Independent living service manager jobs in Birmingham

�� Are You the Candidate We’re Looking For? ��

At Shaftesbury, we’re looking for a Director of Accommodation Based Services to join our passionate and purpose-driven team. If you’re organised, detail-focused, and want to be part of something meaningful, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.

You must hold a full current driving licence and the ability to travel to services and stay away from home overnight when required.

We’re not just hiring skills—we’re looking for people who genuinely care. People who want to make a difference. People who believe, as we do, that everyone deserves the opportunity to live a full, independent, and flourishing life.

Guided by our core values—Open, Enabling, Inclusive and Courageous—we are proud to deliver outstanding support across our adult care, children’s services, and education settings. Every member of our team plays a vital role in helping the people we support thrive.

�� About the Role

The Director of Accommodation Based Services will be responsible for ensuring the operation of high quality, financially sustainable services across the country that are sustainable both now and in the future.

This role is home based with national travel as and when required.

You’ll be responsible for:

• Promoting the vision and values of Shaftesbury within the residential services.
• Leading by example and ensuring that you demonstrate the values in your leadership behaviours and how you support our teams and deliver our services.
• Ensuring you meet all targets and KPIs.
• To participate in Shaftesbury’s national on call rota.
• Develop key relationships and create strategic alliances with all commissioners.

This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a team that directly impacts the quality and safety of the services we provide.

�� Why Join Shaftesbury?

We know our people are our greatest asset, so we make sure you feel valued, supported, and rewarded:

✨ Recognition & Rewards – Be recognised by senior leaders and receive vouchers of up to £50 for going above and beyond
�� Professional Development – Access to an excellent training and development programme
��️ Generous Annual Leave – 25 days + bank holidays, rising to 28 days after 5 years
�� Pension Scheme – Helping you plan for the future
�� Wellbeing Support – Access to a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme

�� Why You?

You’ll bring:

• Strong organisational and administrative skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• The ability to manage multiple priorities
• A proactive, team-focused mindset
• Diploma level (Level 5) or equivalent level qualification
• Evidence of continued professional and personal development
• Experience within a senior management position previously
• Track record of service improvement and operational achievement

We are looking for a Weekenders Journey Guide to support prospective Weekend Foster Carers from their first conversations with Now Foster through to the next stages of the recruitment and assessment journey.

This is a highly relational, candidate-facing role. You will be one of the main people helping applicants understand what Weekenders is, explore whether it is right for them, stay motivated through the process, and feel supported to take the next step.

Introductory conversations (our ‘intro chats’) will be a core part of the role. You will speak with people who are curious about fostering, but who may also feel unsure, nervous or are still working out whether they can foster. Your role will be to bring warmth, clarity and momentum: helping people feel welcomed, informed and confident, while also making sure the right people progress at the right pace.

You will use Now Foster’s digital platform (a bespoke CRM system) to manage the candidate journey, track progress, record key information and help the team understand where applicants are getting stuck or moving forward. You will play an important role in making sure we are attracting the right leads, supporting them well, and learning how to improve the journey as we grow.

This role would particularly suit someone with experience of fostering or working in fostering. It could also suit someone from a related background who is deeply motivated by innovation in this area and excited by what fostering could look like if it were designed around children, carers and relationships.

You do not need to be a qualified social worker, but you do need to be emotionally mature, reflective, organised and comfortable working closely with a social work-led team. You will need to understand safeguarding, and be confident holding thoughtful conversations with prospective carers.

What You’ll Be Doing

Supporting candidates through the journey

• Acting as a consistent, warm and encouraging point of contact for prospective Weekend Foster Carers.

• Carrying out intro chats with people who have expressed interest in the Weekenders programme.

• Helping candidates understand the Weekenders programme, what the role involves, and what the journey looks like.

• Supporting candidates to reflect on whether Weekenders is right for them.

• Keeping candidates engaged, informed and motivated as they move through the process.

• Helping people overcome practical barriers where appropriate, while being honest and clear about expectations.

• Making sure candidate communication feels relational, timely and values-led.

Helping the right people progress

• Helping identify candidates who are ready to move forward, as well as those who may need more time, more information or a different route.

• Support candidates to progress, pause or close, as advised by our fostering service colleagues.

• Using strengths-based and motivational approaches to help candidates reflect on their motivations, support networks and capacity.

