Housing specialist officer jobs in lewisham, greater london

Background 

People and communities around the world have the solutions to social injustice, authoritarianism, and the climate crisis. But repressive governments, corrupt corporations, and armed groups use violence and oppression to try and silence them.

By building resistance and resilience among those challenging unaccountable power, Open Voices supports a shared vision for a world where communities and ecosystems can thrive. 

As a mission-driven nonprofit, we join forces with grassroots activists, community groups, and social movements at risk. Working together, we strengthen their physical safety, digital resilience, and collective wellbeing. As a social impact consultancy, we help high-profile nonprofits and foundations manage risk and care for their teams and partners.

This dual approach allows us to work at every level of civil society, from the grassroots to the global. 

We have scaled to meet a 66% surge in demand for our support over the past two years, with our international team now responding to 11 new cases every week. Last year alone, we:

• Answered 575 calls for assistance across 100 countries.

• Delivered over 6,000 hours of mentoring and accompaniment.

• Trained over 1,000 activists in 112 holistic security workshops.

Whoever we partner with, we start with questions, not answers. Listening before speaking, understanding before acting. Together, we defend those who speak out. 

We are expanding our diverse, inspired, and purpose-driven team. Will you join us as our new philanthropy coordinator?

Role description

As our philanthropy coordinator, you will play a key role in building new partnerships with philanthropists and high-net-worth individuals, with an immediate focus on the UK, US, and Europe. You will design and implement a comprehensive strategy to build a robust portfolio of individual donors, Family Foundations, Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) and other personal giving vehicles. 

A proactive and thoughtful relationship builder, you will maintain long-term relationships and lead bold strategies to engage new audiences, including millennial and next-generation philanthropists. You will steward Open Briefing’s first global development board, working closely with our CEO and director of development to engage members around a dynamic programme of activities designed to make Open Briefing more fundable and findable. 

Together with our director of development, you will drive forward a multi-year fundraising strategy to resource our work with activists and organisations on the frontlines of human rights, social justice, and environmental action. 

Your primary responsibilities will include: 

• Designing and executing our philanthropy fundraising strategy. Lead a strategy to identify, cultivate, and solicit high-net-worth individuals (HNWI) —including through Donor Advised Funds, Family Offices, Family Foundations, and other giving vehicles—with an immediate focus on the US, UK and Europe. 

• Prospecting and donor acquisition. Manage HNWI prospecting, generate new leads, develop solicitation plans, brief senior leadership in advance of meetings, and coordinate cultivation and networking opportunities.

• Stewardship and relationship management. Build strong relationships with existing and potential donors through tailored stewardship plans designed to grow income over time. Manage donor tracking and communication systems. 

• Nurture and grow our development board - Work alongside our director of development and CEO to identify and engage members and steward the Board through a 12-month action-orientated development campaign. 

• Budget Management. Manage a programme budget for cultivation and stewardship events and activities.

• Collaboration and Communication. Work closely with our communications coordinator, director of development and programme teams in the production and dissemination of donor-relevant reports, updates and other content; and contribute to the conception and organisation of donor-facing online and in-person events.

• Team support. As a key member of our development and communications team, undertaken other duties as reasonably requested relevant to team and organisational goals. 

Person specification 

Essential 

• You will have extensive experience managing a HNWI or major gift portfolio. 

• You will have a proven track-record of personally securing four, five, or six-figure donations from HNWI and/or major gift donors in the UK, US and/or Europe. 

• You will have experience working within a nonprofit focused on human rights, social justice, and/or environmental action. 

• You will have excellent verbal communication skills, including English language skills, both spoken and written. 

• You will have experience working with senior stakeholders and board members to support fundraising activities. 

• You will have an ability to work both strategically and operationally.

• You will have creative thinking and problem-solving aptitude.

Desirable

• You may have experience working within a global nonprofit. 

• You may have knowledge of the human rights, social justice, environmental justice, and/or international development funding landscape. 

• You may understand grant-making and grant-management processes, especially with respect to private philanthropic funding, including family foundations, DAFs, and Family Offices. 

• You may understand tax-efficient donation mechanisms in the UK, US, and across Europe. 

• You may understand the trends in dynastic giving as well as emerging and next-generation philanthropists. 

If you feel you meet some but not all of the criteria, we would encourage you to get in touch. 

Terms and remuneration

This is a remote, home-working role. You will be contracted for 40 hours a week on a full-time, fixed-term contract. Flexible working is available and encouraged. 

We are looking for someone who wants to embrace this pivotal role within our close-knit team and develop a long-term working relationship with us. You will be properly onboarded and continually supported by experienced and compassionate managers and colleagues. Your line manager will be our director of development, Vicky Nida. 

In return for your time and dedication, we will offer you a remuneration package made up of fair pay, sector-leading benefits, and progressive leave policies, including:

• Salary of £46,900 per annum.

