Community volunteer support worker jobs

Are you looking for a dynamic and rewarding role working for an organisation with the feminist agenda at the core of its ethos? Then Advance Charity could be the career choice for you!

We are looking for an Operations Manager to manager our Kent services.

Salary: £35,000 - £40,000 pro rata

Location: This role can be based in Maidstone or Canterbury but will require regular presence in both. We offer hybrid working with up to 2 days per week from home, with an expectation of a minimum of three days spent in face-to-face, in-person contact (e.g. in Women’s Centres, Estates or external visits), and one of these days being a monthly visit to head office in Hammersmith

Hours: 35 hours per week

Contract: Fixed Term - until 31st March 2027 with potential to extend

This post is open to female applicants only as being female is deemed to be a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010.

Please note: Any offer of employment will be made subject to references, confirmation of the right to work in the UK, and satisfactory enhanced DBS check. This role is also subject to Police Vetting.

About us

Advance is an award-winning and innovative women-only organisation, established in 1998, providing emotional and practical support to women and girls survivors of domestic abuse and supporting women with short-term sentences to reduce offending. We believe in empowering women and girls to lead safe, non-violent, equal lives so that they can flourish and contribute to the community.

We are a community-based organisation who lead in best practice approaches to supporting women in their local community. We achieve this by being available to meet and support women in local settings and at our women’s centres, and by working in close partnership with other agencies.

Our values are to listen and support, to empower and respect, collaboration, innovation, and accountability.

About the role:

As an experienced senior manager with a proven track record of leadership you will lead and manage the Advance commissioned services across your region, working collaboratively with fellow Advance managers, external agencies and key subcontracted partners to provide a consistent and holistic service.

You will manage the front line workers who deliver a 1:1 advocacy service, as well as a Women’s Interventions programme, through women’s centres and hubs that fulfils the needs of the women accessing the service.

About You:

To be successful as the Operations Manager you will need the below experience and skills:

- A thorough understanding of and knowledge of the issues relating to women in the criminal justice system

- A sound knowledge of safeguarding adult and children principles, child abuse, child protection issues and safeguarding

- A good knowledge and understanding of organisational systems and frameworks, line management and project management

- Significant experience of working with women and/or service users with a complex range of needs, particularly within the criminal justice system, in custody and/or community

- Experience with report writing, contract management and financial reporting including analysis of outcomes, outputs and gaps

- Experience of implementing quality assurance frameworks, monitoring, evaluating and measuring impact

- The ability to work well within a team and responsibly on own initiative and of maintaining professional boundaries with staff, clients and partner agencies

How to apply:

Please submit your up-to-date CV with a supporting statement. Please note that only applications made via the job advert on the Advance careers page, and those that include a cover letter will be considered.

• Closing Date for Applications: Sunday 17th May 2026

• Interviews are taking place w/c 18th May

*Advance reserves the right to close the advert early, or on the appointment of a candidate.

What we can offer you - Employee Benefits:

• A 35-hour working week

• An exceptional 30 days of paid holiday per year (pro rata for part time), PLUS public holidays on top (that's nearly 40 days paid holiday per year!)

• Additional days off to celebrate International Women’s Day, and for religious observance and moving home

• Perkbox - an employee discount platform where you can receive free rewards as well as take advantage of savings on clothes, groceries, travel, leisure and more

• Pension scheme

• Enhanced maternity/adoption provision

• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme

• Employee eye-care scheme

• Clinical supervision for front line staff and first line management roles

• Refer a Friend Scheme - £250 for each referral who passes probation

• Organisation wide away days

• One-week paid carers’ s leave

• Career development pathways

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Under the Equality Act 2010, we are required to make any reasonable adjustments. If you have a disability as defined under this act and/or have special needs, please email the Talent Acquisition Team via the Advance website and will aim to make the necessary arrangements to accommodate your needs.

Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and actively seek to recruit people from groups underrepresented in our current team. We have policies and processes in place to ensure that all employees are offered an equal opportunity in recruitment and selection, promotion, training, pay and benefits.

Safeguarding

Advance is committed to safeguarding and creating a culture of zero-tolerance of harm and expects all staff, including volunteers to share this commitment. We believe all individuals have the right to live their life free from violence and abuse and the right to feel and be safe. We have a suite of safeguarding policies, procedures and practice guidance, accessible to all staff, which promotes safeguarding and safer working practices across all our services and activities. When we recruit staff, we follow rigorous safer recruitment practices, this involves carrying out pre-employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, and identity checks. We ensure all staff undertake mandatory safeguarding training relevant to their role and responsibilities, to empower them to be competent and feel confident in recognising and responding appropriately to safeguarding issues and promote wellbeing

• Location: Birmingham, Bristol, or London 

• Permanent contract  

• Term Time - 35 hours per week over 48 weeks (Sep-July with August as leave)   

• 23,833 (+£1,833 London Weighting where applicable) paid over 12 months (£26,000 FTE equivalent) 

• Start Date: 1st September 

A fantastic opportunity for individuals with experience in youth facilitation and stakeholder management to join our team as a Programme Coordinator. You will join a team that is determined and energetic; reflective and collaborative; and values the experiences and backgrounds of each person we work with.    