• Working closely with social work colleagues to escalate questions, concerns or safeguarding issues appropriately.

• Supporting candidates to prepare for training, home visits and assessment stages.

• Helping ensure the process is clear, efficient and supportive.

Supporting groups, events and community activity

• Supporting information events, training sessions and candidate-facing events.

• Co-delivering sessions with social workers and other colleagues.

• Helping create a welcoming community for people exploring Weekenders.

• Supporting socials and community-building activity for applicants and approved Weekend Foster Carers.

• Helping candidates connect with the mission and feel part of something meaningful.

Administration, data and follow-up

• Keeping candidate records, notes and next steps up to date on Now Foster’s digital platform.

• Using Google Workspace, Trello and other tools to access key documents and manage your workload. 

• Making sure no candidate falls through the cracks.

• Supporting data capture so the team can understand what is working and where candidates are getting stuck.

• Helping improve templates, messages, prompts and workflows for the candidate journey.

• Supporting home visit admin and logistics where needed.

Contributing to innovation and learning

• Gathering feedback from candidates to help improve the journey and bringing this insight from candidate conversations into team discussions.

• Helping the team understand what motivates people to become Weekend Foster Carers, what worries them, and what helps them move forward.

• Supporting testing and iteration of new candidate journey approaches.

• Helping us build a process that is warm, efficient, inclusive and effective.

• Contributing to a new model of fostering that is relational, ambitious and designed around children and young people.

You’ll Thrive in This Role If You Are

• Warm and relational – able to build trust quickly and make people feel welcome.

• Emotionally mature – able to have thoughtful conversations about motivation, care, family life and uncertainty.

• A strong communicator – clear, encouraging and confident across phone, video calls, emails and written updates.

• Motivational and strengths-based – skilled at helping people see their potential while also being honest about what fostering involves.

• Organised and proactive – able to manage a busy candidate journey, track next steps and keep people moving.

• Tech-savvy – comfortable using digital platforms, Google Workspace and Trello.

• Confident in your judgement – able to decide when someone should progress, pause or close, while knowing when to seek advice.

• Safeguarding-aware – able to recognise when something needs to be escalated and comfortable working within clear safeguarding processes.

• Reflective and curious – interested in learning what works and improving the candidate journey over time.

• Comfortable with ambiguity – happy working in a small, growing charity where things are evolving.

• Committed to better outcomes for children and young people – motivated by Now Foster’s mission and the potential of Weekenders.

Experience We’re Looking For

Fostering experience would be highly beneficial. For example, this could include experience as a foster carer, working in fostering, supporting foster carers, working with fostering services, or working in a closely related part of children’s social care.

We are also interested in people with experience in:

• Volunteer management

• Children’s social care or youth work

• Community work

• Social prescribing

• Mentoring or coaching

• Recruitment, onboarding or candidate support

• Relationship-based support roles

Most importantly, we are looking for someone who understands the importance of relationships, can guide people through a meaningful decision-making process, and is excited by the possibility of building a different kind of fostering journey.

Bonus Points For

• Lived experience of the care system or fostering.

• Experience working directly with prospective or approved foster carers.

• Experience using motivational interviewing, coaching or strengths-based approaches.

• Experience supporting people through an application, recruitment, assessment or onboarding journey.

• Experience delivering or supporting information sessions, preparation groups, training or community events.

• Experience working remotely or in a flexible, fast-moving team.

An interest in innovation, service design or changing how fostering works.
 

About Us

Now Foster is a team of innovative social workers, designers, and entrepreneurs on a mission to change fostering in the UK.

We bring together social work, service design, public sector transformation and lived experience to create better outcomes for children and young people. Our overarching vision is to transform the fostering system by bringing many more wonderful people into it as foster carers, so that children and young people have the relationships, stability and support they need to thrive.

You will be joining a small, ambitious and passionate team, alongside our trustees, freelancers and advisors, all of whom play an active part in shaping our work. We partner with local authorities and not-for-profits who share our values and are ready to embrace change. As a registered charity, everything we do is driven by purpose, not profit.

About Weekenders

Weekenders is Now Foster’s flagship programme. It pairs children and young people in foster care with inspiring adults who can offer guidance, stability and encouragement on a regular basis. It is about showing up, making a difference, and being that person a young person can count on.

