306 Director of development jobs

Regional Youth and Community Director
OASIS UK – Youth and Community (OCP)

0.6 FTE, Permanent

Salary:£31,487 (FTE £52,479)

We’re excited to be recruiting for a key leadership position supporting Oasis’ youth and community work in the North West region (covering delivery in Greater Manchester and Bradford).With accountability to the Oasis Community Partnerships CEO the role of the Regional Youth and Community Director has three main functions:

1 Strategic management oversight of local Youth and Community teams

2 Regional development, working alongside other functions within the Oasis family

3 Being part of the national Youth and Community leadership team

The Youth and Community Director will have strategic management oversight of local Youth and Community teams in the region, providing accountability and support to the local leaders and charity boards. This responsibility area falls into two categories; those the Director is directly responsible for, and those they are responsible for ensuring are carried out by leaders within their region.

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT

Oasis neighbourhoods are local places of activity that provide integrated, high quality and diverse services to benefit the whole person and the whole community. The Oasis ethos stems from our Christian roots and is an expression of our character - it is a declaration of who we are and therefore the lens through which we assess all we do. This is encapsulated by the following five statements:

a passion to include everyone

a desire to treat everyone equally, respecting differences

a commitment to healthy and open relationships

a deep sense of hope that things can change and be transformed

a sense of perseverance to keep going for the long haul

An Oasis neighbourhood is a community movement and the joining together of all the work Oasis does in any one place, which could include foodbanks, debt advice centres, family support and advice services, healthcare, youth work, children’s work, alongside other Oasis activities in that community, including formal education through Oasis Academies.

The Youth and Community function of Oasis is responsible for the wider community work that takes place within Oasis neighbourhoods, working closely with the wider Oasis family to outwork our vision. In relation to governance, Oasis Community Partnerships is the national charity, with each local team operating from their own local Oasis charity.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a growing national organisation, making a difference to communities on a local level, whilst also influencing the national landscape.  As part of the package, Oasis offers:

• A pension scheme, currently offering 7% employer contribution
• A generous holiday allowance, starting at 25 days per year (plus 8 Bank Holidays)

Please contact us to arrange for an informal conversation with our CEO to find out more about the role. If you are interested in this position, please send your CV and a covering letter (ensuring you refer to the job description and person spec).

The successful candidates must have the right to work in the UK.  Oasis cannot assist with sponsorship or visas.

We actively encourage applications from people of all ethnic backgrounds and minority and underrepresented groups. If you require any assistance to overcome potential barriers to application, please let us know.

Completed applications should be returned by 9am on Tuesday 8th September.

Interviews will take place week beginning 21st September. (Shorter more informal calls may be arranged the previous week to assist with shortlisting)

Oasis is committed to making a difference to the lives of the communities it works in, and as such you must show a willingness to demonstrate commitment to the values and behaviours which flow from the Oasis ethos.  We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment and to undergo appropriate checks, including enhanced DBS checks.

Oasis supports Equal Opportunities.  Registered Charity No. 08749179

Prospectus is supporting a London-focused organisation to recruit their new Director of Philanthropy. This organisation improves the lives of the most disadvantaged people in London by working with donors to invest in small, local charities and community groups.

Director of Philanthropy

Permanent

£80,000

Closing: Thursday 10 th September 2026

This is a senior, externally focused role for an experience philanthropy leader who can strengthen the organisation's profile, open doors and secure significant new philanthropic income across London's philanthropic landscape. The postholder will lead new business development activity with a particular focus on high-net-worth individuals, corporates, professional advisers and intermediaries and will manage the pipeline of new donor opportunities. Reporting to the CEO, the Director of Philanthropy will provide senior leadership for an ambitious, confident and disciplined approach to business development and income growth.

The selected candidate will have significant experience in philanthropy and fundraising with a proven track record of cultivating, pitching to and securing high-value relationships with audiences such as high-net-worth individuals, corporates, professional advisers, or wealth managers. You will be able to demonstrate experience and knowledge of philanthropy, donor advised funds, corporate giving and charitable giving routes and will be an impressive relationship builder and networker. Crucially, you will be able to develop compelling propositions for busy audiences that draw attention to the work of London's most impactful charities and community groups, and how philanthropy can strengthen that impact.

