Jobs for the Social Welfare sector

Our specialist children's practitioners provide child-led play therapy sessions on a weekly basis, usually for 6-16 weeks. Sessions give children the opportunity to process what has happened to them and make sense of the complicated and confusing emotions they may be experiencing.  Our practitioners work from our purpose-designed therapeutic playroom in Colchester or from some of our outreach premises in other areas, using a range of techniques including sand tray, art and imaginative play.

What we expect from our Sessional Counsellors/Play Therapists:

· Support up to eight CARA clients each week

· Maintain and update accurate database records of clients

· Diploma in Counselling or equivalent, with a minimum of 400 counselling hours.

· Certificate in Counselling Children, Play Therapy qualification or equivalent

· Experience of working therapeutically with children with psychological and behavioural problems.

· An understanding of how trauma affects children both physically and emotionally.

· An ability to work creatively to enable children to process their conscious and unconscious emotions.

· An ability to work collaboratively with parents, while protecting children’s confidentiality.

· To liaise with other agencies including social care, Children and Adolescent Mental Health service (CAMHS) and schools, and attend meetings and provide reports, where required.

· Attendance of one CARA Meeting per month and attendance of monthly point of contact meetings.

· Attendance of clinical supervision, provided by a CARA-approved supervisor.

· Attend annual safeguarding training and other relevant training

· An open and non-judgemental attitude.

· Demonstrable understanding of safeguarding, both in relation to children and to vulnerable adults;

· Sessional Counsellors/Play Therapists will be working with clients on behalf of CARA and not on a private basis.  As such, they will be bound by CARA’s processes, policies and procedures.

· Commitment to the feminist ethos of CARA

· Willingness to commit the necessary time to supporting vulnerable clients

· Membership of BACP, UKCP or equivalent professional body

· Abide by BACP’s Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy

· Owing to the nature of the role, we are only able to take on female candidates

What the Sessional Counsellor/Play Therapist can expect from us:

·Training and support

·Ongoing training opportunities

We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and those with additional language skills, including BSL.

About CARA

CARA (Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse) works with victims and survivors of sexual violence and child sexual abuse, providing independent, specialist support and promoting and representing their rights and needs. 

CARA is a registered charity working with adults of all genders, young people and children from across mid and north Essex.  We have a head office in Colchester and outreach premises in Braintree, Chelmsford, Clacton-on-Sea, Great Dunmow and Harwich.  We also provide remote services.

CARA seeks to be an inclusive organisation that actively encourages, supports and values diversity amongst both our service-users and our workers.  We wish to create a culture in which discrimination, in all its forms, is recognised and addressed.

You can read more about CARA’s commitment to diversity and inclusion on our website.  We encourage and welcome applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds.

About Synergy East

CARA is part of Synergy East. We work closely with SERICC Rape and Sexual Abuse Specialist Service and Southend-on-Sea Rape Crisis (SOS Rape Crisis) to deliver the contract for the Office for the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex for services for victims and survivors of sexual violence and child sexual abuse across Essex.

This is a senior leadership role for someone who knows how to make complex change happen in practice - not just shaping ideas, but leading delivery, building trusted relationships, and turning ambition into operational reality.

You’ll play a central role in leading and growing our systems, place and public service change work. Work directly with clients, partners, senior leaders and delivery teams across complex programmes and live environments, you’ll help organisations navigate change, improve delivery, and respond to real operational and system pressures. This is a hands-on role with significant responsibility, influence, and visibility across both delivery and organisational development.

We’re looking for someone who understands the realities of public service delivery and organisational leadership, but who can also identify opportunities, shape propositions, build partnerships, and help grow sustainable and high-impact work. Our ideal candidate will bring operational credibility, strategic thinking, and commercial awareness.

Alongside leading delivery, you’ll contribute to business development, client relationships, strategic direction, and the continued evolution of our Homes and Missions model.

