Deputy programme director jobs

Do you want to work with a leading advocacy charity organisation supporting those in need?   

Do you have experience of successful delivery of safeguarding strategies and initiatives?  

Are you keen to make a difference to people who want to be heard through a profound commitment to safeguarding, protection and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults? 

Then come and join us here at VoiceAbility.  

We have an exciting opportunity for a Designated Safeguarding Lead to join our team to Act as the expert organisational designated safeguarding lead (DSL) for all work 

covering children, young people (CYP) and adults in equal measure. Your role will be homebased but may require you to travel to locations such as hospitals and care homes nationally to meet with stakeholders; therefore, a suitable home internet connection is essential.

About us  

VoiceAbility is an independent charity and one of the UK’s largest providers of advocacy and involvement services. We deliver a wide range of service contracts funded by local authorities, health trusts and other voluntary and private sector organisations.  

We’ve been supporting people to have their say in decisions about their health, care, and wellbeing for over 40 years. We make sure people are heard when it matters most.  For more information on what Advocacy is and the services offered then please visit our website.  

About you 

You will have at least 2 years’ experience of working as a Designated Safeguarding Lead with line management responsibility, developing, implementing and evaluating of CYP and Adult safeguarding policies, procedures, and training programmes, reflecting current legislation and best practices.You will also have demonstrable experience in leading, managing, influencing diverse teams on safeguarding, focusing on developing a positive culture and promoting continuous professional development. 

You should have experience in managing complex safeguarding cases, including conducting risk assessments, deciding on immediate actions, and coordinating with external agencies and key stakeholders. 

How will you make a difference? 

You will be called upon internally and/or by external bodies as a source of organisational expert knowledge. 

You will provide leadership and accountability for the advancement of safeguarding best 

practices. 

You will work resourcefully and collaboratively across agencies and adapt child protection systems to address risks in diverse social environments as part of a contextual safeguarding approach, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of young people, vulnerable groups and adults alike.

Benefits  

28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time colleagues) rising to 30 days upon 5 years’ service  

5% employer pension & minimum 3% employee contribution  

Salary sacrifices pension scheme  

Separate Life Assurance Cover (equivalent of two times your annual salary)  

Staff discount scheme including retail discounts, entertainment, holidays, gym membership etc  

24/7 Employee Assistance programme  

Access to remote counselling service  

Paid Disability Leave  

Paid compassionate Leave  

Home Working Allowance   

Support with continuous professional development  

Access to Clifton Strengths Coaching for development   

Personal Development Plans  

How are staff supported to work remotely?  

VoiceAbility has a small number of offices. Employees including Team Leaders are homebased for Administration and meetings will be held online as well as in person in the relevant community.  

When you need to travel for work, expenses will be paid (mileage or public transport costs).   

VoiceAbility offers the usual regular manager one to ones, Staff forums and communities of practice depending on role. Team meetings with a mix of virtual and in person approach.  

Equality and Diversity 

VoiceAbility believes in fostering an inclusive workplace which welcomes, values and celebrates the diversity of its staff and partners, treats all on a basis of equality and encourages all to meet their maximum potential. 

VoiceAbility are a Disability Confident employer, any applicant that identifies themselves as having a disability and can demonstrate that they meet all the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview. 

We're the only Museum of the Home in the world - revealing home as an emotional, psychological, socio-political and economic space - as well as the bricks and mortar.

Museum of the Home is a movement as much as a museum - seeing home as a lens through which many of the vital issues impacting the world can be viewed and solutions found. 

Building on the foundation of a dynamic, partnership-focused new Museum strategy to take us to 2031, the role of Head of Development will play a key part in growing and diversifying our income streams and supporters. 

We’re looking for someone who brings both strategic thinking and hands on practical delivery skills to fundraising. The role involves: 

• Leadership and management of all charitable income streams and developing new forms of support 

• Building the growth of philanthropic income

• Implementing and refining our fundraising strategy

• Contributing to the management and future direction of the Museum as part of the Leadership Team 

If you’re an experienced fundraising leader looking for the opportunity to make your mark, we’d love to hear from you. The role is a great opportunity to support a small, committed team and to contribute to the next stage of the Museum’s story. 

Closing date for applications is 5pm Thursday 22 January. We aim to shortlist and let candidates know by 27 January. 

