Children and families jobs

Job Description - South Yorkshire Child Poverty Partnership Officer 

Overview 

Resolve Poverty are excited to be working in partnership with Save the Children UK to recruit a South Yorkshire Child Poverty Partnership Officer that will improve outcomes for children and young people living in poverty across South Yorkshire. This new role will mobilise the development of a regional Child Poverty Action Plan, working closely with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and work with complex systems and multiple partners.

Drawing on Resolve Poverty’s expertise in developing strategic local responses to poverty and the work of the Dream Big South Yorkshire: Children & Families Commission, the postholder will be passionate about using this pilot phase to establish the necessary mechanism for a sustainable long-term approach to addressing child poverty across the region.

Particulars: 

Role Title: South Yorkshire Child Poverty Partnership Officer 
Location: Hybrid — based in South Yorkshire with regular presence at South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Save the Children’s offices in Sheffield and an expectation of some travel to Resolve Poverty’s office in Manchester. 

Hours: Full-time (35 hours/week)

Contract: Fixed-term, 12 months, with potential extension dependent on funding. 

Salary: £43,000 to £47,000 (dependent on experience).  

Host and working arrangements 

Employer: Resolve Poverty (host organisation). 

Embedded placement up to 2 days per week within South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) to support regional policy development and delivery. 

Partnership support: Will receive regular technical and programme support from Save the Children UK — South Yorkshire team and work closely with their staff on delivery, stakeholder engagement and safeguarding. 

Background 

The South Yorkshire Child Poverty Coalitionis being established as a collaborative advisory board, co-chaired by key partners and supported by stakeholders including VCSFE infrastructure organisations, policy academics, strategic leads, and national experts. Its mission is to develop and deliver a comprehensive South Yorkshire Child Poverty Action Plan that tackles the root causes of child poverty and leverages opportunities for change at regional, local, and community levels. 

Central to this work is the South Yorkshire Children and Families Commission, a regional body made up of Community Commissioners and Civic Commissioners who blend lived and learned experience to embed the reality of poverty’s impact across our communities. Their voices will shape priorities, decisions, and direction throughout the strategy period, ensuring that the Coalition’s work is grounded in the experiences of those most affected. This role will also ensure that this work aligns with SYMCA’s ambitions to develop a youth engagement strategy.

The Coalition will also play a pivotal role in aligning the Action Plan with the proposed Child Lens Investment Fund. This pioneering approach to child-lens investing—intentionally directing investment decisions based on their potential impact for children and families—offers South Yorkshire the opportunity to maximise social investment to improve outcomes for children and families living in poverty, while strengthening the local economy through funding for businesses, social enterprises, and charities. 

Role Purpose 

The South Yorkshire Child Poverty Partnership Officer will work closely with SYMCA to provide strategic leadership, coordination, and  development of the Child Poverty Action Plan. The role will initially sit within the Violence Reduction Unit as part of an embedded placement, building capacity within the unit to ensure that the Action Plan reflects the work of the unit to embed lived experience, youth voice and preventative approaches to address exploitation and vulnerability. The role will ensure that the Coalition’s work is embedded within wider regional strategies, aligned with local and national frameworks, and driven by lived experience and robust data. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead the Coalition: Convene partners, provide strategic leadership, oversee progress, and manage projects to ensure effective delivery. 

• Build capacity: Strengthen organisational capacity within SYMCA to embed the Child Poverty Action Plan within regional strategies, working closely with the four local authorities. 

• Develop the Framework: Work alongside the Coalition and the regional Commission to design a robust Action Plan framework, informed by data and region-specific priorities. 

• Champion Lived Experience: Promote a culture of participatory production, ensuring that lived experience is embedded and championed throughout the Coalition’s work. 

• Maintain Momentum: Collaborate with Coalition partners to sustain energy and momentum, ensuring the Action Plan feeds into wider opportunities and regional priorities. 

• Set Regional Targets: Based on national child poverty targets and metrics, establish South Yorkshire-specific ambitions with short, medium, and long-term goals to reduce child poverty rates. 

• Empower the Commission: Support the Children and Families Commission to be fully embedded within the Coalition, ensuring it holds equal decision-making power alongside other partners. 

• Advance Child-Lens Investing: Support the development of the Child Lens Investment Fund, aligning investment outcomes with the deliverables of the Child Poverty Action Plan to maximise social impact and economic benefit. 

• Strengthen Partnerships: Hold and nurture relationships with a wide range of partners and stakeholders—including health, education, transport, and planning sectors—to ensure the Child Poverty Action Plan is supported and embedded across the region. 

Person Specification 

Essential 

• Proven experience in strategic leadership, partnership working, working with complex systems and project management. 

• Strong understanding of child poverty, social policy, and regional inequalities. 

• Ability to convene diverse stakeholders and build consensus across sectors. 

• Commitment to participatory approaches and embedding lived experience in decision-making. 

• Excellent communication, influencing, and relationship-building skills. 

Desirable 

• Experience of working within combined authorities, local government, or regional policy environments. 

• Knowledge of social investment approaches, particularly child-lens investing. 

• Familiarity with evaluation frameworks and data-led strategy development. 

Benefits and practicalities 

Salary: £43,000 to £47,000 (dependent on experience). 
Pension and leave: Standard employer pension contributions and annual leave in line with Resolve Poverty policy. 
Professional development: Access to training and peer support through Resolve Poverty, Save the Children UK and with SYMCA. 
Travel: Travel across South Yorkshire and occasional travel to national meetings. There is an expectation of some travel to Resolve Poverty’s office in Manchester. Travel expenses will be reimbursed in line with policy. 

The postholder will be required to hold an Enhanced DBS.  

Application and selection 

Application materials: CV (max 2 pages) and a short supporting statement (max 1,200 words) explaining how you meet the essential criteria and why you are interested in the role. 

Applications should be sent to Michelle Hewitt no later than 5pm on Tuesday 28th April.

Selection process: Shortlisting, panel interview and a short task or presentation related to project. 

Recruitment timetable:

Deadline for applications: 5pm on Tuesday 28th April.

Confirmation of interview dates for shortlisted candidates: Tuesday 5th May. 

Interviews to be carried out in Sheffield on Tuesday 12th May.

Join Barnardo's North England Fostering Service as a Supervising Social Worker.

Barnardo's is one of the UK's leading children's charities, and our North England Fostering Service is committed to providing safe, nurturing, and supportive homes for children and young people. We are now seeking a passionate and skilled Supervising Social Worker to join our dedicated team.

