Jobs for the Youth and Children sector

We are looking for an experienced Regional Opperations Lead, to coordination all aspects of the StreetDoctors operations within the Midlands  Region and to ensure our programmes are fit for the future.

We are an award-winning national charity  which trains over 20,000 young people affected by street violence each year in emergency first-aid, through a team of 250 healthcare volunteers and youth workers. We empower young people with the skills to become part of the solution to violence by developing their skills and confidence to save lives and increasing their understanding of the medical and psychological consequences of violence.

As the StreetDoctors lead for the region, you will provide leadership in partnership development, volunteer management, the delivery of training and maintaining quality standards.
The key areas of focus include:

• To create, develop and maintain partnerships with a range of organisations including, funders, commissioners, community organisations, criminal justice organisations, education providers and youth organisations.
• To develop and manage engaged volunteers and youth workers and ensure their expectations are aligned to the organisation's objectives and provide the best volunteering experience possible.
• To deliver training and ensure the quantity and quality of projects meet the required targets and new opportunities are maximised.

At StreetDoctors we believe diversity supports innovation and creativity. We are committed to equality of opportunity, being inclusive, and being representative of the people we are here to support. We would therefore encourage applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds.

Cerebra is the national charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with neurological conditions and their families. We provide vital research, support, and practical solutions that empower families facing complex challenges.

With an annual income of £3 million and a headcount of 68 employees, we have ambitious plans to double our income between 2025 and 2027, ensuring we can extend our impact, reach more families, and drive real change. To achieve this, we are investing in fundraising innovation, income generating ventures, and strategic partnerships, alongside enhancing our brand to increase our national recognition.

Our work is underpinned by our values ensuring that everything we do aligns with our mission to create a better world for children with neurological conditions.

This is an incredibly exciting time to join Cerebra, as we are preparing to launch our new strategy and brand. The COO is a vital leadership role that will support the drive towards even greater impact for children and families across the UK.

Our Services

Sleep Advice Service

Cerebra understands that if you have a child that doesn’t sleep, the whole family suffers. Many children with neurological conditions suffer from disrupted sleep. Our sleep advice service provides bespoke advice and support so that everyone can get a good night’s sleep.

Legal Rights Service

Our Legal Rights Service provides help and support to families of children with neurological conditions when they are faced with barriers and difficulties in accessing statutory support services they are entitled to. The service provides information on their legal entitlements.

Book and Toy Library Service

Our specialist postal lending library contains a wide range of books for both adults and children, plus a selection of sensory toys specifically chosen for children with a neurological condition.

Innovation and Product Design Service

Our Innovation Service designs and builds bespoke products that cater to the specific needs of children with neurological conditions. The aim of the service is to make products that are desirable and exciting, therefore promoting social inclusion, peer acceptance and enabling children to participate in everyday activities that are so often close to them.

Information Products

Cerebra publishes different information products to help families with a child with a neurological condition. Our information products offer comprehensive, up-to-date support and research-driven strategies to assist families with a wide range of issues.

Buzgi and Toy Adaptation Service

Cerebra designs and builds bespoke assistive equipment for disabled children, this includes creating custom mobility aids, switch‑adapted toys, and other innovative solutions to help children access play, learning, and independence.

The Bugzi - a mini powered wheelchair for children offers many children their first experience of independent mobility. It uses either a joystick or switches and adaptable seating for complex needs, and helps develop spatial awareness, confidence, and early mobility skills. The Bugzi is available through a national loan scheme.

Additionally, we operate commercial services (including a web shop) to supplement our income to support children and their families.

Our services are provided to families free of charge.

Job Title:

Chief Operating Officer

Reports To:

Chief Executive Officer

Direct reports:

3 senior managers (Finance (headcount of 3), HR (headcount of 1), IT (headcount of 5))

Purpose of the Role:

The Chief Operating Officer will play a vital role in supporting the Chief Executive Officer, Board and Leadership Team to deliver Cerebra’s vision and ambitious strategic aims. The Chief Operating Officer will provide strategic leadership and operational management across key areas within Cerebra including:

• Operational Systems
• Governance
• Compliance
• Finance and Growth

This is a pivotal executive leadership role, responsible for driving organisational performance, sustainability and growth. The COO will translate Cerebra’s strategic ambitions into effective operational delivery, ensuring robust governance, financial stewardship and a high-performing, values-led culture.