Interviews will be held in person at the Museum on Tuesday 3 February.  You will need to prepare a presentation/task ahead of interview, and this will form part of your interview discussion. If there is need for a second interview, we'll let you know. 

Whilst we are searching for a full time post, we will carefully consider part time, 28 hours/4 days per week. 

Location: London

Location type:Hybrid

Reporting to: Director of People and Operations

Annual salary: £60K - £70K GPB

Contract type: Permanent

Working hours: Full-time (35 hours per week)

Candidate level: Manager

Closing date: Monday 9th February 2026, at 9:00 am CET

Background

Lumos Foundation works to realise every child’s right to a family by transforming care systems around the world. Our vision is a world in which all children grow up in safe and loving families within supported communities. Founded in 2005 by author J.K. Rowling, Lumos partners with governments, civil society, and young people with lived experience to transform care systems globally and advocate for family-based solutions that help children thrive.

We ensure that families receive the support they need to stay together or reunite, and that children grow up in family-based settings such as foster or kinship care, not institutions. Despite clear evidence of the harms of institutionalisation, more than 5 million children worldwide continue to live in institutions. And a much larger number of children are at risk of family breakdown and separation – those living in poverty, experiencing domestic violence and abuse, and living in countries affected by conflict.

We are ambitious for children. In the next 10 years, Lumos will enable 500,000 children in care to return to family-based care and prevent 10 million children from experiencing family breakdown and separation – so that they can thrive in their own families. Working with local, national, and global partners, Lumos supports government-led transformation of childcare systems across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America- driving systemic and sustainable change. Lumos’ ambition for children is significant and will require the organisation and its partners to work in new ways – with a pace, drive and urgency that this moment demands – and that children everywhere deserve. Lumos’ success will continue to be based not just on what we do, but on how we do it – our values. We embrace collaboration. We strive for excellence. We show respect. We always care. And we are passionate. We are Lumos.

Purpose of role

This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal leadership role at Lumos at a time of organisational strengthening and global growth. As a member of the wider leadership team, the Head of People will be central to building and embedding high-quality, values-led, and risk-aware people practices that enable Lumos to deliver its mission and long-term ambitions.

Working closely with Country Directors and HR focal points in country offices, the role supports the consistent application of global people frameworks while enabling appropriate local practice. The Head of People will play a key role in supporting Lumos to grow and operate safely across existing and new geographies, ensuring that people practices underpin organisational readiness, duty of care, and sustainable impact.

In close partnership with the Director of People & Operations, the Head of People provides expert insight into People strategy and organisational priorities and is accountable for translating agreed direction into consistent, effective delivery across the organisation. The role combines strategic thinking with strong operational leadership, ensuring that people frameworks, systems, and practices are embedded, trusted, and fit for purpose, and that values, culture, and ways of working are reflected in how work is done every day. This role will suit an experienced senior HR professional who enjoys shaping and embedding sustainable people practice, exercises sound judgement, and enables others to lead well. You will be motivated by values-led work, long-term impact, and the opportunity to grow with an organisation, strengthening organisational capability within a complex, international environment.

Primary responsibilities

People strategy contribution & execution

• Contribute expert insight, options, and analysis to the development of the People strategy, operating model, and organisational priorities.
• Translate the agreed People strategy into clear frameworks, plans, and delivery across the organisation.
• Ensure people initiatives are prioritised, resourced, and implemented effectively.
• Monitor impact and effectiveness, recommending adjustments based on data, risk, and organisational need.

Full employee lifecycle ownership (global)

• Own and oversee the operational delivery and quality assurance of the full employee lifecycle across all geographies.
• Ensure consistent, values-led, and safer recruitment practices are embedded across Lumos.
• Lead the design and delivery of high-quality induction and onboarding, embedding EDI, duty of care, and organisational culture from the outset.
• Oversee probation, performance cycles, development, progression, and exit processes.
• Ensure leaver processes, exit interviews, and data capture support organisational learning.

Performance, capability & leadership development

• Lead the implementation and embedding of Lumos’ performance management framework.
• Oversee annual objective-setting, performance reviews, and development planning.
• Build leadership and line manager capability through training, guidance, and coaching.
• Enable managers to take confident ownership of people management, feedback, and performance conversations.

