East senior programme manager jobs

Director

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Director to help lead a multi-award-winning charity into its next phase of growth and impact.

Position: Director
Salary: £52,500 - £57,500
Location: Hybrid – at least 4 days per week in the office (N7), with regular travel to prison sites
Hours: Full-time
Closing Date: 10th July 2026

About the Role

The charity supports people serving prison sentences through creative music and peer-led employment programmes. Working closely with the existing Director and Board of Trustees, you will help shape and deliver the organisation's strategic vision while ensuring the successful delivery of programmes across multiple prison sites.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading strategic planning and organisational growth
• Developing and delivering fundraising and income generation strategies
• Securing grants, contracts and partnership opportunities
• Overseeing financial planning, budgeting and reporting
• Managing contracts and relationships with prison and sector partners
• Leading and supporting a dispersed team
• Acting as an ambassador for the organisation with funders and stakeholders

About You

You will be a strategic and hands-on leader with:

• Significant leadership experience within the charity, criminal justice or wider social impact sector.
• Experience as a senior leader, Director, CEO or member of a leadership team.
• A strong track record in fundraising, income generation and partnership development.
• Experience securing and managing contracts, organisational operations and financial oversight.
• Strong strategic, operational, and financial management skills.
• Experience leading and supporting dispersed teams in complex environments.
• A strong understanding of prisons, rehabilitation and the barriers faced by people within the criminal justice system or related sectors (homelessness, substance use, rehabilitation).
• Excellent communication, relationship-building and stakeholder management skills.
• Strategic thinking combined with a practical, hands-on approach.
• A genuine commitment to social justice and belief in the transformative power of creativity, music and peer-led support.

About the Organisation

Established in 2014, the charity delivers creative music and peer-led employment programmes in prisons across London, Kent, the Midlands and the North East. The organisation works alongside people facing significant barriers, helping them develop skills, confidence and pathways into employment while creating meaningful opportunities for long-term change.

Other roles you may have experience of could include: Chief Executive Officer, Deputy Chief Executive, Operations Director, Executive Director, Director of Services, Head of Programmes, Director of Operations, Managing Director, Director of Partnerships, Charity Director. #INDNFP

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce.

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

Forest Farm Peace Garden is a small East London charity offering ecotherapy and community gardening to support people’s mental health and wellbeing.

We are looking for a strategic, hands‑on Director (21 hours per week) to lead our next chapter, working closely with a committed staff team, trustees and volunteers.

As Director you will hold overall responsibility for the charity’s vision, strategy and day‑to‑day operations, ensuring our programmes run safely, sustainably and in line with our values. You will lead on fundraising and finance, including developing and delivering a fundraising strategy, managing budgets and reporting to funders and the Board of Trustees.

You will line‑manage our Ecotherapy Worker, Gardener, and three sessional staff, nurture a positive, inclusive culture, and make sure staff and volunteers are supported to do their best work. Building relationships with local mental health services, community organisations and partners will be central to the role, helping us reach people who can benefit most from time in the garden.

This role would suit someone who enjoys combining strategic thinking with practical delivery in a small organisation, and who is confident working independently while collaborating closely with others. If you care about mental health, social justice and nature connection, and want to help a much‑loved local project thrive, we would love to hear from you.

Community Fundraising Assistant - North 

Are you ready to take on a new challenge with a leading charity making a real difference in brain tumour research?

Brain Tumour Research is an exciting, innovative, and ambitious charity. We are passionate about finding a cure for brain tumours through the establishment of dedicated Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence around the UK.​

After a successful 2025, we’re building on our momentum and looking ahead with ambition. As our work continues to expand, so does our impact. We are now looking for passionate people to join us on the next stage of our journey!

It is a fantastic time to be joining us and we are keen to share this with likeminded and talented individuals. We currently have an opening for a Community Fundraising Assistant - North, to join our Community and Digital Fundraising team.

• Do you want to make a difference in one of the most innovative and exciting medical research fundraising charities in the UK?
• Are you able to provide friendly and professional support to fundraisers and supporters?   
• Do you have experience in supporting events or community activities?
• Do you live in either Scotland, North East England, North West England or the East Midlands? 

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Have you answered Yes to these questions?

Does this sound like the opportunity to really take the next step in your career?

