Strategic programmes director jobs

Salary: £55,407 per annum.

Hours: 35 hrs per week

Place of work: Hybrid with a minimum requirement of 24 in-person days per annum and significant travel across the UK including overnight stays (at least once a month) 

Join Our Team!

We are looking for someone to join us who will take the lead on improving the quality and standards of care for people affected by Crohn’s and Colitis across the UK. As a member of the Senior Executive Team you will translate the strategic direction of the charity into tactical plans for healthcare professional support and quality improvement to achieve the charity’s strategic objectives.

About Us

We're the UK's leading charity for Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.  Right now, an estimated 500,000 people in the UK are living with a lifelong disease many people have never heard of and for which there is no known cure. Because of the stigma and misunderstanding surrounding these diseases, thousands of people are suffering in silence. But we’re here to support and champion their cause and our ambitious plans will help to make a real difference.

Role Overview 

You’ll work with the Director of Services, Research and Evidence to develop and implement a healthcare professional services strategy in accordance with the charity’s strategic aims.  You will deliver the charity’s strategic leadership of the IBD UK Alliance and associated programmes of work as well as the implementation of the National Primary Care Diagnostic Pathway for lower gastrointestinal symptoms, and building a support offer for IBD nurses. You’ll be leading the strategic planning and budgeting for the Health Professional Support & Standards team, providing visible and influential leadership to the charity and driving a culture of high-performance, collaboration and continuous improvement.

About You

It is essential that youhave significant experience working in a health charity, leading a team that delivers programmes to support healthcare professionals. This includes developing education, driving engagement, and leading quality improvement initiatives across primary and secondary care.

You will be an experienced leader with a strong track record of managing teams and influencing senior stakeholders to improve standards of care. This is not a clinical role; we are seeking someone with proven experience leading healthcare professional support, education, engagement, and quality improvement programmes within a charity setting, rather than someone whose experience is primarily clinical.

Please see our Recruitment Pack for details of our full Job Description and Person Specification.

Our Location

We are based in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, so we are easily accessible by road and rail.

In this role, there is plenty of scope for a hybrid approach working from home, although there will be times when you will need to be at face-to-face meetings with your team or our partner agencies. There is a requirement for you to attend a minimum of 24 in person days a year, and the charity’s mandatory ‘All Staff Together’ days which take place four times a year at our offices in Hatfield or a location in London.  There will be a requirement for significant travel and overnight stays around the UK (once a month on average). 

Benefits

• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing one day per year up to 30 days
• Salary Sacrifice Pension scheme
• Flexible working options
• Enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity pay
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Wellbeing programme
• Interest free loan for season tickets
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free parking and secure bike locks
• Training and development financial support and/or study leave
• Performance review and development scheme

Mission Without Borders UK are seeking an exceptional Major Donors, Trusts & Partnerships Manager to help drive our mission forward and make a lasting difference for children and families across Eastern Europe.

Mission Without Borders (MWB) is a Christian organisation working in some of the most challenging contexts in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine. We come alongside children, families, and communities living in poverty, offering practical, emotional and spiritual support, sharing the hope found in Jesus Christ to enable people to move towards self-sufficiency.

MWB UK is entering an exciting period of growth. With an ambitious five‑year plan underway, we are seeking to strengthen our work with major donors, charitable trusts, foundations, and Gift‑in‑Kind (GIK) partners to expand our impact and reach more people in need.

About the role

This is a pivotal and high‑impact role, perfect for a talented relationship‑based fundraiser who is motivated by purpose, strategy, and the power of partnership.

You will:

· Build and manage a strong portfolio of major donors, developing tailored engagement plans that inspire deep and long‑term support.

· Grow income from charitable trusts, foundations, and statutory funders through high‑quality applications and outstanding stewardship.

· Lead MWB UK’s Gift‑in‑Kind strategy, securing in‑kind products and managing the logistics journey from offer to delivery into field countries.

· Craft compelling proposals and impact reports that clearly articulate MWB’s vision and programme outcomes.

· Collaborate with passionate colleagues across MWB’s international network to identify funding priorities, shape supporter experiences, and maximise impact.

· Contribute strategically to MWB UK’s fundraising plans, spotting opportunities, and driving income growth.

