70 Innovation business development executive jobs

Independent Age is the national charity working towards ending financial hardship in later life. 

Our Helpline and expert advisers offer free information and advice to older people without enough money to live on, while our external training equips professionals with the information they need to support older people on low incomes. Through our grants programme, we fund and support hundreds of local charities working with older people across the UK.  We use the knowledge and insight gained from our support services and partnerships to highlight the issues experienced by older people in poverty and campaign for change. 

We believe no one should face financial hardship in later life. We would love to find individuals from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds to join us on this journey.

Responsibilities and Person Specification:

As Head of Services Development, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Independent Age’s services and maximising our impact for older people facing financial hardship. Reporting to the Director of Services, you will lead service development, innovation, quality, evaluation and strategic change across our service provision (information, advice and external training) ensuring they remain effective, evidence-led and responsive to changing needs. Working closely with colleagues across the charity and external partners, you will translate strategy into practical improvements, develop new opportunities for impact and collaboration, and embed a culture of continuous learning, improvement and innovation.

We use the knowledge and insight gained from our support services and partnerships to highlight the issues experienced by older people in poverty and campaign for change.

We're looking for a strategic and collaborative leader with experience of leading complex projects, organisational change and service improvement programmes. 

You will be skilled at turning strategy into delivery, bringing together people from different teams and disciplines to develop practical solutions that improve outcomes. You will be comfortable using data, insight and evidence to drive decision-making and have a track record of stakeholder engagement and identifying opportunities for innovation and growth. 

You will also bring experience of impact measurement, evaluation, quality assurance or performance frameworks, with the ability to use evidence to demonstrate value and improve services. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are essential, alongside the confidence to influence senior stakeholders and work across organisational boundaries. An understanding of the needs of older people, the wider ageing sector and the role that data, learning and collaboration play in delivering social impact would be advantageous.

For full details on the role and requirements, please review the job description and person specification.  If your experience doesn’t align perfectly with all of the criteria in the person specification but you do meet most of them and are excited about the role, we encourage you to apply anyway. 

This is a full-time role, 35 hours per week, which you can choose to work over five days or a 9 day fortnight. 

What it’s like to work at Independent Age:

We celebrate diversity at Independent Age and champion the differences that make each of us unique. We actively support and encourage people from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and skill sets to join us and help shape what we do. We aim to attract and retain a wide range of talent and create an environment where everyone can feel safe, protected, welcome and included.

We offer great benefits including 28 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme with life assurance, and fantastic learning and development opportunities. We also offer a number of enhanced leave provisions and benefits.

We know that a good work life balance helps us perform at our best and supports wellbeing. Flexible working hours and hybrid working is standard for all (those contracted to work in the office usually attend 1 day per week). But if you need a different form of flexibility, we are always happy to talk flexible working. 

With an employee engagement score of 98%, colleagues say Independent Age is a great place to work. You can find out more about what it’s like to work at Independent Age on the careers page of our website.

Application Process:

To apply, please submit a CV and a Supporting Statement, detailing how your skills and experience meet the criteria within the Job Description and Person Specification, by visiting our jobs website.

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you require any specific arrangements or adjustments to enable you to fully participate in the recruitment process, such as having the job description in a larger text format or to apply in an alternative format, please get in touch with us via the email address on the ‘Contact Us’ page on our jobs site. 

To support our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion our hiring managers use anonymous shortlisting. Please don’t include your name, photo, or any information that could indicate your gender or age in your CV and supporting statement, and don’t include your name in the title of any documents that you upload. However, please do include all dates of employment.  

Independent Age is committed to safeguarding and follows Safer Recruitment practices to ensure we are safeguarding those we work with. We therefore ask that you supply your full work history with explanations for any gaps in the application documents you submit and, if offered the post, we will require a minimum of two employment references including your current or most recent employer. A BASIC DBS check will be carried out for the successful candidate.

Closing Date: Friday 25 September at 11:59pm

Interview Dates: Monday 12 October at our London office, 18 Avonmore Road W14 8RR

We are seeking an experienced, commercially astute and forward-thinking Director of Finance to provide strategic leadership of the organisation's financial management, planning and governance. This is a pivotal executive leadership role responsible for ensuring financial sustainability, supporting organisational growth, driving operational excellence, and enabling the charity to maximise its impact.

The successful candidate will be a qualified finance professional (or qualified by experience) with extensive experience of financial leadership, budgeting, forecasting, financial control, and strategic planning. They will bring a proactive and innovative approach to financial management, identifying opportunities for organisational development, efficiency, improvement, and sustainable growth.

Ideally, candidates will have experience within the charity, not-for-profit or public sector environment and possess a strong understanding of charity accounting, governance and regulatory compliance.