North England service cover Yorkshire, Humber and the North East of England. The successful applicant must be willing to drive across this region as part of their role.

About the Role

As a Supervising Social Worker, you will play a vital role in supporting foster carers to provide high-quality care. You will:

• Supervise, support, and develop foster carers to ensure the best outcomes for children.
• Undertake assessments of prospective foster carers.
• Contribute to the matching process and foster home stability.
• Work collaboratively with children, families, carers, and professionals.
• Maintain accurate and timely records in line with regulatory requirements.
• Delivering training to foster carers
• Following induction period, join our out of hours rota

What We are Looking For

We're seeking someone who is:

• A qualified Social Worker (DipSW, CQSW, or equivalent) registered with Social Work England.
• Experienced in fostering or children's social care.
• Skilled in building strong, supportive relationships.
• Committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
• Able to work flexibly, including evenings and weekends.

Supplementary Information

A professional Social Work qualification and SWE registration are essential for this post as is experience in Family Placement, Child Protection or work with children looked after.

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.  

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.

Pay & Reward Framework

We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values.  We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people. 

For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay. 

Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours.  More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application. 

Benefits

Workplace Offer: What it means for you

Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, in the community, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or depending on the role any combination of these. Please read through the advert carefully to understand the remits of hybrid working that will be specific to the role.

Barnardo's require colleagues to be UK residents, based in the UK and to complete their roles from within the UK (with the exception of colleagues providing Barnardo's services in Jersey and colleagues who live in the Republic of Ireland providing services in Northern Ireland)

• 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.
• Annual Leave entitlement for full-time colleagues is 26 days per annum, increasing to 27 days per annum, after 3 years Barnardo's service, 29 days per annum, after 5 years Barnardo's service and 30 days per annum, after 7 years Barnardo's service. Those working less than full time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata
• The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our Buy Your Leave scheme
• A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options
• Service related sick pay from day 1
• Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo's. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution
• Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension
• Cycle2work scheme
• Interest free season ticket loans
• Discounts and cashback from at high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal
• 20% discount at Barnardo's stores
• Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc
• Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support
• Access to Barnardo's Learning and Development offer

*T&C's apply based on contract

About Barnardo's

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and cultivating a culture where everyone can belong and thrive through inclusion and connectivity. We want our workforce to be reflective of the communities we work with, and for equality, diversity and inclusion to be embedded in everything we do. We are a Disability Confident Leader, are progressing our ambition to be an anti-racist organisation with Anti-Racism Commitments and actions in place and have networks for colleagues who are disabled, LGBT+, Black and Minoritised Ethnic and Women. We particularly encourage applications from Black and Minoritised Ethnic and/or disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. For disabled applicants, we offer reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

Our basis and values

Working Hours and Patterns:

· The work pattern is a minimum of 3.5 hours average per week to a maximum of 10.5 hours average per week working weekend shifts only which are 8:30am to 4pm (7 hours with 30-minute unpaid break) on either Saturday or Sunday.

· For the minimum 3.5 hours average per week, you will work two weekend shifts per four-week rota.

· For the maximum 10.5 hours average per week, you will work six weekend shifts per four-week rota.

· We will also consider 3-5 weekend shifts per four-week rota as well.

· Although a degree of flexibility will be required at times to meet operational demand.

· The normal working week is 35 hours, Monday to Friday and covers 52 weeks per year.

HMP Norwich part of the main HMP Estate offers a varied and exciting opportunity to work in a busy yet rewarding environment where no two days are the same. You will be required to obtain and retain enhanced security vetting for this role.

The Ormiston Families team based at HMP Norwich provide a personal welcome for first-time and returning visitors to help them access the services available to them.

We are seeking Family Support Workers to join the team in providing effective and efficient running of the Visitor Centre and to assist on Family Days to ensure prisoners and their families have a valuable visiting experience, improving the quality of visits for children and families helping to maintain positive, healthy and resilent family relationships.

Ideally you will have experience of dealing with people in a customer service-based role and be able to demonstrate excellent communication and problem-solving skills sometimes under challenging circumstances whilst embracing a a non-judgemental and empathtetic work ethic.

Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 27th April 2026

Safeguarding and DBS requirements for your role: Ormiston Families is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. We are an equal opportunities employer; we value diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Family Support Worker – Thames Valley

£24,000 pa + Company Car and benefits (including 25 days annual leave, reward scheme and pension)

Thames Valley and surrounding areas.

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is going through an exciting time where we are growing, with the aim of reaching more families in need.

About the role:

We are looking to appoint a Family Support Worker to deliver a high-quality family support service as part of our Thames Valley Care Team.

Reporting to the Family Support Manager of the Thames Valley Care Team and working in partnership with health, education and social care professionals, you will take responsibility for providing needs-led emotional, social and practical support to families where a child/young person has a life threatening or terminal illness.

Having worked in a stressful and emotional environment you have a genuine interest in building supportive relationships and helping people; and having provided bereavement support to families, you understand processes of grief, loss and change - and how best to help others deal with its impact.

This role covers Thames Valley and surrounding areas. The role does require travel, however you have the freedom to plan your own diary around the demands of both the families you are working with, your team, and also any personal appointments you may need to attend.

What we’re looking for:

· An experienced child health, education or social care professional - applications will be particularly welcome from those who have worked in a community environment and those with a recognised qualification in education, health or social care

· A warm, inclusive approach to achieving goals quickly and correctly

· Practiced in child protection, information sharing and the rules around data protection - you lead by example, drawing on your own professional experience and working within established guidelines

· Practical and people-oriented - you will thrive working at a fast pace whilst maintaining accuracy and be a confident user of IT (including MSOffice)

· A persuasive and open communicator - you will work collaboratively with your team and volunteers to ensure delivery of a high-quality service and support fundraising colleagues by writing case studies and family updates

· A practical knowledge of diversity issues affecting children, young people and their families – aware that being responsive to others needs and concerns, is essential.

