Head of governance jobs in birchanger, essex

Do you share our dream of a UK where poverty is a thing of the past? 

Founded in 2019, the Poverty Truth Network believes that this can only happen when those most impacted by poverty are at the heart of the movement to end it. Our specific contribution brings together people experiencing poverty with those with responsibilities for alleviating it. “Nothing About Us Without Us Is For Us.” 

Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, we are recruiting for an Operations Manager who will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Poverty Truth Network, including the oversight of systems, staff performance and finances. 

You will be a highly motivated person with a clear leadership record; dedicated to social justice; with a proven track record of operational delivery, including financial, administrative and governance management.

Key tasks of the role:

• To form part of the Core Leadership Team, providing overall strategic leadership across the Network 
• To lead on the financial management of the Poverty Truth Network, including the delivery of Management Accounts and the production of an annual budget
• To manage the Operations Team, setting clear goals and objectives linked to the Strategic Plan
• To lead on and establish the appropriate processes to ensure high levels of staff performance and development, including appraisals and performance management 
• To develop, and where necessary implement, administrative systems which ensure effective, efficient and safe practice across the Network
• To ensure that the Network operates in line with its charitable purposes, overseeing changes to its constitution as and when necessary
• To regularly update the Charity’s policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with the relevant regulations / legislation, providing advice to the Director and trustees as appropriate 
• To oversee the production and sharing of papers for trustees in an organised and timeous manner
• To oversee the effective running of online and in-person meetings and events for the Network, liaising with other teams as appropriate
• To lead on the delivery of the Network’s Support Grant Programme
• To deputise for the Director as and when required
• Undertake other activities as needed dependent on jobholder’s knowledge, skills and experience

This role involves working from home with some travel.

Department: Governance, Compliance and Risk

Location: remote working, with travel including to Head Office in Aldgate, London on ad-hoc basis

Closing date: Tuesday 13th May at 11.59pm

First stage interview : 20th May (via MS Teams)

Second stage interview: 22nd May (via MS Teams) 

Annual leave: 33 days (plus eight bank holidays)

Benefits:

• enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave, and shared parental pay
• family-friendly policies
• 8% employer pension contribution (Aviva) or opportunity to continue NHS pension
• free health cashback plan (Medicash): employee cover plus up to four dependent children
• 24/7 virtual GP access (UK registered), plus access to Best Doctors
• free, confidential employee assistance programme (Medicash)
• access to a wellbeing app
• flexible working options including hybrid working, flexible working patterns such as part-time, compressed hours, and more*
• learning and development opportunities including bespoke training and access to LinkedIn Learning)
• commitment to employee health and wellbeing.
• we have a Menopause Friendly accreditation and are a Disability Confident employer

Background

Every three minutes someone in the UK develops dementia: a progressive and complex condition that can be devastating for the whole family. One in two of us will be affected by dementia in our lifetime – either by caring for someone with the condition, developing it ourselves, or both.

Dementia UK is the specialist dementia nursing charity that is there for the whole family. Our specialist nurses, known as Admiral Nurses, provide free, expert advice, support and understanding to help families care for their loved one. Every day, Admiral Nurses help families up and down the country to have the best life possible, for as long as possible.

About the role

Join Dementia UK as Head of Governance, Compliance and Risk, where you will help the charity and its workforce comply with all necessary regulations and manage risks to the organisation, its employees, clients, reputation, assets and the interests of stakeholders.

As part of the governance team, you will work with senior managers across the organisation as a trusted advisor, providing day-to-day coordination and oversight of all governance bodies, meetings and working groups. You will also support the efficient flow of information to the Director of Finance and Corporate Services, enabling them to update the Trustee Board effectively.

You will play a major role in making sure that the policies set by the charity are strictly followed by the entire workforce. This diverse workforce includes volunteers, employees, sessional workers and consultants. You will be responsible for maintaining messaging and behaviour that reflect the necessary rules and regulations, providing assurance that the charity complies with both external requirements and internal policies.

Additionally, you will oversee the operational requirements relating to insurance and develop effective plans to manage crises (including business continuity plans) or respond to compliance breaches.

The ideal candidate will hold a university degree in a business-related discipline, complemented by a relevant postgraduate qualification and professional certification (such as IRM Qualification, IA Cert, CIA, or Chartered Internal Auditor). You will demonstrate a thorough understanding of risk and regulatory frameworks, supported by extensive senior leadership experience in compliance and risk management within a public sector or not-for-profit environment. You will also have a strong track record of supporting internal audits from initiation through to the completion of action points, alongside a proven ability to engage and collaborate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders both within and external to the organisation.

If this sounds like you, join us in making a difference in the lives of those affected by dementia.