The programme is growing quickly. We are scaling Weekenders across London and beyond, testing new ways to support applicants, local authorities and independent social workers, and building the operational foundations needed for long-term growth.

A core part of this growth is making sure that people who are interested in becoming Weekend Foster Carers receive the right balance of warmth, encouragement, information and challenge as they move through the journey. That is where the Journey Guide comes in.

Working Pattern and Location

This role is offered at 4 to 5 days per week, with a salary of £34,000 pro rata.

The role can be based anywhere in England, with occasional travel to our Weekender delivery areas. Our Weekenders team is currently based across London and Manchester, and our wider organisational team is based in Oxford. Most work will be home-based, but there will be some in-person meetings, events, training sessions or bi-monthly co-working days.

The role will involve some work outside standard office hours. This is likely to include:

• Around one weekend day per month, which you would take back as time off during the previous or following week.

• Some evening work, for example around one information event per month.

• Some evening intro chats with prospective foster carers, where this helps people engage with the process.

We work flexibly and will support the successful candidate to manage their time in a sustainable way.

Safeguarding

Now Foster is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

This role will involve contact with prospective carers, rather than direct work with children and young people. However, you will need to understand safeguarding, work within Now Foster’s safeguarding processes, and escalate any concerns appropriately.

This role will require an enhanced DBS check.

What’s In It For You

Joining Now Foster means being part of something different. We are small, ambitious and innovative, and you will play a key role in helping Weekenders grow.

You will be close to the people exploring whether they could become Weekend Foster Carers, and your work will directly shape whether they feel supported, confident and ready to take the next step.

You will join a supportive, collaborative and values-led team. We work hard, care deeply about what we do, and are building something bold and lasting: a new way of fostering that blends social work, design, technology and relational practice.

We will provide the tools and technology you need, cover agreed travel and expenses, and support you to work flexibly within the rhythm of the programme.

How to Apply

Please send us your CV and a short cover letter explaining:

1. Why you are interested in Now Foster and the Weekenders programme.

2. The experience you would bring in supporting, guiding or motivating people.

3. Any experience you have of fostering, working in fostering, children’s social care, community work, volunteer management or similar.

4. What excites you about innovation in fostering and what fostering could look like.

5. Your availability, including whether you are looking for 4 or 5 days per week and when you could start.

You must have the right to work in the UK.

We recognise that some candidates may use generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to support the preparation of their application. While this is acceptable, applications must remain an authentic reflection of your own experiences and motivations. We ask candidates to let us know if and how they used AI as part of the recruitment process.

Our Commitment to Equality

Now Foster is committed to being an equal opportunities employer. We celebrate diversity and actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, identities and experiences.

Recruitment and selection decisions are made on the basis of fair, objective and transparent criteria. We will also make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process to ensure accessibility for all candidates.

Please Note: We are hoping to appoint as soon as possible and will close recruitment once we find the right person so candidates are advised to submit an application as soon as they are able.

IT Infrastructure and Field Support Engineer

We are looking for a skilled and motivated IT Infrastructure and Field Support Engineer to help deliver secure, reliable, and efficient technology services across the organisation.

This is a varied and hands-on role, combining infrastructure support, field-based work, and involvement in technology projects that directly support services making a real difference to people’s lives.

Position: 6800 IT Infrastructure & Field Support Engineer

Location: Remote

Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours per week. Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (flexible working available)

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £30,775.03 per annum

Closing Date: 09/07/2026. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if enough suitable applications are received.

The Role

The IT Infrastructure & Field Support Engineer plays a key role in supporting, maintaining and improving the  technology infrastructure to ensure secure, reliable and efficient services across the organisation.  As an IT Infrastructure & Field Support Engineer to will be responsible for:

• providing technical support for systems and infrastructure
• contributing to the design and delivery of cost-effective solutions
• helping to maintain strong standards of security, resilience and service continuity

You will work within an ITIL-aligned framework, collaborating closely with colleagues across Technology and with third-party suppliers to support service delivery, operational performance and the evolving needs of the charity.

This role is remote (home based) but requires occasional travel across England and Wales, along with some out-of-hours work where necessary to support critical systems.