What we offer:

We are a Best Companies Two-Star rated organisation, an outstanding place to work! We have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees, including:

· Flexible working hours to balance home and working life

· Employee Assistance Programme with access to remote GP, counselling, physiotherapy, resources to support your mental health and financial wellbeing, as well as a 24/7 helpline via Help@Hand

· Company car for front line care posts

· 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays – rising to 26 days after 1 year, 27 days after 5 years and 30 days after 11 years, with an additional 5 years to use in your 10th or 20th year of service (pro rata for part time)

· Time off in Lieu

· Access to the Blue Light Card Scheme, and other rewards and discounts

· Bike to work, season ticket loan and payroll giving schemes

· A recommend a friend recruitment bonus scheme

· Family friendly policies, focused on employee wellbeing, and an active cross-organisational wellbeing group running a number of initiatives throughout the year

· Pension scheme where we contribute 5% of your salary and you contribute at least 3%

· The option to buy/sell annual leave, as well as additional leave for your birthday, wedding/civil ceremony and an extra half day off for Christmas shopping

· Robust training and development programmes to support your learning and growth

As part of our learning and development Anne Harris Skills Development Programme, we aim to provide a high level of training and development opportunities for all staff, so you are able to perform to the best of your ability, achieve individual and team objectives aligned to Rainbow Trusts strategic plan, supporting staff to be their best and feel a valued member of a high performing organisation.

Our Family Support Teams are given the opportunity to complete a number of diverse training courses in their first 12 months, including but not limited to: Mental Health First Aid, Makaton, introduction to play, drawing and talking training.

The programme aims to provide a building block for you to individually tailor your own learning and development needs.

About us:

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity enables families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness to make the most of time together, providing expert, practical and emotional support, where they need it for as long as it is needed. For families living with childhood illness, time is everything. Right now, there are too many families coping alone with no support, no time to think, no time to make memories and no time for each other. We believe that no family should go through this alone, so we are here to change that.

How to apply:

Please visit our website and apply online.

Please disclose on your application form if you have used AI for any part of your job application.

Interviews will take place at our Thames Valley Care Team office with the dates to be confirmed. We will only contact those applicants who have been successful.

There will be a requirement for flexible working and a full current driver’s licence to accommodate team and family need. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this post.

Rainbow Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.

Rainbow Trust is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds.

JOB PROFILE

JOB TITLE: Education Advisor - Scotland

RESPONSIBLE TO: Kinship Services Manager

HOURS OF WORK 28 Hours per week (some weekend and evening work may be required)

LOCATION: Hybrid working with expectation of attendance at Edinburgh office

with some expectation of reasonable travel

DURATION: Permanent

SALARY / GRADE: 4.4 £31,003 FTE, 28 hour Pro Rata

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Kinship Services Manager and Lead Education Advisor – Scotland

• Education professionals across Scotland

• Care experienced families (kinship, adoptive and long term fostering community) in Scotland

• Adoption UK Scotland and other nations colleagues

• Local Authorities in Scotland and external commissioners

• The Promise, Scottish Government, volunteer sector organisations

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

• To offer front line education advisory support service to kinship, adoptive and foster families and professionals seeking support and advice about education services for care experienced children.

• To lead the development and delivery of education training to professionals across Scotland and actively support AUK lobbying and campaigning efforts on education matters.

• To develop, coordinate and support delivery and administration of an education support group (online or in person) to the care experience community youth and family.

• To work alongside our youth service provision ensuring the voices of young people are centred in resource development and delivery, supporting development of education and employability support.  

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work closely with education advisor lead in delivering education support service to families and professionals.

• Manage own caseloads, monitor and review progress at regular education meetings using established tools. Ensure tracking and recording on AUK system database and Sharepoint.

• Develop, promote and deliver Education training for professionals across Scotland. Including supporting the development and delivery of Education elements of training in other AUK teams and development of commissioned projects e.g. care experience week lessons, resources and training for Education Scotland

• Responsible for administrative tasks relating to service delivery

• Respond appropriately to enquiries via email, telephone or in person, referring on to other services and ensure accurate and appropriate recording and tracking of all enquires are maintained using appropriate database systems.  

• Contribute and assist in development of education specific projects to improve service delivery (i.e. education peer support group or young person support group)

• Support manager in monitoring and reporting of service delivery

• Contribute and assist in the development, design and planning of promotional resources and information materials and factsheets.

• Attend relevant national meetings, conferences, training events, networking and development opportunities to promote Adoption UK services

• Collaborate, liaise with Adoption UK Scotland and Adoption UK organisation in the delivery and participation of specific events and activities relating to the delivery of Education services for Adoption UK services.

  CRITERIA

Knowledge and Experience

• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the education system in Scotland (Essential)

• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the issues, challenges and concerns affecting the kinship community, care experienced children and young people. (Essential)

• Experience of event coordination, training delivery and/or group facilitation (Essential)

• Knowledge and understanding of trauma informed practice (Desirable)

• Experience of volunteer coordination or support (Desirable)

Qualifications and Education

• Professional qualification in Education (Essential)

• Demonstrable event facilitation, group or training delivery and administration experience will be required along with demonstrable knowledge of the issues affecting our care experienced communities.

Skills and Abilities

• Training development and delivery (Essential)

• Report writing and record keeping (Essential)

• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal (Essential)

• Ability to build and maintain relationships (Essential)

• The ability to use Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) (Essential)

• Able to utilise online platforms and packages (Survey Monkey, Canva, Mail Chimp etc.), and/or the ability to learn new packages (Essential)

Accountability 

• Develop and coordinate administrative support and delivery of education support services for care experienced families to fulfil grant/contract requirements.

• Consistent and trauma informed advisory case support for families within organisational policies and processes and fulfilling grant/contract requirements.

• Liaise across services to coordinate activity delivery with guidance and direction from service manager.

• Commitment to work within all organisational policy and processes, in particular safeguarding related requirements to ensure wellbeing of all individuals, families and staff and volunteers.

Behaviours

• Embeds trauma informed approach across all areas of role

• Takes pride in Adoption UK and promotes its values and mission in all interactions with external stakeholders.

• Demonstrates commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of role at all times.

• Contributes to an open and honest culture

• Encourages challenge and creativity, transparency and consistency.

• Leads by example.

• Offers outstanding service to members.

• Promotes cross functional team working, sharing skills and knowledge

• Communicates clearly, seeking clarity when unclear and valuing the opinion of others.

• Valuing the opinion of other. Treating colleagues and other stakeholders with respect.

• Takes pride in own development, committed to achieving high standards and agreed objectives

This role profile is a guide to the nature of the work required and may involve other such duties as deemed necessary by the Organisation. It is not wholly comprehensive or restrictive. The role profile will be reviewed with the post-holder at significant points for the Organisation. Postholder is expected to abide by all organisational policies, codes of conduct and practice, and to work within a framework of equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice.

