Director of development jobs

Chichester Festival Theatre has a strong track record of building long-term relationships with both local and national trusts, securing essential investment across areas including arts engagement, mental health, dementia care, education, heritage, inclusion and access.

With an established and credible trust base already in place, this role will be responsible for identifying new opportunities for growth, writing compelling bids and ensuring excellent stewardship of existing funders. Working closely with the Development Director and wider Development team, the postholder will help strengthen and expand CFT’s Trusts & Foundations portfolio, contributing directly to the theatre’s long-term financial sustainability and impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Research and identify new Trusts & Foundations to build a strong funding pipeline.Write compelling, tailored funding applications
• Coordinate with internal departments to shape high‑quality, evidence‑based proposals.
• Track application progress, deadlines and reporting schedules.
• Provide outstanding stewardship to existing funders through reports, evaluations and updates.
• Manage invitations to cultivation events, press nights and project visits.
• Cultivate new prospects through Development Committee and trustee networks as well as proactive outreach.
• Process payments, receipts and acknowledgements via Spektrix.
• Work with Finance to reconcile restricted income.
• Attend supporter events, press nights and cultivation events as required (including evenings/weekends).
• Manage and oversee excellent trust administration.
• Contribute to annual Trusts strategy alongside the Development Director.

Essential Criteria

• Experience writing successful five and six figure bids.
• Strong relationship‑building skills with trustees and funders.
• Excellent administrative and organisational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and reporting requirements.
• Strong written communication skills adaptable for different funders.
• Proactive and collaborative approach.
• Ability to manage a minimum annual Trust income target of c£250,000.
• Understanding of impact reporting/evaluation.
• Desirable Criteria
• Experience in the arts or charity sector.
• Knowledge of Spektrix or similar CRM systems.
• Experience stewarding funders via events or project visits.

Please visit our website for full details.

Mansfield College is seeking an exceptional fundraising professional to join its high-performing Development team, at an exciting moment in the College’s history. We are looking for an outstanding individual to lead the College’s annual (or ‘regular’) giving programme, and create and deliver engaging stewardship opportunities for donors at all levels.

Mansfield’s annual giving programme is central to the College’s ongoing success and generates vital and significant income for the College every year for every aspect of life and work within our academic community. Now in the public phase of our For Mansfield. Forever. campaign, you will be joining a friendly, supportive and high-performing team that is responsible for delivering consecutive record-breaking fundraising years for the College.

The Development Manager is a senior role within the College’s Development & Alumni Relations team and has responsibility for executing an annual giving strategy that includes telephone campaigns; online giving days using compelling social media content to drive support; direct mail appeals; and encouraging membership of Mansfield’s 1886 Circle. This role is also responsible for ensuring engaging stewardship opportunities for donors to the College at all levels.

Location: MSSC National Support Centre, London, SE1 7JY

Contract: Full-time, permanent

Salary: Up to £80,000 gross per annum, depending on experience

Closing Date: 22 March 2026

Are you looking for a new challenge where you can have a positive impact on the lives of young people? We’re looking for an exceptional leader with significant experience of youth, volunteering, safety and business support.

The Marine Society & Sea Cadets (MSSC) is the leading maritime charity for youth development and lifelong learning. We are a vibrant and growing charity inspiring young people to achieve their potential through challenge and nautical adventure, while also enabling seafarers and maritime professionals to realise their potential through learning and career development.

Thousands of young people take part in Sea Cadets activity every week. We want to reach thousands more. We have a strong vision and are on the cusp of rolling out a new multi-year growth strategy to meet the growing demand for what we provide for young people. We aim to equip them to achieve their potential and thrive in a rapidly changing world. We are immensely proud of the breadth, quality and safety of activities we offer to young people.

We are looking for an exceptional individual who wants to be at the heart of this project to reach more young people through our extraordinary, highly skilled volunteers. This individual will drive quality and consistency across everything we do.

About the role

The Director of Young People, Volunteer & Business Support is a full-time employee of Marine Society & Sea Cadets (MSSC) and reports to the Chief Executive Officer. The post holder is a member of the MSSC Senior Management Team. The post is based at the National Support Centre in London but will require some travel, mostly within the UK, in order to fulfil the responsibilities of the role. The nature of the role will also involve occasional evening and weekend work.

Responsibilities

• Growth, Development & Outreach
• Health, Safety & Environment
• Young People Support & Safeguarding
• Volunteer Support
• Business Support & Legal
• Policy & Impact

Requirements

Knowledge and understanding of health and safety

Knowledge and experience of managing youth safeguarding issues

Knowledge and experience of volunteering and volunteer management

Experience of leading management processes, compliance, assurance and driving change

Experience of leading a large team with strong people management capability and driving high performance including remote management

For further information, please download the . If you are interested in this role, please apply now!

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave per annum, increasing with length of service
• Hybrid working for many roles (minimum 2 days per week in the London office)
• Volunteering Leave
• Life assurance (4x salary)
• Private medical insurance
• Generous pension (employer contribution up to 10%)
• Cycle to work scheme
• Access to the Marine Society Digital Library
• Wellbeing portal and EAP with one-to-one counselling
• Employee development

Additional Information

MSSC positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates from all backgrounds. Equity, diversity, and inclusion really matters to us, so we can best serve our beneficiaries from every community. We work to ensure a fair and consistent recruitment process and aim to be a charity where diversity of experience, identity and skills are valued and welcomed. MSSC is an equal opportunities employer.

