0.5 FTE – 18.75 hours per week (flexible working)
Salary: £30,000-£32,000 FTE depending on experience
Location: Hybrid working with one regular day or half-day per week in Abingdon/Oxfordshire, alongside home working and regular external meetings
About Quest for Learning
Quest for Learning is an education charity working to close the gap for primary school children in Oxfordshire who are falling behind due to disadvantage.
We work closely with schools to deliver targeted, evidence-led literacy and numeracy programmes that help children build the skills, confidence and foundations they need to thrive. Many of the children we support are growing up in poverty, facing barriers linked to low family literacy, unmet additional needs, unstable home circumstances, or limited access to wider opportunities.
Our programmes are delivered by experienced professional tutors and are built around structured interventions, strong school partnerships and measurable outcomes. On average, pupils supported through our small-group tutoring make around 13 months of progress in just 10 hours of support.
Quest for Learning is entering an important new stage of development. Following a period of organisational growth and strategic transition, we are investing in building a stronger and more sustainable fundraising function that can deepen our impact and reach more children across Oxfordshire.
This is an opportunity to help shape that next stage.
Why join us?
This is a rare opportunity to join a small but ambitious charity at an exciting stage of development.
You’ll have:
- Real ownership and autonomy within your role
- The opportunity to help shape and grow a developing fundraising function
- Close working relationships with the CEO and leadership team
- Flexibility and hybrid working arrangements
- The chance to build meaningful partnerships across Oxfordshire
- Opportunities for progression as the organisation grows
We are intentionally investing in fundraising, partnerships and long-term sustainability, and this role offers the opportunity to help build strong relationships and community support around an ambitious, evidence-led charity with significant future potential.
We are a collaborative, supportive and purpose-driven team that values initiative, professionalism, creativity and compassion.
Role purpose
We are seeking an energetic, proactive and relationship-focused fundraiser to help grow Quest for Learning’s community, corporate and partnership fundraising activity.
This role will focus primarily on building relationships and developing opportunities with local businesses, community organisations, schools, supporters and wider networks across Oxfordshire.
We are looking for someone who enjoys meeting people, building partnerships and creating opportunities through strong communication and relationship management. The successful candidate will help raise the profile of Quest for Learning, strengthen supporter engagement and contribute to a more diverse and sustainable income base.
This is a role for someone who is motivated by people, partnerships and meaningful social impact.
Alongside this role, Quest for Learning is also recruiting for a trusts and grants fundraising role. We are open-minded about how responsibilities are ultimately structured and welcome applications from candidates with a range of backgrounds, experiences and strengths.
You will work closely with the CEO, programme staff and trustees, with access to strong impact data, established programmes and a compelling case for support.
Key responsibilities
Community and partnership fundraising
- Build and develop relationships with local businesses, community groups and supporters
- Identify and develop opportunities for corporate partnerships, sponsorship and community fundraising
- Represent Quest for Learning at meetings, networking events and community activities
- Develop and maintain relationships with local organisations including schools, Rotary clubs, WIs, businesses and civic groups
- Support the development of fundraising campaigns, partnership opportunities and supporter initiatives
- Help grow Quest for Learning’s visibility and supporter network across Oxfordshire
- Work with the CEO and trustees to identify and cultivate new opportunities and introductions
Supporter engagement and stewardship
- Build positive and professional relationships with supporters and partners
- Ensure strong communication and stewardship with supporters
- Help supporters and organisations engage meaningfully with Quest for Learning’s mission and impact
- Support the development of compelling fundraising messaging and supporter communications
- Gather and share stories, outcomes and examples of impact with supporters and partners
Organisational contribution
- Contribute to the ongoing development of Quest for Learning’s fundraising function and systems
- Work collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation
- Represent Quest for Learning professionally and passionately to external audiences
- Contribute ideas and insight to support organisational growth and sustainability
- Maintain accurate records of partnerships, communications and activity within Beacon CRM
Person specification
We recognise that strong fundraisers and partnership-builders do not always come from traditional charity fundraising backgrounds. If you have transferable skills and experience in areas such as partnerships, account management, business development, communications, education, customer relationships, sales, marketing or community engagement - and are excited by our mission - we would strongly encourage you to apply.
