School programme leader jobs

An exciting opportunity to lead a dedicated team supporting young people to build resilience and thrive.  We are looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated leader to manage programmes and daily operations at our Hereford farm.  Set in the stunning Golden Valley on the Welsh border, Jamie’s Farm Hereford offers young people the chance to take part in real, meaningful farm life in a nurturing and purposeful environment.  You will play a key role in ensuring our young people have a meaningful, inclusive, and memorable experience, feeling the positive impact long after their visit.

What is Jamie’s Farm?  Jamie’s Farm is a charity that supports young people by combining therapeutic work, farming, and purposeful activities to help them thrive. Through residential visits to our working farms, we provide a nurturing environment where young people can reflect, build confidence, and develop the resilience they need to overcome personal challenges.

Known internally as ‘Head of Farm’

More about the role:  As Head of Farm, you will lead the delivery of our programme at Jamie’s Farm Hereford, working alongside and managing a values-driven team to deliver an impactful programme. Your responsibilities will include leading up to four visits per month, ensuring the smooth delivery of residential visits, representing Jamie’s Farm with partner organisations, funders, volunteers and other stakeholders; and fostering a culture of empowerment and collaboration within the team. You will help achieve key performance goals including high visitor retention and staff satisfaction rates, while also leading professional development and team-building activities for your team.

You will participate in all aspects of farm life - leading walks, guiding young people through meaningful output-based jobs like gardening or log chopping, and creating meaningful connections during shared meals and evening programmes. You will also contribute to broader Jamie’s Farm strategy as a key member of the Leadership team.

About you:  We are looking for an experienced and passionate leader who embodies Jamie’s Farm core values of positivity, passion, generosity, collaboration, and professionalism. You will have experience in relational leadership and practice with young people. Prior management experience is preferred, showing your ability to support and motivate teams effectively. You will bring exceptional communication, teamwork, and organisational skills to the role.

You will excel at developing meaningful relationships with diverse individuals and organisations, using positivity and empathy to inspire and motivate others. Your dedication to helping young people thrive, especially those in challenging circumstances, will drive the success of your team and the programme.

Please see the full job description, desired experience and employee benefits by exploring our recruitment pack below.  Don’t meet every single requirement? We’d still love to hear from you – your unique skills and experience could be just what we’re looking for.

About Chapter One

Chapter One is a small but growing charity, working to ensure that every child has 1:1 reading support at the time they need it most. 

Our Early Literacy Intervention programme is based on a programme that works successfully in the USA and it provides daily, 1:1, 7 minute phonics sessions for children who are behind in phonics. Using a bespoke technology tool, a trained Early Reading Interventionist works individually with target children.

We also have our unique Online Reading Volunteer programme which currently supports about 3,500 children a year. It pairs struggling five to seven-year old (KS1) readers with reading support volunteers who come from over 150 local and national businesses. The volunteer pledge is very focused: readers commit 30 minutes a week to read with a child using a bespoke digital platform for an entire academic year. The results are transformative, boosting children's reading confidence and ability. 

For more information about our programmes please visit our website and watch our videos.

About the role 

Working for 2 hours per day, 5 days a week (term-time only) at Galleywall Primary School in Bermondsey, this role will involve delivering a programme of 1:1 focussed sessions for selected Reception and Year 1 children.  The ELI will be trained to use Chapter One’s specialised online tool designed to support learners who are at risk of falling behind with their phonics.

We are looking for a highly motivated, energetic individual who enjoys working with young children and who wants to make their mark in a fast-growing charity. We can offer training, a small friendly team and a chance to improve the lives of children facing disadvantage.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct an initial baseline assessment of selected target children in Reception and Year 1 to determine where further support is needed.

• Use Chapter One’s online tool to deliver differentiated, daily, 1:1, targeted, 7 minute phonics sessions to pupils using a systematic, synthetic approach.

• Use a variety of additional activities to reinforce phonics skills.

• Support children to use their secure phonics knowledge to read decodable books.

• Develop pupils’ phonics fluency and confidence in preparation for the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, where applicable. 

• Document each session with a child, including the skills practised or mastered and a goal for the next session.

• Maintain and update daily pupil progress trackers, identifying phonics skills secured and areas requiring consolidation to inform future teaching. 

• Challenge pupils to reach each new goal and celebrate pupil success.

• Work closely and on an ongoing basis with classroom teachers, reading support staff and the school team to understand progression of the schools phonics teaching.

• Work closely with classroom teachers to establish tailored plans for each child.

• Provide school leaders with data and information on pupil progress.

• Gather feedback from school on progress of the programme and any implementation challenges, aiming to help Chapter One to continuously improve programme delivery.

• Collaborate with colleagues at Chapter One to further improve the ELI model, the online tool and programme delivery.

Qualifications Criteria

• Maths and English GCSE at Grade 5 or above.

• Right to work in the UK.

We are looking for applicants with the following essential qualities:

• Experience of working in education or childcare.

• Willingness to undergo further training in phonics pedagogy.

• Highly motivated, energetic individual with excellent interpersonal and organisational skills.

• Ability to adapt and embrace a changing environment.

• Excellent personal planning and a proven ability to work independently.

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships at all levels inside and outside the organisation.

• Highly computer literate with hands-on experience of using MS Office and platforms and tools such as Google analytics, PowerPoint and more.

• An understanding of Child Safeguarding.

• A commitment to Chapter One’s mission and values.

Ideally, applicants will also have the following desirable qualities:

• Experience in supporting young children with phonics in a classroom setting.

How to Apply 

Please send your CV (maximum 2 A4 sides) and a covering letter via Charity Jobs. Your covering letter (maximum 1 side of A4) should: 

1) Outline why you’re the right person for this role and how you meet the skills & experience detailed in the job description.

2) Tell us about how our organisational mission is in line with your values. 

Applications that fail to meet these criteria will automatically be discounted. We understand that you may use AI to help craft your application, but do remember that we will be looking for individuals who write a letter that stands out. We want you to have every opportunity to shine and to show us your talents - please let us know if there is anything we can do to make sure the assessment process works for you.

Chapter One is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value and celebrate diversity in backgrounds and experience and are deliberate about the kind of inclusive teams we are building. Literacy is a universal concern, and we need people from all backgrounds to maximise our innovation, creativity and impact. We especially welcome applications from persons who have experienced disadvantage and/or from those who are of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities who are currently underrepresented in the organisation.

Chapter One is committed to safeguarding children and young people. All post holders are subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service disclosure. Copies of our Safeguarding Policy and Safer Recruitment Policy are available on request.

N.B. Stage 1 interviews are planned for 17/07/2026 with any successful applicants being invited to a second interview on 22/07/2026. These dates have been scheduled based on the recruiting team’s availability, however we will make every effort to accommodate alternative requests where possible.

Employability Events and Partnerships Manager

London, Greater London (Hybrid)

£35,000 per year

Full-time

Permanent

Job description

If you share our vision that ‘every young person should be supported to gain the confidence, independence and skills they need for a better and brighter future’ we might have the perfect role for you!

ThinkForward is recruiting an Employability Events and Partnerships Manager to aid our team in delivering our unique programme supporting young people into further education and employment. If you….

