Contract manager jobs in London

About FIGO

Every year, hundreds of thousands of women die from causes that are preventable. FIGO, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, brings together expertise globally to address this. We are the world's largest alliance of professional societies of obstetricians and gynecologists, working across more than 142 countries to improve the health, rights and lives of women and girls globally. We work through obstetricians and gynecologists and their professional societies, supporting them to advance high-quality reproductive and maternal healthcare by strengthening health systems, influencing policy and raising the standards of practice in their countries. At global level, we harness clinical knowledge to produce global evidence and standards on women’s health. 

The role

This role is within the Programmes and Partnerships team, which secures and manages funding from institutional funders. As a Programme Manager, you will lead day-to-day delivery and management of FIGO projects across the full project cycle. This will include the Advocating for Safe Abortion (ASA) programme, a multi-country initiative now in its seventh year, working with national professional societies of obstetricians and gynecologists across Francophone West Africa to drive change in policy, clinical practice and societal attitudes on abortion care. This is complex, multi-partner work in a politically sensitive area. It requires judgement, strong relationships, and the ability to hold both the detail and the bigger picture. We’re looking for someone with:

• Proven experience of managing institutionally funded projects in global health or international development, across the full project lifecycle.
• Experience managing advocacy-focused projects and working with a diverse range of partners across multiple countries.
• Strong skills in financial management, donor reporting and partner coordination.
• Experience developing and implementing monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks on projects.
• Fluency in both English and French (written and spoken) — essential for this role.
• Familiarity with sexual and reproductive health and rights, or experience working in West Africa, is a strong advantage.

This is a part-time role at 3 days per week, initially contracted until January 2029. FIGO's Programmes and Partnerships portfolio is growing, and we anticipate opportunities to extend or expand the role beyond that.

First Give

First Give is a national charity that partners with secondary schools to inspire and equip young people with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to drive change. Through our structured programmes, students explore social issues, connect with charities, and take tangible steps to improve their community.

Empowering and equipping young people to meaningfully contribute to their community is a first step to addressing many of the challenges we face at this time of social disconnection and division. Our vision is of a more generous society where everyone is willing and able to give their time, money and skills to the causes they care about.

Trusts and Foundations Manager

We are seeking a dynamic, strategic and relationship-driven Trusts and Foundations Manager to lead on growing and stewarding First Give’s portfolio of high-value funders. This role will focus on securing income from Trusts and Foundations from first engagement to account management, delivery and reporting. 

First Give is a small charity, with a growing fundraising team and big ambitions. You will therefore be someone who thrives in a start-up environment, willing to try new things. We are looking for an exceptional writer, someone who can translate the impact of our work into proposals that inspire and motivate the reader to give.

You will play a pivotal role in shaping First Give’s income growth, working closely with our Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships and the Director to manage relationships with existing donors, and leading on the development of high value bids to expand our work. This role will also support key engagement activities, including hosting donors at student-led Final events and facilitating employee volunteering at schools.

This is an exciting opportunity for a confident communicator and grant fundraiser with experience managing and deepening relationships with high value trusts and foundations gifts – someone who thrives on storytelling and social impact. We currently have a strong pipeline of trusts and foundations and are looking for someone eager to write applications and secure funding.

Contract: Full-time, 35 hours per week; core hours - 10am till 4pm

Location: We have office space at the Pears Hub in West Hampstead, where some people come in one or two times a week, we're very flexible. 

Application process:

- Application form

- Task and interview (interviews will be conducted on MS Teams)

Please also fill out this equality & diversity monitoring form (this will not be linked to your application).

1. Application closes: 20th July 9am

2. Interviews: 23rd and 24th July

3. Start date: 1st September

The students we work with come from a diverse range of backgrounds, and so do we. We want to ensure that we are recruiting, retaining and promoting a diverse mix of colleagues. We want to foster a diverse and inclusive culture, to empower our teams to achieve our vision drawing on the broadest possible range of experiences. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates from minoritised groups currently underrepresented on our executive team, particularly black and minority ethnic and disabled candidates.

Please get in touch with Carmen O’Loughlin if you would like to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process or have any queries about the role.

Independent Age is the national charity focused on improving the lives of people facing financial hardship in later life. We believe no one should face financial hardship in later life.

Our Helpline and expert advisers offer free, practical support to older people without enough money to live on. Through our grants programme, we support hundreds of local organisations working with older people across the UK. 

We use the knowledge and insight gained from our support services and partnerships to highlight the issues experienced by older people in poverty and campaign for change.

We would love to find individuals from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds to join us on this journey.

Responsibilities and Person Specification:

This is a critical and influential role at Independent Age, reporting to the Head of Governance. The post holder will provide high-quality support across a broad and impactful portfolio, including risk management, procurement and contracts, governance, safeguarding and business continuity, helping to build a culture where accountability, learning and continuous improvement drive meaningful change. 

Working closely with senior leaders and the Board, you will play an important role in enabling effective and confident decision-making across every level of the charity. This is an opportunity to contribute across a wide range of areas and to see the direct impact of your work on how the organisation functions and delivers its mission. 

We are looking for someone with a genuine passion for risk management, alongside a strong understanding of not-for-profit governance best practice. You will also bring experience in at least one of the following areas: procurement, contracts management, third party contract risk, business continuity planning, policy management or safeguarding.

You will be an excellent communicator, confident working with senior stakeholders, with strong attention to detail and a proactive, can-do approach. Above all, you will take pride in getting things done efficiently and to a high standard and be motivated by the opportunity to work for a values-led organisation making a meaningful difference to older people.

This is a full-time role, 35 hours per week, which you can choose to work over five days or a 9-day fortnight. 

If your experience doesn’t align perfectly with all of the above criteria but you do meet most of them and are excited about the role, we encourage you to apply anyway.

What it’s like to work at Independent Age:

We celebrate diversity at Independent Age and champion the differences that make each of us unique. We actively support and encourage people from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and skill sets to join us and help shape what we do. We aim to attract and retain a wide range of talent and create an environment where everyone can feel safe, protected, welcome and included. In line with this, our office has many inclusive features, and there is no dress code. 

We offer great benefits including 28 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme with life assurance, and fantastic learning and development opportunities. We also offer a number of enhanced leave provisions and benefits.

We know that a good work life balance helps us perform at our best and supports wellbeing. Flexible working hours and hybrid working is standard for all, but if you need a different form of flexibility, we are always happy to talk flexible working. Those contracted to work in the office are required to attend the office a minimum of 4 days per month. This role supports Board and committee meetings which may be held online or in the office, meaning availability to support with this is required. 

You can find out more about what it’s like to work at Independent Age on the Careers page on our website.

Application Process:

To apply, please visit our website to submit a CV and a Supporting Statement, detailing how your skills and experience meet the criteria within the Job Description and Person Specification (please do not hesitate to contact us if you have specific requirements and need support to apply in an alternative format).

To support our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion our hiring managers use anonymous shortlisting. Therefore, please do not include your name, photo, or information to indicate your gender or age in your CV and supporting statement. Please do not omit dates of employment. Please ensure the title of any uploads does not contain your name. 

