Head of operation jobs in Central london, greater london

About the Role

 We are looking for a motivated and capable individual to join our dynamic Policy and Public Affairs Team, supporting the development of credible, evidence‑based policy proposals and helping to influence UK governments and NHS organisations to adopt them.

Key tasks and responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

· Monitoring the political and policy environment to keep track of things like Government / NHS initiatives and influencing opportunities.

· Collating and helping to analyse existing quantitative and qualitative research to produce briefings, help generate policy proposals and facilitate their implementation.

· Assisting the Head of Policy and Public Affairs and Policy and Public Affairs Officer to devise and implement influencing plans directed towards politicians, the NHS or relevant stakeholders.

· Preparing and drafting responses to consultations and reports relevant to the work of CPOC and the College, ensuring responses are evidence-based and in line with on-going policy work and strategy.

· Assisting with designing and conducting new research, such as survey work or interviews, in support of policy and influencing work.

· Becoming the team’s main expert on policy work in one of the UK devolved nations – likely Northern Ireland – and represent the Policy and Public Affairs Team on RCoA’s board for that nation.

· Providing general administrative support to the Team, including producing agendas for meetings and keeping track of our contacts with stakeholders.

About You

To succeed in this role, you will need to deliver high‑quality work at pace, be well organised, eager to learn and able to build strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. You should have a sound understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods, what makes impactful policy proposals and how research can be used to influence policymakers.  Insight into the UK health policy landscape, including government and NHS priorities, is also important.

This role is well‑suited to someone starting their policy career, and while previous policy experience is beneficial, it is not essential as full support and development will be provided.

What We Want to Achieve

We want to see an NHS that delivers good outcomes for patients and makes the best use of available resources. Our role in this relates to the anaesthetic workforce, and we have two specific priorities:

1) Boosting the anaesthetic workforce. Most operations require an anaesthetist in order to take place, but each of the four UK nations faces a chronic shortage of anaesthetists. Unfortunately, at present, no UK government is funding enough anaesthetic training places. We are determined to see this changed.

2) Optimising the surgical pathway. Anaesthetists don’t just work in the operating theatres they are often involved with the care patients receive before and after their operations – known as ‘perioperative care’. Good perioperative care can prevent surgical cancellations, complications, and unnecessarily long hospital stays. To this end, we host the Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC). CPOC advocates policies such as ‘prehabilitation’ to ensure that patients arrive in hospital on the day of their surgery in the healthiest state possible – so their operation can go ahead without problems, and they can recover quickly. We are doggedly pushing for such polices to be adopted.

The Package

This is a full-time, permanent position with a competitive employee benefits package, which includes (but is not limited to):

· 26 days of annual leave, plus bank holiday

· 1 additional paid day of leave for the purpose of celebrating your birthday

· Healthcare support through Benenden Health

· Up to 12% pension contribution

· Hybrid and flexible working

· Wellbeing hour once a week

· Cycle to work and employee discounts schemes

· Training and development opportunities

· Access to Mental Health First Aiders and Employee Assistance Programmes

About the College

The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) is the professional body responsible for the specialty throughout the UK. We are the third largest medical royal college in the UK by membership. With a combined membership of more than 24,000 Fellows and Members, we ensure the quality of patient care by safeguarding standards in the three specialties of anaesthesia, intensive care and pain medicine.

At RCoA equality, diversity and inclusion is an integral part of our culture so it is important to us that this is reflected in everything that we do. We welcome applications from all individuals irrespective of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion or belief, disability, marital status, or parental responsibilities to ensure we actively embrace an inclusive and representative culture that encourages, supports and celebrates our differences.

How to Apply

 If you believe that you are the right person for this role, please submit your CV and cover letter by Tuesday 30th June. In your cover please address clearly how your experience meets the essential criteria in the job description in no more than 750 words.

Please note that the closing date is subject to change, depending on the success of the recruitment process.

Unfortunately, due to the volume of applications, we are unable to provide detailed feedback to candidates on their application. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted after the closing date. Please note that the closing date is subject to change.

Applicants must reside and have the right to work in the UK. No agencies please.

The Garfield Weston Foundation is a well-established and highly respected grant-making charity, supporting a wide range of causes across the UK. With a long-standing commitment to improving the lives of those in need, the Foundation provides funding to charities working across areas including welfare, education, youth, community, environment, faith, arts, and heritage. Known for its collaborative and impactful approach, the Foundation plays a vital role in strengthening organisations and communities nationwide.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a purpose-driven organisation at the heart of impactful grant-making. The role will play a key part in ensuring the smooth running of day-to-day operations, supporting internal teams and charities they support, and helping to maintain high-quality processes that underpin the Foundation’s work.

You’ll be at the centre of the organisation’s activity—providing hands-on support across administration, logistics, and operational processes—making a tangible difference to how the organisation functions.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Head of Operations to ensure systems and processes run efficiently for staff and applicants
• Provide project support for technology improvements and development initiatives
• Proactively identify, troubleshoot, and resolve data and system-related issues
• Deliver training and provide ongoing systems support to the team
• Support system upgrades, including configuration, testing, and troubleshooting the grantmaking system
• Manage the database day-to-day, including processing decisions and payments, reporting, maintaining data quality, and ensuring GDPR compliance
• Maintain and review operational processes and procedures to ensure effective organisational functioning
• Oversee website management, stakeholder enquiries, and provide general operational support to colleagues as needed

Person Specification

• Experience in an administrative or operations-based role, ideally within a charity or not-for-profit environment
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Proactive and solutions-focused, willing to engage and support where needed
• High attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records
• Comfortable working both independently and as part of a team
• Confident using Microsoft Office systems and/or CRM databases
• A genuine interest in the work of the Garfield Weston Foundation and the wider charity sector

What’s on Offer

• Salary: c£35,000
• Location: On-site, Mayfair, London
• Contract: Permanent, Full Time

How to Apply
We are partnering with The Talent Set on the appointment of this position. To apply, please submit your CV demonstrating your suitability for this role by clicking the “apply now” button. They aim to respond to successful candidates within 48 working hours.

