Independent mental health advocate jobs in Leeds

Head of Business Development 
30 hours per week (4 days) – flexibility to discuss 3–5 days 
Salary: £34,000 per annum (4 days) 
Based in Leeds with flexible and hybrid working 

Advonet is an independent advocacy charity supporting people who may find it difficult to be heard, ensuring their rights are upheld, and their voices are at the centre of decisions that affect their lives. 

We are looking for an experienced and motivated Head of Business Development to join our Senior Leadership Team and play a key role in Advonet’s long-term sustainability. This is a newly designed role with responsibility for increasing and diversifying income, developing strategic partnerships, and helping shape the future direction of the organisation. 

You will lead our business development activity, including funding bids, tenders, partnerships and new opportunities, whilst providing strategic oversight of communications and line management of our Communications Officer. The role is focused on identifying the right opportunities, building strong relationships, and ensuring income generation is aligned with our values and priorities. 

We are looking for someone with experience of business development, income generation or organisational growth, who can think strategically, build partnerships and turn ideas into action. Experience of developing successful funding bids, managing opportunities, and influencing others to achieve shared goals will be important. 

Why join us? 

• Senior Leadership Team role reporting directly to the CEO 

• Opportunity to shape Advonet’s future sustainability and growth 

• Flexible and hybrid working 

• Up to 31 days annual leave plus bank holidays 

• Generous pension contribution 

• Health cashback plan and employee support scheme 

• Friendly, values-led and inclusive culture 

Key dates 

• Applications open: Monday 20 July 

• Closing date: Monday 17 August at 12 noon 

• Shortlisting: Friday 21 August 

• Interviews: Monday 14 September in Leeds 

How to apply 

Please submit: 

• A CV 

• A covering letter of no more than 500 words explaining how you meet the requirements of the role and why you would be a good fit for Advonet.

• A completed diversity monitoring form.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Angela Ellis, Chief Executive Officer.

Community Builder (Community Development) – Leeds 

People-focused community engagement role supporting the armed forces community to connect, collaborate and lead local change

Salary: Up to £33,995 per annum   

Location: Remote in Leeds with travel within the UK. See the “Please Note” section below for further details.

Contract Type: Permanent

The Opportunity

We have an exciting opportunity for a COMMUNITY BUILDER to join our Community Development team, working to support local veterans to take an active role in their communities. 

This is a hands-on, relationship-led role focused on bringing people together, building trust, and enabling community-led action. You will work with veterans, local residents, community groups and organisations to strengthen connections and create opportunities for people to participate, contribute and thrive. 

If you are passionate about community engagement, relationship building, and supporting people to create positive local change, we would love to hear from you. 

About The Role  

As a Community Builder, you will work with members of the Armed Forces Community, particularly those who may face barriers to participation or engagement. 

This role may also be described in other organisations as a Community Development Officer or Community Engagement Officer. 

A Community Builder is a relationship-led professional who brings people together, builds trust, strengthens local networks and supports communities to take action on the things that matter most to them. 

In this role, you will be actively visible and present within your local community, building trusted relationships and supporting conversations that help people connect and collaborate. 

You will facilitate conversations with veterans, local residents and community groups to understand local strengths, interests and priorities. You will connect people with shared interests and ideas, helping to build collaboration and encourage community-led action. You will support community ideas to develop into practical activities, projects and opportunities, and you will work with local organisations and partners to strengthen community networks. 

This role brings together community engagement, facilitation and partnership working to create meaningful, long-term impact. 

What a Typical Two Weeks Might Look Like 

Community Development is a flexible role shaped by the needs of local people and communities, with some evening and weekend working required. 

To help you understand how the role operates in practice, we’ve included an example two-week working pattern attached. 

Please note this is for illustration only and will vary depending on community needs and priorities. 

About You  

We are looking for someone who is motivated by working with people and passionate about helping communities connect and thrive. 

You may already have experience in community development, or come from a background such as housing, social care, education, youth work or the wider charity sector. What matters most is your ability to build trusted relationships, engage people effectively and support collaboration that leads to positive change. 

You will be an excellent communicator, able to build trust, inspire action and work effectively with a wide range of people and organisations. You will also be comfortable working independently, managing a varied workload and developing strong working relationships across different groups.

We are looking for someone with:  

• A Community Development qualification and/or transferable Community Development skills and experience.

• An awareness of (or willingness to learn) Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) – an approach focused on building on the strengths, skills and connections already present in communities. 

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships that drive action.  

• A track record of successful collaboration with internal and external partners and stakeholders.  

• Effective and efficient organisational and IT skills. 

PLEASE NOTE:  

• The successful candidate will need to be based within a 30-minute commute of their allocated locality and there is a requirement to travel regularly across the wider area (travel expenses covered).  The successful candidate must possess a valid full UK driver’s license and have access to a reliable vehicle with business insurance for work purposes.  

• There will also be a requirement for occasional travel to other UK locations for meetings and events depending on the charity’s needs such as our annual all colleagues in person event.   

