Deputy manager childrens home jobs

Head of Operational Delivery | Lead National STEM Education Programmes | Maternity Cover

EDT is seeking an exceptional Head of Operational Delivery to lead national student and school engagement activities across the UK during an exciting period of transformation. This is a rare opportunity for a strategic and people-focused leader to take ownership of operational delivery, student recruitment, programme performance and team leadership within a respected education charity. As our Head of Operational Delivery, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring thousands of young people access inspiring STEM experiences that improve social mobility and create pathways into future careers.

Why Join EDT?

At EDT, our values drive everything we do:

• Passionate about creating equitable access to STEM careers.
• Dynamic in our response to a changing world.
• Collaborative with industry, educators and communities.
• Respectful of young people's potential and lived experiences.

As Head of Operational Delivery, you'll help shape the experiences of young people across the UK while leading teams that directly contribute to EDT's mission of inspiring the next generation of talent.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead and develop EDT's Operational Delivery Team, ensuring exceptional programme delivery, student engagement and school recruitment nationwide.
• Oversee performance, capacity planning, budgets, KPIs, reporting and operational effectiveness across multiple programmes.
• Develop and implement student recruitment and engagement strategies that drive growth and impact.
• Work closely with senior leaders to improve efficiency, support programme growth and maximise delivery outcomes.
• Champion safeguarding, quality standards, continuous improvement and outstanding learner experiences.
• Build strong relationships with schools, colleges, universities, funders, volunteers, alumni and partners.

Please refer to the attached Job Description for the full responsibilities and person specification.

Who We're Looking For

• Experienced operational leader with a track record of managing teams, programmes and organisational performance.
• Strong background in education, youth engagement, programme delivery, student support or charity operations.
• Experience managing budgets, KPIs, reporting frameworks and operational planning.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to identify opportunities, solve challenges and drive continuous improvement.
• Passion for supporting young people and creating meaningful educational opportunities.
• Outstanding stakeholder management, leadership and communication skills.

What's In It For You?

• Full-time maternity cover contract from 28 September 2026 to 3 August 2027.
• From £36,000 to £49,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience.
• 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Up to 10% employer pension contribution.
• Hybrid and flexible working.
• Opportunity to lead national programmes with significant social impact.

Location

• Hybrid working.
• Office base in any of our regional offices -  Manchester, Birmingham, Welwyn Garden City, Plymouth or Southampton.
• National remit with occasional travel and overnight stays.

Why This Role Stands Out

• This is more than an operational leadership role.
• As Head of Operational Delivery, you'll influence how young people engage with STEM education across the UK.
• As Head of Operational Delivery, you'll lead national recruitment, engagement and delivery strategies that support thousands of students each year.
• As Head of Operational Delivery, you'll work closely with senior leaders to shape the future direction of an ambitious and growing charity.
• As Head of Operational Delivery, you'll have the opportunity to create lasting impact for young people, schools and communities nationwide.

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Job Title: Deputy Service Manager 

Location: Derby City (on-site role)
Salary: £36,565.90 per annum
Contract type: Full Time, Permanent 

Hours: 37.5 hours per week 

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as a Deputy Service Manager to support survivors who have been impacted by domestic abuse. We are recruiting for a Deputy Service Manager who is passionate about supporting survivors who are impacted by domestic abuse. In this role you will provide line management and support to community-based staff who support survivors of domestic abuse across Derby City.  This will include providing supervision on complex casework, overseeing operational emergencies and ensuring high standards of casework.

The Deputy service manager willjoin our management team toassist the service manager in the delivery and development of high-quality support to survivors accessing our community-based services in Derby City. In this role you will ensure the smoothrunning of high-quality service to support survivors of domestic abuse. This will include managing staff teams to ensure effective advocacy is provided to survivors who are at medium/standard risk and their children. 

A key requirement is to provide personal welfare support and to ensure that survivors are provided with a safe, supportive outreach service

Suitable candidates must have proven experience of providing direct emotional and practical support, and of managing case work. In addition, you must have experience of managing and motivating staff, knowledge of domestic abuse issues, experience of providing support to survivors, and experience of working in community-based services

As a member of the management team, you will be required to participate in an out-of-hours on call service, on a rota basis, responding to out of hours emergencies.