Commitment to Diversity
The Garfield Weston Foundation is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities and are happy to make reasonable adjustments to support you throughout the recruitment process.
 

Position: Head of Experience
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours a week
Contract: Permanent
Location: Office-based in London N4, with flexibility to work remotely
Salary: £65,118 per annum plus excellent benefits
Salary Band and Job Family: Band 4

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

The Head of Experience is a senior cross-organisational leadership role building and leading a new Experience function at the heart of the Engagement and Income Generation directorate.

It exists to change how the organisation understands and responds to the people it exists for. That means identifying where experiences can be improved and creating the conditions to act on it.

The postholder will drive cross-functional collaboration so that audience insight and data consistently inform strategic decisions. They will create the systems and governance that turn insight into action across the breadth of MS experience.

The postholder is accountable for driving measurable improvements in how audiences experience every interaction with us. This builds the conditions for integrated, audience-led engagement at scale, in service of delivering greater impact and sustainable income.

Closing date for applications: 9:00 on Thursday 18th June 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.

We are looking for an Operations Assistant, to support the Executive and Operations team in administrative and travel support delivering campaigns to accelerate a fair phase-out of oil and gas in the UK. We have grown rapidly as an organisation over the last five years and are looking for a new member of the team to provide cross-organisational support as we head into the next phase of our development. We’re looking for someone with energy and enthusiasm to provide comprehensive executive support to the Executive Director, and support to underpin the smooth running and efficiency of our operations. It is a varied role that will suit a versatile and strong “generalist” who can handle complexity and is proactive and resourceful. You will work closely with the Executive Director and Operations Team across a wide variety of tasks and responsibilities.

About the role

The Head of Buildings & Facilities is responsible for the effective, safe and compliant management of The Passage’s buildings and for ensuring that Facilities support the charity’s residential services, day services and offices. The role ensures compliance with statutory, regulatory and organisational requirements, maintains high standards of safety and sustainability as well as delivering value for money.

The role also helps develop and implement our Asset Management Strategy, ensuring our building stock remains in good condition in the medium and long term.

The Head of Buildings & Facilities is supported by a small but experienced Facilities Management team and a number of external contractors.

Main duties

 Strategic Asset Management

• Be a leading part of a team to develop and implement an Asset Management Strategy, including reporting on the condition of buildings, forward planning of major renovations and compliance works, making recommendations for investment planning and capital works programmes.
• Play a leading role in plans to acquire new property assets and to bring them into effective use.
• Ensure the work of the Facilities Management team dovetails with the requirements and regulatory requirements of our residential services.
• Implement and embed tools and systems to improve the efficiency and forward-planning of the team’s work.

Buildings and Facilities Management

• Manage the day-to-day operation of the Passage’s buildings ensuring they are safe, secure, accessible and fit for the services provided to our clients.
• Oversee the Facilities Management team to ensure the fabric and systems of all the charity’s buildings are maintained in line with statutory and regulatory standards.
• Work with the Facilities Management team to (i) oversee planned preventative maintenance and improvements to all of The Passage’s sites (ii) oversee and support the team to provide a quick, reliable response to maintenance and repair requests.
• Ensure colleagues and residents are engaged and informed in advance of any issues which may affect them, thereby minimising potential disruption.

Health and Safety

• Act as the lead and Responsible Person for Health & Safety (H&S) across the organisation including risk assessments, accurate and timely recording of health and safety issues, carrying out audits and investigations as necessary.
• Respond to any reported H&S risks, prioritising any reported risks with a significant potential for harm.
• Ensure The Passage is compliant with all relevant H&S statutory, regulatory and legislative requirements, including but not limited to: Fire safety; Gas, Electrical and Water safety; Asbestos management; RSH regulations.
• Formalise, develop and monitor the H&S framework and policies.
• Working with the Facilities Management team, ensure all work is carried out in full compliance with H&S requirements and best practice, whether that work is carried out by Passage staff or by third party contractors.
• Ensure robust record-keeping and compliance reporting to management and Board.

Relationship Management (Contractors and Suppliers)

• Ensure relationships with key services suppliers are well managed by the Facilities Management team. Work with the team to monitor the quality and timing of external contractors’ work and to address any shortcomings promptly.
• Ensure that all contracts for ongoing work and for one-off pieces of work are awarded in full accordance with The Passage’s procurement policy, ensuring best value for money and high-quality delivery.
• Together with the Facilities Management team, ensure contractors conduct themselves professionally and respectfully whilst attending any of the Passage’s locations and to ensure they follow our safeguarding policy at all times.

Teamwork and Line Management

• Line manage the Facilities Management Co-ordinator with an emphasis on supportive communication, skills development and progress towards personal objectives, including his line management of other members of the team.
• Develop positive relationships with all other teams at The Passage’s multiple sites and promote practices to reduce the need for repairs and replacements.
• Be a proactive and constructive member of The Passage’s Senior Management Group

Financial

• Develop and manage the Facilities Management budget, including capital spend, monitoring spending against budget and explaining variances.
• Support business planning through accurate forecasting and long-term planning of major financial spending.
• Ensure value for money and effective financial control across all areas of responsibility.

