35 Head of finance and central services jobs

We’re looking for a Head of Place to lead the strategic development, delivery, and expansion of London Sport’s Place-based approach, overseeing the Place Expansion programme funded by Sport England.

The role is responsible for embedding locally led, system-wide approaches to increase physical activity levels in underserved communities across London, reducing inequalities and improving health outcomes.

Find out more about this role and London Sport by joining our online candidate information session on Wednesday 14th October at 10.30am.  Join using the link in the recruitment pack or watch the recording on our YouTube channel after the session.

See the recruitment pack on our website for full details. 

What You’ll Do

• Lead the design and delivery of the Place Expansion Programme across six London boroughs.
• Ensure place-based working reflects local insight, community voice, local political oversight and system collaboration.
• Act as a senior strategic advisor on place-based approaches internally and externally.
• Oversee a portfolio of place partnerships, ensuring high-quality delivery, managing programme performance against agreed outcomes, KPIs, and investment requirements.
• Lead and develop a high-performing team of 5 Senior Development Managers delivering place-based work.
• Work closely and efficiently with colleagues in the Impact and Insight team to champion the use of data, insight, and community engagement to shape interventions.
• Lead the management of programme budgets and ensure effective use of funding, ensuring that funding is spent on time and as agreed.
• Oversee partner funding agreement and ensure compliance with funder requirements and organisational policies.

Who You Are

• Significant senior leadership experience in place-based, community development, or public health programmes.
• Proven track record of managing complex, multi-stakeholder programmes with significant budgets.
• Experience of working with or alongside public sector systems such as London local government.
• Strong understanding of inequalities in physical activity, health, or social outcomes
• Deep understanding of place-based approaches and systems change.
• Programme and financial management experience.
• Confident communicator with experience representing organisations externally
• You are able to demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion in relation to London.
• You have lived experience of day-to-day life in London.

Key details

• Full-time (35 hours per week).  We are open to discussing flexible working options.
• Salary: £63,000 per annum if full-time
• Permanent contract
• Flexible working: we use a model of 2 plus days per week in our central London office and working from home, with regular travel required throughout London

Deadline to apply: Tuesday 27th October 2026