Head of partnerships and events jobs

This role will play an important role in the successful planning and delivery of UUKi’s events, supporting activity in logistics, content, sponsorship, marketing and administration. The events will include in-person international conferences with over 300 delegates and high-profile speakers, to webinars and small roundtables.

The Events Assistant role requires strong organisational abilities, together with excellent customer service and an attention to detail.  Previous events and/or administrative experience would be advantageous, but more importantly you must have a willingness to learn and a proactive and flexible approach.  This is a fast-moving environment with several projects on the go at the same time.

Knowledge of Excel, Canva and Microsoft Outlook would be desirable, alongside a willingness to learn online platforms used for registration and marketing.

Please note that the Events Assistant role will involve occasional unsociable hours in the run-up to and on the day of events.

Interviews will take place on Wednesday 27 May 2026.

To be considered for this opportunity, please submit a CV, accompanied by a covering letter no longer than two sides of A4, describing how you meet the criteria listed in the person specification of the recruitment pack.

We're the UK's specialist blood cancer charity and our vision is clear: we’re here to beat blood cancer. We fund world-class research; provide information and support to patients and their loved ones; and raise awareness of blood cancer.

We’re looking for a driven and relationship-focused Corporate Partnerships Manager – Pharmaceuticals to lead and grow our work with the pharmaceutical sector. In this role, you’ll manage and develop high-value partnerships, secure significant income (c.£500k annually), and identify new opportunities that support groundbreaking research and services for people affected by blood cancer. Working closely with senior stakeholders, you’ll shape compelling proposals, represent the organisation in pitches and negotiations, and ensure partners are engaged through excellent stewardship and impact reporting.

You’ll be a confident communicator with a strong track record in high-value fundraising, or equivalent transferable experience, and skilled at building relationships at all levels. Collaborative and proactive, you’ll work across teams to develop ambitious, mutually beneficial partnerships aligned with organisational priorities. 

Regular travel to our London office and donor meetings will be required, typically once or twice per month, or as the role demands.

We are committed to actively promoting equality, diversity, and inclusivity. In line with our strategy we welcome approaches from individuals from underrepresented groups, including minority communities, and applicants with a disability, to better reflect the community we serve and help broaden our perspectives. state this in your cover letter when applying. 

We are open to receiving applications from candidates wishing to work part-time, with a minimum of 28 hours per week. Please indicate in your cover letter if you wish to work part-time.

About Spear

We launched the award-winning Spear Programme over 20 years ago, and there are now 18 Spear Centres across the country, equipping unemployed 16–24-year-olds facing barriers to employment with the skills and mindset they need to secure work and thrive in the workplace.

Spear operates a joint venture model with churches across the UK to run our Spear Centres. Some Centres operate in collaboration with independent charitable trusts, while others are run directly with the local church (both referred to below as ‘Spear Church Partners’ or ‘Church Partners’).

About the role

We’re looking for a new Church Partnerships Manager to join us for this northern based role, with travel across the region.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in driving national growth by developing and nurturing partnerships with churches across the North of England. You will be at the forefront of developing new relationships with potential early-stage partners, inspiring churches to engage with our mission, and supporting them through the pipeline, and helping to establish a diverse and thriving network of church partnerships.

We are looking for a confident relationship-builder who can engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders, particularly church leaders, and who is comfortable working in a dynamic and evolving environment.

Key information:

• Salary: £37,000
• Location: Remote with once a month travel to London for team meetings and regular travel in the North of England
• Full-time, 12-14month Fixed Term Contract, with the possibility of extension
• Closing date: We interview on a rolling basis and will close the role early if we find the right candidate

For more information please read through our Job Specification and Work with Us Pack.

If you require any reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process, please let us know.

Person Specification

• A practising Christian, passionate about personally representing the values and beliefs of Spear, and our mission to equip and support young people facing barriers to employment
• Strong leadership ability with the confidence to make effective decisions
• Outstanding people skills and emotional intelligence, capable of quickly winning trust and confidence, as well as network, influence and negotiate with church leaders and a range of audiences, internally and externally
• An understanding of the needs and workings of churches and their leaders, and the ability to innovate, build our growth strategy and generate new partnerships
• An excellent communicator (both written and verbal)
• Excellent initiative and a self-starter, with the ability to operate flexibly in a changing and dynamic environment and in response to the support needs of each partner
• Strong organisational skills including the ability to establish appropriate processes and structures and to manage multiple priorities to meet targets and deadlines
• Strong quantitative skills including ability to work with and interpret impact data, fundraising pipelines and basic financial information
• Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint competent and experience of/ability to use databases

The Sutton Trust is the UK’s leading social mobility charity. We believe every young person should have a fair chance in life, regardless of their family’s income, the school they go to or where they grow up. But today in Britain, the opportunity to succeed is heavily shaped by socio-economic background. Our mission is to change this. Our programmes empower young people to access life-changing opportunities, and our research influences national change to deliver a fairer future.

Each year, together with our university and employer partners, we support over 14,000 young people to reach their potential through our university, apprenticeship and career access programmes. And our support doesn’t stop there. We engage our thriving alumni community to help them to succeed in their professions and to act as advocates for social mobility.

Our rigorous and extensive research shines a light on barriers to opportunity from the early years to the workplace, and we strive to influence national policy change with evidence-based solutions to tackle educational and workplace inequality. Using insights from our programmes and research, we also test and scale new ideas in education and employment practice.

As an independent charity, our work is entirely reliant on the generous support of our community of donors. The need to support our work to tackle Britain’s low social mobility has never been greater.

Fundraising at the Sutton Trust

We are seeking a dynamic and confident fundraiser to be our Corporate Partnerships & Events Manager. The Sutton Trust is at an exciting point in our organisational journey, with a new Chairperson and ambitions to significantly grow our impact and fundraising as part of our 2030 strategy.

Over the past five years the impact of the Sutton Trust has increased, especially with our programmes which have gone from supporting 11,000 young people a year to 14,000 in the 24/25 programme year. We have secured a relatively stable income of c.£6m over several years, and in the last two years this has grown to £7m+. Our organisational strategy, which takes us to 2030/31, will continue this fundraising trajectory with a need to increase annual income on a sustained basis to £12m. With corporate income accounting for nearly half our fundraised income, there is considerable enthusiasm and opportunity in the corporate world for building strategic partnerships with The Sutton Trust.

Our fundraising approach will continue to focus on major gifts and strategic multi-year partnerships, leveraging a range of drivers to secure corporate support. Our highly engaged Chairperson has a commercial background and is keen to leverage contacts in the corporate world, giving a network of prospective contacts to explore.

The role and team

As Corporate Partnerships & Events Manager, you will be an experienced partnership manager and fundraiser, confident in securing new business through active prospecting and networking along with experience in securing and stewarding strategic partnerships with corporates and their associated corporate foundations. You will have an entrepreneurial mindset for income generation, able to confidently manage competing demands to balance securing new partnerships and delivering high quality account management to your portfolio of current and prospective supporters.

The role will lead a portfolio of corporate partnerships, focused on delivering shared strategic goals to increase social mobility in the workplace and supporting a more socio-economically diverse workforce for the future. The role will be the point-person within the Development Team for organisational events, working closely with key colleagues in our marketing & events and programme functions to support delivery of high-quality events. They will also take responsibility for delivering successful stewardship events, including programme visits. It will be crucial to work closely with a range of stakeholders, especially colleagues, to deliver successful stewardship events that showcase the varied work of the Sutton Trust and engage supporters with our work. This will include working closely with existing staff who lead on organisational, advocacy and programme events to ensure donors and prospects are able to attend and engage with the work.

Corporate partnerships are delivered by a talented and growing team, all with their own portfolios based on partnership level and complexity. Team members work on both new business and account management, with ambitious individual income targets.

Main duties
New Business

• Personally scope, develop and secure new five-figure+ corporate partnerships, aiming for a diverse and robust portfolio of partners with multi-year commitments, working with the Head of Corporate Partnerships, other senior staff, and senior volunteers appropriately to secure and steward.

• Proactively approach new business development within the corporate sector, cultivating relationships and networks to grow awareness of The Sutton Trust and secure major gifts.

• Support the Head of Corporate Partnerships in their work with senior volunteers to develop a strong prospect pipeline for major corporate gifts, including support for network mapping to leverage connections and cultivate prospective funders.

Events, Account Management and Development

• Manage and grow the Trust’s leadership and partner level corporate partnerships in your portfolio, including leveraging existing relationships to maximise financial income and partnership longevity.