This role blends hands‑on relationship management with strategic ownership.  This is ideal for someone who thrives on initiative, creativity, and wants to see their work translate into real, tangible change for vulnerable people.

About you

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

· Proven experience securing income from major donors and/or charitable trusts.

· Excellent relational skills with the ability to connect, inspire, and build trust.

· Strong written and verbal communication skills, including crafting persuasive proposals.

· A proactive, organised, detail‑driven approach with the ability to prioritise effectively.

· A genuine alignment with MWB’s Christian ethos and values.

If MWB’s vision is a cause that inspires you and the position fits with your skills, values and experience, then we would love to hear from you.

The position offers flexibility with a mix of home working and office based to be discussed. This is a full-time position, but we are open to hearing from candidates who can work a minimum of 4 days a week.

What we offer

· 30 days holiday per year

· Flexible working

· Employee Assistance Programme

· Pension scheme

· Opportunities to travel to projects in our field countries, as required

How to apply

Please send a covering letter of no more than 2 pages highlighting your reasons for applying and explaining your how your skills, experience and values align with the role.

Please see the Job Description below for more details.  If an informal conversation about the role would help, please call or email us.

We are actively interviewing as applications come in, so please apply now.

The Head of Operations is responsible for the effective and efficient delivery of all operational functions of the Foundation to enable achievement of its global mission and strategic objectives.  The Head of Operations ensures that systems, people, processes and resources are aligned to support programmes across multiple countries while maintiaing high standardds of governance, risk management and financial stewardship.

This is a senior leadership role, working closely with the CEO and Members of the Foundation around the world, acting as the key bridge between strategy and delivery.

Global Acquisition Executive 

Remote | Full-time | Up to £30,000

Join Animals Asia at a pivotal moment in our mission to end cruelty and restore respect for animals across Asia. We are on a historic journey to end bear bile farming and transform the lives of captive animals.

This is your chance to grow a global supporter community that creates real impact. Every new supporter you connect with expands our reach, strengthens campaigns, and brings us closer to a cruelty-free future.

We are looking for a Global Acquisition Officer to help attract new supporters through high-quality content that connects people to our mission and inspires action. Reporting to the Global Acquisition Manager, you’ll deliver multi-channel campaigns across global markets, including paid social, PPC and other digital channels. You’ll craft engaging digital content, design and optimise donation and landing pages, and track performance to continually improve results.

You’ll collaborate with teams across Individual Giving, Communications, Supporter Care, Data, Technology, and Insights and Programs to bring stories to life and run campaigns that motivate supporters to act. You’ll also contribute to wider Acquisition programs, from DRTV and cold mailing to digital lead generation.

This role is ideal for someone early in their digital fundraising or marketing career who is organised, analytical, and creative. You’ll thrive if you bring a data-driven approach with experience in testing and optimising campaigns and turning innovative ideas into measurable results.

If you have 1–2 years’ experience in digital fundraising, direct marketing, individual giving, or a similar role, and are excited by the chance to grow a supporter base that fuels campaigns with real-world impact, we’d love to hear from you.

Closing date: 13th March 2026

Funders In Good was founded to support Muslim donors in the UK who want to achieve strategic, long-term impact but lack the capacity, connections, or expertise to give effectively. We provide tailored financial grants and strategic support to social ventures serving Islam and Muslims, helping them scale, strengthen systems, and increase long-term impact. Our focus is on ventures and leaders contributing to a society where commitment to God flourishes.

Since 2021, we have grown from nine seed funders to over 130 members in our invitation-only Funder Network. Members contribute financially and through skills, receive quarterly progress reports, access events, and connect with other funders. This network is part of our wider community, which includes our team and the ventures we back.

As Funder Development Manager, you will shape this network by developing a compelling value proposition, building acquisition pipelines, nurturing funders, and curating engagement programs that deepen alignment with our mission. Success relies on both fundraising expertise and emotional intelligence: you will build trust with a diverse range of donors and philanthropists, navigating conversations about values, faith, impact, and community with warmth and confidence.

This senior, outward-facing role carries responsibility for income generation, stewardship, and relationship-building.

Please read the JD to find out more, application deadline is midnight 8th March 2026.

