766 Community programmes manager jobs

Job Title - Programme and Partnerships Officer (RJFN)

Contract - Fixed Term for 1 year, with the possibility of extension

Hours - 14 hours per week with flexibility across the working week

Salary - £12,800 per annum (£32,000 FTE)

Location - Home-based, with occasional travel to Coram Campus in London and other locations for meetings and events

About Coram

Coram is committed to improving the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people.

We support children and young people from birth to independence, creating a change that lasts a lifetime.

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity founded by Thomas Coram in London helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.

Coram is a leader in adoption and fostering, children’s health education, therapy, child and family law, and advocacy for those in and leaving care. The organisation has grown rapidly in recent years, both in terms of income and staffing, making an exciting and interesting place to be.

About the role

We are looking for an organised, collaborative and proactive Programme & Partnerships Officer to provide the coordination and delivery capacity that will help RJFN strengthen its national network and deliver its programme of work across advocacy, policy and practice development, research, training and member engagement.

Working closely with the RJFN Chair, members and partners, you will support member engagement, build and maintain partnerships, organise events and communications, and help monitor the network’s reach and impact. This is a varied role with significant autonomy and an opportunity to help shape a growing national network.

We welcome applicants with skills and experience gained through a range of routes, including professional, voluntary, community and lived experience. Knowledge or experience of racial justice, children’s rights, children’s social care, family justice or a related area is desirable, but we are particularly interested in strong organisational, relationship-building and communication skills, and a clear commitment to racial justice and anti-racist practice.

If you enjoy bringing people together, building relationships, communicating creatively and helping turn ideas into action, and you share our commitment to racial justice, we would love to hear from you!

To apply for this role, please click on the 'apply now' button below to complete the application.

Closing Date: Monday 12th October 2026 23.59pm

Interview Date: Thursday 22nd October 2026

Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from global majority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBQT+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.

If applicants feel comfortable, we would encourage them to draw on lived experience as well as professional experience in their personal statement as part of their application.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Registered Charity No. 312278.

We are looking for a dynamic, passionate and performance-driven Area Manager for Staffordshire, to lead and manage commissioned services for all victims of crime, including domestic abuse (all risk levels) and anti-social behaviour. The local services also work with those who harm through both the behaviour change and restorative justice services. All services support both adults and children/young people, and offer professional training, awareness and engagement activity. There are dedicated services to support domestic abuse victims/survivors within Safe Accommodation and at Family Court.

This role is full time, regular travel across the area is required and attending Area Manager and other Victim Support events that may be outside of area.

A good understanding of domestic abuse, trauma and the Criminal Justice service is essential.

What we offer

At Victim Support, we are committed to attracting and retaining the best talent. Our competitive rewards and benefits package includes:

• Flexible Working Options: Including hybrid working.
• Generous Annual Leave: 28 days plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 33 days plus Bank Holidays, with options to buy or sell annual leave.
• Birthday Leave: An extra day off for your birthday.
• Pension Plan: 5% employer contribution.
• Enhanced Allowances: Enhanced sick pay, maternity, and paternity payments.
• Exclusive Discounts: High Street, retail, holiday, gym, entertainment, and leisure discounts.
• Financial Wellbeing: Access to our financial wellbeing hub and salary-deducted finance.
• Wellbeing Support: Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support.
• Inclusive Networks: Access to EDI networks and colleague cafes.
• Sustainable Travel: Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loans.
• Career Development: Ongoing training and support with opportunities for career progression.

About the Role

As Area Manager you will oversee delivery of high-quality services across Staffordshire. This includes:

• Oversight of Operational Managers and the overall performance of the various services commissioned
• Developing service delivery/improvement plans and social value plans for each of the services
• Managing service budgets and identifying income generation and/or fundraising opportunities to support business development
• Driving continuous improvement of performance through use of data and other information to ensure teams perform to the highest standards at all times
• Building and leading external relationships promoting positive working relationships to ensure joint working and pathways that lead to the best possible standard of support and outcomes for service users
• Ensuring we listen to and co-design services to meet the needs of our service users, to a standard expected of our commissioners and partners.

You will develop and maintain effective relationships and formal partnerships with key stakeholders, attending strategic boards for domestic abuse and community safety. You will strategically lead on local service promotion and development. You will be responsible for service compliance with national Victim Support service delivery standards and best practice guidelines; plus a range of external accreditation standards, such as Safelives Leading Lights. You will represent the charity in an appropriate and professional manner to commissioners, stakeholders, external bodies and the media, whilst acting as a voice for victims to the wider community.

Key Responsibilities

• ensure high quality, efficient and responsive services to service users
• income growth and partnership opportunities
• building relationships with commissioning bodies and other stakeholders
• team development, and the monitoring of performance and quality
• good understanding of government policy in regard to VAWG, Criminal Justice and community safety

Please note that travel across Staffordshire is an essential part of this role and you may be asked to work unsociable hours on occasion. You must be able to attend in person meetings with commissioners and partners as well as attending offices regularly to meet with the local teams.

