Head of programme jobs

Martingale Postgraduate Foundation (Martingale) exists to fund and support the next generation of talented researchers. We believe that family income should not be a barrier to the pursuit of excellence, and our mission is to enable and nurture talented individuals from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to thrive within world-leading postgraduate research.

Martingale’s flagship programme is the Martingale Postgraduate Scholarship, which supports students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to pursue and excel in postgraduate degrees, by providing:

• A fully-funded Living Wage Scholarship to pursue a one-year Masters degree or a four-year PhD.
• All tuition fees and research expenses, including a tax-free stipend for living costs.
• Tailored support to apply for Martingale courses at our partner universities.
• Access to Martingale programmes, including leadership training and connections with top academic and industry professionals.
• Membership of a pioneering community of talented researchers.

In the three years since Martingale launched, we are now supporting over 100 Scholars to undertake postgraduate degrees across our ten partner universities and have committed over £7.7m in Scholarships. We are continuing to expand our offer, bringing on new partners each year.

We are seeking an experienced, strategic and collaborative Head of Programmes to join our Senior Leadership Team and play a pivotal role in shaping our fast-growing Martingale Scholarship Programme.

As Head of Programmes, you will join our senior management team, overseeing the growing programmes team. Working closely with the CEO, you will oversee all aspects of Martingale’s Scholarship Programme from application to alumni, ensuring that the programme maintains a strong reputation for being both supportive and prestigious.

You will set the strategic direction of Martingale’s Scholarship Programme, working closely with the CEO on a day-to-day basis to ensure that as we expand across STEM the programme remains of a high quality and meeting Martingale’s mission. You will ensure that Martingale’s programmes are impactful, data informed and meet the needs of the scholars we are supporting. You will also be responsible for managing relationships with various external stakeholders including universities, funders and evaluation partners.

We are looking for a strong strategic leader with extensive programme experience including line management, partnership management and external relations. You will bring excellent organisational skills, strong attention to detail, a proactive mindset, and a strong alignment with Martingale’s mission. We welcome applicants from a range of career paths who are excited to be part of a growing, fast-paced charity delivering meaningful impact.

Martingale Foundation is incubated by Purposeful Ventures who provide operational and strategic support. The Head of Programmes will be employed by Purposeful Ventures.

About Purposeful Ventures

Our vision is for a fairer society where all young people thrive. We work with social entrepreneurs, organisations and philanthropists that share our vision. Through our work with these partners, young people are given opportunities in education and beyond, helping them reach their true potential.

Purposeful Ventures offers philanthropists and funders bespoke advice, using an evidence-based approach to help them to identify high-impact opportunities to fund. We then partner with visionary individuals and mission-driven organisations with strong theories of change. We help them turn great ideas into sustainable and successful ventures by offering fully individualised and very hands-on support, access to funding and a ‘high-challenge, high-support’ home. We do the minimum necessary and whatever it takes to succeed.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership of the Scholarship Programme

• Provide strategic oversight of the end-to-end Martingale Scholarship lifecycle, from selection and admissions through to scholar progression and alumni outcomes.
• Develop and deliver a multi-year operational strategy for Martingale’s Development Programme (MDP), ensuring scalability, academic excellence, and alignment with organisational growth plans.
• Continuously refine the scholar journey to ensure it is sector-leading, prestigious, and tailored to the needs of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Build deep expertise in postgraduate education, research culture, and enabling access to inform programme evolution and innovation.

Admissions & Selection Strategy

• Lead the design, governance, and continuous improvement of a rigorous, fair, and high-quality admissions and assessment process across subject areas.
• Oversee shortlisting, interview frameworks, assessment centres, and final scholarship recommendations to the Selection Committee.
• Ensure alignment between Martingale’s selection processes and university partner requirements.
• Maintain oversight of scholar allocation, including place management, deferrals, intermissions, withdrawals, and reallocations.

Scholar Experience & Case Management

• Ensure effective advocacy for Scholars including maximising progression and retention across cohorts.
• Oversee complex scholar casework, including deferrals, intermissions, safeguarding concerns, funding queries, disciplinary action and university liaison.
• Ensure consistent, professional, and high-touch support across the scholar lifecycle.
• Strengthen cohort cohesion and long-term alumni engagement.