Family Support Worker - Greater Manchester

£24,000 pa + Company Car and benefits (including 25 days annual leave, reward scheme and pension)

Greater Manchester region

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is going through an exciting time where we are growing, with the aim of reaching more families in need.

About the role:

We are looking to appoint a Family Support Worker on a full-time basis (35 hours per week), to deliver a high-quality family support service as part of our Greater Manchester Care Team.

Reporting to the Family Support Manager of the Greater Manchester Care Team and working in partnership with health, education and social care professionals, you will take responsibility for providing needs-led emotional, social and practical support to families where a child/young person has a life threatening or terminal illness.

Having worked in a demanding and emotional environment you have a genuine interest in building supportive relationships and helping people; and having provided bereavement support to families, you understand processes of grief, loss and change - and how best to help others deal with its impact.

What we’re looking for:

· An experienced child health, education or social care professional - applications will be particularly welcome from those who have worked in a community environment and those with a recognised qualification in education, health or social care

· A warm, inclusive approach to achieving goals quickly and correctly

· Practiced in child protection, information sharing and the rules around data protection - you lead by example, drawing on your own professional experience and working within established guidelines

· Practical and people-oriented - you will thrive working at a fast pace whilst maintaining accuracy and be a confident user of IT (including MSOffice)

· A persuasive and open communicator - you will work collaboratively with your team and volunteers to ensure delivery of a high-quality service and support fundraising colleagues by writing case studies and family updates

· A practical knowledge of diversity issues affecting children, young people and their families – aware that being responsive to others needs and concerns, is essential.

What we offer:

We are a Best Companies Two-Star rated organisation, an outstanding place to work! We have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees, including:

· Flexible working hours to balance home and working life

· Employee Assistance Programme with access to remote GP, counselling, physiotherapy, resources to support your mental health and financial wellbeing, as well as a 24/7 helpline via Help@Hand

· Company car for front line care posts

· 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays – rising to 26 days after 1 year, 27 days after 5 years and 30 days after 11 years, with an additional 5 years to use in your 10th or 20th year of service (pro rata for part time)

· Time off in Lieu

· Access to the Blue Light Card Scheme, and other rewards and discounts

· Bike to work, season ticket loan and payroll giving schemes

· A recommend a friend recruitment bonus scheme

· Family friendly policies, focused on employee wellbeing, and an active cross-organisational wellbeing group running a number of initiatives throughout the year

· Pension scheme where we contribute 5% of your salary and you contribute at least 3%

· The option to buy/sell annual leave, as well as additional leave for your birthday, wedding/civil ceremony and an extra half day off for Christmas shopping

· Robust training and development programmes to support your learning and growth

As part of our learning and development Anne Harris Skills Development Programme, we aim to provide a high level of training and development opportunities for all staff, so you are able to perform to the best of your ability, achieve individual and team objectives aligned to Rainbow Trusts strategic plan, supporting staff to be their best and feel a valued member of a high performing organisation.

Our Family Support Teams are given the opportunity to complete a number of diverse training courses in their first 12 months, including but not limited to: Mental Health First Aid, Makaton, introduction to play, drawing and talking training.

The programme aims to provide a building block for you to individually tailor your own learning and development needs.

About us:

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity enables families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness to make the most of time together, providing expert, practical and emotional support, where they need it for as long as it is needed. For families living with childhood illness, time is everything. Right now, there are too many families coping alone with no support, no time to think, no time to make memories and no time for each other. We believe that no family should go through this alone, so we are here to change that.

How to apply:

Please visit our website and apply online.

Please disclose on your application form if you have used AI for any part of your job application.

Interviews will take place at our Greater Manchester Care Team office with the dates to be confirmed. We will only contact those applicants who have been successful. If you require any adjustments during the interview process, please let us know.

There will be a requirement for flexible working and a full current driver’s licence to accommodate team and family need. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this post.

Rainbow Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.

Rainbow Trust is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Trusts and Foundations Manager
Permanent | Full time
Ideally 1 or 2 days a week in either in Coventry or Middlesbrough
circa £38,000 - £45.000 per annum

Are you an experienced trusts & foundations fundraiser looking to join a much loved charity which supports babies and young children who have life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.

Aquilas is delighted to be supporting Zoe’s Place in the appointment of a new Trusts and Foundations Manager, a key role at an exciting time of growth for the charity.

About the charity

Zoe’s Place is the only baby specific hospice charity in the UK, providing specialist palliative, respite and end of life care for children aged 0 to 5 with life limiting and life-threatening conditions. They offer a safe, nurturing and joyful environment where families can feel completely supported. With their dedicated nurses delivering 24-hour care, they work together to make every moment of childhood count.

About the role:

Supporting the delivery of Zoe’s Place overall income generation strategy, by researching, record keeping, applying and reporting to a portfolio of trusts and foundations to deliver long term sustainable income growth for the Trust. Overall accountability for capital projects across the Trust

Key Responsibilities:

Account manage the trust and foundations fundraising function   

• Contribute to the maintenance of a comprehensive database for both hospice sites of all relevant grant making trusts and keep up to date with changes in the sector.
• Develop and write applications and bids to a wide range of funders as required.
• Work collaboratively with the Head of Fundraising and fundraising colleagues to ensure all funding opportunities are maximised
• Manage and develop relationships with new and existing funding partners.
• Work collaboratively with Director of Clinical Services, clinical teams and finance to prepare bids and reports.
• Ensure funding partners receive timely and appropriate information about the progress and outcomes of projects including written reports and evaluation in accordance with requirement.
• Responsible for delivery of income targets.
• Ensure excellent relationships are maintained with current, past and prospective funders so the Zoes Place Trust name is associated with honesty and high standards of service delivery.
• Organise visits and tours for trustees of charitable foundations if requested to both Middlesbrough and Coventry sites.

 Administration and pipeline

• Use our fundraising CRM and in line with GDPR to ensure accurate and timely record keeping allowing for good stewardship.
• Carry out detailed research on prospective foundations, identify and maintain a calendar for submitting applications.
• Working with an income pipeline / tracker to ensure accurate and timely financial forecasting, identifying risk to income and mitigating accordingly.
• Ensure activities comply with current law, guidance and best practice of the Fundraising Regulator

Person Specication:

• strong track record in Trusts and Foundations fundraising
• Experience of working in the charity Sector
• Excellent and persuasive writing skills and a sharp eye for details
• Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills

To Apply:

To receive a candidate pack or arrange a confidential conversation, please contact:

Kieran McGorrian, Head of Not for Profit Appointments, Aquilas (contact details in candidate pack)

Applications close 5pm Monday 20th April

Aquilas are wholly committed to equality of opportunity and diversity and we warmly welcome applications from all suitably-qualified candidates.  We are truly invested in our candidates and being supportive and informative throughout the application journey

Kentown Family Support Worker

£24,000 annual salary plus Company Car (additional benefit of approx. £5K), 5% employers pension contribution and 25 days annual leave.