As a trusted advisor to the CEO and Board, the COO will lead core operational services and commercial activity, enabling the charity to maximise impact and generate sustainable income in support of its charitable objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Executive Leadership

• Partner with the CEO and Board to deliver strategic priorities, growth and long-term sustainability
• Collaboration with the Director’s Group to ensure strategic alignment across the charity. The Director’s Group consists of:

            Chief Executive Officer

            Chief Operating Officer

            Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications

            Director of Research and Support Services

• Provide expert advice on finance, operations, commercial performance and organisational risk
• Lead organisational planning, business continuity, and operational resilience
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability and inclusion

Finance, Commercial & Sustainability

• Lead financial strategy, planning and performance, ensuring long-term sustainability
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, cashflow and financial controls
• Lead and develop Cerebra’s strategy for commercial income , ensuring alignment with charitable objectives
• Support funding growth through strong financial insight and business case development
• Ensure robust financial governance, audit and compliance

Operations & Infrastructure

• Lead and strengthen operational functions including HR, IT, governance and administration
• Ensure effective systems, processes and infrastructure that enable growth, efficiency and impact
• Oversee procurement, contracts, facilities, and organisational compliance
• Drive innovation and value for money across operations

People & Culture

• Champion a positive, inclusive and high-performing organisational culture
• Oversee HR strategy, workforce planning and leadership development
• Ensure compliance with employment law and best practice
• Promote wellbeing, engagement and organisational effectiveness

Digital & Technology

• Provide strategic oversight of IT, data and digital development
• Ensure systems are secure, resilient and aligned to organisational needs
• Leverage data and technology to improve insight, decision-making and organisational impact

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Ensure effective governance frameworks, risk management and regulatory compliance
• Support the CEO and Board with high-quality reporting and strategic insight
• Lead safeguarding, data protection and organisational risk strategy
• Drive a strong culture of accountability and ethical practice

Leadership & Management

• Lead and develop a small senior team across finance, HR and IT
• Build capability, strengthen performance, and embed a collaborative culture
• Model Cerebra’s values and leadership behaviours

Key Attributes

• Strategic and commercially minded leader with strong operational delivery experience
• Strong financial leadership and business acumen
• Proven track record of driving income growth, sustainability and organisational performance
• Skilled in governance, risk and stakeholder engagement

Please see attached job description for the Person Specification.

Assistant Shop Manager

Reporting to: Shop Manager

£26,848 - £28,492

37.5 hours per week

Huyton, Liverpool

We are looking for a passionate, ambitious Assistant Charity Shop Manager to join our team to help manage one of our successful charity shops.

As an Assistant Shop Manager for Alder Hey Children’s Charity, you will work alongside the Shop Manager to deliver sales, Gift Aid and profit targets to generate income for our charity. You will support the Shop Manager by leading and developing a diverse shop team, including volunteers, always demonstrating our Charity Values of:

• Courage
• Together
• Passion
• Magic

The Assistant Shop Manager will be an integral part of the wider Charity team. 

You will play a vital role in supporting the Shop Manager to lead, motivate, and develop a team of dedicated employees and volunteers, fostering strong community engagement and maximising the shop’s impact. This includes encouraging and harnessing the gifts of time from volunteers, goods from donors, and income from customers. As a visible and active ambassador for Alder Hey Children’s Charity on the high street, you will ensure the shop reflects the Charity’s values and purpose in all that it does. You will also support and assist with van collections and deliveries, to ensure the smooth and efficient transport of donated goods, while representing the Charity with enthusiasm and professionalism.

Income generation

• Work with the Shop Manager to maximise sales and profits ensuring weekly targets are met.
• Support the team to maximise income from Gift Aid on donated products.
• Support the team to maximise income via our online platforms.
• Support van deliveries and collections, including arranging schedules and assisting on the van when required to meet operational needs and support the team.
• Work with the wider Charity team to promote and support fundraising activities and events.
• Explore ways to maximise sales via events, donation drives, pop-up shops etc.
• Cash up the till at the end of shift and ensure banking documents are completed. Investigate any discrepancies and report them to the Manager.
• Support with ensuring the money is ready and accessible for cash collection.
• Open and close the shop at the appropriate times.

Volunteers

• Support and management of a team of volunteers.
• Proactively recruit, manage and retain a diverse team of volunteers, utilise their skill sets and motivate them to deliver great customer service and perform tasks in-line with charity standards.
• Maximise the shop’s opening hours and ensure the shop is open and managed by the shop team in the absence of the Shop Manager.
• Help to provide and support ongoing training and development for volunteers.
• Work and treat employees, volunteers and stakeholders in accordance with the Charity’s values.

Health & Safety (in conjunction with Shop Manager)

• Ensure the shop adheres to Retail Health and Safety regulations.
• Implement good Health and Safety practices to help protect employees, volunteers, and customers.
• Help to ensure employees and volunteers are trained in manual handling.
• Help maintain the cleanliness of the shop and behind the scenes areas.

