Head of life skills and community jobs in finchley, greater london

Are you looking for a dynamic and rewarding role working for an organisation with the feminist agenda at the core of its ethos? Then Advance Charity could be the career choice for you!

We are looking for a Brent Core IDVA.

Salary: £27,000 - £30,000 depending on experience. 

Location: Brent Civic Centre, Wembley Police Station and Hammersmith Head Office

Hours: 35 Hours per week, 9AM-5PM. Once quarterly you will be required to work on Thursday between 1PM-9PM.

Contract: Permanent

This post is open to female applicants only as being female is deemed to be a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010.

Please note: Any offer of employment will be made subject to references, confirmation of the right to work in the UK, and satisfactory enhanced DBS check.

About us

Advance is an award-winning and innovative women-only organisation, established in 1998, providing emotional and practical support to women and girls survivors of domestic abuse and supporting women with short-term sentences to reduce offending. We believe in empowering women and girls to lead safe, non-violent, equal lives so that they can flourish and contribute to the community.

We are a community-based organisation who lead in best practice approaches to supporting women in their local community. We achieve this by being available to meet and support women in local settings and at our women’s centres, and by working in close partnership with other agencies.

Our values are to listen and support, to empower and respect, collaboration, innovation, and accountability.

About the role:

We work within a coordinated partnership response to violence against women and girls as part of the Angelou Partnership. Within the partnership ADVANCE provides independent domestic abuse advocacy and support for women, children and young people who have experienced domestic abuse.

The IDVA will work within a dynamic, fast paced, crisis intervention, advocacy, and support service to ensure the voice of survivors informs every stage of the process specialising in working with clients at high risk. They will work within the team to make proactive contact and provide high quality advocacy and support based upon a client led needs and risk assessment to women from aged 13, focusing on working with those aged 18 and over who access the domestic abuse service. They will advise women on criminal justice and civil remedies and related matters, support women to attend court where necessary, and coordinate the provision of multi-agency support. Part of the role will to be to establish positive, proactive, and innovative working relationships with services providing services to clients and partner agencies within the Angelou Partnership. As a Core IDVA will work across the boroughs mentioned above, under the guidance of the team leaders and project manager.

To be successful as the Core IDVA you will need the below experience and skills:

To be successful as a Core IDVA, you’ll need to have an excellent understanding of domestic abuse and its effects on women and children and of best practice within the domestic abuse sector. As an experienced domestic abuse advocate who has worked with complex and multiple needs, you will be skilled in risk management and safety planning, remaining calm in a crisis and in handling sensitive information on a daily basis. Experience of direct work with female survivors of domestic abuse, of supporting women involved in mental health services, and of working within safeguarding procedures is essential for this post, as is the need to adopt and promote a strong partnership approach to service provision.

We recognise that women often only apply to roles if they meet 100% of the criteria. We encourage you to demonstrate how your skills and experience would make you an asset to the role, and if you don’t have the exact skills/experience, tell us in your cover letter how you think you might grow and develop in the role.
 

How to apply:

Please apply with a copy of your CV and a cover letter via our website.

The closing date for applications is the 21st of December, interviews will take place on an ongoing basis.

*Advance reserves the right to close the advert early, or on the appointment of a candidate.

What we can offer you - Employee Benefits:

• A 35-hour working week
• An exceptional 30 days of paid holiday per year (pro rata for part time), PLUS public holidays on top (that's nearly 40 days paid holiday per year!)
• Additional days off to celebrate International Women’s Day, and for religious observance and moving home
• Perkbox - an employee discount platform where you can receive free rewards as well as take advantage of savings on clothes, groceries, travel, leisure and more
• Pension scheme
• Enhanced maternity/adoption provision
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• Employee eye-care scheme
• Clinical supervision for front line staff and first line management roles
• Refer a Friend Scheme - £250 for each referral who passes probation
• Organisation wide away days
• Thorough induction and training
• Career development pathways

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Under the Equality Act 2010, we are required to make any reasonable adjustments. If you have a disability as defined under this act and/or have special needs, please email the Talent Acquisition Team via the Advance website and will aim to make the necessary arrangements to accommodate your needs.

Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and actively seek to recruit people from groups underrepresented in our current team. We have policies and processes in place to ensure that all employees are offered an equal opportunity in recruitment and selection, promotion, training, pay and benefits.

Safeguarding

Advance is committed to safeguarding and creating a culture of zero-tolerance of harm and expects all staff, including volunteers to share this commitment. We believe all individuals have the right to live their life free from violence and abuse and the right to feel and be safe. We have a suite of safeguarding policies, procedures and practice guidance, accessible to all staff, which promotes safeguarding and safer working practices across all our services and activities. When we recruit staff, we follow rigorous safer recruitment practices, this involves carrying out pre-employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, and identity checks. We ensure all staff undertake mandatory safeguarding training relevant to their role and responsibilities, to empower them to be competent and feel confident in recognising and responding appropriately to safeguarding issues and promote wellbeing.