We recognise our responsibilities to safeguard and protect the young people and vulnerable adults with whom we work. We do all we can to promote their health, safety and wellbeing, and we expect our staff to share this commitment and work in line with safeguarding policy, the MSSC’s values and ethos of inclusivity. We adhere to safer recruitment practices and therefore employment is subject to detailed pre-employment checks for successful candidates, including references and criminal disclosure checks and the completion of a disclosure questionnaire. 

All successful applicants are required to attend safeguarding training and undergo pre-employment checks including a criminal record check.

This role sits at the heart of Operation Smile UK’s five-year strategy to deliver transformational growth across all income streams. As Senior Lead - Acquisition and Digital Fundraising, you will be instrumental in delivering on three of our four core strategic priorities:

1. Build Regular Giving – laying the foundation for higher long-term value and stronger ROI across acquisition channels.
2. Drive All Donors to Legacy – recruiting quality donors who have the potential value to feed into legacy and long-term giving goals.
3. Maximise Growth Through Digital Fundraising Integration – leading the expansion and optimisation of digital acquisition within a cohesive fundraising strategy

The Senior Lead - Acquisition & Digital Fundraising role is responsible for delivering Operation Smile UK’s strategic individual giving acquisition programme. This role is key to driving income growth and expanding our supporter base across multiple channels, including digital, DRTV, dialogue fundraising and print.

You will lead the strategy, planning, delivery and evaluation of acquisition campaigns, including the onboarding process, with full accountability for managing significant budgets, agency partnerships and performance metrics. This is a senior, hands-on role suited to an experienced acquisition fundraiser with strong commercial acumen and a data-driven mindset.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Campaign Leadership

• Develop and implement the multi-channel acquisition strategy, aligned with income targets and supporter growth objectives.
• Lead on the planning and delivery of campaigns across direct dialogue, digital, DRTV, and print channels.
• Lead on the planning and delivery of the onboarding process for all new recruits.
• Monitor and report on campaign performance, providing insight-driven recommendations to optimise results.
• Drive testing and innovation to expand existing channels and introduce new ones within acceptable risk and return parameters.

Budget Ownership & Performance Monitoring

• Take full responsibility for acquisition budget management, income forecasting and cost control.
• Set, monitor, and evaluate key performance indicators (KPIs), reporting against ROI, CPA, and long-term value across all acquisition channels.
• Collaborate with the Senior Database Manager and the Director of Data and Technology to develop and maintain performance dashboards (e.g., Power BI) and support strategic data analysis, including both short-term and long-term channel performance evaluation.

Agency & Partner Management

• Manage day-to-day relationships with external fundraising and creative partners.
• Lead briefings, content sourcing, agent training, stakeholder approvals, and quality assurance processes.
• Negotiate contracts and hold suppliers accountable for delivery and performance.

Cross-Team and Market Integration

• Represent the acquisition programme in cross-functional planning meetings and contribute to a unified team culture focused on strategic delivery.
• Deliver and optimise the onboarding and conversion programme for new donors.
• Develop CRO strategies and implement with support from the Communications team, whilst supporting the enhancement of web development
• Ensure consistent campaign integration across touchpoints and maximise thematic/creative cohesion, working in collaboration with the Senior Communications Manager to lead and develop the creative and content strategy for acquisition.
• Act as a key liaison with colleagues across Operation Smile global markets, sharing insights and exploring opportunities to align strategy, co-develop creative, or pilot cross-market initiatives.

Compliance, Risk & Best Practice

• Ensure all campaigns meet legal, ethical and data protection requirements (e.g., GDPR, Fundraising Regulator).
• Act as a key contributor to organisational risk assessments relating to income performance and supplier performance.
• Keep up to date with sector trends, innovations and benchmarks to maintain best practice.

Person Specification

Essential Experience

• Extensive experience (ideally 5+ years) in Individual Giving or fundraising acquisition roles.
• Proven success delivering multi-channel acquisition campaigns with strong ROI.
• Experience managing external agencies and suppliers to high-performance standards.
• Strong background in digital fundraising and paid media.
• Demonstrated experience managing and reporting on substantial acquisition budgets.

Skills & Attributes

• Strategic thinker with excellent campaign planning and execution skills.
• Highly numerate and confident using data for decision-making and optimisation.
• Strong project and stakeholder management abilities.
• Proactive, self-starting approach with high levels of ownership and accountability.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, able to represent the organisation externally.

Desirable

• Understanding of retention and supporter journey optimisation.
• Familiarity with CRM and data system Donorfy.
• Experience with Power BI or other reporting tools.

First-round interviews are set for the week of 23rd March 2026. We strongly encourage early applications.

Disability Confident Committed Employer

We're a Disability Confident Committed employer, so we guarantee an interview to any disabled applicant who meets the minimum requirements for the job.

At Operation Smile UK, we value individuals based on their performance and potential. We're dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that supports everyone's needs. We're happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the application and employment process, and we particularly welcome applications from diverse backgrounds.

