The vacancy
We are seeking to appoint one lay member to sit on our GOC Council.
About the GOC
We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance and conduct. For more information about us please visit our website:optical. org.
About the Council
The role of Council is to lead on the GOC’s mission to protect the public by upholding high standards in eye care services. The Council is composed of six lay members (including the Chair) and six registrant members (i.e. registered optometrists and dispensing opticians). At least one member of the Council must work wholly or mainly in each of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. One Council member acts as a Senior Council Member whose role is to carry out the Chair’s appraisal as well as provide a sounding board for the Chair and serve as an intermediary for Council members, Executive and stakeholders as necessary.
The successful candidate will contribute to Council by exercising oversight, ensuring effective corporate governance, and making high-level policy decisions. They will be able to operate strategically and impartially; listen, communicate, and influence effectively; exercise judgment; and inspire confidence and support amongst our stakeholders.
Remuneration and time commitment
Council members are remunerated in accordance with our member fees policy (£13,962 per annum plus reasonable travel and subsistence expenses). The member fee includes time for reading and preparation.
The appointed member will be expected to commit approximately 2-3 days per month. Meetings will usually take place via MS Teams but may on occasion be held at the GOC Offices at Level 29, One Canada Square, London, E14 5AA. There are occasional online catch-up meetings - these are currently scheduled on a Tuesday evening every 6-8 weeks, from 5.30pm – 6.30pm.
How to apply:
Please email the the following to appointment@optical. org
· your CV outlining your employment history, any relevant voluntary work, public service or other experience; together with any relevant professional, academic or vocational qualifications;
· the application form, stating how your experience matches the criteria for the vacancy you are applying for; and
· complete the EDI monitoring form linked in the candidate pack (this is an online form and does not need to be included in the email with your CV and application form).
APPLICATION DEADLINE: midnight on Sunday 10 August 2025.
Online interviews will be held on between Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 October 2025.
If you have any questions, please email them to appointment@optical. org and we will aim to respond to you within 48 hours.
We welcome applications from individuals who are disabled and from diverse ethnic backgrounds as these are currently under-represented on our council and committees.
We strive to be as diverse as the public we protect and welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity and geographical locations outside of London.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The Cleft Lip and Palate Association (CLAPA) is the national charity for people affected by cleft lip and palate in the United Kingdom.
We are looking for a Digital Communications Coordinator to cover maternity leave and to support our busy Communications team.
The Digital Communications Coordinator is a key role within CLAPA, responsible for implementing our digital communications strategy to engage and inspire the UK cleft community. This role moves beyond content creation to take ownership of CLAPA’s digital communications across social and email platforms, ensuring online communications are strategic and data-driven. Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, this role supports the planning, delivery, and monitoring of campaigns that inform, support, and connect the cleft community in the UK.
This is a hands-on role suited to someone with a good understanding of digital communications and a passion for community engagement. The Coordinator will manage day-to-day digital content, respond to online enquiries, and support internal teams with their communications needs. They will also play an important part in maintaining CLAPA’s brand and voice across all channels, ensuring our communications are accessible, on-brand, and effective.
NB - We reserve the right to close applications early if we receive a high volume of strong candidates.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
About Us
We Are Survivors are a survivor focused voluntary sector organisation that aims to create and facilitate safe spaces for male (including trans and non-binary individuals) survivors of sexual harms across Greater Manchester providing access to quality assured support. Our work is focused on developing ways for individuals to empower themselves to work through personal and sometimes painful issues, guided and supported by our trauma-informed team, following the trauma and recovery model.
Our vision is to have “A society where NO male survivor is left behind”
About the Role
We're looking for a Senior Trauma Informed Therapist to join the team. Leading peer-mentoring support to trauma-informed therapists while delivering trauma-informed therapeutic services. We are a dynamic service with a holistic service model, so the senior role is supporting wider than just direct delivery.
You'll play a key role in supporting clients, managing communications, supporting volunteers/placements. You will work closely with our Community Development and Criminal Justice Services teams to ensure survivors have access to the right support. All staff have a Thematic Leadership area to expand the organisations knowledge in areas impacting male survivors and their loved ones.