To Cover East Lancashire

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is going through an exciting time where we are growing, with the aim of reaching more families in need.

About the role:

We are looking to appoint a Family Support Worker to deliver a high-quality family support service as part of our Kentown Team.

Reporting to the Family Support Manager of the Kentown Team and working in partnership with health, education and social care professionals, you will take responsibility for providing needs-led emotional, social and practical support to families where a child/young person has a life threatening or terminal illness.

Having worked in a demanding and emotional environment you have a genuine interest in building supportive relationships and helping people; and having provided bereavement support to families, you understand processes of grief, loss and change - and how best to help others deal with its impact.

What we’re looking for:

·An experienced child health, education or social care professional - applications will be particularly welcome from those who have worked in a community environment and those with a recognised qualification in education, health or social care.

·A warm, inclusive approach to achieving goals quickly and correctly.

·Practiced in child protection, information sharing and the rules around data protection - you lead by example, drawing on your own professional experience and working within established guidelines.

·Practical and people-oriented - you will thrive working at a fast pace whilst maintaining accuracy and be a confident user of IT (including MSOffice)

·A persuasive and open communicator, you will work collaboratively with your team and volunteers to ensure delivery of a high-quality service and support fundraising colleagues by writing case studies and family updates

·A practical knowledge of diversity issues affecting children, young people, and their families – aware that being responsive to others needs and concerns, is essential.

What we offer:

We have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees, this includes.

· Flexible working hours to balance home and working life

· 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays – rising to 26 days after 1 year, 27 days after 5 years and 30 days after 11 years, with an additional 5 years to use in your 10th or 20th year of service (pro rata for part time)

· Employee Assistance Programme with access to remote GP, counselling, physiotherapy, resources to support your mental health and financial wellbeing, as well as a 24/7 helpline via Help@Hand

· Company car for front line care posts

· Access to the Blue Light Card Scheme, and other rewards and discounts

· Bike to work, season ticket loan and payroll giving schemes, as well as a recommend a friend recruitment bonus

· Family friendly policies, focused on employee wellbeing, and an active cross-organisational wellbeing group running a number of initiatives throughout the year

· Pension scheme where we contribute 5% of your salary and you contribute at least 3%

· The option to buy/sell annual leave, as well as additional leave for your birthday, wedding/civil ceremony and an extra half day off for Christmas shopping

· Robust training and development programmes to support your learning and growth

We have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees. If you’d like to find out more about these benefits and working with us, please visit our website.

We also have a fantastic learning and development programme - the Anne Harris skills development programme - in which we aim to provide a high level of training and development opportunities for all staff, so you are able to perform to the best of your ability, achieve individual and team objectives aligned to Rainbow Trusts strategic plan, supporting staff to be the best they can be, and feel a valued member of a high performing organisation.

Our Family Support Workers are given the opportunity to complete a number of diverse training courses in their first 12 months, including but not limited to: Mental Health First Aid, Makaton, counselling skills, and Introduction to Play.

The programme aims to provide a building block for you to individually tailor your own learning and development needs, with all family support workers having a foundation level of skills within their first year.

About us:

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity enables families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness to make the most of their time together, providing expert practical and emotional support where they need, it for as long as it is needed. For families living with childhood illness, time is everything. Right now, there are too many families coping alone with no support, no time to think, no time to make memories and no time for each other. We believe that no family should go through this alone, so we are here to change that.

How to apply:

To apply please visit our website via the link and apply online.

Interviews will take place via Teams or in person with a date to be confirmed. We will only contact those applicants who have been successful.

There will be a requirement for flexible working and a full current driver’s licence to accommodate the team and family need. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this post.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all employees to share this commitment.

Rainbow Trust is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are a Best Companies One-Star rated organisation.

Working Hours and Patterns:

- The minimum work hours pattern is 22.75 hours average per week, as follows:

- You will be required to work every Tuesday 8.30am to 4.30pm (7.5 hours with 30 minutes unpaid break), Wednesday 10am to 4.30pm (6 hours with 30 minutes unpaid break), and Thursday 8.30am to 4.30pm (7.5 hours with 30 minutes unpaid break).

- You will also be required to work a minimum of one weekend shift per four-week rota (Saturday or Sunday) 8:30am to 4pm (7 hours with 30 minutes unpaid break).

- There is also flexibility to work additional weekend shifts.

- Although a degree of flexibility will be required at times to meet operational demand.

We have opportunities to join our experienced and dedicated Family Services Team working within the visitors’ centre at HMP Norwich providing a personal welcome for first-time and returning visitors to help them access the services available to them. 

HMP Norwich, part of the main HMP Estate. offers a varied and exciting opportunity to work in a busy yet rewarding environment where no two days are the same. You will be required to obtain and retain enhanced security vetting for this role.

We are seeking Family Support Worker to join the team in providing effective and efficient running of the Visitor Centre, Tea Bar, Play Area in the Prison Visits Hall, assist on Family Days to ensure prisoners and their families have a valuable visiting experience, improving the quality of visits for children, young people and families helping to maintain positive, healthy and supportive family relationships.

Ideally you will have experience of dealing with people in a customer service-based role and be able to demonstrate excellent communication and problem-solving skills sometimes under challenging circumstances whilst embracing a non-judgemental and empathetic work ethic.

For this post we are particularly looking for you to have experience of working in the catering/hospitality sector as it will focus on running/working in the Tea Bar.

Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 27th April 2026

Safeguarding and DBS requirements for your role: Ormiston Families is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. We are an equal opportunities employer; we value diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Kentown Family Support Worker

Maternity Cover up to 12 months

£24,000 pa + Company Car and benefits (including 25 days annual leave, reward scheme and pension)

To Cover Kentown and East Lancashire

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is going through an exciting time where we are growing, with the aim of reaching more families in need.

About the role:

We are looking to appoint a Family Support Worker for a fixed term period of up to 12 months, on a full-time basis (35 hours per week) to deliver a high-quality family support service as part of our Kentown Team.