At Prospectus, we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome all candidates to apply, regardless of age, sex/gender, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status or pregnancy/maternity. If you have any disability and require reasonable adjustment/s to any part of the process then please contact Ryan Burdock at Prospectus.

If you feel you meet some of the criteria but not all, we really hope you'll enquire and learn more. Prospectus can advise and support on each part of the role and hopefully your application, so we look forward to hearing from you.

In order to apply, please submit an up-to-date CV and cover letter (max 2 pages) in the first instance. Should your experience be suitable, we will arrange for a meeting to brief you on the role. You'll then have all the information you need to formally apply. 

Hughes Hall is one of the largest constituent Colleges of the University of Cambridge: progressive, international and egalitarian, with a distinctive commitment to putting learning and research at the service of wider society.

As Hughes Hall looks ahead to its 150th anniversary in 2035, the College is entering a period of major transformation. With a highly international student body, a growing global alumni community and ambitious plans across education, impact and the estate, Hughes Hall seeks to reimagine what a Cambridge College can be: outward-looking, inclusive, and connected to the challenges of the wider world.

We are seeking an experienced and ambitious individual to lead the College’s fundraising and alumni operation as Development Director. Reporting to the President, Sir Laurie Bristow, the postholder will be a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, and will lead a small development office. They will lead a major anniversary campaign, expected to raise in the region of £30–50m over the next decade to support scholarships, transformational capital projects and wider social impact.

The post holder will likely be a senior development professional with a proven track record of securing major gifts. They will have first-hand experience leading, or being instrumental in, major campaigns. They will be prepared to travel in the UK and internationally to cultivate prospective donors and stakeholders.

Strong candidates will be energetic, confident communicators and relationship builders, able to act as a warm, credible and energetic ambassador for Hughes Hall. They will combine strategic judgement with a hands-on approach, be able to speak and inspire an audience, and to lead a successful team.

This is a mission-critical appointment at an exciting moment for Hughes Hall. It is a rare opportunity to design and lead the first major philanthropic campaign in Hughes Hall’s history, and to help shape the College’s future as it approaches its 150th anniversary. The College has strong foundations, clear ambition and significant philanthropic potential; this is a distinctive opportunity for someone who shares Hughes Hall’s ethos to help shape the future of a unique Cambridge institution.

To apply for this vacancy, please visit the website via the apply button. The closing date for this role is 15th September 2026.

Help shape the future of an ambitious local charity

MRS Independent Living supports older people, disabled people and people experiencing mental health challenges to live independently, stay active and remain connected to their communities. We combine practical in-home support with innovative community-led projects that tackle inequalities and improve wellbeing.

We're looking for a Deputy Director who is excited by the opportunity to help lead this established local charity into its next chapter. 

This is a role for someone who enjoys thinking strategically while also rolling up their sleeves to make things happen. You'll work alongside the Director to shape our future, develop new services, build partnerships and secure funding. You'll also be happy stepping into day-to-day operations when needed to support the team, maintain continuity and ensure our services are high quality and running smoothly.

Whether your background is primarily in fundraising and you're looking to broaden your operational leadership experience, or you've led services and want to develop your fundraising and strategic skills, this role offers an excellent opportunity to build a well-rounded senior leadership career.

About the role

As Deputy Director you'll provide leadership across our community projects, helping us develop and deliver sustainable, high-quality services that make a real difference to our community.

You'll:

• Work with the Director and Board to shape organisational strategy and future development.

• Lead fundraising from trusts, foundations, corporate partners and other income sources.

• Oversee our community projects, ensuring they deliver expected outcomes.

• Support, coach and develop project staff and volunteers.

• Build strong partnerships across the voluntary, health and public sectors.

• Lead monitoring, evaluation and reporting to demonstrate our impact.

• Deputise for the Director when required.

• Take a practical, hands-on approach - providing operational support wherever it's needed. 

We're looking for someone who has:

• Experience in fundraising, service management or both, ideally within the charity and voluntary sector.

• Ideas to develop and grow our community work, and the confidence and project management skills to operationalise them. 