• Appropriately leverage senior staff and volunteers to secure multi-lateral relationships with corporate partners and prospects, with the aim of retaining partnerships and uplifting income.

• Working closely with key colleagues to be the first point of contact for the Development team to support organisational events, and working with Development leadership to deliver diverse and engaging stewardship events.

• Working closely with key colleagues, support delivery of key donor messaging through Campaign Monitor or other platforms as appropriate, to align with the stewardship events goals of further engaging donors and prospects with the work of the Sutton Trust.

• Be accountable for achieving agreed corporate income targets, looking for opportunities to grow funding and diversify corporate income.

Fundraising, Finance and Reporting

• Act as an ambassador for the Trust with external audiences in the corporate space, representing the Trust with gravitas and confidence to secure major gifts and develop relationships.

• Work with colleagues across Development and Finance to ensure accurate forecasting, income tracking and reporting for your portfolio of corporate partnerships.

• Working closely with colleagues, provide corporate fundraising expertise to increase awareness of viable funding opportunities and develop organisational understanding of best practice for working with corporate partners and funders.

• Ensure you appropriately follow policies and procedures on due diligence, Salesforce and data management, account management, stewardship, and reporting.

• Stay up to date with corporate fundraising best practice, learning from senior members of the team, and keep abreast of developments and opportunities within the wider fundraising space.

• Other duties as necessary from time to time.

Person Specification

We welcome applications from individuals who have experience in:

• Experience in successfully securing, managing, and developing corporate partnerships at five-figures-plus level, from initial prospect research to contracting and ongoing stewardship.

• Experience successfully securing and/or managing corporate-charity partnerships, including engaging senior leadership on both sides to deliver strategic goals and mutual benefit.

• Experience network mapping and networking to build and manage relationships that lead to corporate donations to non-profits, particularly with senior non-profit volunteers.

• Experience planning and delivering events that provide high-quality stewardship to donors and prospects, engaging them with the work of a non-profit and promoting strong relationships.

• Experience managing events with an organised and clear project management approach, including influencing and working with a variety of stakeholders internally and externally.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including networking at C-suite and senior management level and strong presentation skills, with the ability to prepare and deliver engaging and persuasive cases for support.

• First-class interpersonal skills - a natural ambassador able to represent the Sutton Trust with gravitas and confidence in a range of settings, especially the corporate world and with senior leaders.

• Knowledge and experience of the education and/or not-for-profit sector.

• Knowledge of the UK fundraising environment, including corporate fundraising trends and regulations that affect corporate partnerships.

• Experienced at using Salesforce or other fundraising CRM software to accurately record funding relationships.

We are also looking for an individual who:

• Sympathetic to the aims of the Trust and our mission to increase social mobility.

• High degree of initiative and the ability to take responsibility for corporate fundraising activity.

• Dynamic and entrepreneurial fundraiser, with a passion for personally engaging supporters.

• Able to think strategically about the bigger picture and manage hands-on fundraising.

• Proven ability to influence stakeholders at all levels and encourage giving.

• Excellent attention to detail with strong analytical skills.

• Able to work independently and as part of a team

• Is eligible to work in the UK (see here for information about right to work)

Terms of Appointment

• Contract: Full time, Permanent

• Salary: £42,025-£46,000

• Working location: Minimum of two office days per week. Our home working policy gives staff the option to work from home for up to 60% of the time, with approval from their line manager.

• Office location: The Sutton Trust, 9th Floor, Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP.

• Hours: The standard working hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. This role is likely to also be required to attend events / meetings outside of normal working hours during weekday evenings and occasionally at weekends, in line with organisational policies.

Interviews

Applications should reach us by 10am, Monday 25th May, with first round interviews held on Tuesday, 4th June, and second round interviews held on Wednesday, 10th June. Both rounds will be held in our London office.

Safeguarding statement

The Sutton Trust believes that a child, young person or vulnerable adult should never experience abuse of any kind. We all have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. Therefore all posts undergo a safer recruitment process, including but not limited to, disclosure of criminal records where necessary and eligibility to work in the UK. We have procedures in place to promote safeguarding and a safe culture at the Trust.

Contextual recruitment

The Trust is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity and that all applicants receive equal consideration for employment. We strongly encourage individuals from all backgrounds, including those underrepresented at present at the Trust, to apply for this role. As such we particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities, Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ and from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds. We are committed to being an inclusive and welcoming place to work and know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for the young people we support.

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates throughout our recruitment process and during employment.

We also operate contextual recruitment at the Sutton Trust. Our application process gives you the option to include information about your background, such as whether you were eligible for free school meals, whether your parents went to university, or whether you attended a state school. For more examples and information on contextual recruitment, please see our website.

About the team

The Philanthropy Team raises income for Impetus and for Impetus partner charities. The team consists of 15 staff. Impetus has an annual income of c.£11 million which we are looking to grow significantly within the next few years. The team is led by the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships. 

The Philanthropy Team works with major donors, corporates and grant making trusts, as well as collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation to ensure we make a compelling case to generate new financial commitments and wider support for our work. The team also deliver a high-quality engagement programme of volunteering and pro bono for Impetus’s corporate supporters.   

Impetus is driven by a shared belief in tackling the barriers that hold back young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in education and employment. Alongside investing extensive financial and non-financial support in our charity partners through our Investment Team we also seek to influence decision makers to design and implement evidence led policy and direct new resources to get young people the support they need through our Public Affairs team. We are resolutely focused on outcomes, driven by quality evidence.

You would be joining a team that is passionate, ambitious, determined and warm. We care deeply for our colleagues, our charity partners and the young people we serve. 

Why work with us?

Working at Impetus means joining an organisation that is serious about impact and serious about people. Our values actively guide how we make decisions, how we work together and how we deliver change.

In the Philanthropy & Partnerships Team, you will:

• Be part of a high-performing and respected fundraising team
• Build meaningful, long-term relationships with thoughtful, impact-driven donors
• Develop your skills across the full fundraising cycle, supported by strong leadership
• Work on some of the charity sector’s most exciting and long-term partnerships
• See a clear connection between your work and improved outcomes for young people

If you are motivated by purpose, enjoy working to a high standard, and want to be part of a team that is ambitious about both impact and excellence, we would be delighted to hear from you.​

Harbi Jama,

Director of Philanthropy & Partnerships

About this role

This role is a 12‑month maternity cover, supporting an important phase of delivery and development within the Philanthropy team. The postholder will work closely with colleagues to maintain momentum in new business activity while contributing to strategic account management and stewardship. 

The Head of Development is a senior role within the Philanthropy Team, with a primary focus on new business development. This includes identifying, cultivating and securing new funding relationships across trusts, foundations, corporates, co‑investment partners and high‑net‑worth individuals. 

Alongside new business delivery, the role also provides strategic account management for a small portfolio of high-value partners, ensuring smooth transitions from acquisition into long term stewardship. 

This role works alongside the Head of Philanthropy, with both roles contributing to the success of the Philanthropy Team. The Head of Philanthropy leads on deep stewardship and retention, while the Head of Development focusses on new income generation and building relationships with new funders and partners. 

The postholder will work closely with the Director of Philanthropy & Partnerships, Philanthropy Directors as well as Senior Research and Insights Manager, contributing specialist expertise, strong delivery and sound judgement, while operating within agreed strategy and governance frameworks.

