Director of Policy and Strategy to decide how we influence policy and how we best champion the value of specialist education.

• Create a Legacy: Because this is a brand-new headcount, every success will be yours to claim. You are here to build a function that will help define our influence for the next decade.

Who we’re looking for

We’re looking for someone who will champion diversity in higher education. From world-leading arts and agricultural institutions to large and distinctive HE providers who serve their students, industries and communities in innovative ways, you will find the common threads that bind our members and weave them into a compelling national story. You aren’t just representing institutions; you’re representing a vision of a more varied, vibrant educational landscape.

We’re looking for pioneers, who are energised by the phrase, “we haven’t done that before.” We’ve done the work on our look and feel—now we need you to provide the megaphone. If you’re a strategist who loves the 'start-up' energy of building and expanding functions within a respected, established body, we want to hear from you.

This this is the right job for you?  Please send a cover letter explaining that to us (max 2 pgs) and a CV by the deadline.

Application closing date: May 22

Interviews: June 3-4

​SUMMARY​

​Position Title: Head of Programmes (CMDP) Mat-Cover

Level: Level 6

Salary: £40, 000 - 46, 000 (FTE yearly) 

Reports to: Director of Programmes and Partnerships

Location: The Liberation centre Brixton, London (New office in Brixton)/ Remote working within the UK with at least 2 days’ work from our office (Pro rata for part time)

Contract: Fulltime (40hrs/weekly), fixed-term maternity cover contract for 1 year with potential for Part time (e.g., 32hrs/weekly) extension subject to funding.

Hours: TAA has flexible working hours, with some expected evenings (e.g. one 9pm finish once every two weeks) and weekends due to the nature of the role. All extra hours are reimbursed as Time off in Lieu (TOIL).

Start date: As soon as possible(potentially June with consideration for notice period)

Benefits:  TAA laptop (employee assistance and health cash package including staff supervision, counselling, dental, optical care and more.).​

The Advocacy Academy is an activist youth movement. We serve as the political home for grassroots youth organising and the catalyst for collective action. The lives of the young people we work alongside have been directly shaped by living in an unjust world, and we exist to turn their anger into action.

Young people are often the catalysts for major social change, from the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, to the Soweto Uprising mobilising young people to resist the apartheid regime's education policies, to the Sunrise Movement redrawing the electoral map across America, and more recently encampments and protests across the world protesting the genocide in Palestine. How successfully they achieve real and lasting change depends on whether they are organised and whether they have the right strategy and tactics to be effective.​

We want youth organising to be enshrined in the UK for generations to come, and for young people to have tangible political power to influence national policy. That’s why we have launched two national coalitions, one around climate, and the other around gender. Each will train organisations across the country to become youth organisers, and work together to bring 100 young people together to identify the strategy and tactics needed to achieve change. These young leaders will organise others and work collectively to build a campaign which shakes the status quo.​

We are looking for a Head of Programmes who believes in this vision and is capable of building the leadership of young people that enables them to turn the resources they have into the power they need to make the change they want. It will be your job to help grow the Changemaker Development programme, train and organise Changemakers, create magic and spark the hope for something more! If this excites you, then please apply.

Before you skim the job description, please remember you don’t have to tick all the boxes for each role to apply. Charity experience is not a requirement! We all experience a bit of imposter syndrome, including the staff here at The Advocacy Academy. Let’s name it for what it is - a manifestation of the oppression many of us face on a day to day.​If this role pulls you and you believe you could make a difference, then apply anyway or reach out to us to discuss more!​​

​AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY​​​

​1.You will be responsible for the Changemaker Development Programme (CMDP) including but limited to:

• Working with the Associate Director of Programmes and Associate Director of Partnerships to coordinate programmes planning and delivery timelines for CMDP.
• Managing cross programmatic projects to standardise processes and practices in the Programmes Department
• Designing and developing the recruitment process for Alumni to join the CMDP and create a targeted recruitment strategy to grow the Alumni Changemaker pool
• Managing the monitoring and evaluation of the programme including quantitative and qualitative data, and facilitate the process of ongoing learning being integrated into the programme
• Working with Programmes Leadership Team to coordinate and deliver a holistic safeguarding, wellbeing and pastoral care strategy across TAA’s work with young people
• Responsible for holding the CMDP budget and ensuring that it is managed and spent in accordance with TAA expenses procedure e.g. signing off expenses up to £1,000 expenditure and escalating to Director of Programmes and Partnerships for amounts exceeding this.

2.​You will be accountable for the learning design and delivery to include but not limited:

• Leading the design of the CMDP curriculum to agreed TAA standards engaging key stakeholders, e.g. alumni, programmes team, external partners 
• Supporting Alumni Changemakers to design, deliver and facilitate social justice workshops in line with established pedagogical approaches at TAA.
• Leading the development of learning journeys for Alumni Changemakers.
• Working during school holidays for camps, and in the evenings to accommodate school hours, which may include regular evening work and unsocial hours during programme delivery.​

3.You will be the port of call for the Changemakers and Community Organisers who will help run the programme, and a regular and trusted individual whom the young people know and can connect with. To include but not limited to:

• You will support the Changemakers in co-creating this space with young people in the community and helping them identify ways to bring participants along into the membership.
• You will be managing the Changemakers who are delivering the programme - and updating both the Community Director and Director of Programmes and Partnerships on their progress and development. 
• You will hold the budget for the programme - keeping track of expenses and thinking through ways to keep costs down. 
• You will ensure that you provide accurate and timely financial information to the budget lead for your work and to the Finance, HR & Operations team
• You will be responsible for holding relationships with Alumni Changemakers and holding the relational culture of the CMDP to ensure we have a brilliant atmosphere for learning, nurturing and growth for Alumni Changemakers, including but not limited to:
• Taking responsibility for the pastoral care of Alumni Changemakers on placement including building the pastoral care approach with the Programmes Leadership Team.
• Taking responsibility for building and nurturing key relationships with fellow social justice activists, organisers and educators in the sector who can support, challenge and inspire our Alumni Changemakers.
• Representing TAA at any applicable events, in the press and in activist circles 
• ​Building and nurturing relationships with alumni/members.​

4.You will be accountable for the learning design and development of the Leadership Development Framework. To include but not limited to:

• Designing and developing a cohesive, high-quality curriculum aligned to TAA’s strategic goals and organisational values
• Establishing and embedding a clear pedagogical approach that underpins all delivery and supports effective facilitation
• Creating structured learning journeys that support the progression and development of young people as leaders
• Developing and maintaining facilitator guides, resources and tools to ensure consistency and quality across delivery
• Working with staff and members to ensure curriculum and pedagogy are effectively understood and implemented
• Reviewing delivery, gathering feedback and insights from members, and iterating on the curriculum and approach to continuously improve quality and impact​

5.You will ensure that your programmatic activities are managed as well-oiled machines through pulling in the right people at the right time and ensuring that key milestones are met:

• Responsible for ensuring effective departmental administration including delegating key administrative tasks to relevant staff
• You will be working with the Director of Programme and Partnerships, Director of Community, the Safeguarding and Wellbeing Team and others to think about the safety, safeguarding, and wellbeing needs of the young people participating in the programme and beyond. 
  • You will ensure safeguarding and Health and Safety standards are met across the programmes team and other critical policies and practices within the organisation, working proactively with relevant leads to understand requirements and operationalise effectively
  • You will contribute towards risk management standards and ensure Health and Safety standards are met across programmatic and community team
  • You will be responsible for managing and overseeing a suite of behind-the-scenes systems, databases and resources which comply with UKGDPR, safeguarding and other legal requirements.
• You will be responsible for overseeing the logistics of the CMDP including the organisation and coordination of venues, food, travel, staff and risk assessments, individual care plans etc.
• Work closely with the development team to align work with fundraising targets and support them in identifying and securing appropriate fundraising opportunities
• You will be committed to learning, monitoring outcomes, and holding us accountable to ourselves, our communities, funders, allies and donors. This includes shaping thoughtful MEAL practices and developing systems that go beyond compliance, enabling genuine learning and innovation while respecting the integrity and privacy of the young people in the programme.​

6.Culture, values and wider strategy and mission. Provide senior accountability within your remit for ensuring the delivery of our strategic objectives by embedding our vision, mission, strategy, ideology and cultural values across your area and the wider organisation. Play a central role in shaping organisational direction and leading cross-departmental priorities and initiatives. To include but not limited to:

• Embodying and championing our commitment to social and economic justice, ensuring this is consistently reflected in organisational strategy, decision-making, delivery and partnerships
• Acting as a champion of organisational culture and values, setting the standard across teams and holding others to account in upholding these in practice
• Leading on identifying and driving opportunities that strengthen organisational impact, working closely with your senior leadership, including the Director of Finance, HR and Ops, and contributing to high-level strategic direction
• Holding ultimate responsibility for identifying, assessing and addressing risks to our integrity, authenticity and alignment with our ideology and culture, taking decisive and timely action within your area of responsibility
• Enabling and leading effective cross-departmental collaboration within your remit, ensuring teams are aligned, appropriately resourced and working cohesively towards shared goals
• Shaping and modelling a culture of openness, care and accountability, contributing to organisational wellbeing approaches and supporting leaders across the organisation to do the same
• Taking ownership of your continued leadership development, while also actively supporting the development of others and building leadership capacity within your area
• Taking responsibility for communicating your own wellbeing and needs and providing feedback on TAA wellbeing initiatives to your line manager, and contribute to living the TAA transformative culture​

7.Governance and Compliance

• Provide strategic leadership on governance and risk management within your portfolio, working in close partnership with the Finance, HR and Operations team.
• Lead and hold accountability for risk identification, analysis and mitigation, ensuring risks to strategic objectives are anticipated, escalated and managed effectively
• Maintain oversight of risk across your area, ensuring robust systems, controls and practices are in place and consistently applied
• Ensure strong organisational compliance with TAA policies and practices, taking responsibility for their effective implementation, continuous improvement and alignment with wider organisational standards
• You will support Campaigns and Community Departments by ensuring that the operations, structures, processes, and practices within CMDP and Open Access align with and support TAA's campaigning and organising goals, activating new allies' goals, and community goals​

A BIT ABOUT YOU​

• You are passionate about, and committed to, creating a more fair, just and equal world.
• You believe in the potential of young people to challenge the status quo and are dedicated to helping them become more powerful citizens.
• You’ve got a deep understanding of, and a personal relationship with, issues of social justice. From racism to the housing crisis to climate justice, you’ll be aware of how systemic injustice operates in our society, clued-up and well-informed on the big issues of our time and committed to changing them.
• You’ll be comfortable managing a “to-do” list of competing priorities and balancing your workload to meet competing deadlines.
• You’re a sensitive and thoughtful relationship-builder who is interested in building a network of relationships to support the Advocacy Academy’s work. You’re a great listener, and remember people’s names, faces, and stories.
• You’re a confident written and verbal communicator, who is comfortable with tailoring communication to reach a diverse range of audiences and stakeholders.
• You’re proactive, organised, and eager to learn, whether that’s chatting with potential funders, researching new opportunities or collaborating with teammates.​

​IDEAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE​

• At least 5 years of experience in programmes delivery on issues of social justice working with young people and/or 
• At least 5 years of experience in supporting others to grow in confidence and capability to develop and deliver organising or campaign efforts, including leading and managing groups such as mentors, interns and young people
• Detail oriented
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience in identifying challenges within programmes and using insight, feedback and data to iterate and continuously improve delivery
• Detail oriented
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience working with different audiences or types of stakeholders 
• Strong project management and experience working collaboratively across teams both in person and online
• Excellent organisational skills with confidence managing multiple tasks at the same time/ balancing multiple priorities to meet deadlines
• Experience with our existing systems e.g., Gmail/ Google Doc/ Google Sheets/ Canva/ Slack
• Confidence working in a fast-paced environment

This is an outline of the responsibilities and duties of the Head of Programmes role; it is not intended as an exhaustive list and may change from time to time to meet the changing needs of the Liberation Centre and our young people. Any changes will be made in consultation with the post holder.