This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

Closing Date: 09:00am 1 September 2026

Interview Date: 8 and 9 September 2026 - The interview will be in person – venue to be confirmed at interview invite stage

Salary: £43,000 per annum

Permanent Contract

Full time 40 hours per week

Shift work including evenings, weekends and bank holidays

Location: South West London, Balham

We have a fantastic development opportunity to join our Children’s Homes in South West London. We are looking for candidates with the aspiration to develop their careers with us and become Registered Managers through our Leadership Passport and Management Training offer.

Starting salary of £43,000 as Deputy Manager, and up to £65,000 as Registered Manager.

We are proud that 80% of our Registered Managers are internal promotions. Take your career to next level with our comprehensive in-house training and funded Level 5 qualifications.

About Us

Our vision is for every child and young person to be safe, loved and happy, to achieve their potential and have a bright future.

St Christopher's is a leading charity for children and young people. We are proud of our history of providing fostering, children's homes and innovative leaving care services across the UK.  We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do.  We provide positive life experiences for young people who are unable to sustain a placement in their parental or foster home.

We are an equal-opportunity employer keen to develop an inclusive workforce where people feel they belong.  We hope to attract applications from under- represented groups, including people from different cultures, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions, faith, sex, orientation, childcare responsibilities, and gender-diverse identities.

St Christopher’s Academy

When you join St Christopher’s, we will set you up in your career with a tailored development plan. Whether you want to move across to a different service, become a Manager or just explore further your current role, we will support you to map out your career trajectory and help you achieve your professional ambitions. If you want to learn more about St Christopher’s Academy, please visit our website.

Please visit our website to check out our staff stories to see how you can develop your career with us

The successful candidate will have:

• Two years’ recent experience of working with children/young people who are at risk in a residential or community based setting.
• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Residential Childcare or equivalent; and a commitment to complete Level 5 diploma in Leadership and Management in residential care within 2 years of starting.
• Ability to develop appropriate one-to-one relationships with young people and employ mentoring skills that empower young people to achieve their goals.
• Numeracy skills to manage budgets efficiently and contribute to the budgetary process.
• An understanding of the regulatory framework relevant to the provision of residential services for children and young people.
• Awareness of issues facing young people such as bullying, gangs and exploitation and how these impact on behaviour.
• Ability to work shifts including weekends and bank holidays and undertake sleep-ins.
• Ability and willingness to be part of an on call rota overseeing multiple Homes.

About the Role

As Deputy Manager, you will lead and support a professional team of staff committed to transforming young lives and creating positive outcomes. You will be supported by a Registered Manager, Team Leaders, and the team of residential staff.

Key aspect of the role:

• To assist the manager in safeguarding and ensuring every child and young person receives high quality care as measured by Ofsted in the social care common inspection framework.
• To assist the manager in the management of the home, including the staff, external relationships, the budget, the resources and fabric of the building.

In return we offer:

• Starting salary of £43,000 per annum.
• Real opportunities to develop your career and become a Registered Manager.
• A friendly working environment, a fun, open and honest culture.
• 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro-rata.
• Industry leading training programme including access to level 3 qualifications, children’s right and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health and social pedagogy.
• Contributory pension scheme, enhanced maternity and company sick scheme.
• UK Life Assurance (Death in service) to the value of 3 times your annual salary.
• BUPA employee assistance programme, offering counselling, financial advice and legal support.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Bluelight card; discount shopping scheme at hundreds of retailers across the UK.
• Discretionary funded training programs.
• Employee awards based on performance and length of service.
• Fantastic opportunities to develop your career within our range of services.

Recruitment Process

At St Christopher’s we are committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people in our care. During the recruitment process you will be expected to complete an online application form to ensure we capture essential information to meet legislation, best practice and vetting requirements.

Applicants will ideally already be on the DBS Update Service; if this is not the case St Christopher's will carry out a DBS (police) check prior to starting.

Your online application must include a supporting statement addressing the criteria stated in the Person Specification. For the full Job Description and Person Specification please visit our website. CV’s will not be accepted.

For more information or assistance during the application process, please contact us via our website.

This post has a minimum age restriction of 21 year for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and supported accommodation Homes in line with the Equality Act ‘occupational requirement’.

It is illegal to apply for any role that involves working with children and young people under the age of 18, if you know you are barred from working with children.

