Head of learning and development jobs

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Access Interns Programme, a partnership between The Kartik Foundation and Variety, provides disabled young people with meaningful corporate internship opportunities to support their career aspirations. For many disabled young people, accessing work experience can be challenging due to societal barriers, lack of support, and limited opportunities. Access Interns is designed to break down these barriers, ensuring that participants gain valuable work experience, professional skills, and industry connections to help them succeed in their chosen careers.

The Access Interns Programme Manager is responsible for the successful delivery of the ACCESS INTERNS programme, overseeing the internship placement process, employer engagement, and student support. This includes managing the selection process, coordinating placements, ensuring workplace accessibility, and tracking the programme’s impact.

The role also involves working closely with corporate employers to create inclusive work environments, supporting interns throughout their placements, and expanding engagement with schools, employers, and industry leaders to ensure disabled young people have equal access to high-quality career opportunities.

ABOUT VARIETY

In the UK, there are more than 1.3 million disabled children and over 4 million children living in poverty. Variety exists to improve their lives. We believe every child has a right to live their best life and reach their full potential, whoever they are. We fund and deliver life-changing programmes that enhance their quality of life and give children and young people across the UK a better future.

Over the past 75 years we have supported over one million children by funding almost 6,000 Sunshine Coaches, almost the same number of wheelchairs, and giving thousands of grants to individual children, schools, youth clubs and other organisations for specialist equipment.

In addition, each year thousands of children take part in day trips, special events and educational activities as part of our Variety Great Days Out programme and every single day we are improving more young lives. We do it with practical, tangible help, that makes a real and immediate difference.

 KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Programme Management

· Managing the Access Interns Programme, ensuring it is delivered to a high standard and in line with Variety’s policies and procedures

· Working with the Chief Executive Officer to set annual internship placement targets, manage the Access Interns budget and develop the Access Interns Programme.

· Overseeing the end-to-end process of the programme, from student recruitment and employer engagement to placement coordination and post-internship evaluation.

· Adhering to Variety’s Safeguarding policies and procedures and working with the Head of Programmes, by recognising that interns are vulnerable adults, and taking responsibility for their safety, welfare, and well-being throughout the programme.

· Identifying opportunities to expand and enhance the programme, ensuring it remains impactful, sustainable, and aligned with Variety’s strategic goals.

· Developing guidance materials, training sessions, and workshops to prepare students for internships and support their professional growth

· Working with the Programme’s team to input & manage programme data and reporting.

· Tracking and reporting on Programme Impact and analysing data to ensure continuous improvement.

Logistics and Coordination

· Coordinating interview schedule, employer meeting, and onboarding sessions to facilitate successful placements.

· Managing communication with interns, employers, schools, and other stakeholders, ensuring all parties are well-informed and supported.

· Organising online disability awareness training for corporate employers as part of the onboarding process, ensuring employers understand best practices for supporting disabled interns and creating accessible workplaces.

· Ensuring all necessary documentation, contracts and agreements are completed and maintained in line with Variety’s Policies and Compliance standards.

Budget and Income Generation

· Managing the Access Interns Programme budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources and cost control.

· Generating income from the programme, including securing corporate partnerships and funding opportunities to sustain and expand Access Interns.

· Working closely with the fundraising team to assist in converting Access Intern partners into Corporate Donors for Variety’s wider work.

· Working with the Chief Executive Officer to set financial targets and explore additional funding streams.

· Monitoring expenditure, tracking income, and providing financial reports on programme performance.

Student Outreach & Support

· Manage the application and selection process, ensuring fair and transparent recruitment.

· Working closely with students to support their career development, including

- CV writing and cover letter workshops

- Interview preparation sessions

- Professional skills training (e.g. workplace etiquette, communication skills, and confidence-building)

- One-on-one mentoring and guidance

· Provide guidance and support to interns throughout their journey, from pre-placement preparation to post-internship follow-up.

· Responsible for marketing to schools and colleges to increase awareness and participation.

· Ensuring students understand their rights and workplace accommodations, advocating for inclusive and accessible internships.

· Visiting schools and colleges to promote the programme, engage with students, and increase participation from disabled young people.

Employer Outreach & Support

· Building and maintaining strong relationships with corporate employers to ensure a positive and productive experience for employers participating in the programme.

· Acting as the primary point of contact for employers, providing guidance and support throughout the internship process.

· Working with employers to develop meaningful internship opportunities, ensuring placements align with both business needs and student development goals

· Addressing any challenges or concerns that arise during placements, acting as a mediator where necessary.

