Programme Manager Jobs

Do you want to improve the lives of people with disabilities and vulnerable people?

Humanity & Inclusion (HI) is an award-winning international humanitarian and development organisation. Working alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, we take action and raise awareness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

Our UK team is looking for an enthusiastic and committed individual to join us as a Programme Funding Officer (PFO). This is an exciting and varied role working across the funding cycle from the early stage of new opportunities through to grant management. You will be regularly in touch with our country teams, supporting them to engage with UK institutional donors in-country and advising them on compliance for both grants and commercial contracts. You will also get a chance to support partnership development, as well as get involved in advocacy and policy influencing. If this sounds like the next role for you, we’d love to welcome you to our friendly and dedicated team.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND PURPOSE OF THE POST

The Institutional Relations team is responsible for donor engagement and influencing, institutional funding, and partnerships in the UK. It comprises the Head of Institutional Relations, a Commercial Contracts Manager and three Programme Funding Officers.

As part of HI’s 2016-2025 strategy, we have ambitious targets for growth in institutional funding from UK donors, and more broadly, a focus on building strategic relationships with key UK donors and partners. Given the changing external funding environment and evolving context in the UK, we are looking for an individual who is willing to be flexible and adapt to the context in order to meet the organisation’s needs and have the biggest impact for people with disabilities.

The main purpose of this post is:

· Improving our track record for UK and other funding by increasing internal understanding of donors and funding mechanisms in your portfolio, supporting high quality submissions, grant management and donor compliance

Strengthening relationships with, and generating and managing funding from UK and other institutional donors and partners

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Promoting our work and building relationships with institutional donors

Supporting the work of the Head of Institutional Relations, you will have sound knowledge of the donors and funding mechanisms in your portfolio, and contribute proactively to influencing their funding strategies and priorities. Duties include:

· Maintain a good understanding of HI’s programmes, strategy and approach and communicate this externally.

· Identify and build relationships with a portfolio of large public and private institutional donors and their key suppliers (e.g. INGOs and for-profit development companies), mobilising colleagues from UK and across the global organisation as required.

· Work with country programmes to develop country-level action plans to engage with local representatives of UK donors and partners, in order to strengthen in-country relationships, influence donors’ country-level plans and access in-country funding opportunities. This will also involve supporting the development of multi-year operational plans and advise on the funding possibilities offered by UK institutional donors.

· Anticipate future trends and the expectations of the donors and funding mechanisms in your portfolio, influence their policies and strategies, and negotiate and consult with them on institutional funding matters, in liaison with the appropriate colleagues from the UK team and federal network.

· In coordination with the Head of Institutional Relations and the Chief Executive, monitor and where needed, contribute to collective work and advocacy initiatives in collaboration with partners and INGO networks (such as the Start Network and targeted Bond groups) with the aim of raising HI’s profile and influencing UK donors in line with our influencing priorities.

Generate and manage institutional funding from UK donors

You will follow and champion HI’s internal institutional funding procedures to identify and analyse funding opportunities from UK sources, contribute to project submissions, and carry out grant management duties. You will:

· Monitor, identify, analyse and communicate all relevant funding opportunities from donors in your portfolio (including development and humanitarian grant opportunities and commercial contracts). This will involve facilitating internal go/no go decision-making for new opportunities and advising, and supporting programme colleagues on positioning and consortium-building when relevant.

· Lead the review and analysis of the requirements in new funding agreements and contracts, advise internal stakeholders on compliance and ensure appropriate contract negotiation and due diligence processes are followed.

· Implement internal procedures for contract/grant management and support the submission of reporting and payment requests according to donor requirements.

Improve our track record for UK institutional funding

You will be responsible for increasing internal understanding of UK donors and funding mechanisms in your portfolio, supporting high quality strategic submissions and donor compliance. You will:

· Create internal communications, train and brief finance, programme and technical staff (including country programmes) on the donors in your portfolio, ensuring they have the tools and knowledge to comply with donor rules, understand donor priorities and focus areas, and maximise the potential for funding.

· Support proposal development, advising on donor requirements, expectations and preferences.

· Build strong relationships and internal links with technical and programme teams and contribute to internal working groups on issues related to institutional funding.

Other duties

· Maintain a positive and collaborative working relationship with HI UK colleagues and the Federal Institutional Funding, and Operations teams.

· Actively contribute to the HI UK operational plan and team work plans, and internal staff meetings.

· Ensure high quality, accurate internal reporting and information management for your portfolio.

· Keep abreast of developments within the sector by liaising with counterparts in other NGOs, and relevant networks.

· Represent HI UK at external forums and meetings when relevant.

· Any other activities commensurate with the level of the post, as may be required by the Chief Executive or Head of Team.

Equal opportunities policy

HI UK is committed to diversity and inclusion. We recognise that discrimination shapes the opportunities that many people have in society and that people have different needs in order to realise their full potential. Addressing this requires organisations to be proactive in creating environments that encourage the inclusion and development of all. Though we still have a long way to go, inclusion is central to our identity at HI UK and we are strongly committed to the continuous work that it requires.

We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates with disabilities and/or from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, to help make us more representative. If you have a disability and meet the minimum requirements for the role, we will guarantee you an interview.

Reporting to: Senior Programme Officer.

Contract Type: Full time, permanent (part-time candidates will be considered, minimum four days per week, flexible working hours can be accommodated).

Location: Hybrid, minimum two days per week in London office (applicants must already be eligible to work in the UK).

Salary: £29,000 (plus benefits) FTE.

Accessibility and Inclusion: Accommodation in the role and interview process will be made for candidates with accessibility needs, and we operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for those with a disability or from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) background; please see below for details.

Start Date: June 2024. Closing date for applications: 23:59 BST 28/04/2024.

About this role

This role is an opportunity to participate in the global movement to protect the natural world; meeting and supporting incredible communities and organisations driving change to secure a sustainable future. You will be supporting our partners and carrying out grant administration in the Amphibian and Congo Basin Programmes, for which proficiency in both French and English is essential.

The role will be a fundamental part of Synchronicity Earth’s Programmes team (currently a team of seven people), working to help develop and grow the support we provide to our partners (grantees) across our programmes. Please note that first-stage interviews for this role will be conducted in both French and English.

Specific responsibilities will include the following:

• Manage some grantee partner relationships, including building trust and openness, identifying capacity needs, administrating grants, monitoring progress and fulfilling reporting requirements.
• Provide administrative support across the Programmes Team with grant management e.g. preparing of grant paperwork, reviewing partner reports and checklists (proposals), monitoring pipelines.
• Undertake research in focal areas for the Programmes Team, such as identifying intervention points and opportunities to make a difference in conservation.
• Contribute to communication products, including donor reports and applications, to support Synchronicity Earth’s fundraising and philanthropic goals.
• Produce and contribute to board papers and discussions.
• Update and undertake due diligence.
• Manage and maintain partner database, including data entry, preparing reports and basic analysis.
• Contribute to the development of Synchronicity Earth’s processes and systems around partner management and due diligence.

For the right candidate, there will be opportunities to increase your experience, responsibilities, and potential career development as the organisation grows. We also have several cross-cutting Working Groups in which we welcome engagement from new staff, these currently include Reimagining Philanthropy, Youth, and EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion). 

About us

Synchronicity Earth is a UK-based, global environmental charity which funds work that aims to make our planet a better place to live for all its inhabitants.

We are a medium-sized charity which supports partners working to protect less well-known species and ecosystems around the world that receive less attention but face the greatest threats. We do this through our Conservation Programmes, which identify, fund, and support organisations with a focus on: Amphibians, Asian Species, Congo Basin, Biocultural Diversity, Freshwater, and Ocean. We also support work across two other areas: the More than Carbon initiative, a portfolio of climate and biodiversity projects targeted at corporate donors; and the Synchronicity Portfolio, which aims to foster systemic change to promote a greater focus on biodiversity conservation within different sectors. Our partners are mostly organisations embedded within their local communities, and we often support work which also considers social impacts such as women’s health and empowerment, engagement with Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and sustainable livelihoods (e.g., small-scale fisheries) in addition to wildlife conservation.

Skills and experience required

Essential

• Proficient written and spoken English equivalent to C1 or C2 level.
• Proficient written and spoken French equivalent to C1 or C2 level.
• Bachelor’s degree or three or more years’ work experience in a relevant area. This could be lived experience, volunteering, or work experience related to sectors such as biodiversity conservation, social justice, environmental protection, community organizing, or engagement with political and social movements.
• Demonstrable interest in ecology, endangered species and biodiversity conservation, social justice, or community organising.
• Proven ability to produce high-quality written materials.
• Computer literacy.