• Strong leadership skills and the ability to motivate and support others.

• Excellent relationship and partnership-building skills.

• A collaborative, adaptable approach with the confidence to switch between strategic thinking and practical delivery.

• A commitment to co-production, equity and user-led approaches.

Why join us?

This is a rare opportunity to help shape the future of a respected local charity while developing your own senior leadership experience.

You'll join a small, supportive team where your ideas will influence organisational strategy, new services and long-term sustainability. No two days are the same, and you'll have the opportunity to work across fundraising, operations, partnerships, governance and organisational development—making this an ideal stepping stone towards a Director or CEO role.

If you're looking for a leadership role where you can make a tangible difference to people's lives while broadening your skills and experience, we'd love to hear from you.

Our staff benefits include: 

• Flexible and hybrid working

• Generous holiday allowance of 28 days (pro rata) per year plus bank holidays, rising to 29 days after one years’ service

• Enhanced sick leave and pay

• Enhanced family leave and pay

• Ongoing opportunities for learning and professional development

• Employer pension contributions of 4%

• Life assurance cover equivalent to one year’s annual salary for members of our workplace pension scheme

We need a Programme Director to lead a tri-borough initiative tackling serious youth violence across Kilburn, Queen's Park and surrounding communities.

This is a challenging and a rewarding role where you will be exercising your considerable judgement, diplomacy and practical project management skills.

Shared Ground is an innovative, co-funded project, seeking to work for the benefit of young people at risk of serious youth violence, with buy-in from stakeholders including Local Authority senior leads and Central government.

If you have a passion for the value and importance of community-based work in supporting positive futures for young people, why not help ensure that this ambitious programme thrives?

See the job description for more details.

DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE AND CULTURE

Join the Executive Team of a growing archaeology charity and develop a modern people function, shaping the culture and capability behind some of the UK's most significant archaeological discoveries.

• Location: Oxford Archaeology has three main bases - Oxford, Cambridge and Lancaster. The organisation offers hybrid working, with a minimum of 2 days per week within one of OA’s offices.

This is a newly created role at a genuinely pivotal moment for OA. As the organisation has grown in scale, reach and impact, its people, culture and organisational systems now need to be strengthened to match. You'll join the Executive Team, with a mandate to build the people function OA needs for its next decade of growth.

As Director of People and Culture, you will:

• Provide strategic leadership on people, culture and organisational development, working closely with the Executive Team, Board of Trustees and HR team
• Develop and deliver a People and Culture Strategy that supports OA's charitable mission, commercial ambitions and long-term strategy
• Lead organisational change and transformation, strengthening structures, systems and governance across a complex, growing organisation
• Build a distinctive employer value proposition and an inclusive, high-performing culture that attracts, engages and retains talented people
• Act as OA's Designated Safeguarding Lead
• Lead and develop the HR and Learning & Development teams

We're seeking an experienced, values-led senior HR leader with a track record of leading organisational change and building people strategies within complex, growing organisations. CIPD Level 7 (or equivalent) and Designated Safeguarding Lead experience are essential, alongside the credibility to influence at executive and board level and the pragmatism to build strong foundations from the ground up. Please note: the majority of the HR and L&D team work from the Oxford office. Regular travel, as well as some out of hours attendance at events will be required, through the UK.

Oxford Archaeology (OA) is one of the UK's leading archaeological practices, and a charity which has been connecting people with their shared past for more than 50 years. From single house extensions to national infrastructure projects such as HS2, the team of almost 500 archaeologists, scientists and specialists work across sites throughout the UK from their offices in Oxford, Cambridge and Lancaster, uncovering, preserving and sharing what lies beneath the ground for the benefit of everyone.

Key dates:

• Closing date: 7 September
• 1st stage interviews with Oxford Archaeology: 18 September 
• 2nd stage interviews with Oxford Archaeology: 28 September
• Charisma vetting interviews must be completed by EOD on the 14 September ahead of the longlist submission on 15 September.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or other category protected by law.

Charity Director – Broxtowe Youth Homelessness

Could you lead a small, passionate charity making a real difference to young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness? We’re looking for an inspiring and hands-on Charity Director to lead Broxtowe Youth Homelessness into its next chapter.

