Community project officer jobs

About us

Join our team at the MPS Society, one of the leading rare genetic disease charities in the UK aiming to transform the lives of individuals and their families affected by MPS, Fabry and other related lysosomal diseases.  This is a rare opportunity to join our Support & Communities teams who provide direct support, practical guidance and other patient focused activities to over 1500 members and their families, UK-wide. 

Our Support Team raise awareness both within the MPS community and external agencies, offering information, advice, support, and advocacy in a range of areas including clinical management, health and social care, housing, education, transition, independent living, palliative care, and bereavement.  

Ideal candidate

As a Senior Support Officer, you will primarily be responsible for raising awareness and providing a high-quality support and advocacy service to our members and their families.   You will be a relationship builder who cares about the community we serve and ensures that the individual (or family) remains at the centre of support.  You will have experience in multi-agency working and an in-depth understanding of the needs of those with disabilities, their families and carers.  Demonstrable experience and knowledge of health and social care, education and relevant assessment processes are essential. 

As deputy safeguarding lead officer for both shildren and vulnerable adults you will take the lead in the absence of the safeguarding leads and be confident sharing your knowledge with new recruits through mentoring.

You will have excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to uphold best practice, challenge poor policy and inappropriate decisions.  Excellent IT skills and the ability to plan, prioritise and deliver to tight timescales are essential.  You will be self-motivated and highly organised, juggling many strands of work. 

As part of a small, dedicated team, you will have a positive attitude and a willingness to work collaboratively with your colleagues and external parties to raise awareness, advocate for our membership, as well as supporting the delivery and development of services for the MPS Society community.

Whilst a relevant qualification within health & social care, education or a related field is desirable, other knowledge and work experiences may be equally as valuable in this role. Prior knowledge of MPS and related conditions is not required however a special interest in neurology and working with individuals with neurological disabilities is advantageous.  In-depth support and training to develop expertise in MPS and related conditions, and the needs of those affected by these progressive, life-limiting conditions will be provided.   

What we can offer you

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

• A competitive salary
• Generous annual leave of 25 days plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part time hours)
• Extra leave between Christmas and the New Year
• Pension
• Life assurance (subject to the conditions of the scheme)
• Employee assistance programme offering support 24/7

Further information

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

This is a full-time role (35 hrs per week) however part time hours, with a minimum of 28 hrs per week may be agreed for the right candidate.  Salary will be pro-rata for part-time.

The main duties, responsibilities and essential requirements of this role can be viewed on the attached job description.

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 role is offered on a hybrid basis with a minimum of 2 days in our Amersham office each week. As part of the role, UK wide travel is necessary. This may on occasion include early morning and/or evening working and sometimes overnight stays.  You may also occasionally be required to attend evening or weekend conferences and events. We have policies in place to ensure that any unsociable hours worked are fairly compensated.

We encourage candidates to visit the MPS Society website to learn more about us and the community we serve.  Alternatively, if you would like an informal chat about the role or the work of the MPS Society, please contact Bethanie Pentecost.

Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS)

The MPS Society is a charity that provides a range of care, support and activities for children and adults at risk throughout the UK. This is provided through our dedicated support and advocacy service, telephone helpline, clinical research, online activities and forums, annual events, patient expert meetings, focus groups and conferences.  MPS staff, trustees and volunteers may be asked to be involved in the delivery of its regulated services and activities. 

This post is exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.  Due to the sensitive nature of the duties undertaking, the post holder will be expected to undertake a DBS check as part of the recruitment process and for this to be reviewed on a regular basis. 

Next steps: 

Applications:  Please provide your CV and a supporting statement (maximum 750 words) outlining your understanding of how rare, complex and progressive conditions such as Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS), including their neurological impacts, can affect individuals and families across the life course. In your response, please describe the experience, skills and approaches you have developed that would support you to carry out the Senior Support Officer role, including (where relevant) supporting people with complex needs, working across health, education and social care systems, and providing advice, advocacy or casework support.

Kindly note, applications received without a supporting statement will not be considered. 

Closing Date:   Whilst we have an initial closing date of 20th March, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive enough suitable applications to take forward to interview and assessment.

1st interviews:  Initial virtual interviews will be held end March/early April.

2nd interviews: Final face-to-face interviews and assessments will be held on 16th & 17th April at MPS House, Amersham.

Lead a movement tackling issues that matter more than ever

GoodGym is seeking an ambitious, inclusive and growth-minded leader who cares about connection, community and creating positive urban futures to achieve the potential of GoodGym over the coming years.