Our culture

In addition to a competitive salary and a generous benefits package, we truly value our people. It’s important for us to create a working environment that looks after our workforce to support them in achieving their full potential. You will become part of a diverse and dedicated team who are supported to use and develop their skills. We recognise and value the key role you will play in delivering our strategic plans for the benefit of those living with dementia.

Our staff have a voice. Representatives from different roles and levels across the organisation positively contribute to and lead on our working groups around health and wellbeing, menopause, and equity, diversity and inclusion.

Dementia UK is proud to welcome everyone. We aim for a truly inclusive culture with talented, diverse teams that represent a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We celebrate difference and individuality and encourage everyone to join us and be their whole selves always.

Dementia UK is a Disability Confident Employer. If you’d like support to make an application, contact the recruitment team.

This role will be subject to a Basic DBS check.

By applying to join Dementia UK, you acknowledge that in the event you are successful for the role, any offer and your ongoing employment will be conditional on you having or obtaining the right to work in the UK.

*Please note that any decision on flexible working is based on business needs

Head of Risk, Compliance and Governance - Charity - 6 Month Day Rate

A leading national charity dedicated to supporting individuals and families facing a significant health challenge is seeking a proactive and detail-oriented individual to join them on a temporary basis as their Head of Risk, Compliance and Governance to ensure the smooth continuation of key functions during a transition period.

This six-month contract offers a crucial leadership role, primarily focused on driving the risk management strategy and ensuring a robust compliance framework. You will line manage a team and collaborate across the organisation, playing a vital role in maintaining operational efficiency and safeguarding the charity's interests. This role offers remote working with an expectation of attending the office in [Specify Location, e.g., London] approximately once a month.

As Head of Risk, Compliance and Governance, you will be instrumental in maintaining a strong governance and risk culture, enabling teams to operate effectively and with confidence. This role requires a strong understanding of risk management principles, excellent communication skills, and the ability to lead and support a team.

Key Skills Required:

• Extensive Risk Management Expertise: Proven experience in developing and implementing risk management frameworks, including strategic and operational risk registers, and holding a relevant qualification.
• Compliance and Governance Oversight: Strong understanding of compliance requirements, policy development, and experience with company secretarial matters, including relevant regulatory body filings.
• Effective Line Management & Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to lead and support a team, fostering a collaborative environment and working effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
• Proactive and Detail-Oriented: Ability to work independently, manage conflicting priorities, and ensure meticulous attention to detail in all aspects of the role.

Contract Details:

• Duration: 6 months
• Rate: £450 - £500 per day - Inside IR35
• Location: Remote - one day per month in London

Apply now for immediate consideration for this impactful leadership opportunity.

URNFP is acting as an employment agency for this vacancy

PINF is the first charity in the UK that exists to support high-quality journalism. We exist at the cutting edge of charity law and need an experienced charity professional to make sure we do things properly. 

As Head of Operations & Governance, you will be responsible for overseeing the back-office operations of the charity. You will be a key point of contact for the team and support the Executive Director to ensure smooth, efficient and compliant operations.

You will be a senior member of the team, responsible for ensuring that PINF operates within its legal and regulatory framework, including in relation to charity, corporate, tax, employment and data protection regulations. The role involves liaising with the Chair, Board of Trustees, Executive Director, legal advisors and regulators to support best practice in financial management, governance, risk management and compliance.  

Duties and responsibilities 

• Financial Management 

• Ensure consistent delivery and quality of finance operations, including transactions processing, which will involve managing a bookkeeping service.

• Prepare and monitor annual budgets, management accounts and project budgets.

• Lead on the financial aspects of fundraising, contract management, and funder reporting. Including managing restricted and unrestricted funding. 

• Oversee the process of preparing statutory accounts, including liaising with accountants and auditors.

• Maintain internal controls and policies to protect assets, prevent fraud, and ensure business continuity. 

• Participate in the Finance & Fundraising Committee and support the Treasurer to plan and deliver meetings. 

• Prepare financial reports for board meetings and engage in board discussions.

• Governance 

• Manage our annual governance cycle, working closely with the Chair, Treasurer and Executive Director to ensure legal compliance and to plan and prepare for Board meetings including taking appropriate minutes.

• Manage the organisational risk framework including identifying emerging risks and working with the Executive Director to mitigate them.

• Companies House and Charity Commission filings.

• Develop and maintain a suite of policy to ensure PINF meets its obligations as a charity and an employer.

• Play an active part in board discussion to support good decision making.

• HR 

• Manage HR across the organisation; ensuring all HR processes and policies are fit for purpose, up to date and adhere to law, and are understood and implemented across the organisation.

• Manage recruitment processes for all staff.

• Manage the annual leave tracker. 