Pay, rewards & progression

• Lead the delivery of pay and reward activity, including time-bound pay and reward reviews and job evaluation processes.
• Ensure reward approaches are equitable, transparent, affordable, and aligned with organisational values.
• Work closely with Finance and the Director of People & Operations to align reward activity with budgets and governance.
• Support the implementation of progression frameworks and guidance.

Employee relations, policy & legal frameworks

• Oversee the review, update, implementation, and monitoring of people-related policies, ensuring they are accessible, legally compliant, and consistently applied, while allowing for appropriate local context.
• Provide senior HR oversight and judgment on disciplinary, grievance, and complex employee relations matters.
• Act as an escalation point for managers and the Global HR Advisor, supporting proportionate and defensible decision-making.
• Ensure people practices reflect relevant legal frameworks across all countries of operation.

People risk & governance

• Lead the development and embedding of people-related risk frameworks across existing and new geographies.
• Ensure people risks are identified, mitigated, and monitored.
• Work closely with safeguarding, security, and operations colleagues to support joined-up risk management.
• Contribute to organisational governance and assurance through clear documentation and reporting.

Global partnership & country support

• Work closely with Country Directors and HR focal points to embed global people frameworks in country offices.
• Provide guidance, support, and constructive challenge to ensure consistent application of people policies and practices.
• Balance global consistency with appropriate local adaptation in line with legal and cultural contexts.
• Build HR capability and confidence across country teams.

EDI, culture & engagement

• Ensure equity, diversity, and inclusion are embedded across the employee lifecycle, policies, and people practices.
• Lead staff engagement activity, including surveys, analysis, and action planning.
• Support the development and reinforcement of a healthy, inclusive, and values-led organisational culture.

HR systems, data & insight

• Oversee people systems, tools, and workforce data to ensure accuracy, consistency, and insight.
• Work with the Global HR Advisor to strengthen tracking, dashboards, and reporting.
• Use people data to identify trends, risks, and priorities to inform effective decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with data protection and confidentiality requirements.

Leadership of the people function

• Line manage and develop the Global HR Advisor, providing clear direction, prioritisation, and support.
• Oversee time-bound HR consultancies, ensuring clear scope, value for money, and effective knowledge transfer.
• Act as a close partner to the Director of People & Operations, providing trusted judgment, operational leadership, and space for strategic focus.
• Deputise for the Director of People & Operations in people-related matters, as required and appropriate, including representing the People function in internal and external forums.
• Ensure the People function operates with professionalism, consistency, and strong internal credibility.

Profile

The postholder will:

• Strengthen Lumos’ ability to attract and retain talented people through fair and transparent rewards, clearer progression, and a positive employee experience aligned to our mission and values.
• Embed consistent, values-led people approaches across the organisation, while supporting appropriate local context and delivery of impact in country offices.
• Improve safer recruitment, induction, and onboarding to support safe, sustainable growth across existing and new geographies.
• Embed clear performance expectations and accountability that link individual and team contribution to organisational impact for children.
• Strengthen a values-led culture by reinforcing behaviours that support collaboration, trust, inclusion, and operational excellence.
• Build manager confidence and capability to lead people through change, manage performance well, and support development and wellbeing.
• Strengthen people-related risk management and the use of people insight to support sound decision-making, duty of care, and organisational resilience.
• Bring thoughtful, evidence-informed people practice into Lumos, drawing on best practice while ensuring approaches are proportionate, values-led, and appropriate to a complex international context.
• Operate as a trusted senior People leader and deputy to the Director of People & Operations in people-related matters, providing continuity, sound judgement, and credible leadership.

Essential experience:

• Experience operating at a senior level within a People/HR function, with experience of/or readiness to lead at the Head level.
• Experience owning and overseeing the delivery of the full employee lifecycle.
• Experience leading performance management, pay and reward, and employee relations.
• Experience building and embedding people policies, frameworks, and systems.

Desired experience:

• Experience working in international or multi-country organisations.
• Experience working closely with Country Directors or senior operational leaders.
• Experience overseeing outsourced or consultancy-based HR support.

Essential knowledge/skills

• Senior-level HR/People expertise across the full employee lifecycle.
• Strong working knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
• Ability to translate strategic direction into practical, high-quality people delivery.
• Sound professional judgment and confidence in handling complex people matters.
• Understanding of pay, reward, and progression frameworks.
• Ability to build and embed a values-led organisational culture.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills at a senior level.
• Ability to use people data and insight to inform decision-making.
• High standards of professionalism, confidentiality, and integrity.

