Head of education and engagement jobs

You will hold an integral role at the DEC for accurately and efficiently managing DEC’s accounting function, ensuring compliance with charity and donor regulations. You will oversee budgeting, grant management, and donor reporting with transparency and accuracy. You will provide financial insights to support cross organisational projects and program delivery and hold a key role in developing and implementing financial strategies that align with our vision and strategic planning.

About You

You will be a confident communicator, who can engage with diverse internal & external stakeholders, including funders and partners, creating a collaborative approach to meet varying commitments. You must be ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualified (or equivalent) with senior finance leadership experience in the non-profit or NGO sector and demonstrate strong understanding of charity accounting standards and donor compliance requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Processes

• Ensure accurate income/expenditure recording, bank reconciliations, and daily donation processing.
• Manage monthly accounting routines, prepare management accounts, and lead budget/forecast reviews.
• Coordinate annual and strategic budgeting, financial reporting, and analysis.
• Oversee income reconciliation across multiple streams and liaise with fundraising teams.
• Review and process drawdown payments to member agencies.
• Maintain and update accounting systems and support procurement processes.

Financial Controls

• Lead annual accounts preparation and audits; ensure regulatory compliance.
• Manage pension schedules and benefits compliance.
• Ensure tax compliance (VAT, Corporation Tax, Employment Taxes).
• Audit gift aid claims and maintain robust financial control environment.
• Update financial policies, procedures, and systems, support due diligence standards.

 

Financial Analysis & Reporting

• Oversee appeal finances, income tracking, and fund allocation.
• Coordinate governance processes (e.g., Indicator of Capacity) with member agencies.
• Monitor legacy income and liaise with fundraising/legal teams.
• Deliver annual report and accounts; produce reports for executive team and committees.

Leadership & Team Management

• Deputise for the Director of Finance and Resources.
• Prepare papers for finance committees and membership groups.
• Oversee finance team members and provide leadership support.

If you have used Sun Accounts (Infor SunSystems Cloud) or similar, have worked within a UK charity context and dealt with restricted funds, have prepared budgets, annual accounts and monitored cash flow and treasury management, then we would love to hear from you.

The DEC is an equal opportunities employer and provides opportunities to learn and grow in an inclusive, supportive, and productive environment. We encourage applications from anyone who can meet the criteria, regardless of gender, race, age, disability, sexuality, or religion.

How to apply

If you have the skills and passion for this role, please apply by 9am, Thursday 29th January 2026.

We are unable to support applications for our vacancies if you do not have the right to work in the UK.

The DEC is committed to the safeguarding and protection of children and vulnerable adults and participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from successful applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. 

By applying, the job applicant confirms their understanding of, and consent, to these recruitment procedures.

About the DEC

The DEC is made up of 15 member charities who are experts in humanitarian aid and specialise in different areas of disaster response. They come together to speak in one voice and make fundraising more efficient when we launch an appeal. Our members fund our running costs, and we give them back the money we raise in our appeals to carry out their vital work.

Do you want to improve the lives of people with disabilities and vulnerable people?

Humanity & Inclusion UK is looking for a Head of Institutional Relations (maternity cover) to lead our engagement with institutional donors, programme partners and allies in the UK. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead a dynamic team in the delivery and implementation of an ambitious institutional relations strategy. With a particular focus on the FCDO and Start Network alongside  growing our Australian and Irish portfolios, you will build partnerships and maximise income and influence to achieve our strategic aims. As a member of the HI UK Leadership Team, you will also play an important role in shaping the culture and direction of the organisation as a whole.

 

Background Information and Purpose of Post

The Head of Institutional Relations leads HI’s engagement with institutional donors, programme partners and allies in the UK, working closely with colleagues from across the global HI Federation, including our country programmes and our technical departments.

You will lead a dynamic team in the delivery and implementation of an ambitious institutional relations strategy. With a particular focus on the FCDO and Start Network alongside growing our Australian and Irish portfolios, you will build partnerships and maximise income and influence to achieve our strategic aims. This will involve managing relations with a wide range of actors, building our profile and responding quickly and effectively to opportunities. You will oversee and strengthen our compliance with donor requirements, ensure our programmes are effectively supported to implement grants and consolidate our capacity to bid for and manage commercial contracts.

As a member of the HI UK Leadership Team, you will also play an important role in shaping the culture and direction of the organisation as a whole.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and management

 

• Implement our ambitious plan for institutional relations, staying aligned with the organisation’s objectives and responding appropriately to the external environment.
• Contribute to the implementation of the network-wide institutional funding strategy.
• Lead, empower and motivate your team to achieve their goals, providing support as needed.
• Manage the team budget, including planning, phasing and forecasting in line with the organisation’s financial procedures.
• Participate as an active and constructive member of the Leadership Team, promoting a positive culture, modelling excellent behaviour and supporting cross-organisational initiatives.
• Provide timely and accurate reporting to the Chief Executive, trustees and Federation as required.

Institutional Relations

 

• Lead the team in ambitious engagement strategies for all donors in the portfolio, particularly the FCDO, Start Network, Australian DFAT and Irish Aid, strengthening existing relationships and, where appropriate, developing new ones.
• Ensure the team develops and maintains expertise on UK donor priorities, expectations and compliance requirements and is proactively analysing, interpreting and sharing this knowledge internally with relevant colleagues across the Federation.
• With your team, build the ability of our country programmes to engage with our donors locally and to comply with donor requirements, including through training.
• Oversee the process of identifying, analysing and sharing new funding opportunities with relevant colleagues, taking a lead when needed on coordinating large multi-country/framework bids to our donors.
• Maintain a network of contacts at other organisations and, working closely with operational and technical colleagues, build relationships with potential partners, including supporting the development of consortia for new bids when required.
• Contribute to building HI’s capacity to bid for and manage commercial contracts, including frameworks.
• Support the team with risk-based contract analysis and negotiation, due diligence and donor compliance.
• Ensure your team is delivering timely and high-quality reporting and grant/contract management, including follow-up of payment requests and tracking.
• Oversee the team’s information management tools and champion HI-wide internal processes and tools such as the CRM.
• Participate in the Bond Disability and Development Group, including supporting its influencing to promote greater emphasis on disability inclusion by the UK Government.
• Monitor and respond to threats and opportunities relating to the UK aid budget and aid policy, as well as for other donors in our portfolio where capacity allows.
• Support your team, the Chief Executive and technical colleagues to engage appropriately with other relevant networks in the UK to influence the UK government and raise HI’s profile (e.g. on specific crisis contexts, the impact of counter-terrorism legislation, health, education, humanitarian mine action, climate change etc.).
• Contribute to engaging with the Start Network and implementing our Start Network strategy.

Other duties

• Maintain a positive and collaborative working relationship with HI UK colleagues and the Federation’s institutional funding, operations and advocacy teams.
• Represent the organisation at relevant external events and meetings.

· Keep abreast of developments within the sector by liaising with counterparts in other NGOs and relevant networks.

• Keep up to date with any relevant changes in legislation, regulatory procedures, innovation, best practice and industry standards.
• Any other activities commensurate with the level of the post, as may be required.