Broxtowe Youth Homelessness, (BYH) is a small, local, well established charity committed to supporting young people aged 16 –25 who have experienced homelessness, or are at risk of it, across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

We provide practical, person-centred support that helps young people move towards greater stability, independence and opportunity. As a small organisation of 7 employees, we can be responsive, build strong relationships and make a meaningful difference in the lives of the young people we work with.

After successfully securing 4 years of funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, BYH is entering and exciting period of transformation and development. The organisation is currently evolving its identity, name and approach, including a rebrand and transition to an incorporated charity, while the wider local government landscape is also changing significantly through devolution and local government reorganisation.

The Director will have a key role in shaping and leading BYH through this period of change, ensuring the organisation is well positioned to respond to new opportunities, strengthen its partnerships and continue to meet the needs of young people across the region. This is an opportunity for someone who enjoys creating, developing and improving things, and who wants to help shape the future direction and identity of a small charity with real potential to grow its impact.

We are looking for someone who combines strong leadership with a practical, approachable style. You’ll be able to balance leading and developing the charity for the future with being actively involved in its day-to-day work. – whether that means supporting and developing staff, overseeing safeguarding and service quality, managing budgets and funding, building relationships with partners and funders, or representing BYH within the wider community.

As the leader of a small charity, there will be times when you need to work independently and use your own judgement. You’ll therefore need to be resilient and self-motivated, while also recognising the value of working closely with trustees, colleagues, partners and wider professional networks for support, challenge and fresh thinking.

Most importantly, we are looking for someone who believes in what we do and who can bring the energy, compassion and leadership needed to build on BYH’s achievements and help shape our future.

If you’re looking for a leadership role where you can see the difference your work makes – to an organisation, a community and, most importantly, to young people – we’d love to hear from you.

Director of Digital, Technology and Data

London’s Air Ambulance Charity is appointing its first Director of Digital, Technology and Data. Following the launch of its ambitious 15-year strategy, the charity is investing in dedicated executive leadership to ensure its technology, digital and data capability can support its next stage of development.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive and joining the Directors Group, you will bring together 12 colleagues across IT, Charity Data and Clinical & Operational Data. You will unite the teams behind a shared purpose, strengthen the organisation’s foundations and create LAA’s first integrated Digital, Technology and Data strategy, roadmap and investment plan.

This role requires someone who can operate credibly at Board level while remaining close enough to the detail to support a small, capable team. You may come from the charity sector, healthcare, aviation, a commercial organisation or another purpose-led environment—what matters is your ability to build capability, bring people with you and connect genuinely with LAA’s mission.

Essential experience:

• Senior leadership across technology, digital, data, transformation or organisational change.
• Experience building, maturing or bringing together multidisciplinary functions and specialist teams.
• A strong record of translating organisation-wide strategy into practical, measurable delivery.
• Board-level credibility, sound judgement and the ability to influence technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Salary: £105,000–£110,000

Location: Hybrid working, with offices at the Royal London Hospital, London E1

Contract: Permanent, full-time

Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer

Applications close: 9 September 2026

We are looking for someone who will help us accompany, equip and develop confident and missional leaders for a changing Church. Our new Leadership Development Officer will play a key role in enabling our clergy and lay ministers to be the best they can be and raising up the next generation of leaders.

This role, part of the Mission and Ministry Team (MMT), sits within a wider transformation of how the diocese forms, supports and develops leaders for mission, ensuring that clergy and lay leaders are equipped to serve a changing Church with confidence, depth and resilience.

The postholder will take particular responsibility for:
• Developing sustainable leadership development pathways, processes and systems that support the Diocese’s long-term vision for raising up new leaders and equipping ministers for mission.
• Designing and helping deliver the taught programme of IME2 (curate) and IME3 (first post) training.
• Supporting the development of a coherent and high-quality training menu and bespoke formation and learning plans for clergy and key lay leaders, including
overhauling our approach to ministerial development reviews (MDRs).
• Contributing to the design of a new Worcester School of Leadership, including working on proposals for a Young Leaders Programme and Ministry Experience Scheme (MES).