The National Biodiversity Network Trust is the UK charity dedicated to making biodiversity data accessible and useful. We co-ordinate the National Biodiversity Network, develop the NBN Atlas, support iNaturalistUK and are developing the NBN Record Manager. Our work connects biological recording, digital infrastructure and better decisions for nature across the UK. 

Our vision is Nature thriving everywhere, in all its diversity.
Our mission is Making data work for nature.

We are looking for an experienced leader to undertake a newly-created Head of Data & Digital role reporting to the Chief Executive Officer on a full-time fixed-term contract of 24 months.
 

Purpose of Job
 

• Lead the NBN Trust’s data and digital function, providing strategic and functional leadership across the NBN Atlas, related digital products and services, and the Trust’s wider data and digital portfolio.

• Line manages the Trust’s data and technical team managers, ensuring clear priorities, strong performance, proportionate governance, and effective delivery across business as usual, funded projects, and strategic development.

• Ensure the Trust’s data and digital work is led in a way that is inclusive, accessible, and supportive of a diverse range of staff, partners, and users.

• Deliver the Trust’s 2-year National Lottery Heritage Fund’s organisational sustainability project, “Building a Sustainable Future for the UK’s Biodiversity Data Heritage”, including the development and testing of value-added data and digital services, hosted products, and support offers that strengthen financial resilience without compromising the Trust’s public good role.

• Support the strategic direction, stewardship, and future sustainability of the NBN Atlas, related digital products and services, and the Trust’s wider technical delivery, ensuring that risks, opportunities, and investment choices are well managed.

•  Play an active role in the NBN Trust’s Executive Team, contributing to organisational planning, funding development, cross Trust collaboration, and external engagement where this supports delivery and the Trust’s wider strategic objectives.

• The role provides strategic and functional leadership across the Trust’s data and digital work, working closely with the Principal Software Engineer as the Trust’s senior software engineering lead. 

Main Responsibilities
 

Strategic Leadership and Function Management
 

·   Lead the Trust’s data and digital function, aligning work with organisational priorities, the NBN Atlas strategy, and the wider Operating Plan.

·   Provide strategic advice to the CEO and senior colleagues on delivery priorities, service development, digital risk, technical resilience, and future investment needs.

·   Translate complex technical, delivery, and service development issues into clear options, trade-offs, and recommendations for the CEO, Executive Team, Board, and relevant committees.

·   Lead, line manage, and develop the Trust’s data and technical managers, and relevant technical project staff, ensuring clear objectives, strong management practice, accountability, wellbeing support, and effective performance management.

·   Build leadership capacity within the function, supporting managers to develop their teams, handle performance issues well, and contribute positively to the Trust’s culture and ways of working.

·   Assess capacity, sequencing, and resource pressures across the data and digital portfolio, working with team managers to identify priorities, trade-offs, and resourcing needs and advise the CEO accordingly.

·   Work across the Trust to improve prioritisation, sequencing, decision making, and resource allocation across data and digital activity.

·      Champion inclusive leadership and equality, diversity and inclusion in team management, service design, recruitment, and ways of working, helping ensure the Trust’s data and digital function is accessible, supportive, and well-led.

Data Infrastructure, Services, and Innovation
 

·    Provide strategic leadership for the stewardship, prioritisation, development, and continuous improvement of the NBN Atlas and related data and digital products and services, working with the relevant data, technical, and programme leads.

·    Ensure data and digital activity support the long-term accessibility, usability, quality, and public value of biodiversity records and related digital services.

·    Lead diagnostic work, market testing, and service development to identify viable value-added data and digital offers, working with relevant data, technical, programme, and commercial colleagues to shape propositions.

·    Oversee the selection, development, and testing of pilot services, hosted products, training, or support offers, working with the relevant delivery leads and refining propositions in light of evidence, demand, legal advice, licensing constraints, and delivery capacity.

Governance, Risk and Project Delivery
 

·    Lead delivery of the organisational resilience project within agreed scope, time, and budget, with support from colleagues and external consultants as required.

·    Ensure major data and digital programmes have proportionate project governance, reporting, stakeholder, and advisory arrangements in place, working with relevant programme and project leads and identifying additional project support where required.

·     Commission and manage consultants and contractors, ensuring briefs are clear, outputs are practical, and learning is embedded in delivery, working with relevant technical or data leads where specialist assessment or oversight is required.

·     Act as the senior staff lead for the Data and Technology Committee, working in partnership with its Trustee Chair and relevant data and technical leads to support effective oversight of the Trust’s data and digital infrastructure, strategic development, risk, and associated governance.