​Key responsibilities:

New business development

• Support the Director of Philanthropy & Partnerships and Development Director on the development and delivery of the new business plan in line with the fundraising strategy
• Works with the Senior Research and Insights Manager to identify emerging funding trends, opportunities, market opportunities and best practice
• In collaboration with the Development Director and Growth and Insights Director, lead the delivery of agreed cultivation strategies for priority prospects, proactively progressing relationships from qualification through to solicitation and conversion, leveraging senior stakeholders, board members, donor advocates and wider networks
• Develop and deliver compelling cultivation strategies and tailored pitch plans for priority prospects, including designing and building new donor acquisition vehicles (e.g. committees, cultivation events and targeted communications), working collaboratively with colleagues across Impetus
• Lead and support high-level meetings, pitches and negotiations with prospective donors, positioning Impetus as a credible and strategic partner
• Work with trustees, senior leaders and pro bono supporters to leverage networks and secure introductions to new prospects
• Ensure high-quality written and verbal communications with prospective donors

Account management and stewardship 

• Build and maintain professional, long-term relationships within the portfolio, escalating strategic issues or risks promptly.
• Manage a targeted portfolio of high-value donors of six figures and supports on seven figure partnerships, ensuring excellent stewardship, timelyreporting and meaningful engagement
• Act as a relationship lead for selected donors, building trust and ensuring a smooth transition from new business to long-term stewardship
• Own and deliver tailored account plans for assigned donors, with a focus on renewal, upgrade and long-term relationship value
• Oversee the delivery of high-quality donor communications for assigned donors, including reports, impact updates, and engagement opportunities
• Ensure robust portfolio management, including accurate forecasting, pipeline management, and use of CRM systems
• Identify opportunities to deepen relationships through increased giving, multi-year commitments or broader engagement with Impetus’ work
• Works closely with Development Director on supporting Funds i.e. Connect, Skills, Attainment or Engage as needed 
• Supports or leads on committees such as Futures or Real estate 
• Represent Impetus externally with professionalism and credibility

Cross-team working and organisation contribution

• Build and maintain professional, long-term relationships within the portfolio, escalating strategic issues or risks promptly.
• Ensure consistent standards and best practice across account management and donor stewardship
• Collaborate closely with the Head of Philanthropy to ensure seamless handover from acquisition to stewardship and a coherent donor experience.
• Contribute insight from prospecting and market scanning to inform proposition development and strategic planning
• Ensure all activity aligns with Impetus’ gift acceptance, due diligence and ethical fundraising policies
• Champion best practice in prospecting, pipeline management and new business development across the team
• Build a collaborative, inclusive, high quality team culture aligned with Impetus’ values

​Person specification

​Essential​:

• A strong track record of raising six-figure+ philanthropic income from grant-making trusts and foundations, corporate foundations and/or individual donors, including experience with high-net-worth individuals
• Proven ability to lead and deliver the full fundraising cycle, from prospecting and cultivation through to solicitation, stewardship and renewal
• Demonstrated strategic thinking, planning and delivery skills, with the ability to generate ideas, translate them into practical account plans, and execute them effectively
• Excellent research, prospecting and qualification skills, with the judgement to prioritise high-value opportunities
• A proactive, creative and innovative approach to fundraising, with the ability to adapt and develop creative donor centred approaches 
• Experience operating with senior stakeholders, including trustees, board members and other high-level external partners
• Outstanding relationship management skills, with the ability to establish, manage and deepen trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Highly collaborative, contributing positively to team objectives and cross-organisational priorities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate impact and value clearly and persuasively
• Strong financial and portfolio management skills, including the ability to plan, forecast and deliver against income targets and budgets
• Ability to work well under pressure, managing multiple priorities and deadlines effectively
• A clear commitment to Impetus’ mission and values
• A strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

Desirable

• Experience managing and stewarding multi-year, five- to seven-figure partnerships.
• Experience line managing and developing fundraisers or relationship managers.
• Experience working within a charity, foundation, venture philanthropy or intermediary organisation.
• Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g. Salesforce), income forecasting and portfolio reporting.
• Experience supporting or contributing to new business development strategies at a senior level.

​​​About Impetus

At Impetus, our focus is on helping young people achieve positive education and employment outcomes to increase their chance of leading fulfilling and successful lives, irrespective of their background.

We tackle the three most difficult challenges that affect a young person’s ability to succeed in life in Britain today: ​​

• Lost learning through absence, suspensions, exclusions from school
• Stagnation in education attainment outcomes, which means many are missing out on key qualifications like GCSE English and maths
• The large numbers of young people out of education, training and employment ​

We use our deep expertise and high calibre networks to give the best non-profits working in these sectors the essential ingredients to have a real and lasting impact on the young people they serve.

Through a powerful combination of long-term funding, direct capacity building support from our experienced team and our pro bono partners, alongside research and policy influencing to drive lasting systems change, we work towards a society where all young people can thrive in school, pass their exams and unlock the doors to sustained employment, for a fulfilling life. ​​

We are resolutely focused on outcomes and impact, driven by quality evidence.​

You would be joining a team that is passionate, rigorous, determined, creative and warm. We care deeply for our colleagues, our portfolio partners and the young people we serve.​

Impetus is a registered charity and our charity number is 1152262.

Our Values​

In 2022 the Impetus staff agreed the following set of Values to act as our guiding principles as an organisation and help us to remain focused on achieving our mission to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

We are brave and curious

We are bold and brave in our pursuit of better outcomes for young people. We lead with curiosity and stay open to new perspectives. We support one another to take considered risks and learn together.

We bring high trust, high challenge

We build strong, long-term relationships through honesty, kindness, integrity, and respect. We create the space for open, constructive challenge, where colleagues, partners and supporters feel safe to speak up, hold each other to account, and bring their best in pursuit of our mission.

We are evidence led and results driven for young people

We pursue excellence for the young people we work with, are wholly committed to better outcomes, unapologetically results driven, and accountable for our actions.

We thrive through diversity

We seek to embed diversity of thought, background and experience in every aspect of our work. We are open, thoughtful and proactive in better understanding and challenging our assumptions to better deliver the change we seek.

We always seek collaboration

We will not succeed alone. We seek meaningful, productive partnerships with others to achieve our mission and drive systems change for young people.

Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

We believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more open, creative and gets better results.​

We want our team at Impetus to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our team to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop.

We want to reach a diverse pool of candidates. We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful.​

We recognise the importance of a good work/life balance. We do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, working part-time job shares and other arrangements.​

Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.​

Impetus is an equal opportunity employer and is determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We value diversity and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

​​Our employee benefits ​

Impetus appreciates the invaluable contribution made by all employees and wishes to encourage and reward loyalty, motivation and experience. We therefore offer a range of benefits and policies which aim to assist employees during various stages of their lives and careers. For more information on these, please download the job information pack from our website.

How to apply

Please click on the "Apply for this job" button.​

You will need to:​

• Complete the online form (including the equal opportunities monitoring form).
• Upload a comprehensive CV and supporting statement.​

The supporting statement should be no more than two sides of A4 and should address the criteria in the person specification.​

You should also include the contact details of two referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be approached with your express permission.​

As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at interview stage.​

The deadline for applications is Sunday 17th May 2026, 11:59pm.​

Interviews:​

1st Interviews will take place on w/c 25th May 2026.​

2nd Interviews will take place on w/c 1st June 2026.​

You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

​Personal Data

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.

Head of Fundraising & Partnerships

Salary band: c. £60,000 per annum, negotiable based on experience

Reporting to: CEO

Key leadership role in a dynamic, friendly charity transforming young people’s lives in London.

Construction Youth Trust is an ambitious, impact-led organisation pushing the boundaries of how charities work in partnership with business to create social change. We are seeking a dynamic and motivated fundraising leader to join our Senior Leadership team as Head of Fundraising and Partnerships. A genuine passion for social mobility is essential, as well as a deep commitment to creating effective charity-industry partnerships that drive social impact. This is a key external facing role with responsibility for fostering strong partnerships with our funders and supporters.

Social mobility is at the heart of Construction Youth Trust, and our mission is to enable young people achieve their full career potential through meaningful early engagement with employers in an important growth industry. We prioritise young people from low-income backgrounds and under-represented groups and those facing significant barriers to employment. Through our long-standing partnerships with employers in the built environment sector (over 200+ across London), we connect young people to relatable role models, world of work experiences and ultimately rewarding jobs and apprenticeships. The built environment sector is at the forefront of achieving net zero and future economic growth, offering young people substantial opportunity for career progression.

The role

Construction Youth Trust is in a strong financial position with an excellent Fundraising & Partnership team, supported by well-established systems. We already have a strong pipeline in place to meet our fundraising targets (£2M - £2.5M p.a.) This is an opportunity for a Senior Fundraising Leader with the skills and experience to consolidate and build on this success. We are looking for someone with the drive and experience to help the Trust meet our ambition to significantly increase opportunity for disadvantaged young people within the build environment.

We are seeking a Head of Fundraising & Partnerships with a strong desire to play an active Senior Leadership role and contribute to the Trust’s wider strategy, governance and day-to-day charity management. There is the opportunity to play a significant role shaping and steering the Trust’s next business planning cycle. Ideally, the post-holder would be willing/able to deputise for the CEO and the salary offered to the successful candidate will be dependent on experience and level of responsibility.  There is significant headroom at the Trust for a fundraising leader who is looking to take on a more strategic role within this dynamic charity, either immediately or with structured development and support.

How do I apply?

