Employment support officer jobs
BACKGROUND
Church of England Birmingham (CofEB) is on a journey of growing churches at the heart of every community. Through this we are seeing growth in many exciting ways. Financially we are at a challenging point. We have had an operational deficit for a number of years and this cannot continue. The National Church has agreed to partner with us around this through their Diocesan Investment Programme enabling us to have the time, and resource, to tackle this head on. One key aspect of this is for us to increase our Common Fund returns (the giving from our parishes that supports the costs of our life together). We are taking a radical new approach to our finances which includes intentional reallocation of income to support the costs in our most economically deprived parishes and deeper relationships with each parish around finance through conversation rather than correspondence. Over the next five years we are hoping to be able to move to a financially sustainable platform which will enable us to better serve our communities in the future.
We have recently recruited a new Head of Generosity, who is also Bishops Advisor for Common Fund, to lead on this work and we are now looking to recruit the team to work with them. The focus of the team is to develop long term relationships with all of our parishes leading to:
- Greater support for our parishes.
- Increased generosity by, and within, our parishes.
- Increased Common Fund.
The current plan is to recruit two Giving & Generosity Advisor roles and one Giving & Generosity Support Officer role. Together this team will work with all of our parishes to roll out our financial approach, through in person meetings, and the support that is on offer as part of this.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The primary focus of this role is to work with parishes to:
- Understand their current financial situation and how this links to the wider Church of England Birmingham situation.
- Understand our model and how support is on offer for parishes who are economically deprived.
- Assess with them the support needed to increase generosity and giving at a local level and create an action plan around this that is bespoke and contextual.
- Create a long-term plan for their participation in the common fund.
We have 146 parishes and the Head of Generosity will manage the team so that all parishes can be engaged as quickly as possible. It is the Head of Generosity and two Giving & Generosity Advisors who will be carrying out the in-person meetings with each parish. These roles will work closely with a range of people and teams across Church of England Birmingham so that this work is integrated within our wider strategy and parishes are not confused by multiple disjointed initiatives. This will mean working with Archdeacons and Area Deans, Mission Support Team, Ministry Team, Property Team, Finance Team, Community Regeneration Team and Communications Team as well as others.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Develop strong relationships with parishes that will enable this project to flourish and also help increase the connection between parishes and the DBF. Signposting to other teams and projects will be important.
- Inspiring and encouraging parishes in their Christian approach to giving and generosity
- Creating bespoke multiyear plans for Common Fund with parishes with the support of a Steering Group that includes the Archdeacons and other key stakeholders.
- Provide consultancy, resources, and hands-on support to parishes to grow regular giving, legacies, and other forms of financial support. This work will be able to draw on the resources developed by the national church as well as the data held on their Cornerstone Grants Platform. The post-holder will be expected to engage in the work of the National Giving Team as part of the development of these wider resources.
- Develop and deliver training for clergy, lay leaders and PCCs on the theology and Christian practice of giving and generosity and also practical financial management (in conjunction with the Finance Team).
- Work closely with the Finance Team in matters of technical accounting, governance and financial management identified as needed by parishes.
- Encourage and assist parishes in the implementation of the Parish Giving Scheme, introduction of contactless giving mechanisms and related diocesan resources.
- Source, develop and curate practical resources (digital and print) to support local stewardship campaigns and initiatives.
- Evaluate the impact of stewardship and generosity initiatives and adapt strategies accordingly to achieve the project outcomes.
- Working with our Communications Team, create compelling communication tools that articulate the impact of generosity.
As we are looking to recruit two people into these roles there is flexibility to appoint people with complementary skill sets who may have greater expertise in certain elements of the role.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Qualifications & Experience:
- Strong understanding of church governance structures and financial operations and requirements.
- Knowledge of generosity principles and Christian financial stewardship.
- A prayerful Christian with a deep commitment to the Church’s mission (Genuine Occupational Requirement).
- Experience of working in a sensitive environment and handling confidential matters with tact and diplomacy.
Essential Skills & Attributes:
- Resilient and adaptable, able to handle challenges and maintain momentum in a demanding role.