Noah's Ark Children's Hospice is partnering with Robertson Bell on a retained basis to recruit a Director of Finance on a permanent basis. This is an exciting opportunity to join a highly regarded children's hospice at a pivotal stage of its development, taking a leading role in strengthening financial performance, improving organisational effectiveness and helping shape the charity's next phase of growth.

This is more than a traditional Finance Director role. Noah's Ark has undergone significant transformation in recent years, moving from a predominantly community-based service to operating a 24/7 hospice facility at The Ark. The successful candidate will join at a critical point in this journey, with the opportunity to strengthen the finance function whilst working closely with the wider Senior Leadership Team to ensure the charity is making the best possible use of its resources and delivering maximum value for children and families.

For an ambitious, commercially minded finance leader, this is an opportunity to combine strong financial leadership with genuine organisational impact, helping to shape a more effective operating model and contributing directly to the future direction of the charity.

The role

• Partner with the CEO, Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees to shape the charity's financial and strategic direction during a period of organisational change.
• Stabilise and strengthen the finance function, ensuring high-quality financial management, robust controls and accurate, insightful reporting.
• Lead the budgeting, forecasting and financial planning process, including modelling different care delivery approaches, investment decisions and longer-term strategic scenarios.
• Support the charity to improve its financial position, identifying opportunities to increase efficiency and ensure resources are being deployed to maximum effect.
• Oversee statutory accounts, external reporting, audit and regulatory requirements, ensuring the charity maintains strong financial governance and compliance.
• Ensure effective management of reserves, investments, cash flow, liquidity, insurance and restricted funds.
• Contribute to the development of the charity's next multi-year strategic plan, bringing commercial discipline, financial insight and a practical focus on delivery.
• Identify opportunities for cost efficiency and productivity improvements across the organisation, working collaboratively with colleagues to turn insight into action.
• Support the design and implementation of new IT and financial systems, ensuring they provide the information and controls required to support an effective organisation.
• Lead and develop a small finance team, setting clear expectations, building capability and creating a culture of accountability and high performance.
• Play an active role in wider organisational leadership, bringing constructive challenge and financial insight to decisions beyond the traditional finance remit.

The organisation

Noah's Ark Children's Hospice provides specialist care and support to babies, children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, alongside their families. Its purpose-built hospice, The Ark, opened in 2019 and provides a unique environment where children can receive specialist care, therapy, bereavement support and family services in a safe and welcoming setting.

Rated 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, Noah's Ark supports families across North and Central London and Hertsmere, delivering care wherever it is needed - in the family home, within the community or at The Ark.

This is an organisation with a warm, supportive culture and a strong commitment to its values of Kindness, Excellence and Courage. It is now looking for a finance leader who can combine that collaborative approach with the confidence to challenge constructively, make difficult decisions and drive meaningful improvement.

Essential criteria

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Strong experience leading a finance function.
• Strong understanding of financial controls, governance, audit and statutory reporting.
• Demonstrable experience producing and interpreting high-quality financial information that supports effective decision-making.
• Experience leading and developing teams, with the confidence to set expectations, address underperformance and hold colleagues accountable.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders and non-finance colleagues.
• A proactive, hands-on and self-starting appr

Job Description

Main duties and responsibilities

Manage the DUK project portfolio

• Become a subject matter expert in applied and translational research in DMD, allowing informed decision making and effective communication with key stakeholders
• Support identification of new project and collaborative opportunities, including the ongoing management and delivery of our applicant-led funding call
• Support the Director of Research and Development in project scientific review, working with the Scientific Advisory Board, Patient Advisory Board, Senior Leadership Team and DUK Board of Trustees
• Manage project development and initiation, including contracting, the development of detailed project plans, including go/no-go milestones, and budgets
• Manage and oversee project delivery, including monitoring of progress, according to agreed timelines and deliverables (including written updates and formal reports), and managing project finances, including reviewing and approval of invoices and monitoring project expenditure
• Support research budget forecasting in liaison with the finance team and the Director of Research and Development, and ensure compliance across the project portfolio
• Build and manage relationships with external partners and maintain regular communication through the project life cycle
• Support the Director of Research and Development to identify areas of strategic focus to inform the development of new research programmes
• Contribute to and support the development of DUK led research proposals for external funding and work with the income generation team to identify opportunities for research funding