Job Purpose:

1. To lead the development and delivery of WIP’s housing programme in South London and Manchester, ensuring high quality, trauma responsive services.
2. Develop effective pathways with local housing teams and providers, including through co-design with women with lived experience, developing training and resources to improve the knowledge and understanding on women impacted by the CJS. 
3. Provide effective leadership to direct reports, fostering a positive, supportive and collaborative team culture.
4. Work collaboratively with the external affairs team to provide programme insights to influence policy and systems change to prevent criminalisation of women due to homelessness and housing insecurity.

Product Manager – HOSTHub Lead  

Reports to: Operations Director (Head of Delivery)  
Contract: 0.6  
Location: Remote (UK or International (GMT +3/-3)  

Interview Process: Will commence in the New Year 

Role Purpose  

As Product Manager  HOSTHub Lead, you will drive the vision, design, and delivery of HOSTHub, HOST’s secure digital platform for global civil society operations.  

HOSTHub is the central nervous system of HOST - connecting partners, funders, and internal teams across finance, legal, and operations. You will lead the platform’s development and optimisation, ensuring every user journey is clear, intuitive, and aligned with HOST’s empowering, expert, and empathetic values.  

Working closely with the Partnerships and Engagement teams, along with our development contractors, you’ll translate user needs into product strategy, coordinate with the external development team, and deliver tools that make life easier for changemakers, funders, and the HOST team.  

This is a strategic, high-impact role for someone who can think systemically, act decisively, and balance big-picture design with hands-on delivery.  

Core Responsibilities  

1. Product Vision and Strategy  

Lead on the design, roadmap, and vision of HOSTHub as HOST’s flagship digital platform.  

Translate HOST’s organisational goals into a clear, scalable, and user-focused product strategy.  

Define and own product milestones, prioritising features that improve efficiency, visibility, and impact.  

Ensure HOSTHub reflects HOST’s values secure, transparent, intuitive, and empowering.  

Reporting cadence: Monthly progress and roadmap update to Operations Director and Leadership Team.  

2. User Journey and Experience Design  

Lead on designing the end-to-end user experience for hosted partners, funders, and staff.  

Map user journeys across onboarding, finance, compliance, and reporting workflows, identifying pain points and opportunities for improvement.  

Collaborate with the Partnerships and Community Support teams to align HOSTHub with the Hosted Partner and Funder Journeys.  

Work with the Communications Team to ensure all user-facing content is accessible, clear, and on-brand.  

Reporting cadence: Quarterly user feedback and UX improvement report.  

3. Development Oversight  

Oversee product design and development process, in coordination with the development team.  

Attend demo and planning sessions each sprint, provide clear prioritisation of activities and ensure that development is rolled out as required.   

Ensure that all Hosted Partner and HOST team voices are included and prioritised into the platform development, acting as central focal point for all HOSThub needs.  

Reporting cadence: Bi-weekly sprint updates; monthly development report.  

4. Data, Systems, and Integration  

Work with the Data Analyst to ensure HOSTHub captures accurate, useful data for reporting and impact measurement.  

Integrate Data and Impact measurement needs into the Product Roadmap prioritisation  

Support automation of key workflows across the Delivery and Partnerships Circles, improving speed and reducing manual processes.  

Maintain robust documentation of system architecture and data flows.  

Reporting cadence: Monthly systems performance and data accuracy review.  

5. Security, Compliance, and Risk  

Lead on platform security and data protection in collaboration with the Legal Lead.  

Ensure HOSTHub adheres to global data privacy and security standards (GDPR, AML/CTF, etc.). Prioritise required actions within roadmap.  

Conduct regular digital risk assessments and prioritise required actions within roadmap mitigation strategies.  

Lead the incident response process for digital issues or breaches, maintaining transparent communication with leadership.  

Reporting cadence: Quarterly security and compliance review.  

6. Cross-Team Collaboration and Capacity Building  

Work across HOST’s teams to ensure HOSTHub serves all service areas - Project Hosting, Hosted Grantmaking, and Capacity Building.  

Develop and deliver internal training sessions to build staff confidence and skills in using HOSTHub.  

Create and maintain onboarding resources, FAQs, and user guides.  

Partner with the Training Lead to embed digital literacy across the organisation and hosted partner community.  

Reporting cadence: Quarterly internal training and adoption report.  

7. Continuous Improvement and Innovation  

Monitor emerging technologies and sector best practices to inform HOSTHub’s evolution.  

Evaluate and test new features, integrations, and user needs to maintain product relevance.  