Independent Age is committed to safeguarding and follows Safer Recruitment practices to ensure we are safeguarding those we work with. We therefore ask that you supply your full work history with explanations for any gaps in the application documents you submit and, if offered the post, we will require two employment references including your current or most recent employer. A Basic DBS check will be carried out for the successful candidate.

Closing Date: Tuesday 14 July, 23:59

1st Interview Dates: Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 July, online via Microsoft Teams 

2nd Interview Dates: Wednesday 29 July, in person at our London Office (Avonmore Road)

Are you an experienced public procurement professional looking to play a strategic role within a purpose-driven organisation while helping shape procurement excellence under the Procurement Act 2023?

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Procurement Manager to join the Finance, IT and Compliance Directorate at St Mungo’s. This is a strategically important role within a highly visible procurement and contract management function supporting services that make a direct difference to vulnerable and homeless people across the UK.

In this role you will:

• Lead compliant end-to-end procurement activity across a broad portfolio of goods, services and technology contracts, ensuring commercially robust and value-driven outcomes in line with the Procurement Act 2023.
• Deliver high-value competitive tenders, framework mini-competitions and sourcing exercises whilst developing procurement strategies, business cases and procurement plans that support organisational objectives and value for money.
• Act as a trusted commercial business partner to stakeholders across the organisation, providing procurement guidance, challenge and support to strengthen commercial decision-making and procurement capability.
• Identify opportunities for efficiencies, savings, supplier improvements and procurement innovation through spend analysis, market engagement and continuous improvement activity.
• Contribute to the ongoing development and modernisation of procurement governance, contract management practices, templates, training and best practice across St Mungo’s.

You will be required to work flexibly for at least 2 days per week from our Central Office in Farringdon, London. This allows for training, in person collaboration, team building, line management and relationship building opportunities. We support a flexible approach to work with opportunities for agile working for the rest of your week from home, or other St Mungo’s London or regional hub locations.

About you

We are looking for a commercially minded, proactive and collaborative procurement professional who can operate confidently within a complex stakeholder environment.

• You will be able to use your skills to contribute to the ongoing development of strategic procurement and contract management practices at St Mungo’s.
• You will hold a minimum CIPS Level 4 qualified or studying towards this qualification.
• You will bring experience of business partnering, delivering procurement plans, and developing strategies.
• You will demonstrate your working knowledge in in procuring under relevant legislation and regulations.

We are working hard to create a diverse and fully inclusive culture where everyone feels valued and we welcome applications from all under-represented groups, particularly Global Majority candidates who are underrepresented at this management level. 

How to apply

To view the job description and guidance on completing your application form, please click on the ‘document’ tab on the advert page on our website.

To find out more and apply please go to the St Mungo’s careers page on our website.

Closing date: 10am on 3 July 2026

Interview and assessments on: 21-22 July 2026

What we offer

• Excellent Development and Growth Opportunities
• A Diverse and Inclusive Workplace
• Great Pay and Other Benefits

Initial 6 Month Fixed Term Contract | Full Time | Circa £50,000 + Excellent Benefits

Location: London

Make a Difference Every Day

For more than 100 years, the RAF Benevolent Fund has been supporting the RAF Family. We are a key partner in the Royal Air Force’s mission to look after its people during and after service, ensuring that this service is valued, recognised, and people are supported even when uniforms are eventually shed. We are a national charity with international reach, delivering emotional, financial and practical support wherever and whenever it is needed. Each year, our vital services and support continued to help those serving, families, veterans, and the bereaved, in 30 other countries and in 2024 more than 64,000 people benefitted from the charity’s work.

As an organisation, we encourage learning and development and there will be ample opportunity to learn more about the Royal Air Force, the broad impact of the Fund’s work as well as developing your own skillset. 

Do you want to play a part in what we do?

People are at the heart of everything we do. Together, we:

• Provide personalised support to members of the RAF Family – listening carefully, offering guidance, and tailoring our services to individual circumstances so no one is left behind.
• Improve quality of life for serving and former RAF personnel and their families through life-changing financial assistance, housing support, and help with essential living costs.
• Increase independence by enabling members of the RAF Family to live life on their own terms, whether through mobility equipment or housing adaptations.
• Enhance wellbeing for those who serve and have served, and their families, through mental health and emotional support, youth programmes, and restorative respite and holiday breaks.

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Procurement Manager to provide professional expertise and guidance on procurement processes, contract negotiation and supplier relationship management across different directorates within the Fund. You will be responsible for supporting all stages of the procurement process and ensuring budget holders across the Fund support our strategy through their procurement activities.

Additional Information

· Must have the right to work in the UK.

How to Apply
Click [here] to submit your CV and a cover letter explaining why you’re the perfect fit, including examples of how you meet the job profile.

Closing Date: Friday 3rd July 2026, 5:00pm.

A copy of the Fund’s Candidate Privacy Notice can be found on our website. As an equal opportunities employer, the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership. The Fund takes safeguarding seriously, and appropriate background checks will be completed. You can find out more about our commitment to safeguarding on our website.

The RAF Benevolent Fund follows Safer Recruitment practices as it strives to ensure that everyone who comes into contact with the Fund will be protected from harm. The successful candidate for this role will need to prove they have the right to work in the UK. We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join the Fund.

 

The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is a Registered Charity (No. 1081009).

Role Purpose:

About Responsible Finance

Responsible Finance is the membership association for the UK’s Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs). CDFIs are community lenders, committed to delivering positive social impact, and offer fair and affordable finance to businesses, social enterprises and to people unable to access it elsewhere.

This is an exciting moment to be joining the CDFI sector. Responsible Finance and its members are focused on increasing access to fair and affordable finance for SMEs, social enterprises, people, places and communities that are underserved by mainstream finance. The Partnerships Manager will play a central role in turning that ambition into practical referral pathways, stronger partnerships and measurable growth in responsible lending.

Awareness of CDFIs remains low among many organisations that support SMEs and entrepreneurs. Many businesses that could benefit from CDFI finance are therefore not currently being directed to the sector. An increasing number seem to be turning to high interest lenders, which don’t always consider good customer outcomes.

We are therefore seeking an exceptional Partnerships Manager to develop and deliver a partnership outreach and creation strategy that raises awareness of CDFIs, increases referrals and signposting, and supports growth in CDFI SME lending. Our recent pilot with Lloyds Bank to refer declined SMEs to Responsible Finance, and our partnership with Grow London Local are just two examples.

Success in this role will mean building a prioritised partnership pipeline, converting relationships into active referral pathways, improving the quality and volume of referrals to CDFIs, and using data to learn what works.

Purpose of the Role

As Responsible Finance’s dedicated Partnerships Manager you will build strong relationships with banks, brokers and broker organisations, professional advisers, business organisations, government, local growth bodies and others to raise awareness, establish referral routes and strengthen onward pathways to finance readiness and business support.