HOW TO APPLY​

Candidates will be asked to provide a CV and a Cover Letter OR a supporting video application addressing the following questions (no more than 1000 words or 10 minutes for all questions).​

• ​Tell us about a social justice issue that makes you angry and why it matters to you?
• ​Our Head of Programmes will train Changemakers (young people) to become confident leaders and organisers. Tell us about a training programme you were part of, what it achieved, what it didn’t, your role in that effort and any reflections you have about being part of it?
• ​Our Head of Programmes will support people to act on their developing political interests. Tell us about a time when you helped someone learn and develop their capacity to make change in the world?
• ​Include anything else you would like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Head of Programmes role.

In addition, please also provide information on your notice period and your availability for interview. You may also attach any other content that would be relevant for us to have in order to showcase interest and experience. The content can come in any form of media, including but not limited to - a mind map of ideas, a timeline or portfolio of your work, life or experiences; a recording; a Powerpoint or other form of presentation; a song, article, poem or other writing samples.​

DATES​

• Closing Date: The deadline for applications 25th May 2026 by 10am.
• Task: If shortlisted you may be required to complete a brief facilitation activity with young people around organising or campaigns.
• First Round of Interviews: will be scheduled for 29th May 2026 (Dates are subject to change).
• Second Round of Interviews: will be scheduled for w/c 08 June 2026 (Dates are subject to change).​

Please be aware that we will be interviewing as we receive applications. The application date might be brought forward if we find the right person.​

ONLINE OPEN HOUSE​

We will not be hosting an online open house for this role.  However, if you have any questions about the role or are interested in hearing more about what The Advocacy Academy is about we are happy to do 15-20mins exploratory phone call. Contact us on the email indicated on the JD to indicate your interest for this.​

A NOTE ON USING AI TOOLS IN YOUR APPLICATION​

We understand that AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful when preparing an application, and you’re welcome to use them as a support. However, we’re most interested in hearing directly from you. Please ensure your application reflects your own voice, experiences, and perspective.

We value the unique insights, lived experiences, and ways of thinking that each candidate brings. These are what help us understand who you are and what you would bring to the role, and they are an important part of how we assess applications.

If you require any adjustments or support during the application process, please don’t hesitate to let us know. we’re committed to making our recruitment process as accessible and inclusive as possible.​​

NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US​

​We aim to be representative of the community we are working with. We encourage applications from people of colour, those who identify as LGBTQIA, working class as well as disabled people, those living with mental health conditions, refugees and migrants. We welcome people from all identities who are made to feel marginalised.​

We’re not just committed to being an equal opportunity employer, we actively celebrate diversity in all its forms. Let us know if we can do anything to make the application or interview process more accessible. If you are invited to interview, we will at that point ask you for any accessibility requirements or preferences.

As an employer we make all reasonable adjustments to support employees in their work if they are disabled or have a health condition. We support the Access to Work scheme which could provide you with financial support to get the help you need to do all tasks successfully. We are happy to facilitate Access to Work assessments and reclaims and would actively welcome applicants who would need this in order to do the job.​​

All staff who work on our programme must have, prior to starting work, a returned satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) dated no earlier than 1st January 2021. The Advocacy Academy will assist the application for, and pay for the processing of, a new DBS for staff members where required.​

We welcome applications from people with convictions. Please disclose in your applications if you have any convictions, cautions, reprimand or final warnings that are not "protected" (as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). We consider each person on their own merits, taking into account all the circumstances.

​

Circa £53,000 per annum

Permanent

Part home/Part office (London) based

UNICEF ensures more of the world’s children are vaccinated, educated and protected than any other organisation. We have done more to influence laws and policies to help protect children than anyone else. We get things done. And we’re not going to stop until the world is a safe place for all our children.

This is a great opportunity to join the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) as a Senior Policy Adviser – Education.

The role provides strategic leadership on UK education policy across the organisation, with a current focus on early childhood learning and development. The role shapes and delivers rights-based policy influencing strategies, research, and analysis, working closely with colleagues in campaigns and political affairs to drive change for children in the UK.

The role requires expertise in UK education policy, clear experience leading advocacy-oriented research, and a history of influencing UK Government. You will bring a strong understanding of UK policy-making processes and a commitment to children’s rights.

Act now and visit the website via the apply button to apply online.

Closing date: 9am, Thursday 14 May 2026.

Interview date: Wednesday 27 May 2026.  

In return, we offer:

· excellent pay and benefits (including flexible working, generous annual leave and pension, big brand discounts and wellbeing tools)

· outstanding training and learning opportunities and the support to flourish in your role

· impressive open plan office space and facilities on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

· an open culture and workplace with colleagues who share our values, enjoy their work and are motivated to do their utmost for children.

· the opportunity to work in a leading children’s organisation making a difference to children around the world

Our application process: We use a system called "Applied" that anonymises your responses and focuses on your actual skills that are relevant to this role. This benefits you by giving you a greater chance of expressing your skills in this objective selection process.

We anticipate most colleagues will work two days a week in the office on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East London and the rest of the time from home.  We will happily discuss other flexible options to suit your circumstances.

We particularly welcome applications from black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates, and disabled candidates, because we would like to increase the representation of these groups at this level at UNICEF UK. We want to do this because we know greater diversity will lead to even greater results for children.

UNICEF UK promotes equality, diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We make employment decisions by matching business needs with skills and experience of candidates, irrespective of age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

We welcome a conversation about your flexible working requirements, personal growth, and promoting a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.

The successful candidate will be required to apply for a criminal records check. A criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the role and the circumstances of your offences.

We only accept online applications as this saves us money, making more funds available for us to help ensure children’s rights.

If you require support in completing the online form or an application form in an alternative format, please contact the Supporter Care line during office hours.

If you do not hear from us within 14 days of the closing date, please assume your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. Please note that we only provide feedback to shortlisted candidates.

Registered Charity Nos. 1072612 (England and Wales) SC043677 (Scotland)

​SUMMARY​

​Position Title: ​Head of Spacemaking and Operations

Level: Level 6

Pay: £40, 000 -46, 000 (FTE yearly)

Reports to: Director of Finance, HR and Operations

Location: Liberation centre Brixton, London (New office in Brixton)/ Remote working within the UK with at least 3 days’ work from our office (Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays)

Contract: Full time (40hrs/weekly), 2-year Fixed Term contract.

Start date: As soon as possible

Benefits: TAA laptop and phone, (employee assistance and health cash package including staff supervision, counselling, dental, optical care and more.)

The Advocacy Academy is an activist youth movement. We serve as the political home for grassroots youth organising and the catalyst for collective action. The lives of the young people we work alongside have been directly shaped by living in an unjust world, and we exist to turn their anger into action.​​

Young people are often the catalysts for major social change, from the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, to the Soweto Uprising mobilising young people to resist the apartheid regime's education policies, to the Sunrise Movement redrawing the electoral map across America, and more recently encampments and protests across the world protesting the genocide in Palestine. How successfully they achieve real and lasting change depends on whether they are organised and whether they have the right strategy and tactics to be effective.​

We are now looking for a Head of Spacemaking & Operations who believes in this vision and can ensure that TAA’s Liberation Centre is safe, fully operational, and intentionally designed as a welcoming, accessible, and inclusive environment. This role bridges operational delivery and spatial experience, ensuring that the Centre not only functions effectively behind the scenes, but also reflects TAA’s values in how people experience, move through, and use the space. You will combine operational oversight, facilities management, and space experience design, working across teams to ensure the Centre is safe, compliant, efficient, accessible and welcoming for staff, young people, and the wider community. 