• 7% employer pension contribution.

• Family private medical insurance.

• Employee Assistance Programme, including welfare counselling.

• Unlimited professional coaching.

• Enhanced annual leave of 25 days plus local public holidays.

• Additional leave days for annual closedown.

• Enhanced sick pay.

• Flexible working, including flexitime and remote and home working.

• Access to local coworking spaces.

• Support for climate action:

  • Personal carbon emissions offsetting.

  • Up to two additional leave days for sustainable travel.

  • Up to two additional leave days for climate activism.

• Apple MacBook and peripherals.

If you are based outside the United Kingdom, you will be offered comparable compensation through our local employer of record, Remote. For parity, we contribute 4% above the local statutory requirements into the personal pension plans of staff members employed outside the UK. We will contribute 7% into the personal pension plans of staff members employed in counties where there is no  local statutory provision. 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Open Briefing values diversity. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all can be their authentic selves. We therefore encourage applications from all who meet the person specification and particularly from candidates who are from racialised communities and those under-recognised in our development team. This currently includes people of colour and people from countries in the global majority.

Please read our diversity, equity, and inclusion policy for more information. Our ethical and environmental policies are also available. And you may find our Vision, Mission, and Values statements of interest.

Open Briefing is a Disability Confident Employer and a signatory of the Charter for Employers Who Are Positive About Mental Health. We will make reasonable adjustments for disabled and neurodivergent people during the recruitment process and any subsequent employment. Please let us know in your cover letter how we can be the recruiter and employer you need us to be.

We have checked the text of this advert using the Gender Decoder tool.

Safeguarding

Open Briefing is dedicated to upholding the highest safeguarding standards, ensuring a culture of respect and protection for both our internal and external stakeholders. Our approach encompasses preventative measures and a strong response mechanism to any safeguarding concerns, guided by a survivor/victim-centred ethos. We enforce a strict no-tolerance policy towards any violations of safeguarding policies, ensuring that all concerns are addressed promptly and appropriately. Our safeguarding policy is available here.

How to apply

Please submit your application using our online form and note the following dates:

• Closing date: 30 May 2025

• Interviews: w/c 9 June 2025 

• Desired start date: As soon as possible 

Please let us know on the form if any of these dates are problematic and we will try to accommodate. The successful candidate will need to complete a reasonable vetting process before engagement.

Job Title: Duty Independent Gender Violence Advocate (Duty IGVA)

Location: Lambeth, London
Salary: £23,085.69 per annum, inclusive of London weighting allowance 
Contract type: Part Time, Permanent 

Hours: 30 hours per week (days to be discussed). Please note that the the operating hours of the service are 8AM- 6PM Monday- Friday with the expectation to work on some days 8- 4pm or 10- 6pm to cover. 

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as a Duty Independent Domestic Violence Advocate to be the first point of contact for women who are impacted by domestic violence. You will work closely with victims of domestic abuse from the point of crisis and other gender-based abuse to provide high quality independent support to survivors all risk levels and their children..

In this role you will be part of a busy team. You will be the first point of contact for survivors who have been referred to the Gaia Centre. The duty IGVA will be responding to daily enquiries (specify from whom- public, agencies, individuals? over the phone and email as well as contacting survivors, assessing their risks and needs.

The duty IGVA will be responsible for carrying out and implementing safety plans and needs and will ensure an effective handover to the over to the relevant GAIA team for ongoing support. The post holder will also empower survivors by providing them with emotional, practical and personal welfare support. You will ensure that survivors are provided with a safe, supportive and welcoming environment, enabling them to access their rights, make decisions and increase their life options. The job involves working within a multi-agency framework consisting of the MARAC and local partnership protocols and procedures that prioritise the safety of survivors.

As part of this role, you will be required to participate in an out-of-hours on call rota.

Please note that this post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

For this role we pay a Recruitment and Retention Allowance to external candidates of £1500 (pro rata for part time roles). This is paid in two payments – half on commencement in the role and the other half following the successful completion of probation. The allowance is subject to deduction for tax and NI.

Refuge is the UK’s largest provider of specialist services, and we are proud to be a leader in our field and an employer of choice, with leading edge systems for supervision, quality management and development.

Refuge offers a variety of exciting opportunities to learn, develop and grow in your career. We recognise the value everyone brings to the organisation to achieve our aims and are dedicated to developing and rewarding our staff. More details of our benefits can be found in Job Information Pack.