·     Oversee function-level risks relating to data and digital resilience, data governance, licensing, delivery capacity, and service sustainability, working with the relevant technical and data leads to ensure specialist risks are identified, managed, and escalated appropriately.

·     Balance governance, assurance, and innovation so that data and digital systems support delivery, resilience, and public value without creating unnecessary burden.

·      Work with finance and programme colleagues to ensure accurate budgeting, reporting, monitoring, and evidence of impact.

Partnerships, Income Development and External Engagement
 

·   Build and manage relationships with key partners, data providers, heritage and conservation organisations, public bodies, consultancies, funders, and prospective service users.

·   Help shape and test future income opportunities, including service offers, hosted portals, training, funded programmes, and strategic partnerships.

·    Develop and support fundable and deliverable future propositions arising from the work, ensuring the Trust is better positioned for long term resilience.

·    Act as the Trust’s UK Node Manager for GBIF, leading relationships, coordination, and representation linked to the UK Node function, and ensuring this role supports the Trust’s wider strategic, technical, and partnership objectives.

·    Represent the Trust externally on biodiversity data infrastructure, digital leadership, service development, standards, and innovation, working alongside relevant technical and data leads where specialist expertise is required

Trust Wide Contribution
 

·    Play an active role in the Executive Team, contributing to organisational planning, business improvement, and wider strategic discussions.

·    Keep the wider NBN Trust team up to date with, and involved in, relevant data and digital activity as appropriate.

·    Contribute to Trust wide initiatives, events, business planning, and other activities as needed.

·    Share ideas, lessons learned, and opportunities openly to improve organisational performance.

General Responsibilities  
 

• Attend any required learning and development opportunities. 
• Collaborate effectively with other departments.  
• Contribute to a respectful and inclusive working environment. 
• Ensure commitment to continuous professional development. 
• Follow organisational policies including Health & Safety, Cybersecurity, IT, Finance, and EDI.  

The ability to travel occasionally is required, including international travel. Candidates must also be based in and have the right to work in the UK, and be able to work effectively from home. 

These are the criteria we will be looking for in your application. If you don't meet all of them in full, but can offer something else that would help you excel in the role, we'd still encourage you to apply.

Essential Experience and Qualities
 

·   Strong leadership experience in data, digital, technical, product, or programme roles, ideally with responsibility for teams, delivery, and strategic planning.

·   Ability to operate at both strategic and practical levels, moving between organisational leadership, service design, risk management, and delivery oversight.
·   Experience of commissioning and managing consultants, contractors, or specialist external support to deliver clear and practical outputs.
·   Experience of developing partnerships, shaping propositions, or securing income through funded programmes, service offers, or strategic collaboration.
·   Good judgement, with the ability to assess trade-offs, challenge assumptions, and make proportionate decisions in a resource-constrained environment.
·   Strong communication and relationship management skills, including confidence with senior stakeholders, funders, partners, and technical specialists.

·   Knowledge of biodiversity data infrastructure, environmental data, heritage data, or closely related fields would be beneficial, but is not essential if the candidate can learn quickly and lead credibly.

·   Experience of working with Boards, committees, or governance groups, including presenting complex issues clearly and supporting effective decision-making.

 

You will use a wide range of commercial and interpersonal skills to develop the way our services support children, young people and families.

The core area of your work will be working with teams of Barnardo's colleagues to produce compelling proposals to commissioners and partners in Scotland and Northern Ireland. As such, you'll be able to demonstrate:

• Strong organisational skills
• Meticulous attention to detail
• The ability to elicit and articulate great ideas
• Strong written and spoken communication

You will need to be a good writer, communicating ideas effectively on paper with an ability to analyse large volumes of information to develop clear and compelling responses to tenders. It is critical that you can build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support the development of proposals and service design.

You will manage all aspects of proposals and tenders, leading the development and delivery of bids, working to deadlines, ensuring that we present strong business cases and bids that underpin successful outcomes. In addition, there will be the opportunity to help us develop new services and innovations in priority growth areas, monitor market intelligence, assess commercial and contract risks and work alongside operational colleagues in Children's Services.

Your project management skills may have been developed in any sector, and may need further development, but your commitment to the work we do will be demonstrated by your enthusiasm and ability to learn. In Business Development we are a supportive team, with stimulating and challenging work and extensive opportunities to learn and to help Barnardo's transform the lives of the UK's most vulnerable children.

These roles will operate on a 'Work from Anywhere' basis, meaning that you can work both from home and/or from an office 'hub' that's nearest to where you live. Some travel across Scotland and Northern Ireland may be required.

Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date.  We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible

An exciting opportunity!