• Have a keen enthusiasm for working with young people

• Experience facilitating engaging and inclusive employability activities to equip young people for further education and sustained employment​

• Are process driven and organised, with experience in planning and delivery across multiple programmes and projects ​

• Possess the ability to develop new and maintain our strong external business partnerships that support the delivery ​of employability programmes

• Can influence ThinkForward’s careers advice through expertise and insight around the local educational and employment landscape​

• Have the skills to use data to plan, analyse and evaluate employability and progression activities ​

• Can lead on cultivating and onboarding new business partnerships in the London area

…then please click on the attached job pack for our role description and information pack for more details about ThinkForward and the role you could play, then apply via CharityJob with your CV and cover letter. Your cover letter should answer the following questions: 

1. Can you share an example of where you have project managed and delivered employability events or programmes, such as ‘ready for work’ activities?

2. Describe your experience of building and maintaining relationships with external partners, such as employers or corporate organisations, to support employability outcomes.

3. How have you used data, local labour market insight, or feedback to plan, deliver, and improve employability activities or progression programmes?

4. Can you give an example of how you have worked collaboratively with internal teams and external partners to deliver successful employability initiatives?

Keeping Young People Safe

We are committed to keeping young people safe. All successful applicants will undergo an enhanced DBS (England & Wales) check and receive ongoing safeguarding training.

At Young Enterprise, safeguarding is at the core of everything we do. We are committed to promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. All successful applicants will receive ongoing safeguarding training throughout their employment and be expected to uphold excellent safeguarding practice at all times.

Are you passionate about helping young people build brighter futures?

Do you love building relationships and making things happen in education? If so, we’ve got a brilliant opportunity for you to join our team as an Educational Partnerships Manager at Young Enterprise.

Who We Are

We’re Young Enterprise – a national charity with a bold mission: to give every young person the skills, confidence, and mindset to thrive in the changing world of work.

For over 60 years, we’ve empowered more than 7 million young people through hands-on enterprise and financial education programmes. Whether it’s launching a student business or learning how to manage money, we help young people develop key life skills-teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and resilience.

We’re a passionate, down-to-earth team of 90+ staff and 2,000+ volunteers who believe that every young person, regardless of background, deserves a fair start in life.

Why Join Us?

We think Young Enterprise is a great place to work—and we’re proud of our people-first culture. Here’s what you can expect:

• A friendly and supportive team where your voice is heard
• A strong commitment to diversity and inclusion—we want everyone to feel they belong
• Generous holiday allowance and flexible working
• Cycle-to-work scheme, life assurance, and NHS top-up plan
• Ongoing learning and mentoring opportunities
• A chance to directly impact the lives of young people every single day

About the Role

This is a role where you’ll really see the difference you make.

As Educational Partnerships Manager, you’ll work across Dorset and the South Coast of Hampshire, building partnerships with schools, colleges, youth organisations and community groups-particularly in areas where opportunities are hardest to come by.

You’ll be right in the mix: planning events, delivering programmes, supporting volunteers and connecting with school staff to make sure young people have access to our inspiring enterprise and financial education experiences.

You’ll be a key driver of our Inspiring Futures programme-helping young people break down barriers and imagine bigger futures.

It’s a varied, people-focused role with loads of room for creativity, independence and collaboration. Whether you’re visiting a school, chatting with a funder, or supporting a trade fair, you’ll be helping young people build skills that will last a lifetime.

You’ll love this job if you are…

• A brilliant relationship-builder, confident working with teachers, volunteers, and community leaders.
• Passionate about education, social mobility, and giving every young person a chance to shine.
• A natural communicator-whether leading a session in a classroom or inspiring a room of volunteers.
• Organised and able to juggle multiple projects (with a great sense of humour!).
• Self-motivated, adaptable, and happy working remotely but never alone-you’ll be part of a close-knit regional team.
• Excited by the idea of doing a job that combines delivery, relationship-building, fundraising and volunteering.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and grow relationships with schools, colleges, youth clubs and local communities.
• Focus on expanding our reach in areas of multiple deprivation and underrepresentation.
• Deliver and support the rollout of YE programmes in schools and other settings.
• Recruit, train and support volunteers-making sure they feel valued and inspired.
• Work with your regional team to meet shared goals and celebrate local impact.
• Help secure local funding by supporting fundraising efforts and managing project deliverables.
• Support the planning of events, trade fairs and celebrations for young people.
• Keep accurate records, track impact, and make sure safeguarding is front and centre.

A few practical things

• This is a hands-on role-you’ll sometimes be lifting resources, setting up venues and travelling regularly (a car and full driving licence are essential).
• You’ll need to be happy occasionally working evenings or weekends during peak delivery times.
• Expect to be on your feet during some events or sessions-it’s all part of the fun!

How to Apply

If you’re ready to help shape the futures of young people across Dorset and the South Coast of Hampshire, we want to hear from you!

Please send your CV and a cover letter (max 2 pages) telling us why you’re the right person for this role. Applications must be submitted by 23:30 on 26 July 2026. Please note that applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Interviews will be held via Teams and may take place before the closing date. Please note, we are only able to respond to shortlisted candidates.

Full details can be found in the Job Description.

At YE we are passionate and committed to keeping your data safe and secure.  Full details can be found in the YE People’s Privacy Notice.

Join us – and help us give every young person the chance to thrive. Apply today!

The Woodland Trust is looking for a Permanent Head of Campaigning and Programmes to lead our work mobilising public support for our vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature. 

The Role:
•    The Head of Programmes and Campaigning leads our UK-wide campaigning activity and several strategic delivery programmes including, but not restricted to, 
o    Trees For All, 
o    Woods Under Threat and 
o    Free Trees for Schools and Communities. 
•    The post holder will manage the teams delivering these campaigns and programmes and is responsible for achieving ambitious targets to mobilise both new and existing supporters and deliver strategic programme objectives.
•    As a Senior Leader, the role will contribute to the development and implementation of the Trust’s strategy, supporting the success of the Trust and its objectives.  
•    The post holder will work closely and collaboratively at all levels within the Trust to achieve this.
•    This is a hybrid position with a mix of home working, and from our head office in Grantham, Lincolnshire. Head office attendance would be required between 6 and 8 times per year.  Occasional travel to other offices and remote locations as well as overnight stays may also be required.
•    This is a permanent, full time position.

The Candidate:
•    Passionate about nature recovery, climate action, and equitable access to trees and green spaces, with a strong commitment to the charity’s mission, values, and ethical principles.
•    A sound understanding of campaigning and supporter mobilisation processes and of the role of campaigning as part of broader integrated influencing strategies and tactics.
•    An experienced, competent and empathetic senior leader with a proven ability to inspire and develop a growing team.
•    A proven organised, systematic approach to project and programme management with the ability to demonstrate working collaboratively across different teams to achieve successful outcomes.
•    A skilled and experienced relationship builder, with the proven ability to build, develop  and influence a range of audiences and represent the Woodland Trust at a senior level internally and externally.
•    Experience identifying, developing and leading campaigns, including partnership campaigns, ideally within the voluntary sector.
•    Highly developed influencer with demonstrable experience of effective collaboration with stakeholders at a variety of levels within a complex organisations.