Excited to learn more about this position? Then please take a read through our recruitment pack which is included within this advert.​​​

If you have the skills and ambition that we are looking for we are excited to receive your application.  We are really looking forward to welcoming a new member to our team!​

We are asking for a CV as the first step but applicants may be asked to provide a targeted covering letter as part of the selection process.  Interviews will be conducted during the application window as appropriate, and will consist of a first interview via MS Teams, progressing, if successful to a face to face second interview, held at our offices in Milton Keynes.

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We reserve the right to close the application window early and advise candidates to apply in good time to avoid disappointment.​

We are looking for people who share our passion for finding a cure for brain tumours and who have the skills and experience to make a difference. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages. We believe that diversity enriches our organisation and helps us achieve our mission. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can be themselves and contribute to our vision.

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Manchester Central Foodbank is a busy Trussell Trust-affiliated food bank, with centres in Central, North, and East Manchester. We were established in Ardwick in 2013 by students at the Manchester Universities’ Catholic Chaplaincy, making us the first student-led food bank in the country. Since then we have grown significantly, expanding our weekly sessions into Harpurhey and Openshaw.

Our core aims are to deliver the best quality support that we can to the largest number of our neighbours in need, while working with partners and influencing and organising at a neighbourhood and citywide level to reduce and end the need for food banks in Manchester.

We currently support 16,000 people per year with nutritionally balanced 3-day food parcels. This is double the number of people we supported in the first year following the Covid-19 pandemic, and four times the number supported in 2019. We also provide financial inclusion support with advice workers in public sessions, access to energy vouchers, SIM cards, and other voucher or material support. We coordinate across a network of 200 active front-line referral agencies with the aim of ensuring everyone who accesses our service has appropriate, specialised, and ongoing support alongside the material provision that we provide.

We are active leaders in anti-poverty organising and community development, as convenors of the citywide Building an Anti-Poverty Community collective and aim to be key shapers and influencers of new strategies and policies, working closely to support and influence local government, NHS, education and research agendas in Manchester and more widely building upon our track record of successful anti-poverty partnership work, social value impact and Parliamentary influencing. Our core values are: care, partnership, dignity, partnership, anti-stigma and rights-based.

Key responsibilities
As Chief Executive Officer you will be the key senior staff leader for the charity. You will lead the team to ensure they have the resources, frameworks, and support to effect smooth day-to-day running of our frontline support service. You will provide a strong business management focus, through supporting the financial process, overall metrics and reporting, day to day HR and input for the external Payroll Team, Health and Safety, appropriate working conditions, and strategic planning and communications. 

As the senior lead you will also facilitate and support the Board of Trustees to develop and lead strategic development objectives and plans for transformation, and ensure the delivery and implementation of the charity’s overall strategy and specific focused strategies. You will develop and manage strategic relationships with stakeholders including Council, NHS, and other statutory partners and funders, corporate and social value funders and partners, and high-value and donors. You will also plan and lead fundraising strategies. 

You will be a key external interface for our community and partners.  You will do this by:

Staff/Board Leadership and Governance:

• Line managing a current team of operations staff, including those supporting the recruitment, training, and management of a large team of volunteers. 

• Building team spirit and employee engagement and offer.

• Leading and delivering regular staff performance and development reviews.

• Developing and delivering robust metrics and reporting to the board and staff team, through consistent monthly and quarterly reporting packs to the board of trustees.

• Ensuring all staff and volunteers are familiar and engaged with the charity’s long-term goals and objectives, and know how their work helps to implement these on the ground. Leading the development of induction packages and ongoing offers for staff and volunteers. You will be responsible for writing, implementation, and update of institutional policies as needed to staff and volunteers.

• Leading targeted volunteer recruitment strategies to maximise core delivery capacity through volunteer roles and prioritise staffing capacity to core charity operations.

• Ensure policies are kept current.

• Ensure recording and management of absence/leave.

• Ensure Health and Safety aspects of all organisational operations are compliant, in collaboration with the Board sponsor.

• Manage day to day financial input, through the Xero app, and ensure accurate and up-to-date financial reporting for the Board/Treasurer. This includes administering monthly payroll requests.

• Oversee training and personal development plans for staff and volunteers, as appropriate.