This is a rare opportunity to lead at the heart of a respected charity during a pivotal moment as we embark on an ambitious programme to modernise our estate, expand services, and create a high‑quality environment for patients, families, and our team. 

As our new Finance and Facilities Director, you will balance long‑term capital investment with protection of core revenue and creation of new commercial opportunities. In addition to providing strategic financial leadership and overseeing key resources (finance, digital/IT, estates & facilities, and health & safety), you will bring clarity, insight, and innovation by being data-driven and helping us grow new income streams that complement our fundraising, retail, and lottery operations.

For the right individual, this is a career-defining role. You will make a lasting and tangible difference: securing our financial future, enabling a once‑in‑a‑generation capital project, and ensuring our estate and resources support outstanding care for generations to come.

If you are inspired by the opportunity to lead, influence, and deliver meaningful impact within a much‑loved local charity, we would love to hear from you.

For more information about this role and an application pack please go to the Job Opportunities page of the St Michael's Hospice (Hastings and Rother) website.

At St Michael’s Hospice we offer a friendly, team orientated work environment – a good pension scheme with the option to continue any existing NHS pension scheme membership, an Employee Assistance Programme (Benenden Healthcare), up to 33 days annual leave plus bank holidays, subsidised employee meals and free refreshments, free parking, supportive supervision along with a proactive Education Department to support with your development. Hospice employees also qualify for a Blue Light Card with access to a huge array of discounts.

To apply for this position, please send your CV and covering letter to our CEO - Dr Karen Clarke.

Candidates who require assistance with the application process due to a disability, should contact the St Michael's Hospice (Hastings and Rother) HR team to discuss alternative methods to apply.

The Talent Set is delighted to be partnering with the British Asian Trust to recruit an Associate Director of Programme Fundraising (maternity cover - 9 months), who will play a pivotal role in strategically leading fundraising across their institutional, trusts and foundations and strategic corporate partnership income streams.

Associate Director of Programme Fundraising
£80,000 - £85,000 dependent on experience
9 month maternity cover
London with hybrid working (2dpw onsite in their White City office)

The British Asian Trust is a diaspora-led international development organisation, delivering programmes tackling problems and inequalities in the areas of education, livelihoods, mental health, child protection and conservation in South Asia.

The scale and complexity of the challenges in South Asia demand innovative and ambitious approaches to tackling them. The British Asian Trust works in partnership with others to design and deliver programmes, raise funds and convene partnerships that combine new social finance tools, philanthropy and technology to deliver impact at scale.

The Associate Director of Programme Fundraising plays a critical role within this set up - leading and shaping the programme fundraising strategy to secure large scale partnerships with institutional donors, trusts and foundations and strategic corporate partners. The position holds an integral central point of contact between internal and external stakeholders (in the London HQ and internationally), developing complex and compelling funding propositions while cultivating key donor relationships and ensuring the delivery of ambitious income targets. 

As Associate Director of Programme Fundraising you will lead a high-performing team of 6, with matrix management/collaboration with colleagues based in India and Pakistan, as an active member of the Fundraising Leadership team. 

The British Asian Trust operates a dynamic, impact-driven culture - requiring an individual with the technical skills and expertise to drive growth of these core income streams whilst delegating multiple competing priorities and navigating a complex funding environment.

About the role:

• Further develop and implement the programme fundraising strategy, focused on securing funding from institutional donors, trusts and foundations and corporate partners aligned with BAT's core programmatic areas. 
• Cultivate and manage key relationships with funders, influencers and wider relevant networks.
• Lead a high performing team, managing and delegating multiple competing priorities to balance organisational requirements for programme fundraising efficiently. 
• Further develop systems and processes that underpin programme fundraising, including prospect research, compliance, donor engagement, proposition development and reporting.
• Operate as an active and effective member of the Fundraising Leadership Team, collaborating with the Programme, Finance and Communications teams to align policies and processes. 

About You:

• A proven track record in programme fundraising, securing multi-million-pound funding from institutional donors, trusts and foundations. 
• Experience in international development/social impact sectors with a strong understanding/wider awareness of outcome based fundraising models. 
• Team leader, with expertise of managing high-performing teams and delegating tasks effectively.
• An agile approach/"test and learn" mentality to adapt approaches/pivot activity as necessary within a dynamic environment and shifting donor priorities.
• Strong relationship manager, with expertise of engaging a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders (including high-value funders and in-country teams).