Benefits and Wellbeing:
Joining our team means you’ll be a big part of tackling environmental and climate issues. We take good care of our staff, offering support and training opportunities. We also offer:
•    Enhanced Employer Pension
•    Life Assurance
•    Flexible & Hybrid Working Options
•    Generous Annual Leave - 25 Days Plus Bank Holidays (pro rata’d for part-time)
•    Buy and Sell Holiday Scheme
•    Enhanced Parental Pay
•    Employee Assistance Programme

About Us:
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity.  We want to see a world where trees and woods thrive for people and nature. The Trust engages and inspires people to make their difference tackling the nature and climate crisis helping protect, restore and create our vital woods and trees.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:
To achieve our vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature, we need to better reflect society and the communities we work in. All people, no matter their background, identity, ability, or circumstance, should benefit from trees.  
People of colour and disabled people are currently under-represented across the environment and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we particularly encourage you to apply. 
Please contact us to discuss any additional support or adjustments you may need to complete your application.

Application Advice:
For fairness we keep our candidates’ personal details hidden from the hiring managers, and we do not ask for your CV at application. Make sure that you answer the Application Questions to show your relevant skills and passion for the role. Even if you don't meet every requirement of the role, we would encourage you to apply. 

Acceptable Use - Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We understand that candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their job applications-for example, to help structure or edit written responses. We welcome the use of AI in this way, particularly where it helps improve accessibility, such as for neurodivergent applicants. However, we ask that any information submitted reflects your own experience, skills and understanding. During interviews, candidates are expected to respond independently without the use of AI tools.

Apply Now:
If you're ready to make a difference and grow with us, send in your application today. We might close the job opening early if we get a lot of applications, so it's a good idea to apply soon. If we do close the advert early, and you have an application in process, we will email you prior to closing to give you time to complete.

Interviews will take place across 2 stages:
1st Stage - Wednesday 2nd  September, MsTeams, Interview
2nd Stage - Friday 18th September, location TBC, stakeholder session + Q&A

The Youth Endowment Fund  

Programme Delivery Manager - Change Team 

 
Reports to: Senior Grants and Commissioning Manager 

Salary: £42,000 

Location: Central London or Hybrid 

Contract: 2-year fixed term – potential to extend 

Closing date: 9 am, Tuesday 14th July 

Interview dates: 28th and 29th July 

About the Youth Endowment Fund 

We’re here to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence. We do this by finding out what works and building a movement to put this knowledge into practice. 

In recent years violent crime has risen significantly. Homicides, assaults, robberies and offences involving weapons have all seen sustained growth. We have also seen large increases in violent crime involving children and young people. This is a tragedy. Every child captured in these numbers is an important member of our community and society has a duty to protect them. 

The Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) is a charity with a £200m endowment and a mission that matters. We exist to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence. We do this by funding great initiatives, finding what works and working for change - scaling and spreading the practices that make a difference. 

One of the most important things we do is turn evidence into action through our change programmes, working directly with schools, local leaders and services to change practice and prevent violence. To deliver these programmes well, we need clear plans, smooth commissioning and procurement processes, accurate data and strong coordination across teams and partners.

The Programme Delivery Manager role is critical to making that happen, and it has two distinct elements: 

Programme management for two Change programmes: You’ll be the hands-on programme lead for two of our main change programmes. You’ll work closely with the Change delivery team to put clear, aligned plans in place and then brilliantly manage those plans day to day, making sure everyone knows what’s expected of them and by when. 

Commissioning and procurement support for the whole Change team: You’ll also be the go-to source of guidance and advice for Change colleagues who are procuring or commissioning other activity. You’ll help the team navigate processes correctly, ensuring commissioning is captured and maintained accurately in Salesforce and keep our ways of working consistent across the team. By keeping us organised and on track, you’ll help us maximise the impact of every pound we invest. 

Key responsibilities 

Your role has these two distinct but complementary elements. The first is hands-on programme management for two of our main Change programmes. The second is acting as a source of guidance, advice and practical support on commissioning and procurement for the wider Change team. Together, these responsibilities are essential to keeping our programmes on track and our commissioning processes running smoothly and consistently. A detailed list of your key responsibilities is given below: 

1: Hands-on programme management for two Change programmes 

• Lead programme planning and coordination: 

• Work with the delivery team to make sure we have clear, aligned programme plans in place, with timelines, milestones and owners for every workstream. 

• Brilliantly manage those plans day to day, making sure everyone knows what’s expected of them and by when, and that the team stays on track across multiple demanding workstreams. 

• Track dependencies and progress, flag risks to delivery early and coordinate solutions before issues become blockers. 

2: Guidance, advice and practical support on commissioning and procurement for the Change team  

• Manage contracts and commissioning for delivery partners 

• Draft, prepare and execute agreements and subsequent variations with delivery partners and commissioned providers, using Adobe e-Sign where required. 

• Accurately input and maintain all programme data in Salesforce, including deliverables, financial commitments, payment schedules and supporting documents. 

• Ensure timely reporting and compliance with contractual requirements. 

• Resolve payment queries and discrepancies quickly, chasing outstanding invoices and reports where needed, and conduct regular data accuracy spot checks in Salesforce. 

• Support process improvements and ways of working 

• Work with the Senior Grants and Commissioning Manager to keep the team’s commissioning and procurement processes consistent with YEF-wide ways of working. 

• Develop and maintain simple, effective tools for planning, tracking and reporting, building on the systems we already use (including Salesforce). 

• Identify and suggest process enhancements to drive efficiency and consistency across our programme and commissioning operations. 

• Enable effective communication and reporting 

• Serve as the central point of contact for programme delivery, commissioning and procurement requests across the team, ensuring streamlined processes and avoiding duplication. 

• Provide timely responses and clear communication to internal teams and external partners to keep everything moving. 

• Keep senior leadership informed with forward plans, dashboards and progress updates to support better strategic decisions. 

About you 

You’re this sort of person: 

• You’re highly organised and detail-oriented: You can manage multiple workstreams, plans and deadlines without losing sight of accuracy. You take pride in keeping programmes, systems and processes running smoothly. 

• You’re confident with systems and data: You’ve worked with CRM, project management or grant management platforms (ideally Salesforce) and understand the importance of data integrity. You’re comfortable creating, updating and checking records to ensure everything is correct. 

• You like getting things done: You’ve got a track record of making things happen and ensuring tasks are completed on time. You’re reliable and take ownership of your responsibilities. 

• You’re proactive and solution-focused: When something doesn’t match up, like a milestone, payment request or contract detail, you don’t just flag it, you work to resolve it quickly and effectively. 

• You’re brilliant at improving and organising things: You enjoy finding ways to make processes better and more efficient. You’re good at understanding how things work and making them work even better. 

• You’re a great communicator: You build strong relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders providing clear guidance and timely responses. People trust you to keep things moving. 

• You thrive in a support role: You like being the person who makes things happen behind the scenes. You’re motivated by helping teams work efficiently and keeping complex programmes on track. 

• You learn fast and adapt easily: You’re comfortable picking up new systems, processes and ways of working. You’re curious and always looking for ways to improve how things are done. 

• You care about impact and inclusion: You want your work to make a difference in the community and are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in everything you do. 

While it’s not a criteria, we’re especially interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of youth violence. 