Your work will be a driving force in delivering Responsible Finance’s ambition to unlock an additional £1bn of lending over the next five years.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leading the development of Responsible Finance’s partnership and stakeholder relationship strategy, working with our CDFI members to identify the organisations with the greatest potential to support growth in demand and referral pathways.
• Educating potential partners and referrers about what CDFIs are, the finance and support they provide, and of their role in local economic growth and community development.
• Increasing referrals and signposting to CDFIs centrally through Finding Finance and locally from organisations supporting businesses, improving access to finance and supporting lending growth.
• Managing the ongoing development and continuous improvement of the Finding Finance platform to ensure that it supports frictionless referrals and good customer outcomes – and that ongoing attribution data informs the ongoing targeting of partners.
• Developing routes for onward referrals to organisations that can support businesses with technical assistance, finance readiness and wider business support, creating a stronger future pipeline for CDFIs.
• Representing Responsible Finance at sector events, roundtables and stakeholder meetings, with a clear engagement plan, follow-up process and route for converting contacts into partnership opportunities.

This is a varied and dynamic role, working closely with our members and a range of external stakeholders. This job description is not exhaustive; it outlines the key tasks and responsibilities of the post which are subject to change. Any changes will be made in consultation with the post holder.

Role success measures and outcomes

• A prioritised partnership strategy and engagement plan agreed with Responsible Finance and informed by CDFI member needs.
• A live pipeline of target partners, with clear next actions, ownership, status and expected impact.
• New or improved referral pathways from priority partner segments, such as banks, brokers, accountants, local growth bodies, business support organisations and others.
• Improved quality, tracking and attribution of referrals through Finding Finance and local partner routes.
• Evidence of learning from pilots, including what drives referral quality, customer engagement, member value and responsible lending growth.

Skills and Experience:

Essential

We are looking for someone with experience of partnership development, stakeholder engagement or business development in a relevant environment. Experience of the finance ecosystem, SME support landscape or local economic development networks would be particularly valuable. Knowledge of CDFIs is highly desirable but not essential for the right candidate.

• Strong relationship-building skills. Must be comfortable working with stakeholders at a range of levels.
• Proven ability to build partnerships from prospecting through to implementation, including converting conversations into practical actions, pilots or agreements.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Previous experience in a similar stakeholder / partner facing role.
• Highly self-motivated and able to drive your own work forward, but equally a team player with a collaborative working style.
• Willingness to travel regularly – this role is partner and stakeholder facing and the post holder will be required to travel frequently, up to twice a week, and sometimes at short notice.
• Strong presentational and public speaking skills and experience.
• Ability to develop compelling value propositions and engagement materials for different audiences.
• Strong project management skills, including planning, budgeting, prioritisation, delivery against milestones and managing dependencies across multiple stakeholders.
• Confidence using data, dashboards or CRM-style tools to track pipeline activity, referral performance and outcomes.
• Ability to work collaboratively with members or delivery partners, balancing different organisational priorities and capacities.
• Understanding of good customer outcomes, referral quality, consent and data-sharing considerations in a partnership or customer journey context.
• Strong judgement and political/stakeholder awareness when representing an organisation externally.

Desirable

Working as part of a small organisation, you will need to demonstrate flexibility and versatility and have opportunities to support a range of other projects and support services for our members, developing a wide range of skills and competencies.

Therefore, in addition to the essential criteria above, we are also interested in candidates with the following skills and experience:

• Experience in organising and delivering events and workshops.
• Experience of creating and delivering presentations.
• An understanding of CDFIs and/or lending helpful – particularly investor relations and social enterprises.
• Experience line managing and/or directing the work of other team members.
• Experience working with banks, brokers, accountants, business support organisations, local authorities, combined authorities, chambers of commerce, growth hubs or social investment networks.
• Experience designing referral journeys, customer pathways, partner onboarding processes or account-management frameworks.
• Experience using or improving digital referral platforms, CRM systems, forms or reporting processes.
• Understanding of SME finance, access-to-finance barriers, finance readiness, social enterprise finance or inclusive/local economic growth.
• Experience developing partnership agreements, memoranda of understanding, pilot plans or data-sharing processes.

How to Apply

Please send your CV and responses to the following questions to Careers4Change:

• What appeals to you about this job/Responsible Finance and why do you think you’ll do a great job?
• Tell us about a partnership or stakeholder relationship you developed. What was your approach, what changed as a result, and what did you learn?
• Based on what you know about Responsible Finance and CDFIs, what would your approach be to developing strong partnerships and referral pathways?

We recognise that the use of AI tools is widespread these days, and it is often obvious when it’s used. We will automatically reject applications where the use of AI without any editing or your original thoughts is evident. The ability to be thoughtful and tailor to your audience is crucial for being successful in this role.

 

Job title: Responsible Finance, Partnerships Manager

Location: Remote with frequent expenses-paid travel – up to 10 times /month

Reporting To: Programme Director 

Contract: 18-month fixed term contract with intention to make permanent, subject to performance and funding 

Salary: £40,000

Date Closes: Friday 17th July

The Society of Authors (SoA) is the UK's largest trade union for all types of writers, illustrators and literary translators. We’ve been advising authors and speaking out for the profession since 1884. 

We’re currently looking to welcome a Finance Manager to our team.

The role

The Finance Manager leads on the operational management of the finance function to ensure there are robust financial controls, effective reporting and efficient day-to-day financial operations across the organisation, including our ancillary charities and literary estates. The postholder is expected to foster excellent working relationships across the organisation with all staff, member volunteers, senior colleagues, board members and charity trustees.

Reporting directly to the Chief Operations Officer, the Finance Manager has significant responsibility for:

· Management accounts and reporting

· Budgeting and forecasting

· Cashflow oversight

· Audit and compliance

· Financial controls and process improvement

· Operational financial analysis

Responsibilities

Day-to-day financial management 

• Manage the day-to-day finances for the organisation. Ensuring all aspects of the financial systems are accurate and kept updated including banking and sales and purchase ledgers.
• Manage the finances for our 14 charities. Ensure all aspects of the financial systems are kept updated.
• Undertake monthly reconciliations ensuring all transactions are properly and efficiently recorded.
• Prepare quarterly VAT returns for the organisation including the partial VAT exemption calculation.
• Oversee the management and appropriate allocation of any restricted funds for the charities ensuring that monies are allocated as per donor wishes or grant specifications.
• Prepare any ad hoc budget request and figures for other departments or the management.
• Regularly review and maintain financial policies and procedures.
• Support with funding bids and reports for donors and grant-making bodies.

Budget process management

• Work closely with the Chief Operating Officer on preparing the annual budgets for the organisation and our ancillary charities.
• Prepare quarterly figures for review, explaining any variation from budgeted figures.
• Monitor the actual spend against budgets for all the charities.

· Ensure adequate cash flow to meet the needs of the organisation and our charities in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Charities.

• Work closely with all Departmental Heads to ensure they fully understand their budgets and ongoing organisational performance against budget. 

Statutory reporting

• Assist the Chief Operating Officer with the preparation of the organisation’s accounts.
• One of the main points of liaison with the external auditors, ensuring all supporting papers are collated for an efficient and effective annual audit to take place.
• Maintain fixed asset register and inventory of all equipment contracts and agreements.
• Ensure adequate controls are in place to safeguard the financial assets of the organisation.
• Lead on preparing all our charity accounts.
• Assist the COO to ensure the organisation and its ancillary charities are compliant with statutory bodies and external institutions including:

o Companies House

o Certification office

o Charity Commission

o HMRC

o  All banks and payment processors

Financial risk management

• Work with the Chief Operating Officer to ensure that the appropriate processes are in place for the long-term financial viability of the organisation.
• Develop, update and produce long-term cashflow forecasts for both the organisation and our ancillary charities.