If you need this document in a different format, require any adjustments, or need help with your application, please contact us (further details contained within the job description).

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Operation Smile UK knows fundraising could better reflect the diverse backgrounds and experiences of the people the charity sector supports. If you don’t meet every requirement but believe your transferable skills align with the role, we encourage you to contact us for a conversation. 

We want our team to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, offering equal opportunities to everyone, regardless of, age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We celebrate diversity and encourage you to bring your authentic self to Operation Smile UK. We are committed to supporting all applicants and ensuring a fair hiring process. All appointments will be made solely on merit, and we are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. 

Crisis is the national charity for people experiencing homelessness, working side by side with thousands of people each year as they find ways out of homelessness. All of us need a decent home – to be healthy and to thrive. Currently though, this basic human need isn’t being met for so many people across the UK.

At Crisis, we have an incredible and committed workforce of more than 600 employees across England, Scotland and Wales, as well as c5,000 inspiring volunteers who are central to the success of our Christmas services and the running of our shops. Without them Crisis quite simply wouldn’t exist.

This is an exciting time to be joining Crisis. Emerging from a period of change, we are in the first year of our new 10-year strategy and an even greater focus on purpose and priorities. Central to the success of this will be ensuring that Crisis is a positive, high performing and inclusive work environment that allows us to have the greatest impact for those that we support.

As a member of the wider leadership team, the Director of People & Culture will be responsible for developing a strategy that meets our aspirations for our staff and volunteers, attracting and retaining a diverse and talented workforce and creating an environment that allows everyone who works with us to feel safe and be the best that they can be. As our most senior People leader in the charity, this is a role that is highly visible at all levels and you will be required to build strong, trusted relationships across the leadership team, our Board and with our staff and volunteers.

We are looking for an authentic and inspiring leader who brings significant experience of developing and implementing people strategies, with strong knowledge of culture and organisational development. You will have a confident and informed approach to all things relating to people and culture and a proven commitment to promoting equity and inclusion in the workplace, so that everyone feels able to be their authentic and best selves. With high levels of emotional intelligence, you will also be a leader who gives space and encouragement for the team to learn on their own, while being able to spot when they need support, and also have the humility to acknowledge the things that you don’t know yourself.

We want to hear from experienced people leaders who share our vision and values, we also welcome applications from emerging leaders for whom this will be their first director role but who bring the enthusiasm and drive to succeed in it.

We are excited for someone to join us who is passionate about ending homelessness and ensuring that their team is focused on delivering excellence to ensure that we are achieving the Crisis mission. If this sounds like you then we would love to hear from you.

St Hugh’s is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford, and the second-largest college in the University by student numbers, with a long-standing commitment to academic excellence, inclusion, and widening access. The College supports a diverse and active academic environment across a wide range of disciplines, bringing together students, academic staff and professional services colleagues in support of its core academic mission. Situated on a beautiful site near the new Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, the College is made up of 70 academics, 130 professional services staff and 900 students. The College offers a unique and vibrant environment in which to work. 

As the College looks ahead to celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2036, we are seeking an exceptional Development Director to play an important role in the College’s future. This is a pivotal role, responsible for setting the strategic direction of the College’s fundraising activity, and for building deep, last relationships with alumni, supporters and friends of the College. Working in close collaboration with Fellows and colleagues across St Hugh’s, they will shape and deliver an ambitious new fundraising campaign to be launched ahead of the College’s 150th anniversary.  

The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on fundraising.  The Development Director will cultivate and secure principal gifts and steward key donors. They will lead the Development Office, developing and motivating a small, highly capable team of five. Reporting to the Principal, the postholder will be put forward to the College’s Governing Body for election as a Fellow by Resolution, reflecting the importance of close relationships between the Development Director and the Fellowship as a whole.

We are looking for an outstanding collegial individual, with a successful track-record of setting and delivering ambitious fundraising targets and personally securing principal gifts. Experience of leading or contributing to a major capital campaign would be an advantage. The successful candidate will be a confident communicator and diplomat, with natural influencing skills, who will be able to engage effectively with all College members, including Fellows and alumni. They will bring an inclusive and collaborative leadership style, respect the traditions of the College, and combine this with a forward-thinking approach.  This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in securing philanthropic support that will sustain the College’s academic mission for future generations.

The closing date for this role is midday on 24th March 2026.

ImpactEd Consulting is acting as recruitment advisor to FEA on this appointment.

Thank you for your interest in the role of Director of Policy, Public Affairs and Influence at the Fair Education Alliance

We are proud to be a coalition of 300 organisations united behind a simple but powerful belief: that no child’s success should be limited by their socioeconomic background. We exist to shift the conditions that hold inequity in place through collaboration across schools, colleges, higher education institutions, charities, youth organisations, researchers, funders, and young people themselves.

Our 2025-30 strategy, From Neighbourhood to National: A Strategy to ensure every child and young person thrives, is rooted in systems change—tackling not just policies and practices, but also the resources, relationships, power and mental models that hold inequity in place. Our work targets root causes, deepens collective impact, and embraces the complexity—and opportunity—of true transformation.