General Responsibilities

• Working with your Line Manager, develop your role to keep pace with The Passage’s plans and ambitions; participate in regular supervision and annual appraisal and to lead in identifying your own development and training needs.
• Represent The Passage in a professional manner at all times, carrying out your role to a high standard, and to always work in accordance with the aims, values and ethos of The Passage
• Make sure The Passage’s policies are followed within Buildings & Facilities Management, particularly those for Safeguarding, Health and Safety, Data Protection, anti-Harassment and Equality and Diversity.
• To participate in meetings, training and other events as required.
• Undertake any other duties which are commensurate with the role.

General Responsibilities 

• Working with your Line Manager, develop your role to keep pace with The Passage’s plans and ambitions; participate in regular supervision and annual appraisal and to lead in identifying your own development and training needs. 
• Represent The Passage in a professional manner at all times, carrying out your role to a high standard, and to always work in accordance with the aims, values and ethos of The Passage 
• Make sure The Passage’s policies are followed within Buildings & Facilities Management, particularly those for Safeguarding, Health and Safety, Data Protection and Equality and Diversity. 
• To participate in meetings, training and other events as required. 
• Undertake any other duties that may be required which are commensurate with the role. 

Desired Experience

• E1 – Proven experience in leading a complex Buildings and Facilities Management function, including effective management of external contractors.
• E2 – Experience of developing and/or implementing a buildings Asset Management Strategy.
• E3 – Experience of introducing a systematic approach to Facilities Management, covering Health & Safety, Regulatory compliance and Planned Preventative Maintenance.
• E4 – Experience of developing and getting the best from a small team.
• E5 – Experience of effectively managing budgets.
• E6 – Experience of playing leading role in major projects as well as day to day operations.
• E7 – Demonstrable experience of taking a long-term planning view at the same time as delivering on day-to-day priorities.

Desired Knowledge

• K1 – Strong understanding of Health and Safety and other legislative and regulatory requirements, ideally gained in an environment providing residential accommodation.  
• K2 – Professionally recognised Health & Safety and/or Buildings and Facilities Management qualification (eg IWFM, NEBOSH, IOSH).  

VIDERE

Videre is an award-winning, UK-registered NGO that exposes human rights abuses and holds perpetrators to account. We work directly with communities in stressed environments, equipping networks of activists and community leaders with the technology and training necessary to safely capture visual documentation of political violence, human rights violations, and other systemic abuses. Our aim is to ensure that the concerns and knowledge of affected communities drive advocacy, policy, and legal action.

POSITION SUMMARY

This is a critical senior role in the organisation, reporting to the Senior Director-Programming. The role is responsible for managing the organisation’s programmes across 2 locations in Sub Saharan Africa and South East Asia, line managing three people. The position provides leadership on direct programming for community-led investigations and evidence gathering as well as our CSO partnership programme in two geographies. The Head of Programmes works closely with the Senior Management Team (SMT) on critical areas including fundraising and strategic development.   

The priority for this role is the safe and high quality performance of projects. The balance between ‘doing’ and ‘managing’ in this role varies depending on available resources for each project, and the ability to create competent teams to delegate to.

Location: UK, France, Nairobi or Thailand preferred. Remote applicants considered.

Package: Pay is dependent on location.  The UK salary of £62,000 plus pension contribution will be converted using ICSC scales. All locations receive 28 days annual leave, counselling support and annual wellbeing days.

Start date: 1st September

Duration: 7 months with possibility of extension

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Programme Leadership and Delivery

• Working closely with the Senior Director- Programming, lead the development and implementation of programme strategy and annual plans, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives and priorities.
• Provide strategic and operational leadership to the Project Teams for both direct investigations and local CSO partnerships, ensuring programmes are delivered safely, effectively and to a high standard.
• Act as a member of the Management Team, contributing to organisational planning, decision-making, continuous improvement and cross-organisational initiatives. 
• Work closely with the Senior Director – Programming and other colleagues to identify organisational risks, opportunities and areas for improvement. 
• Work closely with the Head of Development and SMT to contribute to proposal development, programme design and concept note drafting in support of organisational fundraising efforts.
• Maintain and strengthen relationships with donors and programme partners throughout the project lifecycle, supporting effective communication, reporting and programme delivery.
• Ensure all aspects of programme design and delivery promote diversity, equity, inclusion and responsible partnership practices.

Civil Society Partnerships and Capacity Strengthening

• Provide strategic oversight of the organisation’s civil society partnership portfolio and approach in two geographic areas.
• Oversee staff responsible for partnership implementation to design, implement and continuously improve partnership and capacity strengthening activities, ensuring they have the guidance, resources and support required to deliver high-quality work.
• Ensure partnership activities are aligned with programme objectives, organisational strategy and donor commitments.
• Contribute to the development of organisational methodologies, learning and good practice relating to partnership working and capacity strengthening.

People Leadership

• Lead, support and develop a high-performing, inclusive and collaborative team culture.
• Provide ongoing management, coaching and mentoring to direct reports, including through annual performance reviews and regular development conversations.
• Support staff wellbeing and duty of care, ensuring teams have access to appropriate support and resources.
• Work with managers and staff to identify and facilitate learning and professional development opportunities.

Financial Management

• Oversee programme budgets and spending strategies, ensuring resources are managed effectively and in line with organisational priorities.
• Monitor programme expenditure and forecasts, ensuring appropriate financial oversight and accountability.
• Ensure compliance with organisational financial procedures, procurement requirements and donor regulations.
• Support the development of programme budgets for new funding proposals and organisational planning processes.