Person Specification

We genuinely value diversity and are looking to build a team of people with a wide of range of personal and professional experience. If you don’t meet all of the criteria listed below but feel you would be a good candidate for this role, please apply. If you would like an informal conversation about this, please do send us an email or call us – we would love to hear from you.

Essential criteria

 

· Substantial relevant experience with INGOs, including at least five years’ experience managing strategic relationships with donors, partners and/or networks.

· A track record of securing and managing institutional income.

· Good knowledge of the FCDO as a donor and influencing target.

· Excellent management skills, including the ability to provide appropriate support and to develop colleagues’ capabilities.

· Excellent relationship-building, networking and negotiation skills, both internal and external, and at a variety of levels.

· Demonstrated capacity to design and deliver high-quality proposals, reports and briefs.

· An entrepreneurial thinker with a strong ability to identify opportunities, cultivate prospects and achieve strategic aims.

· Ability to carry out sound strategic analysis, identifying key trends and producing clear summaries from complex information.

· Good understanding of project design, programme quality and effective delivery.

· Excellent planning skills and an ability to work under pressure, to prioritise and to meet standards and deadlines.

· A collaborative and team-oriented approach with strong self-motivation.

· Ability to work effectively in an international and multicultural organisation.

· Willingness to travel and to work outside of office hours when necessary.

· Good IT skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams).

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

· Commitment to creating and maintaining an inclusive and protective environment for everyone that comes in contact with the organisation.

 

Desirable criteria

 

· A track record of securing and managing funding from, building relationships with and influencing DFAT and/or Irish Aid

· Good knowledge of the Start Network

· Experience of bidding for and managing commercial contracts for humanitarian and development programmes.

· Experience of cross-organisational leadership.

· Understanding of key humanitarian and development issues.

· Understanding of and experience of advocacy or campaigns, including working with the UK political system.

· Experience of developing NGO or academic partnerships.

· Lived experience of disability or from one of our countries of operation.

· French-language proficiency.

Equal Opportunities Policy

HI UK is committed to diversity and inclusion. We recognise that discrimination shapes the opportunities that many people have in society and that people have different needs in order to realise their full potential.

Addressing this requires organisations to be proactive in creating environments that encourage the inclusion and development of all. Though we still have a long way to go, inclusion is central to our identity at HI UK and we are strongly committed to the continuous work that it requires.

We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates with disabilities and/or from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, to help make us more representative. If you declare a disability and you meet the minimum requirements for the role, we will offer you an interview to demonstrate your skills. In the event that we receive a high level of applications for a role, we will invite those applicants who best meet the person specification.

L&W is growing our research team and looking for a Head of Research to lead innovative, impactful research and evaluation projects across our focus areas of employment and skills.

This role will expand our capacity to win and deliver evaluation and qualitative research, while strengthening our methodological capability. We’re open-minded about what that means—but we want people who can go beyond standard process evaluations and basic qualitative approaches. You might have experience mapping and evaluating complex system-level change, applying realist evaluation methods, or developing co-design and participatory research projects. You will have have applied these while working alongside the practitioners and policymakers who need these insights to make decisions.

You will join a team that is enthusiastic about learning and improving, and a peer group of experienced qualitative and quantitative research leaders who you will work alongside.

If you have research consultancy experience and want to join a purpose-driven organisation that delivers real impact locally and nationally, we’d love to hear from you. But you might come from a different professional background and still meet our criteria. 

Location: Hybrid working: 40-60% in an L&W office. Our offices for this role are currently in Leicester and London, but if you are based elsewhere, please contact us to talk about how the role could work for you.

Team:Research and Development

Salary:£45,650-£59,080 per annum (pro rata), dependent on experience and location

Duration:Permanent

Working hours:0.6 to 1 FTE, with flexible working supported (eg, condensed hours, flexible start and finish times

Main Purpose

The Head of Research: Evaluation and Qualitative Methods is a new post for L&W – as we seek to deepen our capability and expand our capacity.

The post-holder will direct research projects across all of our areas of work, providing specific leadership and expertise in programme and system-level evaluations, and projects mobilising innovative or advanced qualitative methods (such as system mapping, co-design methods, ethnographic methods, creative methods and/or theory-based/realist evaluation).

They will work with the Head of Research: Employment and Better Work to develop the wider qualitative and evaluative skills of the wider research team.

They will also play a key role in leading and writing responding to tenders and working with colleagues to develop pro-active research proposals that fill key evidence gaps and respond to the interests of our funders. They will be a good relationship manager – who can understand what commissioners are interested in, and shape projects to deliver meaningful insights that solve the problems practitioners and policymakers face across employment and skills.

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and management

• Line manage members of the R&D team
• Co-lead the qualitative methods group at L&W: supporting the wider research team to develop their skills. 

Income

• Write and contribute to reactive and proactive funding proposals across L&W’s areas of work, with a specific focus on process and theory-based evaluations, and proposals using advanced/innovative qualitative methods
• Build relationships with current and potential funders
• Identify and build relationships with research partners

Impact

• Ensure that all projects under their direction generate meaningful insights and recommendations that respond to the real-world concerns and challenges faced by practitioners and policymakers
• Communicate insights clearly and effectively to funders and other stakeholders

Delivery

• Act as Project Director for research and evaluation projects: liaising with funders; shaping research proposals and plans; supporting project managers; leading project meetings; ensuring project margins are delivered effectively; carrying out research directly where appropriate
• Work with External Affairs team to develop appropriate comms and influencing plans for projects under your direction
• Use your research skills and experience to support the wider development of the Learning and Work team

Person Specification 

Expericence 

Experience of delivering and directing high-quality programmes evaluation and policy-relevant research: shaping research plans, working with funders and delivering meaningful insights -Essential 

Experience of responding to research and evaluation tenders and writing proposals. -Essential 

Experience of managing, supporting and developing researchers and research managers -Essential 

Experience of carrying out research and evaluation in the areas of employment and skills -Desirable

Skills

Advanced qualitative evaluation and research skills, eg. One or more of theory-based evaluation, ethnographic methods, creative/art-based methods, co-design methods, system-level evaluation -Essential 

Effective and efficient relationship management -Essential 

Clear and direct written communication style -Essential 

Knowledge

Knowledge of, and commitment to, L&W’s charitable aims and purpose -Essential 

Demonstrable knowledge in the areas of employment and skills policy and practice -Desirable

Learning and Work Institute works across the UK. Our work in Wales is led by a Cardiff based team, but all staff are required to follow the guidance set out in our Welsh language scheme when working in Wales.

Job Title: Regional Coordinator – North West (Inspiring the Future)

Reports to: Senior Project Manager - Primary Futures

Location: Home based with regular travel across the North West region with a primary focus on Chester, Cheshire West and a secondary focus on Northwest Lancashire. Very occasional travel to London where the charity itself is based. Travel costs will be remunerated via expenses.

Purpose: This is a fantastic opportunity to take on a newly created post in the role of Regional Coordinator – North West for Education and Employers Charity; supporting the delivery of our internationally recognised flagship career-related learning programme in schools. The programme is called Inspiring the Future and is known as Primary Futures in primary schools.