We are now recruiting a Director of Policy, Public Affairs and Influence to strengthen the FEA’s external leadership at a critical point in our development. As we implement our strategy, we are placing greater emphasis on how we represent the collective insight of our members, and how we use our convening role to shape agendas at local, regional and national levels.  

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, and working closely with the Co-Chief Executive Officers, this role will lead FEA’s policy positioning and public affairs activity and play a central role in representing the Alliance externally. The Director will be trusted to shape where and how FEA engages in public debate and decision-making, ensuring that our collective voice is credible and influential, and grounded in the experience of our members and partners across the system. This includes working closely with young people, recognising them as critical contributors and often the most powerful spokespeople for our work, and creating meaningful opportunities for their voices to shape our policy and public affairs activity.

This is a senior leadership role for someone who is comfortable operating through influence rather than formal authority, and who brings confidence in navigating complex policy environments. It offers the opportunity to shape how a large, diverse coalition contributes to public debate and policy thinking at a moment when joined-up, system-level approaches to educational equity are increasingly needed.

We hope you will consider applying.

Key dates

• Applications close: Monday 16 March (10 am)

• First round interviews: 26th and 27th March (online)

• Final interviews: 1st-2nd, 7-9th April (in person at the FEA office in London)

• Start date: as soon as possible, to be agreed with the successful candidate

Are you an experienced operational leader with experience of developing and innovating services which improve client experience for vulnerable adults?

We are looking for someone to join St Mungo’s as Assistant Director of Client Experience. This new post brings together a range of services that deliver added value to our service offer for clients.

From leading the work on client involvement, to developing and delivering learning, training and employment interventions, to providing advice and improving our practice on welfare rights and complex health and wellbeing needs, this role is central to delivering our work to support clients to rebuild their lives.

As Assistant Director of Client Experience, you will work closely with client services and fundraising colleagues, bringing these areas together to ensure we deliver compelling services that enhance our client experience, attract funders, and clearly demonstrate their impact and value.

You will embed a culture of collaboration, strengthening partnerships with different organisations so that, across the system, we work towards providing the services our clients need and that achieve the greatest impact.

In this role you will:

• Oversee client involvement, resident engagement and lived experience apprenticeship schemes.
• Lead the coordination of our volunteers and the assessment of social work student placements.
• Oversee services offering clients learning, training and employment support.
• Lead work that supports clients and colleagues to navigate the welfare system, and to manage complex needs such as health, substance use, palliative care and bereavement.
• Focus on increasing our innovation, testing and learning from different interventions.

About you

We are looking for an experienced operational leader with a background in leading teams delivering services to groups of vulnerable adult clients. You will bring a passion for client involvement and a track record of developing, innovating and strengthening service offers and bringing teams together.

Your leadership will be committed, empowering, accountable, creative and inclusive. You will be an excellent problem solver with strong communication and influencing skills, able to engage colleagues at all levels and build effective partnerships across the sector. You will also have experience of managing budgets and using complex data to inform decisions and improve performance.

Above all, you make things happen. You drive progress efficiently while building engagement and collaboration, ensuring outcomes are delivered and meet the needs of the organisation.

Flexible working

This post is offered on a full time basis (37.5 hours per week), or part time hours can be considered (minimum 22.5 hours per week). We are open to discussions about different working patterns, for example condensed hours.

We support flexible and agile working. This role is London-based, with an expectation of working from our Central Office or one of our services at least 2 days per week to support collaboration, leadership, training and relationship-building. Due to the nature of the role, you will also work across different London and regional services and be expected to spend a significant part of your time our engaging with colleagues and clients in our services.

Our Central Office is currently located in Tower Hill, with a plan to relocate to a new space in Farringdon in summer 2026.

How to apply

To view the job description and guidance on completing your application form, please click on the ‘document’ tab on the advert page on our website.

To find out more and apply please go to the St Mungo’s careers page on our website. 

Closing date: 10am on 23 March 2026

We will be holding colleague panels week of 13 April 2026, followed by interviews from 21 February 2026

We are working hard to create a diverse and fully inclusive culture where everyone feels valued and we welcome applications from all under-represented groups, particularly Global Majority candidates who are underrepresented at this level.

What we offer

Excellent Development and Growth Opportunities

A Diverse and Inclusive Workplace

Great Pay and Other Benefits

The Director of Finance & Corporate Services is a new post for the East London Mosque Trust (ELMT). The Director of Finance will lead the Trust’s financial strategy, planning, and operations. This pivotal role will oversee the day to day financial transactions and ensure compliance while driving financial sustainability, transparency, innovation, and long term growth. The post holder will work closely with the CEO, the Senior Management Team, and the Trustees to help shape the future direction of the organisation. As one of the largest mosques and Islamic centres in the UK, it is imperative to build capacity in the leadership team to deliver effective, informed, strategic financial decisions to support the future sustainability of the ELMT.

Responsible to: CEO

Director of Finance & Corporate Services

The Director of Finance & Corporate Services is responsible for the proper conduct of all aspects of the day to day financial management of the ELMT.