Security, Risk and Compliance

• Contribute actively to organisational security and risk management processes.
• Ensure programme activities are delivered in accordance with organisational policies, security procedures and compliance requirements.
• Support teams to identify, assess and manage operational, programmatic and security risks.
• Maintain oversight of security considerations affecting staff, investigators, partners and programme participants.
• Promote a culture of risk awareness, responsible decision-making and proactive risk management.
• Ensure the safety and quality of operational practices, including data collection, information management, secure data storage and transfer.

Skills, Experience and Characteristics

Essential

• Professional writing and speaking in either English or French, with at least effective operational efficiency in the other language (B2 or above).
• Experience managing teams or individuals across multiple international locations
• An understanding of risk management methodologies and experience applying them
• An understanding of human rights and a strong belief in their indivisibility and interdependence
• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to plan, organize, and prioritize tasks effectively to meet deadlines and deliver high-quality results.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, including experience working collaboratively with multi-disciplinary teams and building relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate complex concepts clearly and effectively to diverse audiences.
• Flexibility and adaptability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, with the ability to respond to changing priorities and requirements.
• Commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of work.

Preferred

• Experience with human rights research, investigations or legal cases
• Experience with filming or documentary making
• Strong technology / IT skills and/or aptitude
• Experience with fundraising or confidence in public speaking and presenting

Application Process & Timeline

• Please submit your CV (maximum two pages) and a cover letter (maximum 400 words) describing your suitability for this position.
• Applications will close on Tuesday 7th July
• Interviews will be conducted remotely.
• We intend to complete the recruitment process by 31st July
• The successful candidate should be available to start work on Tuesday 1st September.

We are committed to providing equal opportunities for everyone regardless of their background. We acknowledge that people from certain backgrounds are under-represented in the human rights sector and we are committed to doing what we can to correct this. Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the communities that we serve. Therefore, we are particularly keen to receive applications from people who identify with minority and/or underrepresented groups (whether on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other legally protected status). We also value diversity in terms of personal and professional experience; believing that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create stronger and more creative working environments.

This is an exciting opportunity to work at the heart of one of the largest Church of England dioceses, working closely with an experienced and committed Diocesan Secretary as a trusted advisor to a small senior team.   This is a varied, high‑impact role with significant scope for professional growth.

 The role blends strategy, operations and governance and is ideal for someone who thrives on complexity and likes getting things done. You will be a trusted adviser and sounding board, offering challenge, perspective, and solutions. You will be expert at developing and maintaining excellent relationships with a wide range of people including trustees, staff and senior clergy.

 The Diocese of Southwark is committed to becoming a truly anti-racist organisation and to increasing our diversity at all levels. We especially welcome applications from those with Global Majority Heritage,  those with disabilities and other protected characteristics. 

Job Purpose

To ensure the smooth functioning of the central diocesan office in particular by leading on governance in the Diocesan Board of Finance, co-ordinating activities and managing the day-to-day responsibilities of the Diocesan Secretary’s role as Company Secretary. 

 This will involve a range of responsibilities including:

•  Leading on all elements of governance and charity law compliance 
•  Leading the Health and Safety and facilities management in the Diocesan Offices, including the line management of staff.
•  Co-ordinating, preparing planning and follow up for a range of meetings associated with the governance of the diocese. This includes drafting agendas, preparing papers, taking minutes of meetings and following up the actions
•  Supporting the Diocesan Secretary in   all other aspects of  synodical and committee management, including overseeing elections and the electoral process for Diocesan Synod and Deanery Synods
• Acting as a point of contact and expertise for Parishes, Deanery Secretaries and  Deanery Lay Chairs including:

The Person

You should have significant experience in a governance or secretariat role, preferably in a charity and ideally in the Church of England.  Proven ability to work closely with senior leaders, ideally at CEO or Board level is essential, as is the experience of leading a small team to deliver well under pressure.  You should have a strong understanding of the charity sector and ideally of Church of England governance

As a key contact for people in the Diocese, you should have outstanding communication skills: written, verbal, and interpersonal, combined with strong organisational and project management skills.  You will need to be comfortable switching between high level strategy and hands on delivery, with the ability to influence without authority and navigate sensitive issues with discretion. The role is challenging and involves some evening and weekend working for which time off in lieu is given.

The COO will translate BLiM's mission and strategy and ensure its well-run, properly resourced, with its ambitious day-to-day delivery. You will free the CEO to focus on strategic leadership and external influence by owning operations, people management, financial oversight and internal systems.

The COO will be a senior leader who shapes organisational culture, makes operational decisions, manages complex stakeholder relationships and drives the performance of a passionate, high-commitment team. You will be the person the organisation looks to when it needs clarity, stability and momentum.

The COO joins at a moment of leadership transition following the departure of BLiM's co-founder and Director of Operations.

Why Join Us:

Black Lives in Music (BLiM) is a not-for-profit dedicated to advancing racial equity across the UK music industry. We amplify the voices of Black artists, music professionals and communities; drive systemic change; and hold the industry accountable for meaningful progress. Through research, advocacy, programming and strategic partnerships, BLiM creates the conditions for Black talent to thrive.

BLiM has published ground-breaking research including the Being Black in the UK Music Industry report, produced the UK's first Black classical music festival in Classically Black, influenced government policy on live music licensing, and built a network of over 100 partner organisations across the four nations. BLiM is now entering a new phase of its development, with a strengthened leadership team, a Target Operating Model designed to carry the organisation beyond its founding era, and an ambition to become the UK's most influential voice for racial equity in music.

Person Specification 

Essential

• Significant experience in a senior operational leadership role, ideally as a COO, Head of Operations or Director of Operations in a charity, social enterprise or purpose-driven organisation.

