Head of education and learning jobs

Are you a Product Development Manager looking to make a significant and critical impact?

RCR Learning supports the professional development of clinical radiologists and oncologists throughout their careers. We design and deliver in person, live online and blended programmes - short courses, lecture series and conferences - rooted in the realities of clinical practice. We’re ambitious to grow, and are investing to expand our needs led, commercially sustainable portfolio.
 
In this is hands-on role you’ll shape our portfolio, drive innovation, and design high-impact courses that improve patient care.
 
What you’ll do:

• Manage the new product development (NPD) process for new learning programmes - owning the pipeline from horizon scanning and opportunity selection through to design, piloting and evaluation.
• Lead the end-to-end design, development and pilot delivery of CPD courses, working closely with our course delivery teams.
• Collaborate with and coach SMEs (clinicians), using your learning design expertise to design high-impact, innovative short courses.
• Conduct market/user research and testing to ensure products meet demand, demonstrate educational impact and are financially viable.
• Lead go to market (GTM) planning and launches for new short courses to achieve commercial targets.

What you’ll bring

• Proven success in developing programmes which blend educational rigour with industry/market relevance.
• Strong experience in learning design and education programme development
• Commercial acumen and a user-focused mindset.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• The ability to lead and inspire cross functional teams.

Why join us:

• Make a difference to the lives of Doctors and the specialities they work in every day!
• Hybrid working (60% working week can be done remotely)
• Modern working environment
• Equipment provided to work from home
• Generous annual leave allowance
• Excellent pension scheme
• Interest free season ticket loan and cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme

This is a practical, hands-on leadership role at the heart of Richmond CVS’s work with local charities and community groups. The postholder will lead our support to voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations across the borough – helping them to grow stronger and more sustainable.

The main focus of the role is to strengthen the fundraising skills and income generation of local organisations, alongside providing high-quality advice on governance, planning and strategy. The role requires curiosity, creativity and strong problem-solving skills to help organisations find practical solutions to real-world challenges.

Richmond CVS already works with a range of experienced consultants and trainers and has an established suite of training resources. The postholder is not expected to be an expert in every aspect of charity management. A key part of the role is to coordinate and facilitate this support, drawing on specialist expertise where needed, while providing direct advice particularly in relation to fundraising and the fundamentals of good governance.

Working with a small, passionate team, you will deliver support, facilitate learning and manage projects that make a real difference to grassroots groups.

Key Responsibilities

Organisational Support 

· Provide practical tailored advice and support to VCSE organisations on governance, fundraising, income generation, and strategic planning.

· Help groups to identify funding opportunities and develop strong, realistic funding applications 

· Support organisations to become more sustainable and resilient 

· Develop clear resources, toolkits and guidance 

· Ensure all support is inclusive and accessible 

Training & Events

· Oversee and coordinate a high-quality programme of training and learning opportunities 

· Work with an established network of external trainers and consultants to deliver specialist training 

· Facilitate meetings, workshops and network events where appropriate 

· Develop new learning opportunities based on emerging needs 

· Maintain and develop existing Richmond CVS training materials and resources 

· Promote peer learning and collaboration across the sector 

Project & Programme Management

· Lead and manage capacity building projects from start to finish 

· Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget and to agreed outcomes 

· Monitor and evaluate impact and produce reports for funders 

· Oversee external consultants and specialist support ensuring quality and consistency

· Identify opportunities for new funded projects 

Leadership & Team Management

· Lead and support a small, committed team 

· Coordinate workplans and priorities 

· Provide supervision, support and development for staff 

Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement

· Build strong working relationships with Richmond Council, the NHS and other partners 

· Represent Richmond CVS at meetings and networks 

· Facilitate networking and collaboration across the VCSE sector

· Encourage digital skills and innovation across the sector 

Income Generation & Operations 

· Lead on income generation for capacity building work 

· Contribute to funding bids and proposals 

· Support budget planning and financial monitoring 

· Ensure compliance with organisational policies and procedures 

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

Essential Criteria 

Experience & Knowledge 

· Significant experience of working within the VCSE sector 

· Strong practical experience of fundraising and bid writing 

· Experience of helping organisations improve income generation and sustainability 

· Experience of managing or supervising staff or volunteers 

· Experience of developing, coordinating or facilitating training and learning opportunities 

· Good understanding of the principles of charity governance and good management practice 