Stock Control (in conjunction with Shop Manager)

• Ensure continuous, sufficient levels of high-quality stock.
• Be responsible for deliveries and stock controls.
• Ensure stock is appropriate to the business and priced accordingly.
• Maintain a rigorous process of stock rotation, ensuring rotation within expiry dates.
• Ensure visual merchandising is a high priority, with products featured prominently in window displays.

Customer Service

• Be professional, patient and have a ‘people-first’ approach to customer services.
• Be committed to the principles of equality, diversity, and collaborative working.
• Set high standards of cleanliness, display and merchandising.
• Establish quality standards, consumer safety and ensuring continuity.
• Play a key role in enabling the shop to represent the Charity’s values.

Other Duties

• Be an outstanding advocate for Alder Hey Children’s Charity in line with the core values of the organisation.

Any other reasonable duties as required by your line manager.

Managing Director – YMCA Cornwall

Lead Change. Inspire Futures. Make a Difference.

YMCA Cornwall, a respected and growing local charity, is seeking a visionary Managing Director to drive our mission: ensuring every young person has the foundation for a safe, healthy, and fulfilling life. Based in Penzance, we support young people aged 16–24 at risk of homelessness, providing supported accommodation, life skills, and mentoring, as well as vital services for the wider community.

About the Role:

• Provide strategic and operational leadership to a financially robust, values-driven organisation.
• Oversee and innovate youth services and supported housing, ensuring person-centred, safe, and effective delivery.
• Lead a talented team, foster a culture of inclusion and inspiration, and champion our values: seeking out, serving others, inspiring, speaking out, and welcoming all.
• Build strong partnerships with local authorities, funders, and community organisations, and represent YMCA Cornwall as a visible ambassador.
• Drive sustainable growth, manage budgets, and secure diverse funding streams.

What We Offer:

• Salary: £60,000–£65,000 + benefits
• 37.5 hours/week (flexible, some evenings/weekends)
• 34 days annual leave (including bank holidays)
• Pension, wellbeing support, and more
• Immediate start, permanent contract

Who We’re Looking For:

• Senior leadership experience in charity, public sector, or community settings
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage budgets, and deliver diverse services
• Strong strategic, communication, and relationship-building skills
• Values-driven, with a passion for empowering young people

Ready to lead the next chapter? Closing date:  midday, Friday 26th June 2026

YMCA Cornwall – Transforming our community so all young people can belong, contribute, and thrive.

Regional Manager

• Hours: 37.5 hours per week 
• Location: Hybrid with regular travel across our shop network 
• Salary: £40,000 per annum + company car
• Closing date: 8th July 2026 at 12 noon 

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Regional Manager to lead and support a portfolio of retail locations. This is a dynamic, field-based role requiring strong leadership, commercial focus, and the ability to drive performance across multiple sites.

As Regional Manager, you will play a key role in ensuring operational excellence, developing high-performing teams, and delivering sustainable growth within your region.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead, manage and support multiple retail sites to achieve sales and performance targets
• Develop and inspire store teams, creating a positive and high-performing culture
• Ensure consistently high standards of visual merchandising, compliance and operational delivery
• Monitor performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and implement effective action plans
• Build strong working relationships across teams and stakeholders
• Provide hands-on support where required, adapting to the needs of each location

About You:

• Proven experience in a multi-site retail or operational management role
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and develop teams
• Commercially aware, with a track record of delivering results
• Highly organised and able to manage competing priorities effectively
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, changing environment
• Full UK driving licence required

Ready to bring your skills to a role that matters?

Applications will be reviewed and invited to interview as received. We reserve the right to close the advert at any time, therefore we encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible. 

Please note that everyone working for Helen & Douglas House are required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Helen & Douglas House is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We are an equal opportunities employer and value the benefits of a diverse workforce. We positively encourage applications from all areas of the community.

Ready to use your expertise to guide and support a team delivering early intervention mental health support to children and young people?

This is more than a clinical role. It's an opportunity to develop your leadership skills, support the growth of others and help shape the quality of mental health support delivered in schools.

As a Supervising Practitioner, you'll be part of our vibrant Compass Bloom Mental Health Support Team, working alongside schools to deliver evidence based interventions, promote whole school approaches to mental wellbeing and ensure practitioners feel supported, skilled and safe in their practice.

As part of this role, the successful candidate will undertake a postgraduate Supervising Practitioner qualification with Prestwich University, beginning in September 2026. You will complete your studies alongside your role within the service, developing the knowledge, skills and confidence to provide high quality clinical supervision and support to practitioners working with children and young people.

You'll hold a small caseload and work directly with young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties, while also providing clinical supervision, reflective spaces and day to day guidance to colleagues. You'll play an important role in embedding good practice, supporting professional development and maintaining high standards of care.