GoodGym is a community of people who combine their exercise with helping their communities. We run, walk, and cycle to help community projects and older people. Our goal is to create healthier, happier and better connected communities.

GoodGym is a unique proposition globally, it is recognised by the mainstream media, in the charity industry, and the running world as a pioneering innovation. It has won awards from multiple prime ministers, it has been named as one of most important innovations in running in the last 50 years by Runners World and won the University of Cambridge Social Innovation prize.

GoodGym is an active community across the UK. We have 26,000 members in 65+ urban areas of England and Wales.

Direct reports4

TeamBusiness operations

Hours5 days (37.5 hours) per week with flexible arrangements

LocationHolborn, London with some hybrid working

Report to Board of Trustees

Salary £65-70k

Application Closing Date 12 noon, 27th of February 2026

Why join us?

GoodGym is a growing, high-impact organisation, and a great place to work. We're launching new programmes (including new work in Scotland and a youth focus in 2026), improving our sector-leading volunteering platform, and benefiting from a major media partnership with Sky (TV ad this Spring). Backed by multi-year funding, strong leadership and governance, and recent parliamentary endorsement, we are a forward-thinking, respected brand tackling critical issues from loneliness to urban sustainability. Join our committed, friendly team at a time of maximum relevance and opportunity.

Why what we do matters

In a world in which screen time is growing, real life connection is declining, communities are fracturing and mental health issues are rising, GoodGym provides an important antidote. Independent evaluation shows that:

• GoodGym improves connection and belonging to an “extraordinary” extent
• GoodGym provides essential support to older people and reduces loneliness
• GoodGym increases wellbeing to a significant extent
• GoodGym contributes thousands of hours to projects making our cities greener

The potential is even greater, cities around the world have requested that we start there and the goal is to make our activity ubiquitous. Doing so would transform urban life and make cities greener, happier and healthier.

Representing the cities in which we operate

GoodGym aims to bring people together across demographic divides, in order to do this we seek to be representative of the communities in which we operate.

We see diversity as a strength and are committed to having a culture where everyone feels safe, respected and valued. We want our team to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, offering equal opportunities to everyone, regardless of race, sex, gender identity, disability, age, nationality, religious or philosophical belief, sexual orientation, educational attainment, family status, trade union activity or any other factor.

What we’re looking for

GoodGym is in a strong position - long term funders, a strong team and ambitious plans for the future. Now is the right time for our founder to hand on the baton to a new CEO.

Our new CEO will have:
- scaled a new initiative, created a big change in their community or created an organisation, project or movement from scratch.
- generated significant income
- the ability to communicate the importance of our work to lots of different people

In addition, the person we are looking for:

• Has the ability to spot opportunities and make things happen
• Has a deep belief that positive change is possible
• Combines ambition with thoughtful reflection, listening and diplomacy
• Has a passion for our mission of creating happier and more connected communities
• Is driven by a desire to bring people together, not by ego and loves helping others to succeed
• Is a proactive collaborator and build connection easily with all sorts of people

For the full list of responsibilities and skills, please review our job pack.

Process:

Closing date for applications: 12 noon on the 27th of February.

Planned interview dates:
First round: 6th of March
Second round: 16th of March
These dates will be confirmed with you when you submit your application.
- During the process you’ll meet a range of staff and Trustees and have the opportunity to learn more about the organisation.
- If you require any adjustments or adaptations at any stage of the process please let us know in your email.

How to apply:

Send a CV and supporting statement each of no more than two pages. In your supporting statement please why you think this role is the right move for you and how your experience matches our person specification. In particular, please outline clear evidence for your ability to initiate change at scale, your ability to generate income, and your ability to communicate ideas and create partnerships.

For more information on the role and the organisation see our job pack linked to this joblisting on our company website. 

Send your application to jobs@goodgym. org no later than 12 noon on the 27th of February.

If you would like to speak about the role with our Chair or CEO before applying, please email: getinvolved@goodgym. org

The Community Engagement & Participation Coordinator will support SLRA’s participation work to ensure that the migrant individuals and communities we work with influence the decisions that affect their lives. SLRA’s work to influence local and national policy and practice is well established, and the post holder will coordinate our Community Leaders group which meets monthly to discuss issues affecting the lives of migrant individuals and communities and to build power and organise. The Coordinator will ensure that well established partnerships continue to develop and build power, as well as ensure that policy and participation work reflects and responds to any new changes in immigration policy that affects the lives of the SLRA community. 

e would love to hear from you if you have:

• A deep understanding of how to create accessible opportunities for participation, and the external context SLRA is operating in.
• Experience of community organising work and facilitating inclusive sessions in a diverse group setting. 