Through our programmes, we bring inspiring volunteers from the world of work into schools, helping children learn in a fun way about a wide range of future jobs and career pathways, broadening their horizons and raising their aspirations and attainment. School activity sits at the heart of our charity’s mission which is to: ‘ensure that every young person in our country, wherever they live, whatever their parents or carers’ circumstances, has the opportunity to meet a diverse range of volunteers to hear first-hand about jobs and the world of work’.

This important role will be part of a friendly and supportive ‘Schools Team’, and the post has responsibility for supporting the local northwest delivery of a key primary school focussed project for the charity, funded by the Westminster Foundation. Responsibilities include initiating, developing, and managing relationships with primary schools in Chester, Cheshire West and Northwest Lancashire.

The role will include working closely day to day with local teachers/ schools to organise and deliver an exciting range of virtual and face-to-face events and activities in their schools. The role will also require the postholder to initiate and build positive partnerships with local employers and organisations to recruit and engage more inspiring volunteers to support these activities in schools.

Remuneration: £26-28k per annum depending on experience

Additional Terms: We offer an excellent overall package with 30 days paid holiday, exclusive of Statutory Bank Holidays, plus a competitive pension scheme and a volunteering allowance of up to 5 days per annum – pro rata in accordance with the length of contract. Additional family friendly benefits, including enhancements to Statutory Payments.

Appointment Terms: Permanent and full time

Job Purpose:

The postholder will report to the experienced Senior Project Manager - Primary Futures and work closely with a friendly, supportive and experienced set of colleagues across the wider Inspiring the Future team. The successful appointee will be responsible for working closely with volunteers from the world of work and primary school staff – supporting the effective delivery of interactive career related learning activities aimed at primary school children. It is a fantastic opportunity to make a difference to children and young people, particularly in less advantaged areas, by helping to broaden their horizons and raise their aspirations.

This is a newly created role to support delivery of an exciting multi-year project, kindly funded by the Westminster Foundation as part of our Primary Futures programme. The postholder will draw upon our revolutionary online platform that helps connect schools with a huge range of diverse, inspirational volunteers that have registered with our charity and who come from a wide range of exciting sectors of the economy. You will have the chance to engage directly with primary school children by facilitating interactive virtual and in-person activities with volunteers. While experience of working in or with schools may be an advantage, it is not essential.

The role will be home based with regular travel to nominated primary schools within the allocated region and very occasional meetings at the charity’s office in central London. Working with schools, the successful candidate will be responsible for targets within their region, managing the relationship with schools and volunteers/ employers.

The role, will by its nature, involve extensive travel across the region with a primary focus on Chester and Cheshire West and a secondary focus on North West Lancashire. Therefore, access to a car/public transport is essential. Regular virtual meetings with the wider team and occasional face-to-face team meetings either in London or another convenient location will be a requirement. The Regional Coordinator will make effective daily use of our Customer Relationship Management system (based on Salesforce technology) to manage data and delivery. 

What we are looking for in a candidate:

We are seeking a driven, highly capable, and enthusiastic Regional Coordinator who can deliver engaging presentations to employers, children, and teachers; confidently manage relationships at varying levels; and work efficiently to support the achievement of key targets.  You will bring excellent communication, organisational, and administrative skills, along with experience in relationship management. If you are motivated, enjoy connecting with people, and want to make a real difference in schools, this role could be the perfect fit for you!

Education and Employers is a small charity of supportive and fun colleagues, working at a rapid pace to bring about change. This is a dynamic role for someone passionate about motivating and inspiring children and who relishes working with a range of stakeholders to create impactful activities.

The exact brief to be finalised with the successful candidate and the funder but the role will be expected to undertake the following key accountabilities:

Key Accountabilities:

We will look to finalise these with the successful candidate but the postholder will have a range of responsibilities, including but not limited to the following:

Relationship building – The job holder will need to build positive relationships

• Re-engage with primary schools who have previously worked with us under a forerunner project that was undertaken last year
• Identify and initiate relationships with new target schools across the identified regions of Chester, Cheshire West and Northwest Lancashire in relation to the Westminster Foundation project
• Develop and manage these school relationships over the lifetime of the project, coordinating their day-to-day engagement in our career related learning (CRL) sessions and deepening their connection to the charity’s work
• Organise virtual and face-to-face activities including school liaison, securing volunteers via the Inspiring the Future system and host on tech platforms (Zoom, MS Teams etc)
• Work with the Primary Futures Manager to build relationships and to capture and exchange good practice between schools and teaching professionals, from all areas involved in the project
• Build relationships with the charity’s partnerships team to ensure that contacts and volunteers from the wider work of the charity are harnessed to support the Westminster Foundation funded project where possible

Delivery – the job holder will need to present/facilitate sessions to local schools and stakeholders

• Plan and arrange all logistics for the events that the postholder will deliver directly with schools. These will be both virtual and in person delivered in school settings
• Facilitate interactive virtual and face-to-face activities to connect pupils with volunteers through themed sessions, Q&A or job guessing-game format.
• Support and host teacher training sessions, staff meetings and info webinars to promote Inspiring the Future and encourage engagement and independent usage of the platform.
• Identify and connect with local employers, engaging the support of their organisation and staff, to secure and encourage local volunteers to help deliver CRL activities within funded projects.

Resource development, technology, data and reporting – the jobholder will need to use our technology, gather impact data on our behalf, develop resources, and make improvement suggestions

• Track and report back to the Primary Futures Manager, delivery against agreed targets and impact. This could include gathering baseline and impact data like pupil/ teacher surveys, feedback quotes, and photos of our activities (permissions to be obtained from the schools).
• Use Salesforce CRM to support with data management, assisting with maintaining up to date records and supporting data cleansing as needed
• Support the development of educational resources for teachers and pupils that provide insight into the world of work and different sectors
• Other ad hoc administrative tasks to support successful delivery of the project whilst always having a positive focus on improvements and ‘how can we do things better’.
• Promote Education and Employers wider offer and programmes as appropriate across the wider North West region. This would include our pilot project with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to inspire young people to consider future careers in local media

Person specification:

We are looking for someone with the following Skills/ Knowledge/ Expertise

Essential

• Minimum two years’ experience in a relationship management, school engagement, or school-based role. Other relevant experience will be considered if it demonstrates the candidate can undertake the accountabilities above
• Experience in successful relationship management – ability to engage confidently and sensitively with schools/colleges and employers and at a range of levels of seniority up to and including headteacher level
• Outstanding customer service and telephone manner, including handling large volumes of email enquiries and dealing with difficult situations politely and assertively
• Strong organisational and administrative skills including close attention to detail and effective time management
• Persuasive and confident communicator who is influential, and effective in presenting a concept both in person and on the phone.
• Good level of education, demonstrating capability in producing written content to a high standard.
• Demonstrable experience of managing a diverse workload; being able to prioritise work and working under pressure.
• Good working knowledge and practical application of Microsoft Office tools
• Willingness to travel either by car or public transport (‘Clean’ full driving license if preferred method of transport is driving)

Desirable

• Passion for supporting young people in realising their potential through harnessing skilled volunteers to engage in education
• Experience in virtual and in-person facilitation with children and young people
• Experience of project management and delivery
• Experience of client relationships management (CRM) databases, in particular Salesforce
• Experience of marketing to schools
• Experience of working in a small team
• Experience of working with volunteers
• Understanding of safeguarding, risk management and data protection
• Comfort and confidence in working with data to inform actions

Personal Attributes

• Commitment to uphold our charity’s five values - Inspiring, Inclusive, Innovative, Impactful, Integrity
• Flexible – responsive to changing operational context and new opportunities
• Team Player: working collaboratively and flexibly to achieve outcomes and is keen to add value to the organisation’s culture and ethos
• Able to undertake some occasional work in the evenings and at weekends, although this is not a regular or likely day-to-day requirement of the role

 

Application process

The Education and Employers Charity values having a diverse workforce.  We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds. We offer a range of inclusive employment and family friendly policies as well as flexible working arrangements in order to support staff from different backgrounds. 

