Programme and partnerships development director jobs

Demand for our specialist tutoring programmes for Children Looked After, those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) continues to increase and we are seeking a dedicated and effective Partnerships Account Manager to join our team and support the increased demand for our provision and the continued scaling of our organisation.

The Organisation

Equal Education is a social enterprise working to improve outcomes and narrow the attainment gap for disadvantaged and vulnerable learners, including Children Looked After, those with SEND, and unaccompanied asylum seeking children. We have over 13 years’ experience delivering 1:1 tuition, working with hundreds of Schools and Local Authority partners across the country, reaching hundreds of pupils annually. 

As a member of the Fair Education Alliance, we believe in providing meaningful educational provision to students whose needs may not be best met within a traditional classroom environment, those who aren’t currently accessing education, or who benefit from additional 1:1 support. We work with over 200 qualified teachers to provide academic, subject specialised and individual tutoring and mentoring for children of all ages. Tutors provide pastoral care and work with pupils to increase engagement and attainment. Our programmes will help the students to overcome barriers to learning, help them build trusted relationships, increase their aspirations, and fulfil their potential. We are passionate about our cause and are looking for people who are motivated by a strong desire to address educational inequality and improve outcomes. 

What is the Role?
In this role, you will drive business growth by securing new partnerships and managing key client accounts across designated regions. With a focus on building and sustaining long-term local council and school relationships, you will work closely with clients to understand their needs, expand our service offerings, and ensure the highest levels of satisfaction. As the majority of our key client relationships are with local councils, we are looking for someone with knowledge of how they operate.

The post holder will have the opportunity to line manage junior member(s) of the team, who provide essential bid-writing and administrative support to facilitate efficient and effective client management.

This role would suit someone with proven ability to operate effectively in scaling organisations where processes are still being defined. This role suits someone who is adaptable, resilient, and confident working at pace amid change.

The role will be suited to those who have worked within an education setting and held the title: SENCO, Head of Department, Advisory Teacher, Inclusion Coordinator or Designated Teacher. The role will also be suited to those who have worked within a Local Authority setting and held the title: Commissioning Officer, Senior Case Officer, Case Officer. Whilst the role is also suited for an experienced (key) account/client manager, we are looking for an individual who has experience and/or knowledge of the UK education system.

This role is ideal for an ambitious, client-focused individual, passionate about creating positive outcomes for vulnerable students. If you’re ready to contribute to a growing organisation that’s making a difference, we’d love to hear from you! We expect that the successful candidate will be able to swiftly absorb our ways of working and contribute to the ongoing growth and success of the organisation.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Client Acquisition and Relationship Management

   • Proactively seek new business opportunities within assigned regions to grow the client base.

   • Develop and maintain strong, positive relationships with key clients, ensuring their evolving needs are met and service offerings are aligned.

   • Lead regular client review meetings to discuss progress, gather feedback, and identify additional service opportunities.

   • Manage internal relationships to ensure what matters to clients is communicated internally using the proper channels, to allow for effective delivery by our Service Delivery team

   • Maintain good internal stakeholder relationships with our Service Delivery team to ensure client demands are balanced with our processes and team capacity. 

2. Strategic Planning and Development

   • Collaborate with Senior Leaders to develop strategies for client retention and growth.

   • Work closely within the Partnerships team to align on strategic objectives and ensure seamless service delivery across functions.

   • Participate in client and industry events to represent the organisation, expand networks, and identify new business opportunities.

3. Performance Monitoring and Reporting

   • Monitor client engagement, satisfaction levels, and service outcomes; produce regular progress reports for management.

   • Oversee tracking and analysis of client-related statistics to ensure targets are met and clients receive impactful, value-driven service.

   • Manage and track client data and prospect pipelines using CRM systems, ensuring accuracy and up-to-date information.

   • Report to the the Partnerships Director on accounts, Tenders, Bids, client meetings on a regular basis.

   • Be curious to explore our Salesforce system data, understanding and interpreting delivery and impact data. 

4. Line Management and Support Coordination

   • Lead, mentor, and manage junior member(s) of the team focused on bid/application writing, tender management, and client-related administration.

   • Support junior member(s) in producing and reviewing high-quality application documents and responses that align with client requirements and enhance our partnership outcomes.

   • Provide oversight to ensure that administrative tasks are completed efficiently, supporting smooth client interactions and consistent follow-through.

   • Work with other area leaders, to ensure strong delivery of services.

   • Contribute to, and foster strong internal working relationships to successfully delivery against strategy and objectives.. 

5. Bid Management and Process Improvement

   • Oversee the preparation and submission of tenders and bid applications, working closely with junior member(s) to ensure high-quality and timely submissions.

   • Continuously review and improve internal processes to optimise bid management, client onboarding, and service delivery.

   • Report on bid submission performance, review bidfeedback to continuously improve. 

Essential Skills and Experience:

• Detailed knowledge of the UK education sector. 

• Experience working in the education sector or with local authorities, particularly in roles involving SEND or children’s services.

• Proven track record in client relationship management, with experience in sales or partnership development roles.

• Strong communication skills, particularly in face-to-face and telephone interactions, with the ability to build rapport quickly and maintain long-lasting relationships.

• Experience managing a small team, providing leadership, direction, and support to ensure high-performance standards.

• High level of empathy and commitment to supporting vulnerable and underserved communities.

• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet both short- and long-term deadlines effectively.

• Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) for tracking client data, leads, and progress.

• Proactive, problem-solving mindset, able to address issues independently and provide client-focused solutions.

• Able to work in a high pressure environment, whilst taking initiative, we would want the postholder to ask for support when needed.

Desirable:

• Exceptional written communication skills, with proven confidence in drafting, editing, and refining persuasive content across a variety of formats.

• Experience in bid and tender writing or grant applications is advantageous, though a background in producing compelling written materials for diverse purposes is equally valued.

General
The job is subject to having the right to work in the UK, two professional references and a basic DBS check.

Why Equal Education?

• Competitive salary

• Investment in you - we believe in developing from within and offer our team training opportunities and personalised development plans, as well as the chance to get involved with lots of projects across the organisation.

• Flexible, hybrid work environment with regular opportunities for in-person client engagement.

• Working alongside a passionate team working to make a positive impact in the lives of under-resourced children and young people across the UK.

• Staff wellbeing benefits such as ClassPass membership, access to discounts via Perks at Work, eyecare vouchers, regular wellbeing sessions and team social events.

At Equal Education, you are the expert. We give you the space, the support and the technology to be your best. The rest is up to you.

Being you at Equal Education 

Every young person we support is unique and our team isn’t any different. Our differences are our strength when it comes to providing a tailored, human approach to education. We are proud of our people and provide an environment where everyone can bring their most authentic self to work. 

Our recruitment practices are carried out in line with equal opportunities and all candidates will be reviewed fairly regardless of age, gender reassignment, sex, race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic. 

Next steps

If you feel inspired and you think you have the right motivation and experience for the role, we would love to receive your application.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and interviews will be arranged accordingly. We reserve the right to close this application early, for example if we receive an unprecedented number of applications, so please apply promptly to ensure you are considered for this role.

Harris Hill is delighted to be supporting a national cancer support charity in their search for a Corporate Partnerships Officer.

Epsom, Surrey (Hybrid) | Full Time | £35,000 per annum

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a growing and ambitious charity that provides life-changing support to people affected by cancer across the UK.

They are looking for a relationship-focused fundraiser to help drive the growth of their corporate partnerships programme. Working closely with the Director of Income Generation, Marketing and Communications, the successful candidate will support new business activity while managing and developing a portfolio of valued corporate partners.

