Qualitative jobs

Do you want to change the world for vulnerable children?

The Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies UK (CVAA) aims to improve adoption policy and practice across the UK for the benefit of children, challenging the adoption system to deliver for children and work in their best interests. Alongside advocating for system change, CVAA works to support our member voluntary adoption agencies (VAAs) across the four nations of the UK, stimulating innovation and ensuring they stay at the leading edge of practice. The active engagement of members and the building of collaborative alliances with others who seek positive change for children are essential to the effectiveness of our work.

The Head of Policy is a vital member of the small CVAA team, working closely with the CEO and Board of Trustees to champion the voluntary adoption sector and put children at the heart of everything we do. Due to maternity leave we have an exceptional and unique opportunity for someone who shares our passion to change the world for children, to gain valuable experience working at national level with senior stakeholders to contribute to system change, advocating for the power of adoption to change lives.

You will need strong people skills, experience of developing policy in consultation with stakeholders and using data to transform services and strengthen lobbying work. Most of all you need a cast iron commitment to change the world for vulnerable children.

CVAA works to challenge discrimination and disadvantage and welcomes applications from all communities, particularly those who are underrepresented in our sector, which includes but is not limited to people from Global Majority backgrounds, adoptees, men and those who identify as LGBTQ.

Key information

• Maternity Cover 1 year from July 2026
• Location - remote contract with occasional travel
• £40 – 45K depending on experience
• An enhanced DBS check is required for this role.

Applications

Please send a CV and letter of application, outlining your motivation for applying and the skills you offer, to Satwinder Sandhu (CEO) by 5pm on Friday 8th May 2026.

Both Satwinder (CEO) and Alice (Director of Strategy and Policy) are happy to have an informal chat about the role. Please email to arrange a convenient time to speak.

Initial online interviews via Microsoft Teams will be on Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th May, with final in-person interviews scheduled for Thursday 28th May 2026 in London. Please let us know whether you cannot make any of these dates in your application.

10GM is a partnership that supports the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector right across Greater Manchester. It brings together four local infrastructure organisations — Action Together, Bolton CVS, Manchester Community Central and Salford CVS — who work closely together to champion local voluntary and community action and social enterprise, helping communities thrive across the city‑region.

While this role is based at Action Together, you’ll be working as part of the wider 10GM team, contributing to work that has a Greater Manchester–wide focus and impact across all ten boroughs

GM Head of Programme- Spaces of Hope and Connection 

The role

Thanks to National Lottery players, 10GM, on behalf of Greater Manchester Live Well, will receive £16.5 million over four years from The National Lottery Community Fund, the UK’s largest community funder.

This investment in Live Well Spaces of Hope and Connection will create a network of 100+ inclusive, community-led and owned spaces across Greater Manchester where people can meet, belong and find everyday support.

The Head of Programme will lead and oversee delivery of this large-scale, multi-partner strategic lottery programme, ensuring delivery through funded partners is aligned to the programme’s mission, vision and values, while maintaining strong programme management, compliance and delivery of agreed outcomes.

Working in close partnership with the Strategic Director of 10GM, this role provides senior operational leadership—translating mission, vision and values into clear delivery plans, pace, coordination and assurance across the full programme lifecycle.

The ideal candidate

We are looking for a values‑driven programme leader with experience delivering complex, large-scale programmes through partnerships and/or multi‑stakeholder delivery models. You can translate strategic priorities into clear, accountable delivery plans that balance funder requirements with flexible, community‑led approaches. You will bring strong governance, budget and risk management skills, and are confident working across the VCSE, public sector and communities.

Equity and social justice are central to how you work. You will have experience embedding inclusive, community‑led approaches, using evidence and learning to reduce inequalities and improve impact. Comfortable with complexity and ambiguity, you can communicate clearly, build trusted relationships, and lead teams with a learning‑led, collaborative mindset.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Action Together we value diversity, promote equity and challenge discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. We are committed to ensuring that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race.

In order to ensure that our workforce reflects our communities across all levels of seniority, Action Together is offering a guaranteed interview to any candidate who meets the essential criteria listed in the person specification and who is also:

• A disabled person and/or
• A member of a community experiencing racial inequality 

Action Together is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults with whom we work. We expect all of our employees to demonstrate this commitment.

Right to work

We do not hold a Sponsor License and are unable to accept applications which require sponsorship to work in the UK

Please note, the successful candidates will be required to undertake a basic Disclosure and barring Service (DBS) check. A positive Disclosure of Offences will not automatically bar an applicant from being appointed and suitable applicants will not be refused employment because of offences that are not relevant.

10GM is a partnership that supports the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector right across Greater Manchester. It brings together four local infrastructure organisations — Action Together, Bolton CVS, Manchester Community Central and Salford CVS — who work closely together to champion local voluntary and community action and social enterprise, helping communities thrive across the city‑region.

While this role is based at Action Together, you’ll be working as part of the wider 10GM team, contributing to work that has a Greater Manchester–wide focus and impact across all ten boroughs

GM Partnerships and Delivery Manager- Spaces of Hope and Connection 

The role

Thanks to National Lottery players, 10GM, on behalf of Greater Manchester Live Well, will receive £16.5 million over four years from The National Lottery Community Fund, the UK’s largest community funder.

This investment in Live Well Spaces of Hope and Connection will create a network of 100+ inclusive, community-led and owned spaces across Greater Manchester where people can meet, belong and find everyday support.

The Partnership and Delivery Manager plays a key role in translating the programme’s mission and values into meaningful change for communities, working with partners to enable inclusive, adaptive and community‑led delivery. Supporting the Head of Programmes, the role focuses on strengthening collaboration, nurturing trusted relationships, and maintaining a clear, connected view across workstreams and places.

