Head of programme jobs

Could you lead the development of a new grant programme from the ground up, delivering funding and support to victims of injustice to improve wellbeing and strengthen social connection?

Salary: £50,000 per annum
Location: Remote, with monthly meetings in Manchester
Contract: Permanent, 35 hours per week full-time (4 days considered)
Benefits: 25 days holiday and 5% pension contribution

The Charity Service is a small, but mighty charity looking for a brand-new Head of Grants Programme to lead the development and delivery of a new, independently managed fund. This is a unique opportunity to shape a programme from day one, creating the processes, partnerships and infrastructure that will underpin its success.

Joining at a pivotal moment, you'll combine strategic leadership with hands-on delivery, ensuring funding reaches people and organisations in an accessible, transparent and trauma-informed way.

About the role

This is a varied role with a unique opportunity to shape how it develops and grows with the programme. You can expect to:

• Lead the design, implementation and ongoing development of a new grants programme.
• Develop grant-making processes, policies and governance frameworks.
• Consult with victims and families to ensure the programme reflects their needs and priorities.
• Build relationships with charities, community organisations and delivery partners.
• Oversee applications, due diligence, reporting and evaluation.
• Produce impact reporting and help shape the future development of the programme.
• Line manage a Grants Administrator and work closely with the wider TCS team.
   

About you

As this is an exciting and evolving role, we're looking for a proactive, highly engaged individual who thrives on taking ownership, while working collaboratively with others.

In your expression of interest, we'll be looking for you to demonstrate:

• Experience in grant-making, philanthropy, programme management, or experience within CSR or ESG.
• Strong knowledge of governance, compliance and due diligence in a charitable context.
• Excellent relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Confidence working in complex or sensitive environments.
• Experience working with vulnerable or trauma-affected communities, or a strong understanding of trauma-informed practice.
• A thoughtful, pragmatic and values-led approach.
   

The Charity Service is an independent charity with more than 35 years' experience in philanthropy and grant-making. As the organisation embarks on an expansion and growth journey, this role offers the opportunity to shape a significant programme while helping build the future of the organisation itself.

If you're excited by the opportunity to build something meaningful from the ground up and play a key role in ensuring funding enables justice to happen, we'd love to hear from you.
 

To apply: All you need to do is send a copy of your CV or draft profile over to Amelia Lee as the first step. From there, we'll be in touch with full application details if you meet our initial assessment of the skills and experience required.

Deadline: 9am on Friday 14th August

Interview dates will be confirmed soon

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.

The Woodland Trust is looking for a The Head of Estate and Programmes - Scotland. They will lead the Trust’s estate and programmes team in Scotland, ensuring that the estate and associated programmes are managed to the highest professional standards and in accordance with the Woodland Trust’s management approach, policies and standards. They will lead the development of the Treescape programme and other priority programmes as required and develop and manage strategic partnerships in support of the Trust’s work in Scotland.

The Role:

• Lead and oversee the Woodland Trust’s Scottish estate, ensuring woodlands are managed to the highest professional, environmental and compliance standards, including UKWAS accreditation.
• Drive delivery of the Trust’s Treescape Programme in Scotland, building effective partnerships and ensuring strategic objectives are achieved.
• Manage and inspire a high-performing team of site managers, project leads and programme staff, fostering a culture of accountability, development and collaboration.
• Oversee multi-disciplinary projects and a budget of approximately £5m, ensuring resources are managed effectively and deliver maximum value and impact.
• Provide strategic leadership on estate acquisitions, disposals and land management, supporting the growth and long-term sustainability of the Trust’s woodland portfolio.
• Champion health and safety and operational excellence across all estate activities in Scotland, ensuring compliance and best practice at all times.
• Build and maintain influential relationships with partners, funders, stakeholders, government bodies and the wider land-use sector to advance the Trust’s vision and objectives.
• Contribute to senior leadership and organisational strategy, representing Scotland within the Woodland Trust and supporting UK-wide initiatives, policy development and knowledge sharing.
• This is a homebased role, requiring regular travel to locations within wider Scotland, sometimes to remote locations. You would be expected to live within reasonable travelling distance of your area of responsibility. Occasional travel to regional offices and overnight stays will be required.
• A company vehicle will be provided for this role. Please note that out Company Vehicle Policy is also under review as part of our Job Families and Contract Review project, so the eligibility criteria therein are subject to change in due course.

The Candidate:

• Extensive experience in forestry, woodland and land management, with a strong understanding of native woodland management, Scotland’s land-use landscape and rainforest ecosystems.
• Proven leadership experience, with the ability to lead, motivate, develop and inspire multidisciplinary teams to deliver high performance.
• Strong project, programme and budget management expertise, including oversight of complex initiatives, resource allocation, monitoring and reporting.
• Commercial and operational management experience, including procurement, contract management and delivering value for money while achieving organisational objectives.
• Exceptional partnership and stakeholder engagement skills, with experience building strategic relationships across government, funding bodies, landowners, conservation organisations and other key interest groups.
• Excellent communication and influencing abilities, with confidence engaging senior stakeholders, preparing written reports, presenting ideas and supporting successful funding applications.
• Knowledge of legal, policy, and governance frameworks, including experience developing and managing legal agreements and understanding Scotland’s conservation, forestry and land-use policy environment.
• Relevant professional qualifications and practical capability, including a forestry-related qualification, membership (or working towards membership) of the Institute of Chartered Foresters, strong IT skills (including MS Office and GIS) and the ability to travel extensively.