• Working with the Chair of Trustees to implement the charity’s strategic plan and structural development objectives.

• Develop and implement ongoing plans and actions to ensure operationally-appropriate and safe office, warehouse, and working spaces.

• Lead on development, modelling, and maintenance of service delivery standards, quality control, and ensuring frontline teams have the appropriate resources, support, and frameworks to deliver high quality and consistent support offers.

Foodbank Management:

• Support the Operations and Project Lead to deliver the smooth running of food bank sessions across multiple centres, ensuring an excellent standard of service across all centres, and seeking to continually develop our service in line with our goals to support the largest number of people with the best support we can while working to reduce and end the need for food banks in Manchester.

• Develop and build a new Delivery Strategy with the Chair of Trustees and Operations and Project Lead.

• Support the Operations and Project Lead and Warehouse and Logistics Coordinator to safely store and maintain optimal stock levels, maximise food donation levels and reduce food spend, develop and maintain relationships with community donors, and record incoming and outgoing stock, with the aim of ensuring that all centres are well stocked to provide as many varied, balanced, and nutritious and culturally-appropriate food parcels as necessary.

• Ensure compliance with the procedures set out in Manchester Central Foodbank’s policies, the Trussell Trust’s Operating Manual, and relevant statutory requirements at all times.

• Ensure our food bank centres provide a safe and dignified environment for clients, free from discrimination, judgement, and stigma.

Strategy and External Relationships:

• Working with the Chair of Trustees on development, monitoring, and implementation of the core charity strategy and sub-strategies. Ensuring the involvement and participation of the food bank’s staff, volunteers, external partners, and service users in all strategic planning and decision making, where appropriate.

• Support the Operations and Project Lead to work build strong relationships with referral partners and wider community and statutory networks of collaborators and support to ensure that our service users are able to access the maximum amount of support before, during, and after accessing our service to minimise the length and severity of financial crisis, maximise their incomes, and provide pathways to ongoing and longer-term support.

• Play an active role in strategic and convening spaces around our city and neighbourhoods to present the foodbank’s approach, bring more partners into our network, and influence policy and funding frameworks.

• Develop and manage a Corporate Relationships and Social Value strategy, including communications, networking, and relationship management.

• Lead on directing the charity’s external communications, including social media, in person, newsletters, company visits, and other content.

• Manage internal communications, including developing and delivering two-way team briefings with the board and staff/volunteers, biannual town halls or away days with board members and staff/volunteers, newsletters, and an open and collaborative, person-focused, and developmental culture within the organisation.

About you

Essential Experience and Knowledge:

• 5 years’ experience of leading a similar profiled charity or organisation and successful Board interaction.

• Experience of leading successful transformation and change for a charity and a strong developmental mindset and focus.

• Have led a team of 5 or more staff members to successful performance, demonstrating experience of coaching and individual development skills.

• Experience in developing and leading successful and engaged volunteering programmes and support.

• Full valid driving licence. 

• Proven experience of leading the development and delivery of strategy and sub-strategies to successful conclusion and fashioning evidenced business cases for current and new development projects.

• Leading multiple complex projects or services, balancing the needs and interests of a range of stakeholders.

• Experience of implementing rigorous reporting and evaluation practices on operations.

• Experience of managing day-to-day financial administration and reporting.

• Evidence of delivering clear metric dashboards and reports.

• Experience of high-quality implementation of Health and Safety and Safeguarding policies and a leadership practice that centres care for staff, volunteers, and service users. Safeguarding lead qualification is desirable but will provide training if not.

• Demonstrable knowledge and experience in HR processes and management.

• Experience in building and delivering strategic plans.

• Proven experience of effective problem solving and responding to crisis situations.

• A good working knowledge of the social welfare and political landscape in Manchester – or demonstrable experience in similar expertise and networking and an openness to learn and develop sector-specific knowledge.

• A nuanced and sensitive understanding of the complex reasons people attend food banks.

Desirable Experience and Knowledge:

• Partnering with and building relationships with Council, NHS, and other statutory partners and funders, corporate and social value partners and funders, high net worth donors, and fundraising through grant applications and individual/community donors.

• Experience of working collaboratively with stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, faiths, and views. 

• Experience of handling safeguarding incidents, follow-ups, and debriefs with staff, volunteers, and service users.