About Us

Victim Support is an independent charity dedicated to supporting people affected by crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales. We put them at the heart of our organisation and our support and campaigns are informed and shaped by them and their experiences.

Victim Support are committed to recruiting with care and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and Disclosed Barring Service checks may be required.

At Victim Support, we're proud to celebrate diversity and create a workplace where everyone feels they belong. We're committed to being an antiracist organisation, and we actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those from Black and Asian and other minoritised communities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we will offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet all essential criteria for a job where it is practicable to do so. We are also happy to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment and selection process.

How to apply

To apply for this role please follow the link below to the Jobs page on our website and complete the application form demonstrating how you meet the essential shortlisting criteria.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if we receive enough suitable applications to take forward to interview prior to the published closing date. If you have already registered & started an application, then we will contact you to advise of the amended closing date wherever possible.

Saferworld is seeking an experienced Programme Development Manager to join our Funding & Programme Development Team. The Programme Development Manager will support a portfolio of Saferworld’s teams in co-designing and mobilising funding for peace, security and justice programmes alongside Saferworld’s partners. The successful applicant will have a focus of 3-4 countries, which will be decided based on the candidate’s experience and preference. Working closely with Regional Directors, Country Managers, and programme and grant management colleagues, the post-holder will lead on: coordinating and facilitating programme co-design processes (including taking the lead in facilitating co-design, processes, drafting high quality concept notes and proposals, theories of change, logical models, risk matrixes and budgets); developing and supporting the implementation of long-term country funding strategies; and supporting new donor engagement and sustaining relationships with current donors. The post-holder will be responsible for managing funding portfolios across institutional and non-institutional donors in our programmes.

The post-holder will have a successful track record in developing programmes and leading new business development efforts with institutional donors such as Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the European Union (EU), UN agencies and European Governments such as Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Additional experience in mobilising resource from trusts and foundations and other non-traditional funding mechanisms is desirable.

Strong applicants will have proven programme experience, such as in project management or programme support, which equips them to lead and inform high-quality programme design. They will be skilled in coordinating complex processes, facilitating participatory co-creation with partners, and ensuring proposals are robust, contextually relevant, and strategically aligned.

Action for Conservation exists to empower the next generation of environmental leaders — placing young people at the heart of action for nature and the climate. We are looking for a Fundraising Manager — Trusts and Foundations to take the lead on our income generation from trusts, foundations and statutory sources, ensuring our charity continues to grow sustainably and to bring the magic of nature into young people’s lives. 

Key details

Contract type: Permanent, full-time
Start date: December 2026 or January 2027, exact date to be agreed
Starting salary: £38,035 - £42,203 depending on location and experience
Location: London, Bristol or Manchester (hybrid) would be preferred; we are open to a remote hire for the right candidate
Hours of work: 35 hours on a 5-day working week. We operate a 9-day fortnight scheme with every other Friday off. Some evening and weekend work will be required, for which time off in lieu (TOIL) can be taken.
Travel: Occasional travel to London and our other active regions for meetings and events

About the role

As Fundraising Manager - Trusts & Foundations, you will play a crucial role in shaping and implementing our fundraising strategy. You will work closely with the Fundraising Manager - Philanthropy and Partnerships and the Chief Executive Officer to grow and diversify Action for Conservation’s income, taking responsibility for our trusts and foundations revenue stream. You will be the driving force behind our grant applications and reports, producing compelling fundraising content that drives donor engagement and maximises income opportunities. You will be able to distill and transform information from various sources about our projects and programmes, including impact data, into readable, persuasive narratives about our work tailored to donor interests and criteria. You will also manage the trusts and foundations pipeline, from researching new prospects and identifying the most appropriate approach for each funder to coordinating grant administration, monitoring and reporting. Through everything you do, you will maintain and build on existing funder relationships and proactively nurture new ones, enabling us to attract and retain funders year after year.

We are looking for a driven and passionate individual with a track record of securing one-off and/or multi-year five- to six-figure grants, who is comfortable managing multiple prospects, deadlines and priorities. To succeed in this role, you will be a skilled and persuasive written communicator with a keen eye for detail, excellent organisation and time-management skills and a positive, flexible and highly proactive approach to your work.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development of our fundraising strategy and annual fundraising plans in line with delivery targets, strategic goals and funding needs; monitor and report on fundraising performance.
• Grow and diversify income from trusts, foundations and statutory funding sources, taking the lead on identifying new opportunities, drafting compelling funding applications and managing the grant fundraising pipeline. 
• Manage all grant administration, monitoring and reporting to funders, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and deadlines.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with funders from trusts, foundations and statutory bodies, encouraging ongoing and increased support.

Please see the Recruitment Pack for a full job description and the skills, knowledge and experience we are looking for.

Why work with us?