Lead user feedback sessions and platform reviews to ensure HOSTHub grows with HOST’s global operations.  

Drive HOSTHub’s role in enabling a distributed, digital-first delivery model.  

Reporting cadence: Annual product review and roadmap refresh.  

Key Relationships  

Internal: Operations Director, Finance Team, Legal Lead, Partnerships Director, Community Support Team, Data Analyst, and Training Lead.  
External: Developers, technical service providers, hosted partners, funders, and contractors.  

Performance Indicators  

HOSTHub roadmap milestones delivered on time and within scope.  

90%+ user satisfaction in feedback surveys.  

All major integrations operational and maintained.  

Demonstrated improvements in efficiency and automation across service areas.  

100% compliance with digital security and privacy standards.  

Required Experience  

5–8 years’ experience in product management, digital platform delivery, or systems development - ideally within SaaS, fintech, social enterprise, or digital infrastructure contexts.  

Proven track record of delivering complex, multi-stakeholder digital products from concept to launch and iteration.  

Strong understanding of user experience (UX) and user journey design, with practical experience mapping and optimising workflows for multiple user groups.  

Experience managing or coordinating external developers, digital agencies, or tech contractors in remote environments.  

Demonstrated ability to translate user needs into technical requirements, prioritising effectively across competing demands.  

Familiarity with API integrations, database systems, and workflow automation tools (e.g. Zapier, Airtable, or custom integrations).  

Proven success integrating digital tools with finance, CRM, or data systems (e.g. Sage, Salesforce, ClickUp, Zendesk).  

Strong data skills, including experience designing or using dashboards and analytics for performance and reporting.  

Knowledge of security, privacy, and compliance frameworks (e.g. GDPR, ISO, AML/CTF) as they apply to digital systems.  

Excellent project management, prioritisation, and communication skills - able to bridge technical and non-technical audiences.  

The Freedom Fund

The Freedom Fund is a global non-profit dedicated to ending modern slavery. Since 2014, we’ve invested over $100 million into frontline organisations and coalitions, helping to shift power to local actors and create lasting systems change. Our new strategy doubles down on this commitment, investing in anti-slavery movements, fostering collaboration, and working as a trusted partner to the incredible people and organisations driving this work forward. 
 
Safeguarding Manager
This is a key role in the Freedom Fund’s Safeguarding Manager will work closely with colleagues to lead efforts to build internal capacity and embed strong, inclusive safeguarding practices throughout our work. You’ll coordinate a network of safeguarding focal points and champions across teams and geographies, helping ensure safeguarding is an active, everyday part of our organizational culture.

Interview process: 2 stage interview process: week commencing 5th January 2026
Please see the job description for all details.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

IRC UK
IRC UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its global headquarters in New York. Our team in the UK works to raise profile, deliver policy and practice change, and increase funding to help restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Since 2021, IRC UK has also provided integration services directly to refugees in the UK.
In Europe, the IRC also has offices in Berlin, Bonn, Brussels, Geneva and Stockholm. 

The Purpose of the Role
IRC’s External Relations (ER) department brings together Fundraising, Communications and Policy & Advocacy functions. With the aim to raise money, awareness and influence for crisis-affected populations worldwide, the department combines knowledge and expertise across multiple national markets.  
 
The IRC fundraising teams are comprised of colleagues and teams working in the USA, UK, Germany, Sweden and Korea as well as emerging markets delivering direct marketing, content, account management, philanthropy, board liaison, corporate as well as trust and foundation partnerships to support IRC’s national fundraising strategies. 
 
The IRC’s private fundraising capability in the UK has grown significantly over the past five years. Ambitious growth plans are in place to deliver increasing income from the private sector as part of an exciting global External Relations strategy.  
 
The Director of UK Mass Markets is responsible for the leadership and direction of the Mass Markets team in the UK and for securing long-term sustainable income for the IRC through individual donor acquisition, retention and supporter care. You will lead and develop a high-performing team by growing mass marketing audiences and income, developing exciting and targeted campaigns, identifying opportunities for product, channel and audience diversification, and championing UX and a supporter centric fundraising model. The Director will also serve as a key partner to the UK Executive Director as they facilitate cross-team collaboration, accountability and success among all private fundraising teams in the UK (Philanthropy, Global Corporate Partnerships, Foundations & Trusts and Mass Markets). The Director will play a leadership role in IRC UK more widely as a member of the UK Senior Management Team (UKSMT). The UKSMT is collectively responsible for achieving the cross-functional goals of IRC UK’s strategy and actively fostering an inclusive workplace at IRC UK.
 
This role is responsible for:  
I.  Securing significant and sustainable funding in the UK for IRC’s work 
II.  Leading strategic activities that support IRC’s mass market fundraising presence including campaigns for the End-of-Year, World Refugee Day and emergencies

Scope and Authority 
This position has responsibility for delivering the UK Mass Market team strategy and targets and Supporter Care within the overarching Global Mass Markets strategy and UK Strategic Plan. 