The role requires someone comfortable operating across strategy, delivery and growth. One day you may be working with a senior leadership team to shape a complex transformation programme, the next supporting delivery teams to work through operational challenges, strengthening client relationships, or helping develop a new opportunity into a deliverable programme of work. You’ll need sound judgement, political awareness, credibility with senior stakeholders, and the ability to lead calmly and decisively in complex environments.

This is not a purely strategic, advisory, or oversight position. We’re looking for a leader who’s comfortable close to the work - working directly with teams, supporting delivery in real time, building organisational capability, and helping create the conditions for high-quality change to happen.

You will support the delivery of the People & Culture plan, ensuring the organisation has the capability, culture and capacity to achieve its strategic objectives.

You will act as a trusted partner to SMT, translating organisational priorities into people solutions and driving a high-performance, values-led culture.

Based: Hybrid (ideally 2 days in office) The Grange, Saunderton, Princes Risborough.

Contract: Fixed term until 31 December 2026.

Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week (part-time applications considered, min. 3 days per week).

Key Activities

• Lead, coach and develop the People team, line managing the People Business Partner and People Operations Manager, to deliver quality people services across the employee lifecycle
• Lead workforce planning aligned to organisational strategy and service delivery needs
• Provide expert HR advice and guidance on complex ER, risk and organisational change
• Oversee recruitment strategy and employer brand
• Ensure compliance with employment law, safeguarding and regulatory requirements
• Use people data and insights to inform decision-making and drive continuous improvement
• Develop organisational approach to pay progression and employee benefits
• Lead on the development of a new EDI strategy

Customer and Service Delivery Expectations

• Leading and developing the People Experience function (made up of People Business Partnering and People Operations teams) to be high performing
• Timely, pragmatic and risk-aware HR advice
• High-quality, consistent and fair people processes
• Clear, simple and accessible guidance for managers
• Regular data reporting and people analytics support evidence-based recommendations aligned to organisational priorities
• Proactive rather than reactive support
• Compliance maintained with minimal risk exposure
• Positive feedback from SMT and other stakeholders on quality and impact of People team effectiveness

Key Deliverables

• People services and initiatives foster an inclusive, positive and high-performance culture in line with organisational values, and are delivered on time and within resource
• Improved employee engagement scores, measurable progress and clear action plan delivery
• Workforce plans aligned to service delivery needs and budget
• Achievement Development Review process is embedded with high completion rates and quality outcomes
• EDI strategy and policy developed, with implementation plan
• Pay progression framework and updated benefits package

Benefits

• Employee Assistance Programme. 
• Death in Service Payment. 
• Annual leave enhancements recognising long service 
• Day off for your birthday 
• Defined contribution group personal pension plan 
• Enhanced sick pay 
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay 
• Eye care 
• Hearing tests 
• Learning and Development opportunities 
• Discounts on merchandise at Hearing Dog gift shops 
• Pet Dog Policy

Closing date: 9th June 2026.

National charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People trains dogs to transform the lives of deaf people and provides hearing loss services – because nobody with hearing loss should feel alone.

Director of Services (Infrastructure)

Hours of work: Full-time (37 hours per week)

Salary: Up to £53,400 per annum (+6% employer pension contribution)

Location: Rotherham (not a hybrid role)

The Director of Services (Infrastructure) will be responsible for leading on the Single Infrastructure Grant (SIG) and related areas of work, VAR's core services and key networks and consortia of Rotherham's Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations.

The successful candidate will have:

• Previous experience of leading at a senior level within a voluntary or public sector organisation;
• Demonstrable record of developing strong and effective stakeholder and partner relationships within a complex environment;
• Proven track record of building, leading and managing diverse teams across a number of business areas and specialisms;
• Experience of developing services and contributing towards funding, income generation and business planning.

As well as having the ability to lead the team through an inclusive and empowering leadership style, the successful candidate must have the ability to influence at a high level across a range of services, stakeholders, commissioners and organisations.