This is a rare and genuinely exciting opportunity to lead the UK's only dedicated charity supporting children, adults and families affected by MPS, Fabry disease and related lysosomal storage disorders. Following the current Chief Executive's planned move to become Managing Director of Rare Disease Research Partners (RDRP) in January 2027, the incoming CEO will take the helm of an organisation with over forty years of history, a trusted national reputation and a growing role on the international rare disease stage. The successful candidate will shape the strategic vision for more than 1,800 families, oversee the close partnership between the Society and its research subsidiary RDRP, and champion the patient and family ethos that sits at the heart of the organisation's work. It is an opportunity to combine ambitious strategic leadership with deeply meaningful, human impact, working alongside a committed Board, Senior Leadership Team and wider community of clinicians, researchers and pharmaceutical partners.

As our next Chief Executive, you will

• Define and deliver the MPS Society’s strategic vision.
• Provide confident oversight of governance, finance, compliance and reporting.
• Effectively manage the operational alignment between the MPS Society and RDRP.
• Always keep the members and family voice at the heart of strategy, service design and decision-making.
• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with statutory bodies, government agencies, pharmaceutical partners, clinical expert centres and other key stakeholders to support the Society’s objectives, influence policy and practice, and protect its professional reputation.
• Act as a visible and credible public voice to raise awareness, improve visibility, support, treatment access and outcomes for people affected by MPS, Fabry disease and related conditions.
• Collaborate with other rare disease bodies, patient organisations and other key audiences.
• Lead and empower the senior leadership team through effective delegation, early involvement in strategic discussions, clear accountability and support for individuals to flourish.
• Encourage an open, supportive work environment allowing creativity and building staff confidence.
• Help shape the future of the MPS Society.

About you

•  Self-motivated, with the drive to lead the organisation through a period of change and transition.
• Unquestionable probity and personal integrity, given the trust placed in the CEO by families, trustees and partners.
• Exemplary written and verbal communication skills, able to convey complex scientific and clinical information to audiences ranging from clinicians to families with no prior knowledge of MPS disorders.
• Strong self-awareness, with insight into their own leadership style and impact on others.
• Emotional resilience, able to sustain performance while supporting a community facing life limiting conditions.
• A collaborative and empowering leadership style, able to build trust, delegate effectively and help individuals across the organisation flourish.
• Genuine passion for the Society's mission, with a family and member-first ethos.
• Confidence to build relationships across a wide range of stakeholders, from beneficiaries and Trustees to politicians, media and pharmaceutical partners.
• A proactive, positive approach, comfortable reacting to change and organising their own work to meet deadlines.
• Confidence speaking publicly on behalf of the organisation and the people it represents.

Why join us?

A close-knit, values-led culture. With just over thirty staff across the Society and RDRP combined, this is a place where the CEO can know the team personally, work closely with families day-to-day, and see the direct results of decisions rather than managing at a distance through layers of bureaucracy.

• Genuine autonomy to shape direction. The Board is explicitly looking to the new CEO to bring fresh thinking on technology, AI, and digital tools, and to give real freedom to modernise fundraising, services, and engagement rather than simply maintaining what already exists.
• A stable foundation to build from over forty years of track record, trusted relationships and a strong national reputation mean the incoming CEO can focus energy on vision and growth rather than firefighting or rebuilding credibility from scratch.
• Proximity to cutting-edge science: the Society's close relationship with RDRP gives the CEO regular exposure to advances in rare disease research and treatment access, while day-to-day research leadership sits with the RDRP Managing Director, allowing the CEO to focus on strategy, people and sustainability.
• A high-visibility, high-influence platform. Regular contact with government, pharmaceutical companies, clinicians and international rare disease bodies offers strong opportunities to build a public profile and personal network well beyond the charity sector.
• A team that already shares the mission. Staff are described as passionate about the Society's aims, and as having a family-first ethos, so the new CEO inherits a culture to lead and empower rather than one that needs to be built from the ground up.
• Work with a different kind of return. Beyond salary and career progression, this role offers the less tangible reward of knowing that strategic and financial decisions translate, into better support for families facing some of the rarest conditions in the country.

Benefits

Join us and you will be working for a caring charity offering:

• A competitive salary
• Generous annual leave
• Extra leave between Christmas and the New Year
• Contributory pension
• Life assurance (subject to the conditions of the scheme)
• Employee assistance programme offering support 24/7

Further information

The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the UK.

The main duties, responsibilities and requirements of this role can be viewed in the job description on our website.

Salary to be agreed depending on experience and will be pro-rata for part time hours.

This is an essential car user post. The applicant must hold a current UK driver’s licence, with no more than 6 points, have access to a car and be able and willing to drive UK wide as required.