· Ensure appropriate financial risk management techniques and controls are in place at strategic and operational levels. 

Governance support to the Finance Sub-Committee and Charity Trustees

• Assist in the preparation of all associated papers and minutes for the Finance Sub- Committee.
• Assist the Chief Operating Officer in preparing papers for Board and Charity Trustees.

 The duties above outline the broad areas of responsibility. The SoA reserves the right to vary these duties to suit the requirements of the business.

 Person specification

Essential

• Minimum part-qualified accountant or qualified by experience with strong financial management experience, with an ability to understand the practical impact of finance decisions and processes across the organisation.

· Strong IT skills including the Microsoft Office suite, in particular Excel, and experience of using databases. 

• Experience of using Sage 50 Cloud Accounts.
• Significant experience and confidence in managing a full range of finance operations in a small or medium sized organisation in the not-for-profit sector.
• Confident presenting financial information to non-financial audiences.
• Demonstrates excellent attention to detail, organisation and communication skills.

· Resilience in working under pressure, ability, and willingness to both give and take constructive feedback. 

· Bring ideas for improvements and is open and honest in all communications where relevant and appropriate. 

• Ability to work with the Chief Operating Officer to develop the formulation of long-term financial plans and strategies for the society and its ancillary charities.

Desirable Skills

· Specialist knowledge of Charities, including Charity SORP guidance and procedures, underpinned by strong theoretical knowledge and practical experience. 

· Experience of working for a trade onion or a membership organisation.

· Tax and charities law, including a good understanding of partially exempt VAT status.

 What we offer

As a progressive and ethical not-for-profit organisation, we offer a range of benefits to support your physical, mental, and financial wellbeing. We are a London Living Wage and a Disability Confident – Committed employer.

Benefits include:

• Competitive salary
• Cycle-to-work scheme.
• Death-in-service benefit (8 x salary)
• Employee assistance programme
• Flexible, hybrid working practices.
• Family-friendly, disability-confident inclusive culture
• Generous annual leave, including all bank holidays.
• Salary exchange pension scheme
• Interest-free annual travel card loan
• *Office closure over Christmas
• Private healthcare

*Colleagues can work over the Christmas period, although the building is closed. For those who wish to take additional time off, colleagues take these days from their annual leave allowance.

As an employer, we nurture a working environment in which staff can grow and develop. We recognise the value of flexibility in the way we work with a positive culture of hybrid working practices.

Inclusion, diversity, and representation are at the core of our values, and we work to tackle structural discrimination and prejudice. Part of this commitment means that we are looking to increase diversity in our organisation at all levels. We strongly encourage applications from a broad range of social, cultural, educational, and underrepresented backgrounds

Hitchin Youth Trust is a small charity with a big heart. We support local young people (up to the age of 26) through the award of individual grants and bursaries, and we provide grants to local charities and organisations carrying out vital work with young people across our community.

We are also home to the Hitchin Charity Youth Hub at our base on Walsworth Road in Hitchin — a shared space where several local youth charities work side by side, because we know that collaboration makes everyone stronger.

In addition, we provide a meeting space at the Charity Hub.  It is offered free of charge to local youth groups and charities, to help them to provide support and a wide range of other opportunities for the young people in our community.

As Youth Trust Manager — our sole employee — you’ll work closely with an engaged and forward-thinking Board of Trustees. The role is fabulously varied – one day you might be attending an investment meeting in London; the next, liaising sensitively with an individual or organisation enquiring about grant support; the next, checking toilet roll supplies and making sure the building is running smoothly. 

Your work will span six key areas:

• Financial management — keeping our accounts accurate, reconciling income and expenditure, liaising with our investment broker and auditors, and producing monthly reports using Sage.

• Grant applications — receiving and processing applications, supporting applicants, preparing summaries for Trustees, and managing award payments.

• Representing the Trust — networking with local and national organisations, keeping our website and social media fresh, and organising events.

• Trustee clerking — preparing agendas and minutes, managing Charity Commission and Companies House returns, and supporting the annual audit.

• Buildings & facilities — managing the Charity Hub, overseeing bookings, maintenance and H&S compliance, and being the go-to person for building users and contractors.

• General administration — first point of contact for the Trust, maintaining our annual calendar, and keeping us compliant with legislation and best practice (including GDPR).

Who We’re Looking For

We are looking for someone who has a genuine passion for supporting young people in our community.  In addition, you will need to offer:

· A great eye for detail.

· Be organised, proactive and self-motivated.

· Enjoy the variety a day will bring you, manipulating a spreadsheet, preparing Board papers, following up grant enquiries or representing the Trust at a local event.

· Have a warm manner.  Be equally comfortable liaising charity directors, educational professionals and individual parents who may be desperately reaching out to the charity for urgent support.

This is a hands-on role that moves between two registers: structured qualitative research with proper analytical underpinning, and fast-turnaround reactive policy work. You will need to be genuinely comfortable in both able to run a multi-month thematic publication and turn around a tight briefing or consultation response within 48-72 hours when a policy window opens.

The role will lead The Difference's qualitative research and insight function, including research workstreams tied to the Difference Schools Partnership's annual thematic priorities, and our Harmful and Abusive Behaviours (HaB) workstream convening a sector council to build a shared framework for how schools understand and respond to peer-on-peer harm. You will produce briefings, evidence submissions and publications, manage external research partners, and work with the CEO, Head of Policy and Communications team to launch research with real impact. The role reports to the Head of Policy and works closely with colleagues across Strategy, Research and Programmes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead The Difference's qualitative research and insight function, running research workstreams tied to annual DSP thematic priorities and emerging strands on MAT inclusion and LA working
• Design and deliver qualitative research with schools, MATs and local authorities interviews, focus groups, school visits and thematic analysis  translating findings into evidence and policy recommendations
• Lead the Harmful and Abusive Behaviours research workstream, convening a sector council, producing briefing material and managing the route from convening to publication
• Produce timely, citable evidence for policy influence  including drafting briefings, consultation responses and evidence submissions on fast turnaround
• Project manage publication cycles from scoping through to launch, working with coalition and media partners to maximise reach and tracking policy traction post-launch
• Brief, manage and integrate the outputs of external research partners where commissioned (e.g. FFT Datalab, Pro Bono Economics)
• Capture and develop case studies from DSP schools and the wider Difference network

About The Difference

• Every day, the equivalent of 5,500 children are suspended from England's schools, doubling their likelihood of being NEET by 24. The Difference is a young education charity founded to change this story through whole school inclusion. We train school leaders, carry out our own research, and turn frontline insights into policy recommendations lobbying Ofsted and the Department for Education to improve funding and support for inclusion. Our vision is to see lost learning falling nationally by 2030.