Before you skim the job description, please remember you don’t have to tick all the boxes to apply. We all experience a bit of imposter syndrome, including staff here at The Advocacy Academy. If this role pulls you in and you believe you could make a meaningful difference, we encourage you to apply or reach out to us to discuss further. We are especially interested in people who bring lived experiences, perspectives, and ways of working.​​

​AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY​​​

​1.You will become a key member of the Finance, HR & Operations Team, including but not limited to:

• Supporting the Director of Finance, HR and Operations in maintaining and improving operational systems and processes
•  Supporting the delivery of the Liberation Centre strategy, working across teams to ensure the Centre provides a functional, welcoming, inclusive, and safe environment for staff, young people, and the wider community
• Building relationships across departments, understanding their needs, and communicating operational updates to the Director
• Ensure escalations to the Director of Finance, HR and Operations are timely, well-prepared, clearly articulated, and supported by relevant information to enable effective decision-making. ​

2.​You will ensure that your responsibilities run like well-oiled machines by supporting TAA’s facilities, ensuring the Liberation Centre operates safely, efficiently, and in full compliance with relevant regulations by:

• Acting as the main operational liaison for the Liberation Centre, including council, building management, and external contractors
• Managing relationships with facilities providers, maintenance contractors, cleaners, and IT vendors
• Overseeing health & safety compliance, including staff training, evacuation procedures, drills, and statutory checks
• Supporting the development and implementation of risk assessments (fire, general, wellbeing, incidents, remote work, etc.)
• Ensuring procurement, supplies, and stock levels are managed effectively and responsibly
• Coordinating first aiders and fire marshals as required
• Ensuring operational cost-efficiency across facilities and space-related services​

3.You will help shape the Liberation Centre as a purposeful, accessible, and welcoming environment by:

• Supporting the ongoing development of the Liberation Centre as a safe, inclusive, and values-aligned space
• Leading on accessibility improvements across the physical environment, ensuring equitable access for disabled community members
• Shaping improvements to layout, usability, and overall experience of the space
• Ensuring the space reflects TAA’s values of care, inclusion, and liberation in its physical design and use
• Working with internal teams to understand spatial needs and translating them into practical and experience-led improvements
• Supporting a positive, caring, and community-centred environment across all users of the space​

4.You will support reliable and secure operational infrastructure by:

• Acting as liaison for IT and facilities providers
• Supporting setup, maintenance, and improvement of workplace systems and equipment
• Ensuring infrastructure supports accessibility, inclusion, and ease of use
• Identifying improvements to systems that enhance operational efficiency and user experience
• Supporting secure onboarding and offboarding of staff from a systems and access perspective

​5.You will act as a key connector between operations and delivery teams by:

• Work with the Working closely with programmes, Organising & Campaigns, community, and communications teams to ensure smooth operational delivery
• Supporting logistics for events, residentials, camps, and programmes, including venue sourcing, bookings, and on-site coordination
• Providing operational and administrative support for space usage, scheduling, and bookings
• Supporting onboarding and offboarding processes from a space, systems, and logistics perspective
• Supporting new staff inductions and ensuring new starters are equipped to use the space effectively
• Supporting internal communication of operational updates across teams​

6.You will support the Director in embedding safety, wellbeing, and care into how the space is used and experienced by:

• ​Ensuring health & safety processes are embedded and consistently followed
• Coordinating safety training and maintaining up-to-date knowledge of regulations
• Supporting a culture of shared responsibility for safety within the Liberation Centre
• Working with the community team to ensure safety practices are values-aligned 
• Supporting emergency preparedness and incident response processes
• FMaintaining a safe and functional environment by ensuring the space is kept clear, organised, and free from unnecessary clutter or hazards.​

7.Culture, values and wider strategy and mission. Provide senior functional leadership for Spacemaking and Operations, ensuring delivery of organisational strategy through effective planning, coordination, and implementation across your area. Contribute to shaping organisational priorities through insight, delivery experience, and cross-departmental collaboration. To include but not limited to:

• Embodying and championing our commitment to social and economic justice, ensuring this is consistently reflected in organisational strategy, decision-making, delivery and partnerships
• Champion the organisation’s commitment to social and economic justice, ensuring this is embedded in the design and delivery of spacemaking and operational activity, and reflected in partnerships and ways of working within your remit.
• Act as a role model for organisational culture and values, setting expectations within your teams and supporting colleagues to apply these consistently in day-to-day practice.
• Work closely with leaders across the organisation to identify opportunities to improve organisational impact and efficiency, contributing operational insight to strategic planning and decision-making.
• Identify, assess and escalate risks related to operational delivery, organisational culture, and alignment with stated values and principles, ensuring timely mitigation within your area of responsibility.
• Lead and enable effective cross-departmental collaboration within your remit, ensuring teams are aligned, appropriately resourced, and working effectively towards shared organisational goals.
• Foster a culture of openness, care, accountability and continuous improvement within your area, contributing to wider organisational wellbeing practices.
• Take responsibility for your own ongoing leadership development, and actively support the development of others, building capability and leadership within the Spacemaking and Operations function.
• IEngage in organisational wellbeing practices by communicating needs appropriately, participating in feedback processes, and contributing constructively to living the TAA transformative culture​

8.Governance and Compliance

• Provide strategic leadership on governance and risk management within your portfolio, working in close partnership with the Finance, HR and Operations team.
• Lead and hold accountability for risk identification, analysis and mitigation, ensuring risks to strategic objectives are anticipated, escalated and managed effectively
• Maintain oversight of risk across your area, ensuring robust systems, controls and practices are in place and consistently applied
• Ensure strong organisational compliance with TAA policies and practices, taking responsibility for their effective implementation, continuous improvement and alignment with wider organisational standards
• ​You will support Programmes, Campaigns and Community Departments by ensuring that the operations, structures, processes, and practices align with and support TAA's campaigning and organising goals, activating new allies' goals, and community goals​

WHAT SUCCESS WILL LOOK ​

• The Liberation Centre runs smoothly, safely, and reliably day-to-day
• Staff and community members experience the space as welcoming, accessible, and well cared for
• Operational systems are efficient, compliant, and low-friction
• Space improvements are intentional, values-led, and responsive to user needs
• Teams can focus on delivery, supported by strong operational and spatial infrastructure​

A BIT ABOUT YOU​

• You are passionate about, and committed to, creating a more fair, just and equal world.
• You believe in the potential of young people to challenge the status quo and are dedicated to helping them become more powerful citizens.
• You’ve got a deep understanding of, and a personal relationship with, issues of social justice. From racism to the housing crisis to climate justice, you’ll be aware of how systemic injustice operates in our society, clued-up and well-informed on the big issues of our time, and committed to changing them.
• You’ll be comfortable managing a “to-do” list of competing priorities and balancing your workload to meet competing deadlines.
• You’re a sensitive and thoughtful relationship-builder who is interested in building a network of relationships to support the Advocacy Academy’s work. You’re a great listener, and remember people’s names, faces, and stories.
• You’re a confident written and verbal communicator, who is comfortable with tailoring communication to reach a diverse range of audiences and stakeholders.
• You’re proactive, organised, and eager to learn, whether that’s chatting with potential funders, researching new opportunities or collaborating with teammates.​

​IDEAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE​

• 3-5+ years’ experience in operations management, ideally including leadership responsibility for teams, workflows, or service delivery.
• Comfortable operating as the senior operational lead on site when required, maintaining full delivery responsibility and ensuring clear communication and escalation pathways.
• Demonstrated experience in facilities management and/or IT systems coordination, with an understanding of how operational infrastructure supports organisational effectiveness.
• Working knowledge of operational tools and systems (e.g. Microsoft Excel / Google Sheets, Canva, and similar platforms), with willingness to learn and adapt to new systems as needed.
• Experience supporting or developing operational processes, with an interest in improving efficiency, clarity, and user experience across systems and teams. 
• Proven ability Experience working with diverse audiences and stakeholders, with an understanding of access needs and inclusive practice to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously, prioritise effectively, and maintain delivery in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience designing and delivering spaces, services, or operations with a strong understanding of access needs, ensuring inclusive and equitable participation.

This is an outline of the responsibilities and duties of the Head of Spacemaking & Operations role, it is not intended as an exhaustive list and may change from time to time to meet the changing needs of the Liberation Centre and our young people. Any changes will be made in consultation with the post holder.​

HOW TO APPLY​

​Candidates will be asked to provide a CV and a Cover Letter OR a supporting video application addressing the following questions (no more than 1000 words or 10 minutes for all questions).

• Tell us about a social justice issue that makes you angry and why it matters to you?
• Our Head of Spacemaking & Operations role entails working and building relationships with different stakeholders. Tell us about a time when you successfully cultivated a relationship with someone when working towards a shared goal - What did you do and what did you learn?
• Include anything else you would like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the​ Head of Spacemaking & Operations role.

In addition, please also provide information on your notice period and your availability for interview. You may also attach any other content that would be relevant for us to have in order to showcase interest and experience. The content can come in any form of media, including but not limited to - a mind map of ideas, a timeline or portfolio of your work, life or experiences; a recording; a Powerpoint or other form of presentation; a song, article, poem or other writing samples.​

DATES​

• Closing Date: The deadline for applications 8th June 2026 by 10am.
• First Round of Interviews: will be scheduled for w/c 15th June 2026 (Dates are subject to change).
• Second Round of Interviews: will be scheduled for w/c 29th June 2026 (Dates are subject to change).

Please be aware that we will be interviewing as we receive applications. The application date might be brought forward if we find the right person.​

A NOTE ON USING AI TOOLS IN YOUR APPLICATION​

We understand that AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful when preparing an application, and you’re welcome to use them as a support. However, we’re most interested in hearing directly from you. Please ensure your application reflects your own voice, experiences, and perspective.

We value the unique insights, lived experiences, and ways of thinking that each candidate brings. These are what help us understand who you are and what you would bring to the role, and they are an important part of how we assess applications.

If you require any adjustments or support during the application process, please don’t hesitate to let us know. we’re committed to making our recruitment process as accessible and inclusive as possible.​​

NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US​

​We aim to be representative of the community we are working with. We encourage applications from people of colour, those who identify as LGBTQIA, working class as well as disabled people, those living with mental health conditions, refugees and migrants. We welcome people from all identities who are made to feel marginalised.​

We’re not just committed to being an equal opportunity employer, we actively celebrate diversity in all its forms. Let us know if we can do anything to make the application or interview process more accessible. If you are invited to interview, we will at that point ask you for any accessibility requirements or preferences.​

As an employer we make all reasonable adjustments to support employees in their work if they are disabled or have a health condition. We support the Access to Work scheme which could provide you with financial support to get the help you need to do all tasks successfully. We are happy to facilitate Access to Work assessments and reclaims and would actively welcome applicants who would need this in order to do the job.​

All staff who work on our programme must have, prior to starting work, a returned satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) dated no earlier than 1st January 2021. The Advocacy Academy will assist the application for, and pay for the processing of, a new DBS for staff members where required.​

We welcome applications from people with convictions. Please disclose in your applications if you have any convictions, cautions, reprimand or final warnings that are not "protected" (as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). We consider each person on their own merits, taking into account all the circumstances.

​

SUMMARY

Position Title:  Head of Digital Organising & Communications

Level: Level 6

Salary: £40, 000 - 46, 000 (FTE yearly/depending on experience/salaries under review as part of our ongoing pay review process)

Reports to: Director of Organising and Campaigns

Location: Liberation centre Brixton, London (New office in Brixton)/ Remote working within the UK with at least 2 days’ work from our office (Pro rata for part time)

Contract: Fulltime (40hrs/weekly), fixed-term contract for 2 years with potential for Part time (e.g., 32hrs/weekly) options

Hours: TAA has flexible working hours, with some expected evenings (e.g., one 9pm finish once every two weeks) and weekends due to the nature of the role. All extra hours are reimbursed as Time off in Lieu (TOIL).

Start date: As soon as possible (with consideration for notice period)

Benefits:  TAA laptop and phone, (employee assistance and health cash package including staff supervision, counselling, dental, optical care and more.).