SLRA is a well-established local migrant support organisation working with and for refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants who are at risk or in crisis as a result of immigration issues. We provide specialist immigration advice, as well as a broad range of practical, social and therapeutic support services. SLRA also campaigns for a fairer immigration system, local people with lived experience in influencing local and national policy and practice.   

Benefits include: 

• 25 days holiday per year (with 3 additional days when the office is closed at Christmas) plus bank holidays.
• Additional long service annual leave days up to a maximum of an additional 5 days per year.
• Flexible and family friendly working arrangements including compressed hours and school term time working.
• Pension scheme with 5% employer contribution.
• Commitment to staff learning and development.
• Cyclescheme and travelcard loans.

For all roles, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from individuals of the global majority, and those who are migrants or refugees, and those with lived experience of the hostile immigration system. 

High Trees are seeking an experienced and data-driven Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Lead, with strong project management skills. You will be joining us at an exciting time as High Trees continues to grow the scale and reach of our work. This role is central to creating an evidence-based culture and embedding ongoing monitoring and evaluation cycles to understand the impact of our work.

Working across the organisation, you will need to be confident across a range of approaches to monitoring and evaluation and be able to assess and determine appropriate methods, dependent on context. You will be highly proficient in collecting and analysing quantitative and qualitative data and have experience in developing impact frameworks, including theory of change, outcomes, and indicators. As the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Lead, you will have oversight of monitoring systems and processes ensuring that impact data collected is to a high standard across the organisation and our partnerships.

Collaboration with colleagues is an essential part of this role and you will enjoy working with others and be a valued partner, peer and colleague. Supporting the Head of Community Research and Impact, you will actively contribute to ensuring our impact plan is effectively embedded within key strategic areas. You will need to be highly responsive to the needs of colleagues, partners and funders and be able to provide practical solutions for a range of situations.

You will need to be detailed orientated but motivated by how data and learning can be turned into impactful stories of change. You will also be a strong communicator: experienced in facilitation, an engaging presenter, and a compelling writer, able to frame and share our impact with a range of audiences. You will have the ability to see the bigger picture, at the same time as being on top of the detail – and value both in equal measures!

Employee benefits 

• 35 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays and 3 Christmas days) rising by 1 day each year after 2 years’ service (capped at an additional 8 days) 

• Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption leave after 2 years’ service 

• Save money off a new bike with the Cycle to Work scheme 

• Up to 7% contribution to the staff pension scheme 

• 24/7 Employee Support Line 

• Clear pay structure with yearly increments (based on performance) 

• Annual Staff away day 

• Premium eye-care vouchers through Specsavers and season ticket loans 

• Regular team lunches and generous supplies of office breakfast and snacks! 

The Vacancy

Individual Giving Officer 

Salary: £30,255 - £37,732 
Location: Remote with occasional travel to Downton / London for meetings.
Hours: Full time, 35 hours per week 
Contract: Permanent position 

We have an exciting opportunity for an Individual Giving Officer (Retention) to join the Commercial Directorate at Help for Heroes and play a key role in building long-term supporter relationships that help fund life-changing support for the Armed Forces community. 

About the Role 

As Individual Giving Officer (Retention), you’ll sit at the heart of how Help for Heroes builds long-term, sustainable income. You’ll lead the delivery of multi-channel retention campaigns and fundraising appeals that strengthen supporter relationships, increase lifetime value and ensure our supporters feel valued, informed and inspired to continue their support. 

You’ll own retention activity across cash giving, lottery and regular giving - shaping campaigns from idea through to delivery, optimisation and evaluation. Using insight and performance data to continually refine supporter journeys, test new approaches and ensure every communication adds value to the supporter experience. 

You’ll lead on the delivery of direct mail appeals, following the process through from concept ideation to data briefing, from sourcing impactful content, managing the print process, to the final appeal landing with supporters. Importantly, the appeals will be across a variety of channels in addition to direct mail, and you’ll be at the forefront of leading post campaign reviews. 

Working closely with the Individual Giving Officer (Acquisition), you’ll help create a seamless journey from first gift to long-term loyalty.

This role offers real autonomy, variety and influence, with your work directly contributing to a strong, engaged supporter base and long-term income growth.