· Confidence in using digital tools to support organisations 

 Skills & Abilities 

· Excellent communication and presentation skills 

· Strong problem-solving skills and a solutions-focused approach 

· Curiosity and a genuine interest in understanding organisational needs 

· Ability to build positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders 

· Ability to recognise when specialist expertise is needed and work effectively with external trainers and consultants 

· Strong organisational and time management skills 

· Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines 

· Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion 

 Desirable Criteria

· Knowledge of the Richmond upon Thames VCSE sector 

· Experience of working with local authorities or the NHS 

· Experience of grant assessment or management 

· Understanding of charity law

· Experience of hybrid working environments and flexible team management 

· Relevant qualification in fundraising, charity or project management 

 Personal Qualities 

· Curious and keen to learn 

· Resourceful and solution-focused 

· Approachable and supportive 

· Passionate about the VCSE sector 

· Flexible and willing to get involved where needed 

Head of Governance

£50,718 - £58,726 plus London weighing if applicable

Location , Hybrid, with travel needed

The WEA is the UK’s largest voluntary sector provider of adult education, a charity dedicated to bringing high quality, professional education into the heart of communities.  

We are looking for talented individuals to help us deliver our mission – to bring lifelong learning within reach fighting inequality and promoting social justice.

Job Description

WEA are looking for talented individuals to help us deliver our mission – to bring education within reach. If that sounds like you, then please read on.

As the Head of Governance, you will work closely with the Director of Governance & Purpose (Company Secretary) to support the Chair of the Board of Trustees and the Chairs of committees with advice and support on standards of good governance, and compliance - particularly around or SDI status. 

Reporting to the Director of Governance and Purpose, the successful candidate will also ensure ongoing monitoring of governance effectiveness and continuous improvement, and the efficient and effective administration of governance process, including trustee and committee member recruitment and onboarding, tracking appointment terms, and annual skills audits. Along with other members of the corporate governance team, you will support the Board of Trustees and its committees, including the creation and retention of proper meeting records, and the appropriate support, training and development of Trustees and senior volunteers serving on committees of the Board. 

Together with the team, you will also provide support to ad hoc working groups and volunteer committees that may arise from time to time to provide important local insight and input to governance decision-making.

We have attached the full role profile, that lists the key deliverables, performance measures and experience/qualifications needed for this role. Please take your time to read through this, and if you’d like to apply, hit that button!

We are working hard to create a workplace that reflects the communities we seek to serve and in which everyone feels empowered to be themselves and work together to drive positive change. We strongly encourage applicants from a diverse range of candidates and encourage everyone with the appropriate skills, experiences and potential to apply.

Should you need any support with your application, then please get in touch. 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

In our recent OFSTED inspection, we received a GOOD overall grade, with an OUTSTANDING rating for Behaviour and Attitudes and Personal Development.

You can read more about our benefits and what it’s like to work here, on our website .

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.

Youth Financial Education Development Lead

Are you passionate about helping young people understand money in helping young people explore how money works and what matters to them? The Just Finance Foundation (JFF) is looking for a Youth Financial Education Development Lead to lead the creation of a core youth financial education offer for 14–18-year-olds. You will design, pilot and refine a train-the-trainer approach that empowers youth workers to deliver learning that is engaging, relevant, and rooted in real life.

You’ll work closely with teams across JFF including Financial Education, Impact & Insights, Communications and Fundraising to develop a programme that is robust, consistent, and adaptable for different audiences, locations, delivery settings and funder requirements. This is a leadership-focused role: you will own the project, guide its development, and shape its impact.

What this role is — and is not

This role is:

• A project leadership role with clear ownership and accountability

• Focused on learning, testing and development

• Centred on internal collaboration across teams

• Engaging, interactive and grounded in real life

This role is not:

• A role focused mainly on direct delivery

• A high-volume external partnership role

• A one-off workshop facilitation role

• A people-management position

Who we’re looking for

• Experienced in youth, education, community or related settings

• Comfortable leading a design project and working collaboratively across teams

• Skilled in designing or supporting learning or training for adults

• Confident facilitating and reflecting on practice, using evidence to adapt approaches

• Organised, proactive and able to work independently

• Eligible for an enhanced DBS

Desirable experience: financial education, financial capability, youth work, and contributing insight to evaluation or funding proposals.

Why JFF?

At JFF, we are committed to making financial education an everyday part of growing up. We value curiosity, collaboration and practical innovation. If you’re excited to lead a project that could shape how young people learn about money across the UK, we’d love to hear from you.