The Advocacy Academy is an activist youth movement. We serve as the political home for grassroots youth organising and the catalyst for collective action. The lives of the young people we work alongside have been directly shaped by living in an unjust world, and we exist to turn their anger into action and change.

Young people are often the catalysts for major social change, from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, to the Soweto Uprising mobilising young people to resist the apartheid regime's education policies, to the Sunrise Movement redrawing the electoral map across America, and more recently protests across the world protesting the genocide in Palestine. How successfully they achieve real and lasting change depends on whether they are organised and whether they have the right strategy and tactics to be effective.

Before you skim the job description, please remember you don’t have to tick all the boxes for each role to apply.We all experience a bit of imposter syndrome, including the staff here at The Advocacy Academy. Let’s name it for what it is - a manifestation of the oppression many of us face on a day to day. If this role pulls you and you believe you could make a difference, then apply anyway or reach out to us to discuss more!

ABOUT THE ROLE

In a context of the rise of the far right, increasing inequality, and climate disaster, The Advocacy Academy is growing to meet this moment. As part of this, we are expanding our Organising and Campaigns Team, including recruiting an experienced Digital Organiser.

This person will lead the design and implementation of an ambitious digital organising approach, including building out our base online and supporting campaigns to amplify our message and deliver the tangible wins we are pushing for. The work will be supported by up to five of our ‘changemakers’ - young people who will be paid to support our digital organising alongside their other work or study.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

1. Oversee and deliver a Digital Organising Strategy within TAA, including but not limited to:

• Working with the SLT to set the strategic objectives and direction of your area of responsibility in relation to the broader growth of the organisation, ensuring appropriate resources, KPIs and relevant tools are in place to assess progress and make judgements on priorities. 
• Taking the lead on decision-making and problem-solving for all considerations relating to the area of responsibility, working with your department director and SLT around overlapping projects.
• Understanding the impact of socio-economic and sector specific changes that could impact the department, including wider trends around digital organising and campaigns.
• Supporting the department director with the management and mitigation of organisational risks by escalating issues within your department in a timely manner and supporting them with problem solving.

2. Lead on TAA’s digital organising approach, implementing online strategies as part of our campaigns, growing our membership, supporting our fundraising and building the systems needed to support these initiatives, including but not limited to:

• Leading the development and implementation of digital organising strategies as part of our youth-led organising campaigns, and support members and wider supporters to take action to deliver material change on issues that matter to our membership.
• Leading the development and implementation of digital strategies to deliver membership growth, working alongside colleagues to track and achieve key target numbers. 
• Leading the development and implementation of online member journeys, from initial touch points with TAA through to leaders of our youth movement.
• Ensuring the right digital platforms and technology (including website, WhatsApp, CRM, email, social media) are used to facilitate the effective and efficient delivery of key objectives
• Supporting the crafting and implementation of campaign messaging and content to support our campaign aims.
• Supporting the Development Team to create and implement key digital mechanisms to fundraise, including with individual donors, HNWIs, corporate donors and international funders).

3. Lead on TAA’s communications, storytelling and engagement work, ensuring we have a clear, consistent and effective narrative that reaches people, including but not limited to:

• Leading the strategic direction of TAA’s storytelling work, ensuring narrative change is embedded across the programme and rooted in the lived experience, values, and leadership of our communities.
• Coordinating the distributed communications efforts by different teams, ensuring consistent, high-quality outputs across all channels.
• Overseeing the development and delivery of multimedia content that shifts public understanding and showcases the impact of youth organising.
• Providing editorial oversight and creative leadership to ensure our digital storytelling is coherent, compelling, values-aligned, and responsive to the external environment.
• Supporting and advise the senior leadership team on narrative risks, opportunities, and emerging digital trends relevant to our movement goals.

4. Support our members to learn and grow as digital organisers in their own right, including but not limited to:

• Proactively build relationships with our members and grow our membership, through holding regular 1:1s and relational meetings that strengthen campaigns but more importantly help them to identify and act on their developing political interests and to plug them into relevant opportunities for growth at TAA and our wider networks.
• Hold a list of members that you are the relationship lead for, developing and delivering a live learning plan with many of them, supporting them to become powerful organisers.
• Work closely with the Programmes and Community teams to set trajectories and expectations for a young person’s campaigning and organising journey, their starting point coming into TAA, and the training and support they need.
• Facilitate workshops and meetings, holding space effectively and designing and delivering creative learning journeys for young people.

5. Be a key member of the Organising and Campaigns Team, including but not limited to:

• Support efforts to set the strategic direction and priorities for the Organising and Campaigns Team each financial year.
• Proactively develop an interest in the impact of political, socio-economic and sector specific changes that could impact the HOST Programme, department and TAA in general.
• Support the Director of Organising and Campaigns and Head of Organising and Campaigns with the management and mitigation of organisational risks presented by the Programme by escalating issues in a timely manner and supporting them with problem solving.
• Support colleagues in the Organising and Campaigns team to run events, training programmes and other key activities to deliver on departmental aims.

6. Culture, values and wider strategy and mission. Hold senior accountability for driving the achievement of our strategic objectives by embedding our vision, mission, strategy, ideology and cultural values across your area and the wider organisation. Play a central role in shaping organisational direction and leading cross-departmental priorities and initiatives, including but not limited to:

• Embodying and championing our commitment to social and economic justice, ensuring this is consistently reflected in organisational strategy, decision-making, delivery and partnerships
• Acting as a champion of organisational culture and values, setting the standard across teams and holding others to account in upholding these in practice
• Leading on identifying and driving opportunities that strengthen organisational impact, working closely with senior leadership, including the Director of Finance, HR and Ops, and contributing to high-level strategic direction
• Holding ultimate responsibility for identifying, assessing and addressing risks to our integrity, authenticity and alignment with our ideology and culture, taking decisive and timely action
• Enabling and lead effective cross-departmental collaboration, ensuring teams are aligned, appropriately resourced and working cohesively towards shared goals
• Shaping and model a culture of openness, care and accountability, contributing to organisational wellbeing approaches and supporting leaders across the organisation to do the same
• Taking ownership of your continued leadership development, while also actively developing others and building leadership capacity within your area

7. Governance and Compliance

• Provide strategic leadership on governance and risk management within your portfolio, working in close partnership with the Finance, HR and Operations team.
• Lead and hold accountability for risk identification, analysis and mitigation, ensuring risks to strategic objectives are anticipated, escalated and managed effectively
• Maintain oversight of risk across your area, ensuring robust systems, controls and practices are in place and consistently applied
• Ensure strong organisational compliance with TAA policies and practices, taking responsibility for their effective implementation, continuous improvement and alignment with wider organisational standards
• You will support Programmes and Community Departments by ensuring that the operations, structures, processes, and practices align with and support TAA's campaigning and organising goals, activating new allies' goals, and community goals

A BIT ABOUT YOU  

• You are passionate about, and committed to, creating a more fair, just and equal world. 
• You believe in the potential of young people to challenge the status quo and are dedicated to helping them become more powerful citizens.
• You have a deep understanding of, and a personal connection to, issues of social justice. You are attuned to how injustice affects young people and marginalised communities, and are well-informed on the key challenges they face, and are committed to driving meaningful change.
• You’ll be comfortable managing a “to-do” list of competing priorities and balancing your workload to meet competing deadlines.
• You’re a sensitive and thoughtful relationship-builder who is interested in building a network of relationships to support the Advocacy Academy’s work. You’re a great listener, and remember people’s names, faces, and stories. 
• You’re a confident written and verbal communicator, who is comfortable with tailoring communication to reach a diverse range of audiences and stakeholders.
• You’re proactive, organised, and eager to learn, whether that’s chatting with potential funders, researching new opportunities or collaborating with teammates.

IDEAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE  

• At least 2 years of experience in digital organising and campaigning on issues of social justice and
• At least 2 years of experience in direct content creation
• Strong written, verbal and visual (graphic, video or other) communication skills
• Experience working with different audiences or types of stakeholders 
• Project management and experience working collaboratively across teams both in person and online
• Excellent organisational skills with confidence managing multiple tasks at the same time/ balancing multiple priorities to meet deadlines
• Experience with our existing systems e.g., Gmail/ Google Docs/ Google Sheets/ Canva
• Confidence working in a fast-paced environment 

This is an outline of the responsibilities and duties of the Head of Digital Organising & Communications; it is not intended as an exhaustive list and may change from time to time to meet the changing needs of the Liberation Centre and our young people. Any changes will be made in consultation with the post holders.

HOW TO APPLY

Candidates will be asked to provide a CV and a Cover Letter OR a supporting video application addressing the following questions (no more than 1000 words or 10 minutes for all questions).

• Tell us about a social justice issue that makes you angry and why it matters to you?
• Our Organisers support our members to organise and campaign on issues that matter to them.Tell us about a digital organising effort or campaign you were part of, what it achieved, what it didn’t, your role in that effort and any reflections you have about being part of it?
• Our Organisers support our members to identify and act on their developing political interests, including helping them to be more confident and comfortable developing and implementing organising strategies. Tell us about a time when you helped someone learn and develop their capacity to make change in the world?
• Include anything else you would like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the roles.

In addition, please also provide information on your notice period and your availability for interview. You may also attach any other content that would be relevant for us to have in order to showcase interest and experience. The content can come in any form of media, including but not limited to - a mind map of ideas, a timeline or portfolio of your work, life or experiences; a recording; a Powerpoint or other form of presentation; a song, article, poem or other writing samples.

DATES

• Closing Date: The deadline for applications 31st May 2026 by 10am.
• Task: If shortlisted you may be required to develop and present an outline of organising strategy on a topic shared in advance.
• First Round of Interviews (online): will be scheduled for 9th & 11th June 2026 (Dates are subject to change).
• Second Round of Interviews (IRL): will be scheduled for 24th June 2026 (Dates are subject to change).

Please be aware that we will be interviewing as we receive applications. The application date might be brought forward if we find the right person.

ONLINE OPEN HOUSE

Any questions? Give us a call. If you have any questions about the role or are interested in hearing more about what The Advocacy Academy is about, we are happy to do 15-20 mins exploratory phone call, including trying to find time with the Director of Organising and Campaigns if the questions are helpful. Contact using the email on the JD if you would like to explore further.

A NOTE ON USING AI TOOLS IN YOUR APPLICATION

We understand that AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful when preparing an application, and you’re welcome to use them as a support. However, we’re most interested in hearing directly from you. Please ensure your application reflects your own voice, experiences, and perspective.

We value the unique insights, lived experiences, and ways of thinking that each candidate brings. These are what help us understand who you are and what you would bring to the role, and they are an important part of how we assess applications.