As a Programme Coordinator (PC) you will be at the frontline of our work, working directly with schools and colleges, young people and local businesses to make an impact! You will be responsible for all aspects of programme management and delivery of the Envision programme in a cluster of schools/colleges in your region.   

Key Responsibilities:  

• Programme delivery and facilitating work with young people  

• Programme management and logistics  

• Stakeholder management   

• Impact management   

Essential Experience, Knowledge and Competencies:  

• Experience of facilitating activities with young people – including preparing engaging sessions in advance by utilising resources available to them  

• Experience of project management – highly organised, with the ability to manage your own time to meet deadlines  

• Experience of working on projects which have multiple stakeholders – communicating effectively through written and verbal communication  

• Commitment to Envision’s vision, mission and values and ability to work well in, and contribute to, our organisational culture  

Desirable Experience, Knowledge and Competencies:  

• Experience of data handling – collecting and recording data in a timely manner using an online CRM system  

• Understanding of, and/ or lived experience of, the barriers that young people face, that contribute to the education and employment gap  

Envision seeks to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce and that all applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or nationality. We encourage applications with lived experience to apply as they are currently under- represented in our organisation. Envision graduates will be guaranteed a first round interview.   

To apply you must please read the application pack and apply through CharityJobs.  

Deadline - Midnight 31st May 2026 

Please note:   

- We will be interviewing as we go along, so early applicants are encouraged.   

- Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. Unfortunately we are unable to sponsor visas at this time.   

- We will only be contacting candidates who have been shortlisted for interview. Therefore, if we do not contact you, please assume you have been unsuccessful.   

- We also regret to inform you that, due to the high volume of applications we receive, we will be unable to provide you with feedback regarding your application.   

Contract:  Permanent, 37.5 hours per week  

Salary:  £26,812 - 28,830 per annum 

Location: Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, M26 1NQ 

Closing date:  Thursday 7th May 2026 

Interview date:  20th - 22nd May 2026 

We’re looking for a passionate and driven Assistant Manager – Client Services to help lead our work supporting people and pets across our Manchester rehoming, advice and behaviour unit. If you have a flair for client care and a love of animal welfare, this is your chance to make a real difference. 

More about the role

Our Radcliffe-based centre is at the heart of Blue Cross’s work in Greater Manchester, providing vital services in a creative, community-focused way. We don’t have kennels or catteries on site, so we think differently to help pets and their people, from running a busy food bank to delivering rehoming and support services for a variety of animals.

As Assistant Manager – Client Services, you’ll be at the forefront of this work. You’ll: 

• Lead the client services team to deliver exceptional care from first enquiry through to adoption or other support 
• Work closely with the team to assess and admit pets, match them with the right adopters, and guide clients through every step of their journey 
• Use data and insights to shape services and continuously improve client experience 
• Collaborate with the local leadership team to meet targets and drive pet welfare outcomes 
• Be hands-on with day-to-day operations including managing enquiries, prioritising admissions and promoting pets in our care 

This is a permanent, full-time role, working full time at 37.5 hours per week on a rota that includes 1 in 3 weekends and bank holidays. The working day is from 8.30am to 5.00pm. 

About you

You understand what it takes to match pets with new homes and are passionate about delivering an outstanding client experience. With a sharp eye for detail and a drive for improvement, you know how to assess what’s working – and what’s not. 

A natural leader, you bring out the best in your team, supporting and coaching them to grow. You're calm under pressure, thrive in busy environments, and communicate clearly with people from all walks of life. 

Your resilience and empathy shine through in emotional situations, helping you build trust, handle challenges with care, and create a compassionate, high-performing team. 

Knowledge, skills, and experience 

• Experience of working in a rescue welfare environment. 
• Significant experience of managing a team. 
• Experience in delivering high level client service. 
• Experience of working in a fast-paced environment. 
• High standard of verbal and written communication. 
• Proven decision-making ability. 
• Current full driving license. 
• The ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our Blue Cross Values 

It would be great (but not essential) if you also had:  

• Performance management and improvement experience.  
• Understanding of safeguarding issues. 
• Experience of admission and adoption processes in a rescue environment. 

Want to know more detail? Great! We have attached the job description which hopefully gives you everything you need.  

How to apply  

Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date Thursday 7th May 2026. 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response.  

Blue Cross benefits

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.  

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.  

Our generous benefits package includes: 

• Full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)  
• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support  
• Free access to GP via MetLife- 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family   
• Health cash plan  
• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme  
• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution   
• Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and personal development support.  
• Life assurance   
• 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance   
• Enhanced family friendly policies   
• Recognition scheme   
• Annual volunteer days  
• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers 

To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website.  

About Blue Cross

If you’d like to learn more about Blue Cross, our mission, and the work we do to support animals and people, take a look at our About Us page