To apply:

Apply today with your CV and a short covering note outlining your experience in youth programme development and community engagement, and how you would approach designing a train-the-trainer programme for young people.

Closing date: no later than 9:00am Monday 16th February 2026.

Nb: This piece of recruitment is rolling and may close at any time.

In recent years OTR has seen a significant increase in demand for our youth mental health services and we now reach over 17,000 young people each year. We are seeking a Head of Finance to oversee our (circa) £3m annual budget and to ensure that our finance operation is efficient and effective. This role will lead OTR’s finance function and, as well as having responsibility for day-to-day financial processes, will be a key member of the organisation’s senior leadership team (SLT). The role will involve providing financial insight to the SLT and Board of Trustees to improve understanding and inform strategic decision making. Examples of this will include analysing the financial performance of different activities of the organisation and preparing budget and forecast information. 

We are looking for an individual with demonstrable experience in a finance management role which includes a strategic focus, preferably in the voluntary sector. The successful candidate will be a flexible and meticulous individual who is able to present complex information to a range of audiences. Equally important is a strong personal interest in and commitment to the mental health and wellbeing of young people.

To find out more about the role please download the job pack. If you would like an informal chat about the role, please email the main contact as listed in the job pack

To apply for this role click the 'Apply now' button

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to developing a team that reflects the diversity of the people we work with

Safeguarding:

OTR is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff, trustees, and volunteers to share this commitment.

As part of our Safer Recruitment practices, all roles involving contact with young people will be subject to robust pre-employment checks, including references, a full employment history, and an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Where applicable, overseas criminal record checks will also be required.

We are dedicated to creating a culture of vigilance, transparency, and accountability. Our safeguarding procedures are guided by the principle that the welfare of the child is paramount, and all staff are required to adhere to OTR’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. 

OTR & Benefits:

OTR is a mental health social movement by and for young people. The charity is at an exciting stage of its 59-year history and is proud to be reaching more young people than ever before (around 17,000) across Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and North Somerset with creative and diverse mental health and wellbeing info and support. 

Our approach to mental health is grounded in a set of beliefs and values that underpin all of our work. We believe in celebrating diversity, empowering and mobilising young people to make change, and that catering to the unique strengths, interests and circumstances surrounding young people is key. Our approach centres on collaboration and partnership, building relationships between individuals, peers and communities. 

Each day is as engaging and fulfilling as the last, and with a network of supportive, community minded people, we hope you’ll feel welcome here. As a thank you, we like to compensate our employees for the important work they do with a range of benefits including a flexible leave policy, healthcare cost and wellbeing assistance with HealthShield, flexible and hybrid working arrangements, enhanced sick pay, parental leave, training and development, social and wellbeing events, and more (subject to contractual terms and conditions). 

A Willingness to Work with Difference 

At OTR, whatever your role or professional background, you will be expected to work in a way that is anti-oppressive and inclusive. A key focus for OTR is to develop an organisation that is inclusive for all but we do not claim to be experts in this. We are committed to continuous learning and improvement in these areas and invite you to join us on this journey. 

OTR recognises the benefits to individual practice and organisational credibility of having a diverse community of staff and volunteers and to this end is continually working towards building and maintaining an environment which values and pursues diversity accordingly. 

We recognise that tackling systemic inequality, prejudice, racism and oppressive practice requires each of us to actively engage, self-examine and make changes where necessary, in order to improve access and equitable experience for all in society and all of those who come through our doors at OTR.

Do you love supporting others to grow, succeed and deliver exceptional patient‑centred practice? If so, we’d love to hear from you.

Halton Haven Hospice is seeking a Clinical Nurse Educator, an inspiring clinician‑educator who will champion high‑quality learning, empower our staff and volunteers, and help us continue delivering exceptional hospice and end‑of‑life care.

About the Role

As our Clinical Nurse Educator, you will be at the heart of how we develop our people. You will play a key role in enhancing the clinical learning environment and promoting quality patient care through education, support and continuous professional development.

You’ll ensure our staff are confident, competent and compassionate — and you’ll help extend our reach by supporting external partners in the wider community.

• Develop and deliver innovative training programmes, competency study days and group/individual education sessions.
• Provide expert teaching on communication skills and other hospice training courses.

• Embed high standards of learning, development and assessment into daily clinical practice.
• Work alongside clinical teams to understand real world needs and support clinical practice.
• Support induction, preceptorship, and newly qualified colleagues.

