Information and advice specialist advisor jobs

Please note: This post is restricted to women under schedule 9, Part 1, Equalities Act 2010

OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE

The Hospital IDVA (HIDVA) will be part of our dynamic, responsive and highly regarded HIDVA team, providing crisis intervention, advocacy and support to survivors in hospitals, both patients and staff.

Survivors are often in the immediate aftermath of a crisis, such as physical assault, drug/alcohol medical need, attempted suicide or self-harm and the HIDVA will work with hospital staff to provide high quality support focussing on a strengths based, needs led approach. The HIDVA will offer initial advice and crisis safety planning to the survivor, carry out assessments of needs and risks. They will also advise on criminal justice, civil remedies, housing and any other relevant matters.

We provide a visible and proactive presence in the hospitals and work in partnership with hospital staff to identify, contact and support survivors. The HIDVA team attend safeguarding meetings, ward/nurse handover meetings, deliver training and provide advice and support to staff around domestic abuse.

We offer an out of hours service (Friday evenings and weekend days) at William Harvey Hospital and Darent Valley Hospital on an alternating basis. The post holder will be expected to participate in an out of hours rota, working on average one weekend in four.

The Hospital IDVA will be based part-time in the William Harvey Hospital and part-time in Darent Valley hospital. There is also flexibility to work from the Rising Sun main office from time to time to attend team meetings, supervision and training.

We are looking for someone with an excellent understanding of domestic abuse and its effects on women and children, who has supported survivors with varying experiences and needs. You will be supported by our Head of Adult Services and HIDVA Manager and receive training and an induction into both the hospital work and Rising Sun’s wider services. If unqualified, we will support you to complete a formal domestic abuse qualification on passing your probation.

Equal Opportunities

Rising Sun is an equal opportunities employer. We recognise intersecting identities, and value what having a diverse team brings, both in terms of effectively responding to client needs, and engaging with each other at work. We encourage applicants from all sections of the community; especially from minority groups, as we are on a journey to increase diversity in our team. Flexible working is available in most roles, and we strive to accommodate the needs of all applicants and team members.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Support to Survivors

• Be present in the hospitals daily to respond to referrals or requests for domestic abuse advice and to meet with survivors. 
• Ensure that survivors are aware of their rights and options and explain the effectiveness of criminal and civil sanctions available to them.
• Produce safety plans with the client, enabling them to assess and manage their own safety.
• Carry out needs assessments, including DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour Based Violence) risk assessment, to effectively deliver holistic, survivor centred support.
• Work in partnership with hospital staff, safeguarding departments and other services e.g. the police, housing, social services, mental health (amongst others) to advocate for survivors and complete referrals to ongoing support services where appropriate.
• Attend Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) meetings and refer service users to MARAC when appropriate.
• Assist clients in gaining access to solicitors, benefits agencies, housing departments, education, medical treatment, counselling, support networks, community groups, employment support etc.
• Recognise, respect and address the needs of survivors who face particular barriers when seeking access to services, including those from minority groups or with protected characteristics
• Safeguard the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk; working within safeguarding policies, Child Protection Procedures and local procedures for safeguarding adults at risk.
• Maintain accurate client records, outcome and monitoring data. Prepare information or reports for the monitoring and evaluation of the service.
• Complete daily ward rounds to raise awareness and identify any potential DA support needs for staff or patients.
• Participate in an out of hours rota, providing an on-call phone support service to hospital staff on Friday evenings and weekend days as timetabled.

Partnership Working and Training

• Promote the HIDVA service in the hospitals and build positive relationships with hospital staff, in particular safeguarding teams and clinicians.
• Attend safeguarding, mental health and frequent attenders meetings to screen patients for potential domestic abuse and provide advice to staff.  Together with any other helpful meetings that may arise.
• Deliver training to staff in various health settings across Kent to raise awareness of domestic abuse, safe enquiry and appropriate responding.

General

• Uphold the values and good name of Rising Sun at all times, represent the organisation in a way that is consistent with its philosophy and ethos and in line with all Rising Sun’s policies.
• Actively participate in clinical supervision, training and development opportunities.
• Develop your understanding of trauma informed work and embed in your day-to-day practice.
• Maintain an up to date working knowledge to be able to advise women of their rights and options for seeking help and support from other agencies, such as housing options, legislation and welfare.
• Comply with organisational policies and procedures, including Safeguarding and Health and Safety.
• Undertake other duties and responsibilities in keeping with the nature of this post, as may be required from time to time.