About You

Essential

• Dual capability across reactive and structured research : comfortable producing tight briefings on a 48–72 hour turnaround and running multi-month qualitative publications
• Experience in education research, policy research or applied social research, with examples of published, commissioned or internally-influential work
• Strong qualitative research skills : interview and focus group design, thematic coding, framework development, synthesis across multiple sources
• Persuasive writing for mixed audiences : able to write clearly and concisely for policymakers, school leaders, the press and the sector, and comfortable ghost-writing for senior colleagues
• Project management discipline : able to run multiple workstreams in parallel, manage your own deadlines, and keep colleagues and external partners on track
• Comfortable working at pace in a fast-moving environment where priorities shift as policy windows open and close : self-directed, flexible and able to make good judgement calls under pressure
• Shared values with The Difference and personal commitment to improving life outcomes for young people

Desired

• Strong working understanding of UK education policy, particularly around inclusion, exclusion, SEND, accountability and school improvement
• Confident data literacy and basic quantitative analysis : comfortable interrogating population-level datasets and translating findings into accessible policy language
• Understanding of why language matters when writing about behaviour, exclusion and vulnerability, and the ability to frame behaviour as a signal of unmet need consistently across all work
• Lived experience or insight into the school experiences of marginalised young people
• Experience of working in or with schools, multi-academy trusts or local authorities
• Existing relationships in education research, policy or sector organisations

Please see the attached Job Description for full role details and person specification.

We are committed to building a diverse team and strongly encourage applications from under-represented groups in the charity sector. As part of our commitment to fairer recruitment, all applications will be assessed with names and protected characteristics redacted.

The Youth Endowment Fund

Senior Research Manager (SRM)- Youth Justice

Reports to: Head of Guidance and Policy 

Salary: £54,320 

Contract: 13-month maternity cover (fixed term contract) 

Location: Central London, hybrid* (see p.6) 

Closing date for applications: 9pm Monday 6th July 

  Interview dates: 22nd and 23rd July

About the Youth Endowment Fund 

We’re here to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence. We do this by finding out what works and building a movement to put this knowledge into practice. 

Violence continues to shape the lives of too many teenage children. In the past year, nearly one in five said they had been a victim, one in eight admitted to carrying out violence themselves, and half told us they had witnessed violence being committed against someone else. This violence takes many forms— from physical and sexual assault to robbery and threats with weapons. And the consequences are often severe. Nearly three in ten victims, equivalent to 5% of all teenage children in England and Wales, needed medical treatment from a doctor or a hospital. 

At the Youth Endowment Fund, we work to prevent this violence. To do this, we aim to build the evidence base on what works, and then use this to change policy and practice.

In the first instance, this means producing strong, relevant evidence through research, data analysis and insights into young people’s lives. But evidence on its own isn’t enough. We must use this evidence to promote real change in day-to-day practice and ambitious system reform to better protect children.

About the role  

This role is a hugely exciting opportunity to change practice and policy in the Youth Justice sector. Using the vast body of evidence YEF has compiled (including four new research projects that are currently underway), the Senior Research Manager (SRM) for Youth Justice will spend the year writing two reports: 

1. A Practice Guidance Report (publishing in May 2027). 
2. A System Guidance Report (publishing in September 2027). 

Practice Guidance Report 

The Practice Guidance Report will provide 5-8 evidence-based recommendations on how individual Youth Justice Services can prevent children’s involvement in violence. It will be similar in style and approach to previous YEF Practice Guidance in other sectors (such as the education practice guidance, and youth sector practice guidance report). It will likely recommend a range of evidence-based strategies including:

• The importance of commissioning evidence-based interventions (detailed in the YEF Toolkit). 

• How to meet the health needs of children in the Youth Justice System. 

• How to respond to serious violence and weapons carrying. 

• How to support the sentencing process. 

• How to support children in and after custody.

• How to ensure effective diversion takes place. 

The SRM for Youth Justice will lead the development and writing of these recommendations.

System Guidance Report 

Targeted at policy makers and system leaders (including national government and the inspectorate) this guidance report will make 5-8 policy recommendations on how the Youth Justice sector can be reformed to better protect children from involvement in violence. While the practice guidance will focus on day-to-day changes that Youth Justice services can make, the system guidance will focus on how the system itself should be changed to make it easier for Youth Justice services to do ‘what works’. It will be similar in style to the education system guidance. It will likely recommend a range of evidence-based reforms, including: 

• How to use funding, training and inspection to improve the provision of evidence-based interventions in the Youth Justice System.

• How to ensure that other agencies and sectors (such as health and education) effectively collaborate with Youth Justice Services. 

• How to improve responses to the most vulnerable children and young people, and how to improve sentencing, custody and resettlement.

The SRM for Youth Justice will also lead the development and writing of these recommendations. 

Both guidance reports will include as a priority recommendations that will reduce the racial disproportionality currently evident in the Youth Justice System, and you will work closely with a Race Equity Advisor who will play a vital role as a critical friend.

You will also be supported by a brilliant internal YEF Youth Justice Change Team (former Youth Justice practitioners who work within YEF to change practice and policy across the sector), in addition to external expert input from the leading sector experts. This will include liaising closely with the Ministry of Justice in producing both reports. You will also be able to draw from the practice and system guidance reports that YEF has already produced on diversion.

This role is a unique opportunity to change the Youth Justice System and YEF will invest significant resource in making the recommendations that you write happen. For instance, we published our Education System Guidance Report in May 2025. Three of the eight recommendations included in it have already been enacted. We intend to push for practice and system change at pace and will use the work you produce to do so.

The Senior Research Manager will be part of YEF’s Research team. The Research team is at the heart of our efforts to learn what works and put it into practice. We do this by developing the YEF’s funding strategy and creating free, highly accessible research summaries and actionable recommendations for policy makers, commissioners and practitioners. We’re a high-performing team which values intellectual rigour and getting to the truth, compassion for children, ambition about what we can achieve and humility about what we know. We love to discuss the latest developments in research methods, but we’re not just interested in research for its own sake. We want research to lead to actual changes in outcomes for children. 

Key responsibilities 

You’ll... 

• Write a practice guidance report for the Youth Justice Sector. This will use the best available evidence (including a range of research that YEF has funded, commissioned, and synthesised) to provide evidence-based recommendations to Youth Justice Services on how to prevent children’s involvement in violence. You will work closely with the internal YEF Youth Justice Change Team, an external expert panel and the Ministry of Justice to produce high quality guidance.

• Write a system guidance report for the Youth Justice Sector. This will use the best available evidence (including a range of research that YEF has funded, commissioned, and synthesised) to provide evidence-based recommendations to Youth Justice policy makers and system leaders on how the sector can best protect children from involvement in violence.You will work closely with the internal YEF Youth Justice Change Team, an external expert panel and the Ministry of Justice to produce high quality guidance.

• Become the YEF’s expert on Youth Justice. You’ll make sure we understand the key issues, stay on top of the latest research and are connected to the right people. 

• Read, comment on, and support the publication of four research projects focused on the Youth Justice system concluding in late 2026.These projects, which are currently underway, are reviews of current practice that focus on: Youth Justice responses to serious violence, VAWG and weapons; a review of how community sentences and court orders are used for children involved in violence; a review of custody aftercare and resettlement programmes for children and young adults; and a review of whether the youth justice system is currently meeting the health needs of children within it. Alongside YEF’s existing research (particularly the YEF Toolkit), these reviews will support the development of guidance.

• Develop great relationships with experts and represent YEF in external meetings and events. You’ll promote evidence-based policy and practice by speaking at conferences and events. 

• Work with our Change Team to produce resources and accessible summaries for Youth Justice colleagues on the evidence. This will also include supporting the Youth Justice change team in producing a self-assessment tool based on your practice guidance report.