Safeguarding & Compliance

• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Martingale, ensuring safeguarding policy implementation and record keeping in line with best practice in relation to vulnerable adults.
• Oversee data protection compliance relating to scholar and applicant data, in partnership with the organisation’s Data Protection Officer.
• Ensure programme delivery complies with charity, funding, and regulatory requirements.

Budget, Contracting & Financial Oversight

• Hold responsibility for programme budgets, ensuring effective resource allocation, cost control, and value for money.
• Oversee scholarship programme financial management, and work with Head of Strategy and Operations on onwards grants including deferrals, funding adjustments, and invoicing.
• Work with the Head of Strategy and Operations on university contracting, scholarship agreements, and financial reconciliation with partners.
• Ensure timely and accurate invoicing and reporting processes across programme operations.

University & Sector Partnerships (Programme-Focused)

• Lead programme-level relationships with university partners, including Heads of Departments, Graduate Tutors, CDT leads, and admissions teams.
• Ensure universities meet partnership commitments and that Scholars are appropriately supported institutionally.
• Contribute to partnership negotiations where programme design or operational delivery is concerned.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen university research culture and scholar support mechanisms.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Impact

• Lead development and oversight of Martingale’s Theory of Change and evaluation framework, working with our external independent evaluators.
• Develop robust systems to track scholar progression, outcomes, and programme effectiveness.
• Provide high-quality reporting to the CEO, Board, funders, and partners, evidencing impact and continuous improvement.

New Programme Development & Innovation

• Work with the CEO to design new subject expansions, pilots, or initiatives aligned to Martingale’s mission.
• Assess operational, financial, and reputational implications of programme growth.
• Develop business cases, delivery models, and implementation plans for expansion.

Team Leadership & Culture

• Provide senior leadership to the Programmes team, including line management of programme staff.
• Build a high-performing, mission-driven team with clear accountability and ownership.
• Develop succession planning and team capability as Martingale scales.
• Model Martingale’s values of excellence, professionalism, and thoughtful support.

Organisational Leadership

• Serve as a member of the Senior Management Team, contributing to organisational strategy and governance.
• Represent Martingale externally in academic, sector, and policy contexts where appropriate.
• Support Board and Committee reporting related to programme performance and scholar outcomes.

Key Requirements:

Essential Criteria

• Right to work in the UK

Experience and skills

Essential

• Significant experience leading and delivering high-quality programmes, ideally in higher education, research, scholarships, or a mission-driven organisation.
• Strong stakeholder management experience, with evidence of working effectively with universities, academics, funders, or equivalent partners.
• Proven line management experience, with the ability to develop and lead a high-performing team.
• Experience managing complex operational delivery, including planning, timelines, and coordinating multiple moving parts.
• Strong experience handling sensitive casework and providing professional support to individuals.
• Budget management experience, including planning and overseeing programme delivery costs.
• Excellent written communication skills, including producing clear reports and briefings for senior audiences.
• Commitment to safeguarding, wellbeing and compliance, with willingness to act as safeguarding lead.

Desirable

• Experience working directly with postgraduate research, PhD programmes, or doctoral training environments.
• Experience designing or overseeing selection and assessment processes (e.g. interviews, admissions, recruitment pipelines).
• Experience managing programme evaluation frameworks, including Theory of Change and external evaluators.
• Familiarity with contracting, invoicing, and operational finance processes.
• Knowledge of UK higher education systems and research culture.
• Experience working in a start-up, scale-up, or fast-growing charity.

Personal Characteristics

• Highly organised, proactive, and able to prioritise effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills: able to build rapport and trusting relationships, able to work co-operatively in a multidisciplinary setting.
• Strong judgement, discretion and professionalism, including ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
• A commitment to Martingale’s mission to support postgraduate students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Comfortable working in a rapidly growing and changing organisation with a degree of ambiguity – confident to create processes and ways forward where they might not yet exist.
• Creative and innovative: willing to think outside the box to maximise reach.
• Resourceful, able to act on initiative, hardworking, detail-oriented, and systematic.