- Strong people skills, able to engage effectively with parishes and church communities.
- Good communicator being able to engage a wide range of stakeholders and hold their attention.
- Trustworthy and credible, able to build and maintain confidence with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Empathetic towards parishes and deeply committed to supporting the local church.
- Excellent conflict resolution skills, capable of handling difficult conversations with care and professionalism.
- Highly organised, able to manage multiple priorities and keep track of numerous ongoing responsibilities.
- Capable implementer, ensuring initiatives are successfully delivered, both at a local and diocese wide level.
- Financially literate, with a good understanding of budgets, stewardship, and sustainability within the Church.
- As the role involves visiting parishes across the diocese, including some locations not accessible by public transport, candidates must be able to travel independently. This requires holding a valid driving licence and access to a suitably insured vehicle.
- Be a person of integrity.
Other Considerations:
- The role requires significant evening and weekend work, demanding flexibility and commitment.
- Local presence is essential—the role must be delivered in an incarnational way, engaging directly with communities.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The post-holder will be employed by the Diocesan Board of Finance for a fixed term ending on 2nd November 2030, subject to funding.
Salary and Pension: Salary of £35,000 plus membership of the Church Worker’s Pension Scheme with 12% employer contribution. We are open to discussion especially if you are ordained and are moving out of parish ministry.
Hours: Full-time 35 hours (5 days) per week. Weekend and evening work will be required, for which the equivalent time may be taken back from standard working hours. We are happy to consider requests for flexible working and candidates seeking part-time hours. Please do mention in your application if you would be interested in looking at alternative working hours.
Holidays: 5 weeks per year plus Bank Holidays and 3 Discretionary Days between Christmas and New Year
Employer: Birmingham Diocesan Board of Finance
Responsible To: Head of Generosity
CLOSING DATE: 1stFebruary 2026
INTERVIEWS: 16th February 2026 in central Birmingham
For an informal conversation or further information about the role, contact Dawn Baker, Head of Generosity.
The Church of England Birmingham is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where all can be themselves and bring their unique identity to their ministry and/or work.
We welcome applications from any individuals who feel that they meet the person specification for any post, in particular from those who are currently under-represented in or staff teams such as those from Global Majority Heritage or UK Minority Ethnic backgrounds, those with visible or invisible disabilities and those who identify as LGBTQI+.
We offer a range of inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and other services to our staff teams.
The Church of England Birmingham is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment.
Director of Retail
When registering to this job board you will be redirected to the online application form. Please ensure that this is completed in full in order that your application can be reviewed.
About the Role
We are seeking an outstanding Director of Retail to lead one of Sense’s most significant income-generating operations. This is a critical executive leadership role, responsible for the strategic direction, performance, and future resilience of 108 charity shops, employing over 300 staff and generating £15m annual turnover.
Reporting directly to the Chief Finance & Commercial Officer, you will lead a national retail team and play a pivotal role in ensuring Sense’s long-term financial sustainability. You will drive innovation, commercial excellence, and operational effectiveness - building a modern, resilient retail model that supports Sense’s mission and responds to a fast-changing retail landscape.
This is a hybrid role, working between home and our site in Crayford. There will also be regular travel to our charity shops across the UK.
Key Objectives
- Develop and deliver a national retail strategy that drives sustainable income growth across physical shops and e-commerce.
- Lead digital and operational innovation to improve efficiency, enhance customer experience, and maximise profitability.
- Build strong strategic partnerships to extend reach, visibility, and income.
- Champion sector-leading retail practice, ensuring Sense remains competitive, agile, and future-focused.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide inspirational leadership to a high-performing national retail team of staff and volunteers, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Drive retail performance using data-led insights to identify opportunities, manage risk, and deliver results.
- Strengthen and diversify income streams, including expanding and optimising e-commerce.
- Lead financial planning and performance management, ensuring delivery of income targets and strong return on investment.
- Optimise the retail property portfolio to ensure value for money, profitability, and estate sustainability.
- Lead scenario planning and build operational resilience to respond effectively to market changes.