About you 

You are this sort of person: 

• You want to play a significant part in reducing the level of violence affecting children and young people. You care about having an impact. This might mean you’ve worked directly with young people at risk of becoming involved in crime, for organisations that fund or deliver relevant programmes, or have conducted research on this topic. 

• You share our belief that an evidence-based approach is our best hope of 

preventing violence. You’re fascinated by research, but you’re not just interested in research for its own sake. You want to achieve actual changes in outcomes for children. 

• You know a lot about Youth Justice. You know the key ideas and debates, recent policy developments and key people. You’re comfortable talking about Youth Justice with experts. There are many ways to acquire this knowledge. You might have worked in Youth Justice, in associated organisations, or learnt about it during a degree. 

• You take ownership of your work. You demonstrate ownership and agency and can take the leading role on a project. You can take broad objectives and deliver a concrete workplan to make them happen.

• You’re a confident reader of research and have strong critical appraisal skills. You know when research can be trusted and when it can’t and can confidently articulate your views on the strength of research. You might have gained this expertise through your academic studies, research or professional experience. 

• You have at least three years’ experience working in a role that required you to think about research. This could include a range of roles in policy, academia, funding or practice. 

• You write in a way that people easily understand. You have that rare skill of writing in plain English. You have experience of translating complex research findings into plain writing that everyone can understand. 

• You have excellent project and time management skills. You can work independently, quickly and to a high standard.

• You are good with people. You’re comfortable working with a wide range of people, including senior academics and other research experts, children and their families, practitioners and policy makers. You’re able to provide constructive challenge when required. You care more that good things happen than who gets the credit. You support your colleagues to produce excellent work. 

• You learn fast but remain humble. You like learning. You’re very good at synthesising information. You know how much you don't know and that you can always learn more. 

• You’re committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. You believe and act in a way that celebrates and encourages a range of experiences, views and values.

While it’s not a criterion, we’re especially interested to hear from applicants 

who have lived experience of youth violence. 

It’s also important to us that the people we hire do not discriminate. We believe in being inclusive and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation, transgender status or socio-economic background. 

Additional benefits include 

£1,000 professional development budget annually, 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays, four half days for volunteering activities. 

Hybrid working details 

The office is based in Central London. Those living in and around London are expected to be in the office a minimum of 2 days per week. If you live outside of London and work remotely, you’ll be expected to work from the London office 2 days per month.

To apply: 

To apply, please send a CV, cover letter and the monitoring form via our application page by 9:00 pm Monday 6th July.  

When applying for this role, ensure you complete our Monitoring Form and attach your CV. Additionally, please submit a supporting statement that answers the following questions. Your response to each question should be no longer than 400 words: 

1. Why do you want the job? 
2. Can you give an example where you’ve had to summarise evidence on a specific topic that was highly contested? How did you manage the process and communicate the result? 
3. Please provide an overview of your experience in relation to Youth Justice and explain why this experience makes you a good fit for this role. 

You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK. As part of our commitment to flexible working, we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at interview stage. 

Interview process 

Interviews will take place on 22nd and 23rd of July.  

There will be a task to prepare for in advance. 

Personal data 

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area. 

The Youth Endowment Fund 

Senior Evaluation Manager

Reports to: Head of Evaluation

Salary: £54,300 

Location: Central London, hybrid* 

Contract: 24 months full-time (Fixed term contract) 

Application deadline:  5pm, Monday 6th July 2026 

About the Youth Endowment Fund 

We’re here to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence. We do this by finding out what works and building a movement to put this knowledge into practice. 

All of us will experience violence at some point in our lives. For many children, it is a daily reality. Each year, tens of children are killed, hundreds are hospitalised, 1 in 5 teenage children are victims and the majority admit to feeling afraid of violence. It scares them when they travel home from school, prevents them from going out and makes the most vulnerable feel like they don’t matter. It is taking lives, traumatising families and dividing communities. It robs potential, progress and hope. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

The Youth Endowment Fund exists to try and permanently change things. To succeed, we must build an exceptional body of knowledge about violence affecting young people and how we reduce it. This knowledge has to be both rigorous and highly relevant to those making decisions about how to support vulnerable young people. We need to find out what works and what doesn’t through evidence synthesis, data analysis and qualitative research into children’s lives. We need to convert this into highly accessible content on what works, how delivery organisations need to change their practice and how the systems they operate in need to be reformed. We then need to work with the right people that can make change happen, across systems, policies and practice, to have a real impact on reducing violence affecting children’s lives. 

The evaluation team contributes to the design and implementation of the fund’s various funding rounds. The team is also responsible for assessing, appointing, monitoring, and the quality assurance of rigorous impact evaluations from experts in the field. The Senior Evaluation Manager will play a key role in leading evaluation work. The post holder will also lead a team of evaluation managers, ensuring they have the support to deliver a portfolio of evaluation projects. 

Key responsibilities 

The core of your job is to ensure that we are excellent at evaluation, so that we can find out the very best ways to prevent young people and children from becoming involved in violence. 

Evaluation 

Working with the Head of Evaluation the post holder will: 

• Implement the processes for assessing the quality of evidence underpinning applications to the fund and making funding recommendations to the Grants and Evaluation Committee. 

• Shape the evaluation approach for individual grant rounds, including leading on this for a small number of rounds. 

• Act as a source of expertise on the statistical underpinnings of YEF’s evaluation work, including on issues such as  power calculations, regression analysis and  missing data.

• Lead the delivery of YEF’s evaluation work, designing, commissioning and managing complex and large-scale RCTs and QEDs

• Be responsible for YEF’s evaluation policies and reporting templates, ensuring they remain consistent and fit for purpose. 

• Be responsible for the ongoing development of YEF’s commissioning guidance. 

Team management 

The post holder will likely lead the recruitment, management and development of a team of evaluation officers and will: 

• Ensure they have the knowledge, skills and support to carry out their work effectively. 

• Provide regular feedback and coaching on written outputs. 

• Supervise and project manage the team’s evaluation work, providing quality assurance and monitoring of progress against project plans and project budgets. 

Collaborative working 

The post holder will contribute to the wider YEF team and will: 

• Be accountable to YEF’s Fund Leadership Team for the delivery of evaluations, on time and on budget, including reporting on risks and issues. 

• Work closely with colleagues across YEF and specifically the Programme team. 

• Ensure high-quality evidence is at the heart of all YEF activity and that the evidence we produce is communicated in a clear and accessible way which will drive sustainable change. 

• Support the management of YEF’s panel of evaluators and expert panel 

General 

The post holder may be involved in other elements of YEF's projects, working with senior colleagues to commission, scope and deliver projects. 

About you 

You are this sort of person: 

• You don't want your days to pass without making a difference. You want to play a significant part in reducing the level of youth violence and see the value in an evidence-informed approach.

• You are an excellent communicator. You can produce technical documents that accurately report methodological and statistical information. You will combine this with experience of communicating complex evidence and analysis in a simple and accessible format to non- experts. 

• You have a post-graduate degree (Masters or PhD) in social science, social policy, public health, health services or other field, with a significant quantitative component, or relevant experience equivalent to a Masters qualification. 