All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be asked to submit a Self-Declaration and Disclosure form which will need to be returned prior to an interview being booked.

We have a fantastic opportunity to join St Christopher's fellowship as a Home Manager for our children’s home in South West London. You will lead and support a professional team of staff committed to transforming young lives and creating positive outcomes. You will be supported by Deputy Managers, Team Leaders as well as the rest of the team.

About Us

Our vision is for every child and young person to be safe, loved and happy, to achieve their potential and have a bright future.

St Christopher's is a leading charity for children and young people. We are proud of our history of providing fostering, children's homes and innovative leaving care services across the UK.  We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do.  We provide positive life experiences for young people who are unable to sustain a placement in their parental or foster home.

We are an equal-opportunity employer keen to develop an inclusive workforce where people feel they belong.  We hope to attract applications from under- represented groups, including people from different cultures, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions, faith, sex, orientation, childcare responsibilities, and gender-diverse identities

 About the Role

We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do and as the Home Manager; you will be a key player in building and extending this commitment.

You will lead and support a team: Deputy Managers, Team Leaders and Residential Workers and all committed to transforming lives and creating positive outcomes.

In addition we have an in house team of Therapists providing support to staff and young people within the home.

St Christopher’s Academy

Our 'St Christopher’s Academy' ensures our staff is continually developing. We will support you to map out your career trajectory and help you achieve your professional ambitions. If you want to learn more about St Christopher’s Academy, please visit our website.

The successful candidate will have

• Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare and, be either working towards or has achieved the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare.
• Prior experience in residential children’s homes, including at least a year with staff supervision and management responsibility.
• A passion for achieving the best possible outcomes for young people.
• Excellent leadership and staff management abilities.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to deliver at least ‘good’ in the home’s Ofsted inspection.
• Sound business awareness and a flair for promoting the service.
• Flexibility, drive and resilience.

This role will involve some shift work plus some on call duties in the evening and at weekends. Applicants will be subject to enhanced DBS (police) checks.

In return we offer:

• Competitive salary.
• A friendly working environment, a fun, open and honest culture.
• 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro-rata.
• Industry Leading training programme including Young People’s right and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health, Social Pedagogy.
• Contributory pension scheme, Enhanced Maternity and Company Sick Scheme.
• UK Life Assurance (Death in service) to the value of 3 times your annual salary.
• BUPA Employee Assistance Programme, offering counselling, financial advice and legal support.
• Interest-free season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme, childcare vouchers.
• Bluelight card; discount shopping scheme at hundreds of retailers across the UK.
• Discretionary funded training programs.
• Employee Awards based on performance and length of service.
• Fantastic opportunities to develop your career through our newly launched “St Christopher’s Academy”

Recruitment Process

At St Christopher’s we are committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people in our care. During the recruitment process you will be expected to complete an online application form to ensure we capture essential information to meet legislation, best practice and vetting requirements.

Applicants will ideally already be on the DBS Update Service; if this is not the case St Christopher's will carry out a DBS (police) check prior to starting.

Your online application must include a supporting statement addressing the criteria stated in the Person Specification. CV’s will not be accepted.

For the full Job Description and Person Specification, please visit our website.

For assistance during the application process, please contact us via our website

This post has a minimum age restriction of 21 year for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and supported accommodation Homes in line with the Equality Act ‘occupational requirement’.

It is illegal to apply for any role that involves working with children and young people under the age of 18, if you know you are barred from working with children.

All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be asked to submit a Self-Declaration and Disclosure form which will need to be returned prior to an interview being booked.

ABOUT CFAB

CFAB is the UK's only charity with a dedicated international children's social work team and the UK's sole member of the International Social Service (ISS) network. We identify, protect and support children and families separated by international borders as a result of conflict, trafficking, migration, family breakdown and asylum-related issues.

Working with partners in more than 130 countries, we are experts in international social work, cross-border child protection, international care proceedings and overseas family placements, helping children remain connected to their families, identities and cultures wherever possible.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking an ambitious and experienced fundraiser to join CFAB at an exciting stage of our development. This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of a small charity with a global reach, securing sustainable income that enables children and families across borders to remain connected, protected and supported.