It’s also important to us that the people we hire do not discriminate. We believe in being inclusive and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation, transgender status or social economic background. 

Hybrid Working Details     

The office is based in Central London. Those living in and around London are expected to be in the office for a minimum of 2 days per week. If you live outside of London and work remotely, you’ll be expected to work from the London office 2 days per month.      

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 the interview stage.  

To apply 

To apply, please send a CV and cover letter, and complete the monitoring form click on "Apply for this" button by 9am Tuesday, 14th July 2026. 

You’ll be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK. 

Interviews will take place in the week commencing: 27th July 2026. 

Benefits Include  

• £1,000 professional development budget annually  

• 28 days holiday plus Bank Holidays   

• Four half days for volunteering activities   

• Employee Assistance Programme – 24hr phone line for free confidential support • Volunteering days - 4 half days per year   

• Death in service - 4 times annual salary   

• Flexible hours. Core office hours 10am – 4pm   

• Financial support including travel and hardship loans   

• Employer contributed pension of 5%  

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. 
 

Contract: Full-time, permanent
Hours: Full-time
Reports to: Chair; Board of Directors 
Location: Hackney
Salary: £50,000-60,000 depending on experience.
Pension: HSoF participates in the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) pension scheme and contributes 3%.
Benefits: 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, free onsite lunches .
Probation period: Six months.

About Hackney School of Food

Hackney School of Food is an award-winning food education hub based in the grounds of Mandeville Primary School in Clapton, East London. Through our teaching kitchen and educational garden, we help children, families and communities build the skills, confidence and knowledge to grow, cook and eat good food.

Each year, we welcome more than 10,000 visits to our kitchen and garden, delivering curriculum programmes for schools alongside community cooking courses, gardening projects, holiday clubs, corporate volunteering and public events. Since becoming a Community Interest Company (CIC) in 2023, we have expanded our facilities, strengthened our governance and built a strong reputation as a leader in food education.

We're now looking for an exceptional Managing Director to build on these strong foundations and lead Hackney School of Food through its next phase of growth and impact.

About the role

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Managing Director (MD) will provide both strategic and operational leadership, ensuring the organisation delivers its mission while remaining financially resilient, well-governed and responsive to the needs of the communities it serves.

The Managing Director is responsible for all aspects of the organisation, including strategy, income generation, finance, governance, partnerships, programme delivery and people leadership. Working closely with a small, committed team and an engaged Board, they will build on strong foundations to grow Hackney School of Food's impact, reach and long-term sustainability.

This is a varied, hands-on leadership role for someone who enjoys balancing big-picture thinking with practical delivery. One day you may be developing a new partnership, meeting a prospective funder or working with the Board on future strategy; the next you could be supporting the team, welcoming visitors to the garden or solving day-to-day operational challenges.

Key priorities

In your first 12 months you will:

• Build on Hackney School of Food's strong foundations to deliver the next phase of our strategy and growth.

• Increase and diversify income through fundraising, partnerships and commercial opportunities to strengthen long-term sustainability.

• Lead, support and develop a small, ambitious team, fostering a positive and inclusive culture where people can thrive.

• Strengthen relationships with funders, partners and local businesses, helping Hackney School of Food deepen its impact.

• Work closely with the Board to embed strong governance, organisational systems and long-term planning for the future.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership 

• Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for Hackney School of Food, ensuring delivery of its mission, vision and long-term objectives. 

• Lead the development and implementation of Hackney School of Food's annual business plan and organisational priorities.

• Work with the Board to evolve organisational strategy, identify opportunities, manage risks and support sustainable growth.

• Monitor, report on and respond to organisational performance against agreed objectives and impact measures. 

• Champion Hackney School of Food externally, strengthening its profile and influence.
   

Financial sustainability and income generation 

• Oversee organisational budgeting, financial planning, forecasting and cashflow management, working closely with the Treasurer and accountant.

• Lead income generation across the organisation, including trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, sponsorship and earned income.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with funders, sponsors and strategic partners.

• Ensure all funding commitments are met, including grant reporting, monitoring and evaluation requirements.

• Identify new opportunities to diversify income and strengthen long-term financial sustainability.

Partnerships & External Relations

• Act as the main point of contact for HSoF’s key partners, LEAP Federation and Chefs in Schools to ensure the partnerships are effective and positive.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with other key stakeholders, including local authorities, funders and sponsors.

• Represent Hackney School of Food at meetings, events, and public forums.

• Champion the value of food education and contribute to wider local and national conversations. 

• Ensure programmes remain responsive to community needs through ongoing engagement and consultation. 

Governance and public benefit 

• Ensure the organisation operates in line with its CIC objectives and delivers clear public benefit. 

• Support the Board of Directors to fulfil its governance responsibilities through high-quality reporting, planning and decision-making.

• Prepare Board papers, reports and agendas, ensuring timely and accurate information is available to support effective governance.

• Oversee and report on organisational performance to the Board of Directors quarterly.

• Act as the primary link between the Board and the operational team.

• Maintain effective governance, delegated authority and accountability frameworks. 

• Support the Board in meeting all statutory and regulatory obligations relating to the CIC.

People, Culture and safeguarding

• Provide leadership to a small core team (currently c.4 employees), directly managing staff and fostering a positive, inclusive culture. 

• Provide oversight and support for a wider network of approx. 15 freelance contractors to ensure consistently high-quality delivery.

• Lead recruitment, induction, performance management and professional development in line with safer recruitment and equality principles. 

• Ensure effective organisational structures, clear roles, and performance accountability.

• Oversee HR processes including appraisals, performance management, and professional development.

• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, embedding safeguarding throughout the organisation maintaining compliance with all relevant requirements. 

• Develop organisational systems, policies and practices that support an inclusive, high-performing workplace.

Risk Management & Compliance

• Maintain and regularly review the organisational Risk Register and report key risks and mitigations to the Board.

• Oversee organisational policies, procedures and continuous improvement, ensuring policies and legal requirements are up to date, clearly communicated and embedded across the organisation. 

• Ensure compliance with employment law, health and safety, safeguarding, GDPR and other relevant legislation. 

Personal specification

Essential experience 

• Senior leadership experience with responsibility for organisational performance and accountability. 

• Experience securing income through fundraising, partnerships and/or commercial activity.

• Experience of financial leadership, including budget setting, forecasting and cashflow oversight.

• Experience working closely with a Board, Trustees or governing body to translate strategic vision into operational delivery. 

• Experience building and managing successful partnerships with funders, businesses and community stakeholders. 

• Experience in managing and motivating a team, creating a positive and inclusive workplace culture. 

• Experience of governance, compliance and organisational risk management.

• Experience of safeguarding within an education, youth or community context.

• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands, make sound decisions and remain resilient in a resource-constrained environment.

Essential skills and attributes

• Passion for Hackney School of Food's mission and the role of food education in improving health, wellbeing and community connection. 

• Strategic thinker who is equally comfortable with hands-on operational leadership. 

• Entrepreneurial, resourceful and committed to building long-term financial sustainability and identifying growth opportunities.

• Ability to lead a team through change with sensitivity, clarity and kindness.

• Strong communicator with excellent relationship-building skills. 

• Confident decision-maker with a high level of personal accountability. 