• You have strong knowledge, experience and technical expertise in evaluation methodologies including experience of RCT design and/or design of complex quasi-experimental evaluations (e.g. propensity score matching, regression discontinuity design, instrumental variables). 

• You have quantitative analysis skills  including experience of using advanced analytical software such as R, Stata or SPSS. 

• You have significant experience in carrying out or commissioning research including designing all aspects of the research and managing external contractors.  This may be in academia, government or a related sector. 

• You have strong relationship management skills. You are comfortable working with a wide range of people, including senior academics and other research experts, children and their families, practitioners, and policy makers. You’re able to provide constructive challenge when required.

• You bring the best out of your colleagues.You have experience in leading teams and managing others to achieve amazing results. You can both take and give direction. You are collaborative and a team player, able to build strong relationships across the whole organisation. You are happy to help out when and where it’s needed. 

• You have excellent project and time management skills and the ability to deliver high-quality work in a fast-paced environment. 

• You learn fast but remain humble. You like learning. You’re very good at synthesising information. You know how much you don't know and that you can always learn more.

• You work well in a team. You care more that good things happen than who gets the credit. You support your colleagues to produce excellent work.

• You’re committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. You believe and act in a way that celebrates and encourages a range of experiences, views and values. 

You may have, but they are not essential: 

• A good level of knowledge and understanding of crime or serious violence. You know the facts, understand the issues, know the key people, and can discuss the theories. You’re knowledgeable on this topic and very at ease discussing it with experts. Alternatively, you might have a strong understanding of a relevant area such as education, youth work or social care.   

While it is not a criterion, we are especially interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of youth violence. 

It’s also important to us that the people we hire do not discriminate. We believe in being inclusive and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation, transgender status or social economic background. 

Hybrid Working Details    

The office is based in Central London. Those living in and around London are expected to be in the office for a minimum of 2 days per week. If you live outside of London and work remotely, you’ll be expected to work from the London office 2 days per month.     

As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at the interview stage. 

To apply 

To apply, please send a CV, cover letter and the monitoring form via our application page by 5:00pm on Monday 6th July 

When applying for this role, please ensure that your cover letter can answer, within a maximum of 1000 words, the following questions:    

   

1. Tell us about why you want to work at the Youth Endowment Fund, and any experience you have that demonstrates your commitment to preventing youth violence.   
2. Tell us about your experience in designing, commissioning and managing evaluations. We’re particularly interested in hearing about the methodologies and tools you’ve used to ensure evaluations are rigorous and produce robust evidence.   
3. How do you ensure that your work – whether technical analysis or collaborative evaluation management – is inclusive and accessible?  

You should also include the contact details of two referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be approached with your express permission. 

You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

Interview process 

Shortlisted candidates will be sent a technical task to complete before the interview. Interviews will take place on the week commencing 20th July 2026. 

Personal data 

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area. 

As Senior Manager: Community Wellbeing Services, you will hold leadership responsibility for key services including Community Connections, Safe Haven and Counselling, ensuring they are safe, effective, high-quality and aligned within a coherent organisational approach. This is a senior leadership role accountable for the strategic direction, operational performance and integration of Catalyst’s community-based services and partnerships across Surrey.

Beyond service oversight, you will lead the development of a connected and responsive community offer, ensuring Catalyst’s services operate as part of a wider network of provision across Surrey. You will play a central role in shaping how services connect with each other and with external partners to create clear, accessible and holistic pathways for clients.

You will lead the development of a coherent community wellbeing operating model, ensuring clarity of roles, responsibilities and pathways across services.

You will define and drive what partnership working means at Catalyst, building strong, visible relationships across the VCSE sector, statutory services and local networks, and ensuring Catalyst is a trusted, active and vibrant presence within local communities.

A key focus of the role is ensuring consistent quality, strong safeguarding practice and effective performance across diverse community settings, supported by clear standards, oversight and continuous improvement.

You will be expected to be highly visible and present across services and partnerships, maintaining close connection to delivery, staff, communities and stakeholders.

Location: Nankeville Court, Woking (hybrid), with regular presence across community sites, partner organisations and Catalyst locations
Salary: £41,000-£45,000
Hours: 35 hours
Contract type: Permanent

About the organisation

Through Community, Specialist and Outreach services, we support recovery, mental health, and wellbeing—together, every step of the way.

About you

We are looking for an experienced, values-led leader with a strong background in community-based mental health, wellbeing, social care, counselling, community development or a related field. You will bring significant experience of leading staff and services in complex community settings, with the ability to balance strategic oversight with close connection to frontline delivery.

You will have strong safeguarding knowledge, sound professional judgement and experience of managing risk within multi-agency and community contexts. Confident working in partnership, you will be able to build trusted relationships across the VCSE sector, statutory services and local networks, influencing others and supporting joined-up, accessible pathways for clients.

You will be emotionally intelligent, resilient and inclusive in your leadership style, able to lead teams through change while maintaining clarity, professional boundaries and a strong focus on quality. You will be comfortable using data and insight to inform service improvement, performance and decision-making, and will be able to maintain a visible presence across services, partnerships and community settings.

A commitment to equality, diversity, inclusive practice and trauma-responsive services is essential, along with the ability to travel regularly across Surrey and work flexibly across multiple sites.

Please refer to the job description for a full breakdown of the key responsibilities and person specification.

Benefits

• 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays (increasing with service)
• Pension scheme and access to Simply Health (including optical, dental, counselling sessions)
• Birthday leave, employee discounts, and flexible working where possible
• Supportive probation, sick pay after probation, and wellbeing/EAP resources

Safeguarding & Checks

• This role is subject to a basic DBS check.
• A past history of drug/alcohol issues or criminality will not necessarily exclude you from this role; we encourage applications from people with lived experience where appropriate.
• All applicants must have a valid right to work in the UK.

Catalyst Support is an equal opportunities employer. We celebrate difference and are committed to fairness, accessibility, and inclusion throughout recruitment and employment.

We welcome requests for reasonable adjustments at any stage of the process.

Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

About Adolescent Health Study

The Adolescent Health Study (AHS) is an ambitious new UKRI-funded initiative to establish a prospective, longitudinal population study that will generate a globally leading open science data platform and research resource. AHS aims to recruit at least 100,000 young people aged eight to 18 years from across the UK and to follow their mental and physical health and wellbeing over at least 10 years. It plans to collect data through questions and measures; to obtain bio-samples for a wide range of genomic and other high-throughput assays; and to capture linked data relevant to health and wellbeing from participants’ health, education and other administrative records. Recruitment will take place mainly through schools. There will be a strong emphasis on engaging with and involving young people, schools, parents and other relevant stakeholders in the design and delivery of the study, as well as on including young people that represent as wide as possible a range of backgrounds, experiences and characteristics. AHS will focus on enabling a wide range of research, including studies of the critical biological and social developments that occur during the transition from childhood to adulthood and the determinants of both mental and physical health and wellbeing in adolescents and young adults.

 

Purpose of the post

 The Procurement Lead is responsible for developing and delivering a robust procurement and commercial strategy that ensures value for money, compliance with Procurement Act 2023 regulations in line with AHS being primarily public funded and supports AHS study and operational objectives. The role will lead on sourcing, contracting, supplier management, and commercial governance, ensuring ethical, transparent, and efficient use of public funds.