Desirable

• Experience in Africa (especially lived experience in West or Central Africa).
• Some understanding of community- and rights-based approaches.
• Willingness to undertake occasional travel both within the UK and overseas.
• Desire to work across a range of conservation issues and to undertake a diverse role.

Your development: skills and experience from this role

The following list is meant to provide guidance for your application while also demonstrating the type of skills and experience you will develop as part of this role. If there is anything here which you have currently had no experience in, but would like to develop, then this would be a great role for you – please see the following section. Please let us know in your application if any of these particularly appeal to you, or you have some experience already.

Key skills and training: research and analysis, fundraising, project and programme management, grant administration.

• Gain experience in communicating technical or complex projects or ideas to a non-expert audience (i.e., explaining complex projects or scientific research).
• Learn about Synchronicity Earth’s value-driven approach to supporting biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
• Gain experience in managing partner relationships, building trusting and open relationships.
• Gain experience in grant administration from early scoping, to grant payment, to reporting.
• Gain experience working collaboratively and across multiple work-flows to ensure partners receive the support they require on time and to a high standard.
• Learn how to collect and analyse data, particularly in relation to conservation impact.
• Gain experience in undertaking research in focal areas for the Programmes Team, including the possibility of your research informing and guiding the development of new funds and programmes.
• Gain experience in fundraising, supporting the Programmes and Philanthropy Teams to meet their fundraising goals.
• Develop your public speaking skills and work towards opportunities to represent the organisation at external events.
• Grow your ability to identify themes & trends among grantee partners’ efforts, to see and bridge gaps, and to connect dots.
• Gain experience using different systems and tools i.e., Salesforce, Asana, and Tableau.

Our workplace values and culture

We pride ourselves on having an open and inclusive culture. Our team supports each other and encourages new ideas and creativity to help us develop new projects and reach new audiences with our work. We aim to apply the same dedication to a flourishing diversity of people and wildlife on our planet through our programmes to our working environment and strive to make this environment open and inclusive for everyone. We recognise that the environment sector in the UK is close to the bottom in terms of the diversity of its employees, and we are actively committed to doing what we can to change this.

Employment details

Reporting, location, and work hours

This position is a permanent full-time position that is based in the Synchronicity Earth offices in Central London, with the option for hybrid office/home working if the successful applicant wishes with 2 days a week in the office (laptop would be provided for home working). The successful candidate must be already eligible to work in the UK.

Annual leave

25 days per year for a full-time position (in addition to public holidays), adjusted for part-time. We also run an employer-supported volunteering programme, where employees may take additional time-off (2 days per annum) to volunteer for community organisations and other charities (in accordance with our policy).

Benefits

Synchronicity Earth offers staff a range of benefits including, but not limited to, a minimum 6% pension contribution, travel loan assistance, and a health care benefit. More details can be found in the careers section of our website and in the supporting documents.

Accessibility

We welcome applications from people with disabilities and are always looking for how we can make our workplace more accessible. Our office has step-free access with an off-street entrance and lift; we can offer adaptive workstations, chairs, or desks; and can provide flexible working hours or condensed workweeks to accommodate medical appointments or help employees manage fatigue. Candidates with disabilities are eligible for our Guaranteed Interview Scheme, and we encourage you to let us know if there are any adjustments we can make for you or information you need during the application process.

Application & Recruitment Process

Inclusion is a priority throughout our workplace culture and is embedded in our recruitment process (and we are actively still seeking to improve it through employee and candidate suggestions). For example, the first stage of recruitment will be anonymised to mitigate against unconscious bias. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds for this role, particularly non-graduates, and are happy to discuss flexible working arrangements. Please let us know at any stage during the recruitment process if you have any accessibility requirements we can accommodate for you, and which pronouns you would like to be referred to by. If you are new to the sector, we have some helpful resources on our website to help support your application to this role and others.

How to apply:

1. Please complete our candidate survey ​found in the supporting documents.
2. Please send a cover letter (one side of A4) outlining any relevant skills and experience you have for this role, why it interests you, and any particular skills you would like to develop in this role, with your CV (no longer than two sides of A4).

Applications should be sent via Charity Jobs.

Closing date for applications: 28/04/2024.

Review process: The application process will have three stages. Following anonymized review of applications, first-stage candidates (including qualifying GIS candidates) will either be invited to a short zoom call (about 20 minutes) or asked to complete a short assessment. Up to six applicants will then be invited to a second-stage interview in person at our London offices with three members of our team. From these applicants, up to three people will be invited to a third-stage interview with our Head of Conservation Programmes and Senior Programme Officer. There will also be an opportunity for third-stage candidates to meet two members of Synchronicity Earth staff informally to get to know the team and what it is like to work for Synchronicity Earth.

The first-stage interview/assessment will aim to establish your proficiency in both English and French, and to understand your background and motivation for applying to this role. The second-stage interview will aim to understand your prior experience, your values, and what transferable skills you bring to the role. The third-stage interview will seek to understand how you work, whether this role and our organization are the right fit for you, and what development opportunities would be of most value to you.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme: We recognise that people from Black, Asian, and Minority-Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds and people with disabilities are under-represented in our sector, and that there are often additional barriers present for people from these groups when applying for roles in the charity sector and beyond. We aim to apply the same dedication to a flourishing diversity of people and wildlife on our planet through our programmes to our working environment and strive to make this environment open and inclusive for everyone.

As part of our commitment to attract and retain talented individuals from under-represented groups to the conservation and environment sector, if you have a disability or are from a BAME background, opt in to the Guaranteed Interview Scheme in our candidate survey, and demonstrate in your application that you meet the essential criteria for a role, you'll be guaranteed a first-stage assessment. In most cases, this will be a 20-minute interview held via Zoom, however, in the case of an extraordinary number of applicants, the first-stage candidates (including GIS) will receive a short assessment. The results of this assessment will be used to select candidates for the second-stage interview.

Expected first-stage interview dates: 08/05/2024 – 10/05/2024

Expected second-stage interview dates: 13/05/2024 – 17/05/2024

Expected third-stage interview dates: 20/05/2024

Please note that interview dates may change depending on volume of applications received.

Closing Date: 1 May 2024
Ref 6690

Are you ready to make a difference? Are you passionate about driving positive change and impacting lives? Join us as our Face-to-Face Agency Manager to engage with donors, ignite change with heartfelt conversations. You will have an opportunity to transform lives, one meaningful interaction at a time.

About us
Save the Children UK believes every child deserves a future. In the UK and around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We ensure children's unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach.

About you
As our Face-to-Face Agency Manager, you will have the incredible opportunity to engage the public in the critical work we do, inspiring them to support children in need. Reporting to the Senior Manager Direct Engagement, you will lead the nationwide delivery of our face-to-face fundraising programme, ensuring its success day to day. 

In this role, you will:

• Drive the success of our face-to-face agency program, meeting and exceeding KPIs and targets through effective management of stakeholders.
• Manage budget allocation and optimization across channels, ensuring resources are utilized efficiently.
• Lead the implementation of compliance and safeguarding programs, maintaining the highest standards.
• Support delivery of our innovative fundraiser engagement program, optimizing performance and motivation.
• Utilize data-driven insights to adapt campaign delivery and drive continuous improvement.
• Build strong relationships with agencies through direct engagement and site visits, ensuring transparency and excellence.
• Collaborate with internal teams to improve processes and deliver exceptional results. Lead ad-hoc direct engagement projects as required, contributing to our mission-driven work.

To be successful, it is important that you have:

• Experience managing end-to-end face-to-face fundraising campaigns and teams.
• Deep understanding of the F2F fundraising landscape and agency models.
• Proven ability to design and deliver engaging training programs.
• Strong budget management skills and knowledge of charity marketing compliance.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently, adapt to change, and drive results.
• Commitment to Save the Children's vision, mission, and values.

 What we offer you:

• A diverse, unique role where no two days are the same, with huge capacity to build and acquire new personal and professional skills and create your own scope to make change within one of the world's leading international charities.
• Working for a charity provides one of the best benefits there is – a sense of purpose and reward for helping others. However, we understand the importance of giving back to our employees to ensure a happy and healthy working environment and work/life balance.
• To have the best (and happiest) employees we focus on flexibility, inclusion, collaboration, health, and wellbeing both in and outside of work.
• We provide a wide range of benefits which will reward your hard work, motivate you, and inspire you to work to improve the lives of children every day.

Closing date: May 1, 2024

Please note: To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

Ways of Working:
The majority of our roles can be performed remotely in the UK, but there are likely to be times when you will be required to come to your contracted office (up to 2-4 days per month or 6-8 days per quarter).  This will be agreed with your Line Manager and team and is intended to be time spent on collaborating with colleagues and relationship building. 