• Committed to equity, inclusion and community-led practice.

Desirable 

• Experience working within a Community Interest Company (CIC), social enterprise or charity.

• Knowledge of Hackney, its communities and local stakeholder landscape.

• Experience of working in food education, community food, gardening, environmental education or a related field.

• Experience reviewing and managing contracts, service agreements or other legal documentation.

An inclusive workplace

We know that diverse teams make stronger organisations and are committed to building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment and will consider all qualified applicants regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

We particularly encourage applications from people who are under-represented in our sector and in leadership roles, including people from the global majority and those whose lived experience brings valuable perspectives from the communities we serve. We also welcome applications from people who live in Hackney or East London.

How to apply

The deadline to apply is Monday 20 July at 9am. Please apply by filling out this application form.

You'll find the link to the application form on our Recruitment Pack which provides more information. 

Stage 1: A one-hour online interview with the Senior Team and Board (24 July) 

Stage 2: On-site interview at Hackney School of Food (30 July), including a short presentation. 

We may also invite the preferred candidate to an informal meeting with the wider team and Board before making a final appointment. 

The successful applicant will need to pass an enhanced DBS check and provide two suitable references. 

We may close the application window earlier if we are inundated with applications, so please don't wait to apply.

If you have any questions about the role or your suitability, please feel free to get in touch with us. You will find a Recruitment pack and email address to contact via our website.

Location: The role is national, managing teams in Northern Ireland, Wales and across England. You will need to be able to work at one of our BookTrust offices in London, Leeds, Belfast or Cardiff for an average of 8 days per month whilst some of these collaboration days may be worked in partner locations, at events or stakeholder meetings in any part of the country. The position will require regular travel to BookTrust office bases and to visit and engage as needed.

BookTrust is the UK’s largest children’s reading charity. We know that children who read are happier, healthier, more empathetic, and more creative. They also do better at school.

Working with every local authority and across every region in the country, and supported by Arts Council funding, we reach over 3 million families a year via partners in schools, children’s centres, health visitors and libraries. This incredible network helps us to get children reading across the country.

This is a new role within the organisation and the postholder will be responsible for defining aspects of the role, building relationships and processes that will enhance our ways of working as part of wider organisational processes. 

You will be an excellent communicator who manages up effectively and who is comfortable working across a matrixed managed team. You will work closely with the Director of Partnerships in building relationships, systems and processes that support our delivery across regions and countries as well as working closely with key role holders such as but not confined to the Head of Partnerships Development, and Head of Programme for Vulnerable Children.

The Head of Partnerships Delivery will lead and coordinate our early years scaled programme delivery as well as ensuring activities to support delivery and development of our vulnerable children’s work are catered or within team processes and relationship building with strategic and local stakeholders.

This work spans the organisation – and will have a close working relationships with key stakeholders in operations on aspects of the work as well as to research and impact, design and innovation, growth planning, communications, profile-raising and income generation – and requires strong collaborative working to draw on skills and capacity in all these areas. 

To apply, please complete the application along with a copy of your CV.

Want to join us? To find out more about who we are please go to our website. 

We actively encourage applications from underrepresented groups and welcome candidates from all backgrounds and communities. 

Please note that this advert may close early should we receive a high volume of suitable applications. 

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity

We aim to provide an inclusive recruitment process and actively welcome applications from diverse talent pools: minority ethnic candidates, candidates with disabilities and long-term conditions and candidates from underrepresented communities.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and want to ensure we have an accessible application process for all candidates. If you need any reasonable adjustments or would like us to do anything differently during the application process, please contact our HR team (contact details can be found on our website). 

BookTrust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The recruitment and selection process reflect our commitment to safeguarding therefore, the suitability of all prospective employees will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment, and pre-employment checks.

This role covers our Senior Social Media Officer’s maternity leave and takes full ownership of our social media strategy and execution across all platforms. This is a highly autonomous role requiring strategic thinking, creative leadership and strong analytical skills.

You’ll thrive in a fast-paced, varied working environment and be full of creative ideas. You’ll be as happy filming and editing engaging videos, as you are leading content planning or campaign delivery. You’ll be adept at making short, snappy videos for Instagram and longer form content for LinkedIn. You’ll have an eye for design and be confident on Canva.

You’ll be confident making independent decisions, managing multiple projects simultaneously and know how to unearth stories that bring our mission to life. A collaborative approach will be at the heart of how you work as you help position Chefs in Schools as an innovative changemaker in school food.

What else do you need to know?

The responsibilities, skills and experience listed below are intended to give you an idea of what we need for this role. If you don’t meet every requirement but feel you would be able to work with us to deliver the majority of them, we urge you to apply anyway.

We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, and for us the most important ‘experience’ is passion for our mission. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds, especially those from underrepresented communities, to apply.

We want to get to know you at the interview and understand we can do this best if you’re at ease. We’re an inclusive employer and work hard to create a welcoming working environment for everyone. If you need adjustments to the interview process please let us know.

As we work with children & young people, an offer of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and DBS clearance, in line with our safeguarding policy.

Key responsibilities:

● Develop and implement quarterly social media content planning aligned to organisational priorities, ensuring strategic forward-planning across all platforms

● Lead audience and sector-wide research to reach a diverse follower base through targeted content and share best practice across the charity

● Develop platform-specific strategies for underutilised channels, making data-driven recommendations about platform investment

● Create exciting, constantly evolving content across videos, graphics and copy that drives specific actions and conversions

● Maintain and develop brand consistency standards and content frameworks across all organisational social media channels

● Manage regular creative brainstorms to build a bank of content ideas and champion creative innovation

● Plan, pitch and deliver social media campaigns and organisational content programmes end-to-end, from concept through to launch and beyond — including production coordination, communications planning and stakeholder management

● Lead photoshoot planning and content production end-to-end, managing external agencies and professional photographers where required

● Plan and manage school visits strategically to maximise content output, coordinating permissions, logistics and team involvement and building ongoing relationships with school kitchen teams

● Develop briefs and guidance to empower wider team members to gather suitable content when needed

● Lead conversations on social channels, proactively sharing sector news with organisational commentary to position us as a thought leader, and build and maintain strategic relationships with relevant networks, schools, chefs, partners and influencers

● Plan, pitch and create strategic content to maximise partnerships, patrons and ambassadors, proactively identifying opportunities and ensuring prominent placement on our platforms

● Deliver analytics with strategic insights and recommendations, tracking meaningful KPIs including conversions, target audience growth and actions taken

● Use data to optimise strategy and prove return on investment, setting targets and deadlines for performance improvement based on insights

● Champion diversity, equality and inclusion in all social media content, and work collaboratively with the wider communications team sharing expertise on brand standards and best practice

Essential skills & experience:

• Demonstrable experience leading social media strategy and delivery across multiple platforms

• Proven ability to plan and deliver campaigns end-to-end with minimal oversight

• Strong creative skills with ability to produce engaging content across formats (video, graphics, copy)

• Strategic thinker who links social media activity to organisational goals

• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to quality standards

• Confident working autonomously and making independent judgements

• Experience using analytics to drive strategy and demonstrate impact

• Solutions-focused approach with proactive problem-solving skills

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders

• Commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion

• Belief in our mission to improve children’s health through better food and food education in schools

Desirable skills & experience:

• Experience in the charity or public sector

• Knowledge of school food, education or public health sectors

• Experience managing relationships with external agencies or freelancers

• Understanding of brand development and consistency frameworks

• Experience using social media scheduling and management tools

Benefits

You would be joining a friendly, supportive team who work hard but believe in a healthy work/life balance. We were voted one of CODE Hospitality’s happiest places to work in 2024. We seek a diverse range of perspectives, skills, experience and knowledge. Joining a small, collaborative team means you’ll be able to contribute to and draw on various projects and strategic insights.