Working closely with schools, Team Leaders and the wider Compass team, you'll help drive quality, consistency and innovation across the service. Whether you're supporting practitioners, contributing to service development or building strong relationships with partners, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to both the team and the children and young people we support.

About You

You care deeply about children and young people's mental health and are ready to bring your experience, empathy and professional expertise into a role where you can support both young people and fellow practitioners to thrive.

To be successful in this role, you'll bring:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) experience working within children and young people's mental health services, or a Qualified Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) qualification with a minimum of 2 years' post qualification experience

• Experience supervising others or supporting colleagues in a leadership, coaching or mentoring capacity

• A strong understanding of CBT informed approaches and evidence based interventions for children and young people

• Clear, confident communication skills and the ability to build positive relationships with young people, families, schools and partner agencies

• A sound understanding of safeguarding, risk management and professional responsibility

• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle or the ability to travel

This role offers an excellent opportunity for an experienced practitioner who is ready to develop their leadership and supervisory skills through a postgraduate Supervising Practitioner qualification while continuing to make a difference to children and young people's mental health.

If you are a qualified Supervising Practitioner then we'd also love to hear from you!

About Compass
 

Compass is committed to safeguarding children, young people & vulnerable adults. Established for over 30 years, Compass is a national charity which works in communities across the UK providing services spanning substance misuse treatment & rehabilitation, early interventions for vulnerable young people, school-aged health programmes & associated prevention as well as treatment and health promotion initiatives.

All Compass posts are subject to appropriate level DBS checks.

We positively encourage applications from all members of the community, regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age, or sexual orientation, & encourage applications from people who have experiences in life which enrich skills & empathy. This is part of our commitment to equality and developing a truly inclusive & representative workforce.

We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments you may require in the recruitment process, on commencement, or once in post.

Benefits

We offer a range of benefits including:

• 27 days holiday + bank holidays, rising to 32 days over time (pro rata)
• Life assurance at 2 x basic salary
• Competitive contributory pension scheme
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and OH service
• Enhanced sick pay
• Excellent learning & development opportunities and career progression
• Annual salary review

Help us to make a positive change to the lives of children and young people!

We will be interviewing throughout the advert duration, so please apply as soon as possible!

For over 60 years the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) has been building a better childhood for all.

Senior Researcher
Contract: Fixed term for 24 months
Work Pattern: Full Time, 35 hours per week (We are open to flexible hours and working patterns, including accommodating part-time and compressed hours where possible).
Salary: £40,855 per annum, Nationwide – £44,167 per annum for London
Location: NCB has offices in London, Sheffield, Newton Abbot and Belfast that staff can work from should they choose, or this role can be homebased. NCB promotes a hybrid, flexible way of working with 2 days working in the office if based in London.

The Vacancy

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Senior Researcher to make a significant contribution on a 2-year fixed term contract to the design, delivery and management of research and evidence projects at NCB. Research projects at NCB involve a range of methods, often using a mixed-methods approach, that include evidence synthesis and systematic reviews, literature reviews, primary research using qualitative and quantitative methods and secondary data analysis.

A key focus of this role will be leading and delivering high-quality evidence synthesis, as a core component of our research portfolio.

NCB’s research focuses on a broad range of topic areas on behalf of a range of trusts and foundations, statutory, academic, voluntary and community sector funders, including social care and the transition to adulthood; education; mental health & wellbeing; youth violence and early years.

The postholder will work across a range of projects including the topics above and using a range of methods as appropriate, ensuring their work is delivered to NCB’s quality standards.

About NCB

For more than 60 years, the National Children’s Bureau has championed the rights and amplified the voice of children and young people in the UK. We interrogate policy and uncover evidence, blending in lived and learnt experience to shape future legislation and develop more effective ways of supporting children and families.

Bringing people and organisations together is fundamental to how we improve the systems that babies, children, young people and their families rely on to thrive. We push boundaries, even looking beyond childhood itself to consider transitions into adulthood and the impact of childhood issues on an entire lifespan. We are united for better childhoods and brighter futures.

The Benefits

• 30 Days Annual Leave
• Winter Holiday Closure & Break
• Generous Pension Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Flexible Working
• Employee Assistance Programme

Closing date: 8am, Tuesday 7th July 2026
Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage interested candidates to submit their applications as soon as possible.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

We are actively seeking to broaden the diversity of our staff group and warmly welcome applications from candidates underrepresented in the charity sector, including those from Black and Global Majority communities, disabled people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with lived experience of the issues NCB works on.

No agencies please.