- Ensure robust governance, compliance, and risk management across all retail operations.
- Strengthen community engagement and deliver a consistent, high-quality customer experience across all retail locations.
- Represent Sense Retail externally, building influence with sector bodies, partners, and stakeholders.
- Embed sustainability and social responsibility into retail practices, supporting Sense’s commitment to addressing the climate crisis.
About You
You will be a strategic, values-driven retail leader with the credibility and experience to operate at executive level.
You will bring:
- Proven success in a senior retail leadership role within a large multi-site charity, public sector body, or comparable organisation.
- A strong track record of driving income growth, innovation, and transformation.
- Experience leading large, geographically dispersed teams through change.
- Deep knowledge of charity retail governance, regulation, and best practice.
- Strong financial acumen, with experience managing significant budgets and using performance analytics to inform decisions.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, including experience presenting to executive teams and boards.
- A clear commitment to equity, inclusion, and the rights of disabled people.
- Resilience, adaptability, and the ability to lead calmly and confidently in a complex environment.
To apply
Please use the link below to complete your application. Managers will use your application to shortlist candidates for interview; in relation to the Personal Specification. Therefore, it is very important you complete this section thoroughly. We would recommend that you read the job description and person specification before applying.
Please note to avoid disappointment, we advise you to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close posts at any time.
No agency submissions please: any submissions without prior authorisation from the Sense Recruitment Team will be treated as our own and as such no fee will be payable.
Sense is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable children and adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. Therefore, all offers of employment, where appropriate, are subject to a DBS check; level dependent on the nature of the role.
For this role we particularly welcome applications from candidates from underrepresented ethnic minority backgrounds and candidates with disabilities. Sense is committed to equality of opportunity, and to promoting and celebrating the diversity of staff, volunteers and the people we work with. Everyone's contribution is valued and we ensure they're given the opportunity to realise their potential. We welcome applications from talented people from all sections of the community who share our values and belief that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential.
We believe that every disabled person should have the opportunity to connect with others and be included in the world.



Responsible for all Continuous Professional Development (CPD) resources and activity of the Royal College of Paramedics, The primary role of the National CPD Lead will be overall responsibility for all CPD delivered by the Royal College of Paramedics, including ensuring the quality of content across the current and future range of platforms, (including video, webinars, events, podcasting).
The National CPD Lead is responsible for the efficient and effective management of specific pre-agreed workstreams aligned with realisation of the Royal College’s strategy objectives, this will require budget awareness along with supervision and management of team members.
As a senior member the College team – the National CPD Lead will provide a leadership presenceacross the organisation, contributing to policy and planning, staff development and membershipengagement and growth. They will be an able, confident and competent communicator, engagingeffectively at all levels, from student members to the Royal College of Paramedics Board and Council to national partners and colleagues.
The primary role of the National CPD Lead is to provide assurance, support and leadership in the provision of face to face and virtual CPD delivered by the College of Paramedics, including:
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Ensuring the quality of content across the current and future range of platforms (including events, video, webinars, courses, and podcasting).
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Reviewing and developing CPD activities which meet the needs of members and the profession
As an employee, the National CPD Lead will promote the Royal College, and its aims and objectives by building effective relationships with members, other healthcare colleagues, employers and other stakeholder bodies.
The Person:
We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated individual to work directly with the Head of Education to drive innovation and change and deliver the Continuous Professional Development and Education objectives as part of the overall College strategy.
The National CPD Lead will act with integrity, positivity, and adaptability, using their skills to build effective relationships and work within a shared vision.
Closing date: 23:59hrs on 30.01.26
Interviews: w/c 16.02.26 in the area of Leeds/Bradford
The Royal College of Paramedics is the recognised professional body for all paramedics in the UK
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
This role will take the lead in creating and developing an exciting, safe, fun and vibrant young people’s ministry at St. Andrew’s Church that sees young people come to faith and grow in their knowledge and love of Jesus.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
This role presents a rare opportunity to work for one of the world’s leading orchestras, and with its outstanding musicians, as well as celebrated conductors and soloists. Together with the Head of Production and other Stage Manager, the SM is responsible for the planning, coordination and delivery of the stage management, instrument transportation and technical requirements of the Orchestra.