Please note: travel costs to your contracted office will be at your own expense. 
Flexible Working - We are happy to discuss flexible working options at interview.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: 
Save the Children UK believes in a world that is fair, inclusive and equitable where all children have the opportunity to change their world. We apply this to our workforce and we are committed to developing and supporting a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organisation where all employees have a sense of belonging and feel that they can be "Free to Be Me". We are not looking for just one type of person - we want to recruit people who can add fresh perspectives, innovative ideas or challenge that disrupts the risk of group think. 

We are especially interested in people whose childhood experiences - of life on a low income, of migration, of being in a racialised community, of the care system, of being LGBT+ or in an LGBT+ family or living with (or with someone with) a disability - help us to see things we might otherwise miss. Whatever your story is we want to hear it because we know that different voices, ideas, perspectives and knowledge, working together will enable us to better the lives of children around the world. This is the reason why we are all here. 

Imagine being told that you, or someone you love, is losing their sight.

In that moment, two profound questions demand urgent answers:

• Can this be stopped?
• How will I live my life?

At Fight for Sight / Vision Foundation, we pursue positive answers to both questions. We do this by funding the brilliant minds and bright ideas that put change in sight.

Our researchers are at the forefront of eye research, making breakthroughs and discoveries that will prevent and treat eye disease. The partnerships we build and initiatives we support are changing life for blind and vision impaired people: from tackling loneliness to supporting people who have survived domestic abuse.

We have a clear ambition, led by our CEO, Keith Valentine, who has valuable lived experience of vision loss. We’ve secured well-respected and highly engaged ambassadors and patrons, from Sir John Major to Marsha De Cordova MP.

This is an exciting time to join us, as we activate our new brand and five-year strategy.

If you share our mission and have the skills, experience and drive to contribute to our dynamic team, we’d love to hear from you.

Role Description

The Head of Research and Programmes is a new role, leading and overseeing the delivery of our grant-making activity across eye research and social change: delivering first class grant programmes that respond to need as our organisation scales up. The role will lead on key strategic projects and relationships that will increase the Impact of our funding and the value we add to the sectors we work in.  This role will also develop and own an appropriate impact framework to ensure we're able to amplify the work we fund and demonstrate the value of our approach to funders and supporters.

Responsible to

Director of Impact and External Affairs

Direct reports

Senior Programme Manager (Research): Programme Manager (Social Change): Impact and Evaluation Manager

Working hours and contract

This is a permanent full-time role, 35 hours a week.

Salary

Circa. £60k 

Location

Aldgate E1 and hybrid working. Minimum two days in the office and external meetings and events as required.

Start date

As soon as possible

Role Responsibilities:

Overseeing our Grant Programmes

· Driving work in areas where our organisation can add value and meet need, including scoping new potential programmes and partnerships as well as ensuring our current programmes evolve

· Lead on delivering high quality  funding programmes that meet regulatory (AMRC) requirements as appropriate and provide an excellent experience for applicants, both successful and unsuccessful

· Be responsible for the financial management of budget associated with our funding programmes, working closely with the Finance Team

· Lead and manage the programme teams to analyse the external environment, identify unmet need and how we can add greater value in the sectors we work in

· Proactively disseminate insights from our funded research and project partners, gather sector knowledge, e.g. through delivering presentations, networking and representing our organisation externally with other grant makers/philanthropic organisations and sector partners. 

Impact, evaluation and learning

· Work with the Director of Impact and External Affairs to develop and deliver an appropriate impact framework for our organisation, ensuring that we’re able to amplify the work we fund and demonstrate value to our funders and supporters

· Work closely with the Head of Communications and External Affairs to ensure that the narrative around our impact is powerful and consistent

· Initiate and facilitate new partnership opportunities, e.g. for co-funding grants, or for co-creating innovative project ideas for consideration through our funding programmes.

Strategic projects and relationships:

· Act as the primary point of contact for scientific advisors and subject matter experts, supporting the programme managers by providing senior stakeholder and relationship management support, e.g. with funded researchers, institutions, sector partners and potential future partners

· Commission relevant evidence gathering, project or development work to support the evolution of our funding programmes, specifically our focus during 2024/25 on the North East of England .

· Work with fundraising colleagues to provide support and information to develop cases for support, including pitching alongside the fundraising team when required.

· Work closely with colleagues in communications to ensure that the scope and impact of our work is widely understood and communicated

· Lead on specific initiatives to support our research strategy and to enhance our social change funding programme, e.g. developing a network for early career researchers and involvement of experts by experience across our work.

Leadership and Management

· Lead the team to deliver high quality funding programmes, ensuring that impact is embedded and widely shared

· Provide leadership to the team to support Its ongoing and future development, including creating ways to build skills and expertise within the team

· Work alongside other senior managers in the organisation to provide leadership that ensures our organisation is able to make the most of opportunities, increase its profile and credibility.

· Deliver strong and effective grant-making through our decision-making and governance structures

· Deputise for the Director of Impact and External Affairs as appropriate.

Person specification:

Skills, knowledge & experience

Essential 

· A postgraduate degree in a biomedical sciences, health or social sciences subject or equivalent work experience

· Experience of working in a funder organisation, ideally supporting research or social change programme delivery including patient and public involvement and/or other co-production methods.

· Enthusiastic about vision research with strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret, analyse and summarise evidence, including from technical scientific papers, for a variety of audiences.

· Experience of monitoring, evaluation and learning within a grant making environment, including facilitating opportunities for grantees to come together, either through structured development programmes or sharing best practice

· Proficient in the use of standard IT packages including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and ideally familiar  with Grant Management Systems or able to learn how to use these quickly.

Desirable

· An advanced research degree (PhD) in biomedical sciences, health or social sciences subject or equivalent work experience

· Experience of working directly in or supporting vision and sight loss research or funding programmes.

· Understanding of the wider research and programme funding landscape and initiatives for responsible funding activities

Personal chararteristics and behaviours:

· A confident and clear communicator, both orally and in writing, with an ability to articulate our impact with internal and external stakeholders

· A collaborative approach, able to problem solve and work with colleagues to generate ideas or overcome barriers

· A focus on quality, attention to detail and accuracy in content and presentation

· A strong project manager with the ability to work independently and within a team to plan and prioritise activities across multiple projects. 

· Commitment to the research that will prevent, treat and cure eye disease and the change that is needed to improve life for blind and vision impaired people.

· Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

Flexibility

· The role description is a general outline of duties and responsibilities and may be amended from time to time.

· The post holder may be required to undertake other duties as may be reasonably required from time to time.

Cockpit is hiring an experienced administrator to join our Business Incubation team in the role of Programme Coordinator. Reporting to the Head of Business Incubation, this role is key in supporting the effective delivery of Cockpit’s Business Support and Professional Development Programmes.

Cockpit is a centre of excellence in craft. Home to 160+ independent creative businesses, we are the UK’s only business incubator for makers. With a mission to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity, we are recognised on the NatWest SE100 as a top 100 social enterprise.

Cockpit is hiring a Programme Coordinator to support our Business Incubation Team to deliver our programmes for craft and design businesses. The Programme Coordinator supports the team to plan and deliver Cockpit’s business coaching, training, and professional development programmes.

We are looking for an experienced admin coordinator, used to working on their own initiative as well as within a team. You will be organised and used to working to tight deadlines and have excellent attention to detail.

Programmes & Grants Officer  

Location: London, UK (3 days in the office, 2 days WFH)

Reporting to: Director of Natural History

Salary: £40-45,000, plus benefits

About Us:

On the Edge (OtE) is a London-based charity on a mission to emotionally reconnect people with nature through smart, entertaining, social-media-based storytelling. We are especially interested in reaching young people who do not engage with traditional nature content. By fostering a reconnection with the natural world, our stories aim to create advocates for its protection and restoration. On the Edge is also a science-based, grant-giving organisation that funds conservation projects around the world.

Role Overview:

We are looking for a programmes officer or manager with at least 1 years’ experience in conservation grant making. This role will facilitate the management of all conservation and storytelling grants awarded, as well as managing relationships, grant proposal development, budgets and impact measuring. This role will provide some opportunity to travel as part of our capacity building training programmes.

This is an exciting time for OtE as we have just launched a new grant approach. Our in-house programme will be the first of its kind and will rapidly increase conservation attention towards EDGE species and zones. The programmes officer/manager will play a key role in the development and expansion of this grant approach.

Responsibilities:

• Contributes to the development and implementation of the grant programme’s strategy

• Supports the development and management of our grant portfolio, including researching new granting opportunities in line with the strategic directions (especially grassroots and national level actors), scoping and developing proposals with prospective grantees.