• Demonstrated success in delivering communications strategies for internal and external stakeholders, including social media and press content and campaigns.

Personal Skills and Attributes:

• An individual who embodies the values of Manchester Central Foodbank in their core professional practice and personal approach to their work.

• An empathetic and care-centred approach and the ability to centre the experience and outcomes of people from marginalised or socially-excluded backgrounds in core decision-making and prioritisation.

• A leader who takes ownership, accountability, and responsibility to drive an organisation and team forward with a developmental mindset.

• A highly self-motivated and proactive person who centres collaboration and consensus with the staff team, volunteers and Board of Trustees in their approach.

• Able to develop strategy and plans and translate strategy to actionable delivery and developmental projects.

• A high level of literacy and communication.

• A high level of numeracy and ability to analyse data.

• Strong leadership attributes to build engagement and performance with the team.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to motivate, persuade, and coach staff and volunteers.

• Excellent personal organisation skills and the ability to manage multiple conflicting priorities and deadlines.

Lumos Foundation works to realise every child’s right to a family by transforming care systems around the world. Our vision is a world in which all children grow up in safe and loving families within supported communities. Lumos is currently recruiting for a Global Financial Controller for a fixed-term period for a maternity cover contract.

Lumos partners with governments, civil society and young people with lived experience to transform care systems globally and advocate for family-based solutions that help children thrive. We ensure that families receive the support they need to stay together or reunite, and that children grow up in family-based settings such as foster or kinship care.

Lumos works with local, national and international partners across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America to drive systemic and sustainable reform of child care systems. Over the next decade, Lumos aims to help 500,000 children transition from institutional care to family-based care and prevent 10 million children from experiencing family separation.

The Role

The Global Financial Controller is responsible for leading Lumos’ financial control, reporting and compliance framework across the organisation, ensuring strong stewardship, financial integrity and transparency across all entities and jurisdictions.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Director of Strategic Finance, Executive Leadership Team, Board of Directors and external auditors, while leading and developing a high-performing global finance team. The role will also deputise for the Director of Strategic Finance where required.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the preparation of annual statutory accounts and consolidated group financial statements in accordance with Charity SORP and relevant accounting standards.
• Ensure timely and accurate monthly, quarterly and annual financial reporting.
• Manage the annual external audit process and resolve technical accounting matters.
• Staff management of a team of 3 accountants
• Maintain a strong internal control environment across the organisation.
• Oversee balance sheet reconciliations and ensure financial integrity across all reporting.
• Develop and enhance finance policies, procedures and governance frameworks.
• Support risk management and organisational accountability. .
• Provide analysis and recommendations to support strategic and operational decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with donor and funder requirements.

Candidate Profile
Essential Qualifications & Experience

• Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Significant experience leading financial control and reporting within a complex or multi-entity organisation.
• Strong technical accounting expertise, including statutory reporting and audit management.
• Experience implementing and maintaining robust financial controls and governance frameworks.
• Experience within the charity, NGO or international development sector.

Desirable Experience

• Experience with finance transformation, ERP implementation or process improvement projects.

Recruitment Process

• The preferred start date for this position is 3rd August 2026.
• First-stage interviews are scheduled to take place on 3rd July 2026, with second-stage interviews planned for 17th July 2026.

Benefits

• Salary of £60,000 - £70,000 DOE
• Annual leave of 30 days per year + bank holiday
• Hybrid working of 2 days per week in central London and remainder from home or up to you
• A fixed-term contract for a period of 12 months
• Direct impact on operational systems supporting our global mission, with exposure to senior decision-making during a transformative period
• Enhanced family-friendly leave (maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental) and enhanced sick pay
• Competitive employer pension scheme
• Learning and development opportunities
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme for confidential wellbeing support and advice

Ivy Rock Partners is working exclusively with Lumos on the appointment of this role. For further information, please get in touch with Holly Arrowsmith or Jake Morrow for further details.

Safeguarding & Equality Statement
Lumos is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and associates to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to appropriate screening and references.
Lumos is also committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.

WORKING WITH US

The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.

We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.

Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.

To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the page.

ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY

A rare opportunity to lead communications and brand for one of the UK’s leading education trusts.

As Head of Communications and Brand at the Harris Federation, you will shape and protect our public profile, leading strategic communications, marketing and media activity across a network of 55 academies.