You will be joining a dynamic, mission-driven and closely-knit team who truly love what they do. It goes without saying that we work hard, but we also maintain a positive work-life balance and emphasize spending time outdoors. Some of the benefits of working with Action for Conservation are:

• A 9-day fortnight, with every other Friday off
• Flexible working (with a possibility for a fully remote role for the right candidate)
• 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays, increasing up to 30 days with each year served
• Up to 5 professional development leave days and up to 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Enhanced family and sick leave, and a workplace pension scheme with 4% pension contributions
• A robust training package and ongoing development opportunities to support your progression and career
• Regular team away days with the opportunity to spend time outdoors and gain practical conservation skills 
• Opportunities to share your voice and shape the direction of our work

How to apply

The deadline for applications is Wednesday, 21 October at midnight. To be considered for the role, you must apply via our online application form. Click on the "Apply" button or visit our website to access the application form. Full details about the vacancy and application process are available in the enclosed Recruitment Pack.Please note that interviews will be held remotely in the w/c 02 November.

Our commitment to diversity and Guaranteed Interview Scheme

Diversity is one of our core values as an organisation and we are committed to creating an inclusive working environment where diversity is valued and there is equality of opportunity. We also recognise that the climate and ecological crisis disproportionately impacts minority and/or marginalised communities – yet these voices are largely underrepresented in the sector. Currently, the environmental sector is the second least diverse in the UK, with just 4.8% of employees from ethnic minority backgrounds. If the environmental movement is to succeed in creating a greener future that supports society as a whole, we need diverse voices at the heart of our programmes. We therefore encourage people from demographics that are currently underrepresented in the environmental movement to apply. 

We particularly encourage applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds or living with a disability or long-term health conditions. We will offer an interview to any candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds or living with a disability who opt into our Guaranteed Interview Scheme when applying and who meet the essential criteria for this role.

If you would like further information, support with access requirements, such as an adjustment to the application or interview process, or an informal chat, please get in touch.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead IRMO’s Advice service. As Advice Casework Manager you will oversee both immigration and welfare & housing casework, managing casework allocation and maintaining rigorous standards across all work. You will provide line management, support staff development and oversee monitoring and evaluation to create accurate reports for funders and senior management. You will also manage a personal caseload, in line with your previous experience. 

IRMO’s Advice service provides trusted information, resources, advice and casework in Spanish and Portuguese on key areas of need, including immigration, welfare entitlements, housing and homelessness prevention. IRMO is accredited by the Advice Quality Standard (AQS) and the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) at Level 3. We are also members of Advice UK and receive second-tier support from Southwark Law Centre.

As part of our Advice for All partnership, you will oversee the delivery of our Advice Workforce Development Programme, working in close collaboration with our partner organisations. This includes supporting the training and development of year-long cohorts of immigration and welfare & housing trainees, as well as strengthening the skills and practice of our existing advice workforce. 

To succeed in this role, you’ll bring strong experience as a senior caseworker and line manager, with a track record of delivering high-quality advice against targets and communicating impact clearly. You’ll be confident in managing people and priorities, with a leadership style that brings out the best in your team.

You’ll also have a strong understanding of the barriers Latin Americans face in accessing immigration, welfare, housing, health and other essential services in the UK, and a genuine passion for advancing the rights and welfare of migrants and refugees.

Support, Guide and Lead Services That Change Lives

This is your opportunity to provide leadership to services that make a real difference to people, families and communities across Lancashire. Join a values-led organisation where your leadership will help shape services, support talented teams, and create positive, lasting change.

At New Era North West, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive. For over 40 years, we have worked alongside children, young people, adults and families to reduce inequality, improve wellbeing, increase opportunities and build stronger communities. Through our work in employment, skills and education, health and wellbeing, and family and community services, we help people overcome challenges, build resilience and achieve their potential. 

As our Charitable Service Lead, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across our charitable services, ensuring they remain high quality, responsive and focused on delivering meaningful outcomes. Working closely with the CEO, Operations Manager and Leadership Team, you will provide direction, guidance and support to service managers and practitioners, enabling them to deliver high-quality services that achieve positive outcomes for the people and communities we serve. You'll play a key role in developing confident, capable teams, fostering a positive and supportive culture, and ensuring our services continue to make a lasting difference across Lancashire. 

This role offers the opportunity to influence the future direction of a respected and growing organisation. You'll lead and support passionate teams, develop strong partnerships, and help create a positive workplace culture where people feel valued, supported and empowered to do their best work. We're looking for someone who can inspire others, bring people together, and balance strategic thinking with a practical approach to leadership.

What We Offer

• Salary: £38,428.46 per annum 
• Contract: Permanent, full-time (37 hours per week)
• Location: Burnley, Lancashire, with travel across service areas required (essential car user) 
• Annual Leave: 32 days per year 
• The opportunity to shape and influence services that improve lives and strengthen communities.
• A supportive, values-driven culture built on Care, Support and Belief.
• The chance to work alongside committed colleagues who are passionate about making a difference.
• A senior leadership role where your ideas, experience and vision can have a genuine impact.

If you are passionate about creating opportunities, supporting communities and leading services that deliver real social impact, we'd love to hear from you. Join us and help challenge inequality, strengthen communities and transform lives.