Deadline for CVs: Friday 6th March at 12pm

How to Apply
To apply, please submit your CV demonstrating your suitability for this role by clicking the 'apply now' button (please do not apply via email). We aim to get back to all successful candidates within 48 working hours.

Commitment to Diversity
The Talent Set are committed to diverse and inclusive recruitment practices, ensuring equal opportunities for all applicants regardless of race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability, or age. We actively encourage applications from a wide range of backgrounds and are always happy to make reasonable adjustments to ensure a fair recruitment process.

Job Purpose

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

1. Build Regular Giving – retain and maximise value from the regular giving base

2. Drive All Donors to Legacy – ensure donors experience best-in-class stewardship, increasing their loyalty to the charity with an objective of feeding into legacy and long-term giving goals.

3. Maximise Growth Through Digital Fundraising Integration – leading the expansion and optimisation of digital growth for all existing supporters.

The Retention Lead is responsible for delivering Operation Smile UK’s strategic individual giving retention and legacy marketing programme. This role is key to driving income growth from our existing donors from the point of recruitment, maximising value and minimising attrition from the regular giving pool and generating and retaining legacy actions and prospects.

You will lead on the strategy, planning, delivery and evaluation of retention campaigns, with full accountability for managing significant budgets, agency partnerships and performance metrics.

You will support the development of the Legacy strategy, be instrumental in planning legacy activity and delivering legacy marketing for the existing supporter base across all income streams and methods of support, from Partnerships, Volunteers and public fundraisers.

This is a senior, hands-on role suited to an experienced Individual giving fundraiser with strong commercial acumen and a data-driven mindset.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Campaign Leadership

• Develop and implement the retention strategy, aligned with income targets and supporter growth objectives.
• Lead on the planning and delivery of campaigns across cash, donor stewardship, legacy prospecting and stewardship, welcome, conversion, reactivation and upgrade appeals.
• Lead on strategic development of the cultivation journey to ensure Operation Smile maximise growth through digital channels.
• Monitor and report on campaign performance, providing insight-driven recommendations to optimise results.
• Drive testing and innovation to expand existing approaches and introduce new ones within acceptable risk and return parameters.

Budget Ownership & Performance Monitoring

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

Line Management

• Provide day-to-day leadership and support to the Retention team, ensuring clarity of objectives, effective workload management, and professional development opportunities.
• Conduct regular 1:1s, annual appraisals, and performance reviews for direct reports, supporting their growth and accountability.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive team culture, encouraging innovation, learning, and high standards of delivery.
• Provide strategic and operational direction to external agencies or freelancers working on retention projects.

Agency & Partner Management

• Manage day-to-day relationships with external fundraising and creative partners.
• Lead on the relationship with the external fulfilment agency working with multiple internal stakeholders to ensure an effective partnership is in place.
• Lead briefings, content sourcing, agent training, stakeholder approvals, and quality assurance processes.
• Negotiate contracts and hold suppliers accountable for delivery and performance.

Cross-Team and Market Integration

• Represent the retention and legacy programme in cross-functional planning meetings and contribute to a unified team culture focused on strategic delivery.
• Work closely with the Acquisition and Digital lead to deliver a seamless supporter journey from point of recruitment to donor communications.
• Work closely with the Philanthropy Manager to develop and manage the pipeline of HV/Major donors.
• Work closely with the Legacy administrator, Philanthropy Manager and Volunteer Manager to develop the legacy pipeline.
• Work closely to ensure all digital communications are aligned and support the retention strategy
• Act as a key liaison with colleagues across Operation Smile global markets, sharing insights and exploring opportunities to align strategy, co-develop creative, or pilot cross-market initiatives.

Compliance, Risk & Best Practice

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

Person specification

Essential Experience

• Extensive experience (ideally 5+ years) in Individual Giving, Legacy or fundraising acquisition roles.
• Proven success delivering multi-channel (including digital) retention campaigns for both cash, legacy and regular giving donors with strong ROI.
• Experience managing external agencies and suppliers to high performance standards.
• Strong background in regular giving retention.
• Demonstrable experience managing and reporting on retention budgets.