This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time it was drawn up and will be reviewed from time to time. Duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot of themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post.

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

The successful candidate will demonstrate the following experience, knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Qualifications

• Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) qualification (desirable)
• Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ISVA) qualification (desirable)
• Health qualification (desirable)
   

Knowledge and Experience

• At least 3 years’ experience of working with survivors of domestic abuse, including high risk clients, and assessing client risks and needs
• Experience of co-producing short- and longer-term risk management, safety and support plans with survivors and their children
• Experience of delivering training (desirable)
• Experience working with the police, social services and MARAC
• Experience of lone working and able to work on own initiative
• Experience working with people with mental health needs, substance misuse, other complex needs
• Experience of working in a hospital / health setting (desirable)
• Knowledge of criminal and civil legal remedies and housing law relating to domestic abuse
• Knowledge of domestic abuse risk assessment tools including DASH and extensive understanding of the MARAC process
• A thorough understanding of safeguarding relating to adults with care and support needs and children
• Up to date knowledge of the welfare benefits system and the ability to ensure service users maximise their benefit entitlement (desirable)
• Knowledge of local services and DA Specialists across Kent & Medway (desirable)

Skills and attributes

• Ability to netork face to face and virtually, to develop new contacts and partnerships
• Ability to train professionals on recognising domestic abuse and responding appropriately (desirable)
• Ability to motivate yourself and work independently on your own initiative
• Solution focused and creative in approaching new challenges
• Competent using Microsoft office programmes, in particular MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Passionate about the aim and principles of Rising Sun
• Committed to equal opportunities, safeguarding and maintaining confidentiality
• Able to drive and have access to a reliable car (post holder will be required to attend meetings and across our areas of work)
• Able to work some evenings and weekends
• Eligible to live and work in the UK

Safeguarding Statement

Rising Sun is committed to safeguarding those we provide a service to. The successful candidate will be required to undergo a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check, a ‘right to work check’ in accordance with UK government Home Office guidelines, and to provide two references.

Benefits

We offer a number of benefits to team members including:

• 25 days annual leave per year
• A bonus day of leave for your birthday
• 3% matched pension contribution
• Access to Rising Sun’s counselling service
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Health care cash plan for you and your children for a number of health treatments (e.g. dental, optical, physiotherapy etc.) and also discounts in shops and attractions
• Up to four weeks sick pay in any 12 month period (eligible after probation period)

How to apply

For further information about both Rising Sun and this role, please visit our website. Please fill out an application form if you feel this role would be a good fit for your skills and experience, demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the person specification in your personal statement.

We request no contact from agencies or media sales please.

Job Purpose

This role sits within our crisis alternative service, Safe Space, which is a core and out of hours service providing a safe and welcoming space for people who are feeling distressed and experiencing crisis. Our aim of the service is to keep individuals well in the community and prevent readmission into hospital. The service operates 365 days a year from 14:00-22:00pm across all of our boroughs.

Staff within the service will provide person-centred, practical and emotional support, face to face or via telephone or virtual on a one-to-one basis to individuals experiencing mental health crisis or preventing crisis.

The objectives of the service include:

• To improve the mental wellbeing of people experiencing mental health and social crisis in HFEH.
• To proactively work with keeping people well in the community to reduce re-admitters into hospitals by working with WL NHS teams (e.g. discharge, LPS, CATT, MINT and SPA)
• To provide a true alternative to A&E via a non-clinical drop-in service to support clients
• To provide support to clients accessing the service- for instance: signposting, de-escalation and crisis recovery planning.
• To contribute to an improvement in individual mental wellbeing.
• To remain a source of independent support for all clients.
• To treat service users with respect, dignity and personalised support
• To raise awareness of mental health services available with the goal to improve long term mental health and reduce social isolation
• To increase self-management skills of those accessing the service
• To reduce the use of police, ambulance and statutory mental health services whilst experiencing crisis via a drop-in service.
• To reduce the use of statutory crisis services by people experiencing mental ill health without positive outcomes for the individual.