The closing date for applications is 9am on Wednesday 4th February and interviews will take place at our London office on Wednesday 11th February. Please send a covering letter of no more than 2-3 sides of A4 setting out your interest in and suitability for the role against the job description and person specification, together with an up to date CV. Please include your name and the role applied for in the subject line of your e-mail. Thank you

*Please note, in your cover letter we have a strong preference for human-written content. We want to hear about you, your genuine interest in the role, and why from your experience, skills, and personality you feel you are a great fit for the role

We will only consider applications with both a CV and covering letter and applications will only be accepted from those with the right to work in the UK with a valid passport/visa. 

Thank you for taking the time to consider this role. We very much look forward to receiving your application!

The Charity is fully committed to safeguarding those in our care. We plan our recruitment processes to ensure effective timelines for any required vetting processes such as enhanced DBS, qualification, reference and identity checks. The Charity also ensures that each staff member is appropriately trained for their duties with a comprehensive induction process on commencement and regular CPD in areas like safeguarding. 

 

About the Education and Employers Charity

Education and Employers is an independent UK based charity launched in 2009 with the original vision of “providing children and young people with the inspiration, motivation, knowledge, skills and opportunities they need to help them achieve their potential”. Our current strategic plan and mission is available to read here. It aims to achieve this by working with schools, employers, the national bodies that represent them and a wide range of other partners including the government and third sector organisations. The charity also works with partners internationally – more details here.

The charity runs Inspiring the Future, a free service which uses innovative match-making technology to connect volunteers with state schools and colleges, quickly, simply and at scale. Schools can very easily search a massive database of willing volunteers, filter against a wide range of criteria – e.g. subject, sector, career route and send them a message. It enables young people, wherever they live, whichever school they attend, the opportunity to meet people from a wide range of backgrounds doing jobs from across the whole world of work.

Over 90,000 people have already volunteered in the UK - people from all levels: apprentices to CEOs and all sectors: apps designers to zoologists and over 85% of English secondary schools and 42% of primary schools have registered with us. People can volunteer from an hour a year in a local primary or secondary school to chat informally about their job and career route, take part in career speed networking session, give careers insights, provide mock interviews or feedback on CVs through to serving as a governor or trustee.  There is also the opportunity to link up with schools for workplace visits, job shadowing and mentoring.

Inspiring the Future operates on a technology platform kindly developed in partnership with Deloitte, Salesforce and Ordnance Survey. It allows the charity to run national campaigns and others focused on specific geographic areas or economic sectors such as engineering, science, health and arts and culture. The campaigns have secured high profile support across government, business and teacher associations and ongoing corporate partnerships including our lead corporate partner Bank of America.

In partnership with the National Association of Head Teachers the charity has developed a version for primary schools called Primary Futures and over 6,500 primaries have already signed up. To see a short clip on how it works please click here.  All campaigns run through Inspiring the Future share a common objective: to broaden young people’s horizons, raise their aspirations and show them the range of opportunities and careers routes e.g. apprenticeships and university open to them. Over 5 million interactions between young people and volunteers from the world of work have already taken place.

Since the Charity’s launch it has sought to understand what difference employer engagement in education makes to young people and the economy. It works with academics and researchers from around the world and its own research is regularly cited by government and international organisations like the OECD. The research, which has informed and influenced a range of government policies, shows that employer engagement helps improve social mobility, reduces the likelihood of young people becoming NEET (not in education, employment of training), increases the amount they earn in adult life, helps them make better informed career choices and leads to improvements in educational attainment.

Head of Water Safety and Education

CONTRACT: Permanent, Full Time (35 hours per week, Monday to Friday)
ORGANISATION: Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK)
DEPARTMENT: Membership and Education
LOCATION: Hybrid working, with three days a week at RLSS UK Headquarters, Worcester.
*This is negotiable, depending on the travel time of the successful candidate.
REPORTS TO: Director of Membership and Education
REPORTS: Education Manager
SALARY: £43,997.00 (Grade A)

JOB PURPOSE
To develop, lead, and oversee the delivery of RLSS UK’s Education Strategy, and represent the charity at strategic stakeholder meetings/events.

ROLE OVERVIEW
Early intervention and education is considered critical in the development and resilience of young people to encourage safe experiences. Water plays a vital role in the way we live our lives but it can also result in devastation if not treated with caution. Providing young people with the knowledge and skills to make safe decisions around water is empowering, profound and life-saving.

You will be a passionate and ambitious leader with the skills, knowledge and experience to drive forward this area of work in collaboration with RLSS UK team members across the organisation. You will have a dynamic approach with the ability to combine relationship management, stakeholder engagement, project management and operational oversight to ensure our work in this area aligns with our purpose, mission and vision and enables us to achieve our strategy.

In 2025 the Department for Education (DfE) agreed for the Water Safety Code to be integrated into the newly released Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health Education (RSHE) statutory guidance for schools in England. RLSS UK were part of a collaboration of various organisations, who campaigned for this important change which is due to be embedded into the curriculum from September 2026. This role will be pivotal to ensuring that RLSS UK’s voice and expertise is maintained in this educational delivery as well as putting in place robust KPIs to allow us to assess its ongoing impact.

KEY TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES
Water Safety and Education
• Lead on the development of an ‘Education Strategy’ for RLSS UK that ensures that more young people have access to high quality water safety education
• Represent RLSS UK at wider forums and groups as our water safety and education expert and identify opportunities to increase our impact further
• Work with the Education Manager to develop and deliver education pilots and interventions that are informed by the ‘Education Strategy’
• Work closely with the Policy and Public Affairs Manager to ensure that policy work blends seamlessly and consistently into our educational delivery
• Plan research and evaluation to inform future developments of RLSS UK’s education packages, ensuring that they are impactful and inclusive
• Extend the capability of the community to deliver water safety education, training volunteers, partners, and members to standardise the delivery of our education
• Work with the Education Manager to lead the growth of our education workforce so that RLSS UK is more visible in schools and youth settings across the UK and Ireland
• Work collaboratively with RLSS UK teams to raise awareness of our water safety and education offering and our impact
• Build relationships with those developing similar work in the education space to network and elicit best practices
• Ensure compliance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 by complying with internal information governance policies and maintaining up to date records as part of RLSS UK’s compliance programme

Other Duties and Responsibilities
• Lead on and support ad hoc projects, as required
• Manage, mentor, and support the Education Manager
• Contribute to the successful operation of the charity by undertaking such other tasks as may from time to time be required, including all other duties associated with your role, as directed by your Line Manager
• To always demonstrate and uphold the Society’s values and behavioural standards
• Proactively participate in the Society’s equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives and training, and to promote a culture of respect and inclusion for all staff and customers

This job description is not to be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive. It is intended as an outline indication of areas of activity and responsibility and will be amended in the light of the changing needs of the organisation.

PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Relevant Experience, Skills and/or Aptitudes
• A minimum of 10 years’ experience of working in water safety and education
• Significant experience of working in a leadership role, ideally in a water safety or education organisation
• Experience of collecting research and insight to inform continued development
• Demonstrable experience of contribution to delivery of education strategy and policy
• Dynamic and proactive with the ability to generate innovative ideas and solve problems
• The capacity to lead groups, as well as be a participative member of them
• The ability to relate to, motivate and emphasise with a range of people from different backgrounds
• A positive ‘can do’ attitude
• Excellent at building and maintaining relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, both internally and externally
• Excellent team player who works well under pressure and to deadlines
• Experience in line management, including developing and supporting direct reports to deliver the organisation’s objectives
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to communicate persuasively to a wide range of audiences
• High levels of emotional intelligence
• Proficiency in MS Office applications
• Willingness and ability to travel as required for the role including occasional evenings and weekends

Desirable Relevant Experience, Skills and/or Aptitudes
• Knowledge and understanding of RLSS UK and its work in water safety education
• An understanding of the lifesaving, lifeguarding and water safety sector/communities

WHAT RLSS UK CAN OFFER YOU
RLSS UK is a national Charity based in Worcester, and we offer great staff benefits including -

• Annual Leave based on 27 days + Bank Holidays + a discretionary day off for your birthday
• Private Medical Scheme*
• Enhanced Society Sick Pay*
• Eye Care*
• Employee Assistance Programme via Health Assured
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Howdens Sports Benefits/Perks at Work
• Free RLSS UK Membership
• Free tea and coffee when working from HQ, including access to our wonderful Coffee Machine
• Free on-site parking when working from HQ
• Company Events and more!

*Subject to eligibility criteria

YOUR APPLICATION
Please send your CV and a Cover Letter outlining why you should join our Membership and Education team
Closing Date – 11.59pm, Sunday 1st February 2026
Interview Date – Monday 16th February 2026, at our Worcester Head Office (subject to change)

Should you wish to discuss the role, any reasonable adjustments you may require throughout the recruitment process, or have any questions, please get in touch where a member of the RLSS UK HR Department will be happy to help.

RLSS UK are a Disability Confident Committed Employer and an INclusive Worcestershire Leader.

Job Advert
JOB TITLE: Head of Operations
SALARY: £56,000 (pro rata)
LOCATION: LSE Students’ Union, Central London Office
WORKING HOURS: 22.2 hours per week (0.6 FTE)
CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent 
 

 
The LSE Students’ Union is seeking an experienced and strategic leader to join our Senior Leadership Team as Head of Operations. This is a newly created position, offering an exciting opportunity to take senior oversight of our central teams and ensure the effective delivery of our operational functions.
 

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, you will provide leadership and direction across finance, HR, governance, compliance, and risk management. Your work will underpin the Union’s ability to deliver its strategic objectives and maintain high standards of accountability, transparency, and operational excellence.
 

As Head of Operations, you will lead our finance and HR team, ensuring robust financial management, effective people practices, and strong governance frameworks. You will oversee budgeting, audits, and financial reporting, while promoting a positive and inclusive workplace culture. Acting as a key adviser to the Board of Trustees and relevant committees, you will also manage risk and data protection across the organisation.
 

 
 

Who are we?
 

 
 

LSESU is a vibrant, student-led organisation committed to helping LSE students make the most of the life-changing experiences open to them during their time at university. As part of our Senior Leadership Team, you will play a critical role in shaping our future and helping us to create a student experience which is enjoyable and empowering. 
 

 
Founded in 1897, LSE Students' Union is one of the oldest Students' Unions in the UK. We provide support, representation, and opportunities to help students thrive during their time at university. Everything we do is shaped by our members and guided by our values to be bold and inclusive, working collaboratively to create a welcoming community built on integrity and respect.
 

 
Who are we looking for?
 

We are looking for a candidate who combines strategic vision with operational expertise. You will bring a recognised accounting qualification and strong financial acumen, alongside experience in managing both finance and HR functions. Your knowledge of governance, compliance, and risk management frameworks will be essential, as will your ability to provide clear leadership and build effective relationships at all levels. 
 

You’ll need excellent organisation and planning skills, with a keen eye for detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively. A commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion is fundamental, together with an interest in working within a democratic, student-led environment.
 

 
 

Why apply?
 

 
 

As Head of Operations, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Union and supporting thousands of students at one of the world’s leading universities. We offer:
 

 
 

-        25 days of holiday per year (pro rata)
 

-        Additional closure periods at Christmas and Easter
 

-        Free LSE Students’ Union gym membership 
 

-        Opportunities for professional development and growth.
 

-        Access to TOTUM (NUS) card, which provides a wide range of discounts
 

-        Flexibility for work-life balance
 

 
 

 How to apply
 

 
 

We want to ensure that all systems, policies and processes are free from bias or discrimination and are fair and accessible. Therefore, we ask that all candidates complete our application process by uploading the following three documents: 
 

 
 

Part 1: CV – Outlining your skills and experience to date.
 

 
 

Part 2: Supporting Statement – A one-page statement explaining your suitability for the role. This will be used to determine if you are shortlisted for an interview. Please do not include any personal information (e.g., name or date of birth). Use the attached job description and person specification to help with this. 
 

 
Part 3: Equal Opportunities Monitoring and Contact Form – This includes personal information so we can contact you if you are shortlisted for an interview. It also allows us to gather and analyse demographic information about our applicants. This form will only be seen by HR and will not impact shortlisting.
 

 
Want to apply?
 

To apply for this role, please complete an online application.

Job Application Timeline
Closing date: Thursday 29th January 2026 at 10am
Intended interview dates: 12th / 13th February 2026

Compulsory Requirement - The UK Government sets the legal regulations that we are required to follow. As an employer we must ensure that everyone is eligible to work in the UK and this is done by us checking and making a copy of the correct original identification/documentation before your first day of work. Currently we require you to have the right to work in the UK, as we are not a Home Office approved sponsor.

Percival is proud to be partnering with Nucleo in the search for their next Head of Philanthropy - a strategic leader who will drive fundraising efforts, grow and diversify income streams, and elevate the organisation’s profile.

Nucleo is a music for social action programme based in northwest London, currently engaging over 400 children and young people aged 0–20. Nucleo uses music to build communities and empower young people, through our free, immersive, ensemble-based music education programme. With strong local roots and ambitions for building its national profile, they are now seeking an exceptional fundraising professional to help realise their next phase of growth.

Salary: £50,000+

Contract: Full-time, Permanent

Location: Hybrid, W10 6BL

Reports to: Director of Finance and Operations

In this hands-on delivery-focused role, the Head of Philanthropy will lead and grow Nucleo’s fundraising activity, taking personal responsibility for developing relationships with donors, partners and supporters to secure sustainable income for the organisation. The role combines practical income generation with some strategic planning: cultivating and stewarding a pipeline of high-value prospects, expanding networks, and delivering successful fundraising initiatives. The successful candidate will also play a key role in communicating Nucleo’s story through compelling donor engagement and impact-led content, working closely with the Founding Director to ensure alignment with the organisation’s values and messaging.