Fundraising is central to CFAB's long-term sustainability, generating almost 60% of the charity's £1million annual income. As we deliver our new organisational strategy and strengthen our External Affairs function, you will play a key role in growing and diversifying income to support our future ambitions.

Trusts and foundations will be at the heart of your role, building on our strong portfolio of funders while developing opportunities across corporate partnerships, supporter stewardship, challenge events and other emerging income streams. Working closely with the Deputy CEO, you will lead the day-to-day delivery of our fundraising strategy, develop new opportunities and help strengthen CFAB's fundraising capability.

As our senior operational fundraising lead, you'll have significant autonomy and the opportunity to influence organisational strategy while working as part of a collaborative team spanning fundraising, policy, communications and digital engagement. This role offers the chance to make a meaningful contribution to a growing organisation with an international impact.

You will also have the opportunity to recruit and line manage a Fundraising Coordinator from January 2027, helping to shape the next phase of CFAB's fundraising function.

If this sounds like the opportunity for you, and you have the

skills, experience and passion to succeed in this role,

we'd love to hear from you.

JOB SPECIFICATION

Key responsibilities:

1. Strategy Delivery and Management

Working closely with the Deputy CEO, you will lead the delivery of CFAB's fundraising strategy, translating strategic priorities into operational plans that support sustainable income growth.

You will contribute to fundraising strategy, budgeting and income forecasting, monitor performance against agreed targets and ensure fundraising activity is effectively managed through Salesforce. You will identify opportunities to improve fundraising processes, strengthen fundraising performance and support the development and implementation of new income streams and fundraising initiatives.

2. Trusts, Foundations and Corporate Partnerships

You will lead CFAB's trust and foundation fundraising programme, developing and managing a portfolio of funders, partners and supporters to maximise long-term income. You will prepare and oversee high-quality funding applications, reports and pitches, ensuring all funder requirements and deadlines are met.

You will also develop and manage corporate fundraising opportunities, identifying prospective partners, preparing partnership proposals and supporting the growth of corporate income as a strategic priority. Working alongside the Deputy CEO, you will help shape the organisation’s corporate offer and operate a shared account management model for strategic funders and high-value funding opportunities.

3. Relationship Management and Income Growth

Working with the Deputy CEO, you will lead the development and delivery of CFAB's stewardship strategy, strengthening relationships with existing supporters and creating meaningful supporter journeys for new donors. You will oversee donor communications, the supporter newsletter, and recognition processes, ensuring supporters understand the impact of their giving and remain engaged with CFAB.

You will also grow CFAB's challenge events programme, increasing participation, enhancing the supporter experience and developing challenge events as a sustainable source of unrestricted income.

Working collaboratively with the Deputy CEO, Digital Engagement and Outreach Lead, and Policy and Communications Officer, you will develop and deliver digital fundraising campaigns, including Big Give match funding campaigns, and a programme of fundraising events to grow and engage CFAB's supporter base.

4. Team Leadership and Fundraising Operations

You will line manage the Fundraising Coordinator, providing day-to-day leadership, coaching and support to ensure the effective delivery of fundraising operations.

You will oversee prospect research, fundraising administration, supporter stewardship, challenge events, Salesforce management and fundraising reporting, ensuring high standards of performance, accurate data management and effective collaboration across the fundraising function.

5. Governance and Representation

You will help prepare fundraising reports, pipeline updates, income forecasts and performance information for the Senior Management Team and Board of Trustees.

You will ensure fundraising activity complies with relevant legislation, the Code of Fundraising Practice, GDPR, Gift Aid requirements and organisational policies, maintaining the highest standards of fundraising governance and supporter care.

You will represent CFAB externally with funders, corporate partners, supporters and sector networks, acting as an ambassador for the organisation and helping to strengthen its profile, reputation and long-term strategic relationships.

6. Additional Responsibilities

As a member of the wider management team, you will contribute to organisational planning, continuous improvement and cross-organisational projects. You will identify opportunities to strengthen fundraising systems, develop new ways of working and support the long-term sustainability of the organisation. You will also be expected to attend occasional evening and weekend events, meetings and networking opportunities, and to carry out your responsibilities in line with CFAB's policies and relevant legislation.

Essential Skills, Knowledge and Experience

These criteria describe the core skills, knowledge and experience required to succeed in the role. Please ensure your cover letter demonstrates how you meet each of the essential criteria, providing examples where possible.