We offer 33 days of holiday per year including bank holidays, 3 additional office closure days over the Christmas period as well as wellbeing days over the summer school holidays. We also have a Cycle to Work scheme, hybrid working, enhanced parental leave, and free access to the CODE app for discounted restaurants & hospitality venues. We are committed to developing our team and will support you with relevant training opportunities including £250 towards elective training and development of your choice.

We also offer Bupa Dental Insurance, Income Protection Insurance, as well as access to the Aviva Smart Health Platform which offers health benefits including free rapid access online GP appointments, free counselling and wellbeing support.

This is a hands-on role that moves between two registers: structured qualitative research with proper analytical underpinning, and fast-turnaround reactive policy work. You will need to be genuinely comfortable in both able to run a multi-month thematic publication and turn around a tight briefing or consultation response within 48-72 hours when a policy window opens.

The role will lead The Difference's qualitative research and insight function, including research workstreams tied to the Difference Schools Partnership's annual thematic priorities, and our Harmful and Abusive Behaviours (HaB) workstream convening a sector council to build a shared framework for how schools understand and respond to peer-on-peer harm. You will produce briefings, evidence submissions and publications, manage external research partners, and work with the CEO, Head of Policy and Communications team to launch research with real impact. The role reports to the Head of Policy and works closely with colleagues across Strategy, Research and Programmes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead The Difference's qualitative research and insight function, running research workstreams tied to annual DSP thematic priorities and emerging strands on MAT inclusion and LA working
• Design and deliver qualitative research with schools, MATs and local authorities interviews, focus groups, school visits and thematic analysis  translating findings into evidence and policy recommendations
• Lead the Harmful and Abusive Behaviours research workstream, convening a sector council, producing briefing material and managing the route from convening to publication
• Produce timely, citable evidence for policy influence  including drafting briefings, consultation responses and evidence submissions on fast turnaround
• Project manage publication cycles from scoping through to launch, working with coalition and media partners to maximise reach and tracking policy traction post-launch
• Brief, manage and integrate the outputs of external research partners where commissioned (e.g. FFT Datalab, Pro Bono Economics)
• Capture and develop case studies from DSP schools and the wider Difference network

About The Difference

• Every day, the equivalent of 5,500 children are suspended from England's schools, doubling their likelihood of being NEET by 24. The Difference is a young education charity founded to change this story through whole school inclusion. We train school leaders, carry out our own research, and turn frontline insights into policy recommendations lobbying Ofsted and the Department for Education to improve funding and support for inclusion. Our vision is to see lost learning falling nationally by 2030.

About You

Essential

• Dual capability across reactive and structured research : comfortable producing tight briefings on a 48–72 hour turnaround and running multi-month qualitative publications
• Experience in education research, policy research or applied social research, with examples of published, commissioned or internally-influential work
• Strong qualitative research skills : interview and focus group design, thematic coding, framework development, synthesis across multiple sources
• Persuasive writing for mixed audiences : able to write clearly and concisely for policymakers, school leaders, the press and the sector, and comfortable ghost-writing for senior colleagues
• Project management discipline : able to run multiple workstreams in parallel, manage your own deadlines, and keep colleagues and external partners on track
• Comfortable working at pace in a fast-moving environment where priorities shift as policy windows open and close : self-directed, flexible and able to make good judgement calls under pressure
• Shared values with The Difference and personal commitment to improving life outcomes for young people

Desired

• Strong working understanding of UK education policy, particularly around inclusion, exclusion, SEND, accountability and school improvement
• Confident data literacy and basic quantitative analysis : comfortable interrogating population-level datasets and translating findings into accessible policy language
• Understanding of why language matters when writing about behaviour, exclusion and vulnerability, and the ability to frame behaviour as a signal of unmet need consistently across all work
• Lived experience or insight into the school experiences of marginalised young people
• Experience of working in or with schools, multi-academy trusts or local authorities
• Existing relationships in education research, policy or sector organisations

Please see the attached Job Description for full role details and person specification.

We are committed to building a diverse team and strongly encourage applications from under-represented groups in the charity sector. As part of our commitment to fairer recruitment, all applications will be assessed with names and protected characteristics redacted.

The Damilola Taylor Trust (DTT) is a charitable company limited by guarantee incorporated in May 2001 in memory of Damilola Taylor and registered as a charity in July 2001. Our founding mission is to provide inner-city youths with opportunities to play, learn and live their lives free of fear and violence, and with optimism for a future where opportunities abound.We develop the hope, optimism and self-esteem of young people so that they can: 

 Lead healthy lives;

Stay in School;

Grow up to become independent productive adults;

 Have lofty aspirations and work to attain their innate potential.

For over two decades, we have supported young people through mentoring, education, employability, personal development, life skills, and community engagement programmes that inspire hope, aspiration, confidence, and resilience. As we mark our 25th anniversary this year, we intend to strengthen organisational capacity, expand partnerships, and scale programmes that positively impact young people and communities across London. .

We are looking for an experienced, dynamic and motivated Programme Manager to lead the Damilola Taylor Trust’s Executive Team, sustain and scale our core youth-focused programmes in South London, providing consistent leadership and operational stability. 

As Programme Manager, you will 

• Manage delivery of the Career pathway programme for schools (CPPFS) courses, which help YP at risk of involvement in criminal activity to engage fully in education by addressing barriers to positive engagement through workshops and career- mentor support at Harris Academies in South London, with a view to reaching 150 students a year.
• Support and supervise the Project Coordinator to implement the project “From Tragedy to Legacy” to celebrate the legacy of Damilola Taylor while highlighting the impact the Trust has made in 25 years supporting young people in inner-city areas of London.
• Lead the Trust’s collaboration initiative with YouthBuild UK, a South London based charity that trains YP to be work ready in a variety of industries including construction, hospitality, customer care and IT to enhance impact of our Career Search and Skills Development (CSSD) programme.
• Design, develop and implement new programmes for delivery in-house or via third party delivery partners
• Agree the Executive Team’s work plan, lead, and motivate staff to create a high-performing team that sustains and scales the impact of our core youth-focused programmes.
• Taking the lead with day-to-day administration and management of the Trust’s programmes, you will maintain a database, produce written communications and reports, information leaflets, website updates, budget monitoring, and negotiate with delivery partners, and manage an array of detailed record keeping
• Contribute to organisational planning and development, including supporting our plan of building capacity to create the organisation required to achieve results that we are committed to
• Support our fundraising team through providing feedback, reports and information to support bid writing activities.
• Key working relationships
  • ​As leader of the Trust’s executive team, you will work closely with our finance service provider, line manage the Administration Officer and Project Coordinator, and be responsible for delivery of our programmes
  • You will develop good working relationships with our project delivery partners, while building in-house capacity for delivery of our main programmes as well as those developed in collaboration with other Social Providers such as YouthBuild UK 
  • Be involved in sector networking and awareness raising on behalf of the Trust.
  • Act as an ambassador for the Trust at all times

• Person specification -Specific experience or skillKey: (E) Essential; (D) Desirable. 