The role will require regular attendance at meetings outside of normal working hours, therefore, the successful candidate must be willing to work flexible hours when required to meet work demands.

Voluntary Action Rotherham (VAR) is the lead body for supporting, developing and promoting the voluntary and community sector (VCS) in the Rotherham Borough. Our role is to facilitate effective action to bring about positive change in the lives of individuals and communities in the local area.

To apply for this role, please complete a VAR application form or send in your CV and a covering letter (outlining your skills and experience in relation to this role).

Closing date for applications is 12 noon on Friday 19th June 2026

Interviews are likely to be held on Friday 26th June 2026 at The Spectrum. We will, however, review applications as they are submitted and may bring candidates forward for an interview (with reasonable notice) at any time. We may also close this vacancy early if sufficient applications have been received.

Prospectus is excited to be partnering with our client in the search for a Head of Philanthropy on a maternity cover contract for up to 14 months. The new postholder will need to start no later than August 2026.

The Trust is the UK's leading social mobility charity. They believe every young person should have a chance in life, regardless of their family's income, the school they go to or where they grow up. But today in Britain, the opportunity to succeed is heavily shaped by socio-economic background. Each year, together with university and employer partners, they support over 14,000 young people to reach their potential through university, apprenticeship and career access programmes.

As the Head of Philanthropy, you will inherit a successful philanthropy area of fundraising for the organisation and will lead the team in securing major gifts and multi-year commitments across the individuals and trusts & foundations income streams. The postholder will join and at a brilliant moment of momentum for the organisation to secure income across the 2030 strategy period.  The Head of Philanthropy will also work closely with the Director of Development to ensure gold-standard stewardship for our high-value donors, coaching and developing line reports to ensure income generation targets are met across trusts, foundations, and individual donor income streams.

To be successful as the Head of Philanthropy will be an experienced leader and fundraiser, confident in securing new business through active prospecting and networking and ingrained knowledge of how to secure and steward HNWIs and trusts & foundations. This will ideally have been done at the six-figures-plus level and you will have significant experience in working with senior leaders and volunteers to cultivate meaningful relationships, steward HNWI, trusts, and foundations, and deliver robust prospect pipelines.

This role is a maternity cover contract position that will have hybrid working in the London offices for at least two days per week, for up to 14 months. The salary for this role is £60,000 to £72,000.  

At Prospectus we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds. Please let us know if we can help you with the application process in any way. We are more than happy to make any reasonable adjustments to enable all interested candidates to apply. If you have any disability and would like assistance with completing an application then please contact Ryan Burdock at Prospectus. 

If you are interested in applying to this Head of Philanthropy position, please submit your CV in the first instance. Should your experience be suitable, we will send you the full job description and will arrange for a call and/or meeting to brief you on the role. You'll then have all the information you need to formally apply. We are looking forward to connecting with you soon.

The Centre for Progressive Change is looking for a Safe Sick Pay Campaign Director that will be part of the newly formed Executive Team. This is an exciting time to be joining the campaign, as we capitalise on our successes so far and plan for our next big policy gain - increasing the rate of Statutory Sick Pay.

This role will be in charge of the Safe Sick Pay campaign including the strategy to see an increase in the rate of Statutory Sick Pay, fundraising to implement the strategy, hiring campaign team members, supporting the team to implement the strategy, holding the key stakeholder relationships, driving the campaign, and delivering parts of the campaign where needed.

As a member of the Executive Team, they will be part of the team responsible for the strategy, structure, team, culture and finances of the organisation.

Responsible to: Executive Director

Location: Office in Sustainable Ventures, Waterloo, London

Salary: £66,000 - £76,000 starting salary based on experience

Contract type: Permanent

Hours: Full-time

Working Rhythm: We work in sprints - working for about 6-7 weeks and then taking time off during the Parliamentary recesses. We offer 40-days of annual leave (including bank holidays).