Reporting to the Family Support Manager of the Kentown Team and working in partnership with health, education and social care professionals, you will take responsibility for providing needs-led emotional, social and practical support to families where a child/young person has a life threatening or terminal illness.

Having worked in a demanding and emotional environment you have a genuine interest in building supportive relationships and helping people; and having provided bereavement support to families, you understand processes of grief, loss and change - and how best to help others deal with its impact.

What we’re looking for:

· An experienced child health, education or social care professional - applications will be particularly welcome from those who have worked in a community environment and those with a recognised qualification in education, health or social care.

· A warm, inclusive approach to achieving goals quickly and correctly.

· Practiced in child protection, information sharing and the rules around data protection - you lead by example, drawing on your own professional experience and working within established guidelines.

· Practical and people-oriented - you will thrive working at a fast pace whilst maintaining accuracy and be a confident user of IT (including MSOffice)

· A persuasive and open communicator, you will work collaboratively with your team and volunteers to ensure delivery of a high-quality service and support fundraising colleagues by writing case studies and family updates

· A practical knowledge of diversity issues affecting children, young people, and their families – aware that being responsive to others needs and concerns, is essential.

What we offer:

We have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees, this includes.

· Flexible working hours to balance home and working life

· 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays – rising to 26 days after 1 year, 27 days after 5 years and 30 days after 11 years, with an additional 5 years to use in your 10th or 20th year of service (pro rata for part time)

· Employee Assistance Programme with access to remote GP, counselling, physiotherapy, resources to support your mental health and financial wellbeing, as well as a 24/7 helpline via Help@Hand

· Company car for front line care posts

· Access to the Blue Light Card Scheme, and other rewards and discounts

· Bike to work, season ticket loan and payroll giving schemes, as well as a recommend a friend recruitment bonus

· Family friendly policies, focused on employee wellbeing, and an active cross-organisational wellbeing group running a number of initiatives throughout the year

· Pension scheme where we contribute 5% of your salary and you contribute at least 3%

· The option to buy/sell annual leave, as well as additional leave for your birthday, wedding/civil ceremony and an extra half day off for Christmas shopping

· Robust training and development programmes to support your learning and growth

We have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees. If you’d like to find out more about these benefits and working with us, please visit our website.

We also have a fantastic learning and development programme - the Anne Harris skills development programme - in which we aim to provide a high level of training and development opportunities for all staff, so you are able to perform to the best of your ability, achieve individual and team objectives aligned to Rainbow Trusts strategic plan, supporting staff to be the best they can be, and feel a valued member of a high performing organisation.

Our Family Support Workers are given the opportunity to complete a number of diverse training courses in their first 12 months, including but not limited to: Mental Health First Aid, Makaton, counselling skills, and Introduction to Play.

The programme aims to provide a building block for you to individually tailor your own learning and development needs, with all family support workers having a foundation level of skills within their first year.

About us:

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity enables families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness to make the most of their time together, providing expert practical and emotional support where they need, it for as long as it is needed. For families living with childhood illness, time is everything. Right now, there are too many families coping alone with no support, no time to think, no time to make memories and no time for each other. We believe that no family should go through this alone, so we are here to change that.

How to apply:

To apply please visit our website via the link and apply online.

Interviews will take place via Teams or in person with a date to be confirmed. We will only contact those applicants who have been successful.

There will be a requirement for flexible working and a full current driver’s licence to accommodate the team and family need. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this post.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all employees to share this commitment.

Rainbow Trust is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are a Best Companies One-Star rated organisation.

The Head of Public Fundraising will lead the design and delivery of a mass audience fundraising strategy for The Children’s Trust. Taking a supporter centred approach, the postholder will lead a team of individual giving and relationship fundraisers to generate income through the strategic and long-term engagement of new and existing supporters.

The role will include setting and delivering income and expenditure budgets across individual giving, legacy, events, community and partnerships income streams as well as evaluating new opportunities for voluntary income growth.

The postholder will play a key part within the Fundraising, Retail and Communications directorate and champion fundraising across the organisation.

This role is not open to sponsorship.

Staff benefits include shuttle bus, and more… Read more below.

Role Requirements

• Develop, implement and monitor a fundraising strategy across all public fundraising areas aligned to the voluntary income strategy.
• Working with the Director of Fundraising and Communications, set income and expenditure budgets, agreeing activities and initiatives to deliver these budgets ensuring. cost control regular forecasting and taking corrective action to achieve budgets. 
• Establishing and monitoring KPIs and quality standards for the Public Fundraising team 
• Review and build on The Children’s Trust supporter journey, ensuring that all supporter relationships are strengthened and that donors are engaged on many levels.
• Review and revise The Children’s Trust case for support, working with the Head of High Value Philanthropy to develop appeals and/or products relevant for different audiences.
• Using a donor centred approach, explore opportunities to maximise income growth and long-term relationship development.
• Work with Senior Events and Partnerships Manager and Senior Individual Giving Manager to strengthen relationships and cross-team working within the Public Fundraising team with a view to maximising supporter engagement and fundraising opportunities. 
• Lead the team to create a supporter-focussed plan to refine assumptions around product offerings and audience needs. 
• Using CRM principles, work with senior managers to optimise acquisition planning, and channels and campaigns within agreed budgets.
• Build and strengthen internal relationships across the organisation to co-produce fundraising propositions and ensure that budget relieving, organisational priorities are at the centre of all fundraising relationships.
• Work with Heads across the Fundraising, Retail and Communications Directorate to manage relationships, scope of work and overall budgets when commissioning external data analytics, creative and media agencies. 

Interview Date:

1st Stage - w/c 27th April 2026

2nd Stage - w/c 4th May 2026

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY – ‘How to Apply’

Terms and Conditions

PLEASE NOTE: The Children's Trust Application Form MUST be completed and submitted, for your application to be considered. As part of the shortlisting process, gaps in employment will be examined and further explored during the interview process. 

Strictly no agencies, please.

As we often receive high levels of applicants for our roles, we regret that we will only be able to contact those applicants who are shortlisted for interviews. Therefore, if you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume you have not been shortlisted for an interview on this occasion.

About Us

The Children’s Trust is the UK’s leading charity for children with acquired brain injury, providing expert rehabilitation, education, therapy, and care at our national specialist centre in Tadworth, and to children and their families across the UK, via our Brain Injury Community Service.

Boasting a beautiful 24-acre site in Surrey, we are located just outside of London, close to the M25 (accessible via Junction 8, A217 to Tadworth) and easily accessible via National Rail, by way of: Clapham Junction, Sutton, and Epsom.