  • Experience of designing, developing and implementing charitable programmes especially to support development of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds (E)

  • Significant experience managing delivery of youth-focused programmes in a small but growing charity (E) 

  • Strong leadership and team skills to motivate, support and work with a team of youth workers (E) 

  • An excellent understanding and a proven track record of relevant experience working with young people (YP) from inner-city areas of high deprivation (E)

  • A positive attitude, high energy and enthusiasm for the work of the Damilola Taylor Trust (E)

  • Excellent communicator, planner and problem solver, a strong team player and an exemplary role model (E) 

  • Self-directed, self-motivated with the ability to work on own initiative to plan and manage own and a team’s workload (E)

• Knowledge, qualifications

  • ·Knowledge of situational leadership and general management practices (E)

  •      Knowledge of General Data Protection Regulations (E) 

  •      An understanding of safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults (E) 

  •      Current DBS certificate (E) but, for a suitable candidate, the post might be offered subject to DBS being obtained)

  • Degree or relevant experience of working in the Social Sector, and or as a Youth work (D)

  • Experience of programme development processes and tools (frameworks, theories of change) (E)

• Personal qualities

  • Commitment to own continuing personal and professional development

  • Commitment to the mission, vision and values of DTT

  • Flexibility to work in a hybrid job, place based; school locations and virtual

  • Commitment to effective relationship building and collaboration

• The Trust is a Safer Recruitment organisation.

The Operations Associate is an administration role which will provide vital day to day coordination for the Foundation's leadership and operations teams. This role will require close attention to detail, strong planning and organisational skills, and a proactive mindset. 

The Operations and Administration Associate will be comfortable working alongside all internal colleagues, and building relationships with external stakeholders whilst providing administrative support. 

The key areas of responsibility for this role are:

• Providing administrative and diary support to the CEO and Executive Team (40% of role)

• Providing administrative support to our programme delivery, supporting the smooth running of our activities and events (30% of role)

• Supporting the smooth running of organisation wide operations, including HR and finance administration, internal events and office management. (30% of role)

Team Overview

The role sits within our Operations Team, reporting to the Director of Operations. 

We are growing and strengthening our Operations Team, consisting of the Director of Operations, Events and Operations Officer, Programme Operations Officer and Finance Officer. Our remit is to ensure the smooth running of our organisation, through developing robust systems, efficient processes, accurate data management, and effective support for our programmes and partners.

This role will also contribute within a new cross-organisational circle that brings together colleagues from operations, communications and evaluation to share insights and support the ongoing development and quality of our programmes.

Duties

1. Administrative and diary support to Executive Team

We have an Executive Team consisting of a CEO, 3 Executive Directors and Director of Operations. Working closely with the team, you will:

• Act as the primary point of contact for the CEO and Executive Director's schedules.

• Proactively manage complex diaries, resolving scheduling conflicts and ensuring appropriate balance between meetings, event delivery and office time. 

• Manage travel arrangements, accommodation bookings, and logistics for the executive team.

• Provide meeting support, including scheduling, preparing agendas, and taking minutes or tracking action points for leadership meetings.

2. Administrative support to our programme delivery

You will hold close day to day contact with our Events and Operations Officer, who is responsible for the smooth running and participant experience at all of our in person events. We are growing our offer to our partners and programme members, and as such, have a growing number of administrative and supporting tasks, including:

• Support the logistics of external programme events, including booking venues, arranging catering, and managing travel.

• Produce and manage event registers and attendee lists.

• Assist with key processes relating to programme partner onboarding and offboarding.

• Support data entry and ensure accurate records are kept within our CRM (HubSpot) regarding programme activities.

3. Organisation wide operational support

We have a lean backbone team, who are responsible for the smooth running of our operational functions. We strive to implement policies and processes that are clear, and reduce burden on the wider team, which in turn allows them to focus on achieving our organisation's goals. You will:

• Finance Administration: Support the Finance Officer with routine financial administration, including raising invoices, tracking expenses, and assisting with the partner payment process.

• HR & Office Management: Support central operational tasks such as ordering IT equipment, managing office supplies, and assisting with basic HR administration (e.g. new starter onboarding documentation).

• Internal Events: Coordinate logistics for internal team meetings, staff away days, and organisation-wide events.

• General Admin: Monitor central shared inboxes, routing inquiries to the appropriate team members, and handle general administrative duties to ensure smooth office and remote-work operations.

Working at The Reach Foundation

Our Values

Here are the Reach Foundation, we have a set of lived values that guide our work; 

Rigour. We are clear slighted about the challenges babies, children and young people face. We use the best available evidence to inform our work, strive for excellence in all we do and support each other to attain this. 

Relationships. We invest in building the strong relationships needed to tackle challenging, complex problems. 

Intentionality. The most important decisions we make are about how we use our time and energy. We evaluate our work and think very carefully about what we start, stop and continue doing. 

Action. We have a strong bias to action. We believe that also long as we learn and adapt and work with others, we can make positive change for babies, children and young people. 

Justice. We are working to create a more socially just world. The way we work should always support that goal.

How we work

This role is advertised as working from home. Our Director of Operations lives in Leeds, and we would like to open this role to someone who is committed to working from a location near Leeds once a week/fortnight.

The role will not entail significant travel, but we would expect the successful candidate to attend 6 team days per year, and staff the occasional event.

We adopt an agile working policy, and believe great work happens when people feel trusted, connected, and able to adapt to what the day asks of them. In practice, agile working to us means:

• We expect you to fully deliver your work. Our commitments and deadlines to each other and our partners matter, and work is completed on time and to the standard our team agrees on. 

• You are trusted to organise your day thoughtfully, meaning you can start early or finish later, take a longer lunch break, or work from home. 

• We expect you to communicate regularly. A remote team relies on connection, therefore we expect you to keep your team in the loop, share challenges and be open to shifting plans if needed.

Ultimately, we believe blending responsibility with flexibility means you are able to bring your best self to work. 

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We believe that we can't tackle the complex challenges facing babies, children, and young people, without catalysing action that draws from diverse perspectives and is led by a wide range of voices. We are therefore committed to an inclusive world where every voice, experience, and background contributes to our shared goal of a more socially just future for all - within, around and beyond our organisation.

As we seek to build a team as diverse as the communities we serve, we actively encourage applications from anyone who feels their skills, experience and motivations could serve well in this role. We strongly encourage those with varied lived experiences, disciplines and identities to apply.

Other Details

Salary: £29,664

Interview: Week Beginning 26th April (online)

The Head of Programming & Creative Producing is a new senior role, working with the Chief Executive to shape and deliver the artistic output of the Philharmonia.

The postholder works hand-in-hand with the Head of Artistic Planning, and members of the Executive team to programme and artistically shape traditional concert programmes at various scales and in various contexts, as well as learning and digital projects and pre- or post-concert activities. The postholder also leads on the development and producing of new performance formats for own-promoted concerts.