Skills & Attributes

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

Desirable

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

First-round interviews are set for the week of 9th March 2026. We strongly encourage early applications.

Disability Confident Committed Employer

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

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

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

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

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

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

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

The strategic growth manager is responsible for creating and carrying out business development work across the charity, with a primary focus on grants and public sector tender opportunities, as well as managing a team with their own growth targets in distinct areas. They report in to the Deputy Charity Director.

All the tasks carried out in this role will contributeto the core purpose of the charity, enabling us to transform the access to and experience of mental health support, for young people.
This is a new position within a new team, focused on the growth of the charity, offering the opportunity to enhance Open Door’s approach to business development, as we create new long-term partnerships.

Based at the Bloom Building in Birkenhead and soon within our new home ‘Joy’, the role offers a flexible and collaborative working environment, engaging with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders that align with Open Door’s values and mission.

Check out the candidate pack for full details.

The Volunteer Pogramme Manager will be responsible for the programming, planning, organisation, administration and delivery of HOME’s Volunteer Programme, which aims to:

• Provide a diverse range of people with the opportunity to develop skills and improve their wellbeing within the unique environment of a creative contemporary arts centre

• Develop employability and emotional intelligence skills

• Contribute to developing future talent within the cultural sector

• Diversify HOME’s workforce

Main Duties

• Collaborate with staff across the organisation to champion, programme, plan, organise and deliver HOME’s Volunteer Programme.

• Recruit, monitor, rota and support volunteers. Organise inductions and training for all volunteers. Ensuring they are appropriately trained and matched to roles and that volunteers with additional needs are supported.

• Oversee communications to all volunteers ensuring they have all information needed to succeed in their role, including sending a weekly newsletter and providing role briefing information.

• Work closely with Engagement team members to ensure that opportunities are targeted towards participants, partners and groups we are working with where appropriate.

• Work with the Customer Service Team to ensure appropriate staff are trained and/ or supported to enable them to support and develop volunteers.

• Ensure appropriate staff are kept aware of best practice in relation to volunteering and of any changes in legislation that relate to this strand.

• Develop pathways for the personal development of volunteers we work with at HOME, supporting them in their endeavors beyond our programmes.

• Develop strategic partnerships and relationships to ensure HOME’s programme and associated opportunities reach out across the city and into the other 9 boroughs of Greater Manchester.

• Work with Communications staff to ensure suitable publicity and other promotional material is produced and distributed to promote the Volunteer Programme.

• Manage and control the Volunteer Programme budget in liaison with the Director of Audiences, and to assist in raising additional financial support when necessary.

• Maintain monitoring as well as record keeping systems to evaluate work and prepare material for the written reports for HOME's Board and funders.

• Represent HOME at relevant conferences and events and be an advocate for this programme of work internally, locally, regionally and nationally.

• Ensuring that all individuals who are legally required to undertake a DBS check are vetted before beginning relevant activity.

• Work collaboratively and supportively as a member of HOME, playing a key role in developing and delivering an integrated, inclusive, vibrant and creative programme of work.

• Ensure that all quarterly and annual reporting is completed on time and in full.

Additional duties

• Perform all tasks in line with HOME's commitment to providing the widest employee access.

• Take part in working groups & training sessions as required.

• Be an advocate and ambassador for HOME.

• Uphold and follow values and GMAC policies, particularly those around diversity, environmental sustainability, access, safeguarding, H&S & GDPR.

• Keep up to date with financial, administrative and operational best practice.

• Undertake any additional duties within the scope of the role as requested by the Director of the department or CEO.

• Work evenings and weekends if required.

• Undertake national and international travel if required.

This is not an exhaustive list of duties and HOME’s management may, at any time, allocate other duties which are of a similar nature or level. 

Are you passionate about tackling the issues faced by young people such as school absence, loneliness and career opportunities, and determined in supporting their development of life and employability skills? Then there is a place for you at WeMindTheGap. 

We are seeking a special person to fill a new role, Director of Operations. You will bridge the gap between our Board of Trustees, CEO and Operational Delivery. You will be responsible for turning our 5-year plan into high-quality sustainable action while ensuring that our culture remains the golden thread running through everything we do. To do this you will need to be able to effectively manage our growing team of circa 31 staff, line manage our Senior Leadership Team, maximise our yearly budget of roughly £1.7 million, and monitor and report on our Key Performance Indicators directly to our CEO.