An exciting opportunity to lead a dedicated team supporting young people to build resilience and thrive.At an exciting time of growth for our charity, we are looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated leader to manage programmes and daily operations at our farm near Skipton, nestled in the sweeping countryside south of the Yorkshire Dales.You will play a key role in ensuring our young people have a meaningful, inclusive, and memorable experience with Jamie’s Farm, feeling the positive impact long after their visit. 

What is Jamie’s Farm?Jamie’s Farm is a charity that supports young people by combining therapeutic work, farming, and purposeful activities to help them thrive. Through residential visits to our working farms, we provide a nurturing environment where young people can reflect, build confidence, and develop the resilience they need to overcome personal challenges. 

More about the role:As Head of Farm, you will help deliver our transition from Day visits to Residential visits at our Skipton farm, working alongside and managing a team to deliver an impactful programme. Your responsibilities will include leading up to four visits per month, ensuring the smooth delivery of residential visits, representing Jamie’s Farm with partner organisations, funders, volunteers and other stakeholders; and fostering a culture of empowerment and collaboration within the team. You will help achieve key performance goals including high visitor retention and staff satisfaction rates, while also leading professional development and team-building activities for your team. 

You will participate in all aspects of farm life - leading walks, guiding young people through meaningful output-based jobs like gardening or log chopping, and creating meaningful connections during shared meals and evening programmes. You will also contribute to broader Jamie’s Farm strategy as a key member of the Leadership team. 

About you:  We are looking for an experienced and passionate leader who embodies Jamie’s Farm core values of positivity, passion, generosity, collaboration, and professionalism. You will have experience in relational leadership and practice with young people. Prior management experience is preferred, showing your ability to support and motivate teams effectively. You will bring exceptional communication, teamwork, and organisational skills to the role. 

You will excel at developing meaningful relationships with diverse individuals and organisations, using positivity and empathy to inspire and motivate others. Your dedication to helping young people thrive, especially those in challenging circumstances, will drive the success of your team and the programme. 

Please see the full job description, desired experience and employee benefits by exploring our recruitment pack below.Don’t meet every single requirement? We’d still love to hear from you – your unique skills and experience could be just what we’re looking for. 

Good relationships shape our health and happiness, yet we are taught so little about them. LMK (Let Me Know) is on a mission to change that. We are a young and thriving charity providing education about healthy and unhealthy behaviours so that young people have the knowledge and skills to avoid abuse and thrive in their relationships. We work in schools, community organisations and workplaces across London. 

LMK’s Head of Programmes leads, develops and delivers LMKs high quality education programmes for young people and the trusted adults around them, ensuring our programmes are responsive to the changing experiences of young people and the feedback from our programme evaluation. Leading a passionate and talented team of employees and freelance youth workers, this role is an important ambassadorial role for LMK, bringing gravitas and insight from your experience of education provision to evidence LMK’s impact to fellow education professionals, youth workers, funders and the media. Working with the CEO, and our Youth Advisory Board, this role helps shape the strategic direction for LMK. 

We’re especially keen to hear from candidates who have:

• Strong understanding of RSHE / relationship education

• Senior leadership experience

• Experience in designing and delivering youth-focused education programmes

• Safeguarding expertise (DSL experience highly desirable)

• The ability to inspire, lead and support a diverse team.

Working from home, but with regular travel around London, so must be based in or near London.

Recruitment Timeline
Vacancy closing date: Sunday, March 22, 2026, 11:30 pm
First round interview date: Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Please see job description for more details.

Our Second Home (OSH) is the UK’s youth movement for people with refugee backgrounds. We support young people to build community, become leaders, and flourish into adulthood in the place they call home.

Each year, hundreds of young people from dozens of countries and living in London & Bristol take part in our residential programmes, leadership training and youth hubs. Our residentials are often the first step – immersive, relationship-rich spaces where young people connect, reflect and begin to see themselves as leaders. From there, many move into leadership training and take on volunteer roles within the movement.