A first-rate creative thinker, you will be passionate about working with conductors, artists and agents to create world-class concert programmes, residencies and series, and will be able to draw on your deep knowledge and understanding of orchestral repertoire, artists, and the wider cultural context, as well as an established network of industry relationships to turn your ideas into reality.

Your artistic interests, however, will range beyond the traditional core, and you will be driven by a personal mission to engage different and new audiences with orchestral music, whether that is through music for films or games, cross-artform and cross-genre collaborations, pre-performance debates, schools performances, VR installations, or different performance formats. You will take a producing approach to new performance formats, keenly appreciative of the importance of staging, narrative and flow for contemporary audiences. 

You know the importance of equality and diversity on stage in building a future for classical music, and are an active champion of creative projects which demonstrate this. Discovering new artists and musical voices will be second nature to you, just as you will be sensitive to the needs of established artists and composers in shaping a project. While your focus is on the quality of the artistic output, you will maintain in-the-round awareness of the complex jigsaw of sometimes competing priorities and restrictions into which any project has to be delivered, including box office and audience development targets.

An important member of the HODs Team with a close relationship to the Philharmonia Orchestra Artistic Committee, this role suits a collaborative and inclusive emerging leader who acts with integrity, and who can manage complex systems and personalities in line with the Philharmonia’s mission to create the orchestral experience of the future.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning

• Research and identify future featured artists, composers and guest conductors proactively

• Research and develop ideas and concepts for season themes and series

• Create mainstage programmes in line with the artistic strategy of the Philharmonia Orchestra in close consultation with the Chief Executive and conductors

Leadership and Management

• Lead on chamber music programming, including liaison with players over proposals

• Lead on the development of wrap-around activity on concert days

• Lead on opportunities for commissioning and co-commissioning of new works, negotiating commission fees and contracts. Liaison with publishers.

• Lead on programming Philharmonia Residency venues, taking both box office and logistical considerations into account

• Lead on Philharmonia Records, developing and overseeing the recordings strategy and identifying and planning recording projects for own-label release

• Initiate and develop non-standard orchestral projects for own promotions, such as film or games music formats, formats using visuals, cross-artform or cross-genre collaborations, and performances in non-traditional venues

• Artistically and operationally produce all non-standard orchestral projects, including shaping narrative, stage presentation, and close working with the venue technical staff, supported by relevant project managers

Key tasks

• Develop repertoire ideas and ensure timely registration on clash-diary, with support from Co-ordinator 

• Collaborate with Director of Tours and Project Development and partners to develop programmes for foreign touring and commercial projects, while considering market and budget limitations

• Collaborate with the Learning and Engagement Department on programming for education and learning performance formats, including Artist in Residence Programme and Orchestra Unwrapped, leading as required

• Collaborate with the Development Department on funding approaches to support programming, and work with them on programming fundraising performances and events

• Collaborate with Head of Digital Product and Experience on repertoire and project development for PO Virtual Orchestra

• Join the Artistic Committee discussions re future plans as required

• Listen to recordings to assess suitability for release, and discussing in-house recordings with Artistic Committee.

Other

• Work as part of the HODs team on developing future business plan and strategies built around the Orchestra’s mission, vision and values 

• Be in regular contact with Marketing colleagues to help shape season narrative and proof-read key documents.

• Act as artistic liaison with external promoters and project partners as required

• Attend rehearsals and performances at Southbank Centre and at venues out of London and overseas as required, in order to meet artists and monitor artistic performance and quality

Skills and Qualifications

• Excellent track record of working in artistic planning or artist management (min 5-7 years)

• First-class knowledge of orchestral repertoire and artists, as well as the work of the Philharmonia Orchestra

• Demonstrable creative programming experience at an advanced level

• Demonstrable entrepreneurial mindset with a successful history of creating new projects

• Current experience of development of UK and international markets for orchestras

• First class communications, influencing, and negotiation skills – and the ability to make the case effectively and enthusiastically

• A collaborative team player able to develop excellent working relationships across the organisation 

• Flexible and positive attitude, as well as the ability to think laterally and creatively to overcome obstacles 

• High level of professionalism, self-motivation and organisation, and an ability to manage complex issues effectively. 

• Ability to regularly work out of hours and travel, as required. 

• Diplomatic and capable of being an excellent ambassador for the Philharmonia Orchestra 

Caritas Social Action Network

Policy and Public Affairs Officer (maternity leave)

Location: office in London, with mostly working from home, regular travel in England and Wales, and rare travel overseas.

Contract: full-time, to cover a team member’s maternity leave

Salary: £30,00

Closing date: Monday 13 July at 12 noon

Interview date: Thursday 16 July in person, in London

CSAN is the official agency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice affecting people who live in England and Wales. We’re facing a steep rise in poverty and significant pressures on social, economic and church resources. Currently, the Church is called to raise a prophetic voice against poverty and the rhetoric of division and work for the building of a more just society.

Over the last 20 years, CSAN has built up a network of 50 diocesan and direct service charities with a combined annual spend on social mission estimated at £400m, excluding the work of schools and religious congregations. Our members build up local community life in diverse ways, and many of them support individuals in difficulty, including with housing, prison and detention, social isolation, ill-health, violence, disability, employment, care, therapeutic and welfare support.

The key responsibilities of the post are:

1. To scan the social policy environment to capture developments in legislation, consultation papers and Bills relevant to the Caritas network for the purpose of comprehensive tracking and briefing.

2. To deliver an effective programme of Catholic advocacy and political campaigns that contributes to the common good, with particular attention to the priorities of the dignity of workers, child poverty, social care and end of life; supporting and connecting well with the team’s other activities, and where possible with the CSAN membership’s priorities,

3. To draft campaign and advocacy materials for the range of media channels used by CSAN and support the CEO in engaging with the press and approaches from campaigning organisations including contributing to CSAN’s social media networks.

4. To provide admin support and contribute to CSAN’s Alliances as required, especially the Advocacy Alliance and the Criminal Justice Alliance with information and education on policy and legislation.

5. To ensure that our advocacy is consistent with the Bishops’ understanding of the Church’s role in society and supports the priorities of the Bishops’ Conference, especially the Department for Social Justice.

6. To act as a conduit of information and communication between the Bishops’ Conference and the CSAN members, under the guidance of the CEO, assisting CBCEW where possible in gathering information and the lived experience of poverty.

7. To develop and contribute to practice materials for the network, especially in the areas of campaigning, advocacy, social policy and formation for mission.

8. To oversee monitoring of the Catholic press and relevant wider networks for relevant articles, developments and campaigns.

9. To support the general work of CSAN as required by the CEO, including leading in the development and organisation of the charity in specific areas subject to skills and experience.

The work of the small national team requires a high level of integrity and teamwork, respect for and capacity to navigate complex civil and church contexts at pace, and a stable commitment to personal formation and training. Our Policy and Public Affairs Officer (maternity leave) will bring a professional track record of relevant research and analysis, production of compelling communications, and diligent administration. A satisfactory basic DBS check and references are required.

CSAN is a member of Caritas Internationalis, one of the largest humanitarian networks in the world, with national agencies in over 160 countries, and among the most successful examples of organised Catholic social action in modern times.