• Demonstrable track record of building and improving operational infrastructure: systems, processes, policies and ways of working that make organisations more effective and resilient.

• Proven people management experience, including line management of senior staff, performance development, recruitment and team culture-building.

• Strong financial literacy, including experience of budget management, grant compliance, financial reporting and working with a board finance function.

• Experience of leading or supporting governance processes, including board reporting, risk management and compliance.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex operational information into clear, accessible reports and presentations for senior stakeholders.

• A genuine, demonstrable commitment to racial equity and an understanding of the specific systemic barriers faced by Black professionals, artists and communities.

• The emotional intelligence and interpersonal skill to lead with care, build trust quickly and navigate complex relationships under pressure.

• The resilience and adaptability to thrive in a small, fast-paced, mission-driven organisation where the work is varied, the stakes are high and no day is the same.

Desirable

• Experience of working in or with the music industry, creative industries or arts and culture sector.

• Familiarity with Arts Council England funding frameworks, charity law and the regulatory environment for non-profit organisations.

• Experience of implementing or managing a CRM system, project management platform or other operational technology.

• Knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) frameworks and how to embed inclusive practice into operational systems and culture.

• Experience of leading an organisation through a period of significant change, transition or growth.

• An existing network within the UK music sector, creative industries or racial equity and social justice space.

At BLiM, we're interviewing on a rolling basis, so we'd encourage you to apply sooner rather than later!

To be considered for a first interview, please include a Cover Letter with your application. This initial conversation will be relaxed and informal, and we'll take you through the full interview process together so you know exactly what to expect at every stage.

Head of Trusts & Foundations (12 month maternity cover)
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Location: London, UK 
Salary: £53,317 - £61,034 pa plus benefits

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is one of the world’s leading public health universities.  Our mission is to improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working in partnership to achieve excellence in public and global health research, education and translation of knowledge into policy and practice.

LSHTM have 3,300 staff based around the world with core hubs in London and at the MRC Units in The Gambia and Uganda. Our outstanding, diverse and committed staff make an impact where it is most needed, deploying research in real time in response to crises, developing innovative programmes for major health threats and training the next generations of public and global health leaders and researchers.

Philanthropy is critical to us achieving our mission, and our Development and Alumni Relations department develops and supports relationships with a growing body of supporters and  community of over 30,000 alumni in over 180 countries around the world. 

As we scale up the role of fundraising at LSHTM, we are recruiting 3 senior specialists to work closely as part of the department’s leadership team in providing strategic and tactical direction of key areas of our work as our Heads of Development Operations, Trusts & Foundations, and a new area – Corporate Partnerships.

The Head of Trusts & Foundations is a 12 month maternity cover role, and we are seeking a specialist with a track record of securing 6-figure gifts or more, to provide strategic leadership of our established programme and guide a small team towards achieving their goals.  Working closely with the Director of Development & Alumni Relations and with their peers and the academic community, this will take a strong relationship-based and collegiate approach, balanced with a personal drive to achieve ambitious results.   

If you believe you have the skills, aptitude and commitment to our purpose, we would like to hear from you.  We are partnering with Richmond Associates on this campaign.  To view the information pack for this role or to have a confidential discussion with Richmond Associates, please contact Sonja Dunphy, Managing Director or Nicola Reames, Senior Consultant.

Closing date for applications: 09:00 on FRIDAY, 26 JUNE 2026

A rare chance to build something from zero — and see your work move millions of pounds to the world's most effective charities.
 

The opportunity

In recent years, some of the biggest problems in the world have gotten worse.

• The decades-long decline in extreme poverty has slowed.
• Factory farming continues to grow, with 13 billion farmed animals killed annually in the U.S. alone.
• The rapid deployment of increasingly powerful AI systems raises questions about safety and alignment that remain largely unresolved.

What gives us hope is that research-backed, scalable, but grossly underfunded ways to make progress on these problems exist.

More than 11,000 people have pledged at least 10% of their income to the world's most effective charities through Giving What We Can's 10% Pledge. Our global community gives over £63 million every year, funding malaria prevention, poverty reduction, animal welfare, AI safety research, and more.

GWWC has over 5,000 UK donors. £12.5M came from the top 300 alone in 2025. Despite this, there has been virtually no proactive relationship management. We believe there's huge potential to increase this figure with dedicated, high-quality donor stewardship.

London is GWWC's largest concentration of community members: over 2,600 CRM contacts and over 500 active pledgers. It's the natural centre of gravity for events and in-person engagement, with a rich ecosystem of high-net-worth individuals aligned with effective giving.
 

What you'll do

Build deep, lasting relationships with donors and pledgers. You'll proactively manage a portfolio of GWWC's highest-value community members through 1:1 meetings, calls, and thoughtful follow-up. Expect 8 to 10 meaningful conversations per week: coffees, dinners, calls.

Guide donors toward the highest-impact giving. Think of it as philanthropic advising. You're helping people think through where their giving goes furthest, directing generosity toward GWWC-recommended, evidence-backed charities. You'll also inspire people to give more, helping them see why giving more significantly and effectively can transform the impact they have with their donations.

Run high-quality donor events. Intimate dinners, networking evenings, and community gatherings. You'll have an events budget and the freedom to experiment with formats that build connection.

Re-engage lapsed and non-reporting donors. When someone takes a pledge with GWWC, they commit to giving 10% of their income to effective charities. Some donors give through our platform (where we can track it), while others give directly to charities and report it back to us. Over time, many stop doing either: our data shows recording rates drop from 60% in year one to just 22% by year five without any proactive engagement. These aren't necessarily people who've stopped caring; many have simply drifted without anyone checking in. A single outreach test to 369 lapsed donors recovered $2.3M in reported donations. You'll do this systematically, bringing recording rates to around 70% for the group of people you're engaging with.