• Supports grantees through our funding model which may include coordinated activities with grantees and capacity building, developing systems for and overseeing grantee reporting, and conducts the monitoring and evaluation of grants against our impact framework, which may include site visits.

• Contributes to the setting of program budgets, allocation of funds, and supports the COO in financial reporting.

• Represents OtE in a variety of settings, including among peer groups and at public events.

• Contributes to supporting activities, relationships and networking with the conservation and philanthropic sectors, developing trust and collaboration and identifying aligned goals, helping to shape and align priorities in the grant-making sector.

• Keeps up to date with mapping and assessment of NGO impacts and donor grant-making in our target areas to ensure our grant-making adds value, including identifying barriers to success and gaps in the field or funding.

Qualifications and Experience required

• A university degree in a field relevant to conservation or science. A post-graduate degree would be an asset but is not essential.

• At least 1 years in of one or more of the following: biodiversity conservation, grant-making and the philanthropic sector, conservation communications/education.

• Experience in designing, leading and implementing successful projects with partners

• Experience in planning, strategy development and delivery would be an advantage

• Experience of budgetary and financial management is essential.

• Excellent research, analytical and writing skills, including in risk assessment, evaluation of potential projects and organisational success.

• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills, networking skills, project and people management experience and able to work with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures

• Strong computer skills

• Fluency in spoken and written English. Knowledge of other languages is an asset

• Highly organised and able to develop organisational systems as and when needed, able to track and work to multiple deadlines

Our benefits package:

• 28 days annual leave + Bank holidays
• Private health insurance 
• Pension contributions at 15%
• Bicycle scheme

How to apply , send your CV, a cover letter to the jobs email suggested. 

We are looking for a Programme Manager to join the team to oversee operations of the North West region Sickle Cell Children and Young Person’s mentoring programme. The Peer Mentoring programme aims to improve the health and wellbeing of young people with Sickle Cell Disorders (SCD).

The North West Programme Manager will be overseeing the success and delivery of the aims and objectives of the peer mentoring programme across Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield. The Programme Manager will be responsible for collecting data and liaising with commissioners for the monitoring and evaluation of the programme. The role will entail managing the project budget and building close relationships with local key stakeholders including NHS Integrated care boards (ICB’s), Lead Mentors and NHS England. The post holder will have regular meetings for input and guidance to complete tasks to specified timelines. This role would suit an experienced Programme Manager.

About the Children and Young Person’s Mentoring Programme

The aim of the Sickle Cell Children & Young Person’s Peer Mentoring Programme is to improve the health and wellbeing of young people with SCD through training, emotional support from mentors and peer-support, improve young people’s understanding and management of the condition, improve young people’s ability to negotiate transition from paediatric to adult services, encourage young people’s involvement in volunteering to support others with the condition and engage more with their local community.

Please apply using the link to our website. Or email us to recieve the application form and job details.

Job Title: Programme Finance Manager - based in Sierra Leone
International applications: Strongly encouraged
Reporting to: West Africa Regional Finance Manager (Street Child UK) / Street Child of Sierra Leone Country Director
Hours: 37.5 Hours per week
Principal Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone, with frequent travel to regional office / project sites
Time Frame: 18 month contract envisaged (possibility of extension based on performance and funding)

Background:

Street Child believes that every child deserves the chance to go to school and learn. Our projects focus on a combination of education, child protection and livelihood support to address the social, economic and structural issues that underpin today’s education crisis. We partner with local organisations and communities to deliver our locally rooted programmes, using evidence to drive learning and the refinement and scale up of programmes to create maximum impact for the most children at the lowest cost. We pride ourselves on being willing to go to the world’s toughest places where others won’t, including remote, hard-to-reach areas and fragile, disaster-affected states across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Since 2008 we have helped over 900,000 children to go to school and learn.

Overview:

This unique and vital role has two key, linked, accountabilities.

Firstly, from a short-term and day-to-day perspective, this role will in effect be co-Financial Director of Street Child of Sierra Leone (SCoSL). Working alongside SCoSL's national FD, the holder of this role will be fully accountable to the Country Director of SCoSL, and relevant leaders within Street Child, for ensuring the efficient and effective delivery of all key functions of SCoSL's finance department.

Secondly, from a long-term development perspective, this position will take a lead in optimising all aspects of SCoSL's finance capability - with the goal of developing a robust 'best in class' department with optimal systems, processes and structures and personnel in place at all levels.

The absolute definition of success for this role-holder would be that whenever their time comes to move on, perhaps in 2025 or 2026, there is no need for this role to be replaced, with the SCoSL finance leadership and team well placed to effectively discharge all their key duties without the need for the type of assistance envisaged by this position.

The professional challenge inherent in this role, and the importance of its success is well appreciated by Street Child leadership and this role will be closely supported from multiple angles - in particular by Street Child's Senior Finance Manager for West Africa, Africa Finance Director, Global Finance Director and HQ Finance team - as well as the Freetown-based Head of Sierra Leone / Liberia Programmes and Global Programmes Co-ordinator.

Part 1: Role Purpose:

The purpose of this role is to lead improvements in the financial management of Street Child of Sierra Leone (SCoSL), a national education and child protection organisation with nationwide presence and annual budget of £1.5-2m. The role holder will also manage Street Child’s financial reporting and compliance requirements in delivering programmes in Sierra Leone.

The role will have dual reporting lines to Street Child’s West Africa Regional Finance Manager and Street Child of Sierra Leone’s Country Director, with oversight of Street Child of Sierra Leone’s finance team, and a close working relationship with SCoSL SMT and Street Child’s Head of Sierra Leone Programmes.

The role provides financial oversight of programmes in Sierra Leone, facilitating accurate and timely donor reporting, strong budget management and excellent record keeping. Key aspects of this role include: the development and implementation of robust financial management and reporting systems; strengthening the control environment and record keeping; empowering programmes and leadership teams to have strong financial management and grant management capabilities. The role also serves as a link between Street Child of Sierra Leone and Street Child UK, delivering monthly requisitions, annual budget information and other information as required.

Part 2: Key Responsibilities:

1) Development and implementation of robust financial management and reporting systems to facilitate accurate donor reporting, strong budget management and transparency for budgeting. (40%)

• Ensure that all staff are using the QuickBooks finance system in place at Street Child of Sierra Leone to provide accurate and timely recording of transactions – providing training, review, support and direct input as needed.
• Ensure that all month end processes are carried out in a timely manner including month end closure processes, bank reconciliations, balance sheet reconciliations, and generating reports.
• Providing reliable donor reports, Budget vs Actual reports to the Director and Programmes staff to facilitate good planning and anticipation of any changes needed to programmes delivery.
• Ensure that donor expenditure is recorded accurately and finance reports are of high quality with full supporting transaction listings reconciled to the finance system and delivered to deadlines in accordance donor requirements. Report on all costs incurred both at Street Child of Sierra Leone and Street Child HQ.
• Preparation of all donor reports, working with Partner Finance teams and programmes staff as needed to ensure that they are delivered on time and with appropriate sign off.
• Lead donor due diligence and donor audits by provision of information required.
• Provide input as necessary for all donor budget proposals, ensuring that costs requested are complete and reasonable seek approval for all donor proposal budgets before they are submitted to donors.
• Facilitate the year end audit, over-setting the end to end of the annual audit process.

2) Strengthening the control environment and record keeping. (30%)

• Review and assess the effectiveness of internal controls and recommend changes and improvements as required , and review any improvements in internal controls recommended by auditors or donors.
• Based on these reviews, devise a delivery plan to ensure that improvements are met, and support the delivery of that plan.
• Strong financial procedures are in place to accompany all payments and improvements are made to the payments system including in particular justifying the use of cash and advances.
• Ensure appropriate bank & cash management procedures are in place and operating effectively, including bank reconciliations for all accounts, cash counts and cash transfers to field sites.
• Ensure robust procurement processes are in place and being followed, working with the procurement team to make any changes needed and ensure that all staff are clear on the required procurement process.
• Developing Financial management tools, including policies and procedures as required.
• Ensure that monthly requisitions (the process for requesting monthly transfers from HQ) are robust, evidence based and submitted on time each month upcoming up with an annual budget, approved in accordance with SC budget timetable, working with the Senior West Africa Finance Manager to develop consistent templates to use in each template.
• Regularly advise and provide support on other issues as the need arises.

3) Participate in finance related meetings and initiatives for all SCoSL programmes, providing budget and financial guidance, including provision of training to colleagues. (10%)

Objective:

• To ensure the smooth-running of the programme with respect to its financial obligations.