Essential
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Confidence building relationships with a wide range of people and organisations
- Ability to work independently and proactively
- Highly organised, with the ability to manage multiple priorities
- Strong written communication skills
- Confidence representing an organisation externally
- Ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively
- Commitment to the mission and values of Quest for Learning
- Experience in relationship-building, partnerships, stakeholder engagement or supporter-facing work
Desirable
- Experience in fundraising, partnerships or business development
- Experience within education, children’s services or related sectors
- Knowledge of the Oxfordshire community or business landscape
- Experience working within a small charity or growing organisation
- Experience supporting events, campaigns or community engagement activity
- Experience using Beacon CRM or similar systems
What success in this role looks like
Successful performance in this role is likely to include:
- Building strong and sustainable community and corporate relationships
- Increasing Quest for Learning’s visibility and supporter engagement
- Developing new partnership and fundraising opportunities
- Growing unrestricted and partnership-based income
- Strengthening supporter stewardship and community presence
- Contributing to the growth and professionalisation of Quest for Learning’s fundraising function
As Quest for Learning grows, we expect this role to develop too, with opportunities to shape strategy and take on increasing responsibility over time.
Who thrives at Quest for Learning
People who tend to thrive at Quest for Learning are:
- proactive and solutions-focused
- motivated by meaningful impact
- comfortable working independently while collaborating closely with others
- excited by helping build and improve systems and processes
- confident building relationships and engaging with people
- adaptable, thoughtful and motivated to grow professionally alongside the organisation
Working arrangements
- 0.5 FTE with flexible working arrangements
- Hybrid role combining home working with one regular day or half-day per week in Abingdon/Oxfordshire
- Regular travel across Oxfordshire for meetings and events
- Flexible working patterns can be discussed
Benefits
- Flexible and hybrid working
- Pension contribution
- TOIL policy
- Supportive and collaborative working culture
- Professional development opportunities
- Opportunity to help shape a growing fundraising function within an ambitious charity
Application process
To apply, please submit:
- your CV
- and a short statement (maximum one page) explaining:
- why you are interested in the role
- and how your skills and experience relate to the role
We encourage applications from candidates with both traditional and non-traditional fundraising backgrounds.
For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Chris Higgins, CEO
Closing date: midday, Tuesday 30 June
Interviews: week commencing 6 or 13 July
Registered Charity 
11 - 20
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Location: Fully remote with flexible working arrangements
Salary: £51,500 FTE
Contract: This role is part time for 3 days a week (0.6FTE).
Closing date for applications: 5th July
Due to high numbers of applications, prior to interview we plan to carry out initial screening calls with prospective candidates before selection for interview. We will be asking about your reasons for applying and how you think your skills and experiences align to the role.
Screening calls: 16th/17th July
Panel interviews: 22nd July
Start Date: ASAP
About the Warm Welcome Campaign
Founded in 2022, the Warm Welcome Campaign wants everyone in the UK to find a place of belonging and reconnection at a Warm Welcome Space near their home. We have a bold ambition to enable a more deeply connected society where we all have free access to welcoming community spaces.
We resource, connect and champion a network of over 6,300 Warm Welcome Spaces and bring together a growing coalition of local, regional, and national partners representing the worlds of charity, faith, business, government, and philanthropy. By working together, we can unlock the power of community spaces made by and for everyone, creating a thriving network of hope and reconnection fueled by human warmth.
We’re working hard to reach everyone with the message that a Warm Welcome is waiting for them just around the corner, all through the year.
Throughout all our work and within our team we live out our values of being inclusive, collaborative and courageous and our personality that is friendly, adventurous and uplifting.
It’s an important moment for us – we are now in our second year of our five year strategy which shows a clear picture of the path we have set ourselves ahead to continue to deliver and deepen our impact. We now have approximately 3.5 million visitors to Warm Welcome Spaces each year. In January we delivered a hugely successful second ever Warm Welcome Week in collaboration with a wide variety of partners.
The Opportunity
This is an exciting opportunity for a purposeful and proactive individual to work within a small (but growing), friendly and dynamic team in a varied role. If you are brilliant at leading and developing complex multi-stakeholder processes and systems, and passionate for your input to shape work that makes a genuine difference to people’s lives, this could be the role for you.
To support ongoing growth and development of the Warm Welcome Campaign, we are looking for a Head of Operations to be responsible for supporting the Senior Leadership Team in the effective and efficient running of the Campaign and the coordination and development of our ambitious 5-year strategy. The role will sit within Warm Welcome’s Senior Leadership Team, which also includes the Campaign Director, Director of Communications, Director of Programmes and Development, and will report directly to the Good Faith Partnership Operations Director.
The purpose of the Warm Welcome Senior Leadership Team is to:
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Own and develop the Warm Welcome strategy, ensuring sustainability and delivery
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Lead, direct, engage and inspire the Warm Welcome team, setting the tone and culture
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Be accountable for significant decisions, challenges and risks.