Finance Management

• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting processes.
• Ensure robust financial controls and compliance with charity regulations and accounting standards.
• Manage cash flow, reserves, and funding streams including grants, donations, and contracts.
• Maintain an annual and a five-year financial forecast to underpin the strategic objectives.
• Responsibile for managing ELMT’s investments, while developing and implementing strategies for maximising ELMT’s finances.
• Manage and develop the finance team, fostering a culture of accountability, excellence and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate across departments to support financial literacy and budget ownership.

Governance & Compliance

• Prepare financial reports for CEO/SMT, the Board of Trustees and funders.
• Ensure compliance with The Charity Commission, HMRC, and Companies House requirements.
• Lead on audit preparation and liaise with external auditors.
• Lead on digital transformation for financial arrangements.
• Ensure there is a knowledge/awareness of fraud across the organisation.
• Ensure good risk management.

Finance, Sustainability & Compliance

• Optimise financial controls and processes in order to minimise financial risks, and ensure organisational compliance.
• Ensure compliance with funding agreements across all the teams and services.
• Ensure monthly reconciliation of all control accounts including creditors, debtors, payroll and banks; the preparation of monthly management accounts; and preparation/maintenance of control over all non-transactional journals such as accruals, prepayments, fixed assets/depreciation.
• A sound understanding of Islamic financial principles and their application within a charitable and governance context.
• Lead the strategic financial planning process, delivering annual and forecast budget plans, periodic forecasts within year and funding requirements, working closely with CEO and SMT.
• Plan and coordinate all tax, finance and treasury management practice and policy, with reference to charitable status, cash management and investments, reviewing and reporting on investment portfolios on a monthly basis.
• Ensure monthly payroll is accurate and timely, including all matters related to HMRC, and PAYE submissions.
• Have a full oversight of contracting and procurement activities and procedures, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, always seeking value for money, and where possible, cost saving opportunities.
• Check the condition of all assets and conduct an ongoing review of whether assets and investments are being put to best use and serving the organisation’s interests.
• Work with the CEO to identify new revenue-generating tactics.
• Responsible for the preparation of annual accounts to prescribed standards, managing effective relationships with the auditors, taking responsibility for the completion and submission of statutory/regulatory reporting in line with prescribed timelines, and keeping up to date with regulatory and statutory requirements within the charity sector.
• Lead on The Charity Commission reporting, including the annual review/trustee report and updating the organisation’s information held by The Charity Commission and Companies House.

Operational Excellence

• Review and improve organisational processes across ELMT, including Operations, Facilities, HR and Policy, ensuring they are efficient, effective and aligned with best practice.
• Identify and propose practical improvements to systems, policies and ways of working, driving internal efficiency and increasing organisational impact.
• Ensure alignment between systems, policies and processes, enabling departments to work effectively together and supporting ELMT’s strategic objectives.
• Over time, take on broader responsibility across departments, particularly in strengthening processes and embedding sustainable efficiencies.

Information Technology Management

• Devise and establish IT policies and systems to support the implementation of strategies set by upper management, including Data Protection and Cyber Security.
• Keep abreast of changes and updates to Data Protection legislation and ensure that staff receive regular training on Data Protection and Cyber security
• Evaluate the company systems and processes to coincide with the needs of the organisation
• Decide the need for upgrades, configurations or new systems and report to upper management.
• Direct the management of the ELMT website.
• Oversee the IT service provision ensuring it meets the ongoing needs of ELMT.
• Manage and develop the IT team, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

General

• Deputise for the CEO as necessary, including assuming delegated leadership, decision-making, and representational responsibilities as appropriate.
• Represent the organisation externally as required, including with partners, stakeholders, and relevant bodies.
• Maintain and develop organisational culture, values and reputation with all staff, associates and external stakeholders.
• Work flexibly and undertake any other duties agreed between you and the Board of Trustees.
• Support projects of the ELMT and participate in multi-disciplinary, cross-organisational groups and project teams.
• Attend Senior Management Team (SMT), staff and committee meetings when required.

Crisis is the national charity for people experiencing homelessness, working side by side with thousands of people each year as they find ways out of homelessness. All of us need a decent home – to be healthy and to thrive. Currently though, this basic human need isn’t being met for so many people across the UK.

At Crisis, we have an incredible and committed workforce of more than 600 employees across England, Scotland and Wales, as well as c5,000 inspiring volunteers who are central to the success of our Christmas services and the running of our shops. Without them Crisis quite simply wouldn’t exist.

This is an exciting time to be joining Crisis. Emerging from a period of change, we are in the first year of our new 10-year strategy and an even greater focus on purpose and priorities. Central to the success of this will be ensuring that Crisis is a positive, high performing and inclusive work environment that allows us to have the greatest impact for those that we support.

As a member of the wider leadership team, the Director of People & Culture will be responsible for developing a strategy that meets our aspirations for our staff and volunteers, attracting and retaining a diverse and talented workforce and creating an environment that allows everyone who works with us to feel safe and be the best that they can be.  As our most senior People leader in the charity, this is a role that is highly visible at all levels and you will be required to build strong, trusted relationships across the leadership team, our Board and with our staff and volunteers.

We are looking for an authentic and inspiring leader who brings significant experience of developing and implementing people strategies, with strong knowledge of culture and organisational development. You will have a confident and informed approach to all things relating to people and culture and a proven commitment to promoting equity and inclusion in the workplace, so that everyone feels able to be their authentic and best selves. With high levels of emotional intelligence, you will also be a leader who gives space and encouragement for the team to learn on their own, while being able to spot when they need support, and also have the humility to acknowledge the things that you don’t know yourself.