Job description

Kingston Bereavement Support is a friendly local charity that provides face to face counselling for children, young people and adults grieving the death of a person close to them. We are well placed to deliver this support, having provided specialist bereavement counselling in the Kingston community since 1988. We are partially funded by the local council and have strong referral pathways with GPs, schools and social services. Our model uses specially trained local volunteer counsellors, offering good value for money while supporting the development of skilled practitioners. As our services are available for free we ensure there is no financial barrier to accessing this support.

We are now looking for a part-time freelance Fundraiser to help secure and grow the income that makes this work possible.

Hybrid - remote working with occasional visits to the office in Kingston as needed (office is a 5 minute walk from Kingston train station, Greater London).

The Role

As a key player in our close-knit team, you’ll enjoy genuine autonomy and high visibility. You will take ownership of fundraising and income generation, ensuring we have the resources to sustain and grow our impact.
Initially, your main focus will be grant fundraising whilst also working with the Trustees to develop a comprehensive fundraising strategy including mid and long term initiatives.

The ideal candidate will:

- Have a good understanding of the current fundraising landscape and the different types of fundraising activities

- Be skilled and experienced in identifying and securing funding from trusts and foundations

- Have the ability to write high-quality compelling funding applications

- Have experience building and maintaining a pipeline of funding opportunities

- Have excellent communication skills, able to work closely and collaboratively with colleagues, Trustees, and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Grant Fundraising

· Identify and secure funding from trusts, foundations and statutory bodies

· Write high-quality, compelling funding applications

· Build and manage a strong prioritised pipeline of funding opportunities

· Maintain relationships with funders, including reporting and stewardship

Other income sources

· Assess, prioritise and implement alternative fundraising activities including, for example, local fundraising events and community & individual fundraising initiatives.

Strategy, Compliance & Reporting

· Develop and deliver a clear fundraising strategy aligned to organisational goals

· Track performance against targets and provide insight

· Ensure all fundraising is compliant with regulations and best practice

· Represent the charity externally with confidence and credibility

Working with internal and external stakeholders

· Work closely with colleagues across the organisation to gather impact data and develop compelling cases for support

· Work closely with Trustees to develop budgets for funding proposals

· Act as a key ambassador for Kingston Bereavement Support with funders and external stakeholders

Person Specification

Essential skills and experience:

1. Proven track record of securing five- figure grants from trusts and foundations

2. Excellent relationship- building and communication skills, able to work closely and collaboratively with colleagues,         Trustees, and external stakeholders.

3. Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to develop persuasive and compelling funding applications

4. Strong prospect research and pipeline development skills

5. An understanding of the fundraising landscape nationwide and in the London Boroughs as relevant

6. Familiarity with fundraising activities alternative to grants  

7. A proactive approach, with the ability to spot opportunities and drive activity forward

8. Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines

Desirable, but not essential:

1. Experience securing six-figure and/or multi-year grants

2. Knowledge of the mental health sector

3. Experience contributing to fundraising strategy

We're looking for an organised, proactive and resilient Business Systems Administrator to join our IT Team located at our Head Office in Islington.

£38,500.00 per annum, working 35 hours per week.

Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

Our benefits include:
* Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
* Free DBS
* Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
* Fully paid induction programme and further training
* ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
* Cycle to work scheme
* Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
* Online wellbeing resources
* A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
* Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

What you'll do:
- Ensure all live and test application environments are maintained in compliance with Look Ahead's IT policies and guidelines to meet business needs by working with colleagues and the Business Systems Manager to manage system security and coordinate system changes, patch installations, database copies and upgrades, as applicable.

- Provide application configuration, support, and administration for Nourish (Care plans) and Camascope (eMARS), and cover for other key business systems including MHR's iTrent (Recruitment, HR & Payroll), Cx (Housing Management & Customer Support Plans), OnTrack (Domestic Abuse) and any other applications and products being deployed through the Digital Transformation programme.

- Act as the subject matter expert and coordination point for Nourish and Camascope specific support activities, including updating support tickets and associated details and responses via the ticketing system.

- Manage ticket and incident escalations, as appropriate.

- Support the application owners, business users and team members with the building and running of reports from Nourish and Camascope when required for urgent organisation needs, such as regulator requirements or responding to serious incidents.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:
High levels of customer service - puts self in the place of system users to understand how best to tailor solutions to business requirements and needs.
- Approachable and open behaviours
- A Team Player, willing to share work and learning with the team and builds a positive team culture
- Able to work on their own initiative with minimal supervision
- Means, desire, and discipline to work effectively from home and still achieve desired results

What you'll bring:
Essential:
- Hands on knowledge of, or involvement in system administration for, at least one Customer Care Plan related system
- Previous history of supporting business systems or their use
- Self-starter with good initiative
- Well organised and methodical
- Good problem solving / analytical skills
- Experienced in issue resolution
- Excellent attention to detail
- Success orientated and delivery focused
- Excellent communication skills
- The ability to work to tight deadlines
- The ability to work through conflicting priorities
- The ability to build relationships with key internal and external stakeholders

About us:
Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

We focus on Excellence and innovation.
We are Caring and Compassionate.
We are Inclusive and Trusted.
We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Please see full job description on our website

Barnardo's is looking for an exceptional Responsible Individual to provide inspiring, values‑driven leadership across four residential children's homes, each committed to delivering therapeutic, relational care and each aspiring to be Outstanding.