Over the last decade, WeMindTheGap has walked alongside the most amazing young people aged 11–25yrs who have fallen through the gaps to find their place in the world. However, sadly, factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic mean that the need for our programmes is greater than ever.  

That is why we have launched an ambitious 5-year plan to deepen our impact and expand our ‘Villages’. Through our place-based approach and continuum of five programmes, we provide our 'Gappies' with work and life skills opportunities, a sense of belonging in their communities, and a chance to build independent, fulfilling lives. 

If you are an individual who thrives in social system changes, complex systems work, if you are driven by purpose and want to be part of an organisation that changes the lives of young people today and for our future generations, we want to hear from you. 

Location: In-person at our WeConnect Hubs (Wrexham, Flintshire, Cheshire) 
Salary: £50,000 
Hours: Full-time, 5 days a week (37.5 hours) 
Start Date: ASAP, ideally by 01/05/2026 (negotiable) 
Contract: Permanent 
Deadline: 12:00pm, 11th of March 2026

To find out more and how to apply, please download and read our full ‘Director of Operations - Recruitment Pack’. 

Please note, the deadline for applying is 11th March 2026 and if chosen for stage 2 you must be available for interview in-person on 31st March or 1st of April 2026.

Sport England is entering a defining period of change. As we deliver our long term strategy to improve lives and strengthen communities through physical activity, we are reshaping how we work.  We are embedding clearer accountability, greater efficiency, and a culture focused on high performance and purposeful delivery. 

We are now seeking an Executive Director, Investments to provide clarity, ambition and steady leadership through this transformation. 

In this role, you will balance strategic vision with practical delivery, inspiring a modern and diverse workforce to thrive. You will shape how we invest public and National Lottery funds so that everyone, regardless of background can experience the benefits of sport and physical activity. 

Funded through a blend of National Lottery investment and grant in aid from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Sport England relies on strong, strategic stewardship. As Executive Director, Investments, you will lead our entire investment portfolio, setting direction and overseeing the design, delivery and evaluation of funding programmes that increase participation in sport and active recreation. Your leadership will ensure our investments are inclusive, targeted and deliver maximum impact. 

As a key member of our Leadership Team, you will also help shape Sport England’s culture, promoting cross functional collaboration and modelling inclusive, accountable, high performing leadership. 

We are looking for an experienced senior leader from a complex organisation, with a strong track record in strategic planning, resource management, and delivering largescale programmes or investments. You will be confident operating at board level, adept at leading through change, and skilled at building trusted partnerships across sector. 

Experience in the sport, public or charity sectors is welcome but not essential – what matters is your ability to bring strategic clarity to this role.   

If you’re passionate about enabling impactful, inclusive outcomes for communities nationwide and excited by the opportunity to shape and strengthen Sport England from within please register your interest at Odgers.

Do you want to join an organisation committed to addressing low literacy and numeracy levels amongst people in the criminal justice system?

We’ve made substantial progress in recent years, with improvements and expansions to our delivery model and significant growth in our staff team. In Spring 2026, we will launch our refreshed organisational strategy, which will shape our work over the next three years and beyond. To support this growth, we are recruiting for a full time Director of People to help provide strategic people leadership to our growing team of staff and volunteers.

In this pivotal leadership role, you will shape and deliver our People and Culture strategy, ensuring an inclusive, values‑driven and high‑performing environment for our people. You will lead organisation‑wide strategic workforce planning, oversee the full employee lifecycle, and champion initiatives that strengthen engagement, wellbeing and belonging. As a core member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will advise on all workforce matters, drive leadership development, and support our managers to build capability and confidence. You will ensure our HR, volunteering and people operations run smoothly and efficiently, modernising processes and maintaining compliance with employment law, safeguarding requirements and best practice. You will also provide strategic oversight of EDIB work, reward and recognition frameworks, and organisational risk, while leading a dedicated team covering HR, learning and development, and volunteering.

