Samaritans jobs
Join Samaritans as a Caller Support Officer
Do you have experience working with vulnerable callers within a helpline setting? Are you passionate about supporting vulnerable individuals and making a real difference?
Samaritans is looking for a dedicated Caller Support Officer to join our dynamic Caller Support Team. This is a unique opportunity to play a vital role in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our most complex and vulnerable callers.
- £30,000 - £33,000 per annum
- 12-month fixed term contract, covering maternity leave
- Full time (35 hours per week) with flexible working
- Hybrid working: Linked to our Ewell (Surrey) office
- You will need to be able to work flexibly to support volunteers which may involve occasional travel or evening/weekend meetings.
About the Role
As a Caller Support Officer, you will:
- Provide expert advice and guidance on caller support policies and procedures to volunteers and staff.
- Work closely with branches, the Caller Support & Safeguarding Hub, and Central Office to ensure consistent, high-quality support.
- Help manage support for callers with complex mental health needs, ensuring appropriate boundaries and reducing dependency on the service.
- Be a key point of contact for police, coroners, court officials, and other external agencies.
- Support the triaging of caller concern forms and work closely with callers to create safe effective support plans that meet their needs within the boundaries of the service.
- Uphold Samaritans’ zero-tolerance approach to any abuse of threatening behaviours towards volunteers and staff
What We’re Looking For
We’re seeking someone who:
- Has experience with working in a helpline setting, to support volunteers to deliver safe and effective emotional support to individuals in distress or with complex emotional/mental health needs, ideally in a helpline setting.
- Understands safeguarding legislation and has experience applying it in practice.
- Is confident managing sensitive and sometimes confrontational situations.
- Can work independently and manage a varied workload effectively.
- Has experience working with external agencies such as police and court officials.
- Is emotionally resilient and able to handle distressing information with professionalism and care.
Criminal record check (DBS):
We take safeguarding seriously at Samaritans and follow safe recruitment practices. As this role has direct contact with children and adults at risk, this role will require an Enhanced DBS check with Adults and Children’s Barred Lists.
At offer stage, as part of the conditional job offer, we will require the candidate to disclose in full, spent and unspent convictions by completing a declaration form. The declaration form will only be seen by those who need to see it as part of the recruitment process.
Why Join Us?
At Samaritans, we believe fewer lives should be lost to suicide. You'll be part of a supportive and inclusive workplace that values innovation, resilience, and collaboration. Enjoy a hybrid working environment, professional development opportunities, and the chance to make a real difference.
Working at Samaritans:
For further information about Samaritans, including our charity structure, values, employee benefits, and application process, please read our recruitment brochure on our careers page.
Being Inclusive:
We recognise the enormous benefits and the social justice imperatives of ensuring diversity at every level of our organisation. Samaritans is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person they are. To ensure Samaritans is representative of those we support and who support us, we particularly welcome applications from disabled, racialised minority and LGBTQ+ candidates, as these people are under-represented at Samaritans.
Application:
If this sounds like the opportunity for you, please upload your CV and a cover letter (one page), outlining your motivations for applying and why you think you would be a great fit for the role. Applications close at 9 am on Monday 28th July. Video interviews taking place on the 12th, 13th, and 14th of August.
Whilst we appreciate that the use of generative AI functions like ChatGPT is quickly becoming part of working life for many people, through our recruitment process we want to see your own unique ideas and writing skills. We want your application to stand out from the rest and showcase your own strengths. Therefore, we kindly ask that you don’t rely on AI tools for your application answers, cover letter or to generate interview answers.
Registered Charity 
101 - 500
Thank you!
Join Samaritans as a Volunteer Experience Advisor
Are you passionate about creating meaningful volunteer experiences? Do you have experience of volunteer management and are available to start soon?
Samaritans is looking for a dedicated Volunteer Experience Advisor with experience managing volunteers to join our dynamic team and help shape the future of volunteering across our network.
About the Role
Our Volunteer Experience Team support over 20,000 volunteers and no two days are the same. You’ll be responsible for supporting our network of volunteer leaders in recruiting, engaging and managing volunteers, as well as involved in a variety of creative new projects helping us to provide a positive and rewarding experience for anyone that gives their time to Samaritans.
Key Responsibilities:
- Alongside a team of Volunteer Experience Advisors, act as the first point of contact for branch, region and nation queries to the team
- Lead the in provision of expert advice and support to branches and regions in response to matters relating to the recruitment, engagement, management, and support of volunteers.
- Oversee Samaritans complaints, concerns and mediation processes, ensuring a supportive, robust and fair system for managing issues across the volunteer network, including timely resolution.
Skills and Experience
- Excellent knowledge and experience of volunteering management and good practice.
- Experience of providing advice, training or support on volunteering matters.
- Experience and understanding of organisational risk and safeguarding relating to the involvement of volunteers.