Mission Without Borders (MWB) is a Christian organisation working in some of the most challenging contexts in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine. We come alongside children, families, and communities living in poverty, offering practical, emotional and spiritual support, to enable people to move towards self-sufficiency.

MWB UK is entering an exciting period of growth. With an ambitious five‑year plan underway, we are seeking to strengthen our work with major donors, charitable trusts, foundations, and Gift‑in‑Kind (GIK) partners to expand our impact and reach more people in need.

We are now seeking an exceptional Trusts & Foundations Manager to help drive this mission forward.

About the role

This is a pivotal and high‑impact role, perfect for a talented relationship‑based fundraiser who is motivated by purpose, strategy, and the power of partnership.

You will:

· Build and manage a strong portfolio of relationships with Trusts and Foundations, developing tailored engagement plans that inspire deep and long‑term support.

· Grow income from charitable trusts, foundations, and statutory funders through high‑quality applications and outstanding stewardship.

· Lead MWB UK’s Gift‑in‑Kind strategy, securing in‑kind products and managing the logistics journey from offer to delivery into field countries.

· Craft compelling proposals and impact reports that clearly articulate MWB’s vision and programme outcomes.

· Collaborate with passionate colleagues across MWB’s international network to identify funding priorities, shape supporter experiences, and maximise impact.

· Contribute strategically to MWB UK’s fundraising plans, spotting opportunities, and driving income growth.

This role blends hands‑on relationship management with strategic ownership.  This is ideal for someone who thrives on initiative, creativity, and wants to see their work translate into real, tangible change for vulnerable people.

About you

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

· Proven experience securing income from charitable trusts, foundations and corporate partners.

· Excellent relational skills with the ability to connect, inspire, and build trust.

· Strong written and verbal communication skills, including crafting persuasive proposals.

· A proactive, organised, detail‑driven approach with the ability to prioritise effectively.

· A genuine alignment with MWB’s Christian ethos and values.

If MWB’s vision is a cause that inspires you and the position fits with your skills, values and experience, then we would love to hear from you.

The position offers flexibility with a mix of home working and office based to be discussed. This is a 2 day per week position but will likely increase as we grow.

What we offer

· Pro rata 30 days holiday per year, plus bank holidays

· Flexible working

· Employee Assistance Programme

· Pension scheme

· Opportunities to travel to projects in our field countries, as required

How to apply

Please send a covering letter of no more than 2 pages highlighting your reasons for applying and explaining your how your skills, experience and values align with the role.

Please see the Job Description below for more details.  If an informal conversation about the role would help, please call us on 020 794 1370.

We are actively interviewing as applications come in, so please apply now.

London Play is looking for an experienced and proactive Network Manager to lead the development of the Wilder Play Network, an ambitious initiative bringing together six adventure playgrounds across London to strengthen their role as community green spaces.

This is an exciting opportunity to work at the intersection of play, community engagement and environmental improvement, supporting organisations that make a real difference to children and communities in some of London's most disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

About the role

As Wilder Play Network Manager, you'll be responsible for building and coordinating a network of partner organisations, supporting collaboration, learning and shared action across the programme.

Working closely with playground staff, local communities and strategic partners, you'll help deliver environmental improvements, support biodiversity projects, coordinate learning opportunities and ensure the programme creates lasting impact.

You'll also play an important role in helping establish the Wilder Play Network as a recognised voice for adventure playgrounds within London's green infrastructure and play sectors.

About you

We're looking for someone who can build strong relationships and bring people together around a shared vision.

You'll have experience managing projects involving multiple stakeholders and be comfortable coordinating activity, monitoring progress and supporting partners to achieve their goals.

You'll also bring:

• Excellent partnership and relationship management skills
• Strong project management and organisational abilities
• Experience working with communities, voluntary organisations or community-led projects
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• The ability to manage competing priorities and work collaboratively across a range of organisations
• A commitment to equality, inclusion, community action and the value of play

Why join London Play?

London Play is a small but influential charity championing children's right to play and helping create neighbourhoods where outdoor play can thrive.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a high-profile programme that combines environmental action, community engagement and children's play, while helping build a stronger future for London's adventure playground sector.

Our role is often to act as the connector: bringing people together around shared challenges and turning ideas into practical action. Now we need someone to help us do more of it.

Compass Wellbeing CIC is looking for a Corporate Partnerships, Social Value & Events Manager, a new post at the heart of how we grow.

Working across corporate and community partnerships, our events programme, VCFSE relationships and charity partnerships, you'll help turn growing opportunities into practical activity, community benefit and income, with social value running through all of it.

Whatever sector you come from, if you can build trusted relationships and move ideas towards delivery, we'd love to hear from you.

📍 London (Hybrid) | 🕐 Full-time, permanent | 💷 £40,000–£45,000
Applications close Monday 5 October 2026 at 10:00.

Farm Discovery Programme Manager

Salary: £40,170 | Home-based | 35 hours per week | Permanent

This is a varied senior role combining programme leadership, team and contract management, quality assurance, safeguarding, data and financial oversight, partnership development and programme improvement.