This role offers the opportunity to work with a wide range of partners, create engaging partnership opportunities and contribute towards ambitious income growth plans. It would suit someone who enjoys building relationships, delivering excellent stewardship and helping corporate supporters maximise their impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the development of new corporate partnership opportunities.
• Manage and grow a portfolio of existing corporate partners.
• Deliver excellent stewardship and relationship management.
• Create compelling partnership proposals and presentations.

What They're Looking For

• Experience building and managing external relationships.
• A proactive and solutions-focused approach.
• Experience in fundraising, partnerships or account management would be advantageous.
• A genuine passion for supporting people affected by cancer.

The charity operates a hybrid working model, with regular attendance at their Epsom office and partner locations. Candidates should be based within London or the South East and able to travel as required.

Apply to Hannah at Harris Hill onto learn more and get the full job pack. Rolling recruitment

As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp™, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics

At Buttle UK, we believe poverty and crisis should never define a child’s future.

For more than 70 years, Buttle UK has supported children and young people across the UK facing poverty, trauma and complex challenges. Now with an ambitious new 2025–2030 strategy, they are entering an exciting new chapter, growing their impact, amplifying their voice and investing in the partnerships that will help change children’s lives for the long term.

This is a rare opportunity to join the organisation at a pivotal moment as their new Head of Philanthropy & Partnerships.

Working closely with the Director of Fundraising & Communications, you’ll lead high-value fundraising across major donors, trusts and foundations and corporate partnership, shaping the future of income generation at Buttle UK while leading and inspiring a talented team.

If you’re someone who combines strategic thinking with exceptional relationship-building and you’re motivated by creating meaningful change for children and young people, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll lead the development and delivery of ambitious fundraising strategies designed to drive sustainable income growth and deepen supporter engagement.

You’ll personally manage a portfolio of high-value supporters and partners, cultivating transformational relationships with high-net-worth individuals, trusts, foundations and corporate organisations.

Alongside this, you’ll:

• Lead and develop a team of four fundraisers
• Build innovative stewardship and cultivation journeys
• Identify and secure new strategic partnerships
• Develop fundraising systems, pipelines and KPIs
• Work closely with senior leadership to shape organisational strategy
• Champion collaborative, values-led fundraising
• Help embed co-production and safeguarding within fundraising activity

This is a role for someone who enjoys balancing strategy with hands-on relationship management and who thrives in a collaborative, purpose-driven environment.

What we’re looking for

We know great candidates don’t always tick every box, and we’d still encourage you to apply if this role excites you.

That said, we’re particularly keen to hear from people who bring:

• Significant experience managing high-value fundraising relationships
• A proven track record of securing six and seven-figure gifts
• Experience across major donors, trusts/foundations and/or corporate partnerships
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing high-performing teams
• Excellent communication and influencing abilities
• Strategic thinking alongside strong operational delivery
• A collaborative and compassionate approach
• A genuine commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people experiencing poverty

Why join Buttle UK?

This is an organisation that genuinely lives its values: child-focused, empathetic, responsive, collaborative and accountable.

You’ll be joining a team deeply committed to creating equitable opportunities for children and young people while also creating a supportive, inclusive and flexible working environment for staff.

Benefits include:

• Hybrid working
• 25 days annual leave plus Christmas closure and bank holidays
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and sick pay
• Employer pension contribution
• Employee assistance programme
• Life assurance
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Strong commitment to learning and development

Accessibility & Inclusion

Accessibility matters deeply to both Buttle UK and Valued Recruitment.

We’re committed to creating an inclusive and supportive recruitment process and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences.

If you need any adjustments or support at any stage of the application process, please let us know, no request is too big or too small.

Interested?

Buttle UK is partnering exclusively with Valued Recruitment for this search.

To apply, please send your CV along with a covering letter (maximum two pages) outlining:

• why this role interests you
• what you would bring to Buttle UK

Key dates

• Closing date: 9am, Monday 22 June
• First interviews: Monday 29 June and Tuesday 30 June
• Second stage interviews (London): Monday 6 July

Salary: £42,000 - £45,000
Contract: Permanent
Location: Hybrid – 2 days per week in London
Closing date: 22 June
Benefits: Hybrid working, Season Ticket Loan, Employee Assistance Programme

We have a great opportunity for a Partnerships Manager to join a globally recognised health charity. Reporting to the Director of Partnerships, this is an exciting opportunity to take on a newly created role and shape the growth of a high-potential income stream. 

As part of this exciting role, you will lead on developing and managing relationships with a portfolio of corporate partners, driving income growth through compelling proposals and excellent stewardship. You will build on established partnerships with well-known brands while proactively identifying and securing new business opportunities. Alongside this, you will oversee community fundraising activity, line manage a Partnerships Officer, and contribute to strategic planning, ensuring sustainable and impactful income generation to support global programmes.

To be successful as the Partnerships Manager you will need:
 

• Experience in corporate partnerships or business development, with a track record of securing and growing income
• Strong relationship management and communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence
• Experience of developing proposals, managing pipelines, and delivering against income targets

If you would like to discuss this role with us please email your CV to [email protected] or contact us and quote the reference 2999HB.
Ashby Jenkins Recruitment are a specialist charity recruitment agency, we use our extensive sector knowledge and experience to match candidates to the most suitable charity jobs. We are passionate about improving equality across the sector, you can read more about our commitment to diversity here.
We take a relationship-led approach to recruitment in the charity sector and partner with you as the leading charity recruitment agency.
If enough applications are received the charity reserve the right to end the application period sooner.
 

At Ambitious about Autism, we're looking for a Learning and Organisational Development Coordinator to join our People team on a 6 month maternity cover.

You'll play a crucial role in supporting the administration and coordination of learning and organisational development initiatives within the Charity. Working closely with the Learning & Organisational Development team, this role ensures the smooth implementation of training programs, development initiatives, and cultural change projects across the organisation.

You'll provide efficient administrative support for learning and organisational development activities, managing the Learning Help inbox, promoting training courses/events internally, as well as developing, maintaining and supporting the LMS.

We are looking for someone who has:

• Experience in providing administrative support in Human Resources or Learning and Development
• Administrative experience with a Learning Management System
• Strong organisational, multi-tasking skills with the ability to prioritise tasks effectively
• Proficiency in in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, O365) and ability to learn new systems.

In return, we offer great benefits including a generous holiday allowance and commitment to continued professional development (CPD), flexible, hybrid working and more!

This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious individual who would like to work for a forward-thinking, open and honest organisation and make a real impact to the young people we work with. Please find our full recruitment pack on the link below.

If you have any questions about the role or would like to have a confidential chat, please contact James Axford, Recruitment Officer.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion at every level of our organisation. We warmly welcome applications from all qualified candidates, valuing the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives they bring. We encourage applications from individuals regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or parental status, disability, or age.

Our recruitment process promotes equal opportunities, and we are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities or additional needs throughout the recruitment process. Please contact our Recruitment Team for accommodations. We recognise disability as a physical or mental impairment that significantly and long-term affects a person's ability to perform day-to-day activities, as defined by the UK Equality Act 2010. All applications will be considered solely on merit, aligned with our mission to support autistic children and young people.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. As part of our Safer Recruitment checks, an online search maybe carried out in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

The Safeguarding responsibilities of the post as per the job description and personal specification.
Whether the post is exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendment to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2021. This means that when applying for certain jobs and activities certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS Filter Guidance.

Head of Corporate Partnerships
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Location: London, UK 
Salary: £53,317 - £61,034 pa plus benefits

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is one of the world’s leading public health universities.  Our mission is to improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working in partnership to achieve excellence in public and global health research, education and translation of knowledge into policy and practice.