Closing date and time: Monday 15th June, 9am

Please see the job pack for full details of the role, interview process and more information about The Centre for Progressive Change.

NEF is looking for a Senior Economist to lead ambitious, policy-relevant work on macroeconomics, public finance and the future of the UK economy. This is an exciting opportunity for a rigorous, creative and politically engaged economist who is motivated to develop bold, practical and well-evidenced policy ideas that can shift public debate and influence decision-makers.

The successful candidate will lead work across a wide range of areas, including fiscal policy, monetary policy, public investment, inflation, taxation, debt, living standards, industrial strategy, economic security, and the macroeconomic conditions needed for a fast and fair transition.

We are particularly interested in self-starters: people who can identify important economic questions, immerse themselves quickly in the evidence, and use data tools and AI intelligently to develop substantial projects from early idea through to impactful, public-facing outputs with limited supervision.

Role: Senior Economist – Macroeconomics
Hours of work: Full Time (32 hours per week under NEF’s Shorter Working Week)
Salary: £54,470 - £60,480
Location: London (in-office minimum two days per week)
Contract type: Permanent

How to apply

Deadline for applications: midnight, 12th June 2026
Interviews:  First stage interviews 24th June with second stage in person interviews on the 30th June

Start date: ASAP

Please send your CV and your answer to the following questions in Word format.

1. Set out how your experience meets the essential criteria in the job description (300 words max)

2. Identify one economic policy idea that NEF should develop over the next year. What problem would it address, what evidence would you need, and who would need to be persuaded? (200 words max)

3. Tell us about a substantial project or workstream you led, ideally from conception to delivery. How did you shape the question, manage any uncertainty and ensure the work had impact? (200 words max

4. Explain a complex economic issue you have worked on or wish to work on and do so as if you are briefing a busy MP. (200 words max)

Please also complete the Equality and Diversity monitoring form.

You must be eligible to work in the UK, as we are unable to sponsor visas.

Inclusivity at NEF:

NEF wants to be an inclusive workplace with a diverse body of staff. We don’t want to conform to the traditional think-tank model where people from certain backgrounds are hugely under-represented. We know we have some way to go in this and are therefore genuinely keen to receive applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic people; women; neurodivergent people; disabled people; people who identify as LGBT+; people with experience of mental health problems; and people who identify as working class or have done so in the past.

Accessibility and Equal Opportunity:

We value all candidates and are committed to equal opportunity. As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you during the application process, or would like information in an alternative format, please let us know.

We actively promote positive action to advance fairness and tackle underrepresentation within our workforce.

Interview Date: TBC

Are you looking for a rewarding role working for an intersectional feminist organisation? If so, we have an incredible opportunity for you to join our team as an Alliance Director (EHMP) at Solace Women's Aid.  

You will be joining a team of committed and inspiring individuals whose dedication has saved the lives of thousands of women, men and children in the capital. We are looking for friendly and diligent individuals to join our services and help us make a difference.

Our core values reflect our history and were developed in consultation with staff and service users. Feminism and intersectionality are key to our work, and we are committed to the principles of being survivor-led, trauma-informed, empowering, diverse, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory.

About the Service

Solace are one of seven members of the Enhanced Mental Health Pathfinder (EMHP) Alliance. The EMHP Alliance aims to improve care for adult victims and survivors of sexual assault and abuse with multiple complex trauma-related mental health needs, enabling recovery, healing and long-term wellbeing. To achieve this, the Pathfinder will strengthen collaboration between statutory and voluntary sector services, improve identification of complex trauma-related needs and develop the capacity and pathways required to deliver timely, sustained and trauma informed support.

About the Role

The Alliance Director (AD) will play a pivotal and inspiring leadership role at the heart of the Alliance Leadership Team, driving the Enhanced Mental Health Pathfinders Alliance forward with clarity and purpose. As a champion of the Alliance’s vision, the AD will be instrumental in turning ambition into impact.