Desirable knowledge/skills

• CIPD Level 7 (or equivalent professional learning and experience).
• Experience applying HR practices across multiple international jurisdictions.

Essential personal characteristics

• Strong alignment with Lumos’ mission and values.
• Calm, pragmatic, and thoughtful approach to complex situations.
• Ability to build rapport and trust with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strong influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively.
• Sound judgment in identifying, managing, and escalating people-related risk appropriately.

Desired personal characteristics

• Collaborative and credible working with senior stakeholders.
• Ability to balance consistency with flexibility and local context.
• Comfortable working in evolving or ambiguous environments.
• Curiosity and openness to learning across cultures and contexts.

Benefits

Alongside the opportunity to contribute to a truly life-changing mission, you’ll enjoy excellent benefits, a supportive and inclusive culture, and a genuine commitment to your personal and professional development. Some of the benefits we offer include:

• Direct impact on operational systems supporting our global mission, with exposure to senior decision-making during a transformative period.
• Hybrid and flexible working with occasional international travel opportunities.
• 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Enhanced family-friendly leave (maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental) and enhanced sick pay.
• Competitive employer pension scheme.
• Learning and development opportunities.
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme for confidential wellbeing support and advice.

Safeguarding statement

Lumos recognises that the rights of safety and security are aligned with its core mission for children, families, and communities. Effective and robust safeguarding sits at the heart of our mission and values, and accordingly, Lumos is committed to ensuring the safety and protection of children and adults at risk in all of its work. We expect all staff, associates, and volunteers to share this commitment. Lumos has a zero-tolerance approach towards all forms of abuse, bullying, harassment, and sexual exploitation. Lumos is a member of The Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and will carefully screen all applicants. Offers of employment are subject to checks and suitable references.

All staff and associates must:

• Carry out all duties with an awareness and understanding of Lumos safeguarding and PSEA requirements
• Ensure work complies with all safeguarding and PSEA policies and procedures
• Ensure that their behaviours and actions support the safeguarding of children, young people, and adults at risk as appropriate.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion statement

Lumos is wholly committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion and against all forms of discrimination.  

We are committed to creating and sustaining a positive working environment that encourages, supports, and gives a voice to all, so that we can best support the children we serve.  

We must ensure that all staff are equally valued, included, empowered, and respected across the organisation and in everything we do. Lumos is fundamentally built on diverse, multi-national and multicultural teams.  

This is something we cherish as a key strength and an integral part of our identity. Our organisation values and celebrates the diversity, culture, and experience of each member of staff, provides equality of care, and support to everyone.   

We pledge to listen carefully, to educate ourselves continually, to promote open dialogue, and to seek out and deal with discrimination and prejudice wherever it occurs in Lumos.

· The deadline for applications is Monday 2nd February, 9:00 am CET ·

Upsall International actively promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion. In recruiting candidates, we seek candidates with the proven skills required, irrespective of race, gender, religion or belief, age, disability, or sexual orientation.

The Role

Reporting to the Director, this is an exciting opportunity to lead and strengthen our fundraising strategy, ensuring sustainable growth in income to support our mission of protecting and restoring tropical forests and inspiring climate action.

The Fundraising Manager will play a pivotal role in developing and implementing an ambitious fundraising strategy, with a strong focus on corporate partnerships and trusts.

Working closely with the Director, Deputy Director, Finance and Grants Manager and Communications and Digital Marketing Manager, you will drive forward fundraising targets, cultivate new opportunities, and consolidate existing partnerships. This role requires both strategic leadership and hands-on delivery, ensuring our fundraising approach is robust, ethical, and aligned with our values.

Key Responsibilities

 1. Strategy Development and Income Generation

● Develop and deliver a comprehensive fundraising strategy for the charity (with a strong but not exclusive focus on corporate partnerships),  aligned with the charity’s 5-year strategic plan.

● Research, identify, and build a pipeline of new funding opportunities to diversify and expand income streams, such as corporate partners, trusts and foundations,  high net worth individuals and individual giving.

● Prepare due diligence checks on potential new funding opportunities to be presented to the board / senior management.

● Develop compelling cases for support and tailored proposals to secure significant income from corporate partners primarily.