If you are an ambitious fundraising leader and are passionate about transforming the life chances of young people, please send your CV and your supporting statement (no more than 500 words) explaining why the role interests you and how/where you meet the person specification. Short-listed candidates will be asked to complete our application form in due course, but if you are interested in this role we are keen to hear from you as soon as possible.

Closing date: 5pm 14th May. However, we strongly recommend that you send your CV as soon as possible as we will reach out to potential candidates as we receive suitable applications and could close the application deadline earlier if a successful candidate is found.

We will hold 2-stage interview process with first interviews planned for week commencing 18th May.

You can access Job Description, and Person Specification for this role directly via this Charity Jobs page.

We strongly believe that a diverse and inclusive team is vital to our work. We are especially interested in hearing from individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds and/or those with a lived experience of the young people we support.

If you have not heard from us 2 weeks after the application closing date your application has been unsuccessful at this time.

Benefits and entitlements:

You’ll be eligible for many of our benefits including:

• 25 days annual leave per year (pro rata for part-time or any period less than 1 year) which increases by a day each year after 2 years’ service up to a maximum annual leave entitlement of 30 days per year

• Discretionary “Day for You” as an additional well-being day

• Opportunity to take a 6-week sabbatical after 3 years of service

• The Trust’s contributory pension scheme after three months – The charity will match your employee contribution up to 7%

• All travel expenses covered over and above your regular commute to and from work. Any extra travel for  work purposes will be reimbursed.

• Access to Workplace Options EAP (a provider of employee support services)

• Opportunity to Work from Home (in line with Trust policy)

• Opportunity to take part in the wider team’s wellbeing and social activities

• A supportive Training and Development policy which encourages colleagues to develop as professionals and achieve relevant qualifications (e.g. CIOF’s Certificate in Fundraising).

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We will only consider candidates for employment that share this commitment. All roles are subject to safer recruitment practices, and this position will require an Enhanced Disclosure with Barred list check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Role Purpose

The Head of Philanthropy is accountable for delivering significant philanthropic income for Justice & Care, including through personally secured major gifts, alongside building and leading a high-performing philanthropy function.

The postholder will design and execute the philanthropy strategy, hold and actively manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, and personally secure five- and sixfigure gifts through direct relationship management and solicitation.

This is a hands-on income-generating role: the Head of Philanthropy will lead from the front on donor cultivation, stewardship and asking, while also setting direction, prioritising effort and building capability within the team to maximise long-term philanthropic income.

They will work closely with the Global Director of Fundraising on key relationships and strategic opportunities, supporting the growth of philanthropy across the UK and expansion into the US and emerging markets.

This role combines senior-level leadership with significant personal income delivery; candidates should expect to spend a substantial proportion of their time directly engaging donors and securing major gifts.

Global Scope

This role will support the growth of philanthropy across multiple markets, including strengthening the UK portfolio and developing opportunities in the US and emerging markets (e.g. Middle East), working closely with senior stakeholders to shape and deliver market-specific approaches. 

Main Responsibilities

Your key responsibilities include, but are not necessarily limited to:

1. Strategic Leadership and Income Delivery

• Lead the development and delivery of the philanthropy strategy, with a clear focuson generating major donor income in the UK and driving growth in the US and emerging markets
• Be accountable for achieving philanthropy income targets, including through personally secured major gifts, working closely with the Global Director of Fundraising
• Translate organisational priorities into fundable propositions and compelling donor opportunities
• Actively shape and drive the philanthropy pipeline, making clear, evidence-based decisions about where time and effort are invested
• Work with the CEO, Board and senior leaders to prepare and support major donor asks, including co-solicitation where appropriate

2. Major Gifts and New Business

• Personally manage and grow a portfolio of high-value donors and prospects, typically at £25k-£250k+ level
• Lead all stages of the donor journey: identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship
• Personally secure new major gifts through one-to-one relationship building, tailored proposals and direct asks
• Develop and maintain a live pipeline of prospective donors with clearly defined next steps
• Take primary responsibility for preparing and delivering high-value asks, working closely with the CEO, Board members and Global Director of Fundraising
• Convert access to senior networks into tangible income outcomes

3. Team Leadership and Development

• Line manage and develop the Philanthropy Specialist and future members of the team
• Build capability within the team to support pipeline growth, donor stewardship and future expansion of the philanthropy function
• Establish strong ways of working, including prioritisation, pipeline management and CRM discipline
• Set clear objectives and KPIs for the team

4. Events and Strategic Engagement

• Design and lead a programme of philanthropic events with clear income andpipeline objectives
• Personally leverage high-value donor events to progress relationships towards major gifts
• Use international engagement and trips selectively where they support donor cultivation and solicitation
• Represent Justice & Care in philanthropic networks to generate new donor relationships

5. Pipeline, CRM and Reporting

• Own and maintain a live, decision-ready major donor pipeline
• Ensure robust pipeline management and accurate forecasting
• Maintain high-quality CRM data and reporting (Salesforce)
• Provide strategic insight on income performance, risks and opportunities

6. Other ad hoc duties

• Collaborate across the organisation to support delivery of shared objectives
• Contribute to cross-functional projects and organisational initiatives
• Undertake other tasks as required to support Development Team and organisational priorities

About us

Every day, SOHK transforms lives. We work with young people at risk of exclusion and disengagement from education, empowering them to break cycles of disadvantage and realise their potential. Through a combination of rugby and social and emotional learning, we help participants develop the confidence, skills, and resilience they need to succeed in life and education.

We plan to double the number of young people engaging with our programmes over the next five years. We are also making significant investments in our impact function, to better understand how we can maximise the benefits for participants and attract more attention and investment to social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions.

Job Overview

We are seeking a dynamic and driven Events & Corporate Partnerships Manager to play a key role in delivering our fundraising ambitions across England and Wales. This is a varied and hands-on role, combining strategic relationship-building with high-quality event delivery to generate income and deepen supporter engagement.

The Events & Corporate Partnerships Manager will take ownership of a portfolio of major fundraising events, from planning and budgeting through to delivery and follow-up. This includes developing the annual events strategy, managing income and expenditure, supporting ticket and table sales, sourcing prizes, and ensuring an exceptional supporter experience throughout.

Working closely with the Head of Fundraising, they will build and convert a pipeline of corporate partners, developing compelling proposals and securing new partnerships to meet income targets. They will also lead on the stewardship of these relationships, delivering tailored engagement plans that demonstrate impact and maximise retention.

Alongside delivery, the Events & Corporate Partnerships Manager will monitor performance, manage budgets, and maintain accurate reporting and CRM data, working collaboratively with Fundraising and Marketing colleagues to maximise results.

Key Responsibilities

Major SOHK Events

• Events Lead: Take full ownership of the SOHK organised major events in England, Scotland and Wales.
• Develop and deliver an annual events strategy & Calendar that is aligned with FRT targets
• Set and manage event budgets, income targets and KPIs
• Ensure exceptional supporter experience at all touch points.
• Source high value auction and raffle prizes
• Work closely with FRT to sell tables & tickets at events.
• Ensure prize donors, table buyers and supporters have a great experience of SOHK – feeling thanked and appreciated.
• Plan thoroughly for post event stewardship and follow up

Corporate Partnerships (working with Head of Fundraising)

• Build a pipeline of potential corporate partners and continually seek to add to pipeline as needed
• Research and make high quality approaches
• Confidently write winning pitches and present at meetings
• Secure new partnerships to achieve income targets
• Stewardship: Act as the main point of contact for partnerships that are allocated to you; nurturing and strengthening the relationships
• Develop and implement tailored cultivation and stewardship plans to enhance partner engagement and retention
• Demonstrate the impact of partner contributions to maximise retention (alongside our Marketing & Comms Team)

Reporting, Monitoring & Budgeting

• Report as required on all activity and progress to the Head of Fundraising
• Monitor and manage expenditure related to fundraising activities – managing P&L sheet
• Ensure data capture for CRM (Beacon) from all events

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Proven experience in event management, including planning, delivery, and evaluation of fundraising or engagement events
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple events and competing priorities
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
• Experience working with a wide range of stakeholders, including donors, sponsors, volunteers, and suppliers
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to represent the organisation professionally
• Experience managing event budgets and delivering activity within financial targets
• Ability to problem-solve and adapt quickly in a fast-paced environment
• Understanding of the role events play in fundraising, supporter engagement, and awareness-building
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with event or CRM systems
• Willingness to travel and work occasional evenings/weekends as required
• Genuinely buy into the SOHK mission, purpose and values

Desirable

• Experience supporting or delivering corporate partnerships, sponsorships, or donor engagement initiatives
• Knowledge of fundraising principles and income generation through events
• Experience working in the charity or not-for-profit sector
• Ability to identify and develop partnership opportunities that align with organisational values
• Experience with volunteer coordination and stewardship
• Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g. Salesforce, Raiser's Edge)
• Understanding of marketing and communications to support event promotion and partner visibility
• Awareness of compliance, safeguarding, and ethical considerations within a charity setting
•  

Terms of Appointment

• Salary range: £37,000 - £40,000
• Full-time
• 28 days annual leave entitlement plus public holidays.
• South East England (based). This role requires weekly travel to London, with occasional travel to other locations across the UK.
• Disclosure and Barring Service check will be required for successful candidates and the job is dependent on suitable references.