• Operations and administration 

• Ensure the smooth running of the organisation by leading operational planning and monitoring progress.

• Lead on relationships and contracts with external suppliers and contractors.

• Ensure PINF has appropriate insurance cover. 

• Occasional support with charitable activities (meetings, events, publications, etc.) 

Requirements  

• A professional qualification in finance, management, law, or a related field and at least five years’ experience relevant to this role.

• Deep understanding of good governance and best practice in the charity sector.

• Understanding of relevant laws relating to employment, data protection and running a charity. 

• Sympathy to the aims and objectives of PINF. 

• Full professional proficiency in English. 

• Right to work in the UK. 

Skills and attributes 

• Experience of managing charity finances and budgets (Essential). A related finance or accountancy qualification would be desirable. 

• Experience of managing operations in a comparable charity or business, with both strategic and day-to-day operational responsibilities. 

• Developing HR processes and policies and taking the lead in implementing these across an organisation. 

• Developing processes and procedures and making improvements for efficiency and impact. 

• Experience of working closely with trustees, non-executives or senior leadership teams.

• Strong oral and written communications skills, including having the confidence to use your expertise to provide feedback and constructive challenge to senior leaders.

• Excellent problem-solving and interpersonal skills. 

• Ability to work remotely and independently and to collaborate with others. 

• Enjoy being the key point of contact and support in a small, remote team. 

• Ability to stay on top of your workload by using relevant software (including Microsoft Office and finance software such as Xero), keeping accurate and up-to-date records, and prioritising between competing tasks. 

Please apply using Charity Job. Once you click apply you will be prompted to upload your CV and answer an application question in up to 5000 characters: What do you see as the main challenges facing PINF as a small but ambitious charity, and how will you use your experience to address them as Head of Operations & Governance? 

The Head of Operations and Projects will oversee the infrastructure of our charity. This position will involve fostering a motivated and engaged volunteer base, strategic oversight of our BUBR Africa initiative and conducting impact analysis of our activations. The ideal candidate will be passionate about community engagement, skilled in project management and possess a strong analytical mindset.

Head of Grants 

Are you a visionary leader who can turn ideas into reality? Do you have the drive to manage complex projects, inspire teams and create lasting impact on a national scale? Do you love giving charities money? If so, we want to hear from you!

This is a remote working role offering part-time hours, on a permanent basis. 

Position: Head of Grants 

Location: Remote/London

Hours: Part-time (4 days per week)

Salary: £50,000 - £55,000 pro rata

Contract: Permanent

Benefits Include: 25 days per year (pro rata – excluding bank holidays), employer pension contribution of 5% into a personal pension (which does not have to be matched by the employee)

Closing Date: 5pm 16th May 2025

About the Role

This role is key to shaping how the organisation maximises impact over the next 5 years, delivering on ambitions for the 2024-2029 Strategy. The aspiration is to help 10,000 young people at risk or experiencing homelessness, to reach their full potential.

By working with key players in the youth homelessness landscape, like-minded organisations, and embedding the voices and experiences of young people in this work, you will help maximise social impact and deliver £150m in social value by March 2029. 

You will ensure the charity is the best possible grant funder in the field, thoughtful, diligent, transparent and efficient, as it works with the very best charities across the country deliver vital support to young people facing homelessness.

You will be in charge of grant programme design, development, and delivery in line with the new strategy.  You will have the opportunity to work on new programmes and ideas, and to gather data and insight from this vital work (and other sources) that will help both future grant-making and our influencing work nationally.

About You

Whilst grant-making experience would be helpful, what truly matters is your ability to strategically lead and drive projects that deliver impact. You’ll be at the forefront of developing and delivering new programmes, ensuring they align with key targets while bringing innovative ideas to life.

This role is not just about achieving KPIs, it’s about leading teams to achieve results. You will have experience of delivering presentations, developing ideas and projects collaboratively, and using data-driven insights to shape future projects and influence decision-making at a regional or national level. Strong project management, monitoring, and evaluation skills are key in this role, as are those of team- and partnership- working.

If you are a senior leader looking for your next role, then we would love to hear from you. 

About the Organisation

The charity has been around since 1986, created by and working with the UK property industry to try and harness a collective desire to do good. Since 2016, the focus has been exclusively on creating a corporate movement within and across the industry to tackle and end youth homelessness. 

Additional Benefits

• Opportunities for flexible working 

• Free annual Flu’ jabs and annual sight tests

• Cycle to Work Scheme (salary sacrifice)

• ½ day a month entitlement to volunteer for a charity of your choice, in work time

• Interest-free Annual Travel Card Loans

• A Professional Development Fund 

• Commitment to wellbeing (we’re signatories of Mind’s Time to Change Pledge)

• An Employee Assistance Programme 

• Private Health Insurance with Vitality (small employee contribution required).