You’ll ensure our Farm Discovery team has the clarity, support and resources they need to deliver consistently high-quality educational experiences for children from disadvantaged communities. You’ll also use data, feedback and evaluation to improve the programme, develop partnerships and contribute to its future growth and development.

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has a strong track record in programme management and leading complex delivery
• Is outstanding at enabling and leading educators and dispersed teams
• Understands the primary education context in England
• Can build strong relationships with schools, farmers, funders and partners
• Has experience of quality, safeguarding, health and safety and risk management
• Is confident using data, managing budgets and improving systems and processes
• Can communicate effectively and work collaboratively across an organisation
• Shares our commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for children experiencing disadvantage

The role is home-based, with regular travel across England and North Wales, including overnight stays, an essential part of the role. Reasonable travel and accommodation expenses are covered.

Hours: 35 hours per week, with flexible working arrangements considered, including slightly reduced or compressed hours for the right candidate.

Closing date: Thursday 8 October 2026, midday.
CVs not accepted for this role. Please see our website for more information.

Head of Strategic Programmes

Help shape the future of the Church across Sussex.

We are seeking an experienced strategic leader to oversee an ambitious portfolio of programmes designed to help churches and communities flourish and grow.

Position: Head of Strategic Programmes

Location: Hove/Hybrid

Salary: £61,149 per annum

Contract: Fixed term until 31 December 2030, with the possibility of extension

Closing Date: 11 October 2026

Interview Date: Hove on 30 October 2026

About the Role

Working closely with the Diocesan Secretary, Bishops, Archdeacons and other senior leaders, you will lead the delivery and continued development of the Diocesan Growth Strategy.

You will provide strategic oversight of major programmes and projects with a combined budget exceeding £10 million. This includes leading a multidisciplinary team, strengthening programme governance and ensuring investment delivers measurable mission impact.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the delivery and development of a portfolio of strategic programmes and projects
• Translating diocesan priorities into achievable plans and measurable outcomes
• Overseeing programme governance, performance reporting, risk management and evaluation
• Managing programme budgets, resources and delivery
• Leading, supporting and developing the Strategic Programmes team
• Building effective relationships with parishes, clergy, diocesan boards, senior leaders and national church partners
• Providing clear analysis, reports and recommendations to support strategic decision-making

About You

You will be a wise, experienced and collaborative leader who can work strategically within a complex, faith-based organisation.

You will have:

• Significant experience of leading large and complex programmes
• Experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders
• Strong engagement and influencing skills at all levels
• Experience of managing budgets, resources and programme performance
• Excellent analytical, communication and report-writing skills
• The ability to turn strategic priorities into practical plans
• The confidence and judgement to work effectively with senior leaders
• The enthusiasm and self-motivation to lead and inspire others

A Genuine Occupational Requirement applies under paragraph 1 of Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010, and the successful candidate must be a practising Christian.

Full details can be found in the job description and person specification when you apply.

About the Organisation

The vision of the Diocese is to help people to know, love and follow Jesus. Based in Hove and serving the people of Sussex across more than 360 parishes and 154 church schools and the wider community, this is a great role for someone who supports the ethos, aims and objectives of the Diocese and the Church of England.

As an employer, and as a team, the mutual values at work are to be Respectful, Professional, Flexible and Supportive.

What is on offer:

• 28 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays and two privilege days per year
• Membership of the Church Worker’s Pension Scheme with a 15.1% employer contribution and an employee contribution between 0 and 6%
• Employee Assistance Programme with access to GP appointments, counselling and financial and legal support
• Flexible working, free parking, a ride to work scheme and development opportunities

Our client is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment and comply with the relevant safeguarding policy. This role is subject to an Enhanced DBS check and completion of the Church of England Confidential Declaration Form.

Other roles you may have experience of could include Head of Programmes, Director of Programmes, Strategic Programmes Manager, Programme Director, Head of Strategy, Portfolio Director, Transformation Director or Head of Strategic Development.

Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client, Not For Profit People. #INDNFP

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

Project Manager: Voices for Health Equity (Maternity Cover)

Job Description and Person Specification

Job title Project Manager: Voices for Health Equity (Maternity Cover)

Hours 35 hours per week

Duration 11 months, ideally starting in mid November, with potential to extend to 15 months with mutual agreement

Salary Between £37,000 - £43,750. Placement within the band will depend on skills and experience, with the upper end reflecting significant, directly relevant expertise.

Location Hybrid work between home and our Vauxhall office, as well as regular travel to in-person events across England. Please read more about our approach to hybrid working in the relevant section below.

Reports to Director of Evidence and Improvement

National Voices

Making what matters to people matter in health and care

National Voices is the leading coalition of health and social care charities in England. We have more than 200 members covering a diverse range of health conditions and communities, connecting us with the experiences of millions of people. We work together to strengthen the voice of people: patients, service users, carers, their families, and the voluntary organisations that work for them.