Our work is youth-led and rooted in lived experience. We are now implementing our 2025–2028 strategy, focused on strengthening quality, embedding learning and ensuring our growth is sustainable and safe.

The Head of Programmes is a senior leadership role, reporting to the CEO and managing two senior colleagues. You will hold responsibility for the quality, coherence and safeguarding of all programme activity.

Responsibilities (abridged - see attached job description)

Programme Leadership & Strategy in Practice

• Lead implementation of OSH’s 2025–2028 programme strategy.

• Oversee the design, quality and coherence of residentials, leadership training and hubs.

• Take operational responsibility for residential delivery, including participant referrals, recruitment of staff and freelancers, programme content and educational standards.

• Attend and lead approximately five residential programmes per year.

• Identify opportunities to strengthen youth engagement and leadership pathways as the organisation scales.

• Ensure programme data is accurately recorded and used to improve delivery.

Team Leadership

• Line manage the Communities Manager and Leadership & Volunteering Manager.

• Provide structured supervision, clear objectives and professional development support.

• Ensure strong coordination between hubs, residentials and leadership pathways.

• Build a culture of accountability, reflection and continuous improvement.

Safeguarding & Welfare

• Act as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and serve as DSL at events as required.

• Ensure safeguarding practice is robust, consistent and embedded across all activities.

• Respond to safeguarding and behavioural issues appropriately and oversee safe recruitment processes.

Partnerships, Budget & Oversight

• Maintain referral partnerships and represent OSH externally where appropriate.

• Hold programme budgets within agreed limits and ensure financial discipline.

• Embed monitoring, evaluation and reflective practice across the programme team.

Experience & Competencies (abridged - see attached job description)

Essential

• At least 5 years’ experience in youth or youth-centred programming, including residential or intensive settings.

• Experience designing and delivering leadership development or informal education programmes.

• Strong facilitation and training skills.

• Demonstrable experience managing staff and developing teams.

• Strong understanding of safeguarding practice and willingness to act as Deputy DSL.

• Experience working with young people from refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds, or strong understanding of the issues affecting them.

• Ability to balance strategic oversight with hands-on delivery in a part-time senior leadership role.

• Strong organisational skills and commitment to inclusive, youth-led practice.

Desirable

• Level 3 Safeguarding training.

• Experience managing programme budgets.

• Experience contributing to organisational strategy or scaling programme models.

• Familiarity with Google Workspace, Beacon CRM, MyConcern or similar systems.

• Lived experience of migration or displacement.

The Democratic Progress Institute (DPI) is an independent non-governmental organisation established in consultation with international experts in conflict resolution and democratic advancement. DPI seeks to promote peace and democracy building through strengthened public dialogue and engagement.

Overall Purpose of the Position

The Head of Programmes and Operations is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the organisations’ project activities and leads the DPI Programmes team, also ensuring effective and enabling line-management of Finance, Fundraising, Programmes and Operations colleagues. The role works with the CEO on operational, fundraising, strategic and monitoring levels and involves representing DPI at external meetings and events as needed.

Project Management

• Coordinates the day-to-day operational management of the DPI’s programmes, including the implementation of activities and financial matters – in close coordination with relevant colleagues.
• Monitors the implementation of project activities and ensures compliance with donor requirements, the organizational strategic framework, as well as internal procedures and policies.
• Initiates and facilitates internal programmes and events planning meetings (including designing the agenda and overseeing the organisation and preparation of materials)
• Organises regular meetings with the Programmes team to ensure project plans and donor requirements are on track.
• Keeps an up-to-date overview of programme delivery, reports any challenges, and suggests solutions to the CEO.
• Builds project budgets with Finance, monitors project expenditures, develops financial strategies and addresses financial challenges.
• Monitors the political and security situation in Türkiye and the wider regions, developments relating to the conflict and impact on the project.

People Management

• Ensures the effective line-management of the Funding and Development Manager, Finance Manager, Operations Manager and Programmes staff.
• Organises regular check-ins with direct reports, to enable effective management of workloads, ensuring priorities are met, and to facilitate professional development and staff retention.
• Works closely with the Funding and Development Manager to ensure timely delivery and monitoring of contractual reports, including interim and final reports to donors.