If you require any adjustments or support during the application process, please don’t hesitate to let us know. we’re committed to making our recruitment process as accessible and inclusive as possible.

NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US

We aim to be representative of the community we are working with. We encourage applications from people of colour, those who identify as LGBTQIA, working class as well as disabled people, those living with mental health conditions, refugees and migrants. We welcome people from all identities who are made to feel marginalised. 

We’re not just committed to being an equal opportunity employer, we actively celebrate diversity in all its forms. Let us know if we can do anything to make the application or interview process more accessible. If you are invited to interview, we will at that point ask you for any accessibility requirements or preferences.

As an employer we make all reasonable adjustments to support employees in their work if they are disabled or have a health condition. We support the Access to Work scheme which could provide you with financial support to get the help you need to do all tasks successfully. We are happy to facilitate Access to Work assessments and reclaims and would actively welcome applicants who would need this in order to do the job.

All staff who work on our programme must have, prior to starting work, a returned satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) dated no earlier than 1st January 2021. The Advocacy Academy will assist the application for, and pay for the processing of, a new DBS for staff members where required. 

We welcome applications from people with convictions. Please disclose in your application if you have any convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings that are not “protected” (as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013)) . We consider each person on their own merits, taking into account all the circumstances.

Skillway (part of the Warehouse Christian Trust) is dedicated to supporting vulnerable young people by providing them with essential life skills through hands-on training in metalwork, woodworking and crafts. The charity aims to develop both practical vocational skills and personal growth, fostering self-confidence, resilience, and employability in a safe, supportive environment.

Job Purpose:

The Head of Operations at Skillway oversees all operational aspects of this arm of the charity, ensuring the successful delivery of all our educational programmes. This role requires strong leadership, strategic vision, and day-to-day management, including student recruitment and retention, staff oversight, fundraising, and partnership management. The ideal candidate will be passionate about social impact and committed to improving the lives of vulnerable young people.

Key Responsibilities:

1.  Management and Delivery

• Oversee the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of training in woodwork, metalwork and other crafts.

• Ensure the training meets the educational and personal development needs of vulnerable young people.

• Monitor student progress, providing support to overcome barriers and ensuring high-quality, impactful learning experiences.

• Develop new initiatives and adapt the existing training programmes to meet the evolving needs of students, schools and the community.

• Develop a long-term strategy for the growth of Skillway.

• Set and model high standards for the staff team, volunteers and students.

• Site housekeeping and management of Skillway’s woodland site.

2.  Leadership and Staff Management

• Lead, motivate, and manage a team of staff and volunteers.

• Promote a positive and inclusive workplace culture, fostering professional development and ensuring that all staff members are supported.

• Manage recruitment, training, and performance of staff and volunteers.

• Ensure the health, safety, and well-being of all participants and staff including responsibility for risk assessments.

• Develop and apply our safeguarding policy as Designated Safeguarding Lead.

3.  Strategic Planning and Development

• With the Board of Trustees, develop and execute the charity's strategic goals.

• Develop and manage the charity’s budget and resources to ensure financial sustainability and impact.

• Identify and pursue new opportunities for growth, including partnerships, new funding streams, and relationships with local schools, businesses and other community organisations.

• Maintain effective and safe digital organisation of key data.

• Support the other arm of our charity - The Camino Café - as and when required.

4.  Fundraising and Financial Oversight

• Lead fundraising efforts to secure funding from diverse sources, including grants, donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events.

• Oversee the preparation of funding applications and reports for donors and grant-making bodies.

• Maintain financial oversight, ensuring effective use of resources, monitoring expenses and reporting financial performance to the Board using Quickbooks as the primary accounting and reporting tool.

• Improve branding and awareness of Skillway and its aims and purpose.

5.  Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy

• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including local authorities, schools, community groups, donors, and business partners.

• Represent the charity in public and at events, advocating for the charity's mission and the importance of vocational education for vulnerable young people.

• Ensure the charity’s work is widely known and respected in the community.

6.  Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

• Implement systems for monitoring and evaluating the impact of Skillway’s work.

• Gather feedback from participants, staff, and stakeholders to assess programme effectiveness and make improvements.

• Provide regular updates and reports to the Board of Trustees, funders, and other stakeholders on the charity’s impact and outcomes.

Qualifications and Experience:

Essential:

• Proven experience in a management role, ideally within the charity or education sector.

• Background in vocational education, youth work, or a related field, with a focus on supporting vulnerable young people.

• Experience in leading and managing a diverse team, with the ability to inspire, support, and develop staff.

• Excellent organisational and project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple priorities effectively.

• Demonstrated ability in fundraising, securing grants, and building donor relationships.

• Knowledge of financial management, budgeting, and reporting.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and build relationships with a variety of stakeholders.

• A commitment to the mission and values of the charity.

Desirable:

• Experience in working with metalwork, woodworking, or a related technical skill.

• Familiarity with the challenges faced by vulnerable young people and the ability to create a supportive and empowering learning environment.

• Experience working with boards of trustees or governance bodies.

Personal Attributes:

• Innovative and proactive, with the ability to think creatively and solve problems.

• Empathetic and understanding, with a genuine commitment to supporting vulnerable individuals.

• Strategic thinker, able to balance day-to-day operations with long-term planning and development.

About The Aziz Foundation        

We at The Aziz Foundation are a family charitable foundation established to support British Muslim communities to flourish and give back to our country. Through our flagship Masters Scholarships programme, the Foundation has invested over £8 million into more than 700 scholarships for British Muslims pursuing postgraduate degrees as well as working with employers to facilitate work experience and internships for young British Muslims.We have also supported a wide range of charitable initiatives, including funding of historic buildings, community sports, research into discrimination, interfaith activities and the engagement of British Muslims in the democratic process of our country. 

Job Purpose 

This is a new and vital role for the Foundation, involving developing our work around employment, which will support British Muslims to access employment and develop their careers in fields in which we are currently under-represented.You will be part of a matrix-working team that will collectively develop this piece of work, so you will not be simply implementing an existing plan; you’ll be there from the start with key input into how this should be designed and implemented. 

Your key role will be to engage with employers in target industries of journalism, law, arts, public policy, and tech/AI.This will involve direct engagement with employers with whom we have no existing engagement, building on relationships we already have and working with third-party ‘intermediary bodies’ and organisations representing employers across entire sectors.The role seeks to achieve a clear impact by getting people into good quality roles with leading employers. 

Internal relationships 

You will report to the Director of the Foundation, who will work closely with you in the development of this new programme.The Foundation currently has five staff, now growing to eight.We are a tight-knit team that goes over and above to support one another.

This role will work closely with the role we are advertising in parallel, the Head of Careers & Talent Development.That role is more at the “supply” end – identifying and engaging graduates and other potential candidates to engage with employers. 

Key Responsibilities 

Broadly, the main duties and responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following: 

• Build and manage employer partnerships across all target sectors: journalism, law, arts, public policy, and tech/AI 

• Ensure our CRM system is maintained to track all external and internal communication for your area of work 

• Convene roundtables and sector networks. 

• Deliver employer engagement on employment practices that will support the recruitment and retention of 

the best British Muslim young people 

• Collaborate with internal colleagues to align employer needs with graduate pathways. 

• Collaborate with the Communications function to ensure internal and external promotion 

Person Specification 

When completing the cover letter in the process of applying for the role, ensure that you address how you meet each of the “essential” criteria in the person specification and, where relevant, how you meet the “desirable” criteria. 

1. Experience 

Essential 

• Minimum five years’ professional experience in a related role 
• Experience in employer engagement or partnership management 
• Understanding of recruitment practices and workplace culture within British employers 
• Commitment to equity and supporting underrepresented communities.

Desirable

• Specific experience working in one of the target fields: journalism, law, arts, public policy, and tech/AI 

2. Skills and Abilities

Essential 

• Strong communication and facilitation skills 
• Solutions-focused – the ability to find ways to make things work rather than to find problems 
• An understanding of the challenges facing the British Muslim community 

Accountable to: CEO

Place of work: The Southmead Project, BS10 6AS

Hours: 4 days per week (30 hours) between 9.00am and 5.00pm

Interview date: Friday 29th May

Salary: £48,000 p/a pro rata 

Contract: 1 year fixed term (covering a maternity leave position)

The Southmead Project is an equal opportunities employer providing free specialist counselling and support for survivors of abuse across Bristol and surrounding areas. Our recruitment is done in line with safer recruitment practices. We welcome people of any race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, ability, language, religion and cultural background. We value the differences between people and affirm each person as an individual.

We value our team very highly and pride ourselves on being a supportive employer. We provide the following benefits to encourage a supported, well-rounded and enriched practice:

• Paid supervision for 1.5 hours per month, with an external supervisor of that person’s choice

• Line management for 1 hour per month

• Training budget of £500 per year to spend on relevant training of that person’s choice

• Employer pension contribution of 5%

• Generous annual leave allowance and paid sick leave

• Cycle to work scheme

• Optional private counselling for up to 12 sessions per year with an external counsellor of that person’s choice

Therapeutic Management

• To manage and support a staff team, including the Head of Active Recovery, a Counselling Lead, Nexus Counselling Manager, a Family Support Group Facilitator, and administrators.

• To oversee all of the charity’s therapeutic services and ensure that efficient and high-quality services are delivered.

• To be the charity’s Designated Safeguarding Lead to respond effectively and efficiently to safeguarding concerns.

• To ensure staff are sufficiently trained in adult and child safeguarding and that training records are kept up-to-date.

• To oversee the charity’s pre-trial therapy processes and be a point of contact for the police.

• To develop and improve the charity’s therapeutic services, including any expansion of the services.

• To manage therapeutic recruitment, inductions and training.

• To hold monthly staff meetings and service team meetings when needed.

• To oversee the individual and group supervision arrangements and reporting for all staff. 

• To manage and have overall responsibility for the ongoing use of an online Case Management System, ensuring that data is inputted accurately for reporting purposes.

• To support the charity’s quality assurance and development of its services through monitoring  and responding to client feedback and outcomes data.

• To develop the charity’s survivor voice work and ensure that the charity’s services are informed by survivors and their lived experience. 

• To manage any complaints raised by clients. 

Leadership

• To work collaboratively as part of a Leadership Team to make decisions and resolve issues affecting the day-to-day running of the charity and management of its staff team.

• To strategically plan and develop the therapeutic services of the charity.

• To develop relationships with partner agencies and professionals to raise awareness of our therapeutic services and strengthen our work.

• To build and maintain a positive working relationship with the Board of Trustees.

• To attend and contribute to trustee meetings and trustee working group meetings, reporting on the therapeutic services and any clinical matters arising. 