- Knowledge of principles of natural justice and complaints management good practice.
- Ability to digest complex information, producing analysis and meaningful conclusions.
- Project support experience.
- Report writing and presentation skills.
- Experience in prioritising workloads and working to deadlines with speed and accuracy.
Why Join Us?
At Samaritans, we believe fewer lives should be lost to suicide. You'll be part of a supportive and inclusive workplace that values innovation, resilience, and collaboration. Enjoy a hybrid working environment, professional development opportunities, and the chance to make a real difference.
Working at Samaritans:
For further information about Samaritans, including our charity structure, values, employee benefits, and application process, please visit our careers page.
Being Inclusive:
We recognise the enormous benefits and the social justice imperatives of ensuring diversity at every level of our organisation. Samaritans is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person they are. To ensure Samaritans is representative of those we support and who support us, we particularly welcome applications from disabled, racialised minority and LGBTQ+ candidates, as these people are under-represented at Samaritans.
Application:
If this sounds like the opportunity for you, please upload your CV and a one-page cover letter, outlining your motivations for applying and why you think you would be a great fit for the role. Applications close at 9 am on Monday 28th July.
Thank you!
Are you passionate about driving meaningful change through research and evidence? Do you want to lead critical projects that inform key organisational decisions and make a tangible impact on suicide prevention? Join us at Samaritans as our Senior Research and Evidence Manager, covering maternity leave for 12 months.
You’ll lead and provide support to teams across Samaritans to conduct high quality research and evidence work, ensuring that our services, policy and campaigning work are based on sound evidence, in line with our Evidence-based Strategic Principle.
- £49,000 per annum
- 12 month fixed term contract, covering maternity leave
- Full time (35 hours per week) with flexible working
- Hybrid working: Linked to our Ewell (Surrey) office, with an option to work from a shared office space in London Bridge.
- In-person working: Meeting in person and working collaboratively are things we value. As part of the Performance and Insights team, you will join three in-person retreats per quarter. Participation to other in-person meetings will depend on need.
- We are passionate about flexible working, talk to us about your preferences.
About the Role
In this pivotal role, you’ll lead a dynamic team and work across the organisation to ensure our services, policies, and campaigns are grounded in the best available evidence. Your expertise will help shape organisational strategy, influence key decisions, and ultimately, save lives.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Conduct and oversee evidence reviews to guide our work.
- Act as a trusted authority on interpreting suicide data and trends.
- Collaborate with internal teams to embed evidence-based practices.
- Ensure the quality and ethical standards of research across the organisation.
- Lead and support a talented team, fostering well-being and inclusivity.
What We’re Looking For
- A postgraduate degree or equivalent experience in social science, health, or policy research.
- Proven experience in research involving vulnerable populations.
- Strong qualitative and quantitative research skills, including expertise in tools like NVivo, R, or SPSS.
- Exceptional communication skills to translate complex findings for diverse audiences.
- A commitment to amplifying the voices of those with lived experience.
Full Job Description is here
Why Join Us?
At Samaritans, we believe fewer lives should be lost to suicide. You'll be part of a supportive and inclusive workplace that values innovation, resilience, and collaboration. Enjoy a hybrid working environment, professional development opportunities, and the chance to make a real difference.
Working at Samaritans:
For further information about Samaritans, including our charity structure, values, employee benefits, and application process, please read our recruitment brochure. You can also access it on our careers page.
Being Inclusive:
We recognise the enormous benefits and the social justice imperatives of ensuring diversity at every level of our organisation. Samaritans is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person they are. To ensure Samaritans is representative of those we support and who support us, we particularly welcome applications from disabled, racialised minority and LGBTQ+ candidates, as these people are under-represented at Samaritans.
Application:
If this sounds like the opportunity for you, please upload your CV and a cover letter (no more than 500 words), outlining your motivations for applying and why you think you would be a great fit for the role. Applications close at 9 am on the 22nd of July. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to complete a short test that they will present at the interview. Video interviews taking place from the 11th of August.
Whilst we appreciate that the use of generative AI functions like ChatGPT is quickly becoming part of working life for many people, through our recruitment process we want to see your own unique ideas and writing skills. We want your application to stand out from the rest and showcase your own strengths. Therefore, we kindly ask that you don’t rely on AI tools for your application answers, cover letter or to generate interview answers.
Thank you!
Help shape a future where fewer people die by suicide
At Samaritans, our vision is that fewer people die by suicide. Our ambition is to see rates decline to the lowest ever recorded rates in the UK and Ireland.
As our next Assistant Director of Policy, Practice & Influencing, you’ll ensure our strategy and plans for policy, public affairs, campaigns, and industry partnerships help our work towards make this ambition a reality.