About You 

You have experience delivering direct response marketing campaigns and enjoy seeing how insight, data and creativity come together to drive results. You’re confident managing multiple campaigns, working with stakeholders and suppliers, and motivated by continuous improvement. 

You’ll thrive in this role if you: 

• Love building long-term supporter relationships 

• Enjoy taking ownership and seeing campaigns through end to end 

• Use insight and analysis to inform decisions and improve performance 

• Are organised and detail-focused 

• Value collaboration and shared success 

• Care about delivering work that is compliant, ethical and supporter-first 

About the Team 

You’ll join our Individual Giving team, committed to growing our supporter base and delivering meaningful, engaging experiences that inspire long-term support. 

Working closely with colleagues across the organisation and external agencies, the team values innovation, learning and collaboration - always keeping supporters at the heart of what we do. 

In return we can offer you: 

• Belonging to a team who make a difference to our community and value equality, diversity and inclusion. 

• 29 days’ annual leave plus 8 bank holidays, regardless of service — plus your birthday off to celebrate! 

• Opportunity to buy and sell up to 5 days annual leave per year. 

• Added to our free health scheme from day one, including discounts on dental, opticians, massages, and more - with the option to upgrade. 

• 3 volunteer days per year to support the Help for Heroes community.

• A generous salary sacrifice pension scheme with an 8% employer contribution and a minimum 3% employee contribution, plus life insurance up to 4× salary as an active member. 

• Discounts on our branded clothing, including a free Help for Heroes hoody when you complete your induction. 

Closing date: 1st March 2026

Help for Heroes values diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds. 

Following a successful application to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, we are seeking a Youth Worker to lead on systems change as part of our Brighter Rainbow Project. A key requirement of the post is to hold a JNC Level 6 Youth and Community Work qualification or equivalent (or due to complete 2026- 2027). We also welcome applicants with related subjects including nursing, primary teaching, secondary teaching, social work etc.

We’re looking for an Operations Officer to play a central role in keeping our organisation running safely, smoothly and effectively across our central office, refuges and dispersed accommodation.

This is a varied, hands-on role combining operations, facilities management, reception, health & safety, admin coordination and service-user access support. You’ll help ensure our buildings, systems and processes enable high-quality, trauma-informed services for Black and minoritised (Global Majority) women and children.

You’ll be a key first point of contact for the organisation — welcoming, calm and professional — while helping to maintain safe, well-managed environments and strong operational systems.

You’ll:

• Support the day-to-day operation of the central office, refuges and dispersed accommodation

• Coordinate facilities, repairs, access and health & safety requirements

• Act as a first point of contact for enquiries, referrals and visitors

• Support safe service-user access and reception processes

• Provide administrative and operational support across teams

You’ll bring:

• Experience in operations, facilities, admin or office coordination

• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail

• A calm, professional approach in a fast-paced, sensitive environment

• Commitment to trauma-informed, anti-racist and survivor-centred practice

Due to the nature of work and focus of LBWP, the organisation considers the candidate’s race and gender, to be an occupational requirement in accordance with Parag. 1, Schedule 9, of the Equality Act 2010. This post is open only to Black and minoritised, i.e. Global Majority, women.

We are not able to sponsor any work permit or visa. 

BVSC is looking for a Grassroots Development Officer to work with small, often informal voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations across Bexley. This role offers hands-on support to grassroots groups delivering vital services designed and led by the communities they serve, particularly those facing health and social inequalities.

The post-holder will provide practical guidance on governance, funding, safeguarding, sustainability, and other organisational development needs. You will help groups strengthen networks, increase visibility, and overcome barriers to growth, supporting them to deliver even greater impact.

This role focuses on organisations working with young people, older residents, minority ethnic (global majority) and migrant communities, people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and communities in the north of the borough where grassroots activity is most needed.

Key areas of work include:

• Identifying: Engaging with grassroots groups to understand their services, users, and development needs.
• Connecting: Building relationships and establishing a network of micro VCSEs to encourage peer support and knowledge sharing.
•  Developing: Offering tailored capacity-building support, including advice on governance, funding, communications, coordination, and premises, and coordinating grant rounds.
•  Promoting: Supporting recognition of grassroots groups by health partners and the wider community, boosting their visibility and impact.

We are looking for someone approachable, organised, and committed to equality and inclusion, with experience of supporting VCSE organisations and working with diverse communities.

Don’t meet every single requirement?  At BVSC we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every criteria in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate!