Inspire warm leads to take a giving pledge. Follow up with people who've attended events, expressed interest, or sit in our CRM but haven't yet committed. We expect approximately 80 new pledges per year from this work.

Build the strategy. You'll build the strategy in partnership with your counterpart in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is a joint endeavour: together you'll develop the model for how GWWC does donor engagement, then adapt it for each geography to replicate globally.
 

What we're looking for

A social chameleon with high EQ. You can read a room and calibrate, holding your own at a black-tie dinner or a casual coffee with equal ease. Different donors need different things; you instinctively know which register to use.

Energised by getting out there. You're the kind of person who'd rather have ten meetings in a week than five. You want to be out in the world, meeting people, opening doors, and building relationships. Some weeks half your outreach will go unanswered, and that doesn't slow you down.

Highly organised and strategic. You're able to use a CRM to maximise the number and quality of interactions you have, thinking strategically about how to invest the most time on the highest-potential opportunities, whether that's inspiring new donors or stewarding existing ones to give more.

Super agentic. Give you KPI targets and a CRM and you'll build the strategy from there. You're the kind of person who doesn't need to be told what to do next, you just see what needs doing and get on with it.

You really care deeply about these issues. You find the core questions of effective giving compelling. You can talk about why cost-effectiveness matters without sounding robotic, and you come across as authentic because you actually care about these issues.

5+ years of relevant experience. In fundraising, philanthropy, donor stewardship, major gifts, high-touch relationship management, or senior sales and partnerships. We care about what you can do, not credentials, but this is a senior role that requires demonstrated experience.
 

Nice to haves

We definitely don't expect any candidate to have all of these.

• Experience or familiarity with global catastrophic risks, global health and wellbeing, or animal welfare as cause areas
• Experience in the effective altruism or effective giving ecosystem
• Experience running or hosting donor events
• Experience with HubSpot specifically (CRM proficiency is essential, but HubSpot experience is a bonus)
• Understanding of UK tax-efficient giving (Gift Aid, share donations via ShareGift, payroll giving)
• Being a GWWC pledger yourself
• People management aptitude (you may grow a small team over time)
   

Compensation and benefits

• £77,000 – £89,000 depending on experience You can see how we calculate pay in our public salary calculator. 
• Contract: One-year fixed-term contract with a three-month probation period. We're open to exploring making it permanent if the first year is successful.

Benefits include:

• Fully remote work (with regular in-person donor meetings and events as part of the role)
• 25 days paid leave + public holidays
• 10% employer pension contribution and private health insurance
• £4,000 annual professional development budget
• £4,000 annual mental health support budget
• The knowledge that your work moves millions of pounds to the world's most effective charities
   

About us

Giving What We Can is working towards a world without preventable suffering or existential risk, where everyone is able to flourish. We do this by making giving effectively and significantly a norm among those who can afford it.

Founded in 2009, we are best known for the 10% Pledge, where over 11,000 people have committed to donating at least 10% of their lifetime income to highly effective charities. Our larger community of ~20,000 pledgers and donors currently gives ~£63M annually, of which GWWC processes and grants £24M+ yearly through our own donation platform.

We're a lean, remote, performance-focused team. Our impact evaluation shows a 7x multiplier: every $1 spent on our operations generates $7 in donations to highly effective charities. We're committed to a high level of transparency. And we're growing fast, on track for more than 40% year-over-year growth on donations in 2026.

You'll report to: James Rayton, Director of Community & Partnerships
 

How to apply

You can apply by filling out the form linked in this job ad. We review applications on a rolling basis and will move quickly when we find the right person. Our process typically includes: application review → screening call → paid work test → interviews with James (line manager) and cross-functional team members → paid work trial → reference checks and interview with the CEO. We provide compensation for all work tests and trials.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Giving What We Can is committed to building a diverse team and strongly encourages applications from people of all backgrounds.

About Us 

​Established in 2002, Greenhouse Sports is a youth charity specifically using sport to support social change. Sport is our hook to engage young people and one of the vehicles through which we support youth development. But our purpose is not to create elite athletes or address physical inactivity. Rather, we create opportunities for young people to recognise their strengths and develop the skills they need to thrive both now and in the future. 

We work across London, Portsmouth, and Leicester, specifically in areas of high deprivation. We embed evidence-based positive youth development programmes into primary and secondary schools. These programmes are delivered by our trusted, high-quality coach-mentors who deliver year-round to ensure that young people have ongoing access to sport, mentoring, enrichment, and employability activities. The result of this work is that every year, Greenhouse Sports support over 9,000 young people to attend school more often, improve their wellbeing, and raise their aspirations, transforming life chances in the communities that need us the most.

Purpose of the Role 

Greenhouse Sports believes its people are its most important asset. From our coach mentors delivering impact on the front line to the teams supporting our growth, everything we achieve is powered by our people. We are looking for a People Operations Coordinator to join our team and play a key role in delivering a smooth, professional and engaging employee experience across the organisation

This is a hands-on, operational HR role with a strong focus on administration, alongside opportunities to contribute to projects and continuous improvement across the People function

You’ll be the first point of contact for HR queries, supporting the full employee lifecycle—from recruitment and onboarding through to payroll, systems, and employee experience initiatives. Reporting directly to the Head of People, you’ll gain broad exposure across HR and play an important role in keeping everything running smoothly.

HR Operations & Systems​​​​​​

• Manage and maintain our HR system (PeopleHR), ensuring data is accurate and up to date.
• Monitor absence and holiday data, flagging trends or concerns to managers.
• Produce reports and support GDPR compliance and data integrity.
• Support the upkeep and documentation of People processes and policies.