You may have experience in other roles such as Grants, Impact, Grants and Impact, Head of Grants, Head of Impact, Head of Grants and Impact, Impact and Innovation, Director of Grants, Director of Impact, Director of Grants and Impact.

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation

SCIE Vision 

We are committed to building a society which enables people who draw on social care to live fulfilling lives. 

At the SCIE, we are driven by our values: 

·       Progressive – always learning and developing. 

·       Inclusive – working together for equality, diversity, and fairness. 

·       Credible – evidence-based, robust, and reliable. 

·       Transparent – open and honest. 

The role:

A great opportunity for you to join our small, friendly team and make a real difference to people’s lives by:

Coordinating and bringing together the day-to-day planning, monitoring and tracking of assigned workstreams, to report as per SCIE’s agreed Governance process for the DHSC Programme. 

With a proven ability to draw on and shape, sustain and lead on Programme Management you will coordinate activity that requires collaboration with a range of different stakeholders, creating appropriately robust but flexible processes and structures.

Working closely with responsible Programme Head and Programme Director to support a proactive approach to organisation, problem-solving and innovation. 

What we are looking for:  

Example as below  

• Understanding of project and budget reporting, with the ability to prioritise effectively. 

• Ability to build positive relationships with colleagues and external partners.

• Good oral and written communication skills.   

• Strong planner with good attention to detail, communication, time management and analytical skills.   

• Proven ability to analyse qualitative and quantitative data to report on variances in performance of KPIs. 

• A proactive approach to organisation, problem-solving and innovation. 

• Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion 

• Understanding of Social Care Practice

• Experience of leading programmes

• Experience of leading teams

• Experience of using ICT effectively

What we offer in return: 

We offer excellent staff benefits including a competitive salary and homeworking allowance. We provide an employer pension contribution above the statutory minimum, an award-winning employee assistance programme, and an attractive holiday package which rises with length of service. Benefits of working for SCIE can be found here Work for the Social Care Institute for Excellence - SCIE  

If you would like to access the application form in a different format or if would like any assistance that might help improve your experience while completing the application, please contact us. 

About you

You are an experienced and values-led HR professional with a track record of strategic leadership and operational delivery. You are comfortable working across the full range of HR functions, from leading organisational development and change to ensuring high-quality operational support.

You are a trusted advisor to senior leadership, with excellent influencing skills and the ability to coach and support managers at all levels. You are also passionate about building inclusive workplaces and supporting staff to thrive.

About the role

As a core member of the Leadership Team, the Head of HR will lead the development and implementation of Plantlife’s people and culture strategy to enable a thriving, inclusive and high-performing workplace.

The postholder will oversee both strategic HR initiatives and proactive and efficient HR operations, providing a high level of customer service and ensuring our people policies, systems and culture are aligned with Plantlife’s goals and values.

With a staff team of almost 100 staff located across the UK, primarily working remotely, this role is critical to embedding values-led leadership, building organisational capability, and ensuring all staff have access to the tools they need to succeed.
This is a pivotal role for someone who thrives on balancing strategic influence with operational excellence, supporting our ambition to be an employer of choice in the conservation sector.

To apply for the role or view the full recruitment pack, please visit our website. We look forward to hearing from you!

Please note we do not accept CV's.

We’re looking for a self-directed and talented designer who is passionate about tech for good and how AI can support civil society organisations to achieve their missions.

• 4 days per week
• £52,000 salary FTE
• Remote location
• 1 year fixed term with possibility to extend

We are also recruiting for a Head of Technical AI Experiments, and we expect these roles to work closely together alongside our wider CAST team and partners.

Application deadline - Tuesday 6th May 12pm

About CAST

CAST helps people use digital for social good. We're on a mission to create a more responsive, resilient and digitally-enabled social sector by supporting nonprofits to embed digital and design across their services, strategy and governance and working with sector leaders, funders and government to make this happen.

CAST is a ten-year old charity made up of incredibly dedicated designers, technologists, activists and entrepreneurs. Collectively we have deep experience and a great reputation across charity and civil society, design, digital and innovation. 

The past decade has proven how vital digital is to charities, and with it, how important CAST’s work and mission is.

About the role

One of the core areas of CAST’s work is building the capacity of the social sector to respond to the rapid scale advances in AI. The evidence from the Charity Digital Skills Report; Joseph Rowntree's Grassroots and Nonprofits research and our own AI survey shows that charities are unlikely to benefit from - or respond to the challenges of - AI without intentional support and capacity building. To support charities’ (critical) adoption of AI we need to invest in supporting sector-experiments that create demonstrable impact (acting as showcases), working alongside the peer groups, charities and working groups to help move conversations into practical action.