• Help shape our annual training calendar for staff and volunteers.
• Generate reports and insights to guide future development plans.

• Support local nursing and care homes with palliative and end of life education

• Contribute to the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective training service within the Education & Training budget.

About You

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Passionate about education and lifelong training
• Motivated to improve standards of care across hospice and community settings
• Confident at teaching diverse groups and using digital learning tools
• A collaborative clinician who enjoys working as part of a supportive multidisciplinary team

You’ll be part of a warm, compassionate organisation where your ideas, leadership and expertise will have a real and lasting impact on patient care, staff development and the wider community.

If you’re ready to inspire, educate, and elevate the future of hospice care then please welcome this rare and exciting opportunity!

Please apply by submitting a completed application form to our HR Department 

Halton Haven Hospice is an Equal Opportunities Employer

All appointments are subject to Disclosure Barring Service checks

We reserve the right to close a job advert early where sufficient applications have been received.

Organisational Vision & Context:

At TLG, we’re passionate about building an exceptional staff team that’s committed to making a real difference in the lives of struggling children across the UK. We’re always on the lookout for great people to journey with us towards our vision, and we’re excited to offer a unique opportunity for a motivated and mission-driven individual to join our team as Head of Volunteer Programmes.

TLG’s programmes aim to bring fulness of life for every child, no matter what struggles they face. Each programme is different, but the common thread is an unwavering resolve to transform lives for good.

Mobilising over 200 churches and 1,500 volunteers, TLG’s volunteer programmes - Early Intervention and Make Lunch - currently support around 5,000 children and their families each year. However, our vision goes further: we aim to see many more churches partner with us to transform lives for good in their communities.

This Role’s Impact:

We are seeking an experienced people and operations leader who is passionate about the issues of mental health, poverty, and social justice that underpin our volunteer programmes. This role will help us drive even greater impact through our network of church partners.

They will be naturally relational, organised, and collaborative - empowering others to lead where they are and championing the vital role of the local church in community transformation. With an inquisitive and solution-focused mindset, they will be skilled at identifying and guiding new ways of working that strengthen efficiency, productivity and impact.

With excellent people, communication, and training skills, they will lead and develop a staff team responsible for volunteer management, embedding TLG’s culture and values across both programmes. Our new Head of Volunteer Programmes will be a leader who is both operationally sharp and relationally intuitive - able to pioneer with resilience and build a strong, healthy team culture that enables exceptional performance.

TLG is a Christian charity and, as a team, we want to bring our faith to the work we do; as such, we are recruiting an individual with a strong and vibrant Christian faith. We would welcome applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds to enable us to better reflect the needs of the communities we serve.

Hours: Part time, 30 hours per week (0.8 FTE, equivalent 4 days)

Closing Date: Sunday 15th February 2026

Initial Interviews: Monday 23rd February – Online

Final Interviews: Monday 2nd March – at our National Support Centre in West Yorkshire

Organisational Vision & Context:

As we journey towards our vision to bring fulness of life for every child, no matter what struggles they face, we’re looking for a motivated and mission-driven individual to join our team as Head of Programme Development.

While our programmes vary, they share one common thread: an unwavering commitment to seeing lives transformed for good. With two well-established and hugely effective volunteer-driven programmes operating at scale, and two new developing programmes in the early stages of roll-out, TLG is at a pivotal time of innovation.

This Role’s Impact:

We are looking for a dynamic, pioneering leader to energise, shape, and elevate the impact of TLG’s programmes. This person will bring strengths in innovation, collaboration, and strategic delivery – able to inspire others, spot emerging opportunities, and drive meaningful change across the organisation. They will have a strong track record in developing high-quality resources and training, ensuring best practice is consistently embedded across all functions. Naturally creative and forward-thinking, they will champion the exploration and implementation of digital solutions that enhance programme delivery and extend our reach.

The new Head of Programme Development will navigate change with resilience and optimism, leading the way as we explore new approaches and refine what we already do so well. Confident on their feet, yet equally comfortable developing content and materials, they will balance big-picture thinking with a keen eye for detail. Their leadership will drive continuous improvement, so our programmes remain relevant, missional, and high-impact as we pursue our ten-year vision.