The role requires excellent communication and organisational skills, strong knowledge of employment law, the ability to coach and influence senior leaders, and the capacity to work autonomously while managing multiple priorities effectively. You must be IT literate, with a good working knowledge of the commonly used Microsoft business tools, and be able to work independently. The role calls for a hands-on, collaborative, people‑centred leader with strong emotional intelligence, an inclusive and values‑driven mindset, and the ability to think strategically while remaining performance‑focused and learner‑centred.

We want to hear from applicants who are as committed to the cause as we are.

This is a home-based role but may require occasional travel around the UK including overnight stays. This role is 5 days per week (35 hours) with working days/hours to be mutually agreed in line with business needs.

Employee benefits include a company contribution to pension scheme of up to 5%, 30 days holiday plus bank holidays, life insurance, paid volunteering days, discounts via Reward Gateway and an Employee Assistance Programme. The biggest benefit though is our culture – our people really want to work for the organisation.

We welcome job applications from people with lived experience of the criminal justice system and do not routinely ask for details of any criminal convictions.

Interviews, which will be held online, will take place on 31st March and 1st April 2026

Citizens UK

Citizens UK is the UK’s biggest, most diverse and most effective people-powered alliance. We bring communities and local organisations together to work on issues that matter; from campaigning for zebra crossings on dangerous roads, to reforming the immigration system, to the Living Wage campaign. We have a track record of winning change through hundreds of local and national campaigns. We know everyday people have the ability to shape the world around them. We believe that through developing local leaders, we can drive nationwide change and create community-led solutions to big and small problems.

Living Wage Foundation

The Living Wage movement began in 2001, after Citizens UK brought together communities in East London to discuss poverty and low pay. The campaign grew in momentum and soon required a mechanism to recognise employers who wanted to join the movement, which saw the establishment of the Living Wage Foundation in 2011.

Still part of Citizens UK today, the Living Wage Foundation continues to work with community organisations to make sure the voices of both workers and businesses are part of the Living Wage movement. We now work with over 16,000 employers, benefitting over 475,000 people and winning over £3bn of better wages for people who need it most.

Citizens UK works with a broad base of institutions across the political spectrum. At the Living Wage Foundation, we take the same deliberately broad-based approach and accredit all organisations who pay the real Living Wage to their directly and indirectly employed staff and are committed to tackling in work poverty. As a team we work across a range of industries and sectors to achieve this mission. We seek pragmatic coalitions in order to progress specific campaigns, and partnership around a particular issue such as Living Wage, does not imply an endorsement of broader purpose and policies.

Purpose

At Citizens UK, our organisers and project staff work within communities to develop leaders, strengthen organisations, campaign for change and organise across difference. There are various project roles and operational, communication, finance and HR roles that support the organisation and project staff and organisers to deliver on this mission and work. This work is rewarding and can be challenging; it requires a personal commitment to inclusion, a willingness to listen and disagree respectfully, and an interest in working in an organisation where our staff, member institutions and leaders will come from a diversity of backgrounds and often hold views that may be very different from our own. More information about how we operate within this context and build trusted relationships across difference can be found on our website and is covered in induction. Onboarding and navigating this relational culture, and type of work, is supported by line managers and further training.

Main Responsibilities

We are looking for highly motivated and organised individual to coordinate our accreditation scheme. The role will work with our network of employers, and support new organisations through the accreditation process.

The Programme Officer will lead our work in Yorkshire and Humber support our Managers to grow and deepen engagement with Living Wage Employers through our associated schemes. You will help to ensure our resources and publicity materials are well written and up-to-date, and to coordinate events to grow our employer network.

Working as the Programme Officer for Citizens UK, reporting to a Programme Manager, your main responsibilities will include:

Contribute towards the achievement of CUK and LWF’s strategic objectives

Understand how the role contributes to LWF’s purpose and the core mission of CUK.

Reliably implement CUK’s and LWF’s policies, procedures, and values in own work.

Work with CUK community organisers and leaders to promote civic engagement with and ownership of the Living Wage campaign.

Feed into the LWF strategy and objectives development.

Living Wage Accreditation:

Support key contacts at potential LW Employers through the accreditation process, from dealing with initial enquiries to guiding them through the employer journey, to checking and processing their accreditation.