Benchmarks:

• Compliance with the organisational procedures; quality of budget monitoring; quality of the budgets drawn up; quality of financial reports for donors; anticipation of financial problems

Activities:

• Provide BVAs every month by the 10th of M+1 of all contracts.
• Plan and lead the BVA analysis meetings every month before the 15th.
• Ensure coherency between the programme budget and the donors' budgets.
• Conduct the monthly, bi-annual and annual accounts closing operations · Raise programme teams' awareness of contractual budget and financial obligations.
• Analyse donor guidelines and inform the teams about these procedures and their application.
• Train programme teams in internal budget and financial management procedures so as to ensure a realistic budget, accurate expenditure codification and robust budgetary steering.
• Draw up and monitor cost allocation tables for office and staff costs.
• Check the budgetary monitoring of the funding schedule.
• Substantiate the financial accounts with regard to local legislation · Monitor and organise internal and external audits, assume the role of the auditor's primary contact in liaison with head office.

4) Managing the finance team. (10%)

• Train the finance team
• Manage and lead the finance team, fix objectives and review progress
• Set up communication and coordination mechanisms for the team
• Manage contractual monitoring (leave, end of trial periods, etc.) of finance team members; if necessary, co-validate disciplinary procedures with Operations Manager
• Oversee finance team's career development: define training needs and provide guidance on professional development

5) A liaison and link with Street Child UK Finance team to enable management of operations in Sierra Leone. (10%)

• Develop the annual budget for Sierra Leone, which includes costs budget, programmes costs, cash flow forecasting.
• Enter Street Child of Sierra Leone costs on the HQ finance system (Aqilla) and ensure that all monthly transfers to Street Child of Sierra Leone are fully accounted for and reconciled.

Part 3: Person Specification:

Attributes Essential Desirable

Education / Qualifications:

• Educated to degree level or higher
• Recognised Accountancy Qualification
• Degree in International Business Administration, finance or related field; or attendance at specific relevant training courses

Experience and Knowledge:

• 5 years post qualification experience
• Experience of implementing internal controls and finance procedures
• Experience of managing multi donor grants and good knowledge of donor compliance rules and requirements – in particular working with DFID, UN, EU, USAID
• Knowledge of development issues and concepts

Skills and Abilities:

• Extensive knowledge of finance & logistics policy within non-governmental organizations
• Knowledge of computer applications and software finance packages –in particular Quickbooks and Aqilla or other “mid-tier” finance system
• System design and implementation of finance software packages

Other:

• Strong interpersonal, management and team work skills
• Ability to influence change in teams not directly managed
• A self-starter, capable of working independently and flexibly to a high level
• Fluent English –written and spoken
• Good communication and staff training / capacity building skills

Location: Fauna & Flora, Cambridge
Salary: £49,200 per annum
Contract period: Permanent
Start date: As soon as possible

Fauna & Flora is seeking a highly experienced conservation professional to manage Fauna & Flora’s Central Asia Programme.  You will represent Fauna & Flora in the region and ensure the effective management and technical delivery of projects in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, leading on the development of projects in these countries and elsewhere in Central Asia, working in close collaboration with Fauna & Flora’s teams and partners in the region.

You will have a proven track record in operational, project, grant and financial management at a similar senior level.  You will be skilled in providing both strategic advice and technical input to the design, development, implementation and evaluation of projects.

Strong leadership and people management skills are essential to the role to ensure a professional and motivated team that delivers effectively against project aims, objectives and timelines.  The role also requires a skilled and credible communicator, who is confident in developing and managing relationships internally and with relevant stakeholders, including governments, non-governmental partners, donors and funders.

An advanced degree or equivalent level qualification in a relevant discipline or equivalent level experience as well as strong technical conservation skills are essential.  You will have a proven track record in fundraising, experience in institutional development and capacity building and be able to demonstrate an understanding of the statutory and regulatory frameworks within which Fauna & Flora operates in Central Asia. Fluency in written and spoken English is essential; Russian or another language relevant to this region is strongly desirable.

In return, the role offers the opportunity to work within an international, impactful and ground-breaking organisation, at the forefront of global conservation.  In addition, Fauna & Flora offers a generous pension contribution, attractive annual leave allowance and life insurance.

Our offices are located in The David Attenborough Building in central Cambridge, just a few minutes’ walk from glorious historic buildings and museums, the picturesque River Cam, the central market and shopping centre, and a host of cafés and restaurants.

Please visit our website for further details of the position and how to apply

The closing date for applications is Sunday, 21 April 2024. Interviews are likely to take place during the week commencing Monday, 29 April 2024

Country Trust Head of Programmes

Employed contract   

• Hours: 21 per week  
• Salary/contract rate : £43-45,000 FTE depending on experience
• Location: Ideally within easy reach of Chelmsford. Hybrid/homeworking 
• Employed contract – benefits 
• Annual leave: 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (FTE) 
• Benefits: Workplace pension
• Reporting to: CEO 

Possible combination with the Impact and Learning Lead role also being advertised.

About The Country Trust 

As a nation we've lost our connection with the land that sustains us all, with big and urgent ramifications for health, sustainability and equality. The Country Trust is changing this through high quality food, farming and countryside experiences that empower children in the most disadvantaged communities across the UK. For 45 years, we've worked with farmers to bring the countryside alive for over 600,000 children least able to access it. Our impactful programmes include the Food Discovery Programme, Countryside Discovery Residentials, Farm Discovery, Farm in a Box and Plant Your Pants. 

About the Role 

As the Head of Programmes, you will take on a strategic leadership role, managing the team of Programme Managers and deputising for the CEO when required. You will ensure each programme flourishes while encouraging collaboration across teams and with external partners to meet our ambitious objectives. This is a hybrid role, allowing you to work from home and travel to see our programmes in action nationwide. 

Key responsibilities include: 

• Line managing senior programme staff, including a dispersed workforce 
• Overseeing operational demands and change management 
• Financial management - budgeting, forecasting, invoices, embracing fundraising 
• Actively promoting equality of opportunity and being a powerful advocate for our cause 
• Confident communication and stakeholder engagement across sectors 
• Supporting strategic direction and deputising for the CEO when required 

You will work closely with the CEO, Senior Leadership Team of 10, and a delivery team of around 40 colleagues. 

About You 

We are seeking an exceptional communicator and versatile senior leader committed to providing quality opportunities for disadvantaged children. You must have: 

• Proven success line managing senior programme staff and a dispersed workforce 
• Strong financial management skills, including budgeting and forecasting 
• Working with the Impact and Learning Lead to ensure broad and deep understanding and implementation of our Theory of Change and our values, that evaluation and learning are embedded throughout the organisation and that we are known for the quality of our reporting, with all our activities and reporting informed by meaningful data. 
• To identify and develop key partnerships to enable us to extend our reach and our impact. 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills 
• Confidence and competence to act at Board level and deputise for CEO 

Additionally, you should have: 

• Strategic thinking abilities to balance priorities and find solutions 
• A collaborative approach suited to a dynamic team environment 
• A desire to support colleagues' growth and development 
• The ability to build successful, effective partnerships – our 5 Year Plan goals are dependent on working with and through others 
• An understanding of the reality of the lives of disadvantaged children and the barriers they face in developing a first-hand connection with the land. 
• Passion for food, farming, and the countryside 

This is a fulfilling opportunity to play a vital role in an organisation dedicated to reconnecting children with the land and creating a sustainable, equal future. 

Closing date: midnight 5th May 

Shortlisting: w/c 6th May 

Interviews: w/c 20th May (to be confirmed) 

Due to our safer recruitment policy, we cannot accept CVs for this position.

Job Description: Fellowship Programme Assistant – Enquiries

Line Manager: Team Leader (Enquiries)

Objective: The programme assistant receives and assesses applications for support from at-risk academics.

Experience: Bachelors’ degree or comparable experience

Duration: For an initial period of 12 months, subject to review.

Hours: Full-time. Eight hours each day Monday – Friday, with flexible working by arrangement around core hours of 10am – 4pm

Location: Hybrid working - in London office in Elephant and Castle SE1 (2/3 set days per week) and working from home on the remaining days.

Start: 1 May 2024 or shortly thereafter.

Salary: £29,160.

Number of posts: One.

Application deadline: 25/04/2024.

Organisational Background

The Council for At-Risk Academics is a UK-registered charity founded in 1933 under the leadership of William Beveridge, to rescue academics suffering persecution under the rise of Nazism and facilitate their continued work in safety. Sixteen Cara Fellows from the 1930s and 1940s became Nobel Laureates, and many more innovators in their fields, including, Nikolaus Pevsner, Lise Meitner and Karl Popper. A number of Cara’s founders and Council members also personally provided places and/or funds to help individual academics; and Cara, known in the 1930s as the AAC, later the SPSL, was closely involved in the successful effort in 1933 to bring to London the Warburg Institute art library, which had been prohibited by the Nazis, and six of its staff. The Fellowship Programme is the continuation of the rescue mission operation started in 1933.