· Delivering pre-placement briefings for employers, setting expectations and promoting inclusive hiring practices

· Gathering feedback from employers to continuously refine and improve the programme.

Customer Service and Administration

· Working with Operations Team and external partners to devise and deploy scalable on-boarding and internship management systems.

· Providing excellent customer service to applicants and prospective applicants, giving advice and guidance over the phone, in person and via email.

· Collecting and collating impact and monitoring data.

· Providing administrative support for other Programmes depending on workload, capacity and department demand.

Other Duties and Partner Support

· Assisting with events, reporting, and stakeholder engagement related to Variety’s wider mission and partner organisations.

· Collaborating with internal and external teams to support strategic initiatives that align with the goals of the Access Interns Programme.

General Responsibilities

· Negotiate placements and work collaboratively with employers to ensure meaningful learning experiences for interns.

· Applying knowledge of disabilities, relevant laws (e.g. Equality Act 2010), and reasonable adjustments to ensure that both interns and employers receive the necessary support for a successful and inclusive internship experience

· Expand the programme’s employer network, targeting organisations in corporate sectors to enhance placement opportunities.

· To work cross functionally with other departments, regions and countries.

· To achieve the highest standards of safeguarding for the young people who complete a corporate internship by Variety by complying with all appropriate Policies and Procedures.

· Working within Variety’s Data Protection policies at all times.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

Essential:

• Proven experience in managing programmes or projects, including planning, delivery, and evaluation.

• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with diverse stakeholders (e.g., employers, schools, students).

• Knowledge of disability rights, accessibility requirements, and the Equality Act 2010.

• Understanding of safeguarding principles and experience working with vulnerable adults or young people

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly and persuasively.

• Strong ability to manage multiple tasks, deadlines, and priorities effectively.

• Competence in collecting, analysing, and reporting data to measure impact and inform improvements.

• Confident using Microsoft Office and CRM or database systems.

Desirable:

• Delivering or coordinating training sessions for employers or staff.

• Experience managing budgets, monitoring expenditure, and reporting on financial performance.

• Familiarity with employability skills training, CV writing, and interview preparation.

• Experience organising workshops, meetings, or onboarding sessions.

• Ability to promote programmes to schools, colleges, and employers.

• Using impact data to drive continuous improvement.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your CV with a cover letter explaining why you’d make a great candidate for this role. Applications will close on Friday 9th January 2026 at 5pm with interviews taking place week commencing 12th and 19 January 2026.

Please let us know if you have any accessibility requirements or need any adjustments for the interview.

MAIN BENEFITS, TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Location: Variety HQ, Camden Town, London (hybrid working, 3 days in the office per week)

Hours: 9am to 5pm

25 days holiday (we also normally give between Christmas and New Year off, but this is not contractual). In addition, after one year's continuous service, there will be an extra 2 days annual holiday for every complete year of service, up to a maximum of five days' extra holiday.

Pension 7% ER contribution, Life Assurance 4x annual salary, Company sick pay scheme, medicash benefit.

EQUALITY DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

 Inclusion is one of our key values and it is our ambition to recruit great people from diverse communities. We welcome and encourage applications from suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment/identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy/maternity and or marriage/civil partnership status, race, religion or belief.

Position: Business Intelligence Impact Lead
Hours: Full-time (35 hours a week)
Contract: Permanent
Location: Office-based in London N4, with flexibility to work remotely
Salary: Starting from £44,339 per annum plus excellent benefits *
Salary Band and Job Family: Band 3, Profession/Technical
*you’ll start at our entry point salary of £44,339 per annum, increasing to £47,110 after 6 months service and satisfactory performance and to £49,881 after a further 6 months.

About Us

We make sure people living with MS are at the centre of everything we do. And it’s this commitment that unites us across the UK.

Our strategy is based on what people affected by MS have told us is important to them. It gives us a clear and determined focus.

Our work is based on the hopes and aspirations of our MS community. Together we campaign at all levels, fund ground-breaking research and provide award winning support and information.

Our people are our greatest asset and the key to our success. We offer a vibrant, progressive working environment where you'll be able to make a difference.

About this job

This year, we’ve embarked on a bold, strategic initiative to enhance our data capabilities.

We’re aiming to improve our data use, integration and analytics to increase engagement, maximise impact and drive forward our strategic goals. With a key focus on effective and efficient operations, collaboration and continuous improvement in our Technology, Strategy and Business Intelligence teams.

To achieve this ambition, we’ve developed a new technology infrastructure which we are calling “Sage”. We’re implementing new technology infrastructure this year (such as our new CRM system and suite of data tools – Microsoft Dynamics).