How to Apply

Please send a current CV and a cover letter no longer than two sides of A4. Please express why you think you could do this job for School Of Hard Knocks (SOHK). 

School Of Hard Knocks (SOHK) is an inclusive charity committed to broadening the diversity of our organisation and is keen to attract people from a wide range of backgrounds.

Applications close at 10pm on Sunday 17th May. In-person interviews will be held in London on 21st and 22nd May.

About WasteAid

WasteAid is an international non-governmental organisation that works in low and middle-income countries to implement environmental and economic development programmes, focusing on support to nascent green businesses and grassroots entrepreneurs. The work improves the livelihoods of some of the poorest and most marginalised, promotes circular economy innovation and contributes to a cleaner and healthier future for all.

WasteAid promotes and shares locally appropriate, evidence based and inclusive practices, supporting and empowering others to take positive action. We partner with public, private and community-based organisations in countries where practices are harming the environment, economy and society.

About the Role

The Partnerships Manager will play a key role in driving income growth through philanthropy and strategic partnerships. Reporting to the CEO, this role will contribute to the delivery of an ambitious growth strategy. The post-holder will build and steward relationships with major donors, corporate partners, and philanthropic organisations to ensure alignment with organisational objectives, and will lead the development of high-quality fundraising and outreach that deepen engagement, grow income and strengthen relationships.

This is a senior, hands-on role involving the management of a portfolio, proposal development/writing and leading conversations with donors.

This role will line manage WasteAid’s Communications Officer (0.6 FTE).

Fundraising & Income Growth

The initial focus of this role will be to grow income from trusts and foundations and selected corporate partnerships, with priorities agreed annually.

• Implement and deliver WasteAid’s Trusts and Foundations income stream with support and collaboration from CEO and Director of Programmes.

• In collaboration with the SMT develop and implement a strategic plan to grow income from major donors, and corporate partnerships.

• Work closely with the CEO and senior leadership to shape funding priorities and develop compelling cases for support.

• Set and deliver ambitious income targets, ensuring a diverse and sustainable funding portfolio.

• Stay informed on sector trends and emerging opportunities to drive innovation in fundraising approaches.

• Ensure WasteAid’s communications outputs support our fundraising goals.

Relationship Management & Stakeholder Engagement

• Maintain strong relationships with our existing funder base - philanthropists, and corporate partners and develop new relationships positioning WasteAid as a leading cause in the sector.

• Undertake targeted outreach to develop new funding relationships and lead internally on incoming leads and enquiries.

• Develop and deliver tailored donor engagement and stewardship strategies and events that enhance retention and long-term investment.

• Represent WasteAid externally, leveraging networking and partnership opportunities to expand the supporter base.

• Collaborate with programme teams to articulate impact and develop compelling donor communications.

Leadership & Team Development

• Champion excellence and fundraising good practice within the wider WasteAid team ensuring a culture of collaboration and excellence.

• Embed best practices in fundraising, donor stewardship, and compliance across the team.

• Adhere to good practice and WasteAid’s policies and processes in the line management of the Communications Officer.

Governance, Reporting & Compliance

• Monitor, evaluate, and report on income performance, using insights to refine strategy and inform decision-making, working closely with the Head of Strategy and Impact

• Ensure compliance with fundraising regulations, ethical standards, and organisational policies.

• Maintain accurate records in CRM systems, supporting data-driven decision-making.

Person specification

Essential experience

• Proven experience of securing income from at least two of the following areas: trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships or philanthropy.

• Experience of developing successful funding applications, proposals and donor reports.

• Experience of building and managing external relationships that lead to income generation or strategic partnership development.

• Experience of managing a fundraising pipeline and working to income targets.

• Experience of working collaboratively across teams to gather information and develop compelling donor communications.

Essential knowledge and skills

• Experience of fundraising in the international development, environmental or climate-related sectors.

• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to write clear, persuasive and tailored proposals and reports.

• Excellent relationship management and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders.

• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.

• Good analytical skills, with the ability to use data and insight to monitor performance and improve fundraising activity.

• Understanding of fundraising good practice, compliance and ethical standards.

• Experience of using CRM systems and Microsoft Office applications.

Personal attribute

• Proactive, self-motivated and able to work independently in a home-based role.

• Collaborative and adaptable, with the ability to work effectively across a small and ambitious organisation.

• Strategic in outlook while remaining practical and delivery-focused.

• Committed to WasteAid’s mission and values.

Desirable

• Experience of developing corporate partnerships linked to sustainability, circular economy or shared-value goals.

• Experience of supporting senior leaders with donor cultivation and stewardship.

• Experience of working in a small charity or growing organisation.

Success in the role

In the first 12 months, success in this role is likely to include:

• Growth in the value and quality of the fundraising pipeline

• Submission of strong, timely proposals and reports to priority funders

• Increased income from agreed fundraising streams

• Effective stewardship and relationship management of key donors and partners

• Accurate CRM records and clear internal reporting on fundraising activity and performance

Strategic Partnership Development Manager

Contract type: Permanent, Full-time, 35 hours per week

Location: London, UK

UK hybrid working – a minimum of 40% of working time is spent face-to-face (London office, external meetings or travel). 60/40 hybrid working at WaterAid means roughly three days wherever you work best and two days together in person.
 

Salary: £47,423 per year with excellent benefits

*We offer competitive, market-aligned starting salaries. While most roles are offered at the advertised starting salary, we may adjust this in exceptional cases depending on a candidate’s experience, skills, and potential.

Change starts with water. Change starts with you.

Every day, millions of people live without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. WaterAid exists to change that – for everyone, everywhere. Join us, and your energy will help unlock people’s potential and create a fairer future.

About WaterAid

We’re a global federation driven by one vision: a world where everyone, everywhere has clean water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030. Powered by our values of Respect, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration, Integrity and Innovation, we work alongside communities, partners and supporters to make change happen.

About the team

The Corporate Partnerships Team is responsible for developing high value, high impact strategic partnerships with companies, where the value goes beyond financial alone to meaningfully contribute towards WaterAid’s mission, including finding ways to contribute to programmatic, policy and advocacy objectives.

About the role

As our proactive and driven Strategic Partnership Development Manager you will lead partnership development for a range of priority corporate sectors - working closely with global partnerships, programmes and policy colleagues - to secure new multi-year partnerships and drive sustainable change.

In this role, you will:

• Lead on partnership development for strategically important sectors including food and beverage and agriculture, as well as other sectors to be determined. Effectively utilising your commercial awareness and corporate partnerships expertise to present WaterAid’s partnerships offering and value-add externally to these industries.
• Develop and manage a pipeline of potential high value, annual and multi-year new business opportunities, ensuring there is sufficient lead generation, active movement and conversion to secure annual and multi-year 6-figure+ partnerships.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the WaterAid federation including partnerships, communications, programmes and advocacy to identify and develop high-quality propositions that meet both partner and WaterAid needs.
• Lead WaterAid’s presence at global events and conferences, building a network of contacts amongst companies and actively cultivating this network.
• Champion WaterAid’s commitment to equity, inclusion and safeguarding.

Requirements

To be successful, you will need:

• Proven experience in generating six-figure strategic, new business partnerships from cold in the charity sector or in a commercial setting and proven ability to meet and exceed personal targets.
• An externally focused and proactive attitude, with the energy and passion to engage people and excite them about WaterAid, alongside the ability to forge effective working relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including internal and external C-suite.
• Excellent presentation, verbal and written communication skills with an aptitude for writing high-quality and engaging proposals for a corporate audience.
• Strong working understanding of charity-corporate partnerships, corporate sustainability, Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Although not essential, we’d prefer you to have:

• Understanding and experience of international development
• Understanding of and active interest in the agriculture and food & beverage sectors, including key materially important sustainability topics.