LSHTM have 3,300 staff based around the world with core hubs in London and at the MRC Units in The Gambia and Uganda. Our outstanding, diverse and committed staff make an impact where it is most needed, deploying research in real time in response to crises, developing innovative programmes for major health threats and training the next generations of public and global health leaders and researchers.

Philanthropy is critical to us achieving our mission, and our Development and Alumni Relations department develops and supports relationships with a growing body of supporters and  community of over 30,000 alumni in over 180 countries around the world. 

As we scale up the role of fundraising at LSHTM, we are recruiting 3 senior specialists to work closely as part of the department’s leadership team in providing strategic and tactical direction of key areas of our work as our Heads of Development Operations, Trusts & Foundations, and a new area – Corporate Partnerships.

We have created a Head of Corporate Partnerships position for an experienced practitioner to join us, and explore and strategically design a focused programme to engage corporate support.  We have identified a number of potential prospects and are now seeking a creative and enterprising specialist who has a track record of working with key stakeholders to develop attractive value propositions that have secured new corporate partnerships.  Success in this role will require intellectual curiosity and a strong relationship-focused approach, with creativity, resilience and strong ambition to build something new and achieve results. 

If you believe you have the skills, aptitude and commitment to our purpose, we would like to hear from you.  We are partnering with Richmond Associates on this campaign.  To view the information pack for this role or to arrange a confidential discussion with Richmond Associates, please contact Sonja Dunphy, Managing Director or Nicola Reames, Senior Consultant via their website or follow the Apply button.

Closing date for applications: 09:00 on FRIDAY, 3 JULY 2026

About Barnabas Aid

Barnabas International is a large family of Christian ministries and charities focused on giving practical support to suffering, abandoned and persecuted Christians around the world. The ministry was founded in 1993, and since then, it has funded projects in more than 100 countries, providing hope and help to millions of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Some of our key projects include supplying food aid, medical supplies, educational and vocational training, Bibles, micro-enterprise, disaster relief, help for victims of violence, and support for pastors and church leaders. Barnabas Aid also provides advocacy for religious freedom, especially for persecuted and suffering Christians.

Barnabas is a Christian ministry and a charity. Employees are expected to subscribe to the Vision, Mission, Value and Statement of Faith, and their work may be viewed as being vocational.

There is an occupational requirement for applicants to be practising Christians, who are engaged in their local church, in order to be able to carry out our roles.

About This Vacancy

We are looking for a motivated and organised Project Officer to join our International Programmes Team on a fixed-term basis for one year, covering a period of maternity leave.

Overview

The Project Officer will be part of a regional team that works with new and existing partners to design, deliver and learn from projects in line with the organisation’s mission. The team supports the full project cycle: partner engagement, application review, due diligence, project design, contracting, implementation support, monitoring, evaluation and project closure, maintaining accurate records throughout, in close collaboration with the Quality Team (Director and Quality Assurance and Impact (MEAL) Specialists).

The Project Officer will work collaboratively across the regional team, providing flexible support and surge capacity during peak periods and responding to emerging priorities as required. Under the supervision of Programme Managers and the Regional Director, they will also take day-to-day responsibility for a portfolio of assigned partners and specific projects, ensuring timely progression from concept to completion and that documentation, compliance, quality assurance and learning requirements are met. This includes working with the Quality Team to integrate appropriate MEAL approaches, support data quality and ensure learning is captured and shared.

Key Responsibilities

·Project Identification and Evaluation

oIdentify and assess project concepts and proposals with assigned partners, ensuring alignment with organisational strategy, feasibility, risk, safeguarding considerations and expected impact.

oContribute to emergency or rapid-response programming when required, including providing surge support to colleagues and helping to coordinate time-critical actions.

oSupport partner mapping and relationship management activities, helping to identify potential partners and project opportunities.

oUndertake contextual and partner due diligence research to inform project design, risk management and decision-making.

oPrepare high-quality proposals for internal review and project governance processes, including summaries of recommendations, risks and mitigation actions with the support of the Quality Team and in line with standards set by them.

·Grant Administration

oSupport Programme Managers and the Regional Director through the full project cycle, from initial scoping and proposal development through contracting, implementation support, monitoring, evaluation and closure.

oManage any individually assigned projects through the full project cycle, from initial scoping and proposal development through contracting, implementation support, monitoring, evaluation and closure.

oEnsure projects comply with organisational policies and procedures (including safeguarding and due diligence), and any relevant donor, statutory and partner requirements.

oEnsure the fulfilment of any actions mandated by the Programmes Subcommittee.

oTrack delivery against agreed plans, budgets and results frameworks; flag variances, support problem-solving with partners and colleagues, and recommend adjustments where needed.

oWork with the Quality Team (Director and Quality Assurance and Impact (MEAL) Specialists) to agree proportionate MEAL plans for assigned projects (e.g., indicators, data sources, reporting schedules), and to strengthen quality assurance throughout implementation.

·Stakeholder Engagement

oAct as a key point of contact for assigned partners, working closely with Programme Managers and the wider regional team to coordinate support and decision-making.

oMaintain regular communication with partners to provide guidance throughout proposal development and implementation, including on reporting requirements, procurement expectations and agreed outputs/outcomes.

oCoordinate with the Quality Team (Director and Quality Assurance and Impact (MEAL) Specialists) to support partner capacity strengthening on quality assurance and MEAL requirements, and to address quality or evidence gaps identified during implementation.

oDevelop familiarity with other organisations working in the Region and look for opportunities to collaborate with and learn from them.

·Budget Administration

oSupport sound financial management across the Regional Team and for assigned projects, including budget review, payment scheduling, verification of supporting documentation and reconciliation of expenditure against budgets.

oFor approved projects, ensure that all finance processes are completed to facilitate payments.

oPrepare clear updates and financial summaries for Programme Managers, the Regional Director and other internal stakeholders, maintaining an appropriate audit trail.

·Reporting and Documentation

oMaintain complete and accurate project documentation for assigned projects, including due diligence records, agreements, correspondence, partner reports and closure documents.

oMaintain project and partner information in relevant systems and trackers, producing reports and analysis as required.

oMonitor progress and results, review partner narrative and financial reports, support evaluations where appropriate, and ensure project learning is captured and shared within the team.

oWork with the Quality Team (Director and Quality Assurance and Impact (MEAL) Specialists) to review project evidence, ensure data quality standards are met, and support evaluations, reviews and learning products as required.

oCoordinate meetings and follow-up actions (including agendas, minutes and action logs) to ensure decisions are recorded and progressed.

Other duties

The above is not an exhaustive list of duties. From time to time, the postholder may be asked or required to carry out additional tasks, or duties, over and above their usual day to day activities. Employees are expected to work collaboratively across the regional team, including providing flexible support and surge cover as needed.

Person Requirement

Essential

·Experience in project administration or coordination, ideally in the charity, NGO or public sector.

·Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with a wide range of partners and stakeholders across different cultures and contexts.

·Proficiency in MS Office suite and comfort using online systems for project tracking and document management.

• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to plan and manage multiple projects and deadlines.

·Strong attention to detail.

·Ability to work collaboratively and flexibly as part of a diverse, dispersed team.

·Ability to multitask and meet multiple deadlines under pressure.

·Familiarity with CRM or grant management systems (e.g. Salesforce)

Desirable

·Experience supporting monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL/MEAL) processes and/or producing donor-style reports, including working with quality assurance or MEAL specialists.-

·Additional languages relevant to the region

Person specification

·A strong commitment to the values and mission of Barnabas Aid, with an understanding of Christian principles and ethics in project management.

·High level of integrity, ethical conduct and professionalism

·Personal resilience and adaptability.