This senior role requires flexibility in working hours and location.  It is primarily offered on a hybrid basis with a minimum of 2 days in our Amersham, Buckinghamshire, office each week. As part of the role, UK and overseas travel is necessary, which may on occasion include early morning and/or evening working and sometimes overnight stays. We have policies in place to ensure that any unsociable hours worked over the weekend are fairly compensated through TOIL.

This role will require an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring check (DBS) details of which can be found in the job description.

For an informal discussion about the role or the work of the MPS Society, please contact Dr Fiona Stewart.  Contact details can be found on the full job description. Kindly note, meetings with other relevant people will be available to shortlisted candidates at interview stage.  

Chief Executive Officer – White Lodge

Location: White Lodge, Chertsey, KT16 0FA (hybrid, minimum 3 days a week in the office)
Salary: circa £75,000
Contract: Permanent, full time, 37.5 hours per week

Could you lead a charity with deep roots and a strong sense of community into its next chapter – creating greater opportunities for people with disabilities and/or neurodiversity to thrive?

About us

White Lodge is a leading charity supporting children, young people and adults with disabilities and their families. With more than 60 years’ history, we support over 2,500 people across Surrey and beyond through specialist services and facilities in Chertsey.

White Lodge is a community as much as a service provider, built around our values of ENABLE: Equity, Nurture, Advocacy, Belonging, Language and Empathy. Our Active Plan 2025–30 sets four ambitions: Enhance accessibility and social opportunities; Champion customers' voices in health and social care; Transform local attitudes; and Strengthen its resources.

With strong systems, governance and a diversified income base, White Lodge is well placed for its next phase. The new CEO will provide continuity while bringing strategic, operational and entrepreneurial leadership to respond to a changing funding environment and pursue new opportunities, including a children's services tender.

As our next Chief Executive Officer, you will:

• Strategy & Impact: Deliver White Lodge's strategy, translating ambitions into measurable outcomes and impact.
• Leadership: Lead and develop a committed workforce, fostering an inclusive, accountable and values-led culture.
• Governance & Finance: Partner with the Board to ensure strong governance, financial sustainability and effective risk management.
• Operations: Ensure high-quality, person-centred services and effective organisational systems and performance.
• Income & Partnerships: Diversify income and develop relationships with commissioners, funders, NHS partners and the wider community.
• Influence & Advocacy: Champion customers' voices, strengthen White Lodge's profile and help transform attitudes towards disability.
• Safeguarding & Compliance: Ensure high standards of safeguarding, regulatory compliance, equality and ethical leadership.

Who you are

• A seasoned senior leader with significant experience in a complex organisation, ideally within charity, health, care or wider public services.
• Experienced in leading substantial teams and complex services, with strong financial, operational and commercial understanding.
• A strategic thinker with a track record of organisational change, sustainable growth and measurable outcomes.
• Experienced in working effectively with a Board, commissioners, funders and strategic partners.
• An emotionally intelligent, inclusive and entrepreneurial leader who builds trust, creates clarity and brings people with them.
• A compelling communicator and ambassador, committed to equity, inclusion, dignity, safeguarding and ensuring lived experience shapes decisions.
• Experience of disability, social care, children's services or another regulated service environment would be advantageous, as would commissioned services or significant tender experience. Previous CEO experience is desirable but not essential; exceptional Directors or Deputy CEOs ready to step up are encouraged to apply.

Why White Lodge?

• Help create a world that is inclusive to all, regardless of ability.
• Lead an established charity with a committed team, strong systems and strengthened governance.
• Deliver the ambitions of the Active Plan 2025–30 and pursue new opportunities.
• Work alongside customers, families, staff, volunteers and trustees who share White Lodge's values.

Application

For full details of the role and how to apply, please download the full appointment brief. For an informal and confidential conversation, contact Jenny Hills at Harris Hill with times to speak and (optional but appreciated) a CV or professional profile, treated with strictest confidence.

Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 5th October 2026

As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.

We are seeking an experienced, inspirational and forward-thinking Head of Dog Training & Client Services to lead one of the charity's most important service areas. 

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and forming part of the Senior Leadership Team, this role provides strategic and operational leadership across our Training Department, including Puppy Development, Dog Supply, Instructor Services and Client Services functions.

This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated individual to shape the future of our training and client services, lead a dedicated team of professionals, and ensure the highest standards of support for both our beneficiaries and assistance dogs. 

As Head of Dog Training & Client Services, you will be responsible for the overall leadership, performance and development of the Training Department. 

You will work closely with senior staff to ensure the successful delivery of our assistance dog programmes, while driving continuous improvement, innovation and organisational growth. 

The role combines strategic leadership with operational oversight and is ideal for someone who is passionate about achieving excellent outcomes for both people and dogs. 