• To assist in promoting the charity by attending all relevant meetings directly connected with your work.

• To undertake any other duties appropriate to the needs of the charity.

Client Work

• To provide one-to-one counselling for survivors of abuse of all genders, both online / by phone and face-to-face, with a caseload of approximately 4 clients. 

• To maintain confidential and accurate counselling notes of all sessions.

• To attend monthly one-to-one clinical supervision with a supervisor approved by the Southmead Project. (Supervision is a requirement of this charity as members of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy).

• To attend monthly one-to-one line management meetings.

• To work to the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy ethical guidelines.

• To work within the framework, spirit and ethos of the Southmead Project’s Equal Opportunities Policy, and actively engage in promoting the policy within the charity and in all dealings with clients and other agencies.

• All members of staff, paid and unpaid, are required to undergo the enhanced level of Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL:

• Diploma in Counselling (British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited course or equivalent); and to have BACP accreditation or be working towards BACP accreditation or equivalent.

• To be a registered member of BACP, UKCP, NCS or equivalent professional body, with over 5 years of supervised counselling experience.

• Significant experience of providing one-to-one counselling for survivors of abuse and carrying out initial assessments and risk assessments.

• Significant knowledge and understanding of the issues affecting this client group and the impact of trauma.

• Significant line management and appraisal experience with the ability to effectively co-ordinate a team. 

• The ability to support staff to foster a positive working environment and deliver a high quality of service.

• Experience of recruiting staff, including inductions and training.

• Experience of managing safeguarding concerns and supporting others to act in accordance with safeguarding policies and in the best interests of the client or those at risk. 

• The ability to work with clients online or by phone.

• Experience of working collaboratively as part of a leadership team and ability to contribute to an organisation’s future development.

• Experience of developing and maintaining working relationships with partner agencies and professionals. 

• Excellent organisational and planning skills.

• Excellent IT skills and experience of using Microsoft Word and Excel, with the ability to confidently use and support others with an online Case Management System. 

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.

• A commitment to identifying ongoing personal development and training needs and to take appropriate action to ensure these needs are met.

• The ability to keep accurate and confidential records of client work.

• Experience of being a client in a formal counselling relationship.

• Experience of and commitment to working with diversity.

• To have the capacity to work flexibly within a small professional team.

• The ability to manage own time and work load effectively.

• The ability to chair meetings

DESIRABLE:

• Training in trauma processing approaches, such as EMDR, Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET),  brainspotting, trauma-focused CBT, and Rewind Technique.

• Experience of working within a community-based organisation.

• Experience of working with people that have used drugs or alcohol to cope with trauma.

• Experience of running therapeutic groups.

• Experience of delivering training. 

SUMMARY

Position Title:  Head of / Associate Director of Organising & Campaigns (2 roles)

Level: Level 6 - 7 (Depending on experience)

Salary: £40, 000 - 55, 000 (FTE yearly/depending on experience/salaries under review as part of our ongoing pay review process)

Reports to: Director of Organising and Campaigns

Location: Liberation centre Brixton, London (New office in Brixton)/ Remote working within the UK with at least 2 days’ work from our office (Pro rata for part time)

Contract: Fulltime (40hrs/weekly), fixed-term contract for 2 years with potential for Part time (e.g., 32hrs/weekly) options

Hours: TAA has flexible working hours, with some expected evenings (e.g., one 9pm finish once every two weeks) and weekends due to the nature of the role. All extra hours are reimbursed as Time off in Lieu (TOIL).

Start date: As soon as possible (with consideration for notice period)

Benefits:  TAA laptop and phone, (employee assistance and health cash package including staff supervision, counselling, dental, optical care and more.).

The Advocacy Academy is an activist youth movement. We serve as the political home for grassroots youth organising and the catalyst for collective action. The lives of the young people we work alongside have been directly shaped by living in an unjust world, and we exist to turn their anger into action and change.

Young people are often the catalysts for major social change, from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, to the Soweto Uprising mobilising young people to resist the apartheid regime's education policies, to the Sunrise Movement redrawing the electoral map across America, and more recently protests across the world protesting the genocide in Palestine. How successfully they achieve real and lasting change depends on whether they are organised and whether they have the right strategy and tactics to be effective.

Before you skim the job description, please remember you don’t have to tick all the boxes for each role to apply.We all experience a bit of imposter syndrome, including the staff here at The Advocacy Academy. Let’s name it for what it is - a manifestation of the oppression many of us face on a day to day. If this role pulls you and you believe you could make a difference, then apply anyway or reach out to us to discuss more!

ABOUT THE ROLE

In a context of the rise of the far right, increasing inequality, and climate disaster, The Advocacy Academy is growing to meet this moment. 

As part of this, we are expanding our Organising and Campaigns Team, looking to recruit two senior and experienced organisers and campaigners who are able to build the leadership of young people to enable them to turn the resources they have into the power they need to make the change they want. We have raised the funds needed to resource this growth and know what needs to be done. There are three key areas of responsibility:

1. Oversee and deliver TAA’s member-led organising campaigns
2. Play a lead role in delivering our Coalition Campaigns
3. Oversee our HOST programme, our in-house campaign accelerator and fiscal hosting programme

But there are several ways we could divide up the work into people’s roles. So, instead of splitting this up in advance ofapplications, we are asking candidates to apply first, and then dividing up the responsibilities into two coherent roles based on the best candidates that apply.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

The following responsibility areas will be divided between the two roles based on candidates’ strengths. 

1. Oversee and deliver TAA’s member-led organising campaigns

• Support members to develop and select key campaigns to prioritise on the basis of:
  • People: What our young people want and need to learn to support their growth as organisers and leaders in their own right.
  • Power: How we want and need to build power together
  • Change: Where there is an opportunity to win material change on the important issues of the day that directly affect our young people and others.
• Once campaigns are selected, you will support members to design clear-sighted campaign strategies to achieve objectives under the three categories above.
• You will then support members to deliver on these strategies, with the necessary campaign infrastructure to ensure it succeeds, including meetings, briefings, comms outputs, creative public action, aligning with allies, and negotiating with key targets.

2. Play a lead role in delivering our Coalition Campaigns, including but not limited to our Climate Coalition (Roots to Rise) and Gender Coalition (name tbc):

• Work closely with the Programme’s Team to develop and deliver organising and campaign training for key partner organisations, helping them to embed organising practices into their work, and support their young people to be organisers in their own right.
• Support the Programme’s Team and partners to develop and select key campaigns to prioritise on the basis of:
  • People: What our young people want and need to learn to support their growth as organisers and leaders in their own right.
  • Power: How we want and need to build power together
  • Change: Where there is an opportunity to win material change on the important issues of the day that directly affect our young people and others.
• Once campaigns are selected, you will support partners and members to design clear-sighted campaign strategies to achieve objectives under the three categories above.
• You will then support members to deliver on these strategies, with the necessary campaign infrastructure to ensure it succeeds, including meetings, briefings, comms outputs, creative public action, aligning with allies, and negotiating with key targets.

3. Oversee our HOST programme, including but not limited:

• Work with the Director of Oraginising and Campaigns to set the strategic direction and priorities for the HOST Programme.
• Proactively build relationships with our HOSTed groups and coach them to develop their leadership. This involved holding regular 1:1s and relational meetings that strengthen our connection and help them to identifyand act on their developing political interests and to plug them into relevant opportunities for growth at TAA and our wider networks.
• Identify opportunities to improve our offer to HOSTed groups and support them to tackle challenges they face. This includes developing a clear understanding of their aims and needs, and how their and our resources can be used creatively to help deliver these effectively.
• Oversee the Lead Campaign Organiser’s efforts to ensure our HOST Programme runs like a well-oiled machine by pulling in the right people at the right time to ensure key milestones are met.
• Oversee the budget for the HOST Programme, ensuring that all activities are run within financial targets, working with the Programmes leadership team to identify efficiencies and savings, checking in regularly with the Head of Organising and Campaigns and relevant senior colleagues to escalate any risks or opportunities that might arise.

4. Be a key member of the Organising and Campaigns Team, including but not limited to:

• Support efforts to set the strategic direction and priorities for the Organising and Campaigns Team each financial year.
• Proactively develop an interest in the impact of political, socio-economic and sector specific changes that could impact the HOST Programme, department and TAA in general.
• Support the Director of Organising and Campaigns and Head of Organising and Campaigns with the management and mitigation of organisational risks presented by the Programme by escalating issues within a timely manner and supporting them with problem solving.
• Support colleagues in the Organising and Campaigns team to run events, training programmes and other key activities to deliver on departmental aims.

5. Support our members to learn and grow as organisers in their own right, including but not limited to:

• Proactively build relationships with our members and grow our membership, through holding regular 1:1s and relational meetings that strengthen campaigns but more importantly help them to identify and act on their developing political interests and to plug them into relevant opportunities for growth at TAA and our wider networks.
• Hold a list of members that you are the relationship lead for, developing and delivering a live learning plan with many of them, supporting them to become powerful organisers.
• Work closely with the Programmes and Community teams to set trajectories and expectations for a young person’s campaigning and organising journey, their starting point coming into TAA, and the training and support they need.
• Facilitate workshops and meetings, holding space effectively and designing and delivering creative learning journeys for young people.