• The successful candidate will work 35 hours per week over 5 days, Monday - Sunday. Core working days will be Monday to Friday; however, flexibility is essential, as regular evening and weekend work will also be required to meet the needs of the role. Working hours will vary to ensure a total of 70 hours is covered over a two-week period, so please take this into consideration before applying.  

• The successful candidate will be required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check   

About the Team  

You’ll be joining a supportive and collaborative team of Community Development professionals working across local communities to build relationships, develop partnerships and support community-led activity. Community Development Managers and Community Builders work closely together, sharing learning and supporting each other to deliver meaningful local impact. 

Please see the job description for more details.  

In return we can offer you: 

• Belonging to a team who make a difference to our community and value equality, diversity and inclusion. 

• 29 days’ annual leave plus 8 bank holidays, regardless of service -plus your birthday off to celebrate! 

• Opportunity to buy and sell up to 5 days annual leave per year. 

• Added to our free health scheme from day one, including discounts on dental, opticians, massages, and more - with the option to upgrade. 

• 3 volunteer days per year to support the Help for Heroes community.

• A generous salary sacrifice pension scheme with an 8% employer contribution and a minimum 3% employee contribution, plus life insurance up to 4× salary as an active member. 

Closing date: 23rd July 2026 

Please note: We may close this vacancy early should we receive a high volume of strong applications.

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all backgrounds.

External Affairs and Strategy Specialist

Location:  Home Based, Expectation of travel
Working Hours: 37
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £38,960.00 - £48,960

Flexibility in terms of hours and possible part time hours to be considered.

Please note: The salary listed reflects the full earning potential for this role. Starting salaries depend on experience and progression within the band. 

About Waythrough 

Waythrough was formed in 2024 following the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship. Together, we’ve created one of the largest mental health and social support charities in England. 

Every year, we support around 125,000 people through nearly 200 services – and it’s all made possible by our 3,500 brilliant staff and volunteers.

Make a real difference in your community 

Are you passionate about helping others live safer, healthier, more independent lives? Join our team at Waythrough and support people facing challenges around mental health, substance use, housing or domestic abuse. This is more than just a job – it’s a chance to build meaningful relationships and create lasting change. 

About the Role

As the External Affairs and Strategy Specialist, you will help shape Waythrough’s external influence, ensuring the organisation understands and responds to an increasingly complex political, policy and social environment. Working closely with senior leaders, you will support strategic decision-making, build key partnerships and drive campaigns and policy projects that create positive change for the people we support.

This is a home-based role with some travel required, including attendance at our joint All Party Parliamentary Group (five or six times per year), and service visits, team away days and wider meetings as required. . You will work closely with colleagues across the organisation, particularly the Communications team, to ensure our external voice is informed, impactful and rooted in lived experience.

Key Duties

• Monitor and interpret political, policy and sector developments, identifying emerging risks, opportunities and trends.
• Build strong relationships across Waythrough to identify subject matter experts and ensure external positions are informed by operational and lived experience.
• Lead and coordinate elements of national campaigns, maintaining momentum and working collaboratively with Communications colleagues to maximise impact.
• Brief senior leaders on external affairs issues and provide high-quality research, papers and recommendations to support organisational decision-making.
• Represent Waythrough at parliamentary groups, policy alliances, external forums and partnership meetings.
• Develop policy submissions, consultation responses, speeches, presentations and campaign materials.
• Build and maintain relationships with senior stakeholders, including parliamentarians, sector bodies and partner organisations.
• Ensure the voices of the people we support remain central to all advocacy, policy and campaign activity.

About You

You are a confident and proactive relationship builder who thrives in a complex and fast-moving environment. Working as part of a small team, and with support and coaching from the Director, you'll be comfortable seeking out expertise across the organisation, collaborating with a wide range of colleagues and influencing senior stakeholders.

You have excellent communication skills, a strong understanding of politics and policy, and the confidence to work closely with directors and executive leaders. You can balance multiple priorities while maintaining focus on what matters most, and you are motivated by ensuring that campaigns, policy positions and external messages are genuinely informed by the experiences and voices of the people we support. Above all, you'll bring initiative, curiosity and a willingness to get stuck in and make things happen.

What We Offer

We value the people who make a difference every day. Alongside meaningful work, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package:

• 27 days’ annual leave, rising to 32 after 1 year (plus bank holidays)

• Pension scheme with 4.5% employer contribution, matched up to 6.5%

• Life assurance (3× annual salary)

• Enhanced sick pay and family-friendly pay

• Birthday leave and the option to buy up to 5 extra days’ annual leave

• Professional fee reimbursement for relevant qualifications

• 24/7 online GP access and Employee Assistance Programme

• Recognition and long service awards via our Way to Go and Aspirations portals

• £500 Recommend a Friend bonus

• Cycle to Work scheme and Credit Union membership

• Discounts via Blue Light Card, Charity Discounts, Extras and Tickets for Good

• Free will writing service and wellbeing initiatives throughout the year.

Inclusion and accessibility 

Waythrough is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities, especially those with lived experience of the issues we support. 

We have signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme  - all applicants are welcome, and adjustments can be made to enable fair participation.