You will convene partnership and learning spaces, surface opportunities and challenges early, and support partners to work in ways that build long‑term community power. Working closely with the Head of Programme, you will support coordinated problem‑solving, shared learning and innovation, creating an environment where partners feel supported to test, adapt and grow.

You will also help capture and share what is working- developing accessible learning and impact products that highlight community insight, stories of change and emerging systems shifts, to inspire partners and influence wider practice.

The ideal candidate

We are looking for a relational and values‑led professional with experience convening partnerships and facilitating inclusive spaces that support collaboration and shared action. You are able to build trust across diverse partners and communities, navigate power with care and confidence, and are committed to equity, community leadership and social justice.

You will bring experience working in or alongside the VCSE, with strong organisational and communication skills, able to coordinate activity across partners and turn learning and evidence into clear updates and compelling stories of change. You are someone who is comfortable with ambiguity, takes a reflective, learning‑led approach, and works collaboratively to support partners to deliver and grow.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Action Together we value diversity, promote equity and challenge discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. We are committed to ensuring that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race.

In order to ensure that our workforce reflects our communities across all levels of seniority, Action Together is offering a guaranteed interview to any candidate who meets the essential criteria listed in the person specification and who is also:

• A disabled person and/or
• A member of a community experiencing racial inequality 

Action Together is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults with whom we work. We expect all of our employees to demonstrate this commitment.

Right to work

We do not hold a Sponsor License and are unable to accept applications which require sponsorship to work in the UK

Please note, the successful candidates will be required to undertake a basic Disclosure and barring Service (DBS) check. A positive Disclosure of Offences will not automatically bar an applicant from being appointed and suitable applicants will not be refused employment because of offences that are not relevant.

We’re currently recruiting a part-time (17.5 hours per week) Counselling Service Manager to manage the Charity’s Croydon counselling service and work with colleagues across our services in Croydon, Merton and Sutton. For this post you need to have a counselling/mental health qualification along with extensive clinical and management experience. We are also looking for people with an open and flexible attitude; excellent engagement skills and a passion for working with children and young people around mental health.

Responsibilities include supporting less experienced staff and supporting the cohesive working between services within the charity. In addition, you will be offering a flexible range of short-term and longer-term mental health interventions to children and young people aged 14-25 including individual support; crisis support and mental health themed activities. The post has scope and opportunity for developing new initiatives and ways of working to support young people’s mental health across South London.

All posts are fully office based and will require flexible working across service areas and interventions and will involve some regular evening and/or weekend work to meet the needs of young people. 

Please read the full Job Description and Person Specification for this role included in the Service Manager Recruitment pack below, before submitting your application.

Applying for the Posts 

This information pack has the Job Description and Person Specification for the Service Manager in Croydon role.  

To be considered for the position, the Application Form and the Equality & Diversity Monitoring Form need to be completed and return to the email address on the Application Form by midday on Tuesday 5th May 2025. 

We understand some candidates may want to use AI tools when applying. Whilst we welcome the use of technology to support clear communication and structure, we also want to learn more about the authentic you, so please ensure that your application reflects your own skills, knowledge and experiences wherever possible. In the spirit of transparency - we also ask that you indicate if you have used AI in your application.

Decisions about who to invite for interview will be based on how well someone demonstrates that they meet the person specification for the specific post, so please make sure you complete the application form fully and accurately, giving evidence of how you meet each point in the person specification and indicating your relevant knowledge, skills and experience. Please note that CVs will not be considered.  

Email applicants will receive a confirmation of receipt and shortlisted candidates will be contacted as soon as possible

*We may close this vacancy early if we believe we have enough strong applications to be able to successfully fill the role(s). Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

We’re currently recruiting a part-time (28 hours per week) Counselling Service Manager to manage the Charity’s Merton counselling service and work with colleagues across our services in Croydon, Merton and Sutton. For this post you need to have a counselling/mental health qualification along with extensive clinical and management experience. We are also looking for people with an open and flexible attitude; excellent engagement skills and a passion for working with children and young people around mental health.

Responsibilities include supporting less experienced staff and supporting the cohesive working between services within the charity. In addition, you will be offering a flexible range of short-term and longer-term mental health interventions to children and young people aged 11-25 including individual and group-based support; workshops; crisis support; mental health themed activities. The posts have scope and opportunity for developing new initiatives and ways of working to support young people’s mental health across South London. 

All posts are fully office based and will require flexible working across service areas and interventions and will involve some regular evening and/or weekend work to meet the needs of young people.  

Please read the full Job Description and Person Specification for this role included in the Service Manager Maternity Cover Recruitment pack below, before completing the forms.

Applying for the Posts  

In the Recruitment pack you will find the Job Description and Person Specification for the Service Managers roles. 

To be considered for the position, the Application Form and the Equality & Diversity Monitoring Form need to be completed and return to the email address on the Application Form by midday on Tuesday 5th May 2025.    

We understand some candidates may want to use AI tools when applying. Whilst we welcome the use of technology to support clear communication and structure, we also want to learn more about the authentic you, so please ensure that your application reflects your own skills, knowledge and experiences wherever possible. In the spirit of transparency - we also ask that you indicate if you have used AI in your application.    

Decisions about who to invite for interview will be based on how well someone demonstrates that they meet the person specification for the specific post, so please make sure you complete the application form fully and accurately, giving evidence of how you meet each point in the person specification and indicating your relevant knowledge, skills and experience. Please note that CVs will not be considered.   

Email applicants will receive a confirmation of receipt and shortlisted candidates will be contacted as soon as possible

*We may close this vacancy early if we believe we have enough strong applications to be able to successfully fill the role(s). Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.