The Role

The role of the support workers will be to support the rest of the team in delivering interventions on a one-to-one. The role will also involve triaging and assessing all clients accessing the service, signposting and delivering collaborative self-management plans with clients to improve mental wellbeing.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing a person centred and recovery orientated approach in all aspects of the roles and responsibilities.
• Promoting people’ rights and responsibilities
• Considering each person as an individual
• Working collaboratively with clients to understand their needs and developing flexible and realistic crisis support packages/person centred plans
• Understanding of safety planning
• Experience with de-escalation, recognising and mitigating risks.
• Experience of working with challenging behaviour
• Listening to clients and encouraging positive steps towards self-management of crisis and recovery
• Good time keeping skills – Essential
• To attend all mandatory training including safeguarding and GDPR
• To work autonomously in a fast-paced environment and under pressure
• Providing advice, information, practical and emotional support to clients
• Proactively recognising the indicators of deteriorating mental health and facilitate appropriate action, whilst liaising with relevant agencies e.g. CATT, Emergency Duty Teams, CMHTS, etc
• Engaging with clients to show empathy, inspire hope and promote recovery
• Establishing supportive, empowering and respectful relationships with clients and carers/ family
• Maintaining accurate records, detailing interventions
• Ensuring that outcomes, outputs and impact are recorded
• Providing administrative support to the team
• Attend reflective practice, clinical supervision, peer supervision and line management supervision
• Create and maintain good working relationships with partner agencies
• Follow workplans and actively participate in training and development
• Provide and manage resources for clients and staff

Person Specification

• Minimum of 1 year working in mental health services and with clients experiencing mental health distress and crisis
• Experience of managing challenging behaviour and dealing with clients with complex needs
• Experience of managing safeguarding risks and understanding legal requirements for safeguarding adults and children
• Evidence of continual professional development
• Understanding of the Recovery Model in mental health
• Understanding of the principles of trauma informed care
• Understanding of suicide prevention and safety planning
• Understanding of the relationship between mental health and social issues and how these issues may impact on physical, mental and emotional wellbeing
• Understanding of relevant legislation and policies
• Experience of working with vulnerable individuals
• Creative and flexible approach to working with individuals
• Ability to deal with stressful and difficult situations in a calm manner and de-escalate challenging situations
• Awareness of issues in mental health service provision
• A good understanding of mental health conditions
• Experience of working with vulnerable individuals
• Creative and flexible approach to working with individuals
• Ability to deal with stressful and difficult situations in a calm manner and de-escalate challenging situations
• Ability to prioritise and manage workload
• Ability to involve clients and carers in all aspects of work
• Empathy and non-judgemental approach
• Good communication skills
• Capacity to work within an agreed shift pattern
• Experience of delivering information and advice (housing, benefits, debt etc)
• Experience of non-clinical, therapeutic interventions like psychoeducation
• Good IT skills including Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint, with proven ability to input and extract information and produce reports
• Car driver with sole ownership of a vehicle and willingness to travel to locations would be desirable.
• Ability to work out of hours and on weekends

WORKING WITH US

The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.

We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.

Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.

To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the page.

ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY

We’re looking for a passionate and driven HR professional to play a pivotal role in delivering our ambitious HR strategy and supporting the growth of our Federation.

In this high-impact, operational role, you’ll work closely with senior leaders to drive forward key business and HR initiatives.

From resourcing and employee relations to learning and development, you’ll provide expert guidance and hands-on support that empowers our management teams to thrive. You’ll be at the heart of our people strategy, leading on complex casework, championing best practices and ensuring our academies are supported with regular on-site visits.

If you're a proactive, solutions-focused HR professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about education, we’d love to hear from you.

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing professional and customer-focussed HR leadership, advice and support to academies to enable leaders to improve and support staff engagement, tackle workforce priorities, maximise workforce efficiency and achieve academy people objectives
• Influencing and supporting the strategic direction of academies by providing and analysing workforce information and developing HR initiatives to respond to needs or example, developing effective retention plans, improving sickness absence and reducing agency expenditure
• Coaching, supporting and mentoring senior leaders on people management practices, issues and priorities, through development of close working relationships and understanding of business challenges and opportunities
• Providing expert advice to managers in highly complex employee relations cases on the interpretation and implementation of the Federation employment procedures within the context of the legal framework
• Retaining oversight of casework, and line managing an HR advisor in the management of specific ER cases

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• Experience in a HR Business Partner or senior HR advisor role within a large complex organisation
• Experience of developing and delivery of strategic HR plans and initiatives
• Previous experience of managing complex Employee relations issues, change management, and restructuring
• Experience of supervising staff
• Educated to masters level in HR Management or equivalent level of experience of working in an HR role
• A CIPD qualification to Associate level or above

For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.

APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION

If you would like to discuss the opportunity further, or if you have any questions, please contact us via email to arrange a conversation.

Before applying please ensure you download the job pack from our careers website, this will help with completing your application. Please note that we only accept applications submitted online before the closing date.