As TLG positions itself as a leading practitioner in therapeutic coaching, this leader will bring a solid understanding of coaching practice and how therapeutic coaching can transform a young person’s thinking and strengthen the culture of support we offer. Their expertise will help embed coaching-informed approaches across TLG, shaping programme design and creating richer opportunities for children and young people to reflect and grow, strengthening their wellbeing and future outcomes.

TLG is a Christian charity and, as a team, we want to bring our faith to the work we do; as such, we are recruiting an individual with a strong and vibrant Christian faith. We would welcome applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds to enable us to better reflect the needs of the communities we serve.

Hours: Part time, 30 hours per week (0.8 FTE, equivalent 4 days)

Closing Date: Sunday 15th February 2026

Initial Interviews: Monday 23rd February – Online

Final Interviews: Monday 2nd March – at our National Support Centre in West Yorkshire

The Role

As Wilder Learning Manager, you’ll lead a small, passionate team delivering inspiring outdoor learning and engagement programmes that connect schools, educators and young people with nature across Sussex. You’ll oversee the delivery and ongoing development of high‑quality accredited training, INSETs, school sessions and advice that supports schools to improve their grounds for nature and outdoor learning.

You’ll be an enthusiastic and confident leader, able to step into delivery when needed, and excited by innovation, collaboration and partnership working. Bringing experience of managing people, you’ll foster a positive, supportive and inclusive culture, encouraging creativity, continuous improvement and professional development.

This varied role combines leadership, project management and hands‑on involvement, playing a key part in ensuring our learning offer inspires and empowers educators and young people to connect with, care for and benefit from nature across Sussex’s land and marine environments.

A valid drivers licence is required for this role.

This role is subject to an Enhanced DBS with Barred List check

The Person

You will be a professional, values-led leader who enjoys supporting others to do their best work. You’ll bring a positive, practical and reflective approach; enabling you to navigate complexity, manage competing demands and support decision-making. You’ll be comfortable building trust, having honest conversations, and creating space for others to grow; balancing encouragement with clear expectations.

You’ll be organised and reflective, able to manage your time and priorities while remaining approachable and supportive. You’ll share Sussex Wildlife Trust’s commitment to inclusion and safeguarding, and reflect our values in your practice.  You’ll demonstrate a personal passion for wildlife, outdoor learning and the benefits nature connection for young people in Sussex, which will underpin everything you do.

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.

Leading national policy strategy

As Head of Policy you will work closely with the CEO to develop and execute a four-year influencing plan.  Together we’ll aim to shift local and national incentives on inclusion by 2030, which see the national trend of rising suspension and absence begin to fall. 

You will hold relationships with the Department for Education and Ofsted and advise on policy priorities ahead, such as:

• Widening the definition of inclusion beyond special needs, recognising the needs of those young people historically or currently interacting with social services

• Reducing perverse incentives for schools to alter their school roll through admissions and pupil exits

• Expectations for multi-academy trusts in capturing and analysing data on lost learning, including how it disproportionately affects different groups

• Improving local alternative provision eco-systems, to improve outcomes for young people

• National standards for inclusive school practice, at a universal and targeted level

• Professional development standards for school inclusion

Developing implementation expertise in the middle tier

In your first six months, you will advise on the internal development of a new programme for middle tier policy actors: multi-academy trust and local authority leaders.  You will support the Programme team in its design, to plan strategically for the recruitment of trusts and local authorities, and you will plan the research and influencing work which will seek to share their success nationally.

Building the evidence base

In your second six months, you will work with the CEO to build out our research function. Your influencing plan will include how The Difference can learn from the work across our multi-academy trust, local authority and internal AP pioneer partners over the next four years, to develop influential publications. Research work ahead will include publishing sector-facing publications of The Difference’s own research, carried out by our research lead and associates; alongside managing external contractors and internal colleagues to bid for and deliver aligned research disseminating our ideas.

Raising your voice

This is an exciting opportunity for someone committed to inclusive policy change. The Difference has always punched above our weight in national and sector press reach. In post,  you will publish blogs and comment pieces, disseminating our shared ideas.  You will be a prominent voice on inclusion.

The Difference is still a small and growing charity. This means that our work is fast-paced, our roles are broad, and there is a culture of being highly autonomous, reactive and flexible, as the needs of the organisation evolve. If this sounds exciting rather than daunting, then this could be the role and team for you!

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.