Research governance and processes

• Maintain and improve, as relevant, internal processes for research management and governance
• Act as system owner for the research functions within DUK’s CRM (Salesforce), maintaining records and driving process improvements for grant workflows and monitoring
• Support the Director of Research and Development in research governance activities
• Support the Director of Research and Development to ensure compliance with the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) requirements, such as - contributing to annual data collection and surveys; implementation of AMRC processes and reviews recommendations, as relevant; keep up to date with relevant news and opportunities for training, collaboration and networking

Support the Director of Research and Development on the following external engagement activities

• Development and implementation of outreach and engagement activities in the DMD patient and research community to inform areas for research focus and prioritisation
• Scoping and development of formal and informal strategic partnerships and relationships with key stakeholder organisations (e.g. membership societies, other charities, consortia etc)

Support delivery of DUK flagship strategic programmes

DUK has strategic programmes in clinical research access and capacity, care standards and care access, assistive technologies and patient data. Under the oversight of the Director of Research and Development and working closely with the relevant programme team:

• Coordinate key programme updates and discussions between the DUK team and the programme teams
• Working with DUK comms team, support the development of external comms and marketing
• Working with the Director of Research and Development and the programme teams, support development of new initiatives and external funding opportunities

Other key responsibilities

• Provide general research admin support (e.g. arrange research meetings, both internal and external, prepare agendas and take minutes)
• Work with DUK comms team to identify case studies and success stories and support the development of the research comms strategy
• Coordinate research comms and work with the Director of Research and Development and comms team to ensure all research content is accurate and appropriate
• Work with the income generation and comms teams to provide updates to our key co-funding partners
• Support the collection of portfolio data across all programmes for DUK KPIs and to support DUK impact report development
• Coordinate and deliver research led events and support the Director of Research and Development in the agenda and content development for the annual Duchenne UK New Horizons conference
• Travel across the UK to attend meetings with partners

About Us

For over 21 years, The Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre has offered free, holistic support to anyone in our community affected by cancer through complementary therapies, talking therapies, art, and our supportive community.

In 2025 alone, we had 1,911 individual visits and 1,021 therapy sessions - entirely through the dedication of our volunteer team. We are currently renovating our new centre, and we want to use it to reach further into our community than ever before. This is the first paid role in our history.

About the Role

As our first Executive Director, you will be the single point of accountability between our Board of Trustees and the day-to-day operation of the Centre - working alongside our (voluntary) Centre Manager and (voluntary) Volunteer Manager to support their roles, not duplicate them. You'll lead our strategy delivery, guide the charity's move into its new home, and oversee a service redesign informed by a fresh programme of visitor, volunteer and community research.

About You

You already know how to do this job - you've held a senior, accountable position in a charity or comparable organisation and can bring that experience from day one. You're confident reporting to a board of trustees, comfortable getting things done, and able to win the trust of a highly experienced, long-standing volunteer team through competence and credibility, not authority alone.

Key Activity Areas

• Financial management – budgeting, financial controls, and reporting to the Board and Treasurer

• Governance & best practice – supporting trustees to discharge their statutory duties; maintaining the policy suite and risk register

• HR & people leadership – supporting our entire volunteer and therapist team; communication is key to our volunteers

• Fundraising – write and lead on a fundraising strategy, implement new funding streams and be the ‘face of Pickering’ – local networking will be essential

• Change management – leading the transition to our new centre and evolving service model with care and consultation

• Compliance – safeguarding, health and safety, GDPR, and other regulatory requirements

Qualifications - Desirable

All the below are not necessary qualifications but would assist with this role:

• CIPD qualification, or equivalent hands-on HR experience

• A recognised governance qualification (e.g. Chartered Governance Institute) or completion of a charity leadership programme or similar

• Financial management experience – a qualification would be useful but not essential

• Safeguarding lead training

Experience and Competencies — Essential

• Senior leadership experience with genuine authority and accountability in a charity or comparable mission-led organisation