Benefits and Wellbeing:

Joining our team means you’ll be a big part of tackling environmental and climate issues. We take good care of our staff, offering support and training opportunities. We also offer:

• Enhanced Employer Pension
• Life Assurance
• Flexible & Hybrid Working Options
• Generous Annual Leave - 25 Days Plus Bank Holidays (pro rata’d for part-time)
• Buy and Sell Holiday Scheme
• Enhanced Parental Pay
• Employee Assistance Programme

About Us:

The Woodland Trust is the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity.  We want to see a world where trees and woods thrive for people and nature. The Trust engages and inspires people to make their difference tackling the nature and climate crisis helping protect, restore and create our vital woods and trees.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:

To achieve our vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature, we need to better reflect society and the communities we work in. All people, no matter their background, identity, ability, or circumstance, should benefit from trees. 

People of colour and disabled people are currently under-represented across the environment and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we particularly encourage you to apply.

Please contact us to discuss any additional support or adjustments you may need to complete your application.

Application Advice:

For fairness we keep our candidates’ personal details hidden from the hiring managers, and we do not ask for your CV at application.

Make sure that your Personal Statement clearly shows how your skills and knowledge link to the specifications in the job description and you share with us your passion for the role.

Acceptable Use - Artificial Intelligence (AI):

We understand that candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their job applications-for example, to help structure or edit written responses. We welcome the use of AI in this way, particularly where it helps improve accessibility, such as for neurodivergent applicants. However, we ask that any information submitted reflects your own experience, skills and understanding. During interviews, candidates are expected to respond independently without the use of AI tools.

Apply Now:

If you're ready to make a difference and grow with us, send in your application today. We might close the job opening early if we get a lot of applications, so it's a good idea to apply soon. If we do close the advert early, and you have an application in process, we will email you prior to closing to give you time to complete. 

First round interviews will take place via Microsoft Teams on 18th, 19th and 20th August 2026.

The Woodland Trust is looking for a Permanent Head of Campaigning and Programmes to lead our work mobilising public support for our vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature. 

The Role:
•    The Head of Programmes and Campaigning leads our UK-wide campaigning activity and several strategic delivery programmes including, but not restricted to, 
o    Trees For All, 
o    Woods Under Threat and 
o    Free Trees for Schools and Communities. 
•    The post holder will manage the teams delivering these campaigns and programmes and is responsible for achieving ambitious targets to mobilise both new and existing supporters and deliver strategic programme objectives.
•    As a Senior Leader, the role will contribute to the development and implementation of the Trust’s strategy, supporting the success of the Trust and its objectives.  
•    The post holder will work closely and collaboratively at all levels within the Trust to achieve this.
•    This is a hybrid position with a mix of home working, and from our head office in Grantham, Lincolnshire. Head office attendance would be required between 6 and 8 times per year.  Occasional travel to other offices and remote locations as well as overnight stays may also be required.
•    This is a permanent, full time position.

The Candidate:
•    Passionate about nature recovery, climate action, and equitable access to trees and green spaces, with a strong commitment to the charity’s mission, values, and ethical principles.
•    A sound understanding of campaigning and supporter mobilisation processes and of the role of campaigning as part of broader integrated influencing strategies and tactics.
•    An experienced, competent and empathetic senior leader with a proven ability to inspire and develop a growing team.
•    A proven organised, systematic approach to project and programme management with the ability to demonstrate working collaboratively across different teams to achieve successful outcomes.
•    A skilled and experienced relationship builder, with the proven ability to build, develop  and influence a range of audiences and represent the Woodland Trust at a senior level internally and externally.
•    Experience identifying, developing and leading campaigns, including partnership campaigns, ideally within the voluntary sector.
•    Highly developed influencer with demonstrable experience of effective collaboration with stakeholders at a variety of levels within a complex organisations.

Benefits and Wellbeing:
Joining our team means you’ll be a big part of tackling environmental and climate issues. We take good care of our staff, offering support and training opportunities. We also offer:
•    Enhanced Employer Pension
•    Life Assurance
•    Flexible & Hybrid Working Options
•    Generous Annual Leave - 25 Days Plus Bank Holidays (pro rata’d for part-time)
•    Buy and Sell Holiday Scheme
•    Enhanced Parental Pay
•    Employee Assistance Programme

About Us:
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity.  We want to see a world where trees and woods thrive for people and nature. The Trust engages and inspires people to make their difference tackling the nature and climate crisis helping protect, restore and create our vital woods and trees.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:
To achieve our vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature, we need to better reflect society and the communities we work in. All people, no matter their background, identity, ability, or circumstance, should benefit from trees.  
People of colour and disabled people are currently under-represented across the environment and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we particularly encourage you to apply. 
Please contact us to discuss any additional support or adjustments you may need to complete your application.

Application Advice:
For fairness we keep our candidates’ personal details hidden from the hiring managers, and we do not ask for your CV at application. Make sure that you answer the Application Questions to show your relevant skills and passion for the role. Even if you don't meet every requirement of the role, we would encourage you to apply. 

Acceptable Use - Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We understand that candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their job applications-for example, to help structure or edit written responses. We welcome the use of AI in this way, particularly where it helps improve accessibility, such as for neurodivergent applicants. However, we ask that any information submitted reflects your own experience, skills and understanding. During interviews, candidates are expected to respond independently without the use of AI tools.

Apply Now:
If you're ready to make a difference and grow with us, send in your application today. We might close the job opening early if we get a lot of applications, so it's a good idea to apply soon. If we do close the advert early, and you have an application in process, we will email you prior to closing to give you time to complete.

Interviews will take place across 2 stages:
1st Stage - Wednesday 2nd  September, MsTeams, Interview
2nd Stage - Friday 18th September, location TBC, stakeholder session + Q&A