Through dynamic and hands-on leadership, the AD will foster a powerful sense of unity, collaboration, and shared purpose across the Enhanced Mental Health Pathways Alliance. They will lead with energy and conviction, bringing partners together to work cohesively and effectively toward transformative outcomes.

Overseeing every aspect of the Alliance’s planning, delivery, governance, and continuous evolution, the AD will ensure that the Alliance not only operates with excellence today, but is constantly learning, adapting, and strengthening for the future. This is a role that demands both strategic vision and practical action, one that will shape and sustain a bold, collaborative approach to improving mental health pathways and making a lasting difference.

About You

The ideal candidate will be an exceptional, values-driven leader someone who brings not only expertise, but genuine passion for making a difference. You will thrive in navigating complexity, confidently leading ambitious programmes and driving meaningful, system-wide improvement that transforms lives.

With outstanding skills in project management, financial stewardship, organisational coordination, and communication, you will be the driving force that keeps the Alliance both grounded and forward-looking. You will ensure seamless day-to-day delivery, while simultaneously championing bold, long-term transformation and sustainable growth.

This is more than a role, it is an opportunity to lead with purpose, to inspire collaboration, and to leave a lasting legacy across the Alliance and the communities it serves.

What we can offer you

We provide a comprehensive benefits package to all our employees, including:

• Flexible working
• Focus on learning and development (internal career progression and training)
• Generous holiday entitlement
• Employer pension contribution
• Family-friendly leave and enhanced maternity pay
• Access to Inclusion Networks
• Daily clinical debriefing
• Employee Assistance Programme providing free 24/7 support and advice
• Employee Benefits Platform offering staff discounts, benefits and savings
• Flow & Restore yoga classes
• Meditation sessions
• Cycle to Work Scheme

How to apply

When applying for this role, kindly highlight in your Supporting Statement how your values, knowledge, transferrable skills, and experience align with each point within the following sections of the Job Profile Document:

• Values, Behaviours & Competencies
• Knowledge, Experience and Skills

Solace Women's Aid values diversity, promotes equity, and challenges discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, abilities, perspectives, and lived experiences. We have policies and processes in place to ensure that all employees are offered an equal opportunity in recruitment and selection, promotion, training, pay, and benefits. Our Inclusion Networks support staff with protected characteristics and offer inclusive spaces to connect.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments as needed and support employees who acquire a disability or long-term health condition, enabling them to stay in work.

This service is run by women for women and is therefore restricted to female applicants under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, and Part 1. Section 7(2) e of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 apply. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

As part of safer recruitment practices, we carry out pre-employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and right to work in the UK checks.

No agencies.

• Hours: 37.5 per week 

• Salary: £57,000 per annum 

• Contract: Permanent 

• Location: Our office, Unity Business Centre, 26 Roundhay Road, Leeds LS7 1AB 

• Deadline for applications: Monday 15th June, 12 Noon 

• Job Interview Date: Monday 29th June 

The Director of Finance, Corporate Services & Income is a senior leadership role responsible for ensuring Advonet is financially sustainable, well-run and resilient. The role provides strategic financial leadership, oversight of corporate services, and a significant focus on income generation and diversification.  

This role plays a critical part in strengthening Advonet’s long-term viability by improving financial decision‑making, embedding a culture of income awareness and diversification, and enabling managers and teams to contribute confidently to business development activity.  

Apply now

To find out more about this vacancy, please download our Recruitment Pack from our website. It has information on what the role involves, including key responsibilities and a person specification. There is also more about what working for Advonet is like, as well as information on our values and the benefits on offer.

To apply for this job we require a cover letter (max 500 words) and a CV diversity monitoring form. You can find more details about this in the Recruitment Pack.

For any questions about the role, please contact our office and ask to speak to Angela Ellis CEO.