To achieve that, we are looking to recruit a Head of Design for AI to focus on driving forward this work in a number of different ways:

• Blending expertise in AI technologies with human-centered design principles to foster innovation and inclusivity across the social sector;
• Providing direct support to organisations and specific product design advice;
• Designing a range of experiments and tools alongside the sector and CAST team;
• Supporting the design and development of specific programmes, training and interventions that will help shift the sector on AI

Whilst there is a lot of work underway and in the pipeline on AI this role will be expected to shape this work based on their deep experience and knowledge of AI and product design, and support the wider team at CAST to upskill in this area. 

You can find more information about CAST on our website.

What you'll achieve

• Develop and execute a vision for the integration of AI into CAST’s design methodologies, ensuring alignment with the organisation’s mission and values.
• Alongside the Head of Technical AI Experiments, lead the design, development, and deployment of AI experiments, tools and resources tailored to the needs of the social sector;
• Working with the wider CAST team, contribute to the ongoing development of ethical design principles in AI applications, ensuring transparency, accessibility, and fairness in all outputs;
• Work closely with charities, community groups, funders, and tech partners to co-design AI solutions that address real-world challenges and drive meaningful outcomes;
• Support social sector organisations to develop the skills and resources needed to design and implement AI systems effectively, fostering confidence and innovation through both direct coaching and via networks;
• Stay ahead of developments in AI and design thinking, identifying opportunities to incorporate emerging trends and technologies into CAST’s initiatives;
• Support the wider CAST team in developing their knowledge and skills on AI and human-centred design, and how we can use AI to best effect within our own work;

Skills and capabilities required

• Demonstrated expertise in human-centered design, particularly in projects involving AI technologies or data-driven solutions; 
• Proven leadership experience in design and innovation, preferably within the social sector;
• Deep understanding of AI principles, including machine learning, natural language processing, and their design implications;
• Strong commitment to ethical design, accessibility, and inclusivity;
• Excellent collaboration and facilitation skills, with the ability to bring together diverse stakeholders to achieve shared goals;
• High levels of autonomy with extraordinary organisation and communication skills.
• Able to thrive in a distributed team that changes and responds to the needs of the network and charity sector
• A strong commitment to the aims and objectives of CAST.

Benefits

• Working in a dynamic and creative team with an open and supportive culture
• Opportunity to make a positive social impact
• 30 days holiday a year (pro rata), plus bank holidays
• Flexible and remote working
• Family Friendly Benefits: we are committed to supporting staff in achieving a sensible work-life balance
• Group personal pension scheme

We’re looking for a self-directed and talented technologist who is passionate about tech for good and how AI can support civil society organisations to achieve their missions.

• 4 days per week
• £52,000 salary FTE
• Remote location
• 1 year fixed term with possibility to extend

We are also recruiting for a Head of Design for AI, and we expect these roles to work closely together alongside our wider CAST team and partners.

Application deadline - Tuesday 6th May 12pm

About CAST

CAST helps people use digital for social good. We're on a mission to create a more responsive, resilient and digitally-enabled social sector by supporting nonprofits to embed digital and design across their services, strategy and governance and working with sector leaders, funders and government to make this happen.

CAST is a ten-year old charity made up of incredibly dedicated designers, technologists, activists and entrepreneurs. Collectively we have deep experience and a great reputation across charity and civil society, design, digital and innovation. 

The past decade has proven how vital digital is to charities, and with it, how important CAST’s work and mission is.

About the role

One of the core areas of CAST’s work is building the capacity of the social sector to respond to the rapid scale advances in AI. The evidence from the Charity Digital Skills Report; Joseph Rowntree's Grassroots and Nonprofits research and our own AI survey shows that charities are unlikely to benefit from - or respond to the challenges of - AI without intentional support and capacity building. To support charities’ (critical) adoption of AI we need to invest in supporting sector-experiments that create demonstrable impact (acting as showcases), working alongside the peer groups, charities and working groups to help move conversations into practical action.

To achieve that, we are looking to recruit a Head of Technical AI Experiments to focus on driving forward this work in a number of different ways:

• Providing direct support to organisations and specific technical advice;
• Building a range of experiments and tools alongside the sector;
• Supporting the design and development of specific programmes, training and interventions that will help shift the sector on AI

Whilst there is a lot of work underway and in the pipeline on AI this role will be expected to shape this work based on their deep experience and knowledge of AI, and support the wider team at CAST to upskill in this area. 

You can find more information about CAST on our website.