Our Vision:

People shaping their health and care.

Our Mission:

We advocate for more inclusive and person centred health and care, shaped by the people who use and need it the most.

We do this by:

· Understanding and advocating for what matters to people especially those living with health conditions and groups who experience inequalities.

· Finding common cause across communities and conditions by working with member charities and those they support.

· Connecting and convening charities, decision makers and citizens to work together to change health and care for good.

The Role

In April 2026, National Voices was commissioned by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to deliver their work with the CQC Public Engagement Network. The Public Engagement Network is a group of 50+ charities with reach into communities experiencing health inequalities across England. By engaging with these organisations, the CQC’s aim is to ensure that local health and care services meet the needs and preferences of the communities they serve.

For both organisations this is much more than just another engagement contract, it is a new partnership designed to make the voices the CQC hears from more than the sum of its parts. In our work with the Public Engagement Network, we are committed to:

1. Ensuring meaningful participation of people and communities

2. Championing accessibility and inclusion

3. Valuing VCSE organisations as equal partners

4. Ensuring insights collected lead to impact and action

5. Investing in the long-term capacity and agency of VCSE organisations

6. Being brave and principled – acting with courage and not shying away from difficult conversations

The Voices for Health Equity Project Manager role is to:

- Lead the delivery of the Public Engagement Network contract from inception through to delivery, learning and evaluation, including co-ordinating an integrated management team including representatives of our two partner organisations.

- Build, manage and sustain the Public Engagement Network, creating a range of opportunities for members to participate, and ensuring relationships are meaningful, inclusive and mutually beneficial.

- Ensure high-quality insight is captured from the network, analysed and translated into learning, improvement and influence.

- Provide day-to-day project governance, reporting, quality assurance and risk management.

The role is delivery-focused and externally facing, with significant responsibility for programme management, partner relationships and ensuring National Voices’ values are embedded in how CQC uses the insights generated.

Responsibilities

Programme and client management

· Lead the end-to-end delivery of the Public Engagement Network programme, including co-ordinating an integrated management team including representatives of our two partner organisations.

· Manage individual project plans, budgets, risks and dependencies, escalating issues appropriately and ensuring delivery remains on track.

· Oversee subcontracted work, including agreeing briefs, managing performance, quality assuring outputs and approving invoices.

· Act as the main point of contact for the commissioners, and lead on regular reporting obligations and on programme evaluation.

Building and managing the Public Engagement Network

· Take lead responsibility for engaging, stewarding, supporting and retaining a network of VCSE organisations with reach into marginalised communities and those experience inequalities.

· Design and deliver engagement approaches with the network and those they represent that prioritises trust, long-term relationships and mutual benefit.

· Oversee the delivery of learning events, sense-making sessions and other opportunities that support members to build confidence, skills and influence.

· Ensure participants are appropriately supported, reimbursed and recognised for their contribution.

· Ambitiously grow the Network, through participating in outreach events, ongoing communication activities and more.

Co-ordinate and support activities capturing insight, learning and impact

· Co-ordinate and support colleagues with projects that capture qualitative and quantitative insight from people with lived experience, including insight capture events, focus groups, interviews, advisory groups etc.

· When needed, support the analysis and synthesis of insight into clear themes, findings and recommendations.

· Work with colleagues to ensure insight informs National Voices’ wider influencing, improvement and learning activity.

· Support effective feedback loops, ensuring participants understand how their input has been used and what impact it has had.

Governance, quality and risk management

· Provide day-to-day programme governance for assigned projects, operating within agreed frameworks and reporting arrangements

· Contribute to internal management groups and partnership meetings as required

· Maintain and review risk registers and quality assurance processes.

· Ensure safeguarding, data protection, accessibility and ethical considerations are embedded in all activity.

· Support preparation of regular performance and impact reports for internal and external audiences.

Partnership and stakeholder management

· Work closely with partner organisations to deliver programmes collaboratively, modelling National Voices’ values and ways of working

· Build effective relationships with senior stakeholders across the CQC, VCSE organisations and delivery partners.

· Represent National Voices at external meetings, events and learning forums as required.

Line management and internal leadership

· Line-manage the Voices for Health Equity Project Officer including overseeing day-to-day work, quality assuring outputs, holding regular 1-2-1s as well as setting annual objectives and completing appraisals.

· Provide matrix management for other National Voices of colleagues including other Manager roles and other officers, as and when work requires.

· Work in sync with other managers across National Voices, contributing to a joined-up, supportive team culture

· Deputise for the Director of Evidence and Improvement, or other senior colleagues, when required.

General

· Take a proactive approach to including people with lived experience and members in all areas of work

· Support the development of funding bids and proposals, including shaping delivery models and costing activity.