Develop rewarding relationships with key employers, industry, and campaign partners within our networks to build interest in the Living Wage and deliver a high-quality experience to our accredited employers.

With support from the wider team, develop plans and strategies to grow the number of accreditations in specific regions or industries.

Collate and disseminate Living Wage criteria and policy issues through both internal and external facing guidance, whilst reviewing and monitoring its suitability.

Support the development and implementation of projects to promote and grow Living Wage accreditations and develop the quality of service offered.

Build and manage projects and achieve work targets effectively

Successfully progress projects and tasks incl. tracking performance and expenditure.

Deliver agreed areas of the LWF’s work plan and leading on agenda items to report into team meetings.

Support the growth and development of new and existing Living Wage schemes incl. Recognised Service Providers, LW Funders, LW Places, Living Hours, Global Living Wage and Living Work Consultancy.

Deliver personal work targets on time and to standard:

Respond to telephone and web-based enquiries by providing advice and support to employers and supporters.

Provide administrative support for all aspects of the accreditation journey, incl. processing accreditations, recognitions, and renewals.

Maintain LWF data on systems, incl. Salesforce employer database.

Support the maintenance of our systems to ensure efficient processes and develop reporting mechanisms for effective monitoring and evaluation of our impact and progress against plans.

Coordinate and administrate Steering, Advisory or Leadership Groups as required, incl. coordinating agendas, sending out timely papers, taking minutes and following up on actions.

Learning & expertise

Keep abreast of new developments in the accreditation space.

Apply new learning to work and respond effectively to feedback.

Work collaboratively with the LWF and franchise teams to share learnings and experience and ensure that we are meeting the expectations of our network and stakeholders.

Develop and manage external relationships

Effectively develop and support a range of external relationships.

Respond effectively to queries or requests from stakeholders.

Engage with a diverse range of external stakeholders to support and develop projects as required.

Communications

Communicate effectively within the LWF; ensuring that messages are reliably passed to those who need to know.

Represent the LWF coherently in writing and verbally.

Events and Communications.

Plan and organise events to celebrate and grow our network of LW Employers, incl. playing an active role in the delivery of LW Week and assisting colleagues with event logistics

Represent and speak on behalf of the LWF at internal and external meetings and events.

Develop or feed into employer resources incl. marketing materials, blogs, reports, templates, and guides.

Develop and manage internal relationships

Work effectively with colleagues across Citizens UK.

Work collaboratively within the LWF team and actively participate in the team to ensure we meet the expectations of our network and stakeholders.

Generate income and resources

Contribute to plans and proposals to grow sources of income/resource.

Take personal responsibility for the careful stewardship of LWF’s resources.

Personal Specification

(D) Desirable, (E) Essential

EXPERIENCE:

Comprehensive experience in an administrative role (E)

Experience of building positive relationships (E)

Experience of managing and updating Salesforce or similar databases (D)

Experience of delivering a range of high quality communications materials, including websites, reports, newsletters (D)

KEY SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Excellent time management skills with the ability to juggle a wide range of competing demands (E)

Understanding of database and systems management (E)

Ability to take in and interpret information and present in a succinct manner (E)

Excellent communication skills, both verbally and written, combined with the ability to liaise with senior stakeholders (E)

Ability to act on own initiative to introduce and develop new systems as appropriate (E)

Strong attention to detail  (E)

Strong IT skills to include MS Office and database software (E)

Understanding of the policy and campaign landscape in the UK (D)

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

A proactive approach to all areas of work with a ‘can do’ attitude and a flexible approach to work demands (E)

A strong commitment to the Living Wage campaign and principles of Citizens UK (E)

About the application process

We work within diverse communities bringing people together. In line with our Inclusion value, we would love to see applications from LGBTQIA+ people, people from racialised communities, people living with disabilities and people of faith, all to better represent the communities we work in. We want our employees to have the working conditions that allows them to fully participate, be able to be their best authentic selves and thrive doing so, and we have employee networks to support staff. Even if you don’t quite meet all the required criteria still consider applying, as we invest in our employees and support them to develop the skills and knowledge required to deliver their role.

For questions and reasonable adjustments regarding your application including information in a different format, or our recruitment process, please email us.

Interviews will be in person in Leeds, week commencing 30th March.