Job purpose
This is an exciting time to join Action for ME. With developments in research and policy alongside delivering services which are in high demand, you will enjoy working in a fast-paced and continually changing environment. You will be responsible for overseeing operational programme design and delivery, reporting of progress, and measuring the impact of all Action for ME work to improve the lives of people affected by ME. Better meeting their needs today while taking action to secure change for tomorrow. You will also assist the Chief Executive in implementing the organisational strategy, and by adapting and evolving delivery models on the ground. As you will have operational management and oversight for our Healthcare Services and hold the Designated Safeguarding Lead role for the organisation, you will bring considerable services-related experience at a management and leadership level. The Chief Executive will focus predominately on external matters and therefore you must have experience of managing an organisation to achieve high quality programmes with evidenced impact and motivated teams. You will act for the Chief Executive on topics, as agreed, and deputise during their absence.
Key duties
1. Leadership
- Ensure that children and adults with ME are at the heart of everything we do through meaningful engagement and participation to influence all aspects of our work.
- Deputise for the CEO and represent and promote the Charity at national meetings and events.
- Deputise for the CEO during periods of absence, and in relation to specific matters, issues or elements of operation as delegated from time to time by the CEO, ensuring a consistency of approach and decisions aligned with the organisation’s objectives.
- With the CEO and HR Business Partner, lead on implementing the People and Culture Strategy and ensuring our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging plan is achieved.
- To provide support, leadership and coaching to the Management Team to ensure the smooth running of the organisation and development of the Charity.
- Contribute to the development of the overall strategy for Action for ME, ensuring that the best use is made of available resources within agreed priorities. Ensure that agreed strategy is delivered to target and in line with agreed budgets.
- Work closely with the Chief Executive and Trustees to ensure effective reporting to the Board and sub-committees.
2. Operations & management
- Manage the day-to-day operations of the Charity ensuring high quality service provision that meets all best practice, legal and regulatory frameworks and internal policies and procedures.
- Hold overall management responsibility for our Healthcare Services including the role of the CQC Nominated Individual, ensuring all regulatory requirements and compliance are met.
- Manage the staff and volunteer team, including holding regular meetings and ensure the efficient running of the office ensuring a culture that supports, inspires and motivates the team while ensuring required standards and quality are met at all times through effective performance management.
- Act as the organisational Designated Safeguarding Lead (children and vulnerable adults), working closely with the Designated Safeguarding Officers, colleagues and the Safeguarding Lead Trustee; facilitate the annual safeguarding audit (led by the Lead Trustee) and ensuring safeguarding standards across the organisation are maintained.
- Contribute to the learning and development of key personnel including coaching support (either directly or through the identification of external coaches) to enhance performance.
- Establish (where not already in place) and maintain a clear performance outcome-focused management system driving positive change and improvement across all teams.
- Ensure that policies and procedures are effectively implemented and kept up-to-date to enable the effective management of operations and support growth.
- Take the lead role for data protection, health and safety, compliance and risk management across the organisation and act as the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
3. Finance & income generation
- Hold financial leadership responsibility, working closely with the Finance Manager and the Fundraising Director to ensure sustainability for our work.
- Ensure effective financial management with procedures in place which are kept up-to-date and implemented accordingly.
- Provide support and engagement, where appropriate, to actively grow our income.
4. Working with others
- Lead, nurture and develop relationships with key stakeholder groups and partner organisations, both locally and nationally, supporting Action for M.’s place as the ‘go to’ organisation for people affected by ME
- Lead on new business ideas and pilot projects in line with the strategic objectives; with colleagues, develop the business case, identify and manage risks, lead implementation across teams, evaluate success and learning and make recommendations for future development.
5. Other key accountabilities
- Be proactive in keeping up to date with developments affecting operations and maintain and improve personal competence through continuous professional development.
- Take direction on projects and priorities from the CEO, which may vary from time to time.
- To ensure best value in all service delivery.
Person specification
Experience and Knowledge
- Proven experience in an operations, leadership, or senior management role, ideally within the charity service delivery or healthcare sector, with the ability to develop and implement strategic plans that drive organisational growth and reporting that demonstrates impact delivered. If you come from outside a support services background, you must demonstrate sound understanding of the regulatory and best practice requirements related to delivering support and/or healthcare services.
- An understanding of ME and associated/overlapping illnesses, the impact on people affected by it or a commitment and ability to understand the illness and lead services to meet the needs of children and adults with ME
- Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams, including remote workers, and fostering a supportive workplace culture where change is a constant.
- Safeguarding understanding at a management/decision-making level.
- Proven experience of building and nurturing strong relationships internally and externally at all levels.
- A sound understanding of outcome-focused, effective performance management, quality assurance and risk management.
- Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, financial planning, and resource management in the voluntary sector.
Skills and Behaviours
- Experience of governance, risk management, and compliance, including within regulated services, ideally within a charity and/or service delivery setting.