Main Roles

• To provide advice and casework at OISC/ IAA Level 2 on immigration, nationality and asylum law.
• To provide supervision to Immigration Volunteers

Specific Duties

• Manage a complex caseload across the field of immigration, nationality and asylum law.
• Adhere to casework procedures as outlined in LRMN’s policies, the IAA standards and the Advice Quality Standards (AQS).
• Interview and advise clients regarding immigration and asylum law procedure, and practice in a sensitive and professional manner.
• Maintain Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in line with IAA registration or similar professional body, e.g SRA.
• Keep up to date at all times with changes in the law by reading and attending training events relating to asylum and immigration.
• To maintain accurate and detailed case records of clients for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval and statistical monitoring, using Advice Pro as appropriate and as required by management.
• Advocate on behalf of clients by telephone, letter and email with appropriate agencies.
• Produce reports to meet funder’s and LRMN requirements.
• Work closely with the Immigration Manager and/or external evaluator in gathering data and information to produce accurate monitoring and evaluation reports.
• To assist the LRMN in liaising with its partners, funders and to provide statistical information and updates as required.
• Work closely with the Immigration Manager in reviewing files and ensure that corrective actions are undertaken.

• Provide regular supervision to Immigration volunteers.
• Allocate immigration tasks appropriate volunteers’ knowledge and skills.
• Keep records of supervision meetings with immigration volunteers.

Other Duties

• To participate in LRMN staff meetings, maintaining a high level of professionalism and contributing skills and knowledge towards best practice for the organisation.
• To develop partnerships and attend external meetings relevant to the work of information and advice in general and immigration in particular.
• To attend supervision and appraisal meetings and other relevant activities.
• To be administratively self-servicing.
• To participate in LRMN staff meetings, maintaining a high level of professionalism and contributing skills and knowledge towards best practice for the organisation.
• Work flexibly as agreed to meet the demands of the service – this may involve weekend and outreach work.
• Maintain confidentiality in all matters relating to the work of the organisation.
• Comply with LRMN’s policies and procedures.
• Positively promote LRMN and its work
• Undertake any other work as may be reasonably requested.

This is an exceptional opportunity to be at the heart of a truly exciting heritage restoration project to restore,  renew and open up to new audiences, a nationally-important building in a thriving but economically and socially challenged central London neighbourhood.

In November 2024, St Peter’s Walworth submitted a First-Round application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) for Development Phase funding for the “Building Beyond: Soane Reimagined” project. The request was for a First Round Pass of £3.1m and a Development Grant of £438,000.  A decision was received by NLHF on 13th March 2025 and pending Permission to Start, the Development Phase is set to run for 18 months, at which point a Delivery Round application will be submitted to activate a Delivery Phase.  Staff, a Design Team, a QS and specialist consultants will need to be competitively appointed to complete a list of required documents/studies for the Delivery application. Design development needs to be completed to RIBA Stage 3, planning, Faculty and consents need to be in place and all partnership funding raised or pledged.

Capital works are proposed to the exterior of the Church, respecting its heritage integrity, making it more sustainable and putting it in good order throughout. Similarly inside, where improvements will make the Church more welcoming, improving infrastructure and circulation and accommodating planned activities. Works will take place over the three floors: Crypt Basement, the Ground Floor and the Gallery/First Floor.

A full time Heritage Manager will need to be appointed at the beginning of the 18-month Development Phase. The successful candidate will provide leadership for the Project reporting to Claire Maugham (Chair of the Steering Group Committee) involved in strategic planning, management, execution, and coordination with internal and external stakeholders.  In order to achieve the goals of St Peter’s Walworth,  they will oversee design development to RIBA Stage 3 of “Building Beyond: Soane Reimagined” and oversee the preparation of key NLHF checklist documents, supporting on the roll out of a successful fundraising campaign - with a target to raise just over £1m working with a Fundraising Appeal Board, and a F/T Trusts and Foundations Manager.

The Heritage Manager will be a strategic thinker with an understanding of the planning and delivery of major projects funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF). We are also looking for a candidate that will successfully integrate partnerships that are being forged in the local area. They should have a strong background in project management and possess the ability to move adeptly between big picture thinking and day-to-day operations, where it will be necessary, for example, to process their own admin.

The Heritage Manager will have some experience of fundraising, networking and financial management and be comfortable working in a start-up environment, being able to demonstrate experience of extensive community engagement, as well as an understanding of and empathy with the ambitions and vision of the St Peter’s Walworth PCC (Parochial Church Council) and the needs of a Grade 1 listed building. 

They will bring an inclusive approach to their work, able to centre and involve the church and local community in the project while integrating the experience of a wide range of volunteer professionals

Their task will be ensure that the project is delivered within time and to budget in accordance with an agreed programme, budget and checklist of deliverables, as well as working closely with all project stakeholders and partners.

St Peter’s Walworth is an inclusive and welcoming Church. We seek candidates with the skills and experience required, irrespective of any protected characteristics, and encourage applications from all regardless of background. We are especially keen to receive applications from people who are members of communities minoritised and under-represented in the heritage sector. We are a Christian church but this role may be filled by someone of any faith or of none.