·Discretion and sensitivity with understanding of issues of confidentiality.

·A flexible approach to work, with a cooperative and collaborative attitude, ensuring excellent standards of service are always maintained.

From time to time, additional training, including safeguarding training, may be required.

The offer of employment will subject to the appropriate pre-employment checks such as references, qualifications, DBS criminal records, and eligibility to work in the UK.

How to Apply

Please apply by submitting your CV and a cover letter demonstrating how your skills and experience make you a good fit for this role and for the mission of Barnabas Aid.

The Politics Project is looking for a collaborative, strategic and people-focused Partnerships and Advocacy Manager. You’ll lead our influencing and partnerships work with a focus on the Democracy Classroom network, strengthening relationships across the youth, education and democracy sectors. If you are energised by connecting organisations, building relationships, and mobilising a network to take up new opportunities, we’d love to hear from you.

About The Politics Project

The Politics Project supports young people to use their voice by giving them access to brilliant democratic education. They work with young people, teachers, youth practitioners and politicians to help them learn about, teach and actively participate in democracy. The Politics Project works across the UK with over 3,000 schools and youth groups and 400 politicians.

About Democracy Classroom

Democracy Classroom is a growing, non-partisan partnership of more than 100 civil society organisations committed to strengthening democratic engagement among young people across the UK.

The network is supported by the Democracy Classroom Platform, an online hub featuring hundreds of free resources for teachers and youth practitioners. Democracy Classroom reaches educators in 95% of UK parliamentary constituencies and plays a leading role in shaping the sector’s voice - coordinating joint submissions to government consultations and producing shared visions such as The Roadmap to Votes at 16.

This is a rare opportunity to drive collaboration at a national level and support the sector to prepare for major upcoming changes in democratic education, including the introduction of Votes at 16.

About the role

We are looking for an experienced Partnerships and Advocacy Manager to strengthen The Politics Project’s influencing and partnerships work, with a focus on Democracy Classroom - a non-partisan network of organisations across the youth, education and democracy sectors. You’ll lead the implementation of the new Democracy Classroom strategy, and grow the network’s impact and reach in the build up to the next general election and the implementation of votes at 16.

You will play a central role in expanding and activating the network - supporting over 100 partner organisations to collaborate effectively, share learning, build trust and increase their collective impact. You will be a key player in keeping the sector informed, connected and ready to respond to key moments in democratic engagement, from elections to policy changes.

You will take on a highly relational role, working closely with the team to manage and nurture a complex network blending multiple sectors. You will collaborate with the Director to manage shared relationships across the Democracy Classroom network, building more ownership over time. You’ll help position Democracy Classroom as an important conduit between the sector and major stakeholders like government departments and funders.

This is a dynamic, outward-facing role that blends strategic thinking with hands-on coordination. You’ll work closely with the Head of Communications and Networks, the Democracy Classroom Programme Coordinator and colleagues across The Politics Project to make sure partners feel supported, valued and part of a shared mission.

The Politics Project is based in London, and the post holder will be expected to work from the office at least two days a week. The role may require occasional UK travel and some evening/weekend work, for which time off in lieu will be given. The role has a six-month probation period. The hours of work are 37.5 hrs per week. This is a fast-paced role in a friendly, supportive and growing team.

Key responsibilities

Partnership management

• Build, nurture and deepen relationships with more than 100 civil society partners, helping each partner see themselves as part of a growing and collaborative sector.

• Identify and recruit new organisations into Democracy Classroom, leading our onboarding process and helping new partners make the best of Democracy Classroom.

• Facilitate partner input into planning, shared problem-solving and decision-making.

• Build understanding of partners’ diverse needs and perspectives, supporting and balancing between these with sensitivity.

Advocacy and influencing

• Spot and act on emerging opportunities for collaboration, policy influence and joint sector action.

• Work with government departments such as DfE, DCMS, and MHCLG on the implementation plan for Votes at 16, translating sector expertise and experience.

• Manage relationships with academics and engage confidently with research to be an effective advocate for democratic education.

• Organise and facilitate events and advocacy opportunities such as advocacy panels, funder roundtables.

• Draft reports, submit evidence to the government, and feed into policy consultations.

• Jump on quick opportunities for the network, bringing people together and turning things around fast (e.g., presenting sector needs to funders or submitting evidence to Government).

Engagement and representation

• Plan and deliver Democracy Classroom meetings, training and networking events.

• Represent The Politics Project and Democracy Classroom externally as a confident ambassador for our collaborative, non-partisan approach.

• Develop and deliver partner communications to ensure consistent, clear and timely updates.

• Act as the main point of contact for Democracy Classroom partner queries, support and collaboration.

Monitoring and reporting

• Track partner engagement and feedback to support continuous improvement.

• Contribute to monitoring, evaluation and reporting to demonstrate the network’s impact.

• Work with The Politics Project team to most effectively document partner activity.

Benefits

• 33 days’ annual leave including three days off between Christmas and New Year, in addition to Bank Holidays. 

• 4% employer pension contribution.

• 2 working days / 15 hours of volunteer leave a year.

• Cycle to Work scheme.

• Professional development and training opportunities

• A warm, inclusive and values-led working environment

About you

You are passionate about democratic engagement and believe in the power of young people’s voices. You’re an enthusiastic relationship-builder who enjoys connecting organisations, spotting opportunities and turning ideas into action.

You’ll bring a strategic mindset, strong emotional intelligence and communication skills, and confidence working across sectors. You’re proactive, organised and comfortable balancing long-term partnership development with hands-on delivery.

Most of all, you’re motivated by the challenge and opportunity of supporting a high-profile national network that is shaping the future of democratic education.

An enhanced DBS check is required for this role (provided by The Politics Project).

Skills and experience

Essential

• Proven experience in partnership or stakeholder management, ideally in civil society, education or government.

• Strong strategic thinking, and a drive to identify and jump on opportunities for collaboration and growth.

• Excellent relationship-building, communication and influencing skills.

• High emotional intelligence and ability to navigate complex relationships in a growing space.

• Strong project management and organisational skills, and ability to manage multiple priorities.

• Confident working with the youth or education sectors (teaching/youth work not required).

• Experience of submitting evidence to Government, drafting quasi-academic reports or policy briefings, or responding to consultations. An academic background is not needed, but you must be comfortable engaging with policy and research.

• Knowledge of, and interest in, UK politics and democratic engagement.

• Self-motivated, resilient and solutions-focused.

• Willingness to work occasional evenings/weekends and travel within the UK.

Desirable

• IT literacy, including strong use of Google Workspace.

• Experience using CRMs or managing databases.

• Experience evaluating partnership impact and producing reports.

How to apply

Please apply via Charity Job with the following:

• Your CV (no more than two pages).

• A supporting statement of no more than one A4 page, setting out how your experience, skills and knowledge meet the person specification and why you are drawn to this role.

The closing date is 11:30pm, Saturday 20th June 2026.

Screening calls are planned for the week beginning Monday 29th June, with interviews to follow in early July.

Anticipated start date will be August or September, depending on notice period.

About the Investment team

The Investment team is responsible for selecting portfolio partners, managing our charity investments and supporting our portfolio partners to improve and scale their impact. 

The Investment team also leads the Impetus Leadership Academy, a leadership development programme to support talent from ethnic minority backgrounds in the UK youth sector to progress into senior leadership roles. 

The team is made up of 18 people, including former teachers, charity chief executives, charity impact leads, management consultants, social investment portfolio managers and impact consultants.   