About You

You will need:

• Experience in a Service Desk or infrastructure support role
• Strong troubleshooting skills
• A structured, organised approach to managing workload
• Knowledge of Microsoft technologies
• Experience working in an ITIL environment and ideally exposure to networking and cloud infrastructure
• Strong communication skills and the ability to support a wide range of users and stakeholders

You will be required to join the on-call rota following successful completion of their probation period.

Appointment to this role is subject to successful Non-Police Personnel Vetting (NPPV) with Security Clearance (SC). Candidates must have been living and working in the UK for a minimum of 5 years to be eligible for this level of security vetting.

In Return…

Benefits include:

• Flexible Working Options: Including hybrid working.
• Generous Annual Leave: 28 days plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 33 days plus Bank Holidays, with options to buy or sell annual leave.
• Birthday Leave: An extra day off for your birthday.
• Pension Plan: 5% employer contribution.
• Enhanced Allowances: Enhanced sick pay, maternity, and paternity payments.
• Exclusive Discounts: High Street, retail, holiday, gym, entertainment, and leisure discounts.
• Financial Wellbeing: Access to our financial wellbeing hub and salary-deducted finance.
• Wellbeing Support: Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support.
• Inclusive Networks: Access to EDI networks and colleague cafes.
• Sustainable Travel: Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loans.
• Career Development: Ongoing training and support with opportunities for career progression.

About the Organisation

This independent charity is dedicated to supporting people affected by crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales.  They are at the heart of the organisation and the support and campaigns are informed and shaped by them and their experiences.

The organisation is committed to recruiting with care and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and Disclosed Barring Service checks may be required.

Our client is proud to celebrate diversity and create a workplace where everyone feels they belong. They are committed to being an antiracist organisation, and actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those from Black and Asian and other minoritised communities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, they will offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet all essential criteria for a job where it is practicable to do so and are also happy to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment and selection process.

You may have experience in areas such as IT, Infrastructure, IT Infrastructure, Field Support, IT Engineer, Infrastructure Engineer, IT Infrastructure Engineer, Field Support Engineer, IT Support, Service Desk, IT Service Desk, 1st Line Support, 2nd Line Support, 3rd Line Support.

Please note this role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of our client.  #INDNFP

The National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) is embedded in Clinks. It has a distinct network, identity and website as well as an advisory group, an independent chair and distinct funding for specific work.

The NCJAA aims to ensure that the arts are used within the criminal justice system as a springboard for positive change. The NCJAA represents a network of over 500 individuals and organisations that deliver creative interventions to support people in prison, on probation and in the community, with impressive results. We support this transformative work by providing a network and a voice to promote access to arts and culture for people in the criminal justice system, as a springboard to positive change.

Clinks supports, promotes and represents the voluntary sector working with people in the criminal justice system and their families. Our vision is of a vibrant, independent and resilient voluntary sector that enables people to transform their lives.

Job purpose

To develop and grow the NCJAA network and develop and maintain effective working relationships with partners and stakeholders.

Job summary

The coordinator is responsible for overseeing all work and development of the NCJAA and sits within Clinks’ National Influencing & Networks directorate . The coordinator will work with a range of different stakeholders, including the NCJAA Advisory Group and the wider membership, to improve policy and practice in relation to arts-based work with people in prison, on probation and in the community. This includes maintaining and strengthening the NCJAA as the leading national network for arts organisations and individuals that work in the criminal justice system.

Reports to: Clinks Director of National Influencing & Networks

1. Duties and key responsibilities

Strategy and planning

· Work closely with Clinks colleagues and the NCJAA network to develop and deliver the NCJAA annual work plan which include a range of activities that will raise the profile and promote the work of the arts sector in the CJS, including events, publications, training, mentoring, research and networking opportunities

· Work closely with Clinks colleagues, the NCJAA advisory group, chair and wider network to help inform and shape the future direction of the NCJAA and its strategic goals, paying particular attention to its role, sustainability and emerging opportunities

· Coordinate the quarterly arts forum in collaboration with the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3) arts seat holder and government representatives

NCJAA project management & delivery

· Provide leadership for the NCJAA in the arts and CJS sectors

· Deliver the projects set out in the NCJAA’s annual workplan

· Coordinate the functioning of the advisory group of the NCJAA, including its quarterly meetings, minutes and election

· Manage work as required by NCJAA’s role as an Arts Council England Sector Support Organisation, including how we effectively capture and measure the NCJAA’s impact as the leading national arts and criminal justice network