In order to be successful in this role, you should have:

• A proven track record of personally raising at least £0.5m annually, with strengths in major donors, corporate partnerships and individual giving
• Demonstrable experience delivering successful fundraising activity with a clear focus on hands-on income generation
• Exceptional relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage confidently with senior stakeholders and high-net-worth individuals, acting as a compelling ambassador for the organisation
• Experience managing donor pipelines and developing long-term philanthropic partnerships
• Confidence in managing budgets, analysing fundraising performance, and using CRM systems effectively to support data-driven decision-making
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to craft persuasive proposals, donor reports and impact-focused content
• Experience planning and delivering successful cultivation and fundraising events
• A collaborative and proactive approach, able to work closely with colleagues across programmes, finance and communications
• A deep commitment to Nucleo’s mission and values, with a passion for creating meaningful impact in the lives of young people and communities through music

Closing Date: Tuesday 10th February

Stage 1 Interviews: Week commencing 16th February

Stage 2 Interviews: TBC

The team at Percival are committed to your journey as a candidate and will provide any necessary support throughout the application process. If you require assistance in completing your application, or need the process to be adjusted, please don’t hesitate to contact Sam at Percival. We value diversity and encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply.

To apply, simply submit your CV. Should you meet the requirements, we will provide you with the full job description and arrange a call or meeting to provide further information about the next steps. Please note you may be required to complete a cover letter in order to submit a full application.

We look forward to connecting with you soon.

Since opening its doors in 1871, Royal Albert Hall has stood at the heart of the nation’s cultural life. From the Suffragettes to Stormzy, Elgar to Einstein, the Beatles to Shirley Bassey, the world’s most influential voices have shaped moments of history on its iconic stage.

Today, the Hall continues to deliver an extraordinary programme spanning classical music, rock and pop, national moments and the spoken word. Each year, nearly two million people experience performances that entertain, challenge and inspire, creating unforgettable memories within one of the world’s most recognisable and celebrated buildings.

Looking ahead, the Hall has set an ambitious new vision to ensure it remains a place of dreams and determination, contemplation and celebration for generations to come. Central to this vision is the continued growth of its highly successful outreach programme, supporting emerging artists and deepening engagement with communities, widening access to the arts and strengthening the Hall’s social impact.

In support of this long-term ambition, a pioneering £50 million capital appeal was launched in late 2025. This 15-year estate plan represents a significant evolution in the Hall’s fundraising approach, creating an exceptional opportunity to expand its philanthropic reach, deepen relationships with supporters and secure transformational investment in the future of this much-loved institution.

Against this backdrop, the Royal Albert Hall is seeking a dynamic and strategic Head of Philanthropy to lead its philanthropic activity through an exciting period of growth and change. This senior role will drive income generation across major donors, trusts and foundations, and the Friends & Patrons programme, while playing a pivotal role in the success of one of the most high-profile capital appeals in the arts. The post offers a rare opportunity to deliver a step-change in philanthropic income and prospect development, helping to realise the Hall’s bold vision for the future.

As Head of Philanthropy, you will:

• Lead the Royal Albert Hall’s philanthropic efforts, overseeing a talented team and delivering an ambitious strategy that spans multiple income streams: major donors, trusts and foundations, events, and the Friends & Patrons programme.
• Play a key role in helping shape and deliver the Hall’s transformative £50M capital appeal, which represents an extraordinary opportunity to expand the Hall’s fundraising reach, significantly increasing the volume of prospects engaged and deepening relationships with existing donors. Your ability to inspire your team and personally steward key supporters will be instrumental in driving this evolution in the Hall’s fundraising approach.
• Primarily focus on securing new supporters and driving innovative approaches to growing the donor base. Cultivating existing relationships is also an important aspect of the role.
• Foster a supportive and high-performing culture within your team, using a coaching leadership style to maximise potential and ensure the delivery of ambitious income targets. Your leadership will be key to driving performance while maintaining hands-on involvement with major donors and high-profile supporters.

Essential skills and experience: 

• An accomplished philanthropic fundraiser and inspiring team leader with a proven track record of securing minimum 6-figure gifts from HNWIs. Examples should be clearly evidenced on your CV.
• Confident managing senior stakeholders, developing strategy, and working across multiple income streams to grow voluntary income.
• A leadership style that combines strategic oversight with personal involvement, enabling you to manage high-value relationships directly when needed, especially with key donors.

Arts fundraising experience is not essential.

Employee benefits include:

• 25 days per year annual leave (pro rata for part-time employees), with the opportunity to buy or sell up to five days holiday per calendar year
• Enhanced pay during maternity, paternity and shared parental leave
• Life assurance of 6 x basic salary
• RAH’s canteen offers free hot and cold meals, including vegetarian options, to staff whilst at work
• Employee Assistance Programme

The British Psychological Society (BPS) is the learned society and professional body for psychology and psychologists in the UK. We use high‑quality research, data and insight to empower our members and strengthen the impact of psychology. By championing rigorous evidence, high standards and best practice, we raise the profile of the discipline and its contribution to society.

About the Role

We are seeking an exceptional strategic leader to join us as Head of Research and Analysis. This pivotal role will strengthen the evidence base for psychological practice, enhance member value and inform policy and strategic decision‑making across the organisation.

You will lead a multi‑disciplinary team of researchers, insight specialists and data analysts to deliver high‑quality research, analysis and evaluation. Your work will shape our understanding of the psychological workforce across the UK, support the development of products and services, and generate the evidence needed to influence policy and the wider research landscape.

This is an exciting opportunity for a visionary leader who can combine methodological expertise with the ability to translate insight into meaningful impact.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the development and delivery of the BPS Research and Analysis strategy.
• Oversee research standards, quality assurance processes and learned society functions, including awards and grants.
• Design, commission and deliver complex mixed‑method research and evaluation projects.
• Analyse internal and external datasets to generate actionable insight for policy, workforce planning and strategic development.
• Provide research, ethics and evaluation advice to member networks.
• Deliver market research and behavioural insights to inform member engagement.
• Build a horizon‑scanning function to identify emerging trends, risks and opportunities.
• Lead and develop a high‑performing team, manage budgets and oversee commissioned research.
• Build strong relationships with universities, research funders, learned societies and other key partners.
• Support the Research Board, Ethics Committee and associated groups.

About You

You will be an inspirational leader with extensive experience in research, analysis and insight generation. You will have:

• A degree in psychology, economics, statistics or a related quantitative field.
• Proven experience leading multi‑disciplinary research and analysis teams.
• Expertise in qualitative and quantitative research, mixed methods and workforce analytics.
• Strong knowledge of statistical analysis, forecasting and horizon scanning.
• Experience using research and insights to drive strategic and commercial outcomes.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and leadership skills.
• Experience managing budgets and external suppliers.

Why Join Us?

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of psychological research and practice across the UK. We offer professional development opportunities, flexible working, and a supportive, inclusive environment where your work will have meaningful impact.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit your CV and a supporting statement detailing how you meet the criteria. Please note that applications without a supporting statement may not be considered.