The Head of Operations role will help to support and co-ordinate the work of the Senior Leadership team to be as effective as possible in achieving this purpose.
We’re looking for someone who thrives on fast-paced and varied work, organisational growth and development and has demonstrable experience of making things happen. The ideal candidate will be highly organised and solutions-oriented, while also bringing a creative, innovative and forward-thinking approach.
At Warm Welcome, we value diversity and we recognise the enormous benefits and the social imperative of bringing together diverse groups of people. We therefore warmly welcome applications from a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
Responsibilities
The role will be responsible for:
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Supporting and coordinating the Warm Welcome Senior Leadership Team to function as effectively as possible
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Supporting the Warm Welcome team to ensure that our 5-year strategy is delivered on time and to budget, including coordinating our annual workplan of activities against our strategy
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Developing our internal set up, processes and systems during a period of growth
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Overseeing the Warm Welcome financial, compliance and risk management
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Coordinating the Warm Welcome team growth, culture and performance
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Overseeing long term financial planning and forecasting for Warm Welcome
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Supporting the delivery of other Warm Welcome efforts, as appropriate
Person specification
Strategy Oversight and Development
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Experience in coordinating workplans linked to a strategy to ensure that progress is being made and any areas of concern are identified and acted on quickly
Developing internal processes and systems
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Ability to create and develop high functioning, accessible systems for the whole team’s use
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Highly organised with accurate record keeping and ability to prioritise work to ensure deadlines are met and opportunities are maximised
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All candidates will need to be competent with CRM Systems, Google Suite and Microsoft Office
Financial, Risk and Compliance management
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Experience of financial management, including budget setting, owning and developing budgets, and reporting processes
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Experience of overseeing risk management and mitigation within a team
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Experience of overseeing compliance i.e. reporting to the Charity Commission, reporting related to GDPR, developing and reviewing policies etc.
Team growth and performance
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Experience of line management, leading and developing high-performing teams, fostering a culture of collaboration and empowerment.
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A strong team player who is flexible, positive and responds with strong influencing and negotiation skills and a commitment to the organisation and team working
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Experience of leading organisational growth, set up and design
Working Arrangements
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Current members of the team are based across the UK, with some in London, Reading, Bristol, Manchester, York and Northern Ireland. Applicants must be able to travel to Bristol once a month for a Tuesday full team meeting. Given the nature of this role we would also expect the applicant to carry out a reasonable amount of travel to both Warm Welcome Spaces and partners across the UK.
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This role is fully remote, with flexible working arrangements.
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All employees, volunteers, partners, suppliers and consultants working with GFP are expected to adhere to our Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies. GFP’s commitment to safeguarding means we seek to ensure that no harm comes to people as a result of contact with the organisation’s programmes, operations or people.
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You will need to have the right to work in the UK.
Please refer to the attached job description for full details.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
This is a defining moment for the National Forest. With a renewed Vision, our purpose is clear: to harness the transformative power of forests to restore nature, connect communities, and drive enterprise for a positive future. Over 30 years, this 200 square mile landscape has been reshaped, more than 10 million trees planted, and forest cover increased from 6% to 26%. Now, we are ready to build on this success within the National Forest itself, enabling three new national forests and championing a forest network for England.
We are now looking for a Project Manager to join us to take forward this work on new national forests. This role is full-time, working 37 hours per week for a fixed-term contract to 31 March 2031, with the potential for extension depending on funding.
Our Commitment to You
- Salary of £43,500 - £48,575
- Civil Service Pension scheme
- 30 days’ annual leave plus 10.5 days’ public and privilege holidays
- Staff bonuses
- Flexible working options
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Discounts on gym memberships
Your Role in Growing Our Forest Story
As the New National Forests Project Manager, you’ll lead on effective project management of centralised activities for the three new national forests.
Specifically, you’ll manage the centralised reporting of progress, targets and budgets, liaising closely with the programme managers for each new national forest.
You’ll also provide technical support and advice on land use issues, including forest creation grants delivery, habitat management and land use planning, writing briefings and policy papers.
Additionally, you will:
- Liaise with external partners including government departments, statutory agencies, NGOs and wider partners
- Procure and contract manage consultancy works
- Support communications, advocacy and funding work for new national forests
What You’ll Bring
To be considered as a Project Manager, you will need:
- A relevant degree-level / professional qualification, or at least five years’ work-based experience in a similar role
- Proven experience of project managing partnership projects to deliver positive place-based or environmental outcomes
- Experience of building productive relationships at all levels with external delivery partners and funders
- Knowledge of land use and environmental policy and practice, including incentives and regulation
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.