Business Development Manager

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (full time)

Contract: Fixed Term 12 months

Salary: £40k per annum

Reporting to: Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships

Youth Business International is a global network supporting young entrepreneurs to start, grow and sustain successful businesses. We bring together organisations around the world to deliver practical support, share expertise and create opportunities for young people to thrive.

We are looking for an ambitious Business Development Manager to help us grow and diversify our income and build new, long-term funding partnerships.

Working closely with the Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships, you will play a central role in identifying new opportunities across trusts and foundations, corporate partners and major donors.

We are looking for someone with a strong track record in fundraising, business development or partnership development, particularly in generating new opportunities and managing a pipeline through to successful outcomes.

If this sounds like you, you can find the full information in the job pack and we look forward to receiving your application.

To apply

PLEASE ENSURE YOU ARE APPLYING FOR THE CORRECT ROLE YOU ARE INTERESTED IN AS WE HAVE TWO ROLES CURRENTLY LIVE.

• Please submit your CV (maximum 2 x A4) and a cover letter (max 2 pages).  Your cover letter must address how you meet the person specification.
• You must ensure that these documents clearly demonstrate the expertise, skills, experience and competencies required for this role as they will be used to shortlist you.
• Closing date: Midnight 20th September 2026.
• Please note you must have an existing right to work in the UK as YBI is not able to sponsor visas.

Are you passionate about creating lasting change in communities?

We are seeking an inspiring, compassionate and strategic leader to become our next Chief Executive Officer.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a well-established charity that is committed to improving lives, empowering communities and creating opportunities for people to thrive. As our CEO, you will work alongside a dedicated Board of Trustees, staff, volunteers, partners and local communities to shape the future of the organisation, ensuring we continue to deliver meaningful impact while remaining financially sustainable and true to our values.

We're looking for someone who believes in the power of communities, values collaboration and inclusion, and can inspire others to help us achieve our purpose.

About the Role

As Chief Executive Officer, you will provide visionary leadership and be responsible for the overall strategic direction, governance and operational management of the charity.

You will:

• Lead the delivery of our vision, purpose and values, ensuring everything we do reflects our commitment to the communities we serve.
• Develop and deliver an ambitious strategy that responds to local need while building a sustainable future for the charity.
• Champion community voice and lived experience, ensuring the people we support are at the heart of decision-making.
• Inspire, support and develop our staff and volunteers, creating an inclusive, positive and empowering culture.
• Build trusted relationships with funders, commissioners, partners and local stakeholders, acting as an ambassador for the charity.
• Lead fundraising and income generation, securing grants, contracts and new opportunities that enable our work to grow and flourish.
• Ensure excellent governance, financial stewardship, risk management and compliance with charity law and regulatory requirements.
• Provide strategic leadership for safeguarding, ensuring robust policies, procedures, training, and reporting arrangements are in place and that the organisation maintains a strong culture of safeguarding and wellbeing.
• Oversee the effective delivery and evaluation of our programmes, ensuring we continue to demonstrate meaningful outcomes and impact.
• Work closely with the Board of Trustees to support good governance, strategic planning and organisational development.
• Providing appropriate oversight of CLP’s trading subsidiary, CLP Homes, ensuring effective governance, financial management and alignment with the charity’s objectives.

About You

You will be an experienced and values-led leader with a genuine commitment to social justice, equality and community development.

You will bring:

• Experience of leading within the charity, voluntary, community or social enterprise sector (or significant transferable experience with a strong commitment to the sector).
• A successful track record of strategic leadership and organisational development.
• Experience of securing income through grants, contracts, fundraising or partnership development.
• Strong people leadership skills with the ability to motivate, support and develop teams.
• An understanding of charity governance, safeguarding, risk management and regulatory compliance.
• Sound financial awareness and experience of budget oversight.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to represent the charity externally.
• The ability to balance strategic thinking with a practical, hands-on approach.
• A collaborative leadership style that empowers others and promotes inclusion, innovation and continuous learning.

Why Join Us?

This is more than a leadership role—it's an opportunity to make a lasting difference.

You'll lead a passionate team that believes in the power of people and communities. Together, you'll help shape services that respond to local need, influence positive change and create opportunities for individuals and families to reach their full potential.

If you are motivated by purpose, inspired by partnership working and excited by the opportunity to lead a charity with ambition, we'd love to hear from you.

Northern Ballet is looking for an organised, proactive and detail-focused Development Executive to join our friendly and ambitious fundraising team.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is a confident communicator, with experience in administration, fundraising or customer service who is looking to develop their career in arts fundraising. You’ll play an important role in growing support for Northern Ballet, nurturing relationships with our supporters and helping the Development team run smoothly.