- Proven ability to think strategically, balance competing demands, use initiative to solve problems and actively seek innovative approaches to problem solving and delivering results.
- Strong interpersonal skills including motivational, negotiating influencing and networking skills which build strong internal and external relationships.
- An ability to understand, analyse and make effective use of data across all of our work.
- A proven ability to coach and motivate staff and to build and lead teams reflecting organisational culture and values, a respectful, constructive and energetic style.
- Proven, strong MS Office skills that supports writing, email, internet and database use.
- Demonstrable ability to work within our organisational values
Our mission is to improve the lives of people affected by ME. Better meeting their needs today while taking action to secure change for tomorrow.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Students’ Union UCL is an organisation that exists to make more happen. We are the representative body for University College London’s (UCL) students, one of the most diverse student communities in the world. UCL students have the potential to do anything, and the Union plays an essential role in helping them to achieve things they may have never thought possible. As a charity we employ over 130 career staff and over 250 part-time student staff, and deliver a wide range of services and representative functions for students. We work in partnership with UCL towards a fantastic experience for all of our 48,000 students and to ensure that university life enables them to develop the skills, experience and confidence to become the leaders of the future.
Our vision is of an outstanding experience for all UCL students and to be one of the best students’ unions in the UK and the world.
It's an exciting time to join our growing organisation as we lead the delivery of UCL’s groundbreaking Student Life Strategy. This is enabling us to build more programmes to improve students’ mental and physical wellbeing, promote genuine equity for all, build students’ skills and confidence, develop their international connections and intercultural skills, and make a real contribution to our local community.
We support hybrid working. Excellent benefits including defined benefit pension scheme and generous holiday entitlement. We are proud of high levels of staff engagement and pride ourselves on being a great place to work.
We are looking for an Accounts Payable Assistant to join our vibrant and friendly finance team. You will be responsible for supporting the smooth running of the transactional processing of all expenditure and payments, making sure that the correct authorisations have been provided. This role will be the key point of contact for non-finance staff across departments with regards to purchase order and invoice queries.
The role is a full time and fixed term contract for 12 months. This role is based at our Bloomsbury campus with flexibility to work from home on a 40/60 basis (Minimum 40% working from the office).
Do you have relevant experience in an Accounts Payable role with a strong understanding of financial ledgers and control accounts? Have you dealt with processing high volume of invoices and using an automated Purchase Order system? if the answer is yes, then we would like you to join our finance team.
Our ideal candidate will have an ability to work independently, manage deadlines, and prioritise tasks in a high-volume environment. They will need to have strong interpersonal and communication skills as well as strong IT skills, especially Excel and Microsoft Office. The role holder will need to have the ability to demonstrate a positive attitude to self-development, willingness to learn in role and be able to identify own training needs.
An outstanding experience for all UCL students and to be one of the best students’ unions in the UK and the world.



The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Students’ Union UCL is an organisation that exists to make more happen. We are the representative body for University College London’s (UCL) students, one of the most diverse student communities in the world. UCL students have the potential to do anything, and the Union plays an essential role in helping them to achieve things they may have never thought possible. As a charity we employ over 130 career staff and over 250 part-time student staff, and deliver a wide range of services and representative functions for students. We work in partnership with UCL towards a fantastic experience for all of our 48,000 students and to ensure that university life enables them to develop the skills, experience and confidence to become the leaders of the future.
Our vision is of an outstanding experience for all UCL students and to be one of the best students’ unions in the UK and the world.
It's an exciting time to join our growing organisation as we lead the delivery of UCL’s ground-breaking Student Life Strategy. This is enabling us to build more programmes to improve students’ mental and physical wellbeing, promote genuine equity for all, build students’ skills and confidence, develop their international connections and intercultural skills, and make a real contribution to our local community.
We support hybrid working. Excellent benefits including defined benefit pension scheme and generous holiday entitlement. We are proud of high levels of staff engagement and pride ourselves on being a great place to work.
Events are a central part of student life at UCL – enabling students to find and form communities, experience new things, and make the most of life in London. Each year, the Students’ Union and its clubs and societies, deliver more than 6,000 events ranging from workshops to debates, exercise classes to socials. The Events Coordinator will support the delivery of a high quality programme of events, support teams across the Students’ Union to develop and deliver events, and work collaboratively to develop a culture of excellent event management.
The role is full time and permanent. This role is based at our Bloomsbury campus with flexibility to work from home on a 40/60 basis (40% working from the office). We will consider applications to work on a part-time, flexible, and job share basis wherever possible.
Key Requirements
Do you have experience in the events industry? Do you have experience developing project plans for events? If the answer is yes, then we want to hear from you.
For full details on this role, please view the job pack attached below.
Further Details
Please apply through the online application form.
Applicants should note that CVs will not be accepted and that the statement of support for application should address the selection criteria in the person specification and outline your reasons for applying.
Interviews will take place on w/c 16 June 2025.
An outstanding experience for all UCL students and to be one of the best students’ unions in the UK and the world.



The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.