What you'll achieve

• Create simple to use AI products and prototypes that meet the needs of the charity sector and their communities; being transparent about how the tools work to build understanding and confidence
• Contribute to the development of an ongoing AI strategy that aligns with CAST's mission and supports the digital transformation of social sector organisations;
• Alongside the Head of Design for AI, lead the design, development, and deployment of AI experiments, tools and resources tailored to the needs of the social sector;
• Provide training, resources and expertise to social sector organisations to build their AI literacy and empower them to leverage AI technologies effectively through both direct coaching and via networks;
• Working with the wider CAST team, contribute to the ongoing development of ethical guidelines for AI use, ensuring compliance with legal standards and promoting responsible AI practices within the sector; 
• Foster partnerships with technology experts, academic institutions, and other stakeholders to advance AI initiatives and share best practices for the sector;
• Stay abreast of emerging AI trends and technologies, assessing their potential impact on the social sector and identifying opportunities for innovation;
• Support the wider CAST team in developing their knowledge and skills on AI, and how we can use AI to best effect within our own work.

Skills and capabilities required

• Proven experience in a senior AI or technology leadership role, ideally with experience of the social sector;
• In-depth knowledge of AI technologies, including machine learning, natural language processing, and data analytics.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategic initiatives that drive technological adoption and innovation.
• Strong understanding of ethical considerations and regulatory requirements related to AI technology.
• High levels of autonomy with extraordinary organisation and communication skills.
• Able to thrive in a distributed team that changes and responds to the needs of the network and charity sector
• A strong commitment to the aims and objectives of CAST.

Benefits

• Working in a dynamic and creative team with an open and supportive culture
• Opportunity to make a positive social impact
• 30 days holiday a year pro rata, plus bank holidays
• Flexible and remote working
• Family Friendly Benefits: we are committed to supporting staff in achieving a sensible work-life balance
• Group personal pension scheme

ARMA (UK) is the professional association for research management in the UK. We represent research leaders, managers and administrators, offering professional development and opportunities to build networks, knowledge and skills.

We are looking for a Conference and Major Events Manager to lead on the delivery of our successful annual conference and other major events.

The role includes, but is not limited to, project management, budgeting and financial management, marketing and promotion, sponsorship and exhibition sales/ coordination, venue selection and contracting, supplier management, speaker liaison, abstract management and delegate administration.

This role will work closely with our Head of Membership Engagement, the chair of Conference and Conference Working Group to deliver an excellent programme and outstanding delegate experience. The role holder is also responsible for managing the relationship with our appointed Professional Conference Organiser (PCO).

For full details about this role, our work and the skills required please refer to our role profile.

Job Title: CEO

Reporting To: Chair of Trustees

Salary: £50,000 Pro Rata 

Working Hours: 28 hours per week (4 days). Job share applications will be considered.

Location: Hybrid/ Prepare to travel to London several times a year for industry events. Prepared to travel to other destinations in the UK on occasion.

Contract Type: Permanent

About Us

Safer Waves was set up in 2019 to provide support to merchant seafarers who have experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment or gender discrimination on board.

Safer Waves provides an anonymous email support service, run by volunteers who are trained in responding to disclosures of sexual violence, and who understand the specific challenges experienced when these events happen onboard a vessel.

We work with shipping companies, industry leaders, law enforcement and maritime training providers to raise awareness of sexual violence within the maritime industry, and to improve the support that is available to seafarers who experience it.

Job Purpose

For the first 5 years, Safer Waves has been a volunteer-led organisation. We are now in the exciting position of being able to recruit a CEO, and we are looking for an individual who has the passion to see this new organisation thrive in the maritime welfare sector.

As the head of a small and rapidly developing organisation, the CEO role will be extremely varied, with the opportunity to shape the organisational structure as needed. The CEO will work closely with the trustee board and Operations Manager to deliver the strategy, improve sustainability and financial resilience, manage risk and deliver high-quality services to our beneficiaries.

We are a growing organisation, and this is a unique opportunity to grow and innovate with the organisation and to contribute to our future success. Applicants will need to be prepared to take on a wide range of tasks at the outset including compliance, accounting, training, public speaking, banking, leading volunteers, engaging with external partners and funders, overseeing the website and email service and many other tasks.
 

Responsibilities & Accountabilities 

The CEO reports directly to the Trustee Board and is responsible for the following:

• Strategy: Shape and deliver the charity's strategy over the next five years, whilst also ensuring the day-to-day running of the charity remains effective.

• Finance: Maintain and develop relationships with funders, and find new funding streams for the charity. Prepare budgets and control spending accordingly.

• Risk management and compliance: Work with the trustees to ensure strong governance, including effective management of risks and compliance with current legislation.

• Relationships: Build and maintain relationships with international organisations including charities, shipping companies, law enforcement and government agencies among others.