Closing date: Applications close 12:00 PM UK time on Thursday, 14th May 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the role may close earlier if a suitable candidate is identified, so we encourage you to apply as early as possible. Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 18th May 2026.

How to apply: Click Apply to complete the pre-screening questions and upload your CV.

Can I use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in my application?

At WaterAid, we strongly advise against using AI technology at any stage of the recruitment process. Our goal is to ensure a fair and transparent process that provides every applicant with an equal opportunity to succeed. We value hearing about your unique experiences and perspectives in your application, and, if shortlisted, during the interview as well.

Pre‑employment screening

To apply for this role, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the respective country. All pre-employment checks will be carried out according to local law and WaterAid’s Safer Recruitment policy. All UK based roles require a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Benefits

• 36 days’ holiday (including 8 Bank Holidays)
• Option to buy an extra 5 days’ annual leave
• Employer pension contribution up to 10 %
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• Season ticket loan
• Free annual eye tests
• ‘Give as you Earn’ charitable giving scheme
• Enhanced parental leave (maternity, adoption/surrogacy, shared parental and paternity)
• Sabbaticals
• One paid volunteer day each year

As part of our annual leave policy, all employees receive three additional days of annual leave on top of their standard allocation of 25 days. These days are designated to cover the period when our UK office closes between Christmas and New Year, allowing all UK WaterAiders to take a well-deserved break.

These days are automatically scheduled and cannot be changed or moved. Annual leave is accrued based on your start date. If sufficient leave has not been accrued by the time of the closure, the 3 days will be taken as unpaid leave or pro-rated, depending on your circumstances.

Our People Promise

We will work with passion and focus to make sure everyone everywhere has clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. WaterAid is a place of purpose – where people have a real commitment and shared responsibility for the impact we have. We are a global community with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, motivated by inspiring, stimulating work. We are determined to be a place where people feel safe and able to contribute their voice and truly live our values.

Equal Opportunities

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, beliefs, customs, traditions, ways of life and status. This includes, but is not limited to, race, ethnicity, caste, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability status, neurodiversity, age, marital and family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, health status, place of residence, economic and social situation.

Safeguarding

We are committed to protecting everyone we come into contact with. We have a zero- tolerance approach to abuse of power, privilege or trust across our global work, and to any form of inappropriate behaviour, discrimination, abuse, bullying, harassment, or exploitation. Safeguarding the people and communities we work with, our staff, volunteers and anyone working on our behalf is our top priority, and we take our responsibilities extremely seriously. All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks (which can include counterterrorism, safeguarding and criminal records checks).

Together, we’ll change the world through water.

Join us and be part of the change!

Smart Works is a dynamic, high profile and fast-growing UK charity that dresses and coaches unemployed women for success at their job interview. We empower each woman by giving her the clothes and the confidence she needs to succeed.

After visiting Smart Works, 68% of clients secure a job within a month, gaining financial independence and transforming their lives.

The Smart Works service is delivered in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Newcastle, Reading, Bristol and Leeds. Over the past ten years, Smart Works has helped over 50,000 women, and last year alone we reached 10,600 women. It is our mission that any woman who needs our service should be able to find her way to a Smart Works centre.

In 2025 we launched our new 5-year strategy- we are aiming to build a future where every woman, at any stage of her career, can access trusted, personalised support to secure employment. We aspire to be local in feel, national in reach, shaped by the voices of women, valuing every story and every success.

More information about who we are can be found on our Smart Works website.

About the Role

This is an exciting role that will lead the successful growth and delivery of the Smart Works Pop Up Shops and sales, other fundraising events and the community fundraising programme. Managing the Events and Community Manager(s), you will work closely with the Wardrobe and wider Partnerships Team to deliver exceptional events, raise vital funds and secure stock for clients and fundraising. 

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing a robust strategy of Pop up shops and Sales, Events and Community Fundraising, to generate £800k+ of in-year income, and bolster future financial and community engagement opportunities.

The candidate will also work closely with the Head of Wardrobe and Retail Partnerships Manager, growing partnerships with retail brands which support Smart Works’ activities.

We seek a Head with experience in delivering end-to-end events, as well as demonstrable experience of fundraising through retail activations. An ability to work under pressure, deliver to tight deadlines, juggle conflicting priorities and exceed set targets will be key. 

How to Apply

Please read through the full job pack attached and then submit a CV and a cover letter by 12pm on Monday 4th May. 

1st round interviews will take place on Monday 18th or Tuesday 19th May and will be virtual. If you are unable to attend a virtual interview for any reason, please let us know to discuss another arrangement.

2nd round interviews will take place on Tuesday 2nd or Wednesday 3rd June and will be in person at Smart Works North London centre. 

If you require any reasonable adjustments or alterations for the application and recruitment processes, please contact us.

Smart Works is committed to best practice employment practices, including reducing the burden for those seeking work. Smart Works will therefore reimburse reasonable costs of travel to interviews if required.

​SUMMARY​

​Position Title: Head of Programmes (CMDP) Mat-Cover

Level: Level 6

Salary: £40, 000 - 46, 000 (FTE yearly) 

Reports to: Director of Programmes and Partnerships

Location: The Liberation centre Brixton, London (New office in Brixton)/ Remote working within the UK with at least 2 days’ work from our office (Pro rata for part time)

Contract: Fulltime (40hrs/weekly), fixed-term maternity cover contract for 1 year with potential for Part time (e.g., 32hrs/weekly) extension subject to funding.

Hours: TAA has flexible working hours, with some expected evenings (e.g. one 9pm finish once every two weeks) and weekends due to the nature of the role. All extra hours are reimbursed as Time off in Lieu (TOIL).

Start date: As soon as possible(potentially June with consideration for notice period)

Benefits:  TAA laptop (employee assistance and health cash package including staff supervision, counselling, dental, optical care and more.).​

The Advocacy Academy is an activist youth movement. We serve as the political home for grassroots youth organising and the catalyst for collective action. The lives of the young people we work alongside have been directly shaped by living in an unjust world, and we exist to turn their anger into action.

Young people are often the catalysts for major social change, from the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, to the Soweto Uprising mobilising young people to resist the apartheid regime's education policies, to the Sunrise Movement redrawing the electoral map across America, and more recently encampments and protests across the world protesting the genocide in Palestine. How successfully they achieve real and lasting change depends on whether they are organised and whether they have the right strategy and tactics to be effective.​

We want youth organising to be enshrined in the UK for generations to come, and for young people to have tangible political power to influence national policy. That’s why we have launched two national coalitions, one around climate, and the other around gender. Each will train organisations across the country to become youth organisers and work together to bring 100 young people together to identify the strategy and tactics needed to achieve change. These young leaders will organise others and work collectively to build a campaign which shakes the status quo.​

We want youth organising to be enshrined in the UK for generations to come, and for young people to have tangible political power to influence national policy. That’s why we have launched two national coalitions, one around climate, and the other around gender. Each will train organisations across the country to become youth organisers, and work together to bring 100 young people together to identify the strategy and tactics needed to achieve change. These young leaders will organise others and work collectively to build a campaign which shakes the status quo.​

We are looking for a Head of Programmes who believes in this vision and is capable of building the leadership of young people that enables them to turn the resources they have into the power they need to make the change they want. It will be your job to help grow the Changemaker Development programme, train and organise Changemakers, create magic and spark the hope for something more! If this excites you, then please apply.

Before you skim the job description, please remember you don’t have to tick all the boxes for each role to apply. Charity experience is not a requirement! We all experience a bit of imposter syndrome, including the staff here at The Advocacy Academy. Let’s name it for what it is - a manifestation of the oppression many of us face on a day to day.​If this role pulls you and you believe you could make a difference, then apply anyway or reach out to us to discuss more!​​

​AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY​​​

​1.You will be responsible for the Changemaker Development Programme (CMDP) including but limited to:

• Working with the Associate Director of Programmes and Associate Director of Partnerships to coordinate programmes planning and delivery timelines for CMDP.
• Managing cross programmatic projects to standardise processes and practices in the Programmes Department
• Designing and developing the recruitment process for Alumni to join the CMDP and create a targeted recruitment strategy to grow the Alumni Changemaker pool
• Managing the monitoring and evaluation of the programme including quantitative and qualitative data, and facilitate the process of ongoing learning being integrated into the programme
• Working with Programmes Leadership Team to coordinate and deliver a holistic safeguarding, wellbeing and pastoral care strategy across TAA’s work with young people
• Responsible for holding the CMDP budget and ensuring that it is managed and spent in accordance with TAA expenses procedure e.g. signing off expenses up to £1,000 expenditure and escalating to Director of Programmes and Partnerships for amounts exceeding this.