What you’ll do

• Support the growth and administration of our Patron and individual giving programmes

• Help deliver engaging supporter stewardship

• Support donor and corporate events in Leeds and across the UK.

• Maintain accurate supporter and donor information within our Spektrix CRM database

• Support fundraising campaigns, appeals, trust and foundation applications, research and reporting

• Coordinate meetings, donor visits, backstage experiences, rehearsals and other supporter activities
• Provide high-quality administrative support and contribute to improving systems and supporter experience
• Work collaboratively across the organisation and support performances and events, including some evening and weekend work.

Why join Northern Ballet?

You’ll be part of a small, collaborative and purpose-driven team where your contribution really matters. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn, grow and make a meaningful impact through the work of one of the UK’s leading ballet companies.

Northern Ballet is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. We are a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria.

We are seeking a dynamic and highly motivated individual with excellent communication skills who will be a first point of contact with our membership network. 

You will proactively increase member engagement whilst nurturing existing relationships and demonstrating commitment to promoting the value of helplines. 

This role is supporting the Partnership and Engagement manager to deliver a sustainable membership and partnership model that keepspace in a constantly moving and diverse climate. 

You will be central in supporting HLP’s sustainability and will helpto progress continued growth and attract new and diverse collaborations. 

You will be regularly front facing with members and the wider public, so should be confident presenting on video as well as in person, and comfortable engaging a diverse range of stakeholders. 

The role is predominantly home-based with regular travel to meetings and events. 

We offer attractive staff benefits including 25 days’ annual leave rising with length of service, a company pension scheme, free life assurance and an employee assistance programme. HLP is committed to equality of opportunity. 

Stewardship helps Christians to be the best stewards of the resources God gives them.  

Every year we support tens of thousands of people with everyday giving through to strategic philanthropy, and help thousands of churches, charities and Christian workers to strengthen their finance and governance.

We operate with the financial scope and technical complexity of a mid-sized financial services institution, but with a clear Christian mission at our heart. Amongst other things, we safely received and granted out over £134m from our Donor Advised Fund in 2025, deliver payroll services to over 900 clients each month, reach thousands with our products and campaigns, and still have ambitious plans to grow.

The Chief Digital Officer (CDO) will see digital and technology not simply as a function or infrastructure, but as a ministry enabler: creating the systems, platforms and experiences that enable increased generosity, strengthen churches and charities, and scale Kingdom impact. A key part of the role is enabling scalable growth across both Giving and Ministry Services, with a focus on platform development, product capability, data infrastructure, insight-led decision making and innovation.

This role is a new addition to a well-established Executive team, who work with high levels of trust, candour and care, and who value laughter, integrity and grace as much as strategic insight and financial acumen.

The CDO will need to work from our office near Barbican, London at least one day a week. 

About School of Hard Knocks

School of Hard Knocks (SOHK) is one of the UK’s leading education charities, working in 29 secondary schools across England, Scotland, and Wales. Using rugby as a key delivery tool, we support young people who are struggling to engage in early secondary education - often because of anxiety, low confidence, disrupted home lives, or behavioural challenges rooted in trauma. For many of the children we support, life has already brought more hardship than most adults experience in a lifetime. Our purpose is clear: to help young people facing complex challenges break the cycle and move towards a safer, stronger, more hopeful future.

The SOHK Schools Programme is a two-year intervention working with cohorts of around 20 pupils from Year 7 through to Year 9. Pupils are selected by the school and are typically among the hardest to reach young people. Each week, we deliver half a day of rugby training and classroom sessions built around our 3Cs framework, covering topics such as growth mindset, goal setting, and decision-making, alongside monthly one-to-one sessions with every pupil. The programme’s impact is evaluated by SOHK staff, teachers, parents, and the pupils themselves.

90% of our participants report feeling more confident and more engaged with school after taking part, with long-term effects on attendance, attainment, and life outcomes. Find out more about our Schools Programme.

Since 2023, SOHK has been proud to partner with Impetus, a charity that invests in and supports organisations helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed. This partnership combines investment with strategic and organisational development support, helping to strengthen our impact and set SOHK up for sustainable growth.

We are proud to be delivering long-term programmes that meaningfully reach hundreds of young people each year - but the societal need is vast. Our ambitious four-year strategic plan targets growth, aiming to bring our impactful programme to hundreds more young people each year.

“Despite the usual challenges that every education or sport for development charity faces, School of Hard Knocks really is unique. It is not so much what we deliver at a programme level (which is of course brilliant) but who we are as a team. If you are a values-led leader and love the idea of ‘team’, then School of Hard Knocks is the place for you.”