This role involves developing and implementing frameworks, conducting detailed analyses, and leading evaluations to provide actionable insights. By collaborating with various departments and stakeholders, the BI Lead ensures that data-driven decision-making and performance measurement are integral to ways-of-working, enhancing overall effectiveness and fostering continuous improvement.

This role develops and implements organisational data strategies and frameworks for measuring the impact and performance of the MS Society’s work, aligned to organisational strategy, covering data collection, analysis, and reporting, and ensuring consistency, accuracy, relevance, and timeliness of impact and performance evidence and insights.

Experience of stakeholder management both internal and external; and designing and delivering complex analysis and evaluations is required.

With one direct report, we require a seasoned manager / lead and the person applying should also have proficiency in statistical analysis software (e.g., SPSS, R, Python) for advanced data analysis and modelling (e.g. logic models, theory of change and other evaluation models), and experience in using survey tools and software for data collection and analysis.

Closing date for applications: 9am on Friday 2nd January 2026
Interviews are scheduled to take place week commencing 12th January 2026.

Interested?

PLEASE PRESS THE 'HOW TO APPLY' BUTTON FOR MORE INFORMATION.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled people and or people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds.

We’d be grateful if you downloaded and completed the equality and diversity monitoring form and submit it with your application. 

Disability Confident Employer 
We’re a Disability Confident Employer and we’re committed to promoting equality and diversity.

You can ask for reasonable adjustments as part of both our recruitment and new starter on-boarding processes.

If you need any help or adjustments to apply for this role, please contact us. You can also ask for the application materials to be sent to you in a different format. Such as for them to be sent to you by email or in a larger word format.

More about our recruitment and selection process 

• The first round of our recruitment and selection process includes an interview with competency-based questions.
• Our recruitment and selection process might also include extra tasks. For example, a written or Microsoft Excel test or making a presentation.  
• We’ll let you know what the selection process will include when we invite you to interview. You can ask for any more reasonable adjustments for the interview as part of the invitation.
• You might also be invited for a second interview. We’ll let you know about this during the selection process.

More about our employee benefits:
We have a wide range of employee benefits including (but not limited to): 

Encouraging work life balance

• 39 days paid annual leave (including bank holidays), pro-rata for part-time
• More annual leave entitlement, based on length of employment
• Smart working options (with the opportunity to work remotely and find a smart working pattern that suits both you and us) 
• Flexible working options 

Caring for you and your family 

• Generous sick pay entitlement
• More sick pay entitlement, based on length of employment 
• Opportunity to buy and sell annual leave in each calendar year 
• Free access to a GP virtually 24 hours a day/7 days a week allowing you unlimited advice, reassurance and where appropriate diagnosis 
• Enhanced leave for new parents 
• Free access to a confidential 24 hours a day/7 days a week helpline service for both you and your family with a specialist range of support and information
• Special leave options (such as up to 5 days paid leave for domestic or personal emergencies a year)
• 10 days paid disability leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• 10 days paid carers’ leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• Cycle to work scheme 
• Death in service scheme
• New family-friendly benefits, including paid leave:
  • In the event of miscarriage or still birth 
  • To support fertility treatments
  • For antenatal appointments for both parents

Thinking about your finances 

• Enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Discounted season ticket loan and interest-free emergency loans
• Give as you earn to support other charities of your choice before tax
• New employee portal including lifestyle savings vouchers and personal wellbeing

Enriching your life at work

• Personalised development plans with a wide range of training courses and opportunities to source additional training options with your line manager
• Yearly internal apprenticeship opportunities
• New, modern offices that embrace working together both in-person and remotely 
• Various opportunities to influence how we internally operate (including surveys, and focus and committee groups) 
• Active and supportive internal employee networking groups for collaboration and peer support 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering for MS Society activities during normal working hours (such as fundraising events, or campaigning in the local community) 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering with other charities during normal

Safeguarding 
We’re committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone who uses our services and we come into contact with.

This is regardless of Gender, Race, Disability, Sexual orientation, Religion or belief, Pregnancy, Gender reassignment.

We recognise our particular responsibility to make sure vulnerable adults and children are protected.

We have measures in place to protect everyone we come into contact with from abuse and maltreatment of all kinds.

Your right to work in the UK 
You must have the right to work in the UK to work in paid employment with us. You’ll need to share documents showing you’re eligible to work in the UK if we offer you employment.

You can find the UK visas and permits granting you the right to work in the UK on the UK Government website. We currently don’t have a Sponsor Licence agreement with the Home Office and aren’t able to support you with your visa applications.

No agencies please.