6. Culture, values and wider strategy and mission. Hold Functional or senior responsibilities for driving the achievement of our strategic objectives by embedding our vision, mission, strategy, ideology and cultural values across your area and the wider organisation. Play a central role in shaping organisational direction and leading cross-departmental priorities and initiatives, including but not limited to:

• Embodying and championing our commitment to social and economic justice, ensuring this is consistently reflected in organisational strategy, decision-making, delivery and partnerships
• Acting as a champion of organisational culture and values, setting the standard across teams and holding others to account in upholding these in practice
• Leading on identifying and driving opportunities that strengthen organisational impact, working closely with senior leadership, including the Director of Finance, HR and Ops, and contributing to high-level strategic direction
• Holding ultimate responsibility for identifying, assessing and addressing risks to our integrity, authenticity and alignment with our ideology and culture, taking decisive and timely action
• Enabling and lead effective cross-departmental collaboration, ensuring teams are aligned, appropriately resourced and working cohesively towards shared goals
• Shaping and model a culture of openness, care and accountability, contributing to organisational wellbeing approaches and supporting leaders across the organisation to do the same
• Taking ownership of your continued leadership development, while also actively developing others and building leadership capacity within your area
• Taking responsibility for communicating your own wellbeing and needs and providing feedback on TAA wellbeing initiatives to your line manager, and contribute to living the TAA transformative culture

7. Governance and Compliance

• Provide strategic leadership on governance and risk management within your portfolio, working in close partnership with the Finance, HR and Operations team.
• Lead and hold accountability for risk identification, analysis and mitigation, ensuring risks to strategic objectives are anticipated, escalated and managed effectively
• Maintain oversight of risk across your area, ensuring robust systems, controls and practices are in place and consistently applied
• Ensure strong organisational compliance with TAA policies and practices, taking responsibility for their effective 
• implementation, continuous improvement and alignment with wider organisational standards
• You will support Programmes and Community Departments by ensuring that the operations, structures, processes, and practices align with and support TAA's campaigning and organising goals, activating new allies' goals, and community goals

A BIT ABOUT YOU

• You are passionate about, and committed to, creating a more fair, just and equal world. 
• You believe in the potential of young people to challenge the status quo and are dedicated to helping them become more powerful citizens.
• You have a deep understanding of, and a personal connection to, issues of social justice. You are attuned to how injustice affects young people and marginalised communities, and are well-informed on the key challenges they face, and are committed to driving meaningful change.
• You’ll be comfortable managing a “to-do” list of competing priorities and balancing your workload to meet competing deadlines.
• You’re a sensitive and thoughtful relationship-builder who is interested in building a network of relationships to support the Advocacy Academy’s work. You’re a great listener, and remember people’s names, faces, and stories. 
• You’re a confident written and verbal communicator, who is comfortable with tailoring communication to reach a diverse range of audiences and stakeholders.
• You’re proactive, organised, and eager to learn, whether that’s chatting with potential funders, researching new opportunities or collaborating with teammates.

IDEAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• At least 5 years of experience in organising and campaigning on issues of social justice and/or 
• At least 5 years of experience in supporting people to be more confident and comfortable developing and implementing organising or campaign efforts.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience working with different audiences or types of stakeholders 
• Project management and experience working collaboratively across teams both in person and online
• Excellent organisational skills with confidence managing multiple tasks at the same time/ balancing multiple priorities to meet deadlines
• Confidence working in a fast-paced environment 
• Experience with our existing systems e.g., Gmail/ Google Doc/ Google Sheets/ Canva
• Confidence working in a fast-paced environment 

This is an outline of the responsibilities and duties of the Head of/ Associate Director of Organising & Campaigns roles (2 roles); it is not intended as an exhaustive list and may change from time to time to meet the changing needs of the Liberation Centre and our young people. Any changes will be made in consultation with the post holders.

HOW TO APPLY

Candidates will be asked to provide a CV and a Cover Letter OR a supporting video application addressing the following questions (no more than 1000 words or 10 minutes for all questions).

• Tell us about a social justice issue that makes you angry and why it matters to you?
• Our Organisers support our members to organise and campaign on issues that matter to them. Tell us about an organising effort or campaign you were part of, what it achieved, what it didn’t, your role in that effort and any reflections you have about being part of it?
• Our Organisers support our members to identify and act on their developing political interests, including helping them to be more confident and comfortable developing and implementing organising strategies. Tell us about a time when you helped someone learn and develop their capacity to make change in the world?
• Include anything else you would like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the roles.

In addition, please also provide information on your notice period and your availability for interview. You may also attach any other content that would be relevant for us to have in order to showcase interest and experience. The content can come in any form of media, including but not limited to - a mind map of ideas, a timeline or portfolio of your work, life or experiences; a recording; a Powerpoint or other form of presentation; a song, article, poem or other writing samples.

DATES

• Closing Date: The deadline for applications 25th May 2026 by 10am.
• Task: If shortlisted you may be required to develop and present an outline of organising strategy on a topic shared in advance.
• First Round of Interviews: will be scheduled for 2nd & 3rd June 2026 (Dates are subject to change).
• Second Round of Interviews: will be scheduled for w/c 10th June 2026 (Dates are subject to change).

Please be aware that we will be interviewing as we receive applications. The application date might be brought forward if we find the right person.

ONLINE OPEN HOUSE

Any questions? Give us a call. If you have any questions about the role or are interested in hearing more about what The Advocacy Academy is about, we are happy to do 15-20 mins exploratory phone call, including trying to find time with the Director of Organising and Campaigns if the questions are helpful. Contact us using the email on the JD if you would like to explore further.

A NOTE ON USING AI TOOLS IN YOUR APPLICATION 

We understand that AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful when preparing an application, and you’re welcome to use them as a support. However, we’re most interested in hearing directly from you. Please ensure your application reflects your own voice, experiences, and perspective.

We value the unique insights, lived experiences, and ways of thinking that each candidate brings. These are what help us understand who you are and what you would bring to the role, and they are an important part of how we assess applications.

If you require any adjustments or support during the application process, please don’t hesitate to let us know. we’re committed to making our recruitment process as accessible and inclusive as possible.

NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US

We aim to be representative of the community we are working with. We encourage applications from people of colour, those who identify as LGBTQIA, working class as well as disabled people, those living with mental health conditions, refugees and migrants. We welcome people from all identities who are made to feel marginalised. 

 We’re not just committed to being an equal opportunity employer, we actively celebrate diversity in all its forms. Let us know if we can do anything to make the application or interview process more accessible. If you are invited to interview, we will at that point ask you for any accessibility requirements or preferences.

As an employer we make all reasonable adjustments to support employees in their work if they are disabled or have a health condition. We support the Access to Work scheme which could provide you with financial support to get the help you need to do all tasks successfully. We are happy to facilitate Access to Work assessments and reclaims and would actively welcome applicants who would need this in order to do the job.

All staff who work on our programme must have, prior to starting work, a returned satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) dated no earlier than 1st January 2021. The Advocacy Academy will assist the application for, and pay for the processing of, a new DBS for staff members where required. 

We welcome applications from people with convictions. Please disclose in your application if you have any convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings that are not “protected” (as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013)) . We consider each person on their own merits, taking into account all the circumstances.

Role/Job Title: Head of Kent Services
Location: Pembury, with travel between services as required 
Contracted Hours Full time -37 hours per week (Mon-Fri)
Salary: £55,000 - £65,000 per annum FTE

Application Deadline Date:  Friday 24th May 2026 / Interviews to take place at Cornford Lane site (Pembury) on Wednesday 10th June
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

FULL JOB DESCRIPTION

Equal Opportunity/Accessibility and Accommodations Statement:
As a Disability Confident employer, Aspens Charities is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for individuals with disabilities. We actively promote the recruitment, retention, and career development of people with disabilities, recognising the invaluable contributions they make to our organisation. We are dedicated to ensuring an accessible recruitment process for all candidates. If you require any accommodations during the application or interview process, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Aspens’ mission is to provide high-quality care and support to individuals on the autism spectrum and with learning disabilities; meeting their needs and aspirations and empowering them to learn and grow through an integrated network of services across the South-East.

We provide support and care to children, families and adults across Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Brighton and Hove, Surrey and the London Borough of Bexley. Our services include registered care homes; supported living; community outreach; day services, including pathways to employment; children and young people’s groups and support; specialist support; and free online support for families and carers across the South-East.
 

About the role:
This is a tremendously exciting time to join Aspens. With our new Chief Operating Officer in place, we are actively shaping how we work to ensure we deliver the very best for the people we support. Her focus and ambition are centred on establishing consistent, high-quality practice across the organisation and ensuring that everything we do enhances, in a meaningful and measurable way, the lives of those we support.
 

The Head of Kent Services is a leadership role responsible for the strategic, operational, and financial oversight of services within Kent, currently residential services for adults with autism and/or learning disabilities, supported living services, and services for children and families across Kent.

The postholder will ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality, person-centred care and support that promotes autonomy, dignity, inclusion, and positive outcomes for individuals and families. The Head of Kent Services will lead and develop a small team of locality managers ensuring regulatory compliance, financial sustainability, and continuous service improvement across the portfolio.

The Head of Kent Services will be a member of the Inclusive Executive Leadership Team, working in collaboration with other leaders to drive the best outcomes for the People we Support and the Charity.

 

Knowledge and Experience:

We’re looking for someone who brings a combination of the following experiences, whether gained through formal roles, lived experience, volunteering or other pathways.  We value diverse routes into leadership and welcome applications from individuals who may not have followed traditional career paths.

Essential Experience:

• Significant senior management experience in health and social care.
• Proven leadership experience managing CQC Registered Managers.
• Strong knowledge of autism and learning disability support models.
• Experience managing budgets and financial performance.
• Demonstrable experience of regulatory compliance and inspection processes.
• Experience working with commissioners and local authorities.
• Experience managing large-scale change programmes.
• Significant experience in building team capability and managing complex employee relations.
   

Essential Skills & Competencies:

• Strategic thinking and operational delivery capability.
• Strong financial acumen.

• Experience overseeing impactful, outcomes-driven services at a strategic level.

• Strong project and programme management skills.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills.
• Excellent analytical and data interpretation skills.
• High-level communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to manage complexity and drive change.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making ability.
• Ability to build and sustain relationships, with trust and integrity
  
  
   

Desirable:

• Relevant professional qualification in health or social care (Level 5 or above).
• Experience overseeing multiple residential and/or supported living services.
• Experience in service mobilisation or turnaround.
• Experience with Positive Behaviour Support at strategic level.
   

Core Values & Leadership Expectations:

• Commitment to person-centred, rights-based and autonomy approaches.
• Passion for inclusion, dignity, and empowerment.
• Dedication to safeguarding and promoting welfare.
• Evidence-informed decision-making.
• High levels of integrity, resilience, and accountability.

• Reflective, open to feedback and committed to continuous learning
• Brings authenticity, empathy and a collaborative spirit
  
   

What we can offer you:

• An exciting and rewarding role that you can really make your own
• An opportunity to learn and grow in a supportive environment, with formal and informal training and development initiatives.
• Member of the Inclusive Executive Leadership Team.
• Hybrid working
• Adjusted Hours or compressed working weeks
• Fantastic paid training and career progression opportunities (including recognised qualifications in health and social care)
• Paid DBS 
• Annual Leave / Pro rata dependent on hours. Annual leave entitlement increases with length of service
• Nest Pension and Death in Service Benefit
• Dedicated Employee Assistance Programme and Access to Mental Health First Aiders
• Aspens High Street Stores -20% discount on all items for Aspens’ staff
• Bluebell cafe- Discounted staff menu available
• Refer a Friend scheme, so you can earn up to £250 for every person you refer to work for Aspens
• Recognition schemes, including ‘Employee of the Month’
• Wellbeing initiatives such as: no email/meeting Fridays, no meetings over lunchtime to ensure people can take a break, encouraged not to read or reply to emails outside of working hours, and access to counselling

If shortlisted, we will contact you directly to schedule an interview. We strive to respond to all applicants; however, if you have not received a response within a reasonable timeframe, please feel free to contact us for a status update or feedback (where available). After the interview, you will be notified of the outcome. If successful, you’ll receive a formal offer in writing. Upon acceptance, we’ll guide you through the onboarding process, providing you with all the details you need.