Payroll & Benefits​

• Prepare monthly payroll data for our external provider, ensuring accuracy and timely submission.
• Manage pension data and resolve payroll queries.
• Support payroll sign-off processes with Finance and senior stakeholders.
• Administer employee benefits (e.g. Westfield Health, BetterSpace).

Recruitment & Onboarding​

• Coordinate end-to-end recruitment processes, including posting ads and scheduling interviews.
• Manage and optimise use of the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
• Prepare contracts and onboarding documentation.
• Conduct pre-employment checks (RTW, DBS, references, etc.)
• Deliver HR induction and manage new starter onboarding.
• Monitor probation periods and support line managers.

Learning, Development & Compliance​

• Coordinate internal and external training (including safeguarding and first aid).
• Track completion of training and performance reviews.
• Support CPD agreements and development activity across the organisation.

Employee Experience & Engagement​

• Support employee engagement and culture initiatives.
• Play an active role in staff wellbeing and organising social activities.
• Help create a positive and inclusive employee experience.

Support to Head of People​

• Assist with employee relations administration, including note-taking.
• Provide first-line guidance on policies and procedures.
• Support continuous improvement across the People function.

Experience​

• You have experience in an HR or administrative role.
• You have strong organisational skills and high attention to detail.
• You’re confident using systems (HRIS experience helpful, but not essential).
• You have a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office (especially Excel).
• You understand HR processes and best practice (or have a willingness to learn).​

Skills​

• You are approachable, empathetic, and able to build relationships quickly.
• You’re discreet and always maintain confidentiality.
• You are proactive and solutions-focused.
• You are a team player with a positive, can-do attitude.​​​

Please ensure you have provided both your CV and Cover Letter to support your application. ​

We will be interviewing candidates on a rolling basis, so please do submit your application as soon as you can. ​​

Greenhouse Sports is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children therefore applicants must be willing to undergo child protection training and screening including an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check and obtaining satisfactory references from past employers.

This role sits at the heart of Medical Justice, ensuring the organisation runs smoothly and effectively. You will play a key role in connecting people, systems, and processes, enabling us to respond efficiently and compassionately. You will be the first point of contact for anyone calling Medical Justice, providing welcome and support to clients, their family members and volunteers. You will support the coordination of clinician visits, manage essential organisational systems, and contribute to the accurate recording and reporting of our work.

We are looking for someone with proven experience across administration, operations, IT, and finance, ideally within an NGO or human rights organisation. You will be highly organised, proactive, and comfortable managing a varied workload, with experience in office coordination, maintaining systems, and supporting teams to work efficiently and collaboratively. Your contribution will help ensure our clinical evidence, advocacy, and casework can achieve meaningful and lasting change.

There will always be opportunities to learn and grow in this role. We are looking for someone who is passionate about supporting the team to challenge the health harms associated with immigration detention, and who is eager to play a key role in developing new initiatives, strengthening the organisation, and driving greater efficiency for the whole team.

Location: North London, the role is hybrid with 3 days based in the office each week.

Reports to: Head of Operations

Salary: £33,000 per year

Contract:  Permanent, 37.5 hours per week

About Medical Justice:

Medical Justice works to uphold the health and associated legal rights of people in immigration detention and provides medical evidence, so the devastating health harms of detention are understood and acted on. Our paid and volunteer clinicians visit people held in immigration detention, document scars of torture, assess deterioration in health, and challenge medical mistreatment. We use medical evidence to secure lasting change through research, policy work, and strategic litigation. We work with parliamentarians and the media.

How to apply:

Please read the candidate pack carefully, you will need to send a completed application form and CV to be considered for this role. The application form can be downloaded from our website by clicking the 'Redirect to Recruiter' button below.

Application close on Thursday 2 July at 23:30. We are unable to accept any incomplete or late applications.

We welcome applications from refugees and other migrants, and from people with lived experience of detention, which could include detention in another country, or in the UK (immigration detention in an IRC or prison or being placed in institutional asylum accommodation such as military barracks).

We are part of the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative. The network supports inclusive recruitment of people with lived experience of the UK asylum or immigration system. If this is your experience, you can find useful resources on their website.

Chief Executive Officer

We are seeking an inspiring, values driven Chief Executive Officer to lead a trusted women’s charity into its next chapter, strengthening impact, income and community influence.

Salary: £55,000–£60,000 FTE (pro rata, DOE)
Location: Holloway, London (hybrid working)
Hours: 0.8 (some flexibility)
Contract: Permanent
Closing date: 26th June 2026
 

About the role

This is a unique opportunity to lead a well established, community rooted women’s organisation with over 40 years of history. As Chief Executive Officer, you will provide strategic leadership, operational oversight and external representation, working closely with a committed Board of Trustees.

You will balance long term strategic thinking with hands on delivery, ensuring the organisation remains financially sustainable, well governed and responsive to the women it supports.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and delivering a clear organisational strategy aligned to the charity’s mission and values
• Leading, motivating and supporting a small, dedicated team
• Ensuring strong governance, safeguarding, compliance and operational systems
• Support high quality, person centred service delivery and impact through strategic oversight and delegation. 

• Leading income generation across trusts, foundations, corporates, earned income and individual giving also including pitching to major donors and relationship building with communities

• Managing budgets, financial planning and organisational resources
• Acting as an ambassador and advocate, building partnerships across local VCS and local authorities
• Raising the organisation’s profile, influence and reach locally and beyond

About you

You will be a confident, emotionally intelligent leader with senior level experience in the charity, community or related sectors. You are values led, collaborative and motivated by social justice, with the ability to inspire others and lead effectively through complexity.