Main responsibilities

Procurement Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and implement a procurement and commercial strategy aligned with organisational goals and funding requirements.
• Lead procurement planning across research programmes, operations, and corporate services.
• Act as a subject matter expert on public procurement policy and best practice.
• Drive continuous improvement in procurement processes, systems, and capability.

Tendering and Contract Management

• Oversee end-to-end procurement processes including tendering, evaluation, and contract award.
• Ensure compliance with UK public procurement regulations (e.g., Procurement Act and associated guidance).
• Draft, review, and negotiate complex contracts, including research, clinical, and grant-related agreements.
• Manage contract lifecycle including performance monitoring, renewals, and extensions.

Commercial Governance & Compliance

• Establish and maintain procurement policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
• Ensure all procurement activities meet audit, transparency, and reporting requirements for public funding.
• Identify and mitigate commercial risks across supplier engagements.
• Support internal and external audit processes.

Supplier & Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships, ensuring high performance and innovation.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders (research teams, finance, legal) to understand needs and deliver value-driven procurement solutions.
• Work with external stakeholders including funders, partners and strategic advisors to develop optimum outcomes
• Provide commercial advice and guidance to senior leadership and project teams.
• Promote sustainable and ethical sourcing practices.

Financial & Value Management

• Deliver value for money through effective sourcing and negotiation strategies.
• Monitor procurement spend and identify cost-saving or efficiency opportunities.
• Contribute to budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning processes.
• Ensure funding is used appropriately, ethically and in line with public funding requirements.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential

1. Professional qualification in procurement or supply chain e.g., CIPS Level 5 or equivalent
2. Degree or comparable experience in business, finance, law, or related field.
3. Proven track record of managing complex procurement exercises and contracts.
4. Experience in procurement or commercial roles within regulated procurement environments, specifically those classed as a public authority
5. Strong understanding of UK public procurement regulations and best practice.
6. Commercial acumen with strong negotiation and contract management skills.
7. Experience of drafting and reviewing heads of terms and commercial agreements.
8. Knowledge of intellectual property (IP) considerations in research contracts.
9. Strong experience in supplier and stakeholder management.
10. Excellent analytical, financial, and problem-solving abilities.
11. Strong communication and influencing skills across all levels of an organisation.
12. Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively.

Desirable

1. CIPS Level 6 or equivalent
2. Membership of a professional body (e.g., MCIPS or FCIPS).
3. Experience managing high-value and complex contracts, including collaborative or partnership agreements
4. Experience in procurement or commercial roles within charity and/or research sectors
5. Detailed understanding of intellectual property (IP) considerations in research contracts.
6. Detailed knowledge of the UK Procurement Act (or Public Contracts Regulations 2015 historically) and transitions between them.
7. Experience of drafting and reviewing heads of terms and commercial agreements.
8. Understanding of subsidy control, state aid, or funding compliance frameworks.
9. Ability to analyse procurement data and generate insights using tools such as Excel, Power BI, or similar.
10. Experience leading organisational change or transformation programmes in procurement.
11. Ability to build procurement capability across a non-procurement stakeholder base.

Dimensions

• This is a full-time role, 37.5 hours per week, offered initially as an 18-month fixed-term contract with potential route to permanency.
• Flexible working across several geographical locations in the UK.  Travel may be required to AHS locations and partner organisations.
• AHS is a national organisation, and our activities take place across the UK.

Application Process

All candidates are required to complete the application form which can be found when clicking 'Apply Now' via Charity Job.

Please refer to the ‘How to Apply’ section of the downloadable application form.

Please note that only applications submitted directly to Gravitate HR will be accepted for this position.

The closing date for applications is 11:00pm on Sunday 12th July 2026.

Interviews are currently expected to take place on Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th August 2026.

Equal Opportunities Policy Statement

AHS is an equal opportunities employer, and as such aims to treat all employees, consultants and applicants fairly. It is our policy to provide employment equality to all, irrespective of:

• Gender, including gender reassignment
• Marital or civil partnership status
• Having or not having dependants
• Religion or belief
• Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins)
• Disability
• Sexual orientation
• Age

We are opposed to all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination.  All job applicants and employees who work for us will be treated fairly and will not be unfairly discriminated against on any of the above grounds. Decisions about recruitment and selection, promotion, training or any other benefit will be made objectively and without unlawful discrimination. 

Values

It is an exciting time for the Adolescent Health Study (AHS) as we establish our senior leadership team and begin to plan the pilot studies. As the senior executive team evolves, the AHS values will be grounded in inclusivity, integrity, accountability, and collaboration.

Fixed term until 12 February 2027 (maternity cover) 
 
Plan International UK is a global children’s charity striving for an equal world. One where every child can reach their full potential and every girl can choose her own future.   
 
We bring people together to protect children’s rights and keep girls safe, in school and in control of their bodies – even when disaster strikes. And we won’t stop until we are all equal. 
 
This is an exciting moment to join our major donor programme. We have doubled major donor income in the last two years, and we have ambitious plans to do even more with our brilliant supporters. You would be joining a high-performing team with real momentum behind it, leading a critical and growing income stream through a pivotal period. 
 
As Major Donor Manager, you will lead the strategic direction of our major donor programme and the team behind it. This is a senior role responsible for managing and developing three philanthropy officers, holding oversight of the full portfolio, and leading our new business and prospecting effort.
 
Rather than holding a personal portfolio of live donors, which we will keep stable for our supporters during this period, you will own and drive the prospect pipeline through to the point of ask: shaping every approach, planning cultivation, and progressing new business, with high-value asks routed through the Philanthropy Lead and wider team to protect continuity for our partners. You will also drive the next phase of our giving circle, shape our events programme, and work closely with our Director of Fundraising, Trustees and senior volunteers to open doors and secure multi-year, six-figure support.
 
You will be an experienced major donor professional with the track record and judgement to lead a programme and team. Specifically, you will bring:

• Substantial experience of securing high-value gifts from high-net-worth individuals and building lasting relationships.
• A genuine appetite for developing people, with the skill to coach, motivate and grow an emerging team.
• The interpersonal skills to influence and collaborate with senior internal and external stakeholders, including Trustees and Leadership Forum.
• The instinct and pace to pick up an established programme quickly and drive the new business pipeline with confidence through a transition.
• A passion for our values, our feminist leadership principles and our vision for girls’ equality

 
For further detail of this role, please see the job profile. 
 
Please note, due to the short nature of this contract and a requirement for the successful candidate to be able to start as soon as possible, unfortunately we are unable to provide sponsorship for this role.
 
The deadline for applications is 23:59 on Monday 6 July 2026
 
First-round interviews will take place on Monday 13 July 2026
 
Second-round interviews will take place on Monday 20 July 2026
 
We are committed to the safeguarding and protection of children, young people and adults in our work. We, therefore, apply rigorous recruitment and selection processes to ensure that only those who are suitable are recruited to work for us. Accordingly, appointment to all our roles is subject to a range of vetting checks and for this role this will include a Basic Disclosure and Barring (DBS) check. A criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working for us; this will depend on the circumstances of any offences.
 
Plan International UK is committed to being an inclusive employer and we welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.
 
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