The team is led by a Portfolio Director who sits on the Senior Management Team. The Portfolio Director has 5 direct reports: a Deputy Portfolio Director, three Sector Leads (who lead our work in school engagement, school attainment and employment sectors) and an Impact Lead. Sector Leads line manage 6 Investment Directors between them. Investment Directors line manage Investment Managers (currently 7). Investment Directors and Investment Managers tend to primarily focus on a sector but might have mixed portfolios, depending on need, experience and interest. 

The Investment team has a good track record of role progression. All four Leads and a number of our Investment Directors were promoted from within the team. 

About this role

We believe that all young people deserve to succeed in school and in work, whatever their background. As we enter a challenging time with rising inflation and a likely recession, our work feels more vital than ever before. The role of Investment Director presents an exciting opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the charities portfolio partners we serve, the team itself and the whole of Impetus.   

We support a portfolio of 23 high potential charity and non-profit partners in the youth sector, helping them deliver benchmark-beating employment and education outcomes for young people, and to grow. 

We believe the strength of our approach resides in three things: 

​

• ​Building deep, trust-based, sustainable relationships with charity leaders by, investing time, kindness, integrity and honesty.
• ​Providing our charities multi-year, unrestricted funding to help them become sector-leading organisations and scale their impact.
• ​Offering tailored advice to charity leaders’ most pressing and strategic questions, including their mission, programme design, performance management, growth planning, and financial resilience.

Working with our portfolio partners is a privilege. The leaders we support are incredibly talented, passionate and keen for external advice, and the issues we work through with them are stimulating and stretching. Our senior management relationships are some of the most fulfilling relationships many of us have had in our careers, while the growth and impact performance of our partners are testament to charities’ commitment to disadvantaged young people and the influence we have on their development. 

Charities and funders often comment on the quality of our people. Our team is analytical and data driven; we are deeply relational, low-ego and collaborative. We actively invest in our colleagues holding regular training and community of practice sessions, and use skills-based assessments to tailor development. 

As an organisation we seek to embed diversity of thought, background and experience in every aspect of our work and actively challenge our assumptions to better deliver change. Over the past two years we have taken action to help reduce racial inequality in the youth sector. In 2021 we launched our Connect Fund to support diverse leaders and their robust solutions to the entrenched employment gap faced by young people from ethnic minority backgrounds compared with their white peers. We have also built a highly regarded Leadership Academy for emerging youth sector leaders from ethnic minority backgrounds, with generous funding from State Street Foundation. 

If you are looking for a role combining strategic thinking, analytical insight and influencing emerging leaders, as well as the opportunity to work with a supportive team to transform young lives, I hope you will apply to work with us. 

I look forward to hearing from you. 

Sebastien Ergas 
Portfolio Director 

​Key responsibilities
Finding high potential charities and non-profit partners for our portfolio 

• Identifying potential charitable organisations for investment.
• Leading and delivering in-depth due diligence process within the scope of a grant round, to assess and build partnership foundations with potential partners – covering leadership and governance, and their impact, scale, and partnership potential.
• Modelling from first contact of origination, our approach to engaged and trust-based investment management support.
• Developing and presenting high quality investment propositions to our Investment Committee.

Managing partnerships with portfolio partners​

• ​Managing relationships with partner Chairs and CEOs. 
• Agreeing Service Funding Agreements, including appropriate annual investment milestones to allow for a clear assessment of re-investment potential at end of phase. 
• Regularly monitoring and assessing partner progress / risks against milestones and making evidence-based recommendations on progression or exit to Leads, Portfolio Director and the Investment Committee.
• Escalating key risks on performance, leadership and safeguarding.   
• Conducting annual partnership reviews with Sector Leads and partner CEOs.
• Working with Impetus finance colleagues to ensure timely distribution of grant payments, in line with Service Funding Agreements.  

Supporting portfolio partners  ​

• ​Providing high quality advisory support to CEOs and senior colleagues on key strategic topics, using a mix of at least monthly one-to-one meetings and group facilitation to: 

• clarify theory of change
• ​define long term ambition
• ​develop growth strategy 
• ​achieve a step change in the delivery and performance management of outcomes 
• ​strengthen leadership (individual and collective) and governance capabilities
• ​develop path to scale
• ​build financial resilience

• ​Scoping and project managing pro bono capacity-building projects (in addition to providing direct management support). Ensure projects are delivered to a high standard and contribute to charity progression.
• Identifying engagement opportunities for our donors and supporters with portfolio partners that are aligned with the partner’s activities and do not distract or undermine their core work.
• Collaborating with the Impetus Philanthropy team to support the development of additional funding opportunities for portfolio partners, enhancing their ability to deliver impact at scale.
• Effectively leveraging the support of investment managers to advance the objectives developed for each portfolio partner that is managed by an Investment Director.

Support to Impetus

• Developing expertise about “what works” in the sector through cultivation and use of expert input and engagement as well as investigation into key research and evaluative literature.
• Contributing insights and learning from portfolio work to inform Impetus’ strategy, model and delivery, providing evidence based recommendations to senior colleagues
• Contributing to internal priorities and working groups, bringing expertise and insight from portfolio work (e.g. team strategy discussions, digital improvement initiatives, or equity, diversity, and inclusion).
• Contribute towards Impetus’ public affairs and philanthropy objectives through input into case studies, research and policy campaigns, donor reports and fundraising events.
• Sharing the learning from our work across the team, across the organisation and externally working within Impetus strategy and agreed forums.
• Engaging in Impetus pro bono, communications, and advocacy events, and engage portfolio partners appropriately in these events. 
• Line-manage and support one or more Investment Managers, setting clear objectives and providing coaching, feedback and development opportunities to enable them to deliver high quality work and achieve their individual, project and team goals
• Embedding inclusive and equitable practices in portfolio work, ensuring diverse perspectives are considered and barriers to participation are identified and addressed

​Person specification

Essential​

• A commitment to Impetus’ mission. 
• ​Senior level responsibility and a strong track record of building trust-based relationships with senior stakeholders, advising them on key strategic decisions, and challenging them in a respectful and collaborative manner. 
• ​A talent for strategic thinking around complex issues. 
• ​Strong financial acumen and analytical skills. 
• Understanding of impact measurement and evaluation fundamentals. 
• ​Resilience, tenacity and initiative. 
• ​Ability to adapt personal style to different leadership contexts, working inclusively and effectively with diverse leaders and organisations.
• ​Growth mind-set to seek out and act on feedback and a commitment to continuous learning and development. 
• ​Proven ability to work independently, and to exercise good judgment. 
• ​Strong planning and time management skills. 
• ​Experience contributing expertise to team or organisational priorities, including sharing learning and supporting others’ development. 
• ​Interest in partnering closely with charities that are doing what it takes to get better. 
• ​A commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Desirable​

• Experience in the non-profit (charity or social enterprise) sector, through work, as a pro-bono volunteer or Trustee capacity.
• ​Experience in consulting, investment management, senior charity management, or other in-depth grant making and advisory work. 
• ​Knowledge and expertise in UK education or youth employability sectors. 
• ​Board experience in private, public or third sector. 
• ​Understanding of or experience with commissioning impact evaluations. 

About Impetus

At Impetus, our focus is on helping young people achieve positive education and employment outcomes to increase their chance of leading fulfilling and successful lives, irrespective of their background.​

We tackle the three most difficult challenges that affect a young person’s ability to succeed in life in Britain today:  ​

• Lost learning through absence, suspensions, exclusions from school  

• Stagnation in education attainment outcomes, which means many are missing out on key qualifications like GCSE English and maths 

• The large numbers of young people out of education, training and employment  ​

We use our deep expertise and high calibre networks to give the best non-profits working in these sectors the essential ingredients to have a real and lasting impact on the young people they serve.​

Through a powerful combination of long-term funding, direct capacity building support from our experienced team and our pro bono partners, alongside research and policy influencing to drive lasting systems change, we work towards a society where all young people can thrive in school, pass their exams and unlock the doors to sustained employment, for a fulfilling life. ​

We are resolutely focused on outcomes and impact, driven by quality evidence.​

You would be joining a team that is passionate, rigorous, determined, creative and warm. We care deeply for our colleagues, our portfolio partners and the young people we serve.​

Impetus is a registered charity and our charity number is 1152262.