This is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful difference to small community organisations and the people they serve.

This is a part time role, responsible for leading the fundraising efforts of Canaan Project.

Working closely with the Director, the Fundraising Lead will contribute to strategic funding development and planning, support ongoing fundraising and reporting activities, and assist in the development of relevant policies and processes.

If this sounds like the right role for you, please send us your CV and a cover letter detailing your suitability for the role.

Application closing date: 25th February 2026 at 5pm

Interviews will potentially be scheduled for the week beginning Monday 4th March. 

Premises Officer/Maintenance Person – Oasis St Martin’s Village

Fixed Term 1 Year Contract, full-time post, 40 hours per week (1 FTE), inclusive of breaks 

Working Pattern: Some shift work may be required (across 7.30am until 9pm)

Salary:  £30,766 per annum (including London Weighting)

Premises Officer/Maintenance Person – Oasis St Martin’s Village

Oasis’ mission is to build stronger communities. Oasis St Martins Village is a new and exciting project, working in partnership with other organisations in an integrated way, to provide opportunity and pathways for children and young people.

Our vision is to transform the life-chances of children, who are struggling in or not coping with mainstream education, by offering them and their families support and opportunity.

Our work is based around the principle that “it takes a village to raise a child”.

This role will help deliver the Oasis St Martins Village aims and mission by ensuring the provision of an efficient and effective site and facilities service, aligned with the ethos and values of Oasis St Martin’s Village.

What will you do?

This newly formed role will be embedded within the site management team. To be successful in this role, applicants will be required to:

• Assist the Senior Premises Officer with maintenance tasks as required to ensure a safe and effective working environment. Must be able perform basic repairs (plumbing, carpentry, painting, changing locks etc.)
• Assist with water testing, testing of alarms and other routine tasks as directed.
• Set and un-set the site alarm systems when required.
• Assist with the opening and closing, unlocking and locking of the site gates and buildings, including evening and weekend use.
• Be responsible for the security of the site when on duty including the locking of all doors and windows.
• Assist the events manager with delivery of events, particularly during evenings and weekends.
• Assist with the cleaning of the site as and when needed.
• Assist with room setup and moving of furniture safely. This includes preparing spaces to host events and functions, packing down and cleaning afterwards. And to service ongoing regular lettings.

What will you get in return?

• A network of peers and partners all sharing the same vision and an environment set up to ensure everyone is supported and included.
• A package of reward that includes a 7% employer contribution pension scheme, annual leave allowance starting at 25 days (plus Bank Holidays) increasing over time, eligibility to join the Green Commute cycle to work scheme and cash benefit health plan.
• Be part of an international network of Oasis charities offering opportunities to develop your career in new directions and locations.

To apply, please send your CV and a Supporting Statement (no more than two A4 pages) to the email address provided on our website or via Charity Jobs.

Please expand on your CV to tell us about relevant skills, experience and qualifications you have that relate to the job description and person specification.

We will review applications on a rolling basis and reserve the right to close the advert if we identify suitable candidates. To avoid disappointment, please submit your application as soon as possible.

We actively encourage applications from people of all ethnic backgrounds and underrepresented groups. If you require any assistance to overcome potential barriers during the recruitment process, please let us know. 

Oasis is committed to making a difference to the lives of the communities it works in, and as such you must show a willingness to demonstrate commitment to the values and behaviours which flow from the Oasis ethos.  We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment and to undergo appropriate checks, including enhanced DBS checks. 

The successful candidates must have the right to work in the UK.  Oasis cannot assist with sponsorship or visas.

Oasis supports Equal Opportunities.  Registered Charity No. 1026487

JOB DESCRIPTION

Purpose - working closely with Senior Managers, the post holder will support all aspects of business development and fundraising, including the development of bids, tender submissions and  applications for funding to achieve the Association’s objectives.   The postholder will also play an important role in supporting the mobilisation of projects and services following a successful application.

SOME KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

- Support the development and implementation of a Business Development Strategy incorporating grant funding, contracted provision and social enterprise development, which aligns with the Association’s Strategic and Development Plans.

- Support the development and implementation of an annual Fundraising Plan with ambitious income goals that underpin the Association’s strategic goals and accelerates revenue growth in a sustainable manner.

- Identify new funding / tender opportunities that are well targeted, informed and thoroughly researched in order to maximise the chances of success.

- Produce external funding bids, expressions of interest and support income generating activities including developing tender responses and social enterprises to meet the Association’s objectives.