Reporting to the CEO, you will act as a trusted adviser to senior leaders, driving brand consistency, overseeing high impact campaigns, and leading digital, PR and internal communications to support pupil recruitment, staff attraction and organisational growth. You will also build and lead a high performing MarComms function and manage external agency partnerships.

This is a pivotal leadership role where you’ll bring the Harris story to life - showcasing our impact, strengthening our reputation, and helping us navigate sector challenges with clarity and credibility.

If you are a senior communications leader with a strong track record in brand, digital and stakeholder engagement, and are passionate about making a difference to young people’s futures - we’d love to hear from you.

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Your responsibilities will include:

Strategic Leadership & Executive Advisory

• Develop and lead the Federation’s external communications and brand strategy at the highest level, ensuring coherence across all academies and central services.
• Act as an adviser to the CEO and executive team on internal and external communications.

Brand Leadership

• Own and embed the Federation’s brand identity, values, and visual standards across all academies and external channels.
• Own and embed brand guidelines, tone of voice, and messaging across all channels to ensure consistency.

External Campaigns & Growth Marketing

• Create comprehensive marketing and communications strategies that align with the Federations aims and increase brand awareness.
• Own and develop high impact external campaigns to support pupil recruitment, reputation and trust building, staff recruitment (in collaboration with Talent Acquisition), and new academy expansions.

MarComms Directorate Leadership

• Build and lead a high performing Marketing & Communications Directorate.
• Set long-term capability requirements and lead workforce planning as the function scales.

For a full list of responsibilities, please download the Job Pack.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• Degree in Marketing, Communications, Digital Media or related field.
• Professional Marketing qualification (CIM or equivalent)
• Evidence of CPD in digital marketing, SEO, or communications.
• Significant experience in marketing, communications, or digital strategy.
• Experience managing brand identity and external communications
• Experience in education, charity or public sector.
• Strong understanding of digital marketing, SEO, Analytics, and social media best practice.
• Excellent written and communication skills.
• Strong design awareness and understanding of visual identity.
• Proficiency with CMS platforms, social media tools, and analytics software.

For a full job specification, please download the Job Pack.

APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION

If you would like to discuss the opportunity further, or if you have any questions, please contact us via email to arrange a conversation.

Before applying please ensure you download the job pack from our careers website, this will help with completing your application. Please note that we only accept applications submitted online before the closing date.

When applying, you will have the option to import your CV or use a LinkedIn profile which will auto populate the online application. 

A reminder to check your junk mail for our email communications and add us to your safe senders list to ensure all future email communication is received.

OUR VISION & VALUES

Our vision, from the start, has been to provide the structure and services needed for our schools to amount to more than the sum of their parts, and to free-up our teachers and leaders to focus on one thing and one thing only: the outstanding education of all their pupils. Our young people and communities are at the heart of everything we do. Our core mission has always been to close the educational gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Our ambition is one where every child in London, no matter their background, has equal access to high quality education, giving them the same opportunities and potential to succeed.

We know there are many challenges facing our young people and the communities we serve, and that’s why we need determined people like you to help us tackle those inequalities. Whilst each of our academies has their own unique cultures and values; as a whole Federation, we have four core values which are central to successfully achieving our vision: Excellence, Collaboration, Support, and Innovation. We are proud of our values because they guide us in how we work allowing us to achieve the best possible outcomes for our young people, communities, and colleagues.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

Harris has a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

You will also have access to a variety of benefits, support programmes and initiatives including:

• Excellent opportunities for continuous professional development and career progression
• Annual performance and loyalty bonus
• Pension scheme (Teachers' Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contribution
• 26 days' annual leave (inclusive of our Christmas Eve closure day) plus bank holidays, rising to 27 days after 2 years' service, or equivalent for staff on term time contracts
• Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan including cover for routine and specialist healthcare
• Employee Assistance Programme for free and confidential advice
• Cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme
• Wide range of shopping, leisure, and travel discounts
• 20% off at Tapi Carpets, exclusive to Harris employees
• Interest-free ICT and season ticket loans

For most non-teaching staff based at our Head Office in East Croydon, we also offer lifestyle friendly working arrangements including flexible start and end times, and hybrid working with two days from home and three days on site.