• A track record of reporting to and working with a board of trustees or non-executive directors

• A track record of leading organisational change, with evidence it was genuinely adopted

• Sound financial literacy - budgets, management accounts, financial controls, dealing with auditors

• Working knowledge of safeguarding, risk management and regulatory compliance

• Excellent written and verbal communication, including board-level reporting as well as the ability to speak in public

• Experience making a leadership role pay for itself, through income generation, cost savings, or both

• A genuine, demonstrable commitment to Pickering's mission

Experience and Competencies — Desirable

• Fundraising experience across grants, trusts, community fundraising and corporate partnerships

• Experience within the cancer support, wider healthcare, or hospice sector

• Lived experience of cancer, personally or through supporting someone close to you

• Experience leading a refresh of a brand or a rebrand, service redesign, or physical relocation of services

• Familiarity with Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding local community

Safeguarding

This role involves working with adults who may be vulnerable by virtue of serious illness. The successful candidate will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory reference checks before appointment, and will act as, or oversee, the charity's designated safeguarding lead.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Pickering is committed to equal opportunity for all and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. A copy of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy is available on request.

How to Apply

Please apply by Sunday 6 September 2026. Interviews are expected to take place w/c 14 September 2026.

Help lead the next chapter of an award-winning, volunteer-powered environmental charity

As we celebrate our 10-year anniversary, Shrewsbury Food Hub is looking for an inclusive, practical and strategically minded Executive Director to lead us through the next phase of our development.

We have a simple vision: a community where food is valued and not wasted.

Founded in 2016, we rescue surplus food seven days a week from local suppliers and redistribute it through charities, community groups, schools and Foodshares. In the year to March 2026 alone, we rescued more than 270 tonnes of food, with our work reaching an estimated 4,000 people every week across Shrewsbury and the surrounding area.

We have also developed a growing programme of community cooking, bringing people together to build skills and confidence, share food and strengthen community – while ensuring that good food does not go to waste.

The opportunity

Shrewsbury Food Hub has grown significantly over the past decade. Our next Executive Director will help us build on that success while strengthening the foundations beneath it.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead an established and much-loved local charity through a period of organisational development: bringing greater clarity, focus, structure and resilience while protecting the energy, relationships and community spirit that make the Hub special.

The Board is committed to focusing increasingly on governance and delegating day-to-day leadership and management to the Executive Director. You will have the authority and responsibility to lead the organisation, work closely with our Senior Leadership Team and create the conditions in which staff and volunteers can perform at their best.

This is not a figurehead role. We need an Executive Director who can see the bigger picture, make difficult choices and turn strategy into practical action – someone equally comfortable around the Board table and spending time with the staff, volunteers and partners who make our work possible.

This role is largely based in Shrewsbury, with some home working possible. This is a strongly place-based role requiring a regular and visible on-site presence.

What you will lead

Working with the Board, staff, volunteers and partners, you will:

• Lead the development and delivery of a clear, focused and financially sustainable strategy.
• Strengthen our structures, systems, processes and ways of working, leading organisational change with clarity and sensitivity.
• Provide overall leadership for safe, reliable and effective operations and organisational risk.
• Build an inclusive, enabling and accountable culture, supporting and developing our Senior Leadership Team and wider community of staff and volunteers.
• Oversee financial sustainability and the development of a strong, balanced income base.
• Build trusted relationships with funders, suppliers, businesses, local authorities and community partners, acting as a visible and credible ambassador for the Hub.

Please see the full Job Description and Person Specification for further details.

Who are we looking for?

You will bring successful senior leadership experience from a charity, social enterprise, public service or other purpose-led organisation, together with experience of shaping strategy, leading change and turning plans into results.

You will be financially astute, pragmatic and comfortable creating clarity in a busy organisation. Above all, you will be a genuine people leader: emotionally intelligent, approachable and able to build trust across a diverse community of staff, volunteers, trustees, founders and partners.

We don't expect our new Executive Director to be a specialist in everything. You may bring particular depth in operational and organisational leadership or in income generation, fundraising and external development. What matters is that you have credible experience of the other and the leadership ability to bring different expertise together.