- Submit bids, tenders and required information to funders within defined deadlines while meeting submission requirements.

- Support the development of business cases for establishing social enterprises and joint ventures that deliver local outcomes and diversify / strengthen the Association’s financial base.

- Work with colleagues to scope, develop, refine and improve services and activities through innovative tools and techniques including organising coproduction sessions with partners, stakeholders and residents.

- Build and maintain positive relationships with stakeholders, contract managers, grant officers and corporates etc.

- Create a business development/funding pipeline tracker – supporting colleagues to keep a track of tender and fundraising opportunities, the progress of each application, workload spikes and bottlenecks, clashes and deadlines; supporting managers and colleagues to ensure that all deadlines are met with maximum efficiency.

- Working with internal and external stakeholders in line with the Associations’ values, policies and processes; remaining motivated, flexible and collaborative in their approach.

Are you an influential leader looking for a new challenge? Would you like the opportunity to take a leading charity through the next exciting phase of its remarkable journey?

Harrogate Neighbours exists to support and improve the lives of elderly and vulnerable people across the region, transforming lives and empowering the community on a daily basis! With over 50 years of experience, they provide a vast range of services ranging from residential care (at their homes in Starbeck and Boroughbridge) to meals on wheels in the community to The charity’s values focus on compassion, accountability, respect and excellence, and the incredible staff team deliver an uncompromised standard of care to all.

We have a career defining opportunity for a new CEO to lead this organisation, and community, and in doing so inspire and transform lives across the region!

The Role

The CEO will be accountable to the talented and committed Board of Trustees and be responsible for the overall strategic management, leadership, and development of Harrogate Neighbours. Duties will include:

• Ensuring the development and implementation of integrated strategies across care, housing, operations, finance, marketing and communications, human resources and workforce, information management and technology, estates and performance monitoring, management and reporting.
• Providing overall leadership for Harrogate Neighbours in line with the vision, mission and values agreed by the Board of Trustees.
• Providing strategic leadership for fundraising and income diversification, ensuring the organisation has a sustainable and mixed portfolio of income.
• Developing and maintaining positive collaborative partnership arrangements with commissioners, local authorities, local communities, MPs, the voluntary sector, communities and other key partners and stakeholders.
• Overseeing the financial processes for the organisation and leading delivery of the agreed budgets.

The Person

We are looking for a visionary leader - a creative, charismatic and influential individual who is passionate about the values, ethos and mission of the charity! The skills and experience we are looking for include:

• A demonstrable track record of working in a senior strategic leadership role
• Evidence of working with senior leaders and board members to ensure strong and effective financial management
• Strong networking and influencing skills with an ability to build excellent relationships with a wide range of stakeholders
• Strong and clear communication skills with an ability to lead internally, and also deliver messages to a variety of audiences externally.

This is a truly wonderful opportunity to lead a fantastic charity where you will directly influence the landscape for the communities across the Harrogate region, for the future. As CEO of Harrogate Neighbours, you will be leading a financially stable organisation with a strong board and talented staff team. The charity also promotes a supportive culture, has a generous pension scheme, offers a variety of wellbeing initiatives, 6.6 weeks annual leave and a range of additional benefits (including Blue Light Card and paid for massages!).

If you believe that you could be the right person to lead this charity through the next phase of its exciting journey then get in touch for more information, or apply here before Friday 27th February.

First stage interviews have been scheduled for Friday 20th March, and second stage interviews will be on 25th, 26th and 27th March 2026.

Please note: If you would like to submit an application or express your interest in an alternative format, such as audio or video upload, please contact either Charlie or Leanne who will be happy to advise on this.

Please also be aware that Charity Horizons use anonymous recruitment methods when submitting shortlists for all our roles and we only work with organisations that are happy to engage with us in this way.

Charity Horizons is an equal opportunities employer and as such actively promotes equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We welcome and encourage applications from all suitable candidates irrespective of age, disability, hidden disability, race or national origin, religion or belief, gender, gender expression, political view, sexual orientation, medical condition and pregnancy.