This is more than a regulatory role. It is a chance to influence culture, strengthen practice, mentor Registered Managers, and ensure our homes are places where children feel happier, healthier, safer and more hopeful, fully aligned with Barnardo's vision of Changing Childhoods, Changing Lives.

Our homes are grounded in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) and PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy). Every relationship, every team decision, and every child's plan is shaped by these principles. We are looking for a leader who not only understands trauma-informed, attachment-focused practice but lives it.

What Our Children Say They Want from the People Who Lead Their Homes

“Please make sure our staff feel supported. It helps us feel safe too.” – J, age 14
“We want people who don't give up on us… even when things get hard.” – S, age 11
“Help the homes be happy places.” – L, age 9

Who wouldn't want their work to be guided by such powerful voices?

Your Role

As the Responsible Individual, you will:

• Provide strategic and operational oversight for four children's homes
• Drive quality and consistency, ensuring each home is safe, thriving, and inspection‑ready
• Embed DDP and PACE across teams, culture, and decision‑making
• Lead improvement journeys towards Outstanding
• Promote a strong safeguarding culture and regulatory compliance
• Champion the voice of the child and high‑quality relational practice
• Build collaborative working across internal and external partners
• Model reflective, compassionate, trauma‑informed leadership

What You'll Bring

• Significant leadership experience in residential childcare
• A Level 5 qualification (or equivalent) in Leadership and Management
• Strong understanding of regulatory requirements across residential settings
• Experience in supporting and improving multiple sites/services
• Emotional resilience, reflective capacity, and clarity of purpose
• The ability to inspire, influence, and develop others
• A passion for helping children feel safer, more hopeful, and more connected

What We Offer

• Comprehensive leadership development and access to sector‑leading training
• Regular supervision and reflective practice support
• A values‑driven organisation where care, compassion, and curiosity are central

 Due to high application volumes, this vacancy may close earlier than the advertised date. We encourage early applications.

What Our Colleagues Say About Working for Barnardo's
“Barnardo's invests in us. The training, the support, the supervision… it's the best I've had.” – Registered Manager
“I love that our values aren't just words, they show up in decisions, relationships, and how we treat each other.” – Deputy Manager

As Responsible Individual, you will nurture this culture, one where colleagues feel valued, reflective, motivated, and proud of the care they provide.

Join Us

If you are a courageous, compassionate leader who wants to help children feel happier, healthier, safer and more hopeful, and if you're ready to support managers and teams to achieve Outstanding, we would love to hear from you.

Apply now and help us continue changing childhoods and changing lives.

Barnardo's Adoption Midlands and South West has an exciting vacancy for a Social Worker to join its Service covering work predominantly in the Midlands, East & West.  You will be joining an experienced and stable staff group who embrace working in a creative, open and transparent manner with adopters, to provide children with permanence in a family who understand the lifelong nature of adoption and the impact of issues such as developmental trauma, attachment and neuroscience.

As a Social Worker you have the chance to make a real difference in the lives of Children, Young People and Families by:

• Recruiting, assessing and approving a diverse range of adoptive families to meet the needs of waiting children
• Matching the needs of children nationwide with the skills of appropriate adopters
• Ensuring all adopters have access to excellent training, guidance and support when they require it, including managing ongoing contact with birth family
• Working directly with adoptive families promoting a trauma informed approach and helping build and maintain family relationships
• Being part of Barnardo's undertaking to children, young people and adopters to continuously learn and improve

If you have a passion and drive to make a positive difference to children and adopters we would like to hear from you.

This vacancy is for a qualified Social Worker who is registered with SW England or is able to register with SW England.

The duties of this post require the applicant to have a full current driving license that enables them to drive in the UK and have use of a car and business use insurance.  Barnardo's is, however, willing to consider any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by other means.

The applicant will need to be able to participate in an "Helpline" rota Out of Office hours. There is additional remuneration for providing this service.

Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work life balance we therefore offer flexible working arrangements as the role involves some evening/weekend working and travel with occasional overnight stays.

Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.

When completing the application please refer to the Person Specification, Job Description and Additional Information document. This should be done with an understanding of the context of the Service described. 