Cara has been a lifeline to academics at risk for just over 90 years, as and when world events have placed them in the line of fire: Hungarian Uprising, Cold War, Apartheid South Africa, Iran, Latin American Juntas, Vietnam, Kosovo, DRC, Rwanda, Sudan, Zimbabwe etc. and, more recently Iraq, Turkey, Yemen, Palestine, Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine. Cara support is typically framed as temporary sanctuary offered at times of heightened risk.

Cara Objectives ‘To assist academics who have been, or are, or are at risk of being, subject to discrimination, persecution, suffering or violence on account of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, to relieve needs among them and their dependants and ensure that their specialist knowledge and abilities can continue to be used for the benefit of the public.’

‘To advance education by supporting academics and their educational institutions in countries where their continuing work is at risk or compromised, to ensure that such academics and institutions can continue to fulfil their critical role as educators for the public benefit.’

This is a critical time to join our dedicated and friendly Fellowship Programme team as we expand our capacity to support at-risk academics from the Middle East, Sudan, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Russia and many other countries.

Fellowship Programme Officer Role & Responsibilities

Casework

- Receiving and processing applications for support

- Working directly with academics facing immediate risk in their home countries to carry out due diligence

- Preparing cases for eligibility review, including arranging calls to speak with applicants, booking English language tests, and gathering all relevant documentation

- Identifying funding opportunities

- Researching potential hosts for academic placements and liaising with external stakeholders in relation to applicants

- Attend weekly case review meetings with the team

Administration

- Provide general administrative and logistical support, including answering telephones

- Answer general queries about the enquiries’ process and the Programme

- Provide support to the drafting of reports to funders

- Present and collect data

- Ensure safekeeping of confidential information

- Maintain excellent detailed records of correspondence, documents, and activities

Managerial Support

- Contributing to Fellowship Programme policy changes and decision-making

- Provide advice and guidance to colleagues

Responsibilities also include related activities that might arise in relation to the Fellowship Programme

as required by the Executive Director or Deputy Director/Fellowship Programme Manager.

Benefits of Role

· Challenging but rewarding work, always life-changing, sometimes life-saving

· Competitive salary

· Team and individual training opportunities

· Weekly case review meetings with line manager, plus quarterly 1-1 sessions with manager to discuss role and to plan individual professional development

· Hybrid working, home and office (usually 2 days each week in the office)

· Eight hours each day Monday – Friday, with flexible working by arrangement around core hours of 10am – 4pm

· 25 days plus Bank Holidays annual leave entitlement

· 8% employer pension contribution

· Convenient office location at Elephant and Castle, close to Tube (Bakerloo and Northern lines) and bus routes 

Person Specification

Essential

- Bachelor's degree

- Proactive with a willingness to learn

- Great communication skills – internal and external stakeholders

- Ability to manage workload in a fast-paced environment

- Excellent record keeping and attention to detail

- Keen team player who is ready to support and help colleagues

- Ability to work independently and in a team

- Good time management with ability to prioritise and independently work to deadlines, and shift priorities when required

- Understanding of issues of confidentiality

- Interest in and commitment to the work of Cara

- Confident user of Microsoft package

- Ability to have difficult conversations

Desirable

- Arabic language skills are desirable. Other foreign languages (such as Farsi/Dari, Pashto, Ukrainian and Russian) will also be considered.

- Confident user of Salesforce

- Experience in a supporting role with people with lived experience of forced migration

Role: Programme Officer

Reporting to: Programmes and Partner Manager

Contract Type: Full time, permanent (part-time candidates will be considered, minimum 4 days per week) 

Number of days: 5 days a week (will consider flexible working hours).

Location: Hybrid, minimum 2-days per week in London office (applicants must already be eligible to work in the UK). Laptop provided for home working.

Salary: £29,000 (plus benefits) FTE (dependent on relevant skills and experience).

Annual leave: 25 days plus public holidays, with an additional 2 days for volunteer work.

Start Date: June 2024 

Closing date for applications: 24th April 2024

About this role

Embark on a transformative journey with Synchronicity Earth, where your passion meets purpose, and every day is an opportunity to make a tangible impact on our planet's future. In this pivotal role within our Programmes team, you're not just filling a position; you're embarking on a mission to drive change, innovate, and contribute to global conservation efforts. Your work will directly influence the protection and rejuvenation of Earth's most precious biodiversity.

Your Impact / Specific responsibilities will include the following:

• Manage grantee partner relationships, including building trust and openness, identifying capacity needs, administrating grants, monitoring progress and fulfilling reporting requirements.

• Provide administrative support across the Programmes Team with grant management e.g. preparing of grant paperwork, reviewing partner reports and checklists (proposals), monitoring pipelines.

• Undertake research in focal areas for the Programmes Team, such as identifying intervention points and opportunities to make a difference in conservation.

• Contribute to communication products, including donor reports and applications, to support Synchronicity Earth’s fundraising and philanthropic goals.

• Produce and contribute to board papers and discussions.

• Update and undertake due diligence.

• Managing and maintaining partner database, including data entry, preparing reports and basis analysis. 

• Contribute to the development of Synchronicity Earth’s processes and systems around partnermanagementand due diligence.

• For the right candidate, there will be opportunities to increase your experience and responsibilities and potential career development as the organisation grows. We also have a number of cross-cutting Working Groups in which we welcome engagement from new staff, these currently include Reimagining Philanthropy, Youth, and EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion).

About Us

At Synchronicity Earth, we are more than an organisation. We're a dynamic movement towards positive change for our planet. Based in the UK with a reach that spans the globe, we shine a light on the often overlooked yet vital parts of our natural world, from the tiniest amphibians to the most expansive ecosystems.

Our mission is clear: we bring together passion and action to provide safe havens for endangered species, help communities live in harmony with nature, and turn conservation into a worldwide effort. When you join us, you're not just taking part in our works; you're weaving your own story into a future that's brighter and sustainable for all.We are dedicated to creating a workplace that values diversity and inclusion, believing that the best solutions come from a team that reflects the vast diversity of the world we aim to protect. Our efforts include supporting organisations focused on key areas like Amphibians, Asian Species, Congo Basin, Biocultural Diversity, Freshwater, and Ocean conservation. Beyond these, our "More than Carbon" initiative invites businesses to invest in climate and biodiversity works, while our "Synchronicity Portfolio" aims to inspire widespread change, ensuring biodiversity conservation receives the attention it deserves. Joining Synchronicity Earth means becoming part of a team that is not only passionate about making a difference but also committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone’s contribution is valued and celebrated.

Skills and experience required

Essential

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience in a relevant field.
• Proficiency in English, with excellent writing skills.
• A passion for ecology, endangered species and biodiversity, social justice or community engagement.
• Strong organisational and interpersonal abilities.
• Ability to work independently and adapt in a dynamic environment. 
• Demonstrate curiosity, humility, flexibility, and responsiveness. 
• A commitment to our core values, including equity and inclusivity in the conservation sector.

Desirable

• Experience (especially lived experience) in Asia, South America, Africa or the Pacific

• Some understanding of community- and rights-based approaches.

• Written and spoken Spanish and/or Portuguese. 

• Experience using databases and/or project management tools e.g. Salesforce, Asana, Tableau.

• Willingness to undertake occasional travel both within the UK and overseas.

• Desire to work across a range of conservation issues and to undertake a diverse role.

• Strong research and analytical skills

• Project management skills

Development Opportunities:

This role offers the chance to grow your skills in research, project management, and communication, among other areas. You'll gain hands-on experience that can shape your career in conservation and beyond.

Our workplace values and culture

We pride ourselves on our supportive, creative, and inclusive culture. We're committed to reflecting the diversity of the natural world we protect and actively seek to make our workplace welcoming for everyone.

Application & Recruitment Process

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds for this role, particularly non-graduates, and are happy to discuss flexible working arrangements. Please let us know at any stage during the recruitment process if you have any accessibility requirements we can accommodate for you, and which pronouns you would like to be referred to by. If you are new to the sector, we have some helpful resources on our website to help support your application to this role and others.

Your Application Matters: Supported by Generation Success

Embarking on a new career path is a momentous step, filled with anticipation and aspirations. To ensure your journey with Synchronicity Earth starts on the best possible note, we've partnered with Generation Success, an award-winning social enterprise renowned for its commitment to fostering social mobility and empowering individuals across all background, to administer an accessible and social mobility friendly recruitment process ensuring your talent it the only thing that matters. 