· Provide regular and relevant reporting information as necessary to ensure all NCJAA projects and activity are working to the agreed timetable, budget and are achieving agreed outputs and outcomes, reporting any exceptions promptly to the Director of Support and Development

· Work collaboratively with various Clinks’ staff teams to deliver the NCJAA work plan and support the delivery of Clinks’ wider work plan

Stakeholder and external relations

· Work closely with HM Prison and Probation Service and other government departments and agencies to promote communication and partnership between Government and the arts in the criminal justice sector e.g. working with and supported by Clinks’ policy team, participate in meetings of the Reducing Re-offending Arts Forum convened jointly by Clinks and HM Prison and Probation Service

· Work within Clinks’ National Influencing & Networks directorate to ensure the experience and knowledge of arts and cultural organisations working in criminal justice is reflected in Clinks representation and influencing work with national government

· Assist colleagues working in the arts sector to interpret the emerging criminal justice environment and develop sustainable opportunities

· Maintain a wider view of criminal justice and arts policies and guide and support arts organisations to interpret these in a relevant and appropriate manner

· Identify and promote research and evidence in the field of arts and criminal justice

Income generation

· Work with Clinks colleagues responsible for income to identify funding sources, submit funding applications and monitoring reports when required, both for specific NCJAA projects and for the future funding of the work as a whole to ensure the sustainability and future development of the NCJAA

Budget

· Work with Clinks colleagues responsible for finance to maintain financial oversight of the overall NCJAA budget and all relevant project budgets to support the NCJAA work to progress effectively

2. General responsibilities 

· Represent and be an ambassador for NCJAA and Clinks

· Work to support the mission, ethos and values of Clinks

· Be flexible and carry out other associated duties as may arise, develop or be assigned in line with the broad remit of the position

· Support and promote diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace

· Work collaboratively with others in all aspects of our work

This job description does not form part of your contract of employment and can be amended from time to time as the needs of the organisation require.

Person specification

Experience

· Experience of the arts and social inclusion sector is essential

· Experience of the criminal justice voluntary sector is desirable

· Experience in forming working relationships with opinion formers and key stakeholders to influence policy and practice.

· Experience in leading and monitoring complex projects and measuring impact with national strategic significance, preferably in the arts.

· Experienced in multiple funder and stakeholder management

· Proven track record of developing and delivering successful projects, including the development of project plans and budgets; implementation; evaluation; reporting and monitoring

· Working to deadlines singularly and as a part of a team responsibility

Skills and abilities

· Excellent interpersonal and strong spoken and written communication skills which engage audiences, encouraging understanding and participation

· Ability to liaise with a wide range of stakeholders with different perspectives, including voluntary sector agencies, arts organisations, government, private sector, service users and media

· The ability to lead, inspire and co-ordinate a complex network of organisations working  and supporting arts in criminal justice settings

· Influencing, negotiation and communication skills at a national level

· Facilitate and chair meetings at all levels of the organisations engagement – nationally, regionally, locally

· Highly organised with an ability to maintain effective record keeping systems

· Adopt a problem solving, solution-focused approach and make decisions effectively and timely

· Ability to work both independently and as part of a team

· Strategic thinking, planning and project management skills

· IT skills at a level that supports report writing, email, internet and databases

· Adaptability and flexibility in being able to take on new roles and manage a range of different internal and external relationships.

· Budget management and reporting skills

Knowledge

· Knowledge and understanding of the criminal justice system policy and operating environment in order to promote and support the arts within it.

· Understanding the value of different art forms in criminal justice settings

· Knowledge and experience of national policy, practice and membership organisations relating to arts and/or criminal justice sector

Education and training

· No one specific qualification is required, but evidence of recent continuing professional development in a professional area with demonstrable relevance to the role

Personal attributes and other requirements

· Able to travel extensively nationally

· Able to work some evenings and weekends and stay overnight where necessary.

· Works well in a team with a flexible approach to work

· Personal resilience and the ability to stay focused in a rapidly changing environment

· Demonstrable passion for and commitment to the transformative role of the arts in criminal justice settings

· Demonstrable commitment to anti-racism, anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities. An ability to apply awareness of diversity issues to all areas of work

· Commitment to the values and ethos of supporting people in the criminal justice system

· Commitment to upholding the rights of people facing disadvantage and discrimination in the CJS