Income Generation and Development Lead

Do you have experience of securing income across multiple streams?

This is an exciting opportunity to shape and lead a new phase of income generation and organisational sustainability within a growing and ambitious mental health charity.

Help shape the future of mental health support in Surrey

Position: Income Generation & Development Lead

Location: Surrey/Hybrid

Hours: Part-time, 3 days per week (0.6 FTE)

Salary: £55,000-£60,000 pro rata

Contract: Permanent

Benefits: 5% Pension Employer Contribution, Paid Sick Leave, Blue Light Card Scheme, Staff Social Events, Staff Social & Wellbeing Committee, Celebration Day (in addition to annual leave entitlement)

Closing Date: 28 June 2026, interviews will be scheduled for the beginning of July 2026.

The Role

The charity is investing in this role because they believe the organisation can significantly strengthen and diversify its income, increase unrestricted funding, and build new strategic partnerships and opportunities that support long-term impact across Surrey.

You will establish and lead a high-performing income generation function, bringing strategy, structure and momentum to activity that is currently fragmented and underdeveloped.

This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on delivery.

You will work closely with senior leadership at both the charity and Catalyst Support on selected partnership initiatives and collaborative opportunities that strengthen mental health support across Surrey. There is a clear expectation that the role will contribute significantly to improving the organisation’s financial resilience and move towards generating net financial contribution over time.

This is a rare opportunity to:

• Build an income generation function from the ground up
• Shape organisational strategy and sustainability
• Develop high-value partnerships and collaborative opportunities
• Work across innovation, community mental health and system partnerships
• Help position the charity as a key partner in improving mental health support across Surrey.

Key responsibilities include:

• Develop and lead an income generation strategy
• Build and manage a strong pipeline of funding opportunities
• Secure income from trusts, statutory and partnership sources
• Strengthen the case for support and external positioning
• Develop strategic partnerships and collaborative opportunities
• Establish systems, structure and focus across income generation activity.

The role will also contribute to selected partnership initiatives and joint funding opportunities with Catalyst Support as part of strengthening collaboration across the county.

About You

We are looking for someone who can build pipeline, secure funding, develop partnerships and create the systems and relationships needed for sustainable growth.

You will also:

• Have a strong track record of securing income across multiple streams
• Have built and converted funding pipelines into secured income
• Understand the UK charity and/or commissioning landscape
• Be able to work strategically while remaining hands-on and delivery-focused
• Be comfortable operating autonomously in a growing and evolving environment
• Bring energy, credibility and relationship-building strength.

You will have experience of:

• Securing income across multiple streams (trusts & foundations, statutory funding, corporate or major donors)
• Record of building and converting income pipelines into secured funding
• Developing and delivering income generation strategies
• Working within the UK charity and/or commissioning environment
• Translating organisational priorities and relationships into income opportunities
• Leading or significantly contributing to successful funding bids.

This role is not suited to someone looking to learn income generation in post. We need someone who can bring experience, momentum and delivery from the outset.

When you click to apply you will be asked to upload your CV and covering letter (in which you’ll explain how you feel your experience is suitable for the role). Please ensure you upload your documents in order to be considered for this role.

About the Organisation

The charity is a mental health and emotional wellbeing charity, supporting Surrey residents since 1994 in Banstead, Elmbridge, Epsom & Ewell and Mole Valley.

Offering a variety of face-to-face and online services, available to adults (aged 16+) living in Surrey who would like to restore and/or maintain their mental and emotional wellbeing (no diagnosis needed). The services are free of charge, with no waiting list and no time limit.

This post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check, and the successful completion of a probationary period.

You may also have experience in areas such as Income Generation and Development, Trusts Fundraiser, Foundations Fundraiser, Funding, Corporate Fundraiser, Major Donor Fundraiser, Fundraising, Fundraising Lead, Fundraising Manger, Income Generation Manager. #INDNFP

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.