We want to hear from experienced people leaders who share our vision and values, we also welcome applications from emerging leaders for whom this will be their first director role but who bring the enthusiasm and drive to succeed in it.

We are excited for someone to join us who is passionate about ending homelessness and ensuring that their team is focused on delivering excellence to ensure that we are achieving the Crisis mission. If this sounds like you then we would love to hear from you.

Our vision is of a society where everyone has the opportunity to live a rewarding and fulfilled life.

Are you our next Chief Executive?

• Are you passionate about addressing issues around poverty and inequality?
• Do you have the experience and skills needed to lead this innovative place-based funder?
• Are you a creative thinker who thrives on working collaboratively and collegiately?

If so, then you might be the right person to lead Cripplegate Foundation and Islington Giving.

About Cripplegate Foundation and Islington Giving

Established over 500 years ago, Cripplegate Foundation has become a pioneering, place-based grantmaking foundation with a reputation for innovation and making a difference. It created Islington Giving, which was the first scheme of its kind, to work with residents and a coalition of funders, businesses and voluntary organisations to create better solutions to the challenges of poverty and inequality. We make grants of over £2 million a year and we have become a major influencer in the grant-giving sector, achieving significant progress, such as:

• Raising over £12 million since 2010.
• Partnering with Islington Council to promote community development and support residents
• Developing innovative and participatory grant programmes
• Pushing forward with ambitious Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) goals

It’s an exciting (and challenging) time to join us!

Given the challenges in Islington (and beyond), the next few years promise to be pivotal in shaping our future and there are many opportunities for the new Chief Executive to make a difference, including:

• Leading on considerations around the changing political landscape
• Working creatively and innovatively to explore the strategy for the coming years
• Building on our programme of Social Impact Investing and ethical Investing
• Leading a passionate, professional and committed team

About the role and person 

The new Chief Executive could be someone with senior management experience who is ready to lead an organisation for the first time, or they may already have experience of being a Chief Executive.

Whatever your background you will need to demonstrate, amongst other things:

• Experience of leading and managing in a collaborative and collegiate style
• Skill at creating and delivering cross-sector partnerships
• An entrepreneurial style and a record of income generation
• A deep understanding of the issues arising in inner city areas, gained through lived and/or professional experience
• A pioneering, creative and innovative style and a commitment to DEI

If you feel you fit the role and are motivated by our work then we’d be excited to hear from you. Please find out more by looking at the Candidate Information Pack. 

About The Role

This is an integral leadership position where you’ll drive the evolution and implementation of our people and culture strategy and serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO and Executive Team. As a member of the Place2Be Executive team, you will work strategically and collaboratively to drive our five year business plan to deliver the best possible outcomes for children and young people, deepen our work in communities, and demonstrate our impact. 

You’ll champion a values-led culture across the organisation, role modelling creative thinking, perseverance, integrity and compassion in your own leadership. You will lead a talented team to enhance our policies and practices, and ensure our people operations are aligned with our mission to improve children and young people's mental health.

You’ll play a key role in shaping a workplace culture that is inclusive, values-driven, and high-performing—ensuring our people feel supported, empowered, and proud to be part of Place2Be.

To find out more about this exciting role, please read through our Director of People and Culture Recruitment Pack.

Key Responsibilities

•  Evolve and lead the People & Culture strategy as a key enabler of our five year business plan
•  Collaborative and visionary leadership as a member of the Place2Be Executive team
•  Lead and strengthen the People & Culture team, fostering a collaborative and high-impact environment
•  Advise and influence senior leadership and the CEO on strategic people matters and organisational culture         
•  Champion our values across all people policies, processes, and communications
•  Drive operational excellence across recruitment, performance, reward, employee relations, and engagement
•  Lead the implementation of our EDIB strategy and co-chair the EDIB Steering Group
•  Oversee employee engagement programmes, including surveys and ongoing feedback dialogue
•  Ensure compliance with HR policies, safeguarding, and legal obligations
•  Manage the People & Culture budget and contribute to governance and risk management

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience leading a successful People & Culture function in a values-led organisation
•  Proven experience of dealing with complex employee relations situations with compassion and confidence
•  Flexible leadership approach spanning visionary and strategic to practical hands-on delivery
• Ability to work collaboratively at Executive level to deliver the five-year business plan

For a career with purpose, this is your place.

Recruitment Process:

As part of your application you will need to answer some shortlisting questions. Please answer these as fully as you can, we recommend using the STAR model. Situation, Task, Action Result.

Closing date for applications: Midnight on 15 March 2026

 

1st Interview date (via Teams) - Monday 23 March & Wednesday 25 March 2026

 

2nd Interview date (via Teams) interview with Chief Executive &  Director: W/C 13 April 2026

 

Final Interview - (In person at our London office): Friday 24 April 2026

 

Our Benefits

When you work at Place2Be –whether that's in a school, supporting families, providing clinical supervision, or in IT, Finance, or Fundraising –every role can make the difference to a young person. To achieve this, we ask that you bring your best self to your role and our commitment to you, is to welcome you into our community, and help you progress. Because we know that you being at your best, means the best outcomes for the children we support.