You will bring:

• Proven experience of strategic leadership, organisational development and growth
• A strong track record of fundraising and financial management
• Experience of working effectively with a Board of Trustees
• Excellent communication, influencing and partnership building skills
• A genuine commitment to equality, inclusion and supporting marginalised communities
• The ability to thrive in a small organisation, balancing strategy with delivery

Experience in community services, welfare advice or working with women facing multiple disadvantage is welcomed but not essential.

About the organisation

The charity is a women only organisation based in North London with more than 40 years of history. It was established by women supporting one another through hardship and isolation and has since evolved to serve a diverse range of communities across London.

Today, the organisation supports women facing poverty, insecure immigration status, domestic abuse, ill health and social exclusion. It provides a safe, welcoming space where women are listened to, supported and empowered to improve their wellbeing and independence.

Please note: This is a women only role under Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010.
DBS and right to work checks will apply.

Other roles you may have experience of could include:
Director, Managing Director, Executive Director, Charity Director, Head of Operations, Head of Services, Director of Communities, Director of Programmes, Deputy CEO, Strategic Lead

Join Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity and play a vital role in ensuring our teams can support families facing the unimaginable, helping us make a real difference.

We are looking for an experienced Operations Manager to take operational ownership of IT infrastructure and MSP relationship management, facilities, fleet, and contracts across our organisation. This is a wide-ranging role where your work directly underpins our frontline teams’ ability to deliver life-changing support to families with seriously ill children.

About the role:

Reporting directly to the Director of Finance and Operations, you will have input into how Rainbow Trust manages its IT, property and facilities, and fleet - while also leading on the day-to-day operational infrastructure across the organisation, including overall responsibility for our IT infrastructure and security. The role holder will act as the primary internal point of contact for our Managed Service Provider, overseeing service delivery, SLAs, and ensuring our IT infrastructure remains secure, compliant and fit for purpose

Managing the office facilities, leases, and contracts across our head office and nine regional sites, you will lead on contract negotiation and supplier management, managing a central administration budget and project manage office moves and operational projects.

With a focus on improving the efficiency of our systems, processes and ways of working, you will also line manage our Fleet Administrator, overseeing our fleet of 80 leased vehicles and be an integral part of decision making.

This is a substantive management role with real ownership, and meaningful variety - ideal for an experienced operations professional with a sound understanding of Microsoft Administration and cyber security ready to take on a broad remit in a values-driven organisation.

What we’re looking for:

Applications will be particularly welcome from those who have demonstrable experience of negotiating and managing contracts, including managed IT service contracts and budgets. A qualification in cyber security or IT and experience of Microsoft administration, cyber security and MSP management is also necessary for this role.

• A systematic and effective problem solver – you are self-disciplined and analytical, and you thrive on providing solutions, delivering high standards, and are skilled in appropriately tailoring your output to a range of different stakeholders for decision-making.
• A self-disciplined multi-tasker who is able to work independently and at a fast pace to meet deadlines – you are someone who perseveres and ensures close follow-up of delegated tasks to deliver consistently high-quality work through to completion.
• A strong verbal and written communicator with a high level of attention to detail – you’re a quick decision maker, who operates well within a defined area of control, basing your decisions on policy and procedures.
• You build strong working relationships both internally and externally – you are driven to achieve results and have the ability to train and support others to make correct decisions
• You work well within established systems, standards and procedures – you are accurate, highly numerate with excellent Excel skills and make fact-based and solution orientated decisions.

Why join us?

We’re proud to be a Two-Star Best Companies Top 50 mid-sized organisation and a Top 10 Charity, and we’re committed to creating a great place to work. You will benefit from:

• Pension scheme where we contribute 5% of your salary and you contribute at least 3%.
• Flexible working hours to balance home and working life.
• 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays – rising to 26 days after 1 year, 27 days after 5 years and 30 days after 11 years, with an additional 5 years to use in your 10th or 20th year of service (pro rata for part time).
• The option to buy/sell annual leave, as well as additional leave for your birthday, wedding/civil ceremony and an extra half day off for Christmas shopping.
• Time off in Lieu.
• Employee Assistance Programme with access to remote GP, counselling, physiotherapy, resources to support your mental health and financial wellbeing, as well as a 24/7 helpline via Help@Hand.
• Family friendly policies, focused on employee wellbeing, and an active cross-organisational wellbeing group running a number of initiatives throughout the year.
• Access to the Blue Light Card Scheme, and other rewards and discounts.
• Bike to work, season ticket loan and payroll giving schemes.
• A recommend a friend recruitment bonus scheme.
• Robust training and development programmes to support your learning and growth.

If you’d like to find out more about these benefits and working with us, please visit our why work with us page.

More information about us and our recruitment process can be found in our online Candidate Pack.

About us:

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity enables families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness to make the most of time together, providing expert, practical and emotional support, where they need it for as long as it is needed. For families living with childhood illness, time is everything. Right now, there are too many families coping alone with no support, no time to think, no time to make memories and no time for each other. We believe that no family should go through this alone, so we are here to change that.

Apply now:

To apply please send your CV and Covering letter to us via the link.

Your covering letter should highlight why your application should be considered above others and clearly state how your experience matches the essential criteria outlined in the Person Specification.

For a full job description and person specification please visit our website 

Please disclose in your covering letter if you have used AI for any part of your job application.

Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.

Interviews will take place at our Head Office in Leatherhead. We will only contact those applicants who have been successful. If you require any adjustments during the interview process, please let us know.

An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this post.

Rainbow Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.

Rainbow Trust is an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all backgrounds.