When applying, you will have the option to import your CV or use a LinkedIn profile which will auto populate the online application. 

A reminder to check your junk mail for our email communications and add us to your safe senders list to ensure all future email communication is received.

OUR VISION & VALUES

Our vision, from the start, has been to provide the structure and services needed for our schools to amount to more than the sum of their parts, and to free-up our teachers and leaders to focus on one thing and one thing only: the outstanding education of all their pupils. Our young people and communities are at the heart of everything we do. Our core mission has always been to close the educational gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Our ambition is one where every child in London, no matter their background, has equal access to high quality education, giving them the same opportunities and potential to succeed.

We know there are many challenges facing our young people and the communities we serve, and that’s why we need determined people like you to help us tackle those inequalities. Whilst each of our academies has their own unique cultures and values; as a whole Federation, we have four core values which are central to successfully achieving our vision: Excellence, Collaboration, Support, and Innovation. We are proud of our values because they guide us in how we work allowing us to achieve the best possible outcomes for our young people, communities, and colleagues.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

Harris has a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

You will also have access to a variety of benefits, support programmes and initiatives including:

• Excellent opportunities for continuous professional development and career progression
• Annual performance and loyalty bonus
• Pension scheme (Teachers' Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contribution
• 26 days' annual leave (inclusive of our Christmas Eve closure day) plus bank holidays, rising to 27 days after 2 years' service, or equivalent for staff on term time contracts
• Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan including cover for routine and specialist healthcare
• Employee Assistance Programme for free and confidential advice
• Cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme
• Wide range of shopping, leisure, and travel discounts
• 20% off at Tapi Carpets, exclusive to Harris employees
• Interest-free ICT and season ticket loans

For most non-teaching staff based at our Head Office in East Croydon, we also offer lifestyle friendly working arrangements including flexible start and end times, and hybrid working with two days from home and three days on site.

Job Title: Deputy Helpline Manager

Location: Homeworking with a requirement to occasionally work at Head Office (Vauxhall, London)
Salary: £43,627.32 per annum (Inclusive of £3000 per annum London Weighting, which may not be applicable depending on your home location and any agreed permanent homeworking arrangement)

Contract type: Full Time, Permanent 

Hours: 37.5 hours per week. As part of this role, you will be required to participate in an out-of-hours on call rota.

This is your opportunity to join Refuge as a Deputy Helpline Manager, to lead, plan and deliver this incredible service to ensure that it supports as many women as possible in line with Refuge’s strategic vision.

Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline provides a first point of contact and a national gateway to services across the UK for women fleeing domestic violence and other forms of violence and abuse. The helpline will be handling 144,000 calls per year, and is constantly developing and expanding the ways that women can safety reach out for support exploring technological innovation. It offers a gateway for women and children experiencing domestic abuse by providing support, signposting, referrals and information about the services available to them.

The Deputy Helpline Manager will be working as part of a management team, leading, planning and delivering the service to ensure that it supports as many women as possible in line with Refuge’s strategic vision. They will be directly responsible for a large team of helpline staff and sessional workers and will work alongside the Volunteer Coordinators to support with the recruitment, training, induction and development of a large volunteer team.

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

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.

Closing Date: 09:00am 14 July 2025

Interview Date: Week commencing 21 July 2025

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.

We are seeking to appoint a Workforce Education and Training Development Manager to join our team at the British Psychological Society. The role delivers a variety of activity, predominantly linked to the area of pre-qualification such as accreditation, workforce development, qualifications and careers activity. 

This specialist role is integral to the Society’s work in supporting new innovations in workforce development. The key purpose of the role is to manage key initiatives and programmes related to the psychological professions, including apprenticeships development, standards developments, competency mapping, CPD activity and the identification of niche or bespoke education and training offers.

The post-holder will seek to identify and nurture broader access into the psychological professions, whilst ensuring quality is maintained. The role is largely externally facing, with responsibility for building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders across both the public and private sectors and all four nations. It is responsible for identifying future trends, representing and promoting the society and the psychological professions to external audiences.

In addition, the post-holder will work closely in collaboration with colleagues across the organisation, and external stakeholders, on a wide range of projects relating to the Society’s strategic objectives for Workforce, Education and Training.

To apply, you will need in-depth knowledge of the education and training sector, and experience in quality assurance and enhancement work in an HE, professional body or membership organisation. You must have an awareness of external policy drivers and an understanding of workforce development strategies. You should have sound project management skills and be able to develop strategic connections and partnerships with a variety of individuals. Full details are available on our website. 

This is a real opportunity to make an impact on the development of the wider psychological workforce. 