Here’s just a few things we have on offer:

• Annual Leave that increases with service
• Comprehensive learning and development to enable you to progress your career
• 5% contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance of four times your annual salary
• A comprehensive employee assistance programme
• Mobile Phone Discounts (EE network)
• Wellbeing days to allow you some ‘you’ time
• Christmas holidays closure period in addition to your annual leave

We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic candidates and disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented within our organisation.

We are proud to be a disability confident employer and will ask you during your application If you wish to be considered for a guaranteed interview under the disability confident scheme. Under the scheme we commit to offering an interview to disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria as outlined in the job role.

If you have any questions about the scheme, or require any adjustments to help you complete an application then please contact the recruitment team.

We recognise that AI is becoming part of daily life and you may want to use it to help you format your CV, create responses to application questions or even help you prepare responses. AI can be a powerful enabler and we are open to you using it to apply for roles with us, but we ask you to ensure anything you submit truly represents your capabilities and viewpoint. We value honesty, integrity and creativity and want to understand what you will uniquely bring to our team. 

 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

 

 

Location: Home based
Job Type: Full time
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £55,000 – £60,000 per annum
 
Scope and purpose
 
To implement MEI’s business development strategy, helping us secure sustained income to deliver our priorities and fulfil our mission to improve lives through maths education. This includes managing bid processes for major funding, working with senior leadership and business leads to write costed proposals, identifying tender and other funding opportunities, reviewing and finalising funding agreements, and working with the Director for Strategic Communications and Partnerships to nurture relationships and bring new opportunities to fruition.
 
Main duties and responsibilities
 
Support all aspects of MEI’s business development and fundraising activity.
 
Funding opportunities and competitor environment

• Scope external funding opportunities, reviewing these against MEI’s mission, objectives and key criteria.
• Report to MEI’s Senior Leadership Team and Board on the pipeline of new and potential opportunities and produce business cases for new ventures for MEI’s SLT/Board.
• Undertake research into donors, sponsors and other funders, reviewing suitability and conducting due diligence.
• Work with the Director for Strategic Communications and Partnerships to develop relationships and opportunities towards formal agreement.
• Provide advice and guidance to colleagues involved in developing new business, including how to model costs and pricing, and shaping and writing effective proposals.
• Build intelligence about the competitive landscape, identifying competitors, assessing potential threats and maintaining an up-to-date register for SLT and the Board.

 
Tenders, bids and proposals

• Manage a diverse set of funding opportunities and proposals on the go at any single time, ranging from conference sponsorships to grant applications, project bids, corporate partnerships and government programme bids.
• Participate in pre-market engagement for large tenders, clarifying funder expectations and requirements, guiding senior leadership decisions about priorities and bidding criteria.
• For competitive tenders, manage the process from tender launch to bid submission with input from business and operational leads, including: tender clarification; costs and budget; proposal writing, review and sign off; compliance requirements; and supporting documentation.
• Co-ordinate post-award processes through to contract signature, in line with Grant Manager responsibilities and in liaison with SLT and trustees, legal partners, finance and other partners/teams.
• Participate in post-tender feedback reviews and share learning across the team, using lessons learned to undertake revision and improvements.

 
Sponsor and donor management

• Support the account management and stewardship of donors and sponsors, liaising with appropriate teams, ensuring that objectives of donors and sponsors are fully met.
• Directly manage relationships with lead representatives of annual conference sponsor and exhibiting organisations, ensuring their objectives are met, arrangements are handled smoothly, and risks and issues are managed effectively.

 
Systems, records and reporting

• Shape the configuration and use of MEI’s CRM system and other internal systems for effective business development and fundraising.
• Ensure contact records are up to date, accurate and compliant.
• Produce regular reports for SLT and Board on progress in business development and fundraising, including conversion rates, KPIs, and risks.
• Contribute to MEI’s culture of evidence-driven decision-making, providing high quality evidence and intelligence which supports business strategy.

 
General leadership and management

• Work with trustees, SLT and business teams to ensure that business development and fundraising activity is coherent and aligned with broader strategy and delivery.
• Support the development of commercial skills, competencies and approaches across MEI.
• Undertake other duties assigned by the Director for Strategic Communications and Partnerships and keep them up to date through accurate and regular updates.

 
Key Relationships

• Director for Strategic Communications and Partnerships
• Chief Operating Officer
• Chief Learning Officer
• Financial Controller
• Business and Central Services Manager

 
Person Specification
 
Essential

• Demonstrable experience of fundraising across multiple income streams
• Strong track record of writing bids and securing grant and other funding
• Knowledge and experience of public sector procurement
• Excellent writing skills for bids and fundraising communication
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work autonomously
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships across MEI and with external funders

 
Desirable

• Experience in the education or charitable sector
• Track record of securing large government contracts
• Experience collaborating with product development or programme design teams
• Familiarity with MEI’s mission and the education landscape

 
Personal Attributes, Values and Behaviours

• This is a list of personal attributes which are important for the role but also should encapsulate behaviours required to meet the MEI values of equity, credibility, commitment and service.
• Communicates with clarity and respect
• Commitment and ability to work with all stakeholders to deliver exceptional service
• Actively seeks to work collaboratively when required to achieve the highest service standards
• Self-motivated with a strong work ethic, proactive attitude, and commitment to continuous learning and skill development
• Supportive and collaborative, able to guide and motivate others to deliver high-quality work
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and foster positive, collaborative relationships with colleagues and stakeholders
• Highly organised, able to manage multiple tasks and adapt to changing priorities
• Dynamic, enthusiastic, and positive, bringing energy and a can-do attitude to the role

 
Additional Information
 
This role will involve some travel and occasional overnight stays away from home.
 