Previous Executive Director experience is welcome, but is not essential.

Our values

We want our new Executive Director to share our commitment to reducing food waste and strengthening our community, and to lead in a way that reflects our values:

Passion – Accountability – Inclusiveness – Integrity – Caring – Resilience

These values shape not only what we do, but how we work together. We are looking for a leader who enables others to succeed, listens to different perspectives, acts with integrity and empathy, and remains purposeful and constructive through change.

Our ambitions remain firmly rooted in place. We believe there is significant potential to deepen our environmental and social impact across Shrewsbury and Shropshire, rather than becoming a national organisation.

How to apply:

Please submit your CV and a covering letter of no more than three pages, outlining your suitability for the role, by 5pm on Friday 25 September 2026.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to visit Shrewsbury Food Hub on Monday 5 October 2026, providing an opportunity to meet the team, see the Hub in action and gain a deeper understanding of the organisation ahead of formal interviews.

Shrewsbury Food Hub values the strength that comes from different experiences and perspectives. We welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and are committed to a fair and accessible recruitment process.

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DIRECTOR OF VOLUNTEERING

Director of Volunteering at Mercy Ships UK, providing strategic leadership to recruit, engage and mobilise volunteers for its two hospital ships.

Mercy Ships is an inspiring Christian charity delivering free, life-changing surgery to people in Africa with limited access to healthcare. Through its two hospital ships, it brings hope, healing and specialist training to local healthcare professionals. Since 1978, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 55 countries, performing over 122,000 surgical procedures and training more than 55,500 healthcare workers. 

Mercy Ships UK is now embarking on an ambitious growth journey, aiming to double volunteer placements over the next five years. We are looking for an exceptional leader to join Mercy Ships UK as Director of Volunteering. This is a brand-new role created at an exciting time in the charity's growth.

Reporting to the Executive Director and serving on the Executive Leadership Team, you will lead the development of an ambitious long-term volunteering and workforce strategy, inspiring and mobilising medical, maritime and other specialist volunteers to serve on board Mercy Ships' current and future hospital ships. Through your leadership, thousands more volunteers will be equipped to bring hope, healing and life-changing care to communities across Africa.

In this role, you'll have the opportunity to:

• Develop and deliver a multi-year volunteering strategy that builds sustainable pipelines of medical, maritime and specialist volunteers
• Lead the full volunteer journey, from attraction and recruitment through to preparation, engagement, retention and alumni involvement
• Build strategic partnerships with NHS organisations, Royal Colleges, universities, churches, Christian networks and professional bodies
• Provide strategic advice to the Executive Director, Executive Leadership Team and Trustees on volunteering trends, workforce risks and growth opportunities
• Lead, inspire and develop a high-performing volunteering function, setting clear priorities, standards and measures of success
• Act as a senior ambassador for Mercy Ships UK, representing its Christian mission with credibility and influence across the sector

Why work for Mercy Ships UK?

• 25 days' annual leave plus UK bank holidays, increasing by one day for each completed year of service, to a maximum of 30 days
• Employer pension contribution of up to 7%
• Annual personal learning and development budget
• Employee Assistance Programme and wellbeing support
• Location: 12 Meadway Court, Stevenage, SG1 2EF (hybrid working available)
• Free on-site parking
• A brand-new, pivotal leadership role at an exciting stage of growth

This role is eligible for an Enhanced DBS check. Any offer of employment will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment, safeguarding and background checks.

For further details please have a look at the candidate pack.

For an informal chat to ask any questions, please contact Nick Thomas, Senior Consultant, Charisma Charity Recruitment. Please apply through the Charisma Charity Recruitment website with your CV and supporting statement.

Key dates

• Closing date: Monday 14th September 2026
• Charisma vetting interviews must be completed by close of play on: Wednesday 16th September 2026
• First interviews with Mercy Ships: W/C 28th September 2026
• Final interviews with Mercy Ships: W/C 5th October 2026

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion*, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law.

*In accordance with the Equality Act 2010, Part 1, Schedule 9, it is a genuine occupational requirement that the post holder is a practising Christian.