Responsibility for Resources:
This post will have responsibility for three direct reports (1x Senior Acquisition Marketing Manager, 1 x Retention Marketing Manager, 1 x Donor Services Assistant) and a substantial expenditure budget. The role is part of the global Mass Markets team and is matrix managed by the Executive Director in the UK and the Global Vice President of Mass Markets.

Key Working Relationships
Internal:
•  Counterparts and senior leads in global Mass Markets team 
•  UK SMT: Directors of Strategy and Delivery, Communications, Advocacy, Philanthropy, Finance, People and Culture, Awards Management
•  Global peer-level team: Directors and Heads of Mass Markets for Korea, Germany, Sweden, USA and Global Mass Market Support Leads
•  Digital team members (UK and global) 
•  Global Creative Studio and Brand 
•  Senior Director for Retention
•  International Operations team, incl. data & analytics roles  

Key Accountabilities

·  Aligned to the overall Global External Relations Strategy, develop, implement, monitor and report on IRC UK’s fundraising and supporter engagement strategy. 
·  Lead fundraising campaigns (acquisition, retention, mid-level) that deliver unrestricted income to enable IRC’s work. Channels include e-mail, direct mail, inserts, Facebook advertising, new forms of social media, and adwords, as well as telemarketing etc.
·  Develop a supporter engagement programme that focusses on developing and deepening long-term relationships and drives retention rates.
·  Develop and deliver an innovation programme, ensuring fundraising products and activity are at the forefront of the UK sector and allow IRC to cut through to new audiences.
·  Deliver outstanding supporter services, ensuring supporter interactions are dealt with professionally and appropriately.
·  Contribute strongly to overall Global External Relations strategy and budget development during the budgeting and investment request process.  
·  Lead, inspire, develop and performance manage the UK Mass Markets team.
·  Ensure effective collaboration between the UK-based leads of the Foundations and Trusts, Global Corporate Partnerships, and Mass Markets teams, in executing comprehensive, aligned donor engagement strategies across the UK. 
·  Collaborate with other UK leaders on the UK Senior Management Team, holding collective accountability for achieving the goals of the UK strategy and advising on the wider management of IRC UK to support those goals.  
·  Reporting to the UK Board of Trustees, including presentations to the full Board and the External Relations Committee as required. 
·  Representing IRC in the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Fundraising Directors group.
·  Be the senior contact for all mass marketing partnerships with third party supplies.  
·  Act as senior voice in cross-market working groups and committees. 
·  Network and build external profile of the IRC UK Mass Markets team by attending relevant fundraising and sector events, and building other external stakeholder relationships. 
·  Input into effective risk management of mass marketing income by accurately assessing opportunities, threats, strengths and weaknesses on a regular basis, and iterating the programme based on results.  
·  Accurately forecast, monitor and report on income and expenditure budget lines. 
·  Keep up to date with sector developments in individual giving, digital fundraising to ensure IRC is at the forefront of fundraising developments. 
·  Work closely with Mass Markets team in other national markets (i.e. Korea, Germany, Sweden, US) and the International Operations team to ensure all engagement is coordinated, and where appropriate, synchronised.  

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

·  Driven, motivated and proactive with a solutions-based attitude and resilient in the face of setbacks. 
·  Proven ability to manage, meet and monitor fundraising budgets and Key Performance Indicators. 
·  Excellent organisational skills, especially the ability to manage a complex, varied and substantial workload. 
·  Ability to understand legal frameworks and requirements, and implications of decisions in the best interest of the charity. 
·  Excellent verbal and written English and the ability to produce well designed and high-quality proposals and reports.
·  Institute of Fundraising, Cass or comparable qualifications would be an advantage.  

Experience:
·  Extensive experience of individual giving (or mass marketing) and digital fundraising and ideally, mid value and legacy giving, within a large or medium global charity, including a proven track record of both acquisition and retention.**  
·  Launching new channels and products with success. 
·  Comprehensive understanding and experience of audience and donor segmentation, analytical modelling such as LTV and use of insights to drive strategy and performance.** 
·  Experience and understanding of creative process and relationship with brand identity through different channels and audiences. 
·  Proven track record of success in a leadership, line management, recruitment, performance management and talent retention.**
·  Demonstrated history of being an empowering and supportive manager to front-line fundraisers.
·  Experience working for a centralised, international organisation would be a strong advantage.  
·  Experience using Salesforce an advantage.  

Criteria in the Person Specification marked with ** are the minimum criteria in line with our commitments under the Disability Confident Employer Scheme in the UK. 
UK based candidates who state that they have a disability and meet these criteria, will be invited to interview.