2.​You will be accountable for the learning design and delivery to include but not limited:

• Leading the design of the CMDP curriculum to agreed TAA standards engaging key stakeholders, e.g. alumni, programmes team, external partners 
• Supporting Alumni Changemakers to design, deliver and facilitate social justice workshops in line with established pedagogical approaches at TAA.
• Leading the development of learning journeys for Alumni Changemakers.
• Working during school holidays for camps, and in the evenings to accommodate school hours, which may include regular evening work and unsocial hours during programme delivery.​

3.You will be the port of call for the Changemakers and Community Organisers who will help run the programme, and a regular and trusted individual whom the young people know and can connect with. To include but not limited to:

• You will support the Changemakers in co-creating this space with young people in the community and helping them identify ways to bring participants along into the membership.
• You will be managing the Changemakers who are delivering the programme - and updating both the Community Director and Director of Programmes and Partnerships on their progress and development. 
• You will hold the budget for the programme - keeping track of expenses and thinking through ways to keep costs down. 
• You will ensure that you provide accurate and timely financial information to the budget lead for your work and to the Finance, HR & Operations team
• You will be responsible for holding relationships with Alumni Changemakers and holding the relational culture of the CMDP to ensure we have a brilliant atmosphere for learning, nurturing and growth for Alumni Changemakers, including but not limited to:
• Taking responsibility for the pastoral care of Alumni Changemakers on placement including building the pastoral care approach with the Programmes Leadership Team.
• Taking responsibility for building and nurturing key relationships with fellow social justice activists, organisers and educators in the sector who can support, challenge and inspire our Alumni Changemakers.
• Representing TAA at any applicable events, in the press and in activist circles 
• ​Building and nurturing relationships with alumni/members.​

4.You will be accountable for the learning design and development of the Leadership Development Framework. To include but not limited to:

• Designing and developing a cohesive, high-quality curriculum aligned to TAA’s strategic goals and organisational values
• Establishing and embedding a clear pedagogical approach that underpins all delivery and supports effective facilitation
• Creating structured learning journeys that support the progression and development of young people as leaders
• Developing and maintaining facilitator guides, resources and tools to ensure consistency and quality across delivery
• Working with staff and members to ensure curriculum and pedagogy are effectively understood and implemented
• Reviewing delivery, gathering feedback and insights from members, and iterating on the curriculum and approach to continuously improve quality and impact​

5.You will ensure that your programmatic activities are managed as well-oiled machines through pulling in the right people at the right time and ensuring that key milestones are met:

• Responsible for ensuring effective departmental administration including delegating key administrative tasks to relevant staff
• You will be working with the Director of Programme and Partnerships, Director of Community, the Safeguarding and Wellbeing Team and others to think about the safety, safeguarding, and wellbeing needs of the young people participating in the programme and beyond. 
  • You will ensure safeguarding and Health and Safety standards are met across the programmes team and other critical policies and practices within the organisation, working proactively with relevant leads to understand requirements and operationalise effectively
  • You will contribute towards risk management standards and ensure Health and Safety standards are met across programmatic and community team
  • You will be responsible for managing and overseeing a suite of behind-the-scenes systems, databases and resources which comply with UKGDPR, safeguarding and other legal requirements.
• You will be responsible for overseeing the logistics of the CMDP including the organisation and coordination of venues, food, travel, staff and risk assessments, individual care plans etc.
• Work closely with the development team to align work with fundraising targets and support them in identifying and securing appropriate fundraising opportunities
• You will be committed to learning, monitoring outcomes, and holding us accountable to ourselves, our communities, funders, allies and donors. This includes shaping thoughtful MEAL practices and developing systems that go beyond compliance, enabling genuine learning and innovation while respecting the integrity and privacy of the young people in the programme.​

6.Culture, values and wider strategy and mission. Provide senior accountability within your remit for ensuring the delivery of our strategic objectives by embedding our vision, mission, strategy, ideology and cultural values across your area and the wider organisation. Play a central role in shaping organisational direction and leading cross-departmental priorities and initiatives. To include but not limited to:

• Embodying and championing our commitment to social and economic justice, ensuring this is consistently reflected in organisational strategy, decision-making, delivery and partnerships
• Acting as a champion of organisational culture and values, setting the standard across teams and holding others to account in upholding these in practice
• Leading on identifying and driving opportunities that strengthen organisational impact, working closely with your senior leadership, including the Director of Finance, HR and Ops, and contributing to high-level strategic direction
• Holding ultimate responsibility for identifying, assessing and addressing risks to our integrity, authenticity and alignment with our ideology and culture, taking decisive and timely action within your area of responsibility
• Enabling and leading effective cross-departmental collaboration within your remit, ensuring teams are aligned, appropriately resourced and working cohesively towards shared goals
• Shaping and modelling a culture of openness, care and accountability, contributing to organisational wellbeing approaches and supporting leaders across the organisation to do the same
• Taking ownership of your continued leadership development, while also actively supporting the development of others and building leadership capacity within your area
• Taking responsibility for communicating your own wellbeing and needs and providing feedback on TAA wellbeing initiatives to your line manager, and contribute to living the TAA transformative culture​

7.Governance and Compliance

• Provide strategic leadership on governance and risk management within your portfolio, working in close partnership with the Finance, HR and Operations team.
• Lead and hold accountability for risk identification, analysis and mitigation, ensuring risks to strategic objectives are anticipated, escalated and managed effectively
• Maintain oversight of risk across your area, ensuring robust systems, controls and practices are in place and consistently applied
• Ensure strong organisational compliance with TAA policies and practices, taking responsibility for their effective implementation, continuous improvement and alignment with wider organisational standards
• You will support Campaigns and Community Departments by ensuring that the operations, structures, processes, and practices within CMDP and Open Access align with and support TAA's campaigning and organising goals, activating new allies' goals, and community goals​

A BIT ABOUT YOU​

• You are passionate about, and committed to, creating a more fair, just and equal world.
• You believe in the potential of young people to challenge the status quo and are dedicated to helping them become more powerful citizens.
• You’ve got a deep understanding of, and a personal relationship with, issues of social justice. From racism to the housing crisis to climate justice, you’ll be aware of how systemic injustice operates in our society, clued-up and well-informed on the big issues of our time and committed to changing them.
• You’ll be comfortable managing a “to-do” list of competing priorities and balancing your workload to meet competing deadlines.
• You’re a sensitive and thoughtful relationship-builder who is interested in building a network of relationships to support the Advocacy Academy’s work. You’re a great listener, and remember people’s names, faces, and stories.
• You’re a confident written and verbal communicator, who is comfortable with tailoring communication to reach a diverse range of audiences and stakeholders.
• You’re proactive, organised, and eager to learn, whether that’s chatting with potential funders, researching new opportunities or collaborating with teammates.​

​IDEAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE​

• At least 5 years of experience in programmes delivery on issues of social justice working with young people and/or 
• At least 5 years of experience in supporting others to grow in confidence and capability to develop and deliver organising or campaign efforts, including leading and managing groups such as mentors, interns and young people
• Detail oriented
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience in identifying challenges within programmes and using insight, feedback and data to iterate and continuously improve delivery
• Detail oriented
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience working with different audiences or types of stakeholders 
• Strong project management and experience working collaboratively across teams both in person and online
• Excellent organisational skills with confidence managing multiple tasks at the same time/ balancing multiple priorities to meet deadlines
• Experience with our existing systems e.g., Gmail/ Google Doc/ Google Sheets/ Canva/ Slack
• Confidence working in a fast-paced environment

This is an outline of the responsibilities and duties of the Head of Programmes role; it is not intended as an exhaustive list and may change from time to time to meet the changing needs of the Liberation Centre and our young people. Any changes will be made in consultation with the post holder.

HOW TO APPLY​

Candidates will be asked to provide a CV and a Cover Letter OR a supporting video application addressing the following questions (no more than 1000 words or 10 minutes for all questions).​

• ​Tell us about a social justice issue that makes you angry and why it matters to you?
• ​Our Head of Programmes will train Changemakers (young people) to become confident leaders and organisers. Tell us about a training programme you were part of, what it achieved, what it didn’t, your role in that effort and any reflections you have about being part of it?
• ​Our Head of Programmes will support people to act on their developing political interests. Tell us about a time when you helped someone learn and develop their capacity to make change in the world?
• ​Include anything else you would like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Head of Programmes role.