This is a full-time Chief Exec role offering an exciting time to join an organisation making

a huge impact with minimal resources. As the Organisation enters its tenth year,

regrettably the need for this work has never been greater and in addition to enhancing

existing projects, we plan to grow our Dignity Centre locations as well as expand our

outreach and impact in the coming two to five years. As a small charity, the role is

incredibly varied as well as hands-on. While there is no physical back office, meaning

the role is mostly from home/remote, the CEO spends sustained periods of time in our

projects in Nicosia, Cyprus and Bournemouth, UK as well as any new or potential

project sites in the UK and abroad. A typical day could include troubleshooting and

managing maintenance problems at distance for our projects in Nicosia and

Bournemouth, preparing and delivering interviews and presentations to the media or for

donors, calling volunteers to prepare them for collaborating with us and collating

indicator data for impact reports.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO)

Location: Mostly at the Saïd Foundation office in central London, with some scope for remote working.   Occasional international travel to the Levant region where deemed safe.

Responsible to: The Chairman and Board of Trustees.

Line management: Scholarships Programme Manager, Financial Controller, Finance and Programme Administrator.

Salary: £80,000 - £85,000 pro rata.

Job type: Part-time (three days a week), permanent. 

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are looking for an experienced organisational manager, who will mentor our small and highly motivated team and bring proven expertise around financial and people management and governance as well as of building relationships with different stakeholders and providing strong accountability to charity trustees.   You will have an understanding of the Levant region of the Middle East, a commitment to bridge building and respect across cultures and a conviction that education can change lives for the better, create enlightened and effective leadership and benefit wider society.

Our outgoing CEO originally came to the UK as a Saïd Foundation Scholar to study at Oxford University and has worked for the Foundation for over six years.  He is leaving to return to Syria.  We are looking for an experienced manager to carry on his work in leading our team, maintaining close relationships with our Trustees, partners and students and ensuring that the Foundation’s programmes are run to the highest standards. 

ABOUT THE SAÏD FOUNDATION

The Saïd Foundation was established as a non-sectarian and non-political charity in 1982 by Wafic and Rosemary Saïd to bring positive and lasting change to the lives of children, young people and the wider community with a focus on the Levant region of the Middle East and on the UK, and on education as a powerful tool to make change.  It is governed by a Board of Trustees and the Board’s Student, Projects, Audit and Investments Committees.  Khaled Saïd has just become Chair of the Board. 

Since 1984, our longest-standing programme, the Scholarships Programme, has offered opportunities to outstanding individuals with leadership potential to be drivers of positive change within our target countries of Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine. It brings these change agents to the UK to study for Master’s degrees at exceptional universities and maintains close contact with them during their studies and beyond.  Our amazing community of over 700 alumni have gone on to become outstanding leaders in many fields and to build bridges and respect across cultures. 

The Foundation’s founder, Wafic Saïd, is also the founder of Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, now one of the world’s leading business schools.  The Saïd Business School Foundation (SBSF), also an English charity, was established in 1998 to support the development of the School in its pursuit of excellence. Its Strategic Development Fund  provides grants in support of initiatives that will have strategic value to the development of the School.  SBSF is funded and administered by the Saïd Foundation. 

The Foundation’s humanitarian work has responded to the shifting needs of the region over immensely challenging times.  Since 2011, it has focused on supporting Syrian refugee communities in Lebanon and Jordan through grants to major international non-governmental organisations.  Most recently, it has provided support for Gazan children orphaned by the destruction of their homeland.  Before the conflict in Syria began, the Foundation ran a capacity-building programme across the country for those working to support Syria’s disabled children. It helped to set up a sister organisation in Syria, the Saïd Foundation for Development, which will take forward future work in Syria and is now considering how to support the needs of a post-Assad Syria.

In recent years, the Foundation has also worked to promote better health outcomes for people everywhere by making grants to innovative and impactful projects at world-leading medical research institutions based in the UK and known to the Saïd family. 

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job purpose:

To lead a small, motivated team in the best-practice implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Foundation’s programmes and grants and to build strong relationships with the Foundation’s Trustees, partners and scholars.

Responsibilities:

1. Programme and grant management

a) To oversee the management of the scholarships programme, ensuring the selection of outstanding students from the Levant region and the Foundation’s duty of care to them while they are in the UK.

b) To oversee the Foundation’s grant-making programmes, ensuring that grants agreed by the Trustees are informed by rigorous due diligence and are monitored effectively.

c) To provide guidance as necessary to the Board and staff of the Saïd Foundation for Development in Syria on governance and project management matters.

d) To oversee the evaluation of the scholarships programme periodically, and grant-funded projects as necessary, to ensure they achieve their intended objectives and apply learning to their improvement.