2. Systems and Process Improvement

● Establish and implement new systems for organising, stewarding, and monitoring corporate funders, ensuring efficiency and compliance.

● Introduce clear processes for donor stewardship, including trackers, reporting templates and potentially a new CRM system. 

● Ensure all fundraising activities comply with fundraising regulations, data protection requirements, and ethical fundraising principles.

3. Relationship Management and Stewardship

● Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with current and prospective corporate funders through effective stewardship and engagement.

● Work collaboratively with colleagues to deliver excellent relationship management for corporate partners.

● Work with the Communications and Marketing Manager to maximise fundraising campaigns such as the Big Give. 

4. Events and Engagement

● Lead on the planning and delivery of a flagship summer event designed to attract funders, with the aim of securing new partnerships and long-term support.

● Collaborate with colleagues to ensure the event is well-promoted, impactful, and aligned with the charity’s mission.

● Organise and attend meetings, presentations, and other events to engage with funders and promote the charity’s work. 

5. Reporting and Evaluation

● Monitor and report on fundraising income targets, maintaining accurate records of all funders and partnerships.

● Working with the relevant programmes teams, provide regular impact reports to funders, demonstrating the outcomes of their support.

● Evaluate the success of fundraising initiatives and identify areas for improvement.

6. Team Collaboration

● Work collaboratively across the team to develop funding proposals and case studies.

● Work closely with the Communications and Digital Fundraising Manager to develop online donations and regular gifts and improve the digital marketing and eNewsletter (for increasing donations). 

● Contribute to innovative fundraising campaigns and activities.

● Support and participate in wider organisational activities, including events and cross‑team initiatives as required.

● Contribute to annual budget setting and targets for fundraising.

● Line management of volunteers as required.

Training will be provided to ensure that all candidates feel supported in their role and progress in their career development. Welsh language training will be offered to support learning if necessary. IT training in WordPress and other essential software will also be offered. Travel across Wales will be required.

Seldom but occasional evening and weekend work may be required.Size of Wales has a flexible working policy.

Selection Criteria

Minimum criteria for interview selection is 60% of the Selection Criteria. Please see the Selection Criteria Assessment Table for details.

1. Experience of working with corporations and/or businesses, approaching, building relationships and stewarding. 
2.  Experience developing or contributing to fundraising or income‑generation strategies, including identifying and prioritising new funding opportunities.
3.  Ability to research, assess, and build a pipeline of prospective funders, such as corporate partners, trusts, foundations, or individual supporters.
4. Strong written communication skills, with the ability to develop compelling proposals or cases for support tailored to different audiences.
5.  Understanding of, or willingness to learn about, fundraising regulation, ethical fundraising practice, and data protection requirements.
6.  Ability to build, maintain, and strengthen positive relationships with external partners, such as funders.
7.  Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including presenting information clearly in meetings or events.
8. Ability to monitor progress/targets, maintain accurate records using tracking tools, and report on outcomes (training provided where required)
9.  Experience producing clear reports or summaries that communicate impact or results to stakeholders.
10.  Ability to evaluate activities and identify opportunities for improvement.
11. Experience working collaboratively with colleagues across teams to deliver shared goals, proposals, campaigns and projects.
12. Strong IT and digital skills, including Microsoft Office, Google Workspace and Canva.
13. Willingness to embody equity, diversity and inclusion principles

Safeguarding

Size of Wales, and all its staff and volunteers, are committed to ensuring a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse. Size of Wales is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount. Any candidate offered a job with Size of Wales will be expected to agree to and adhere to Size of Wales’ Safeguarding policy and Code of Conduct.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Size of Wales is dedicated to nurturing an inclusive environment where employees can bring their full selves to work.

In 2020, we took steps to become an antiracist organisation and promote equality, diversity and inclusion. We are reviewing all our staff policies to be more inclusive.

Size of Wales is particularly keen to receive applications from people from an ethnically diverse background and disabled, deaf and neurodiverse people.  These are characteristics and identities that are currently underrepresented at Size of Wales. Furthermore, the work we do challenges modern day colonialism and discriminatory power structures that are prevalent in society and global solidarity work. Our work centres marginalised people’s voices and aims to remove barriers and increase access within the climate crisis. Having people with these identities and characteristics join the team would be invaluable and Size of Wales would become a better organisation because of this.