In addition, please also provide information on your notice period and your availability for interview. You may also attach any other content that would be relevant for us to have in order to showcase interest and experience. The content can come in any form of media, including but not limited to - a mind map of ideas, a timeline or portfolio of your work, life or experiences; a recording; a Powerpoint or other form of presentation; a song, article, poem or other writing samples.​

DATES​

• Closing Date: The deadline for applications 25th May 2026 by 10am.
• Task: If shortlisted you may be required to complete a brief facilitation activity with young people around organising or campaigns.
• First Round of Interviews: will be scheduled for 29th May 2026 (Dates are subject to change).
• Second Round of Interviews: will be scheduled for w/c 08 June 2026 (Dates are subject to change).​

Please be aware that we will be interviewing as we receive applications. The application date might be brought forward if we find the right person.​

ONLINE OPEN HOUSE​

We will not be hosting an online open house for this role.  However, if you have any questions about the role or are interested in hearing more about what The Advocacy Academy is about we are happy to do 15-20mins exploratory phone call. Contact us on the email indicated on the JD to indicate your interest for this.​

A NOTE ON USING AI TOOLS IN YOUR APPLICATION​

We understand that AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful when preparing an application, and you’re welcome to use them as a support. However, we’re most interested in hearing directly from you. Please ensure your application reflects your own voice, experiences, and perspective.

We value the unique insights, lived experiences, and ways of thinking that each candidate brings. These are what help us understand who you are and what you would bring to the role, and they are an important part of how we assess applications.

If you require any adjustments or support during the application process, please don’t hesitate to let us know. we’re committed to making our recruitment process as accessible and inclusive as possible.​​

NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US​

​We aim to be representative of the community we are working with. We encourage applications from people of colour, those who identify as LGBTQIA, working class as well as disabled people, those living with mental health conditions, refugees and migrants. We welcome people from all identities who are made to feel marginalised.​

We’re not just committed to being an equal opportunity employer, we actively celebrate diversity in all its forms. Let us know if we can do anything to make the application or interview process more accessible. If you are invited to interview, we will at that point ask you for any accessibility requirements or preferences.

As an employer we make all reasonable adjustments to support employees in their work if they are disabled or have a health condition. We support the Access to Work scheme which could provide you with financial support to get the help you need to do all tasks successfully. We are happy to facilitate Access to Work assessments and reclaims and would actively welcome applicants who would need this in order to do the job.​​

All staff who work on our programme must have, prior to starting work, a returned satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) dated no earlier than 1st January 2021. The Advocacy Academy will assist the application for, and pay for the processing of, a new DBS for staff members where required.​

We welcome applications from people with convictions. Please disclose in your applications if you have any convictions, cautions, reprimand or final warnings that are not "protected" (as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). We consider each person on their own merits, taking into account all the circumstances.

​

Scottish Opera is Scotland’s national opera company and the country’s largest performing arts organisation. Founded in 1962 to make opera accessible to all, the company presents productions of international acclaim, from early works to world premieres. Performances are designed to be inclusive, with supertitles, audio-described and dementia-friendly shows, free and discounted tickets for under-26s, refugees, asylum seekers and schools, and touring productions reaching communities across Scotland.

The charity has developed their fundraising strategy and identified corporate partnerships as clear area of growth and potential. As a result they are bringing in this brand-new role to provide dedicated capacity and focus. The post holder will proactively develop the corporate pipeline, securing new partners and provide excellent account management to existing, valued partners.

It is an exciting time to join Scottish Opera. They have invested in the fundraising team, there is organisation-wide support for fundraising, and many opportunities to engage potential partners across their annual programme.

This role might be for you if have broader fundraising experience, and are looking to specialise in corporate fundraising, are an experienced corporate fundraiser looking to step up to a manager level role.

Working within an arts and culture charity would be helpful for the candidate to have but isn't essential.

Application notes 

Please download the Candidate Info Pack provided for further information about the role, timelines and next steps.

To progress your application, please contact THINK Recruitmen to organise an informal screening call. Please note, we cannot shortlist candidates who have not had a screening call so please allow enough time to have a call before the closing date.

Closing date for applications: Midnight Tuesday 19th May 

Interviews are planned for 27th and 28th May (Stage 1) and 2nd and 3rd June (Stage 2) 

This is an exciting opportunity to work on the frontline of policy advocacy and development in child health. As Head of Policy and Research you'll be responsible for overseeing the development of our policy positions and all related outputs, as well as the research that underpins our campaigns and advocacy, across England, Scotland and abroad. You will be an integral thought partner to the Director of Strategy & Delivery and wider leadership team on the development of pioneering research concepts that will drive the child health agenda forward. You will be our internal technical expert on food policy, ensuring all of our work is evidence-based and impactful, as well as being our external representative, liaising with leading policy and research experts across academia, civil society, and government agencies. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Research

• Work with the Director of Strategy & Delivery and Research Manager to plan research projects and support their delivery, ensuring they support policy calls and reflect young peoples’ experiences.

• Lead the translation of  Bite Back’s research into high quality outputs including reports, briefings and submissions.

• Work with campaigns, communications and content teams to turn research findings into high impact creative communications for a range of audiences.

• Serve as a primary spokesperson for our research including in media placements, speaking slots and government evidence sessions. 

Policy development

• Lead on the development of Bite Back’s policy positions in key and emerging areas, ensuring young peoples’ views and experiences are fed in at every stage.

• Lead the development of all policy outputs including submissions, consultation responses and briefings, ensuring they are evidence-based and reflect young peoples’ voices. 

• Lead the technical policy liaison with stakeholders and experts in the field to gather evidence and critically assess the Bite Back’s positions. 

Evidence

• Keep abreast of new evidence on key areas relating to nutrition, climate and health and consider the implications for Bite Back’s policy and relevant activity.

• Collaborate internally to provide knowledge and advice on policy and evidence issues with colleagues and the youth board.

• Review and sign off key outputs to ensure they reflect the latest evidence and data.

Stakeholder engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with a range of external stakeholders to support Bite Back’s influencing agenda, including with senior government policymakers, academia, WHO and other charities in England, Scotland, and abroad.

• Represent Bite Back on a range of alliances, coalitions and partnerships.

• Deputise for the Director of Strategy & Delivery when needed.

Leadership

• Line management of Research Manager and Impact & Evaluation manager, with a dotted line to the Policy & Engagement Executive and Senior Programmes & Policy Manager for Scotland.

• Operate as a member of the extended leadership team, collaborating with other Heads and the Directors to ensure research and policy considerations are embedded seamlessly into campaigns, communications and programmes.

• Lead the policy and research strategy development for Bite Back in new geographies, providing visionary technical leadership in how we expand to new countries across the UK and abroad.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

We will be looking for applications that demonstrate experience in at least some of these areas, and evidence of capacity to build skills in others. Please don’t be put off applying for one of our jobs because you can’t demonstrate every skill. If you're passionate and excited about working for us, and possess the main skills and experience we are looking for, go ahead and apply. You could be just what we are looking for!

Required: 

• Significant experience  of managing food policy work, which has informed and influenced national and local food policy in England. 

• In depth knowledge of the breadth of the food, nutrition and obesity public health landscape and the key challenges faced in the policy environment.

• Deep technical expertise in food policy research, development, and communication - with a strong focus on commercial determinants of health.

• Strong analytical skills, including a good understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods, including creative implementation research techniques. and experience with commissioning external research.

• Ability to synthesise and utilise evidence to support policy development and influencing. 

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including ability to communicate complex issues.

• Calmness under pressure, with ability to prioritise multiple projects to agreed objectives and deadlines. 

• Line management experience.

• A passion for our mission and a commitment to our values: Fresh, Resilient, Respectful, Energetic, Real.

Desired: 

• Strong policy and research networks in the UK across academic, civil society, and government agencies. A trusted technical voice.

• Post graduate experience in public health or nutrition and/or evidence of continuing professional development of relevant knowledge and skills in the field. 

• Experience in working with young people.

• Experience with designing creative, outside the box research with fresh ways of influencing food policy change.

• Understanding and some experiencing working on food policy across devolved nations (Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland), and within other global contexts.