​

Our Values​

In 2022 the Impetus staff agreed the following set of Values to act as our guiding principles as an organisation and help us to remain focused on achieving our mission to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

We are brave and curious

We are bold and brave in our pursuit of better outcomes for young people. We lead with curiosity and stay open to new perspectives. We support one another to take considered risks and learn together.

We bring high trust, high challenge

We build strong, long-term relationships through honesty, kindness, integrity, and respect. We create the space for open, constructive challenge, where colleagues, partners and supporters feel safe to speak up, hold each other to account, and bring their best in pursuit of our mission.

We are evidence led and results driven for young people

We pursue excellence for the young people we work with, are wholly committed to better outcomes, unapologetically results driven, and accountable for our actions.

We thrive through diversity

We seek to embed diversity of thought, background and experience in every aspect of our work. We are open, thoughtful and proactive in better understanding and challenging our assumptions to better deliver the change we seek.

We always seek collaboration

We will not succeed alone. We seek meaningful, productive partnerships with others to achieve our mission and drive systems change for young people.

Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

We believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more open, creative and gets better results.​

We want our team at Impetus to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our team to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop.

We want to reach a diverse pool of candidates. We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful.​

We recognise the importance of a good work/life balance. We do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, working part-time job shares and other arrangements.​

Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.​

Impetus is an equal opportunity employer and is determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We value diversity and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.​

​Our employee benefits ​

Impetus appreciates the invaluable contribution made by all employees and wishes to encourage and reward loyalty, motivation and experience. We therefore offer a range of benefits and policies which aim to assist employees during various stages of their lives and careers. For more information on these, please download the job information pack from our website.​

How to apply

Please click on the "Apply for this job" button at the top of the page. ​

You will need to:​

• Complete the online form (including the equal opportunities monitoring form)
• Upload a comprehensive CV and supporting statement.​

The supporting statement should be no more than two sides of A4 and should address the criteria in the person specification.​

You should also include the contact details of two referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be approached with your express permission.​

As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at interview stage.​

The deadline for applications is 2026, Sunday 21st June 2026, 11:59pm.​

Interviews:​

1st Interviews will take place on w/c 29th June 2026.​

2nd Interviews will take place on w/c 6th July 2026.​

You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.​

Personal Data

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.

Schools North East is approaching its 20th year as the region’s dedicated, independent voice for schools. Over that time, we have grown into a highly successful, dynamic and influential charity, representing over 1,150 schools in the North East and 400 specialist schools nationally.

Our reputation as the Voice of North East Schools is firmly established, trusted by our members, respected by policymakers, and recognised nationally. We are now recruiting a highly motivated Deputy Events Manager to join our small but very successful team to provide maternity cover on a fixed-term basis for up to 12 months. This is an important delivery role within Schools North East, supporting the Events Manager to plan and deliver a high-quality events programme that provides practical support, insight and connection for schools across the North East and beyond.

The role requires someone with strong organisational skills, excellent attention to detail and the confidence to take ownership of allocated events from planning through to evaluation. You will support the delivery of a diverse programme of conferences, webinars, roundtables, training sessions and stakeholder events, helping to ensure that every event is well-run, financially sound, professionally delivered and valued by delegates, speakers, sponsors and partners.

This is a hands-on role in a busy team. You will need to work at pace, manage multiple deadlines, solve problems calmly and build strong working relationships with colleagues, suppliers, venues, speakers, sponsors and school leaders. You will also contribute ideas to improve the events programme, support income generation through delegate engagement, sponsorship and exhibitor activity, and help maintain the high standards associated with Schools North East events.

You will be joining a small, committed and high-performing team, where people take ownership, work flexibly and care deeply about the difference we make. If you combine strong delivery with initiative, creativity and a genuine commitment to supporting education in the region, we would be delighted to hear from you.

The Role

The Deputy Events Manager will support the Events Manager in the planning, coordination, delivery and evaluation of Schools North East’s annual events programme. The role will take responsibility for allocated events and projects, ensuring that each one is delivered to a high standard, on time, within agreed budgets and in line with the charity’s strategic priorities.

This is a key operational role within the Events team. You will work across conferences, online events, webinars, roundtables, training sessions, stakeholder events and other activities that bring together school leaders, business professionals, policymakers, commercial partners and wider education stakeholders. You will help ensure that delegates, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors experience Schools North East events as professional, purposeful and valuable.

Working closely with the Events Manager, you will contribute to the smooth running of the events programme by managing event logistics, coordinating suppliers and venues, supporting speaker liaison, maintaining accurate event information, contributing to marketing activity, supporting sponsorship and exhibitor delivery, and ensuring strong customer service before, during and after each event.

You will also play an important role in evaluation and continuous improvement. This will include gathering feedback, reviewing delegate and sponsor experience, identifying practical improvements, and helping the Events Manager to use evidence and insight to strengthen future events.

The Events Manager retains overall accountability for the events strategy, annual programme, income targets, budgets, commercial growth and team leadership. The Deputy Events Manager will contribute to these areas by delivering allocated events effectively, supporting income-generating activity, identifying opportunities for improvement, and ensuring that operational delivery reflects the quality and ambition of Schools North East. You will also deputise in the absence of the Events Manager.

Join our team

This is an important role in the organisation, working with a team of similarly motivated and like minded people with a strong desire to succeed, make a difference and support education in our region. In your role, you will support and be supported by the wider Schools North East team, which includes a dedicated Events team, Finance & Admin team, Marketing & Communications team, and Policy team.

Key tasks will include, but are not limited to:

Event Delivery and Operations

• Lead on the planning, coordination and delivery of allocated events, from initial briefing through to post-event evaluation
• Manage event logistics, including venue arrangements, delegate information, speaker requirements, supplier coordination, event materials, AV requirements and on-the-day delivery
• Ensure allocated events are delivered on time, within agreed budgets and to a consistently high standard
• Maintain clear event plans, timelines, task lists and records, ensuring colleagues have the information they need to support delivery
• Provide excellent customer service to delegates, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors and partners before, during and after events
• Support the Events Manager in ensuring that operational processes are effective, consistent and fit for purpose across the full events programme 

Programme Support and Development

• Support the Events Manager to deliver a comprehensive annual events programme aligned with Schools North East’s strategic priorities
• Contribute practical ideas for event content, formats, speakers, delegate engagement and continuous improvement
• Use delegate feedback, event data and stakeholder insight to help identify opportunities to strengthen the programme
• Support the development of online, hybrid and face-to-face events, ensuring that each format is well planned and professionally delivered
• Work with colleagues across the organisation to ensure events reflect current priorities for schools and provide tangible value to members and stakeholders

Income, Sponsorship and Commercial Support

• Support the delivery of income-generating events, including delegate bookings, sponsorship packages, exhibitor activity and partner engagement
• Help identify potential sponsors, exhibitors, speakers and partners for allocated events
• Liaise professionally with sponsors and exhibitors, ensuring agreed benefits are delivered accurately and on time
• Support the Events Manager with the preparation of information needed for sponsorship, exhibitor and delegate income monitoring
• Contribute to the development of commercial opportunities while ensuring that events remain mission-aligned and credible with schools