Closing date for applications: 24th April 2024

Join Our Mission:

Are you ready to make a lasting impact? Bring your passion and skills to Synchronicity Earth and help us build a future where nature and humanity thrive together.

Reports to: Head of Inclusive Leadership Course

Start date: ASAP or mid-August 2024

Location: London / Hybrid - minimum 3 days per week in office (The Difference’s office in Bethnal Green). Willingness to travel for programme delivery across the North East, North West, and the Midlands 3 days per half term.

Contract: Permanent, full time/flexible working considered

Salary: £55k - £65k per annum (+6% employer pension contribution and sector-leading parental leave policy shared with all applicants) 

Closing Date for Applications: Sunday 21st April 23:59

Person Specification 

The Difference is  seeking an outstanding school leader to take on the role of Programme Lead through an exciting period of growth and development, with a particular focus on developing our People and Practice work. The successful candidate will be instrumental in the delivery of our various programmes, actively engaging in their implementation and with valuable insights for continuous improvement. This role offers a distinct chance to make a significant impact on The Difference's overarching strategic goals. As the Programme Lead, you'll have the opportunity to shape our programmes, ensuring they align with our mission and vision. Your contributions will not only drive tangible outcomes but will also shape the future direction of our organisation. You will have the opportunity to make a significant impact on the outcomes for children who experience vulnerability and disadvantage by working closely with school leaders to develop school practice and systems. 

You will have real ownership over your area of work, be happiest in a flexible and ambitious environment, and enjoy testing out new ideas. You will have experience in professional development design, delivery, project management and supporting school staff and leaders through professional coaching . 

Essential knowledge, experience and skills

• Demonstrated Alignment with The Difference’s values: a history of actions and decisions that align with The Difference's values, showcasing a personal commitment to the mission of improving life outcomes for vulnerable children.

• Credibility as a proven school leader of inclusion: as a Trust middle leader, Headteacher, Deputy or Assistant Headteacher in a Primary or Secondary setting in contexts of high disadvantage and vulnerability.

• A record of impact for children experiencing vulnerability: including designing and delivering work that led to reduced harmful behaviours, repeat suspension or persistent absence.

• A record of empowering work with children and families. 

• Evidence of designing and delivering impactful professional development: high quality learning sessions, fostering sustained staff development and contributing to a culture of continuous learning.

• Understanding of Relational Practice within Education: A track record of utilising or implementing practice aligned with the relational approaches to deliver improved student outcomes.

• Aiming high and holding people accountable through visionary leadership: Ability to articulate an ambitious vision, inspiring and motivating others to meet high standards. A proven ability to hold individuals accountable for their contributions.

• Flexibility and a willingness to travel: including overnight stays, particularly within London,and across the North East, North West, and the Midlands. A likely travel pattern of 2-3 days travel per fortnight.

Desired knowledge, experience and skills

• Stakeholder management & relationship-building: proven experience in managing relationships with various stakeholders, including navigating HR processes and demonstrating effective stakeholder engagement skills. Experience of sales and a business to business sales process would be advantageous.

• Adaptability: track record of prioritising and creating clarity in ambiguous, challenging, or fast-paced situations. Experience in working directly with colleagues, implementing strategies such as coaching and structured reflection to establish clear and effective plans.

• Research Engagement: engagement with research and evidence-based strategies for school improvement. Demonstrable quantifiable impact using evidence-informed approaches.

• Contextual Awareness: varied experience in different schools, showcasing an understanding of how contextual factors impact schools and teachers, and an awareness of the wider educational landscape.

• Teaching Qualification: possession of Qualified Teacher Status, demonstrating the foundational qualification for the role.

Why Work for The Difference?

Schooling isn’t working for the children who need it most. Every week in England 109 children – equivalent to three full classrooms – are permanently excluded. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Since the pandemic, school suspensions have risen significantly, as has persistent absenteeism. 1 in 5 children are missing more than 10% of their time in school. Children who are excluded or persistently absent are much more likely to already be experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage. They are more likely to live in poverty, have additional learning needs, suffer mental health challenges, or experience a lack of safety outside school. Certain ethnicities are also disproportionately affected, notably Gypsy Roma Traveller and black Caribbean children. 

Exclusion and high rates of absence can have a dramatic effect on life chances. These young people are more likely to drop out of education or employment, become vulnerable to long-term mental ill health, or be at risk of criminal exploitation. The Difference believes that children and young people deserve better and that the education system has to change.

Our Organisation 

The Difference is a young education charity, founded to change the story on lost learning.  By 2030, we want rates of exclusion and absence to be falling nationally and for schools to be better equipped to support all children, including those who may be vulnerable. The Difference was born out of a year of research into school exclusions with think-tank IPPR. This research identified a lack of inclusion expertise in schools and proposed a new leadership development programme to fill this gap. In 2018, Difference founder Kiran hired the team who took this idea from concept to reality, beginning work with our first schools.

The Difference is now a 22-strong team delivering multiple school leadership programmes, alongside a growing research and policy arm. The team is supported by our Youth Advisory Board, made up of young people who have experienced exclusion and who provide their expertise and insights on how school inclusion work should be done. This work is needed more than ever. Effects of COVID-19, coupled with the spiralling cost of living, have substantially increased levels of vulnerability. Schools serving excluded pupils face under-funding. The Difference has had excellent early impact but there is work ahead to scale this impact through our programmes, share learning with schools and policy-makers, and grow our capacity to lower exclusions across England.

The Task Ahead: Programme Lead

In 2019 The Difference launched our programmes working with 22 school leaders in London. Since then we have worked with 447 school leaders nationally. We want to continue to scale our programmes and reach more school leaders to help shape their schools practice and systems to improve pupil wellbeing, safety and belonging. We intend to further develop our programmes to improve inclusion in schools and successfully change the story for students currently struggling in school. 

Key tasks for this role include:

• Deliver The Difference’s Inclusive Leadership Course to senior leaders from a range of school settings. This takes place in venues across the country including but not limited to London, the North East, North West, and the Midlands. Confidence and passion to deliver the course to the high standards required.

• In-school support for The DIfference’s School Partnership (DSP). Delivering across a variety of schools including mainstream secondary, mainstream primary and Alternative Provision settings. Supporting the implementation of key themes and content from The Difference’s Inclusive Leadership Course.

• Working closely with The Differences Research, Impact & Influencing team to capture case studies, research and impact metrics that demonstrate the impact of the Difference’s programmatic work.

• Input to the evolution and development of the Difference’s programmatic offer using insight from delivery and feedback from programme participants

• Working closely with the The Difference’s Partnership and Sales team to support the reach and impact of the programmatic work.

Our Values

• High Expectations - We are ambitious for excellence from young people, colleagues and ourselves.  We don’t believe in writing off someone’s potential because of their identity or experience of crisis. 

• Strong Relationships - We prioritise genuine relationships over transactional interactions, and know that this requires deliberate relational practice. We see colleagues and partners as people first and their roles second; and know this greater trust allows us to take more risks, gain more feedback and have greater impact.

• Internalised Locus of Control - We work hard to reframe difficult situations to discover what we have within our power in terms of solutions. We take it upon ourselves to walk towards challenges and can take a high level of ownership and agency in our work/

• Pragmatism - We believe leadership means recognising current limitations and striving for improvements within and beyond them.  We develop consensus and chart new ways forward, challenging false and extreme positions like “zero exclusions” or “no excuses”.

• Scientific approach - We take a diagnostic approach to unpicking causes of problems. We are loud and proud of our failures, recognising failing fast and often is key to finding the best solutions. We test solutions and are willing to use data and feedback to make adjustments and choose new directions. 

• Not Squeamish about Structural Inequality - We believe patterns of inequality can and should be disrupted. We strive to be clear-eyed about these inequalities, and both the individual practice and system-changes required to address them. We push ourselves to overcome awkwardness in talking about this; and begin by acknowledging our own biases and blind spots.

• Asset-based - We work hard to avoid deficit thinking and aim to start with what’s strong, not what’s wrong. We are careful not to frame our colleagues and stakeholders - particularly young people and families – as victims but instead to recognise their agency.

• Wise selves - To both enjoy work and do their best, we want to make decisions and work with others in our “wise” - or regulated - selves. We also want to bring our compassionate self to those we work with, externally and internally, to support one another through challenging times. 

How To Apply 

To apply, please complete all sections of the application form by midnight on Sunday 21st April.

First round interviews will be held during the week beginning 6th May, over video call. Please indicate if you would not be available to attend an interview during this week.

If successful in this stage, second round interviews (including a task to be completed the same day) will take place on the week beginning 13th May, at our office in Bethnal Green. 

We are committed to building a diverse team and strongly encourage applications from under-represented groups in the charity sector such as people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, people with experience in the care system, non-graduates and first-in-family graduates. 