Staff Benefits

The work we do is highly rewarding, and in addition to an attractive salary, we offer a valuable range of benefits, including our staff flexible benefits platform, on-site nursery, free eye tests, enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay, time out days for those experiencing menopause symptoms and time off for gender reassignment.

We also offer additional annual leave days for those with long service, with entitlements ranging from 35 to 41 days (including bank holidays) depending on your length of service.

Other benefits include free on-site parking; a staff shuttle service from Epsom and Sutton train stations to Tadworth Court, subsidised cafeteria, on-site staff accommodation (subject to availability), the ability to retain your NHS pension (where applicable), Teacher’s pension (where applicable) or the opportunity to join an alternative scheme, and the opportunity to develop your career in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Rehabilitation of Offenders

Many roles at The Children’s Trust are exempt from the provisions of Section 4 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, by virtue of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013 and 2020) and as such, are subject to an Enhanced DBS check.  Successful applicants will be required to complete an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check, which will disclose all unspent convictions and adult cautions and any spent convictions or adult cautions that would not be protected.  The exceptions to this are our retail roles within The Children’s Trust shops, which are subject to Basic DBS checks which will disclose unspent convictions or adult cautions.

Equal Opportunity Employer

To help us achieve our ambition to give children and young people with brain injury and neurodisability the opportunity to live the best life possible, we want to accurately reflect the UK’s diverse population. We want equity, diversity, and inclusion to be at the heart of everything we do, and our people, services, and culture to reflect the diverse needs of all. Through our diversity and inclusion strategy, we have made a commitment to increase the diversity of our charity and create an inclusive culture. We have networks across the organisation working to ensure that these aims are met - including an LGBTQIA2S+ group, Ethnic Diversity Group, and Spark – our broad EDI group. Read more about our EDI work here. We welcome applications from all who share our ambition regardless of background. We will strive to ensure that any reasonable adjustments are made in respect of interview and working arrangements.

Online Searches

In accordance with statutory safeguarding and child protection guidance, online searches will be conducted for shortlisted candidates before interview. The online searches will be conducted by a person who is independent of the interview and selection process and will focus on relevant information returned via searches of the candidate’s name (and variations thereof). Social media searches will be limited to professional platforms such as LinkedIn. Any concerns relating to suitability for work with children and young people will be forwarded to the interview panel, for discussion during the interview.

Together for Short Lives is looking for a driven and creative Business Development Manager to develop and secure high‑value corporate partnerships that will help transform the lives of seriously ill children and their families. You’ll lead our business development strategy, build a strong pipeline of opportunities, and develop lasting relationships with prospective and existing supporters.

If you’re collaborative, tenacious and passionate about making a real impact in children’s palliative care, we’d love to hear from you.

Full‑time 1 year FTC | Hybrid (UK‑wide with travel to our Bristol Office) | £42,000

Purpose of role

The Business Development Manager will lead our efforts to secure high-profile, high-value partnerships with corporate organisations  that will generate vital income for children's palliative care. Securing new partnerships and growing our income requires exceptional collaboration skills; a driven, tenacious and resourceful nature; innovation and creativity; and a passionate determination to make a difference to the lives of children and families across the UK.

The main objectives are as follows:

1. Secure new corporate partnerships raising funds to support Together for Short Lives’ direct work, and our National Fundraising Scheme (raising funds on behalf of the UK’s children’s hospices).
2. Develop and deliver a business development strategy, including  prospect research, managing  a robust pipeline of opportunities, and developing a diverse range of business development products. 
3. Manage and develop relationships with a portfolio of individual contacts and organisations, including prospective and existing supporters.

Job Title:
Senior Grants Officer

Reporting To:
Grants Manager

Salary:
£31,125 – £39,826

Hours:
37.5 hours per week

Duration:
Permanent

Location:
Alder Hey Children’s Charity, Liverpool / Hybrid working

Job Purpose

We have an exciting opportunity for someone to join our grants team to support the charity in delivering approximately £5m of grant awards per year.

The Senior Grants Officer will play an active role in supporting Alder Hey Children’s Charity’s grant development and awarding process, liaising with Trust colleagues on grant applications and awards.

The post holder will work closely with fundraising teams to support donor asks and ongoing stewardship.

They will also support the Grants Manager in developing systems and processes for effective grant management, including maintaining up-to-date records on Salesforce.

Main Duties / Tasks

Grant Programme Delivery & Oversight

• Oversee application pipelines and grant status, ensuring efficient progression and escalating issues where required
• Monitor applications in development, ensuring alignment with Charity priorities and Theory of Change model
• Support small grants assessment meetings, including follow-up actions such as applicant liaison and issuing grant letters
• Respond to enquiries from grant holders, managing or escalating risks and underperformance
• Ensure fundraising teams are kept informed where external funds are attached to grants

Applicant & Stakeholder Support

• Act as a primary point of contact for grant applicants, advising on eligibility, criteria and application processes
• Build and maintain effective relationships with Trust staff, charity colleagues and external partners
• Represent the grants team in internal meetings where required

Performance Monitoring & Continuous Improvement

• Support monitoring of KPIs, including turnaround times, ensuring performance targets are met
• Identify opportunities to improve grant processes, systems and documentation
• Share learning and best practice across the charity

Programme Development

• Contribute to the development of grant programmes aligned with Charity priorities
• Support creation and improvement of applicant guidance and programme materials
• Work collaboratively with Impact & Insights colleagues to support a one-team approach

Other Duties

• Act as an ambassador for Alder Hey Children’s Charity in line with organisational values
• Contribute positively to the wider team and support fundraising events where required
• Undertake any other reasonable duties as requested by your line manager

Person Specification

Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience

Essential:

• Experience in the charity, voluntary, public or philanthropic sector, ideally in a grants or programme role
• Knowledge of assessing grant or funding applications, including reviewing proposals and budgets
• Experience of administration and management processes, including record keeping, due diligence and reporting
• Experience using databases or grant management systems
• Experience managing multiple applications or projects to deadlines
• Understanding of governance and good practice in grant awarding and reporting
• Understanding of the charity and funding landscape

Desirable:

• Experience in a grant-making organisation, foundation or trust
• Experience supporting panels, committees or trustees
• Experience using Salesforce or similar CRM systems

Skills and Attributes

Essential:

• Commitment to equity, diversity and collaborative working
• Strong analytical and numerical skills
• Clear and concise written communication skills
• Excellent verbal communication skills
• Strong organisational and time-management skills
• Self-motivated with a positive, flexible approach
• High attention to detail
• Good judgement and integrity
• Ability to work collaboratively and contribute to shared learning
• Ability to line manage and support a Grants Assistant
• Strong IT skills including Microsoft Office and database systems

Desirable:

• Advanced Excel skills
• Experience improving grant processes or systems
• Experience building relationships with applicants and grantees
• Interest in developing grant-making practice

Additional Requirements

Essential:

• Commitment to continuing professional development
• Strong interest in working for a children’s health charity
• Commitment to the values of Alder Hey Children’s Charity
• Willingness to support wider charity activities
• Willingness to occasionally work outside normal office hours

Our Values

At Alder Hey Children’s Charity, our values guide how we work. Being courageous, working together, showing passion and embracing creativity enables us to support the hospital in delivering the very best care for young patients and their families.