Financial and Supplier Management

• Manage event-level budgets for allocated projects, tracking expenditure and income against agreed plans
• Obtain quotes, liaise with venues and suppliers, and support cost-effective procurement for event delivery
• Maintain accurate financial and operational records to support budget monitoring, invoicing and post-event reporting
• Support the Events Manager and Business Manager with the preparation of event information for profit and loss reporting
• Ensure contracts, purchase orders and supplier arrangements are managed in line with organisational processes 

Marketing, Communications and Engagement

• Work with the Marketing & Communications team to support effective promotion of events
• Provide accurate event information, deadlines, audience insight and content for mailers, website listings, social media and delegate communications
• Support audience engagement by helping to identify target groups, school networks and stakeholder contacts for allocated events
• Ensure delegate communications are clear, timely and professional
• Help maintain the Schools North East brand and reputation through high-quality event materials, communications and customer service

Team Working

• Work closely with the Events Manager, Events Coordinator(s) and wider team to ensure effective delivery across the events programme
• Coordinate tasks for colleagues, temporary staff, interns or volunteers where required for specific events
• Contribute positively to a small, busy and flexible team, undertaking practical tasks as required to support the wider aims of Schools North East
• Share learning, feedback and improvements to support consistency and quality across events
• Work flexibly, including occasional early mornings, evenings, regional travel and national travel where required 

Person Specification

Essential

Event Delivery:

At least 3 years’ experience in event planning and delivery, including responsibility for coordinating events from planning through to evaluation

Operational Organisation:

Highly organised, with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple deadlines, tasks and priorities at pace

Problem Solving:

Able to remain calm under pressure, solve practical problems quickly and respond effectively to unexpected issues during event planning and live delivery

Communication and Customer Service:

Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to provide professional, responsive and high-quality customer service to delegates, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, suppliers and colleagues

Stakeholder Relationships:

Confident in building and maintaining effective relationships with a wide range of people, including venues, suppliers, school leaders, speakers, sponsors and partners

Income and Commercial Awareness:

Experience supporting income-generating events, including delegate bookings, sponsorship, exhibitors, ticket sales or commercial partnerships

Supplier and Venue Coordination:

Experience liaising with venues, AV providers, event suppliers and contractors to support high quality and cost-effective delivery

Budget Awareness:

Able to monitor event-level budgets, track income and expenditure, and maintain accurate records to support financial reporting

Technical Skills:

Confident using event systems, CRM or database platforms, virtual event software, G Suite or similar tools, and basic AV equipment

Collaborative Working:

A proactive, can-do approach, with the ability to work independently and as part of a small, busy team

Results Driven:

Highly motivated, target-oriented and committed to delivering high-quality outcomes that support education in the North East

Sector Interest:

An interest in, and ability to quickly understand, the education system and the issues affecting schools Desirable Experience in the education, charity, or membership sector

To apply: Please submit your full CV, clarifying any gaps in employment, along with a cover letter clearly linking your skills and experience to the job description and person specification FAO Lindsay Gerencser.

Head of Volunteering

Shape the future of volunteering at one of the UK's leading charities for disabled children. Lead an ambitious strategy to transform how thousands of volunteers contribute to changing lives across retail, fundraising, and community programmes.

About Newlife

As one of the UK's leading charities providing essential specialist equipment to children with disabilities, Newlife is dedicated to making life better - for the families we serve, and for the people who help us to make that happen.

Through grants and emergency equipment loans, we ensure children get the vital equipment they need, when they need it, while our free nurse helpline offers crucial support and information – as well as a listening ear. Our campaigns help to give children with disabilities and their families a voice, advocating for change to benefit the families we serve. And we support adults with additional needs with volunteering and employment opportunities, providing an introduction to the workplace and a means for career development.

Across the whole of Newlife, our teams are crucial to our success – it's not just a job; here you'll be helping us to change lives every day.

What you'll be doing

You'll lead the development and delivery of an ambitious volunteering strategy that increases Newlife's capacity, reach and impact. Working across retail, supply chain, warehouse, fundraising and community-based activities, you'll significantly grow volunteer involvement over the next three years.

Strategic Leadership

• Lead development and delivery of Newlife's Volunteering Strategy
• Implement annual volunteering plans supporting organisational growth
• Identify emerging trends and best practice in volunteering and charity retail
• Contribute to strategic leadership as a member of the Charity Leadership Team

Volunteer Growth and Engagement

• Significantly increase volunteer recruitment, retention and engagement
• Ensure volunteering opportunities are accessible, inclusive and rewarding
• Monitor volunteer satisfaction and impact using data and insight
• Champion volunteering as key to strengthening communities and improving outcomes

Innovation and Experience

• Explore technology-enabled and partnership-based approaches to volunteer engagement
• Develop contemporary volunteering models supporting operational growth
• Promote best practice in volunteer management, recognition and development
• Ensure volunteers are equipped and empowered to make meaningful contributions

Partnerships and Growth

• Develop relationships with corporate partners, educational institutions and community organisations
• Identify skilled volunteering and employer-supported volunteering opportunities
• Contribute to funding bids and partnership proposals
• Represent Newlife externally as an ambassador for the charity

What we're looking for

Experience

• Significant experience leading national volunteering programmes in charity, retail or not-for-profit sectors
• Developing and implementing strategic plans and improvement programmes
• Managing teams and delivering organisational growth through volunteering
• Partnership working with businesses and community organisations
• Budget management, performance monitoring and quality assurance

Skills

• Strong understanding of volunteering best practice and engagement
• Knowledge of contemporary charity retail and volunteer-led operating models
• Strategic leadership and people management abilities
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• Passion for improving outcomes for disabled children and their families

Location: Hybrid (2 days per week in Cannock – visits to retail locations and other sites as required)

Reports to: Charity Director

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checking may be necessary for this role.

Ready to transform volunteering?

Join us as Head of Volunteering and lead the strategic growth of volunteer engagement across one of the UK's most impactful charities. Help us build a movement that changes lives for disabled children and their families.

Contract
Full-time, permanent
(We welcome proposals for flexible working arrangements)

Salary
£50,000 per annum

The Director of Operations for Edinburgh International Book Festival [EIBF] sits at the intersection of programme delivery, organisational management and operational leadership. The role combines events delivery with charity-wide management. This ensures that EIBF runs smoothly, festivals and events happen effectively, and all activity aligns with our charitable objectives and purpose.

The Director of Operations will lead all operational and logistical aspects of the annual Book Festival and year-round programmes. They will ensure effective governance, efficient systems, safe and compliant event delivery, and ensure resources are allocated appropriately to support the charity’s mission to promote engagement with, and enjoyment of, books, writing and ideas. They will manage relationships and contracts with site and production teams, and a range of other key stakeholders and partners. They will own and actively manage policy and systems management in the organisation, including oversight of digital infrastructure, as well as lead the HR function in a busy organisation.

Success in the role will balance the following elements:

• Leading the operational delivery of the Festival and programmes including effective stewarding of key relationships and contractors
• Optimising the culture of EIBF through effective management of HR and internal processes
• Effective management of EIBF planning, systems and processes, including digital transformation.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Strategic operations
• Strategic contribution
• Festival delivery
• People and resource management
• Governance and compliance 
• Systems and process improvement
• Leadership and team management 

Essential Person specification:

• Significant senior operational leadership experience within a complex, fast paced organisation
• Proven experience translating organisational strategy into effective operational delivery, systems and processes
• Experience leading organisational change, growth or transformation while maintaining operational resilience • Strong experience delivering complex live events or public programmes, including logistics, production, venues, and supplier management
• Experience managing contracts, procurement processes, and strategic operational partnerships
• Strong understanding of governance, compliance, risk management, and health and safety
• Experience leading HR processes, people management, and organisational culture development
• Experience delivering systems development, digital transformation, or process improvement projects
• Strong understanding of organisational infrastructure including IT, CRM, ticketing. and data governance
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to work strategically while remaining practical and hands-on in a small, agile organisation

For more information on key responsibilities and person specifications please see full Job Description on EIBF website. 