REF-227 227

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE - OPERA NORTH

STRATEGIC FINANCIAL LEADERSHIP IN THE ARTS

Opera North, one of the UK's leading opera companies, is seeking an accomplished Director of Finance to provide strategic financial leadership and ensure robust financial management across the organisation.

Reporting to the General Director, you will lead the financial operations and governance framework of Opera North and its affiliated organisations, working closely with the Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team to devise sustainable financial strategies that deliver the company's artistic ambitions and strategic priorities. You’ll be taking over from a well-respected senior finance leader who is moving on after years of brilliant service, leaving a legacy to build upon and facilitating a substantial handover period.

This is a senior role requiring significant experience in complex financial and regulatory environments, with strong charity accounting knowledge highly desirable. You will lead a dedicated finance team while building productive partnerships with stakeholders across the organisation, external auditors, and professional advisers.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership

• Lead financial operations and governance across Opera North, Opera North Trading Ltd, Opera North Future Fund and Friends of Opera North
• Contribute to company strategy across all business areas, providing financial analysis and guidance on activities, plans, targets and business drivers
• Work with the General Director and Board to develop sustainable and viable financial strategies

Financial Management & Reporting

• Provide budgets and financial modelling, offering robust challenges to planning processes where necessary
• Produce regular management accounts, annual income and expenditure budgets, improving their effectiveness as managerial tools
• Prepare information on capital expenditure, property management and reserves management to enable effective Board assessment
• Ensure timely and accurate compliance with requirements of Arts Council England, Charity Commission, Companies House and other external stakeholders

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, manage and support the continuous professional development of the finance team
• Support the development of financial skills and awareness across budget-holders to achieve continuous improvement in financial planning, forecasting and budget management
• Develop procedures and policies to support the company's financial performance

Compliance & Governance

• Liaise with providers of professional services including auditors, tax advisers, insurers, lawyers and pension providers
• Work closely with the People Team to ensure efficient payroll and pension arrangements in line with legislative and HMRC requirements
• Maintain awareness of changes to leadership and governance legislation, communicating implications to non-finance colleagues
• Ensure an effective governance framework is in place

BENEFITS PACKAGE

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• 35 hours per week
• 33 days annual leave inclusive of 8 statutory holidays
• Pension scheme: Opera North contributes 5.5% of basic pay after 3 months' service (employee contribution 2.5%)
• Professional development opportunities
• Access to Opera North performances and cultural activities
• Based at the Howard Opera Centre, Leeds

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications & Professional Standing

• Full professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA)
• Professional membership of recognised accountancy body

Experience

• Senior manager or director level experience
• Substantial professional experience in a complex financial and regulatory environment
• Preparing and presenting management accounts, reports and data at board level
• Liaising with auditors and other professional advisers
• Management of a payroll function
• Managing teams

Technical Knowledge

• Knowledge of relevant legislation affecting financial reporting and taxes
• Good knowledge of VAT and Gift Aid
• Strong Excel skills
• Comfort with different accounting software

Skills & Attributes

• Excellent communication skills with ability to explain complex financial information to stakeholders with varying levels of financial knowledge
• Ability and willingness to review and improve internal systems
• Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

HIGHLY DESIRABLE

• Knowledge and experience in charity accounting
• Understanding of charity law and guidance
• Knowledge and experience in preparing creative tax reliefs
• Professional experience of the arts sector

ABOUT OPERA NORTH

Opera North is one of the UK's most vibrant opera companies, creating extraordinary experiences for audiences across the North of England. The organisation values creativity, collaboration and cultural impact, operating with a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Opera North promotes equity, diversity and inclusion in our workplace and makes recruitment decisions by matching our needs with the skills and experience of candidates. As we work to address underrepresentation in our workforce, we are particularly keen to hear from applicants from the global majority or those with other protected characteristics.

The successful candidate must have the right to work in the UK or be ready to obtain it.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

All Opera North employees are expected to:

• Represent company values and purpose to create extraordinary experiences every day
• Work collaboratively with all team members
• Act as an ambassador for Opera North, following all policies and procedures
• Ensure everyone visiting Opera North is welcomed and treated with respect

APPLICATION PROCESS

Broster Buchanan are acting as recruitment partner for this appointment.

To apply, please send your CV and covering letter to Lucy Rider at Broster Buchanan

Application deadline: 13th March 2026 Interviews: 25th & 26th March

For a confidential discussion about this opportunity, please contact Lucy Rider at Broster Buchanan.

If you require any adjustments to the application process, please let us know.