· Follow organisational processes to measure, monitor and communicate the impact of our work

· Support good project, financial and data management

· Contribute to team planning activities and undertake other relevant duties as appropriate

· Be prepared to take part in full-day events and, with sufficient notice, events outside core working hours

Person Specification

Values, attitudes and behaviours

• Passionate about National Voices’ mission and the meaningful involvement of people with lived experience
• Strong commitment to equity, inclusion and reducing health inequalities
• Proactive, flexible and comfortable working in complexity
• Calm under pressure and able to manage multiple priorities while maintaining quality
• Confident in building relationships and constructively challenging where needed
• Comfortable working collaboratively and taking responsibility for delivery
• Energised by breadth and variety, able to work effectively across diverse topics and themes while spotting connections and opportunities for impact

Skills and abilities

• Strong project or programme management skills, with experience delivering complex, multi-stakeholder work
• Demonstrable experience of working with people with lived experience and/or VCSE organisations in a meaningful and inclusive way
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to translate complex insight into clear, accessible outputs
• Experience of managing partnerships, subcontractors or commissioned work
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise, plan and manage risk
• Experience of quality assurance, reporting and working within governance frameworks
• Excellent people skills, with the ability to lead, support and motivate others

Experience, knowledge and understanding

· Demonstrable experience in leading insight generation projects which have led to real-world impact and improvements.

· Experience in engaging with people experiencing inequalities in a safe and meaningful way.

· Demonstrable experience in monitoring and reporting on KPIs and the impact of engagement work.

· Experience of managing funder relationships and generating income.

· Experience of facilitating and presenting at events and workshops.

· Experience of managing and building coalitions or groups of VCSE or other membership organisations (desirable)

· An understanding of qualitative and quantitative approaches to evidence generation and analysis (desirable)

· Project management qualifications (desirable)

Our approach to hybrid working

We recognise the importance of coming together regularly, in-person, as a team, so we can share learnings and spend social time with each other. We also recognise that people need flexibility, and that homeworking enables focused work and can fit well in people’s lives.

We ask all staff to take part in pre-arranged team meetings which take place every six weeks in our office space. We also might ask you to meet in-person with members of your team from time to time, or to be available for face-to- face meetings with clients and partners where this enhances the work.

We assume that this would usually not amount to more than one day per fortnight for people who work full time. We are happy to discuss how this sits in your life. This can be agreed by your line manager.

In addition, because this role involves engaging with and recruiting to a large network of VCSE organisations, the post holder will be required to regularly attend in-person events across England. These are likely to take place around once a month and may sometimes require overnight stays. Travel, accommodation and subsistence costs for events across England will be paid, however, travel to our London office will be at the expense of the postholder.

Please note that our offices are fully wheelchair accessible and that we are committed to making our workplace fully inclusive.

Application guidance

Please submit a CV and answer the questions in the application form to apply.

Applications should be addressed to our Director of Evidence and Improvement, Sarah Sweeney, and submitted through CharityJob.

Please specify any access or other requirements of which we need to be aware for the online interview.

The deadline for applications is noon on 2nd October 2026.

The interviews will take place on Friday 9th October on Microsoft Teams. Details of an interview task and interview questions will be emailed to you in advance.

We are committed to diversifying our team in order to broaden the insight and experiences we can draw on, and to do our work more credibly. In particular, we would welcome applications from older people, disabled people and people who have experienced socioeconomic inequality. Our offices are fully accessible and we are a Disability Confident and an LGBT+ friendly employer.

As the Programme Manager, you’ll own and drive the planning, governance and delivery of major cross charity fundraising appeals, including a significant capital appeal that forms a key part of the Charities’ long term fundraising ambitions. 

The Programme Manager is accountable for the effective governance and delivery of these programmes across multiple teams within the Charities Directorate, ensuring that priorities are clear, dependencies are actively managed, risks are addressed, decisions are made at the right level, and programmes are ready to deliver key milestones and intended outcomes. 

You will ensure programmes are underpinned by: 

• Clear governance, decision-making and escalation structures 
• A single, accurate view of programme performance, progress, risks, dependencies and readiness 
• Clear ownership and accountability for delivery 
• Effective mechanisms for identifying and resolving issues before they impact programme outcomes. 

Acting as a key interface between the Charity and the Trust, you will build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, influence and challenge where appropriate, align competing priorities and ensure critical dependencies are actively managed. You will use judgement to identify when issues require escalation, intervention or senior decision-making. 

You will provide leadership across programme governance and performance, chairing senior cross functional forums and ensuring that decisions, actions and accountabilities are clear and followed through. You will intervene where necessary to resolve delivery challenges, challenge unrealistic assumptions or plans, and protect programme outcomes. 

 Beyond immediate appeal delivery, the Programme Manager leads horizon scanning to identify opportunities that leverage appeal success for sustainable fundraising growth, working with teams like Supporter Experience to embed donor retention and long-term income strategies into our work. 

The Programme Manager will be an experienced programme leader who can take accountability for complex, multi-stakeholder programmes; bring clarity and structure to ambiguity; influence senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams; and exercise sound judgement to resolve challenges, manage competing priorities and protect programme outcomes. 

As part of a small Strategy, Planning & Innovation team, the Programme Manager will also champion project management best practice across the directorate, building the tools, capability and ways of working that enable consistent high-quality delivery. 

