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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
Independent Age is the national charity focused on improving the lives of people facing financial hardship in later life.


The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Worcester Community Trust (WCT) is looking for a Director of Services to provide strategic and operational leadership for our community-based services. The postholder will be responsible for ensuring services are high quality, responsive to local need, financially sustainable and delivered in line with contractual, legal and organisational requirements.
The role will provide leadership and oversight to relevant Contract Managers, Team Leads and service teams, ensuring effective performance management, contract delivery, budget control, risk management, partnership working and continuous improvement. The postholder will contribute to WCT-wide strategy and work closely with the CEO, fellow Senior Leadership Team members and the Board of Trustees.
About Worcester Community Trust
Worcester Community Trust (WCT) is a registered charity that runs six community centres across Worcester, providing facilities and services for people of all ages. We aim to be at the heart of thriving communities — connecting people, building confidence, and empowering positive change.
Our services aim to increase feelings of wellbeing, reduce loneliness and isolation, offer specialist support for survivors of domestic violence, support people into training, education and employment and work with people to deliver local services especially for young people, families and older people.
Vision: To work with residents to build communities where people feel connected, supported and empowered
Mission: Bringing Communities Together by enabling the provision of services and activities for all.
Our values:
Key Areas of Responsibility
Strategic Leadership and Service Development
People Leadership and Management
Contract, Performance and Quality Management
Financial Management and Sustainability
Risk, Governance and Compliance
Partnerships and Representation
Safeguarding, Health & Safety and Organisational Responsibilities
For full details including a Person Specification, please download the Recruitment Pack here
What you get…
What we offer…
Representing the City
WCT is committed to equality of opportunity, fairness and inclusion, and to being representative of the communities we serve. We welcome applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences.
To apply please visit our website.
Closing Date: Sunday 4th October 2026
To work with residents to build communities where people feel connected, supported and empowered
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
£33,964 per annum
Fixed term (12 months)
Part home/Part office (London) based
UNICEF ensures more of the world’s children are vaccinated, educated and protected than any other organisation. We have done more to influence laws and policies to help protect children than anyone else. We get things done. And we’re not going to stop until the world is a safe place for all our children.
This is a great opportunity to join the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) for someone looking to develop their career in high-value fundraising within one of UNICEF UK's most ambitious growth areas. Working alongside experienced relationship managers, you will help steward major philanthropic partnerships and contribute to securing transformational seven-figure gifts that create lasting impact for children worldwide.
The ideal candidate will be supporter-driven and mission-aligned, with the ability to build positive relationships that balance supporter needs with the best interests of children. They will be an effective communicator who can manage competing priorities, convey complex information clearly, and collaborate confidently across teams and with high-value supporters.
They will also be results-focused and resilient, using insight and learning to improve performance, adapting to challenges, and taking a proactive, solution-oriented approach. Experience in donor communications, relationship management, event delivery, and the confident use of systems such as Salesforce and Microsoft Office will be important to success in the role.
Act now and visit the website via the apply button to apply online.
Closing date: 9am, Friday 25 September 2026.
Interview date: Week commencing Monday 12 October 2026.
In return, we offer:
Our application process: We use a system called "Applied" that anonymises your responses and focuses on your actual skills that are relevant to this role. This benefits you by giving you a greater chance of expressing your skills in this objective selection process.
We anticipate most colleagues will work one or two days a week in the office on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East London and the rest of the time from home. We will happily discuss other flexible options to suit your circumstances.
We particularly welcome applications from black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates, disabled candidates, and from men, because we would like to increase the representation of these groups at this level at UNICEF UK. We want to do this because we know greater diversity will lead to even greater results for children.
UNICEF UK promotes equality, diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We make employment decisions by matching business needs with skills and experience of candidates, irrespective of age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.
We welcome a conversation about your flexible working requirements, personal growth, and promoting a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.
The successful candidate will be required to apply for a criminal records check. A criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the role and the circumstances of your offences.
We only accept online applications as this saves us money, making more funds available for us to help ensure children’s rights.
If you require support in completing the online form or an application form in an alternative format, please contact the Supporter Care line during office hours.
If you do not hear from us within 14 days of the closing date, please assume your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. Please note that we only provide feedback to shortlisted candidates.
Registered Charity Nos. 1072612 (England and Wales) SC043677 (Scotland).
The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), a charity funded by supporters, raising funds for UNICEF’s work for children.