About You
You’ll be someone who is a qualified and experienced therapist working with trauma. We’re especially keen to hear from people with experience in working with men, sexual harms and supporting therapists and trainees, but we value transferable skills too. If you're passionate about creating a society where no male survivor is left behind, this could be the role for you.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
• Lead peer-mentoring support to trauma-informed therapists.
• Deliver trauma-informed therapeutic services.
• Lead accurate clinical record keeping of therapeutic service interventions.
• Lead the supervision of therapeutic services waiting lists.
• Undertake specific therapeutic projects as directed by the Executive Team.
Organisational Core Responsibilities
• Stringently uphold the organisation’s values of transparency, integrity, understanding and responsiveness throughout your work and your representation of We Are Survivors.
• Honour a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and anti-oppressive practice and work positively and inclusively with everyone so that We Are Survivors provides a workplace that does not discriminate against people on the ground of their age, sexuality, religion or belief, race, gender, or disabilities.
• Ensure 100% of the work you carry out is for the achievement of the mission “to break the silence of the sexual abuse, rape and sexual exploitation of boys & men and support them and their loved ones to engage in positive healing, free from the impact of abuse” and vision “a society where no male survivor is left behind”.
• Maintain strict confidentiality boundaries as you have access to sensitive, restricted, and classified information; and ensure that you are fully compliant with all information governance policies set by the organisation and/or Information Commissioners Office.
• Respect individuals right to anonymity within and outside of the organisation.
• Fully comply with all professional external frameworks, charters or practice standards that We Are Survivors subscribes to, is a member of, or carries.
• Fully comply with the organisations standard operating procedures / quality assurance, guidelines, policies, and procedures, including all accurate recording of information and ensuring you do not act to compromise the organisational standards or any formal QA Accreditation.
• Remain aware at all times of your responsibilities for your own health and safety, for the Health and Safety of those directly responsible to you, your work colleagues and any others who may be affected by the operations under your responsibility or control.
• Ensure you comply with all requirements identified within infection control measures and risk management, both nationally and locally.
• To work flexibly in the interests of the organisation, which may include undertaking other duties provided that these are appropriate to your background, skills and abilities.
Person Specification
The following attributes are Essential for this role:
Registration:
• BACP, UKCP, BPS (or equivalent).
Qualifications:
• Counsellor/Psychotherapist (BACP or other appropriate membership body recognised).
Knowledge and Experience:
• Experience of coaching or mentoring.
• Understanding of issues relating to rape and sexual assault, particularly those relating to boys and men.
• Experience of providing 1:1 counselling/psychotherapy.
• Experience in data management and information governance.
Skills:
• Ability to prioritise own work load.
• Good written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Suite, or equivalent, and electronic database system.
The following attributes are Desirable for this role:
Registration: Non applicable.
Qualifications:
• Masters Level or above in Counselling/Psychotherapy.
• EMDR / Post Graduate Diploma in CBT.
Knowledge and Experience:
• Previous experience of working within a highly confidential setting, adhering to data governance.
• Previous experience of working within the voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE) sector.
Skills:
• A commitment to diversity, inclusion and anti-oppressive practice.
• Mentoring.
Why Join Us?
· A competitive salary.
· Annual leave package with incremental rises plus bank holidays.
· Company sick pay.
· Birthday annual leave.
· Monthly clinical supervision.
· Pension contribution.
· A range of discount and benefit programmes.
How to Apply
Apply by sending your CV and a short supporting statement (max 2 page)
Interviews are expected to take place on 7th and 8th August.
By applying for the any of the above roles, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Privacy Notice (see attached)
Equal Opportunities
We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We actively encourage applications from people with lived experience, people from underrepresented backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTQ+, disabled, or from Black, Asian or minoritised communities.
We are also a Ban The Box Employer and will always give people with criminal records a fair chance to compete for our available roles. We will only ask about criminal convictions in the later stages of our recruitment processes to ensure we are recruiting off of skill, experience and ability before anything else.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.