• Oversees deliverables and performance of the M&E and Communications consultants.

Networking

• Represents and promotes DPI’s work in varied contexts and maintains relationships with external stakeholders in Türkiye and in Europe such as political party representatives.
• Builds and maintains relationships with partners and donors alongside the Funding and Development Manager when needed.
• Carries out frequent visits to Türkiye and maintains a good working knowledge of the facts on the ground when needed.

Governance

• Leads on the planning of regular Board meetings, in collaboration with all relevant colleagues and the CEO.

Key Experience/Technical Competencies/Knowledge required for the position.

The successful candidate should have the following:

• A postgraduate degree in Political Science, Law, Conflict Resolution, International Relations, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least 8-10 years’ experience in project management in charity or NGO setting.
• Extensive experience with line-management, and a commitment to fostering an engaging and inclusive team culture.
• Strong experience of overseeing the implementation of government and/or EU funded projects.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• Critical and strategic thinking skills.
• Experience in research and complex information analysis.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• A strong understanding of confidentiality terms.
• Ability to manage under tight deadlines and in high-pressure environments

The successful candidate should have the right to work in the United Kingdom.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis with the final deadline set as 9 March 2026

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

DPI is committed to Equal Opportunities and Cultural Diversity.

DPI SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

DPI maintains zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. All employment offers are conditional upon the receipt of satisfactory references and the signing of our code of conduct with a particular focus on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.

Fat Macy's is looking for a Head of Programmes to lead the development and delivery of our programmes as the charity grows in response to increasing need for our services and a changing external landscape. This is a key role at a time of significant organisational development, offering the opportunity to shape how we work and how we support our beneficiaries in a truly meaningful way.

About Fat Macy's

Fat Macy's is a charity and social enterprise which supports individuals experiencing homelessness towards lasting and secure employment, resettlement, and overall better personal wellbeing. We deliver on this mission through our Milestone Programme, a 200-hours hospitality based skills and training initiative which consists of the Training Academy (50 hours) and real-life work experience (150 hours). On graduation from the Milestone Programme, beneficiaries receive access to a £1,500 Housing Deposit Award enabling a safe and sustainable transition into the private rental sector, and long-term, tailored employability, resettlement, and wellbeing support.

About The Role

As a new role within our organisation’s structure, the Head of Programmes position will be varied and evolving, with a strong focus on the line management and support of our front-line team, ensuring high-quality, consistent delivery across programmes. This role will line manage our Senior Employability & Engagement Officer and Programme Support Officer, and eventually lead on the recruitment and management of a dedicated Resettlement Officer role as funding allows. In the meantime, the Head of Programmes will provide our front-line resettlement support to beneficiaries.

Alongside this, the Head of Programmes will play a central role in driving continuous improvement, supporting growth, and contributing to the overall strategic development of the charity as it navigates change. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will work directly with the Managing Director to ensure the charity is fulfilling its mission and achieving a high-level of impact.

Please see the recruitment pack for further information on duties and responsibilities.

Person Specification

We know there are great candidates who will not fit every criteria outlined or who have important skills we have not mentioned. If your experience looks different to what we have described below but you believe it is relevant to the role, please do not hesitate to apply.

Essential Criteria:

• At least 5 years of professional experience in the public or charity sectors, ideally in front-line service provision/support work and/or homelessness.
• Successful line-management experience, leading high-performing teams and embedding a culture of continuous improvement, professional development, and accountability.
• Track record of leading a programme of work and meeting key impact KPIs, metrics, and outcomes, including ongoing monitoring and evaluation.
• Strong communication and team-working skills coupled with solid organisation and attention to detail.
• Resilience and adaptability with the capability to work in a dynamic and agile environment involving significant contact with individuals living in temporary accommodation.
• Sound IT skills including confident use of Microsoft Office, Google Workspace and/or CRM systems/other databases.
• A commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of providing front-line resettlement support.
• Good working knowledge of relevant policy, legislation, and best practice  - benefits system, supported accommodation, safeguarding etc.