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:
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
We're here to help children and young people feel safer, happier, healthier and more hopeful – and have somewhere they feel they belong.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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
About you
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.
Benefits
Join us and you will be working for a caring charity offering:
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.
Please include your CV with a supporting statement of no more than 800 words. Your supporting statement should include an answer to the question below:
The MPS Society supports individuals and families affected by mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) and related disorders. What interests you about coming to work in this area, and what motivates you to contribute to supporting individuals and families affected by these conditions?
To transform lives through specialist knowledge, support and advocacy, and research.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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:
Who you are
Why White Lodge?
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.
This is a rare and rewarding opportunity to lead a well-established and highly respected charity, dedicated to improving the lives of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, sexual violence and rape.
S.H.E. UK is seeking an exceptional, community-focused leader with a strong track record in fundraising, relationship building and organisational development. At an exciting point in our journey, we are looking for a CEO who can strengthen and sustain our foundations, inspire support across our communities, diversify income streams, and translate our ambitious new strategy into meaningful action.
You will bring proven experience of securing sustainable funding from a range of sources, including grants, donors, community supporters and strategic partnerships. Equally important is your ability to lead with compassion, champion survivor-centred services, and build trust with a wide range of stakeholders.
As Chief Executive Officer, you will provide strategic, operational and financial leadership, ensuring the charity remains resilient, impactful and well governed. Working closely with the Board of Trustees, you will maintain the highest standards of safeguarding, governance and service delivery, while creating the conditions for long-term sustainability.
This is an exciting opportunity for an inspiring and compassionate leader to build on our achievements, bring our strategy to life, and help shape the next chapter of S.H.E. UK's development. This is a hybrid role, with a minimum of three days per week working in person from our Mansfield base.
If you are passionate about creating lasting change, have a proven track record of leadership, and are committed to improving the lives of survivors, we would love to hear from you.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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.
To provide assistance dogs to support those with disabilities and long-term medical conditions leading to safer and more independent lives.
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 make sure you are applying for the correct role you are interested in as we have two roles currently live.
Please ensure your cover letter addresses the person specification as that will be used alongside your CV to make shortlisting decisions.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
With a 110-year history, we are proud to be able to say that the WI continues to be the largest and most influential UK women’s organisation, with over 170,000 members. Our campaigns push for change on the issues that matter to women and their communities, from equal pay to climate change, mental health and violence against women. The WI has brought about real change, and this record of action shows that we are as relevant today as we were in 1915.
The National Federation of Women’s Institutes (the NFWI) is responsible for running the organisation and provides support and advice to members at both regional and local levels.
About the Innovation and Project Officer role
Supporting innovation across the organisation, you will help to develop and deliver programmes that grow our membership, reach and influence. You will lead the day-to-day management of pilot projects that test new initiatives and engagement opportunities with new audiences, monitoring and evaluating outcomes to capture insights and valuable learning that helps shape the direction of the organisation. This role will involve developing project plans, timelines and key deliverables to monitor project progress and ensure success. You will carry out qualitative and quantitative research to identify the current and changing needs of women to support organisational decision-making and drive innovation in everything that we do.
Location: Hybrid working, with one day per week at our London, Oxfordshire or Wales office.
About you
You should be experienced in supporting organisational development within membership settings, and skilled in project design and delivery. You will have strong data analysis and interpretation skills, with the ability to communicate your findings to diverse audiences. You should have a methodical approach to project management, and be able to confidently engage and build relationships with stakeholders and different audiences. Familiarity in overseeing budgets would be beneficial, as would some knowledge of the trends affecting the voluntary sector, but above all a passion for supporting initiatives that contribute to organisational growth and change will be key to your success in the role.
How to apply
For further information about this Innovation and Project Officer role, please download the recruitment pack which includes the job description and person specification.
To apply, please submit your current CV with a covering letter clearly explaining why you would be suitable for the role to the HR department.
Closing date: 15 September 2026.
First-round interview (virtual): w/c 21 September 2026.
Second-round interview (in-person): w/c 28 September 2026.
No other media or agencies, please.
The WI is proud to be an equal opportunities employer and values diversity. Reg. Charity No. 803793.
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:
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:
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.
CLP is a small but ambitious charity based in the heart of Eastwood in Rotherham. Our Vision: A thriving local community where people are happy, saf
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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
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.
Northern Ballet is the UK's foremost narrative ballet company.



Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
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.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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 make sure you are applying for the correct role you are interested in as we have two roles currently live.
Please ensure your CV and cover letter adequately demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the role as they are used to make shortlisting decisions.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.