Courage
We try new things, take risks and innovate. We speak up, take accountability and act with responsibility.

Together
We work as one team, sharing knowledge and learning. We partner with patients, families, supporters and colleagues.

Passion
We are passionate about what we do and inspire others.

Magic
We are creative, fun and child-led, creating special moments and going the extra mile.

Additional Information

In April 2025, the charity adopted a four-day working week policy. Staff previously working 37.5 hours now work 30 hours across four days, maintaining full pay while supporting a better work-life balance.

This job description outlines the general nature of the role and is not exhaustive. It may be subject to change in line with organisational needs.

Alder Hey Children’s Charity will make reasonable adjustments where required and is committed to equal opportunities and safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

The post holder will be required to complete an enhanced DBS disclosure check.

Job Title:
Head of Retail

Reporting To:
Director of Operations & People

Salary:
£50,000 per annum (pro rata)

Hours:
37.5 hours per week
Part-time / flexible working arrangements will be considered

Duration:
Fixed Term – 6 months

Location:
Alder Hey Children’s Charity (Old Swan & Huyton shops), Liverpool

Job Purpose

The Head of Retail will provide strategic leadership and expert insight to review, strengthen and evolve Alder Hey Children’s Charity’s retail operation during a six-month period of strategic development.

Working closely with the Director of Operations & People, the postholder will undertake a comprehensive review of the charity’s retail portfolio, identifying opportunities to maximise income, improve operational effectiveness and enhance supporter engagement.

The role will assess the current retail model, including shop performance, operational structures, processes and growth opportunities, and develop clear recommendations and a practical roadmap for the future development of retail income at Alder Hey Children’s Charity.

This is a highly collaborative role requiring strong commercial insight, charity retail expertise and the ability to translate analysis into actionable plans that will support the charity’s long-term income growth and sustainability.

Main Duties / Tasks

Strategic Review and Development

• Lead a comprehensive strategic review of Alder Hey Children’s Charity’s retail operations, including shop performance, operational structure, systems and processes

• Assess the current retail model to identify opportunities for income growth, efficiency improvements and enhanced supporter engagement

• Benchmark retail performance against charity sector best practice and comparable retail operations

• Develop strategic recommendations and a clear roadmap to strengthen long-term sustainability and growth

Retail Performance and Commercial Insight

• Analyse financial performance, sales data, stock flow and operational costs across the retail portfolio

• Identify opportunities to improve profitability, operational efficiency and customer experience

• Review pricing, merchandising, stock management and donation processes to optimise retail income

• Provide clear insights and reporting to inform strategic decision-making by the senior leadership team

Operational Improvement

• Review existing retail processes, structures and ways of working to identify improvements

• Introduce practical operational improvements during the contract period where appropriate

• Ensure compliance with best practice in Gift Aid, health and safety and charity retail standards

Future Growth Opportunities

• Identify opportunities for growth, innovation or diversification, including new retail formats or channels

• Assess opportunities to strengthen community engagement and donation generation

• Support development of a longer-term retail strategy aligned to wider income generation ambitions

Leadership and Collaboration

• Provide leadership and support to the retail team, fostering a positive and collaborative culture

• Work closely with fundraising, marketing and operations teams to integrate retail into wider strategy

• Build strong relationships with volunteers, supporters and key stakeholders

Reporting and Strategic Recommendations

• Provide regular updates to senior leadership on findings, opportunities and progress

• Deliver a final strategic report with key findings, recommendations and a clear action plan

Other Duties

• Act as an ambassador for Alder Hey Children’s Charity in line with organisational values

• Contribute positively as part of the wider team, including supporting fundraising events where required

• Undertake any other reasonable duties as requested by your line manager

Person Specification

Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience

Essential:

• Significant experience in retail leadership, ideally within a multi-site or charity retail environment

• Proven experience delivering retail strategies that drive income growth

• Experience managing budgets and financial performance

• Experience leading and developing teams, including volunteers

• Strong understanding of retail operations (stock, merchandising, customer experience)

• Experience analysing performance data to inform decision-making

• Experience working within charity retail

Desirable:

• Experience reviewing or transforming retail operations

• Experience developing ecommerce or digital retail channels

Skills and Attributes

Essential:

• Commitment to equality, diversity and collaborative working

• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)

• Strong relationship-building skills

• Ability to analyse data and inform strategic decisions

• Self-motivated with a positive attitude in a fast-paced environment

• Strong organisational skills with ability to adapt to changing priorities

• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team

• Understanding of confidentiality and data protection requirements

• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft packages

Additional Requirements

Essential:

• Strong interest in working for a children’s health charity

• Commitment to the values of Alder Hey Children’s Charity

• Willingness to support wider charity activities

Desirable:

• Willingness to occasionally work outside normal office hours

Our Values

At Alder Hey Children’s Charity, our values guide how we work. Being courageous, working together, showing passion and embracing creativity enables us to support the hospital in delivering the very best care for young patients and their families.

Courage
We try new things, take risks and innovate. We speak up, take accountability and act with responsibility. We are unstoppable.

Together
We work as one team, sharing knowledge and learning. We partner with patients, families, supporters and colleagues. We respect, celebrate diversity and empower each other.

Passion
We are passionate about what we do and why we do it. We inspire others and grow together.

Magic
We are creative, fun and child-led. We create special moments and go the extra mile for our patients.

Additional Information

This job description outlines the general nature of the role and is not exhaustive. It may be subject to change in line with organisational needs.

Alder Hey Children’s Charity will make reasonable adjustments for applicants where required. We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

The post holder will be required to complete an enhanced DBS disclosure check.