2. Organisation and staff management

a) To devise and implement annual plans for implementation of the Foundation’s work, define the level and timing of human and other resources required to deliver the plans and develop key performance indicators to report progress against plans to the Board.

b) To foster a supportive work culture, managing staff in line with best human resource practice and ensuring high levels of motivation and strong performance.

c) To recruit staff, when necessary.

d) To oversee the effective operation of all office systems, including IT and the scholarships platform and database, and introduce improvements (for example, in the use of AI).

e) To ensure that health and safety aspects are taken into account appropriately when the Foundation’s staff, students and Trustees are travelling in connection with the Foundation’s activities.

3. Governance and Trustees

a) To meet regularly with the Chairman to ensure he is fully informed of developments and to support planning for Board and Committee deliberations.

b) To engage Trustees actively, drawing on their expertise to enhance the work of the Foundation, and report to them regularly on the Foundation’s work.

c) With the help of other staff, to make recommendations to the Foundation’s Committees on their focus areas and ensure high quality papers for Board and Committee meetings and timely follow up of action points.

d) To remain up to date with developments in charity governance and regulation to ensure that the Foundation follows best practice and is compliant with regulations.

e) To identify key risks to the Foundation’s funding, operation and reputation, ensuring that controls are in place for their mitigation and their inclusion in the risk register.

4. Financial, accounting and investment matters (with the Financial Controller)

a) To ensure that accurate annual budgets for the Foundation’s programmes, staff, administration and property management costs are approved by the Trustees and that cash flow projections support decision-making on the timely funding of the Foundation.

b) To ensure that monthly management accounts and annual statutory accounts provide all necessary information for accountability and management purposes.

c) To oversee rigorous internal controls for the Foundation’s payments and receipts.

d) To support the Investment Committee in ensuring the effective management and secure custody of the Foundation’s financial and property assets and monitoring of the performance of these investments.

5. Saïd Business School Foundation (SBSF)

a) To ensure that all Strategic Development Fund (and other) grants meet the objectives agreed with the School and monitor the impact of the grants through the School’s reporting.

b) To oversee high-quality reporting to SBSF’s Board of Directors and its Committees including on the overall development and performance of the School.

c) To monitor the continuing fulfilment of undertakings made to SBSF by Oxford University so that any departure from these undertakings can be assessed by the Board.

d) To ensure that all SBSF’s accounting and other regulatory requirements are met.

6. Representing the Foundation

a) To represent the Foundation externally at events and meetings and ensure that its own events provide a warm, welcoming and inspiring experience for invitees.

b) To build enduring relationships of trust with existing and new partners.

c) To ensure that the Foundation’s engagement with its students and alumni creates a strong sense of belonging to the Saïd Foundation “family”. 

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential

a) Strong relationship building skills with a wide range of people (such as Trustees, partners and students).

b) Experience of managing, motivating and mentoring a team to achieve their potential.

c) Excellent and engaging communications and presentation skills, in person and in writing.

d) Strong experience of the UK charity sector and charity regulation and governance.

e) Proven experience in budget setting, financial planning, and financial management.

f) Excellent organisation and management skills, with the ability to manage a number of tasks at the same time.

g) An understanding, and personal experience, of the Levant region of the Middle East.

h) An existing and unrestricted right to work in the UK.

Desirable

i) Experience of recruiting exceptional students and of supporting their needs as overseas students.

j) Experience of developing, implementing and delivering educational and/or humanitarian programmes.

k) Experience in grant making, including due diligence, agreement management, monitoring and evaluation.

Attributes

a) A commitment to bridge building and respect across cultures.

b) A conviction that education can change lives for the better, create enlightened and effective leadership and benefit wider society.

c) An adaptable approach including the flexibility to undertake a wide range of tasks.

d) A “can do” attitude, enthusiasm, resilience and energy.

e) Integrity, humility and discretion.

OTHER BENEFITS

- Employer’s pension contribution of 5% of salary.

- 25 days’ holiday in addition to bank holidays.

- Private health insurance.

HOW TO APPLY AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

To apply, please email a CV outlining your relevant experience, including how it meets the requirements of the job description, along with a cover letter of no more than two pages explaining your interest in the role and addressing the criteria set out in the person specification. Please refer to the attached application brief for more information.

Deadline for applications: Monday 9 March 2026 at 10:00 UK time.

Interviews: First interviews on 19 and 20 March; second interviews on 23 and 25 March. First interviews will be in person in central London or, if necessary, by video call depending on candidates’ ability to travel. Second interviews will be in person in central London. 

We are happy to offer informal, pre-application conversations about the role.