- Ken Cowen, Founder and outgoing CEO

The Role

The CEO is the public face and leader of SOHK, responsible for the overall strategic direction, vision, and management of the charity - ensuring SOHK meets its mission and strategic objectives while maintaining strong relationships with Trustees, staff, supporters, and the wider SOHK community. We’re looking for a mission-driven charity leader and effective fundraiser, capable of building a sustainable growth model.

Strategy and Direction

● Be the face and voice of the charity - its principal ambassador

● Lead the development and periodic review of SOHK’s strategy with the Trustees and Senior Management Team

● Translate the 2026-30 strategy into organisational priorities, plans, and goals

● Ensure safeguarding, wellbeing, and the lived experience of young people remain central to every decision and growth plan

Programme Delivery, Quality and Impact

● Hold a high bar for programme quality and outcomes for young people

● Line-manage and support the Director of Programmes, working with delivery teams and partners to build a world-class, evidence-based intervention

● Ensure SOHK can evidence the impact of its programmes, with insights feeding back into constant improvement

Income Generation, Fundraising and External Relations

● Lead income generation across trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, individual giving, and challenges and events

● Line-manage and support the Head of Fundraising in executing a comprehensive fundraising strategy

● Hold senior relationships with funders and partners, building SOHK’s brand, reputation, and profile

Leading People, Culture and Operations

● Build and lead a high-performing Senior Management Team

● Foster a positive, inclusive, high-performing culture aligned with SOHK’s values

● Line-manage and support the Director of Finance & Operations, ensuring operational excellence

Governance and the Board

● Act as the primary link between the organisation and the Trustees

● Attend all Trustee meetings (held quarterly) and provide timely, accurate reporting

● Ensure compliance with all legal, regulatory, and Charity Commission requirements

About You

Essential

● Proven senior leadership experience in the charity, education, youth, or social impact sector - whether as CEO or as part of an executive team - including working directly with a Board of Trustees

● Demonstrated success in building or significantly growing an organisation, programme, or initiative

● A collaborative and values-led leadership style, with the ability to inspire trust, hold people to account, and build high-performing teams

● Strong track record of income generation, including securing significant funding from trusts, foundations, corporates, or major donors

● Experience of financial oversight, budgeting, and organisational planning at a senior level

● Strategic thinker, able to translate vision into clear plans and delivery

● Strong relationship-builder and communicator, confident with a wide range of stakeholders

Desirable

● Previous charity CEO experience - a bonus, but not essential; we know brilliant candidates come from a wide range of backgrounds

● Direct classroom, youth work, or education leadership experience

● Knowledge of the UK education system and youth policy landscape

● Experience of scaling a multi-site delivery organisation and working with local authorities

Personal Attributes

● Deep commitment to improving outcomes for young people, especially those facing disadvantage

● Resilient and persistent, able to work under pressure and navigate setbacks

● Collaborative, open, and reflective leader who seeks feedback and learns from it

Terms of Appointment

Contract type

Full-time, permanent

Location

Greater London, with offices in Edinburgh & Cardiff

Salary

£85,000 – £90,000 per year + £5,000 PRP

Reports to

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Direct reports

Director of Programmes; Head of Fundraising; Director of Finance & Operations

Travel

Regular UK travel, primarily to Edinburgh and Cardiff. Occasional evenings for stakeholder engagement and fundraising events

Trustee meetings

Quarterly, in London, in the evening, plus ad hoc subcommittees

Partnerships & Development Manager

Hours:  37.5 hours per week (full time)

Salary: £40k per annum

Contract: Maternity Cover Fixed Term Contract (currently until July 2027)

Reporting to: Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships

Youth Business International (YBI) is looking for a Partnerships & Development Manager who combines programme management expertise with partnership development and income generation.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys working across effectively managing an established portfolio of global programmes, donor partnerships and identifying, developing new funding opportunities.

Working closely with the Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships, YBI’s global network, internal teams and external partners, you will help connect impact with investment – using insight from an effectively managed programme portfolio and stakeholder intelligence to help shape innovative partnership models.

You will need to be self-motivated, adaptable, very organised and comfortable working with high levels of autonomy and pace.

If this sounds like you, you can find the full information in the job pack and we look forward to receiving your application.

Please note you must have an existing right to work in the UK as YBI is not able to sponsor visas.

To apply

PLEASE ENSURE YOU ARE APPLYING FOR THE CORRECT ROLE YOU ARE INTERESTED IN AS WE HAVE TWO ROLES CURRENTLY LIVE.

• Please submit your CV (maximum 2 x A4) and a cover letter (max 2 pages).Your cover letter must address how you meet the person specification.
• You must ensure that these documents clearly demonstrate the expertise, skills, experience and competencies required for this role as they will be used to shortlist you.
• Closing date: Midnight 20th September 2026.