• Line management: Manage staff and volunteers

• Communications and Outreach: Work with the Operations Manager, Trustees and volunteers to raise the profile of the charity and increase the number of seafarers reached

Person Specification

Essential 

• Experience in being self-sufficient and driving progress, ideally in a business or charity setting.

• Senior Management Experience

• Able to demonstrate alignment with the core values of Safer Waves.

• Knowledge and understanding of supporting survivors of sexual violence

Desirable

• Experience working in the charity sector. 

• An understanding of the maritime sector

Your cover letter should address and provide evidence to support each of the essential criteria and the desirable criteria if applicable.

About Us

We're the UK's leading charity for Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.

A diagnosis of Crohn’s or Colitis is life-changing. Over 500,000 people in the UK are living with a lifelong disease many people have never heard of, and for which there is no known cure.

Crohn’s & Colitis UK funds research, provides award winning information and support and raises vital awareness by increasing the public’s understanding of the conditions, and what it means to live with debilitating symptoms. But we need to do more. We need to be a louder voice in the marketplace. Our ambitious plans for 2025, will help to make a real difference to every supporter’s journey with us. If this excites you - join us!

Role Overview

The successful candidate will be involved in leading and co-ordinating the delivery of Crohn’s & Colitis UK’s research strategy including our programme of grants, and our work to support increased patient and public involvement in research.  They will work with the Director of Services & Evidence and Head of Evidence & Research to support the charity’s involvement with external research bodies and contribute to the leadership, planning and delivery of cross-team projects, helping to influence and meet our strategic objectives.

About You

We are looking for someone who has proven experience of delivering successful research funding and patient and public involvement research activities.  The successful candidate must be adept at establishing and maintaining effective relationships with external stakeholders and comfortable working with operational performance metrics, and implementing strategies and objectives for the organisation.  Ideally your background will be in health care or working in a medical charity and you’ll be educated to degree level or equivalent.  Given this role will involve managing and providing leadership to the Research team, prior management experience would be an advantage. Whilst not essential, a knowledge of the needs of people affected by Crohn’s and Colitis would be beneficial also.

Please see our Recruitment Pack for details of our full Job Description and Person Specification.

Our Location

We are based in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, so we are easily accessible by road and rail. In this role, there is plenty of scope for working from home, although there will be times when you will need to travel to events/conferences. You will be required to attend two Directorate days each year and occasional face-to-face meetings with your team or our partner agencies. In addition, the charity meets four times annually at its office in Hatfield (or a location in London) for its’ ‘All Staff Together’ days, at which attendance is mandatory.

Benefits

• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing one day per year up to 30 days
• Salary Sacrifice Pension scheme
• Flexible working options
• Enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity pay
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Wellbeing programme
• Interest free loan for season tickets
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free parking and secure bike locks
• Training and development financial support and/or study leave
• Performance review and development scheme

We are an inclusive employer and offer equal opportunities to all regardless of an individual’s age, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership status, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We are not a licensed sponsor at this time. Any offer of employment will be made subject to the applicant residing in the UK and a valid right to work in the UK being provided.

Job Profile

CAFOD’s mission in the Catholic community of England and Wales is to inspire and equip Catholics to actively engage in the Church’s efforts to overcome poverty and injustice. Our regional teams focus on recruiting and supporting a dedicated group of volunteers within parish and school communities, empowering them to educate, engage, and inspire others to act in solidarity for the common good. Regional teams also collaborate with clergy and other representatives across the Catholic community to ensure CAFOD’s volunteer programme is aligned with faith life.

The primary purpose of this role is to provide administrative and communications support to the Community Participation Coordinators across England and Wales, with a focus on the West & Wales region as the first point of contact. This includes coordinating administrative tasks performed by office volunteers and identifying opportunities for process improvements. The role also involves volunteer recruitment administration, overseeing and training Office Volunteers, and ensuring effective database management.

This role can be based anywhere in the UK including our head office in London, working from home, from one of CAFOD’s Volunteer Centres, or a combination of both. The role requires occasional travel to London and other areas within the East & West side of the country. Travel expenses will be reimbursed, and time off in lieu will be granted for travel beyond normal working hours.

This is a full-time position (35 hours per week) and reports to the Volunteer Support and Development Coordinator.

Key Responsibilities Overview
The post holder will play a key role in driving smooth, efficient operations across CAFOD’s West & Wales region. As the go-to person for admin excellence and volunteer support, you’ll work closely with your line manager and colleagues in the East to streamline processes, improve systems, and keep everything running like clockwork.

You’ll lead on volunteer recruitment and engagement—welcoming new volunteers, managing onboarding, and ensuring everyone feels valued, equipped, and inspired to support CAFOD’s work. Your people skills and attention to detail will shine as you manage applications, data entry, and training coordination.