Job Title: Schools Engagement Coordinator (Inspiring the Future)

Reports to: Head of School Programmes

Location: Quantum House, 22 – 24 Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, EC4A 3AB. The role is open to hybrid working but the candidate would be expected to be in the office one day per week

Purpose: This is a fantastic opportunity to take on the role of Schools Engagement Coordinator for Education and Employers on the internationally recognised Inspiring the Future programme. As a charity, our mission 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 key post is part of the Schools Engagement Team with responsibility for working closely with primary school and secondary school teachers and leaders to support them with running activities involving a diverse range of volunteers from the world of work. The role is rewarding and varied and will include supporting delivery of funded projects aimed at these audiences and general administrative support. 

Remuneration: £27k per annum

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:

Reporting to the Head of Schools Programmes, the Schools Engagement Coordinator is responsible for working closely with school staff in promoting and empowering schools to utilise Inspiring the Future and Primary Futures, alongside delivering virtual activities for schools. These programmes are an online system connecting schools to an enormous range of fascinating volunteers from the world of work for virtual or in person activities to raise aspirations, provide insight into jobs, tackle stereotypes and demonstrate how learning at school in the present links to opportunities in the future.

This role will be split between supporting the general self-service programme for schools nationally in an administrative capacity and delivering on funded projects including delivering activities to a case load of schools across parts of the country. There is opportunity to interface directly with children and young people from both secondary and primary schools. through facilitating virtual and in person interactive activities with volunteers.

What we are looking for in a candidate:

Education and Employers is a small charity working at a rapid pace to bring about change. This is a dynamic role for someone looking to gain a breadth of experience in the charity sector and keen to learn about the education sector and career-related learning, social mobility and volunteer engagement.  We are looking for someone passionate about motivating and inspiring children who relishes working with a range of stakeholders to create impactful activities.

The Engagement Coordinator will work closely with the Head of School Programmes and wider Inspiring the Future team to undertake the following key accountabilities:

Key Accountabilities:

The following areas are broken down to reflect the proportion of the role dedicated to each area, over the course of the academic year, with priorities differing at different times of year

Enquiries management and administrative support across the programme team:

• Managing the enquiries inbox and switchboard phone number, responding to enquiries from schools and volunteers about the charity’s work and programmes and how to sign up
• Providing targeted support to schools such as phone calls to primary, secondary schools and colleges independently utilising the programmes using a RAG (red, amber, green) system to convert them to successful activities
• Providing administrative support across the volunteer and school engagement teams, including record-keeping, data entry, meeting minute-taking, scheduling, event coordination, etc
• Monitoring new registrations from schools and sending welcome emails, keeping this up-to-date with the latest opportunities and messaging for schools
• Use Salesforce CRM to support with data management, assisting with maintaining up to date records and supporting data cleansing as needed
• Other ad-hoc administrative tasks as needed

School Engagement:

• Supporting new teacher registrants with onboarding processes such as welcome emails, platform demonstrations, info webinars
• Writing and coordinating persuasive communications campaigns to different groups of schools that have an interest in engaging with volunteers from the world of work
• In collaboration with rest of team, identifying need for and developing new resources and guidance to meet teacher needs and support them to make the most of our offers
• In collaboration with rest of team, developing and implementing new processes and technical improvements, to support increased school engagement.

Project Delivery:

• Recruiting and engaging schools according to the geographic or sector focus of a funded project
• Managing relationships with a case load of schools in different areas of the country to host planning calls, deliver sessions, gather evaluation data and ensure a legacy of independent usage
• Setting up virtual and face-to-face activities including school liaison, securing volunteers, test calls, setting up on the Inspiring the Future system and hosting on tech platforms e.g. Zoom
• Facilitating virtual and face to face activities to pupils to link with volunteers, hosting and designing themed sessions online to ensure an interactive and engaging experience for children and volunteers, following a Q&A or job guessing-game format.
• Supporting and co-hosting sessions to teachers including teacher training, staff meetings and info webinars to promote Inspiring the Future, deepen engagement and demonstrate independent usage
• Supporting the development of educational resources that provide insight into the world of work and different sectors

Person specification:

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

Essential

• Minimum one year’s experience in a customer service, school engagement or school-based role
• Experience in successful relationship management – ability to engage confidently and sensitively with schools/colleges 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

 Desirable

• Passion for supporting young people in realising their potential through harnessing skilled volunteers to engage in education
• Experience in virtual 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
• Able to travel in the UK if required

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 in the week of the 9th February. The organisation reserves the right to conduct interviews and appoint prior to the closing date dependent on the calibre of applications received.

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.

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.

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.