We offer a friendly, values led working culture with an excellent benefits package that includes: 

• Agile & flexible working 
• Generous leave entitlement 
• Occupational pension scheme 
• Cycle to work scheme / free eye care vouchers / Winter flu vaccinations 
• Tailored learning & development 
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Life Assurance
• Discounts scheme with national organisations

How to apply 

To apply, please send your CV and a covering letter detailing how you meet the criteria in the job profile. The closing date for applications is 23:59 on Friday 18th July. Interviews will be held on-line during the first week of August.

For further information about the role, please contact Gareth Cuttle, Head of Practice. 

The British Psychological Society is committed to a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, irrespective of your background or circumstances. We are only able to accept applications that can demonstrate a right to work in the UK, as we are unable to sponsor people requiring a work visa.

Job Summary

Location : Requirement to attend our sites in Basildon, Harlow and Thurrock if required and to team meetings quarterly.

Type: Remote

Salary: £48,000.00 per annum

Hours :  37.5 hours per week

Term: Permanent

Main Responsibilities:

Leadership

1. As a member of the Operational Leadership Team and wider Senior Leadership Team, work collaboratively and take collective responsibility for the strategic management and leadership of the organisation.

2. Work closely with the CEO, Treasurer and Board of Trustees to facilitate good governance and risk management.

3. Manage, maintain and develop all financial systems and control; increasing their impact and quality, and implementing best practices in financial management.

4. To supervise finance assistants and ensure that they are adhering to financial code of practices.

Financial Management

1. Lead and manage all aspects of the financial cycle, including budgeting, forecasting, fixed asset management, reserves & designated fund management and financial reporting.

2. Work with HR & Payroll Officer to manage and retain oversight of the day to day financial operations, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, banking and general ledger maintenance, including the reconciliation of petty cash, credit cards and all bank accounts on a monthly basis reviewing and approving payment runs and payroll.

3. Work with the CEO and Senior Leadership Team to prepare the annual budgets and forecasts.

4. Lead and manage the provision of regular budget monitoring and reports to budget holders.

5. Assist with the budget preparation for funding bids. Manage, monitor and keep track of any grants, funding or commissioned income, working with relevant managers to provide relevant financial information for inclusion in monitoring reports.

6. Lead and manage the provision of quarterly financial reports to the Board and advise them on financial issues as appropriate

7. Provide insightful financial analysis and reporting to inform and support organisational management, development and decision[1]making, and funding applications across the organisation.

8. Work with the CEO to prepare medium term financial forecasts for the organisation to support strategic decision-making and delivery of strategic priorities.

9. Lead on the audit process and the preparation of year end accounts to trial balance including preparation of the audit file and the closing down of the accounts on our accounting management system to ensure that the organisation is compliant with legal requirements and good practice.

10. To work closely with the CEO, Senior Leadership Team and designated Trustees to advise, review and cost the annual pay award.

11. To provide back-up and holiday cover for the processing of monthly payroll.

12. To work with and support the HR & Payroll Officer in providing payroll information and reconciling payroll monthly.

Governance and compliance

1. Ensure compliance with all relevant financial regulations and reporting requirements (e.g. Companies House, HMRC and the Charity Commission).

2. Attend Trustee Board meetings to report on financial matters, including the identification and management of financial risk, and provide any relevant reports.

3. To support the Trustees, SLT and line managers in managing our finances carefully and within our financial means, through provision of advice, guidance, support and training.

4. To be the main point of contact with external auditors.

5. To ensure that robust financial controls are in place, underpinned by appropriate financial policies and procedures and to ensure that they are adhered to and that the organisation is protected from fraud and error.

Closing date for applications : 21st July 2025

We’re looking for a Head of People & Organisational Development to lead our people function, drive culture change, and support our incredible staff and volunteers.

You’ll work closely with the CEO and leadership team to deliver our 2030 vision, fostering a culture of learning, inclusion, and continuous improvement.

Are you a strategic, people-focused leader ready to shape the future of a respected local charity?

We’re looking for a Head of People & Organisational Development to lead our people function, drive culture change, and support our incredible staff and volunteers. You’ll work closely with the CEO and leadership team to deliver our 2030 vision—fostering a culture of learning, inclusion, and continuous improvement.