Please note, any offer of employment will be subject to Disclosure and Barring checks (which we will arrange on your behalf if you don’t already have one) and satisfactory employment references.

About the team

The Philanthropy Team raises income for Impetus and for Impetus partner charities. The team consists of 15 staff. Impetus has an annual income of c.£11 million which we are looking to grow significantly within the next few years. The team is led by the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships. 

The Philanthropy Team works with major donors, corporates and grant making trusts, as well as collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation to ensure we make a compelling case to generate new financial commitments and wider support for our work. The team also deliver a high-quality engagement programme of volunteering and pro bono for Impetus’s corporate supporters.   

Impetus is driven by a shared belief in tackling the barriers that hold back young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in education and employment. Alongside investing extensive financial and non-financial support in our charity partners through our Investment Team we also seek to influence decision makers to design and implement evidence led policy and direct new resources to get young people the support they need through our Public Affairs team. We are resolutely focused on outcomes, driven by quality evidence.

You would be joining a team that is passionate, ambitious, determined and warm. We care deeply for our colleagues, our charity partners and the young people we serve. 

Why work with us?

Working at Impetus means joining an organisation that is serious about impact and serious about people. Our values actively guide how we make decisions, how we work together and how we deliver change.

In the Philanthropy & Partnerships Team, you will:

• Be part of a high-performing and respected fundraising team
• Build meaningful, long-term relationships with thoughtful, impact-driven donors
• Develop your skills across the full fundraising cycle, supported by strong leadership
• Work on some of the charity sector’s most exciting and long-term partnerships
• See a clear connection between your work and improved outcomes for young people

If you are motivated by purpose, enjoy working to a high standard, and want to be part of a team that is ambitious about both impact and excellence, we would be delighted to hear from you.​

Harbi Jama,

Director of Philanthropy & Partnerships

About this role

This role is a 12‑month maternity cover, supporting an important phase of delivery and development within the Philanthropy team. The postholder will work closely with colleagues to maintain momentum in new business activity while contributing to strategic account management and stewardship. 

The Head of Development is a senior role within the Philanthropy Team, with a primary focus on new business development. This includes identifying, cultivating and securing new funding relationships across trusts, foundations, corporates, co‑investment partners and high‑net‑worth individuals. 

Alongside new business delivery, the role also provides strategic account management for a small portfolio of high-value partners, ensuring smooth transitions from acquisition into long term stewardship. 

This role works alongside the Head of Philanthropy, with both roles contributing to the success of the Philanthropy Team. The Head of Philanthropy leads on deep stewardship and retention, while the Head of Development focusses on new income generation and building relationships with new funders and partners. 

The postholder will work closely with the Director of Philanthropy & Partnerships, Philanthropy Directors as well as Senior Research and Insights Manager, contributing specialist expertise, strong delivery and sound judgement, while operating within agreed strategy and governance frameworks.

​Key responsibilities:

New business development

• Support the Director of Philanthropy & Partnerships and Development Director on the development and delivery of the new business plan in line with the fundraising strategy
• Works with the Senior Research and Insights Manager to identify emerging funding trends, opportunities, market opportunities and best practice
• In collaboration with the Development Director and Growth and Insights Director, lead the delivery of agreed cultivation strategies for priority prospects, proactively progressing relationships from qualification through to solicitation and conversion, leveraging senior stakeholders, board members, donor advocates and wider networks
• Develop and deliver compelling cultivation strategies and tailored pitch plans for priority prospects, including designing and building new donor acquisition vehicles (e.g. committees, cultivation events and targeted communications), working collaboratively with colleagues across Impetus
• Lead and support high-level meetings, pitches and negotiations with prospective donors, positioning Impetus as a credible and strategic partner
• Work with trustees, senior leaders and pro bono supporters to leverage networks and secure introductions to new prospects
• Ensure high-quality written and verbal communications with prospective donors

Account management and stewardship 

• Build and maintain professional, long-term relationships within the portfolio, escalating strategic issues or risks promptly.
• Manage a targeted portfolio of high-value donors of six figures and supports on seven figure partnerships, ensuring excellent stewardship, timelyreporting and meaningful engagement
• Act as a relationship lead for selected donors, building trust and ensuring a smooth transition from new business to long-term stewardship
• Own and deliver tailored account plans for assigned donors, with a focus on renewal, upgrade and long-term relationship value
• Oversee the delivery of high-quality donor communications for assigned donors, including reports, impact updates, and engagement opportunities
• Ensure robust portfolio management, including accurate forecasting, pipeline management, and use of CRM systems
• Identify opportunities to deepen relationships through increased giving, multi-year commitments or broader engagement with Impetus’ work
• Works closely with Development Director on supporting Funds i.e. Connect, Skills, Attainment or Engage as needed 
• Supports or leads on committees such as Futures or Real estate 
• Represent Impetus externally with professionalism and credibility

Cross-team working and organisation contribution

• Build and maintain professional, long-term relationships within the portfolio, escalating strategic issues or risks promptly.
• Ensure consistent standards and best practice across account management and donor stewardship
• Collaborate closely with the Head of Philanthropy to ensure seamless handover from acquisition to stewardship and a coherent donor experience.
• Contribute insight from prospecting and market scanning to inform proposition development and strategic planning
• Ensure all activity aligns with Impetus’ gift acceptance, due diligence and ethical fundraising policies
• Champion best practice in prospecting, pipeline management and new business development across the team
• Build a collaborative, inclusive, high quality team culture aligned with Impetus’ values

​Person specification

​Essential​:

• A strong track record of raising six-figure+ philanthropic income from grant-making trusts and foundations, corporate foundations and/or individual donors, including experience with high-net-worth individuals
• Proven ability to lead and deliver the full fundraising cycle, from prospecting and cultivation through to solicitation, stewardship and renewal
• Demonstrated strategic thinking, planning and delivery skills, with the ability to generate ideas, translate them into practical account plans, and execute them effectively
• Excellent research, prospecting and qualification skills, with the judgement to prioritise high-value opportunities
• A proactive, creative and innovative approach to fundraising, with the ability to adapt and develop creative donor centred approaches 
• Experience operating with senior stakeholders, including trustees, board members and other high-level external partners
• Outstanding relationship management skills, with the ability to establish, manage and deepen trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Highly collaborative, contributing positively to team objectives and cross-organisational priorities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate impact and value clearly and persuasively
• Strong financial and portfolio management skills, including the ability to plan, forecast and deliver against income targets and budgets
• Ability to work well under pressure, managing multiple priorities and deadlines effectively
• A clear commitment to Impetus’ mission and values
• A strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

Desirable

• Experience managing and stewarding multi-year, five- to seven-figure partnerships.
• Experience line managing and developing fundraisers or relationship managers.
• Experience working within a charity, foundation, venture philanthropy or intermediary organisation.
• Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g. Salesforce), income forecasting and portfolio reporting.
• Experience supporting or contributing to new business development strategies at a senior level.

​​​About Impetus

At Impetus, our focus is on helping young people achieve positive education and employment outcomes to increase their chance of leading fulfilling and successful lives, irrespective of their background.

We tackle the three most difficult challenges that affect a young person’s ability to succeed in life in Britain today: ​​

• Lost learning through absence, suspensions, exclusions from school
• Stagnation in education attainment outcomes, which means many are missing out on key qualifications like GCSE English and maths
• The large numbers of young people out of education, training and employment ​

We use our deep expertise and high calibre networks to give the best non-profits working in these sectors the essential ingredients to have a real and lasting impact on the young people they serve.

Through a powerful combination of long-term funding, direct capacity building support from our experienced team and our pro bono partners, alongside research and policy influencing to drive lasting systems change, we work towards a society where all young people can thrive in school, pass their exams and unlock the doors to sustained employment, for a fulfilling life. ​​

We are resolutely focused on outcomes and impact, driven by quality evidence.​

You would be joining a team that is passionate, rigorous, determined, creative and warm. We care deeply for our colleagues, our portfolio partners and the young people we serve.​

Impetus is a registered charity and our charity number is 1152262.

Our Values​

In 2022 the Impetus staff agreed the following set of Values to act as our guiding principles as an organisation and help us to remain focused on achieving our mission to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

We are brave and curious

We are bold and brave in our pursuit of better outcomes for young people. We lead with curiosity and stay open to new perspectives. We support one another to take considered risks and learn together.

We bring high trust, high challenge

We build strong, long-term relationships through honesty, kindness, integrity, and respect. We create the space for open, constructive challenge, where colleagues, partners and supporters feel safe to speak up, hold each other to account, and bring their best in pursuit of our mission.

We are evidence led and results driven for young people

We pursue excellence for the young people we work with, are wholly committed to better outcomes, unapologetically results driven, and accountable for our actions.

We thrive through diversity

We seek to embed diversity of thought, background and experience in every aspect of our work. We are open, thoughtful and proactive in better understanding and challenging our assumptions to better deliver the change we seek.

We always seek collaboration

We will not succeed alone. We seek meaningful, productive partnerships with others to achieve our mission and drive systems change for young people.

Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

We believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more open, creative and gets better results.​

We want our team at Impetus to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our team to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop.

We want to reach a diverse pool of candidates. We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful.​

We recognise the importance of a good work/life balance. We do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, working part-time job shares and other arrangements.​

Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.​

Impetus is an equal opportunity employer and is determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We value diversity and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

​​Our employee benefits ​

Impetus appreciates the invaluable contribution made by all employees and wishes to encourage and reward loyalty, motivation and experience. We therefore offer a range of benefits and policies which aim to assist employees during various stages of their lives and careers. For more information on these, please download the job information pack from our website.

How to apply

Please click on the "Apply for this job" button.​

You will need to:​

• Complete the online form (including the equal opportunities monitoring form).
• Upload a comprehensive CV and supporting statement.​

The supporting statement should be no more than two sides of A4 and should address the criteria in the person specification.​

You should also include the contact details of two referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be approached with your express permission.​

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 interview stage.​

The deadline for applications is Sunday 17th May 2026, 11:59pm.​

Interviews:​

1st Interviews will take place on w/c 25th May 2026.​

2nd Interviews will take place on w/c 1st June 2026.​

You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

​Personal 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.