The closing date for applications is 6th February 2026. Interviews will be held remotely and will include a short practical exercise.

The British Psychological Society is committed to a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, irrespective of your background or circumstances. We are only able to accept applications that can demonstrate a right to work in the UK as we are unable to sponsor people requiring a work visa.

Due to the large number of applications we receive, it is not possible to update you on the progress of the application until after the closing date.  If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion.

Situated within beautiful gardens and grounds, the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability (RHN) is a leading national centre of excellence and one of the longest-running charities and independent hospitals in the UK.

Set in a stunning Grade II listed Victorian building, the RHN provides adult person-centred services across the entire care pathway—from post-acute rehabilitation to end-of-life care—for people with complex neuro-disabilities and their families. Underpinned by a strong research and education framework, the RHN is more than a hospital; it is a vibrant community where residents engage in music, art, and holistic support to achieve the best possible quality of life. 

The role:

A fantastic new opportunity has arisen at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability for an ambitious and strategic Head of Fundraising to lead and expand the RHN’s income generation and manage and drive a high performing team.

The Head of Fundraising will be responsible for generating income from all fundraising income streams: Community, Events, Corporate, Trusts and Foundations, Legacy and Direct Mail (Donor Development). They will oversee all aspects of fundraising, including developing and implementing the Fundraising Strategy, managing key donor relationships, driving forward any capital appeals and leading a team of fundraising professionals.

Who we are looking for:

We are looking for a passionate, positive and highly experienced individual with a proven track record in senior fundraising roles within the charity sector and experience of successful income generation.  Candidates must be skilled on donor stewardship and stakeholder engagement, as well as being a confident and engaging public speaker.  Knowledge of fundraising standards and best practice are essential.

Main objectives of the role:

• Establish fundraising priorities and set fundraising goals in line with the wider organisational strategy
• Achieve the fundraising target and KPIs
• Lead on the organisation of a full calendar of fundraising events and activity and ensure applications are made in a timely manner
• Engage with Fellows, Trustees and volunteers to ensure wider RHN engagement
• Engage with internal teams to ensure the timely promotion of events, activities and to ensure engagement
• Work with clinical service teams particularly those areas fully funded by fundraising, to provide case studies and outcome reports
• To work closely with the Communications team to fully utilise social media and the RHN website for all fundraising events and activities.
• Act as the primary contact for volunteer committees and external partners as necessary

We are happy to consider applicants who are looking to work part-time for a minimum of 3 days a week. 

Candidates must be willing to work occasional evenings and weekends for events.

What we can offer you:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Hybrid working – a strong on-site presence is required for this role with a minimum of 3 days working on-site per week expected (pro rata for part-time)
• Free counselling and therapy sessions and other mental wellbeing support through our partner CIC Wellbeing
• Get involved in our free on-site wellbeing programs, including weekly yoga, and monthly pottery club (we are the UK’s only hospital with its own kiln)
• Financial support services such as low-interest loans and help with savings accounts through our partnership with London Capital Credit Union
• Join our wellbeing networks to connect with people in our hospital; we have a Pride network, Women’s network, and our Race Equality network. We also have heritage events to celebrate the diversity of our workforce – most recently we had a South East Asian celebration.
• Free on-site parking (rare in London)
• More benefits: Cycle2Work scheme, tech purchase support scheme, Blue Light Card discounts, and more.

Want to find out more?

We would be delighted to have an informal conversation with interested applicants and provide more details on the role, team and the RHN!   Please vist our website to view our full Job Description and learn more about us.

About the Role

As a Membership Engagement Administrator, you will play a key role in supporting the Membership Engagement Manager and the wider team to deliver an exceptional membership experience.

This role ensures the smooth operation of the College’s membership services and contributes to achieving our strategic engagement objectives.

You will lead on core, complex membership processes, coordinate team workflows and provide world-class customer service to our members. Working collaboratively across the team, you will help identify and implement improvements to enhance efficiency and member satisfaction.

Key tasks and responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Deliver a world-class customer service experience to members and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate daily, weekly and monthly membership engagement tasks, prioritising work in collaboration with the Membership Engagement Manager.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure individual and team tasks are completed efficiently, effectively and in a timely manner. 
• Lead and coordinate the core, complex membership operational process being supported by the team.
• Identify and eliminate non-value-adding processes and suggest improvements to enhance membership engagement.
• Provide support to the Head of Membership Engagement in the absence of the Membership Engagement Manager.

About You

We are looking for someone with experience in a similar role, ideally within a professional membership organisation.

You will be highly skilled at managing and coordinating multiple workstreams simultaneously, with experience in handling sensitive data, processing financial transactions and working with CRM systems. 

A solid understanding of project planning tools and techniques is essential, along with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal. 

You will be exceptionally organised, possess a strong administrative background and demonstrate meticulous attention to detail in all aspects of your work.

The Package

This is a full-time, permanent position with a competitive employee benefits package, which includes (but is not limited to):

• 26 days of annual leave, plus bank holiday
• 1 additional paid day of leave for the purpose of celebrating your birthday
• Healthcare support through Benenden Health
• Up to 12% pension contribution
• Hybrid and flexible working
• Wellbeing hour once a week
• Cycle to work and employee discounts schemes
• Training and development opportunities
• Access to Mental Health First Aiders and Employee Assistance Programmes

About the College

The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) is the professional body responsible for the specialty throughout the UK. We are the third largest medical royal college in the UK by membership. With a combined membership of more than 24,000 Fellows and Members, we ensure the quality of patient care by safeguarding standards in the three specialties of anaesthesia, intensive care and pain medicine.

At RCoA Equality, Diversity and Inclusion I is a core part of our culture, so it is important to us that this is reflected in everything that we do. We welcome all individuals irrespective of age, race, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion or belief, disability, marital or civil partnership status, or parental and caring responsibilities to ensure we actively embrace an inclusive and representative culture that encourages, supports and celebrates our differences.

Unfortunately, due to the volume of applications, we are unable to provide detailed feedback to candidates on their application. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted after the closing date. Please note that the closing date is subject to change.

Applicants must reside and have the right to work in the UK. No agencies please

At Ambitious about Autism, we're currently looking for a Head of Philanthropy to join our Fundraising team.

You'll lead, oversee and implement ambitious plans, as set out in the new fundraising strategy and enabling us to fully capitalise on the opportunities presented over the next few years, with a focus on the development of a major donor strategy, growing our profile and supporting a high-performing Philanthropy team. Alongside this you will personally manage a portfolio of high value solicitations, resulting in 6- and 7-figure gifts.

You'll evaluate each income stream and develop plans aligned with fundraising strategy, ensuring these translate into deliverable objectives. You'll play a key role in the development of fundraising appeals, including large scale proposals and approaches, as well as developing creative and compelling funding applications to engage new supporters.

We are looking for someone who has:

• Proven experience of planning and implementing successful major donor fundraising programmes
• Proven experience of securing high-value major gifts
• An understanding of trends and developments across the sector and demonstrable knowledge of best practice in major donors, trusts and foundations fundraising
• Experience of financial management of expenditure budgets including setting, accurate forecasting and achieving financial and non-financial targets

In return, we offer great benefits including a generous holiday allowance and commitment to continued professional development (CPD), flexible, hybrid working and more!