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date.  We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible

Do you have a passion for working with young children?

Are you interested in supporting children and their parents in the earliest stages of development?

Are you confident in building relationships with families and finding creative ways to support children's learning while increasing parental confidence?

If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you to join our Early Years Team within Sandwell Best Start Family Hubs.

As a Community Based Early Years Worker, you will play a key role in supporting and developing community-led Stay & Play provision across Sandwell. You will work directly with community groups, volunteers and families to enhance the quality of early years experiences, with a strong focus on communication and language, school readiness and the home learning environment.

This is a varied and rewarding role that involves both community and Family Hub-based delivery. You will help strengthen existing groups, support new provision to grow and ensure families are connected to the wider Family Hub offer.

You will:

• Work alongside community providers and volunteers to develop and improve Stay & Play sessions
• Support welcoming, inclusive environments that promote early learning and development
• Encourage and embed positive Home Learning Environment messages with families
• Build strong relationships with parents, carers and partners across the Family Hub Network
• Capture feedback and outcomes to demonstrate the impact of the service
• Work collaboratively with multi-agency partners including Best StartFamily Hubs, Family Help, SCVO and the Local Authority Early Years Team

This role is based in Sandwell and requires flexibility to work across the borough. As part of the role, you will be required to work evenings and weekends where needed to meet service demand.

We are looking for an experienced Early Years Practitioner who is passionate, motivated and confident working within community settings. Experience of partnership working and delivering high-quality early years provision will be essential.

To find out more about the role, please read the Additional Information and ensure your application demonstrates how you meet the requirements of the post

Interim Senior FP&A Manager

Location: Thame (Oxfordshire) with hybrid working (minimum, 2 days per week in the office) and occasional travel
Contract: Interim, Fixed Term Contract until 31 March 2027
Salary / day rate: £60,000 per annum (pro rata)
Reports to: Head of Finance

Affinity Trust is looking for an experienced Interim Senior FP&A Manager to bring senior finance capacity, challenge and insight across a complex, multi-site organisation.

This is not a routine reporting role. We are looking for someone who can quickly get under the skin of operational performance, understand the financial drivers behind service delivery, and help senior leaders make better, faster and more informed decisions.

You will work closely with the Head of Finance, Finance Business Partners, Divisional Directors and operational leaders, providing high-quality analysis, forecasting, commercial insight and constructive challenge. The work will span income, workforce costs, agency and overtime spend, utilisation, fee rates, contract performance, forecasting assumptions and recovery planning.

This is a senior individual contributor role, adding experienced capacity where it is most needed, to help maintain pace across key priorities, and strengthen the link between financial insight and operational action.

The assignment

You will be joining at a point where strong financial planning, clear analysis and senior business partnering are critical to supporting sustainable services.

Your work will include:

• Leading robust forecasting and scenario modelling across a complex operational portfolio
• Providing senior finance business partnering to divisional and operational leaders
• Analysing key cost drivers, particularly workforce-related costs such as agency, overtime, sickness and staffing ratios
• Reviewing income, fee rates, local authority funding assumptions, utilisation and contract performance
• Supporting tenders, contract reviews, business cases and service sustainability analysis
• Helping identify whether financial pressure is driven by fee levels, operational delivery, workforce deployment or a combination of factors
• Translating complex financial information into clear insight, options and practical recommendations
• Supporting the head of finance and wider finance team with additional senior capacity during a period of increased demand.

About you

You will be a qualified accountant with ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent, and substantial experience in senior FP&A, finance business partnering or commercial finance roles.

You will be confident working with senior stakeholders and able to bring both grip and judgement. You will know how to challenge assumptions constructively, explain complex financial information clearly, and turn analysis into action.

You are likely to have worked in a complex, multi-site or operationally demanding environment, where financial performance is closely linked to workforce planning, contract income, service delivery and operational decision-making.

You will bring:

• Strong FP&A, forecasting, modelling and management reporting experience
• Advanced Excel and analytical capability
• Credibility with senior operational and finance stakeholders
• Experience supporting budgeting, reforecasting, recovery planning and performance improvement
• The ability to work at pace, prioritise well and operate with a high level of autonomy
• A practical, commercial and solutions-focused approach.

Experience in social care, healthcare, supported living, charity or not-for-profit settings would be helpful, but is not essential. Experience with Local Authority funding, high-volume staffing models, workforce cost pressures or interim turnaround environments would be particularly valuable.

Why this role?

This is an opportunity to make a visible impact quickly.

You will be joining a values-led not-for-profit support organisation with national impact, where finance plays a central role in supporting sustainable, high-quality services for people with learning disabilities, autism and complex needs.