Key Dates:

Closing date for applications: Monday 29th June 2026.

Interviews will be held in central Edinburgh during the week of 6th July. Remote interview requests will be considered but in person is preferred.

We are seeking an Assistant Director – Digital and Innovation to play a central role in shaping how Villiers Park delivers and develops its programmes at a pivotal point in the implementation of our 2025-30 strategy. This role represents an exciting opportunity to lead on the development of our digital education offer and innovation work, ensuring it enhances both the reach and depth of our programmes for young people across the UK.

Villiers Park is a national social mobility charity with a strong track record of delivering impactful programmes that support young people from under-represented backgrounds to fulfil their potential. As we continue to grow, digital provision and innovation are increasingly important in enabling us to reach more students, and to do so in engaging and inclusive ways.

Digital learning and programme innovation will be critical to the next phase in our strategy, building on the foundations we have already established, including the development of our learning platform and programme model. Alongside this, Leadership Challenge continues to expand as a key national outreach and social action programme, and this role will be instrumental in ensuring its quality and impact.

Our work is possible because of a brilliant team of staff, trustees and volunteers and committed funders and partners who believe in what we do and want to make the greatest possible difference. The Assistant Director – Digital and Innovation will work closely with colleagues across programmes, partnerships, communications and fundraising, as well as external partners, to ensure our digital and programme offer is coherent, forward-thinking and aligned with our mission.

This is a unique opportunity to combine strategic leadership with practical delivery, helping to translate ambition into impact for the young people we serve.

Sarah Chick

Head of Programmes 

Job purpose

The Assistant Director - Digital and Innovation leads the development, implementation and ongoing improvement of Villiers Park’s digital education provision. This includes the design and delivery of online learning experiences, the development of digital and physical resources for use across programmes, and ensuring that digital delivery is accessible, safeguarded and aligned with the organisation’s mission.

The role also provides strategic and operational leadership for Leadership Challenge, Villiers Park’s national student outreach and social action programme. This includes programme design, partner engagement, monitoring and evaluation, and ensuring the programme is effectively resourced and financially sustainable.

Working closely with the Head of Programmes, Senior Leadership Team (SLT), Communications and Fundraising teams, and external partners, the postholder supports the development of digital innovation, programme resourcing and Leadership Challenge activity to enhance reach, impact and quality. 

Key responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership for the development, implementation and continuous improvement of Villiers Park’s digital education provision, ensuring alignment with our Theory of Change, priorities and values
• Lead the design and evolution of high-quality digital learning experiences, content and pathways for students, schools, parents/carers and volunteers
• Oversee the adoption and integration of digital platforms and tools, ensuring accessibility, safeguarding, GDPR compliance and scalability
• Drive innovation in digital delivery by monitoring sector trends and embedding relevant approaches to enhance reach and impact
• Ensure digital provision complements and strengthens face-to-face delivery across programmes, working closely with the Head of Programmes and Assistant Directors
• Provide strategic oversight of the use of AI within programmes, ensuring its application enhances learning experiences while maintaining safeguarding and ethical standards
• Provide strategic oversight of the development and ongoing review of physical resources, ensuring consistency, quality and alignment across programmes
• Ensure all resources are inclusive, engaging, curriculum-aligned and reflect organisational standards and brand expectations
• Maintain a coherent approach to resource development, ensuring materials support programme delivery and learning outcomes effectively
• Lead the strategic and operational development of the Leadership Challenge programme, ensuring it is high-quality, sustainable and aligned with organisational priorities
• In collaboration with the Senior Leadership Team, develop and strengthen partnerships with charities, corporates and universities to support programme growth and delivery
• Oversee the development of an appropriate recognition or award framework for participants
• Establish and oversee robust quality assurance and evaluation processes for digital and physical content and delivery
• As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, contribute to strategic planning, budgeting and risk management, and provide quarterly updates to the Board of Trustees.
• Work collaboratively with Fundraising and Communications teams to support income generation, bid development and programme promotion

This list is not exhaustive, and the post-holder will be required to undertake other tasks relevant to the role and within their capability.

Skills and experience:

• Significant leadership experience in education, youth or social mobility sectors
• Knowledge of school and college curricula and the needs of learners aged 13–19
• Proven experience in designing and/or delivering digital learning
• Strong understanding of safeguarding, digital accessibility standards and inclusive design
• Experience developing high‑quality educational resources (digital and physical)
• Ability to lead programmes, manage projects and deliver to deadlines
• Ability to build relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders to further organisational aims and fundraising objectives

Personal attributes:

• A genuine commitment to and care for social mobility and young people’s futures
• Organised and proactive, effectively, prioritising workload and delivering outcomes independently
• Strategic and forward-thinking, with an ability to see the bigger picture
• Collaborative and able to work effectively with colleagues, partners and stakeholders across different functions
• Willingness to learn and develop your own practice and experience

Additional Information:

• The postholder will be required to travel regularly to schools, events and partner organisations
• An enhanced DBS check will be required
• The postholder will hold responsibility to be one of the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads
• The postholder will require a full UK driving licence
• Evening work and overnight stays may be required
• Hybrid – location local to our Cambridge office or near to one of our Regional Hubs

Employee Benefits

• 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rated) and additional leave over Christmas.
• A dedicated wellbeing day for you to take at any time and three days (pro-rated) paid leave for volunteering or study each year.
• Training and professional development, including termly staff development days.
• Support from our wellbeing working group and access to an employee assistance programme.
• Opportunity to join working groups with other colleagues from across the organisation as well as wider networks such as the Fair Education Alliance.
• Flexibility in working hours.
• Additional sick pay and compassionate leave policies. 

Safeguarding

Villiers Park Educational Trust is committed to safeguarding and to providing a safe and supportive environment, which secures the well-being and best outcomes for the young people with whom we work.

Safeguarding is embedded in all aspects of Villiers Park's work and integral to the commitment we make to our schools, partners and the young people and communities we serve and work with. All employees and volunteers are expected to share this commitment by adhering to our organisational safeguarding procedures, attending regular in-house training and keeping up to date with developments in policies and legislation.

All employees and volunteers will also agree to undergo an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Services check and successfully complete our mandatory online training courses including NSPCC Safeguarding in Schools and PREVENT training.

Play a leading role in shaping the future of Saferworld’s philanthropic partnerships and help drive funding that supports peacebuilding around the world. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced relationship builder to grow a high potential income stream with real global impact.

Saferworld works to prevent violent conflict and build safer lives across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. As our Philanthropy Manager, you’ll join a committed, values‑driven team working in solidarity with people affected by conflict. You’ll lead on a portfolio of established philanthropic partners while also identifying and cultivating new opportunities that align with our mission and principles.

This is a role with genuine scope for creativity and innovation. You will shape cultivation strategies, co‑create funding opportunities with colleagues and partners, and represent Saferworld externally to deepen relationships and secure high‑value, multi‑year support. You will also help position the organisation to engage high net‑worth individuals, foundations and donor‑advised funds as we diversify our income.

Working closely with programme, policy, communications and finance teams, you will ensure our proposals, reports and donor care reflect the quality, impact and integrity of our work. A smaller part of your role will involve overseeing individual giving and gifts in wills, supported by the Funding Officer.

If you are motivated by building meaningful partnerships, influencing change, and contributing to a more peaceful world, this role offers the chance to make a tangible difference while shaping a growing area of work at Saferworld.