Key Responsibilities

 Programme and project Leadership (approx. 40% of role) 

• Lead the planning, governance and successful delivery of major fundraising appeals, ensuring clear milestones, ownership, risk management and cross-team collaboration. 
• •Design and embed the tools and ways of working that will enable effective decision making and governance across appeal delivery. 
• Work with teams across the Charity and the Trust to translate programme objectives into clear plans, priorities and actions that support successful delivery. 
• Identify, assess and manage programme risks, issues and interdependencies, intervening where necessary to maintain momentum and protect delivery. 
• Maintain strategic oversight of the major appeals funding pipeline, ensuring opportunities are effectively tracked, prioritised and progressed across teams. 
• Use data, insight and horizon scanning to identify emerging risks and opportunities, bringing forward recommendations that support long-term fundraising growth. 

Management of stakeholders and interdependencies (approx. 40% of role) 

• Act as the primary liaison between the Charities Directorate and the Trust, ensuring strategic alignment, effective decision making and management of critical programme dependencies. This means you’ll be onsite at the hospital and hospital offices on Lambeth Palace Road frequently and regularly. 
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across the Charity and the Trust, including those more senior, providing constructive challenge, influencing decisions and securing alignment around programme priorities and delivery. 
• Provide programme leadership through chairing appeal boards and senior governance forums, ensuring strategic decisions are made, owned and acted upon. 
• Lead cross-functional working groups that co-ordinate delivery across teams, resolve challenges and maintain progress against programme objectives. 
•  Use judgement and insight to bring the most important strategic issues, risks and opportunities to the right forum at the right time, enabling leaders to make informed decisions and stay ahead of emerging challenges. 
• Lead stakeholder engagement that builds understanding, confidence and commitment to the major appeals programme, ensuring all stakeholders remain aligned on priorities, decisions and progress. 

Project management best practice (approx. 20% of role) 

• Design and embed a project management toolkit that empowers teams to lead consistent and high quality projects in their own business areas. 
• Build project and programme management capability across teams by coaching, influencing and challenging colleagues to adopt effective approaches and ways of working, improving the consistency and quality of delivery across teams. 
• Partner with the Strategy and Planning Manager to shape business planning tools, processes and mechanisms that drive collaboration, enable iteration and strengthen delivery across the directorate. 

 Work environment The post holder should expect to:

•  Work in a hot desk environment, at least two days a week in the Charity’s office, hospital and hospital offices. 
• Be responsible for the input and maintenance of databases and files relevant to the post requirements. 
• Will occasionally be required to attend events in the evening and at weekends (eg board meetings, launch events). 

Role responsibilities are not exhaustive, and you would be reasonably expected to take on wider tasks that are commensurate with the level of your role. 

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Skills, abilities, and attributes

• Strategic thinker who can translate organisational priorities into co-ordinated programme delivery while balancing immediate delivery requirements with longer-term opportunities. 
• Skilled at designing practical governance and ways of working that drive decisions and progress. Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence, challenge and build alignment with senior stakeholders, including those more senior. 
• Proactive and decisive, with the confidence and judgement to intervene when delivery is at risk. 
• Able to lead governance forums and facilitate discussions that translate strategy into clear decisions, actions and accountability. 
• Confident leading through complexity and ambiguity, managing risk and interdependencies across multiple strategic projects and teams and holding others to account without direct line management responsibility. Champions robust project management whilst remaining flexible and pragmatic in delivery. 
• Uses data, insight and evidence to inform decisions, test hypotheses and drive continuous improvement. 
• Open to change as a necessary part of improvement, and able to deliver despite uncertainty. 
• Collaborative and communicative, with the ability to appeal to hearts as well as minds. 
• Committed to embedding diversity, equity and inclusion. Committed to continuous learning, formally and informally. 

Knowledge, experience and qualifications

• Significant experience leading complex programmes or projects involving multiple stakeholders, workstreams and dependencies. 
• Track record of successfully leading the delivery of high-profile programmes or initiatives in complex, fast-moving environments. 
• Experience designing and embedding governance, reporting and ways of working that improve delivery, accountability and decision making. 
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders, including those more senior, in a matrix or hierarchical environment.
• Knowledge of fundraising, ideally both high value and mass market, and ideally in an NHS or health context. 
• Experience leading delivery across cross-functional teams and managing complex interdependencies without direct line management responsibility. 

Benefits

• Contributory Pension
• Annual health and wellbeing personal allowance
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and parental leave pay accessible without length of service requirements.
• Health and wellbeing programme that offers optional free yearly health check-ups.
• Support for healthy eating via fruit bowls and onsite lunch facilities. 
• Agile working, flexible hours, and supportive IT kit. 
• Shower facilities and bike lock area. 
• Generous annual leave (27 days + bank holidays)
• Subsidies for glasses
• Employee Assistance Programme

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close a vacancy earlier than the advertised date. This is to ensure our teams can manage application levels while maintaining a positive candidate experience. Once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications, so please submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.