For the right person, this is a role with real substance: complex operations, senior stakeholder exposure, meaningful commercial analysis, and the chance to strengthen financial decision-making where it matters most.

Please note, if you are successful, we may need to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (Criminal Record) check at the relevant level for the role. This will be paid for by us.

The Outrunners are recruiting two Youth Practitioners to deliver our Schools Programme, in collaboration with Nike!

Job Description

• Job title: Youth Practitioner (Sessional) - two roles availables

• Location: East London - Newham, Hackney, Tower Hamlets

• Salary: £15-£17 p/h 

• Hours: Up to 15 hours a week with the potential for more. Core hours: 10am-8pm, must be available evenings and occasional weekends

Who are we?

The Outrunners are a running charity based in Hackney, on a mission to empower young people through movement. Backed by an incredible crew of volunteers and partner brands like Nike and Moju, we help young people in East London to build confidence, wellbeing, health and leadership skills.

We deliver free, fun, sociable, youth‑led running and movement sessions for 8–18 year olds every week - during term time and holidays. But we’re about more than just running. We also create spaces for young people to explore creativity and culture, go on exciting trips, access wraparound wellbeing support, and develop the skills and opportunities they need to shape the futures they want.

Over the past five years, we’ve supported thousands of young people and helped push greater diversity within the running world.

Last year we launched an exciting partnership with Nike’s Social and Community Impact team. As a Youth Practitioner, you’ll deliver our programmes across schools in East London, aiming to engage more young people in movement and running. 

What do we want?

We are looking for a new sessional Youth Practitioner to work alongside the Youth Programme team to develop and deliver our Nike-funded schools programme across East London. 

You need to be passionate about getting young people moving, in particular girls and young women, and believe in the power of excellent youth work. You'll have a good understanding of the barriers and challenges faced by young people living in East London.

What you’ll be working on: 

Supporting our movement programmes 

• You’ll deliver fun and engaging sessions in schools to young people aged 11-18, alongside teachers and other coaches.

• You’ll work with the Youth Programme Lead and other Youth Practitioners to design movement  programmes, with a focus on running and movement whilst also bringing other sports, games and wellness activities.

• You’ll support the development of our programmes targeted at 8-18 year olds outside of schools.

• You’ll undertake administration tasks such as planning sessions, ensuring evaluation forms are completed and uploading data to our database.

• You’ll complete any other business required by management and pitch in to help with other tasks at busy times during the year. 

Working with young people and their families 

• You’ll develop and maintain relationships with young people and parents.

• You’ll support young people's attendance at approximately 5 races per year (weekends)

• You’ll work with the Youth Programme Team to plan and deliver activities over half-term and summer holidays. 

• You’ll ensure safeguarding procedures are upheld for all young people. 

Does this sound like you?

• A positive attitude, with lots of energy and enthusiasm and a passion for working with young people

• Someone who enjoys movement/running and sees the importance of encouraging young people out of their comfort zone

• A natural people-person with a high level of empathy, able to make people feel valued, respected and heard

• Reliable with patience, professionalism and an understanding of the importance of confidentiality

This job is for you if: 

• You have experience of working with young people and their families 

• You have experience delivering youth programmes targeted at young people with proven successful outputs

• You have relevant youth work experience/a relevant youth work qualification 

• You have a working understanding of safeguarding children and young people and how to maintain appropriate professional boundaries

• You have a commitment to, and working understanding of, equality and diversity, with the ability to work in culturally diverse communities, as well as a readiness to challenge discriminatory behaviour

• You have excellent communication, time management and organisational skills with the ability to prioritise and multitask

Desirable:

• Experience working in schools 

• Experience working with young people in sports and fitness 

• Youth work or fitness qualification 

What’s in it for you?

• Working alongside aspirational brands such as Nike

• The chance to attend exclusive, exciting events with our brand partners, Nike and MOJU 

• Learning and development opportunities to fit your aspirations, including with some of our partners

• Nike-branded kit provided for work, upon passing your probationary 

We strongly encourage women from ethnically diverse backgrounds to apply for this role since the  project is aimed at ethnically diverse young women. Even if you feel you don’t meet all the criteria, please still apply as we want to hear from a diverse range of people. 

The successful applicant will need to be subject to a background enhanced disclosure check by the Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) before any appointment can be confirmed.

Interested? Here’s how to apply!

• Upload a copy of your CV, and a covering letter explaining why you would like the role, and how you meet the requirements listed in the job description. The covering letter should be no longer than two A4 pages.

• If you meet our requirements, we will contact you for an interview after the closing date.

• If you are not contacted within a month of submitting your application, on this occasion you have been unsuccessful. We will keep your details on file for any other suitable vacancies.

Please submit your application by 11.59pm on Wednesday 8th July 2026.