Jobs in Heywood

Organisation: Life for a Life Memorial Forests
Location: Oldham (in person)
Working Pattern: 5 out of 7 days, including some weekends
Pay: £27,976 per annum (£13.45 per hour) 
Start Date: April–May 2026 (expected)

About Life for a Life Memorial Forests

Life for a Life Memorial Forests is a UK charity dedicated to creating living memorials through the planting and care of trees. Our forests provide peaceful spaces for remembrance, support biodiversity, enhance green spaces, and benefit local communities. Working with us means being part of a team that makes a tangible difference to the environment and the lives of the families we support.

We are looking for team members who are passionate about nature, enjoy working for a charity, and take pride in contributing to projects that benefit both people and the planet.

Full Job Description

As part of our Grounds and Woodland Team, you will undertake a diverse range of practical responsibilities to ensure our memorial forests are accessible, well-maintained, and thriving ecosystems. The role requires balancing environmental stewardship with compassionate support for visiting families.

Key Responsibilities

Memorial Forest Maintenance
Carry out seasonal tasks including grass cutting, meadow management, hedge cutting, and tree pruning. Daily maintenance tasks include planting medium to large trees and caring for them over time, as well as installing memorial benches and plaques.

Memorial Tree Dedications
Planting and preparing the memorial trees, and assist families during tree dedication ceremonies, offering guidance and respectful support during sensitive occasions.

Planting and Conservation
Plant trees and manage woodland areas in line with the charity’s environmental objectives and long-term sustainability plans.

Public Engagement
Interact professionally with visitors, explain the charity’s mission, and provide assistance where required.

Health and Safety
Ensure all work is undertaken in accordance with current health and safety legislation and best practice.

Equipment Management
Operate and maintain groundskeeping tools and machinery safely and efficiently.

Collaborative Projects
Work alongside volunteers, families and community groups during planting events and engagement activities.

Adaptability & Responsive Working
This role requires the ability to respond positively to changing priorities. Daily tasks may need to change at short notice due to weather conditions, urgent site issues, health and safety concerns, or family visits. The successful candidate must be flexible, calm under pressure, and able to adapt their workload accordingly while maintaining high standards.

Please note that this role is physically demanding due to the practical nature of the work and involves working outdoors in varying weather conditions.

As a public-facing organisation, we expect all staff to treat colleagues, visitors, and the environment with respect. Life for a Life Memorial Forests is deeply embedded within the communities we serve, and successful applicants must uphold our values and maintain the charity’s reputation at all times. High standards of workmanship, reliability, and personal conduct are essential.

The Successful Candidate Will:

• Have excellent verbal communication skills
• Be confident interacting with members of the public, including during sensitive situations
• Demonstrate a proactive, problem-solving attitude
• Be adaptable and able to adjust plans when priorities change
• Work effectively both independently and as part of a small team
• Take pride in delivering high-quality practical work

Essential Requirements

To be considered for this role, candidates must confirm that:

• You hold a full, clean manual driving licence
• You are confident driving a medium wheelbase, high-roof van (Additional training available if required)
• You are comfortable towing a trailer for transporting machinery (Training can be provided)
• You can reliably travel to our yard in Royton, Oldham (typically 8am or 9am starts)
• You are willing to work a 5-out-of-7 working pattern, including regular weekends
• You are comfortable working outdoors in most weather conditions

Experience ​and knowledge of working on land-based activities, managing woodland or previous experience in a related field, and experience with tree planting, pruning, and general landscape maintenance are desirable.​

If you are passionate about nature, compassionate toward others, and looking for a practical role where your work genuinely makes a difference, we would love to hear from you.

Role

The Programme Officer will manage day-to-day relationships with Degrees’ research groups based in the Latin America and Caribbean region, ensure smooth grant administration, and support regional events.

Key Responsibilites

Grantees

• Being the first point of contact for our grantees and stakeholders, including volunteer research collaborators. 
• Supporting research teams to gain access to, for example, modelling data. 

Grant management 

• Grant management, including onboarding and ongoing administrative support for the grantees of the various research funds at Degrees. 
• Processing payments.  
• Supporting the monitoring, evaluation and learning process in relation to programmatic activities. 

Events

• Working closely with the Events Manager, other regional Programme Officers and Policy Engagement staff to organise international events, including regional workshops in Latin America and the Caribbean.  

Administration

• Support the building and improvement of internal processes. 
• Contributing to the monthly call and research seminars. 
• Provide ad-hoc support as needed, for example, financial administrative support for grants and programmatic events, note-taking, organising travel, inputs to communications, working with Degrees’ senior management, board, volunteers, and partners. 