Communications will be at the heart of your role. You’ll create engaging e-bulletins and social media content that keeps our community informed and motivated, while ensuring messages are clear, consistent, and aligned with CAFOD’s wider goals.

You’ll be the guardian of accurate data, working with office volunteers to maintain up-to-date records that support smarter outreach and efficient workflows. Your collaborative spirit will help strengthen connections across teams, share best practices, and contribute to creative new approaches for engaging communities.

This is a role for a proactive, organised, and people-focused individual who’s excited to innovate, solve problems, and make a tangible impact in a supportive, values-led organisation.

Safeguarding

All CAFOD staff share responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities.

Person Specification

Understanding our context

1. Understanding Catholic identity: sympathetic knowledge of the life, culture and structure of the Catholic Church in England and Wales and an ability to work effectively within it and especially an understanding of parish community life.
2. Understanding CAFOD: ability to express what motivates people to volunteer for, and support, CAFOD and the main activities in which Catholic community primarily participate. Being informed about, supportive of, and actively promoting our anti-racism work.

Working together

1. Managing ourselves: strong interpersonal skills including an ability to develop personal relationships quickly and to convince others.  Ability to be self-motivated and able to work in isolation linking with different people in a variety of contexts; confident with articulating support required for you to work well.
2. Working with others: builds positive and fruitful partnerships, particularly with volunteers; works effectively as part of a team which may work at a distance to ensure sharing of good practice and shared workload; being willing and able to help other team members and be helped to achieve delivery of shared objectives.
3. Communicating: ability to identify how best to communicate instructions and processes clearly and how this helps achieve the objectives CAFOD seeks to deliver and how to share knowledge and information across teams.

Making change happen

1. Managing resources: confident with processing data for planning, monitoring and reporting:  proven time-management, data-management and organisational skills/experience of delegating tasks clearly and making improvements to processes.
2. Achieving results: ability and willingness to focus on achieving efficiencies, especially in support of regional plans for community participation and income growth.
3. Managing our performance: ability and willingness to work to targets and achieve results.

Job-Specific Competencies

Administrative Process Improvement:

Proven ability to assess, streamline, and document administrative processes. Strong organisational skills are required to manage a variety of tasks and ensure efficient delegation to volunteers. Ability to identify inefficiencies and propose practical solutions to enhance office operations.

Volunteer Recruitment & Engagement:

Expertise in recruiting, onboarding, and maintaining volunteer engagement. You will build strong relationships with volunteers, ensuring their experience is positive and aligned with CAFOD’s mission. Experience in using volunteer management systems and managing volunteer data is essential.

Communication & Content Creation: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience in producing engaging content for e-bulletins, newsletters, and other media resources. Ability to tailor messaging to different audiences, ensuring clarity and consistency in CAFOD’s communications.

Data Management & Accuracy:

Attention to detail is crucial for maintaining accurate records. Experience with databases, data segmentation, and ensuring data integrity is essential. A strong understanding of data protection standards, including GDPR, will be necessary.

Collaboration & Team Communication:

Effective communicator with internal teams, ensuring smooth communication and alignment across various regions. Ability to foster positive working relationships and collaborate across teams, both virtually and in person. Proficiency with communication tools like Microsoft Teams and Zoom is required.

Training & Support:

Experience in delivering training to volunteers and staff, ensuring they have the necessary skills and knowledge. Ability to provide ongoing support to regional office volunteers, helping them succeed and contribute effectively to the team.

Adaptability & Problem-solving:

Flexible and resourceful, able to adapt to changing priorities. You will be expected to identify challenges and propose solutions to keep operations running smoothly.

Commitment to CAFOD’s Mission & Values:

A deep understanding of CAFOD’s mission and Catholic social teaching, with the ability to align volunteer engagement and administrative activities with the organization’s goals of addressing poverty and injustice.

Use of Digital Tools & Systems:

Competence in using databases, Microsoft Office Suite, and collaboration tools. Ability to train volunteers in these systems to ensure smooth operations across teams.

Project Management & Accountability:

Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring tasks are completed within deadlines and to a high standard. You will be responsible for delivering results aligned with CAFOD’s objectives.

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect.  CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse.  CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount.  Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. This post involves contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults, or has responsibility for people who will do, and applicants will be subject to specific checks related to safeguarding issues.  If based in the UK the post holder is required to present or obtain a Disclosure from the DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service).  If the post is based outside the UK the post holder will be subject to a different checking process.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job 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 submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures.

Please click here for a full list of CAFOD’s Staff Benefits

Come and join us and help make a real difference in the lives of the world’s poorest communities.

CAFOD is an equal opportunities employer. Recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.