This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious individual who would like to work for a forward-thinking, open and honest organisation and make a real impact to the young people we work with. Please find our full recruitment pack on the link below.

If you have any questions about the role or would like to have a confidential chat, please contact James Axford, Recruitment Officer.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion at every level of our organisation. We warmly welcome applications from all qualified candidates, valuing the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives they bring. We encourage applications from individuals regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or parental status, disability, or age.

Our recruitment process promotes equal opportunities, and we are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities or additional needs throughout the recruitment process. Please contact our Recruitment Team for accommodations. We recognise disability as a physical or mental impairment that significantly and long-term affects a person's ability to perform day-to-day activities, as defined by the UK Equality Act 2010. All applications will be considered solely on merit, aligned with our mission to support autistic children and young people.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. As part of our Safer Recruitment checks, an online search maybe carried out in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

The Safeguarding responsibilities of the post as per the job description and personal specification.

Whether the post is exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendment to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2021. This means that when applying for certain jobs and activities certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS Filter Guidance.

The Difference is an education charity, founded to change the story on lost learning. Our vision is to see lost learning falling nationally by 2030 and for schools to be better equipped to support all children, particularly those most vulnerable.

We are a small, growing charity delivering many school leadership programmes, with a growing research and policy arm. We have had excellent early impact but there is work ahead to capture this, share learning with schools and policy-makers, and campaign to lower exclusions across England.

The Role
This is an exciting time to join The Difference as we increase our impact, reach more schools, and develop our influencing strategy. As Head of Policy and Public Affairs you will: 
 

Design and execute an impactful influencing plan 

• Design an influencing plan - Identify via horizon scanning opportunities to influence national policy using open policy windows, or by nudging/creating new ones. 

• Execute an influencing plan - Utilise own assets and assets across the organisation, including the Director team, to deliver against the influencing plan.

• Relationship building - Build highly credible and impactful relationships with a variety of stakeholders who hold power. This will include policy makers in national governments, local government officials, politicians, other third sector organisations and think tanks. 

• Leadership - Play a significant role internally and externally in communicating the organisation’s policy position, raising organisational and own brand.

Build policy capacity and credibility across the organisation

• Policy positions and solutions- Use the concepts, work and experience of The Difference’s programmes to develop new, and refine existing, national policy positions to shift incentives. 

• Thought leadership - Be the organisation’s education policy and political expert. 

• Generating income - Use own and team’s expertise and credibility to generate income via speaking engagements and consultancy to support the organisation’s financial sustainability. 

Person Specification

Essential – We are looking for someone with the following knowledge, experience and skills, though you may be stronger in some areas than others:
 

• Deep expertise in education policy, particularly on the topic of lost learning and the various policy and political debates, including areas of controversy, surrounding this policy topic. 

• Strategic thinker with a proven track record in identifying policy windows and designing activities that lead to meaningful national policy change. 

• Excellent relationship builder, who brings with them their own network of influential stakeholders and has a plan for building new relationships. Adept at navigating tricky situations and explaining complex, sometimes difficult, messages.

• Expert convener with a strong knowledge of the education sector, including which schools, trusts and local authorities are influential and experience in bringing a variety of perspectives together to generate consensus. 

• Persuasive and clear writing style for publication, including reports, press, blogs and ghost writing for members of the senior leadership team, often based on consensus positions, and designed to communicate key messages for impact. 

• Confidence and credibility in communicating nuanced messages in a contentious landscape, in writing, verbally and in public (e.g. on panels), to raise the profile of The Difference. 

• Strong project manager who can design systems and processes to keep self, team and other stakeholders on task and on time. Experience of designing programmes of work and monitoring their effectiveness. Flexible project management style that can adapt to a changing environment. Confidence in managing a variety of stakeholders and supporting them to deliver on time. 

Desired – You are more likely to be successful in your application if you have one or more of the following: 

• Familiarity with The Difference’s programmatic work, theory and practice. 

• Lived experience or insight into the school experiences of marginalised young people (e.g. those with experience of the care system, mental ill health, special educational needs, exclusion, and racism).

We know that some people, especially those from marginalised backgrounds, may hesitate to apply unless they meet every listed requirement. If this role excites you and you believe you could make a strong contribution, we warmly encourage you to apply. 

We actively welcome applications from people whose backgrounds are under-represented in the charity sector, including but not limited to: people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, people with experience in the case system, non-graduates and first-in-family graduates.

Hours: 37.5 per week
Accountable to: Director
Responsible for: No direct reports
Salary: £50,000 per annum
Type: Three-year fixed term contract associated with fixed funding. Flexible working arrangements are available. Candidates are encouraged to share any flexibility requirements or proposals when applying.
 
The Head of Development will work closely with the Director to manage relations and raise funds from Trusts, Foundations, Corporates and Individuals to support the Gallery’s mission.
 
They will lead the strategic planning, execution and growth of the gallery's fundraising efforts. This includes securing major gifts, cultivating donor relationships, leading fundraising campaigns and developing income streams from individuals, trusts, foundations and corporate sponsors.
 
As a key member of the senior management team, the Head of Development will ensure that philanthropic support aligns with the gallery’s mission, vision and long-term financial sustainability.
 
Main duties and responsibilities
 
Fundraising Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy to support the gallery’s exhibitions, public programming, capital renewal and endowment.
• Lead and manage, with the Director, all fundraising activities including annual giving, major gifts, legacy giving, membership, grants and corporate partnerships.
• Set annual income targets and monitor progress, adjusting strategies to ensure goals are met.

 
Donor & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and manage relationships with major donors, patrons and sponsors.
• Oversee donor communications, appropriate acknowledgements and stewardship activities to maintain and deepen engagement.
• Represent the gallery at fundraising events, networking functions and relevant public engagements.

 
Campaigns & Special Initiatives

• Design and implement major fundraising campaigns, including gala events.

 
Grants & Proposal Writing

• Identify and pursue funding opportunities from trusts and foundations.
• Supervise grant writing, reporting, evaluation and compliance processes.

 
Collaboration & Reporting

• Work closely with curatorial, marketing and education teams to align fundraising with programming.
• Provide regular fundraising reports and forecasts to the board.
• Support the Board of Trustees and Fundraising Committee with strategy, materials and coordination.

 
Person Specification:
 
Experience

• Proven track record (3 years) in fundraising roles, preferably within the arts, cultural or nonprofit sector.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building abilities.
• Knowledge of fundraising regulations and donor data systems.
• Strategic thinker with a passion for the arts and community engagement.

 
Desirable skills and abilities

• Creative approach to donor engagement and storytelling.
• Excellent organisational and communication skills.
• Excellent relationship management skills.
• Experience with legacy and endowment fundraising.
• Existing networks in the arts or philanthropic community.

 
Personal

• Flexible team member with the ability to collaborate and support other colleagues.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.

 
General
 
Undertake any other duties as may be reasonably required by the Director.

The role may involve occasional evening and weekend working, as well as early morning and late evenings, for which time off in lieu will be given.
 
REF-225 793