Please note that we're not able to sponsor work visas for this role and can only move forward with candidates who are eligible to work in the UK.

As part of our commitment to fairer recruitment, all applications will be assessed with names and any protected characteristics redacted. 

Recommended Reading 

If you’d like to understand more about The Difference and what we are trying to achieve, we would recommend the following:

• The research which underpins our organisation.

Our latest Impact Report, sharing our work in 2023

Title:    Adventure Programme Support Manager

Reports To:  Director of Programmes & Development  

Salary:  £29,000 - £31,000 per annum, depending on experience 

Location:  Home-based, flexible with easy access to the Wiltshire area

Contract:  Permanent 

Holiday:  25 days per annum, plus public holidays

Application:  Application Form

Closing Date:  Friday 26th April at 9am

The Charity

The Youth Adventure Trust is a youth development charity working with vulnerable young people aged 11 to 16 years old from Wiltshire and Swindon. Our outdoor activity based YAT Adventure Programme enables young people to challenge themselves, experience success, learn to go beyond their own expectations and grow in confidence. Through a series of residential camps and day activities they are able to build resilience, self esteem and develop social and life skills. The YAT Resilience Programme works to the same outcomes through a year long programme of monthly activities, home-based challenges and reflective practice. Our Mentoring Programme works with those young people in need of some additional individualised support at the end of our other programmes. The Trust’s Bursary Programme is open to all those young people who have completed an initial programme, in order to assist their next steps into further activities. Our aim is to make a lasting improvement to the lives of vulnerable young people. All our services are provided completely free of charge to the young people who are nominated by schools and other youth organisations to take part. 

The Role

We are looking for an experienced, dynamic and motivated Adventure Programme Support Manager to support both young people and volunteers on our Adventure Programme. Working alongside the Programme Managers you will act in a support function across the activity days and camps, and be involved in direct one to one support for young people. You will also work alongside the Volunteering Lead to recruit, manage and support the volunteers who are front and centre of ensuring our young people’s positive experiences and outcomes. This is a diverse role with the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable young people both through direct work and supporting the wider team.

Programme Support

This aspect of the role includes;

• Attending residential camps and activity days throughout the year, assisting with organising and delivering the Adventure Programme.

• Ensuring the highest standards of support, safety and safeguarding across the programme and all aspects of the Youth Adventure Trust’s work.

• Carrying out direct work with young people to help support their needs and fulfil the Youth Adventure Trust’s aims.

• Supporting work with the young people’s families to promote full attendance, effective participation and ensure they have all the information they require.

• Supporting work with our referral partners to ensure they have an excellent understanding, relationship and experience with the Youth Adventure Trust.

• Contributing to ongoing feedback to young people, parents, carers and schools.

• Supporting the effective monitoring of the programme and measurement of young people’s developmental outcomes.

• Working with the Programme Managers to support young people moving on to the Mentoring Programme, and promoting take up of the Bursary Programme. 

• Supporting the development of further opportunities for young people both during and after their YAT journey. 

• Assisting the day-to-day administration and management of the programme. This may include maintaining a database, producing written communications and reports, information leaflets, website updates, budget monitoring, booking and negotiating with providers, and an array of detailed record keeping.

• Creating website and social media content to highlight and  promote YAT’s work. 

Volunteer Management 

Volunteers are critical to the success of our programme for vulnerable young people; recruiting, supporting and developing capable, skilled, empathetic, engaging and committed volunteers is essential to the impact of our work.

This aspect of the role includes;

• Promoting volunteering opportunities and recruiting new volunteers to the organisation to ensure needs are met.

• Acting as a key point of contact for volunteers, maintaining communication and engagement with the charity.

• Administering all aspects of a volunteer’s involvement with the Trust, including completing the relevant checks and references, record keeping and database maintenance. 

• Organising, preparing and information sharing with volunteers to ensure they are ready to fulfil their role. 

• Supporting volunteers in their role on our Adventure Programme, facilitating opportunities for informal supervision and debriefing. Our volunteers work tirelessly to ensure the young people get as much as possible from their time with the Youth Adventure Trust, and often deal with challenging and impactful situations.

• Developing and coaching volunteers in their role through working alongside them as they support young people on our Adventure Programme residential camps and day activities. 

• Creating and delivering training opportunities for new and existing volunteers.

• Creating website, newsletter and social media content to promote volunteering and engagement with the charity. 

• Supporting our Volunteer Committee in their functions which include organising awareness raising and social events.

• Developing opportunities for a diverse portfolio of  volunteering roles within the organisation. 

• Supporting the fundraising team through providing feedback, reports or event support.

Across the role you will;

• Be involved in sector networking and awareness raising on behalf of the Trust.

• Act as an ambassador for the Youth Adventure Trust at all times.

The post is subject to a six months’ probationary period.

The Candidate

To be up to the challenge you’ll need an excellent understanding and a proven track record of relevant experience working with vulnerable and challenging young people. You’ll need demonstrable skills at building effective relationships with young people, parents/carers, and professional organisations. In addition, you’ll need an excellent understanding of volunteering and relevant experience working with and managing volunteers. You’ll need strong influencing and motivational skills; the capacity to get the best out of people and confidently deal with issues. You’ll be an excellent communicator, planner and problem solver, a strong team player and an exemplary role model.

We need someone with:- 

• Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people.

• Relevant experience of working with young people aged 11 - 14 years old, preferably in a residential environment as well as outside of this.

• Relevant experience of working with volunteers in the Third Sector, including recruiting, supporting and managing volunteers.

• Knowledge of volunteering issues and legal requirements.

• Experience of delivering training and strong facilitation skills.

• Experience in working in partnership with other professional organisations.

• Strong team skills with the ability to motivate and support a wide range of people.

• Self-motivation with the ability to work on their own initiative to plan and manage their workload.

• Strong IT skills including experience of MS Office, databases and social media.

• Knowledge of marketing and promotion, with an ability to use those skills to promote opportunities effectively.

• Excellent administrative skills and a methodical and thorough approach.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• The ability to perform well and problem solve in high-stress and changing situations.  Ability to be flexible and dynamic in approach.

• A positive attitude, high energy and enthusiasm for the work of the Youth Adventure Trust. A personal interest in and an understanding of the positive impact outdoor adventure, especially for vulnerable young people, and a desire to help inspire young lives.

In addition:-

• The ability to work flexible hours including occasional evenings, weekends and a handful of residential trips as required is essential - if you are looking for a predictable Monday to Friday, 9-5, work environment throughout the year, this won’t be the right fit.

• A full clean driving licence and access to your own vehicle is required

Safer Recruitment

The Youth Adventure Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and requires all employees to share this commitment. The suitability of all prospective employees will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment and in compliance with current employment legislation, and relevant safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance. 

Please be advised;

• a satisfactory Enhanced DBS Disclosure with Children’s Barred List will be required for this post;

• we will seek references on shortlisted candidates before interview, and may approach previous employers for information to verify particular experience or qualifications;

• if the applicant is shortlisted, any relevant issues arising from his or her references or application will be taken up at interview; 

• in accordance with due diligence checks, online searches may be conducted as part of the selection process on shortlisted candidates;

• if the applicant is currently working with children, on either a paid or voluntary basis, his or her current employer will be asked about disciplinary offences relating to children, including any in which the penalty is “time expired” (e.g. where a warning could no longer be taken into account in any new disciplinary hearing), and whether the applicant has been the subject of any child protection concerns, and if so, the outcome of any enquiry or disciplinary procedure. If the applicant is not currently working with children but has done so in the past, then contact will be made with that employer who will be asked about these issues; and 

• applicants should note that providing false information is an offence and could result in the application being rejected, or dismissal if the applicant has been selected, and possible referral to the police.

Please review our Safeguarding Policy available on the Youth Adventure Trust website. 

How to Apply

Please complete the Application Form which includes the opportunity to outline why you think you are suitable for this role, making specific reference to the Role and Candidate Specifications above. 

The Application Form should be returned to:

Tessa Woodrow, Director of Programmes and Development

Applications Closing Date: Friday 26th April 2024 at 9am

Interview Date: Friday 3rd May 2024 in the Wiltshire area

The Youth Adventure Trust sincerely thanks all those who apply, however only those considered for an interview will be contacted.

Unfortunately we are unable to reimburse interview expenditure incurred. 

Data Protection Statement

For information about how we use your data, please see the Privacy Policy on our website.

Equal Opportunities and Diversity Statement

The Youth Adventure Trust is an equal opportunities employer, values diversity and is strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment. 

Additional documentation:

• Application form

• Recruitment of Ex-offenders Policy

• Example Reference Questions