The post holder will work closely with the Orchestra Committee (OC), all Philharmonia players and colleagues across the Orchestra Operations’ Team and work on projects that include concerts at the Royal Festival Hall, the Orchestra’s thriving residencies in Bedford, Leicester, Canterbury, Basingstoke, and at Three Choirs Festival and Garsington Opera, as well as other UK engagements, international touring, studio and recording sessions, chamber music projects and learning and engagement work, as required
Key Responsibilities
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To work as a member of the Concerts Department to assist with the planning of all Orchestra activity,liaising with other departments, as required
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To assist in organising the transportation of the Orchestra’s instruments for all engagements including rehearsals, concerts, film sessions, audio recordings and tours, both in the UK and overseas, including preparing detailed truck schedules and loading lists for each project.
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To communicate truck movements and instrument logistics to players as required
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To safely load and unload the Orchestra truck and any other vehicle, as required, for all Orchestra activity
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To prepare stage plans in advance of each project using Concept Draw Diagram software, or similar, to update these plans with any changes and to take photographs of each setup for future reference
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To ensure the stage is set correctly, promptly and safely for any orchestra activity, and to liaise with conductors, soloists, agents, staff and members of the Orchestra as necessary, to establish any changes that need to be made and provide a safe, calm and supportive environment that allows musicians to perform at their best
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To ensure all stage moves (during performances and otherwise) are professionally and efficiently executed
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To liaise with the Royal Festival Hall and all other venues, in the UK and overseas, regarding the Orchestra’s staging needs, and to work with venue staff to ensure that any lighting/staging issues are promptly dealt with
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To keep an updated record of the Orchestra inventory and ensure that the Orchestral storerooms are kept well-organised, clean and tidy
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To work with the Head of Production, Stage Manager, Principal Percussionist and Timpanist and other players and staff as needed, to hire any instruments or equipment that may be required within budgets set by the Concerts’ Department, and to process any relevant invoices for purchases, instrument hire or repair
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To engage and supervise casual stage crew as needed throughout the orchestra’s activity, ensuring that such staff maintain the professional standards required by the Philharmonia
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To offer support to the Librarian[s], putting out and collecting pads of music, as required
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To be responsible for performing regular maintenance on all equipment such as flight cases, music stands, acoustic screens and percussion equipment as and when required, and engaging specialist services where appropriate
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To ensure all Health and Safety policies and safe working policies are adhered to
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To be aware of issues surrounding musicians’ hearing health and take proactive steps to safeguard the health of the orchestra’s musicians at each and every engagement
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To represent the Orchestra as a member of the Concerts’ team, and maintain positive relationships with external venue staff, transport staff, instrument hire companies, agents, conductors and soloists.
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To undertake such other duties as may reasonably be required by the Company
Skills and Qualifications
Essential:
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Knowledge of the methods and practices employed in handling, packing, loading, unloading and stowing musical instruments and an awareness of their value
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Good organisational skills with attention to detail and a high level of accuracy
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Good multi-tasking skills, able to prioritise whilst also working across a range of demands on a daily basis
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Excellent verbal and written communication skills
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Ability to look ahead to anticipate issues, to problem-solve under pressure and to quickly identify solutions
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Ability to work well both independently and as a team player
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Ability to work to deadlines, work flexibly and react to change quickly
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Excellent personal presentation
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Willingness to work unsocial hours both in the UK and abroad
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Full clean driving licence
Desirable:
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Experience of orchestral stage management at a professional level
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Experience of stage planning software
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Access to a car
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Ability to use databases/concert planning tools
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Ability to read music
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Working knowledge of Health and Safety in entertainment venues
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The post-holder will be based at GMRC but work alongside TRC and MASH women’s services and work within the pathfinder partnership, across all partner organisations, providing high quality, evidence based, low intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based interventions using a guided self-help model, to clients with who have experienced sexual trauma but also have additional mental health needs.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.