This is a rare opportunity to shape national and sector-wide policy at a time when suicide prevention has never been more urgent. Working closely with the Executive Leadership Team and leading a high-performing team across policy, public affairs and industry partnerships, you’ll set the strategic direction for our influencing work.
This is a high impact senior leadership role with strategic responsibility for influencing Westminster government, industry, and media. We’re looking for a confident strategic thinker and values- led leader, someone who brings clarity, compassion and credibility in equal measure.
You’ll be a visible ambassador, trusted adviser, and systems thinker, someone who can help shape our Influencing function to be able to drive forwards progress with our mission. You’ll help us build new partnerships, and ensure our voice is not only informed by evidence, lived experience, and practice, but is far reaching and amplified ensuring that Samaritans remains at the forefront of influencing much needed change for the future.
Full outline of the role available in the Job description file here.
Contract Terms:
- Initially a 12month fixed term contract
- £75,000 - £80,000 per annum with Benefits
- We’re open to how this contract is worked, our full time hours are 35 hours per week, but we are passionate about flexible working, and would support you to work part time, talk to us about your preferences.
- Hybrid working: Linked to our Ewell (Surrey) office with a blend of home working and access to work from our offices in Ewell and London Bridge.
- In-person working: Meeting in person and working collaboratively are things we value. We work in person around 2 days or more per month.
What you'll lead:
- Reviewing our function and developing the delivery of our policy and influencing strategy to drive systemic change in suicide prevention
- High-performing teams covering policy, public affairs and industry practice
- Strategic stakeholder relationships across Government, NHS, regulators, industry and third sector
- Ground-breaking thought leadership, advocacy, and responsible media influence
- Integration of lived experience and insight into all influencing activities
About you:
You’re an experienced senior leader in public affairs, policy, or advocacy, with a track record of influencing change at national level. You bring clarity, compassion and credibility to every conversation. You understand the power of collaboration and storytelling, and you’re driven to create lasting impact.
Your experience includes:
- Leading multi-disciplinary influencing teams
- Shaping high-quality policy and public affairs strategies
- Navigating complex political and stakeholder environments
- Embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion in all areas of your work
- Making evidence-based decisions underpinned by research and real-world insight
- Inspiring engagement and bringing your team with you on the journey to contribute to your vision for the future.
Why Samaritans:
You’ll join a values-led organisation with a powerful mission and a collaborative culture. We offer flexible hybrid working, excellent benefits, and the chance to make a tangible difference in suicide prevention across the UK and Ireland.
For further information about Samaritans, including our charity structure, values, employee benefits, and application process, please read our recruitment brochure available here. You can also visit our careers website to access this.
We recognise the enormous benefits and the social justice imperatives of ensuring diversity at every level of our organisation. Samaritans is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person they are. To ensure Samaritans is representative of those we support and who support us, we particularly welcome applications from disabled, racialised minority and LGBTQ+ candidates, as these people are under-represented at Samaritans.
Ready to lead change and help us save lives?
If you’re a strategic, compassionate leader with a passion for influencing policy and practice at the highest levels, we’d love to hear from you.
To apply, please complete the application questions including those outlined below, and submit your answers along with your CV and an optional brief supporting statement.
- Why do you want to work for Samaritans leading our influencing work and what do you think might be challenging about the topic? 300 words max
- How would you go about creating a culture of influencing within the organisation and what success have you had of doing this? 300 words max
- Tell us about a time when you've developed and delivered an influencing strategy - what impact did you have and what learnings were there? 300 words max
We kindly ask that you don’t rely on AI tools for your application answers, or to generate interview answers. We want to see your own unique ideas and writing skills. We want your application to stand out from the rest and showcase your own strengths.
Applications close: 9am, Monday 28th July
Interviews:
Virtual interviews will take place on the 11th and 12th August.
Informal second stage interviews will be held in person at our offices in Ewell on the 13th August. Those invited to attend will be informed on the 12th August. Unfortunately due to staff holidays we may not be able to be as flexible as usual in offering an alternative date so please do hold these dates in your diary, if applying.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
About Park Lodge Project
Park Lodge Project is a dedicated charity committed to empowering young people and fostering safe, supportive environments where they can thrive. We provide a range of vital services, including educational and employment support, safe housing, ensuring every young individual has the opportunity to achieve their full potential. As a small but impactful organisation, we aim to deliver our life-changing work and drive positive change in young people's lives.
Job Purpose
This is a new role within Park Lodge Project. You will be responsible for researching and leading all fundraising bids, developing funding opportunities and working with service delivery colleagues to respond to opportunities. You will lead on all aspects of bid writing, including showcasing and reporting young people impact data.
You will work closely with the CEO and the Chair of the Fundraising Trustee Committee to support the strategy, development and delivery of identified opportunities. You will be the lead on organising key stakeholder events.
Closing date: 8 August
Interview date: 14 August