Key relationships

• Within the Programmes team forge close working relations with Programmes Director, Programmes Manager, other Programme Officers, Events Manager, Staff Scientist and Scientific Writing and Publishing Lead.
• Develop strong working relations with colleagues from the following teams i) Operations, ii) Policy & Engagement and iii) Communications. 
• Provide ongoing support for Degrees funded scientists based in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Qualifications

We are seeking a dynamic self-starter based in the UK, with experience in planning and running international events as well as academic workshops. As Degrees is still operating as a relatively small but growing team, the successful candidate will be flexible and motivated – prepared to turn their hand to whatever needs doing to deliver Degrees’ programme of work.

Essential

• A university degree in a relevant subject such as international development, international relations, public policy or earth sciences.
• At least two years’ experience.
• An understanding of climate change science and associated development challenges.
• Fluent in English and Spanish. 
• Strong organisational and project management skills.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.  
• Good analytical skills with an ability to distil key messages from complex information. 
• Strong digital skills.
• An ability to multitask, to set and deliver on priorities, and to work under pressure.  
• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work with people of all levels and backgrounds.
• Comfortable working in a dynamic, remote start-up environment.  
• Ability to travel overseas for up to a week per visit as required. 
• A commitment to the mission and values of the Degrees Initiative. 
• Legal right to work in the UK.  

Desirable

• A master’s degree in a relevant subject. 

• A degree in environmental science or international development.  

• Five to ten years of post-university professional experience 

• Proficiency in Portuguese. 

• Advanced digital skills, such as proficiency with advanced spreadsheet functions.

• Experience using CRM systems and Microsoft Office applications, with strong proficiency in Excel.

• Experience working in or with developing countries. 

• Experience in event organisation, workshop facilitation, grant administration, impact monitoring and evaluation, and/or budgeting and financial management. 

We are looking for a passionate and creative Head of Brand, Communications & Marketing to lead the next stage of our journey.

This is an exciting, strategic and hands‑on leadership role for someone who can confidently amplify our brand in the public sphere, drive meaningful engagement, and increase both supporter and beneficiary acquisition.

What You’ll Do

Reporting to the Director of Income Generation & Marketing and leading a small, high‑performing team, you will:

Brand, Communications & PR

• Lead and evolve Life’s brand strategy, ensuring clarity and consistency across all channels.
• Raise Life’s visibility with powerful campaigns that engage beneficiaries, supporters, volunteers and the public.
• Oversee media relations, PR activity, reputation management and crisis communications.
• Support and strengthen internal communications across the organisation.

Marketing Leadership

• Develop innovative marketing strategies that grow reach, impact and sustainability.
• Drive supporter and beneficiary acquisition through targeted, insight‑led campaigns.
• Use data, analytics and performance metrics to continuously improve marketing effectiveness.
• Provide inspiring leadership and development to the Marketing & Comms Team.

Digital Strategy

• Lead Life’s digital marketing approach, including SEO, paid social, PPC, email, content and inbound marketing.
• Create effective user journeys and optimise conversion rates through testing and analytics.
• Oversee engaging social media content and paid advertising campaigns.
• Ensure high‑quality digital design, content, and brand guardianship.

Website & Content

• Support the development of Life’s website, focusing on optimisation, content quality and user experience.
• Oversee high‑quality storytelling that reflects Life’s values and mission.

About You

You’ll be a confident, creative and strategic leader who brings:

• At least 5 years’ experience in digital marketing, communications or brand roles (charity sector experience desirable).
• Proven experience developing and delivering brand, digital and communications strategies.
• Strong understanding of digital marketing trends, analytics and audience insight.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience managing budgets and leading a team.
• A warm, values‑driven approach aligned with Life’s mission of humanity, solidarity, community and compassion.

About Life: 

Life is a national pregnancy support charity that helps over 60,000 people a year. Through our services, we help people – whoever they are – to meet pregnancy or pregnancy loss with courage and dignity so they can flourish. 

Our services include:  

• Supported housing and community support   
• Counselling and skilled listening   
• Free pregnancy tests and baby supplies  

Our values :

All our work is underpinned by the following universal human values: 

• Humanity – All people are special and equal 
• Solidarity – We’re with you and for you 
• Community – We’re better together 
• Charity – Doing good for one another 
• Common good – Building a better world 

Information about the role: 

For further information, please see the attached job description. 

Salary: £40,000 – £44,000 per annum

Hours: 35 hours per week (part time considered)

Location: Remote

Benefits:  

At Life we are passionate about providing our employees with a supportive and engaging environment. As well as ongoing development and training, we offer our:  

• Generous holiday allowance, starting at 25 days per year, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time hours) 
• Birthday Leave  (applicable after 1 years service)
• Additional annual leave for long term service  
• Company Pension Scheme  
• Signed member of the Menopause Workplace Pledge 

Safeguarding and Equality: 

Life is committed to protecting all staff, volunteers and service users from harm of any kind. Life expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct.   

We are committed to ensuring diversity and equality within our organisation by encouraging applications from all backgrounds.  

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks. Life takes its obligation to protect the rights of children and vulnerable people very seriously; therefore, the successful candidate for this post will be also subject to extensive background checking, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) which is paid for by the Charity.