What You’ll Do:

- Lead people operations, L&D, and organisational development

- Champion EDI and embed inclusive practices across the charity

- Use data and insight to drive performance and engagement

- Deliver cross-functional change projects that make a real impact

What You’ll Bring:

- Senior HR/OD experience, ideally in the VCSE sector

- Level 7 qualification (or equivalent)

- Strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills

- A values-driven mindset and passion for people and purpose

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a trusted, forward-thinking charity with a clear appetite for change. If you’re ready to lead with heart and ambition, we’d love to hear from you.

WORKING WITH US

The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.

We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.

Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.

To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the page.

ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY

We are seeking a dynamic and forward-thinking Capital Project Manager to play a pivotal role in the transformation and development of our school estate. This is an exciting opportunity to join a dedicated estates team and drive the delivery of our ambitious three-year strategic priorities, ensuring exceptional service and outcomes for our schools.

Reporting  to the Head of Estates and Projects, you will lead the planning, procurement, and execution of capital developments across our estate. Your portfolio will include the delivery of new school buildings, sustainability initiatives, and projects that enhance operational efficiency and environmental performance.

This role offers the chance to make a tangible difference: creating inspiring, future-ready learning environments that support the success of students and staff alike.

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Your responsibilities will include

• Project management of the priority, delivery, and budgets of the School Condition Allocation (SCA) projects from inception to end of defects.
• Project management and supporting the management of the condition and maintenance of the school estate, including the asset management processes
• Project management of the capital elements of academy conversion projects
• Planning, implementation, procurement, and delivery of a high-quality service in relation to all estate and projects work
• Managing and monitoring external technical advisors, and third party suppliers and consultants employed directly by Harris Federation
• Managing H&health and safety through the lifecycle of all projects
• Managing the consultations, admissions, branding, marketing, FF&E and uniform of all new schools
• Providing professional services to the individual schools and ensuring the Federation complies with relevant property legislation, regulations and guidance
• Assisting with the development of policies and procedures concerning the Harris Federation estate
• Assisting with the framework for all estates related statutory elements, including oversight of the implementation and reporting of audits

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We would welcome your application if you have:

• Qualifications to degree level, or equivalent experience in a project management environment
• Evidence of continued professional development
• Project management experience within Education, Not for Profit or Public Sector industries/organisations
• Experience of coordinating projects in complex and challenging environments
• Demonstrable successful delivery of project outputs to required time, quality and cost
• The ability to interpret and present complex information to inform robust recommendations for evidence-based practice and decision-making
• Proven and well-developed interpersonal skills, including excellent written and spoken communication
• Good administrative, finance and organisational skills
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 applications including strong Excel skills

For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.

APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION

If you would like to discuss the opportunity further, or if you have any questions, please contact us via email to arrange a conversation.

Before applying please ensure you download the job pack from our careers website, this will help with completing your application. Please note that we only accept applications submitted online before the closing date.

When applying, you will have the option to import your CV or use a LinkedIn profile which will auto populate the online application.

A reminder to check your junk mail for our email communications and add us to your safe senders list to ensure all future email communication is received.

OUR VISION & VALUES

Our vision, from the start, has been to provide the structure and services needed for our schools to amount to more than the sum of their parts, and to free-up our teachers and leaders to focus on one thing and one thing only: the outstanding education of all their pupils. Our young people and communities are at the heart of everything we do. Our core mission has always been to close the educational gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Our ambition is one where every child in London, no matter their background, has equal access to high quality education, giving them the same opportunities and potential to succeed.

We know there are many challenges facing our young people and the communities we serve, and that’s why we need determined people like you to help us tackle those inequalities. Whilst each of our academies has their own unique cultures and values; as a whole Federation, we have four core values which are central to successfully achieving our vision: Excellence, Collaboration, Support, and Innovation. We are proud of our values because they guide us in how we work allowing us to achieve the best possible outcomes for our young people, communities, and colleagues.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

Harris has a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

You will also have access to a variety of benefits, support programmes and initiatives including:

• Excellent opportunities for continuous professional development and career progression
• Annual performance and loyalty bonus
• Pension scheme (Teachers' Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contribution
• 26 days' annual leave (inclusive of our Christmas Eve closure day) plus bank holidays, rising to 27 days after 2 years' service, or equivalent for staff on term time contracts
• Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan including cover for routine and specialist healthcare
• Employee Assistance Programme for free and confidential advice
• Cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme
• Wide range of shopping, leisure, and travel discounts
• 20% off at Tapi Carpets, exclusive to Harris employees
• Interest-free ICT and season ticket loans

For most non-teaching staff based at our Head Office in East Croydon, we also offer lifestyle friendly working arrangements including flexible start and end times, and hybrid working with two days from home and three days on site.