1. A successful track record of securing income through trusts and foundations within the charity sector, with experience of developing high-quality funding applications, reports and funding proposals.

2. A genuine passion for building long-term relationships with supporters, funders and partners, together with experience of identifying and developing new fundraising opportunities.

3. Experience of developing fundraising pipelines, supporter journeys and stewardship plans that strengthen relationships and maximise long-term income.

4. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce compelling fundraising materials and build effective relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

5. Experience of using CRM systems (preferably Salesforce) and fundraising data to manage relationships, monitor performance and inform fundraising decision-making.

6. Excellent organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, work independently and contribute strategically to the continued growth and diversification of fundraising income.

Desirable Skills, Knowledge and Experience

The criteria below are not essential but will help us identify candidates with additional relevant experience. We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every desirable criterion.

1. Experience of fundraising within a children's, family support, social care or international charity.

2. Experience of corporate fundraising, challenge events, supporter stewardship or digital fundraising campaigns.

3. Experience of line management or supporting the skills and development of colleagues, volunteers or interns.

ID 1851 HR Business Partner, Human Resources (up to 2 vacancies)
Permanent contract
Family Action Head Office, London (N1) with hybrid working
37 hours per week (full-time)
£37,211 - £41,518 per annum
Plus £3,866 Inner London Weighting (if London-based) or £480 (if home-based)

We are flexible about both hours and where you work. The role is 37 hours per week full-time, but we welcome applications from people looking for part-time or other flexible working arrangements. We are also open to both office and home-based working; for colleagues based at our London office (N1), we operate a hybrid working model with an expectation of office attendance twice per week.

One of the roles will partner with our London-based services, so being based in or within commuting distance of London would be beneficial. However, we don’t want location to be a barrier and we welcome applications from people based elsewhere in the UK.

Family Action & the Role’s Impact:

At Family Action, we support people through change, challenge or crisis. It’s what we’ve done for over 150 years. We protect children, support young people and adults and offer direct, practical help to families and communities.

We see first-hand the power of family to shape lives, for better or worse, so we speak up for the importance of family in national and local policymaking, amplify family voices and represent the changing needs of families in the UK today.

In the HR Business Partner role, you will partner with leaders and managers across the organisation, building strong relationships and developing a deep understanding of the services and business areas you support. As their key HR contact, you will provide expert advice and coaching on complex people matters, help managers build their confidence and capability, and support them to plan strategically for their people and align their plans with the wider people strategy.

You will also manage, coach and develop a team of HR Advisers, supporting them to build their expertise and deliver a high-quality HR service.

Alongside this, you will lead on complex change processes, including TUPE transfers and restructures, working collaboratively across HR, Services, and Implementation teams to implement change effectively.
If you have significant HR experience, strong applied knowledge of employee relations and experience supporting complex organisational change, we would like to hear from you. You might come from a generalist HR background or have specialised in employee relations or change, and you don’t need to have worked in the not-for-profit sector or held a formal management role before. The ability to build trusted relationships, provide pragmatic and solution-focused advice, deliver through others and contribute to the continued development of our people practices will make you an ideal candidate.

We are a supportive and inclusive organisation, and we want to break down barriers to people joining us. If you don’t feel confident applying because you don’t meet every single requirement on the Person Specification – please don’t let that stop you; we want to hear from you. We encourage you to use the application to highlight what you can bring to the role – your skills, knowledge, and experience as well as your values. At Family Action our 4 core values are incredibly important to us and underpin all we do. We are a 'people focused', 'can-do' organisation, which strives for 'excellence' in all we do and operates with 'mutual respect'.

Benefits:

- an annual paid leave entitlement of 30 working days (pro rata) plus bank holidays
- up to 6% matched-pension contributions
- flexible working arrangements and new starters have the right to make flexible working requests from day one of employment
- enhanced paid sick leave and paid family leave provisions
- eye care and winter flu jab vouchers
- cycle to work scheme
- investing in your professional development with ongoing quality training and career development opportunities

Closing Date: Monday 31st August 2026 at 23:59 pm

For direct queries, or if you would like to discuss any aspect of the selection process or the potential for flexible working arrangements, please email Katie Milne, Head of HR (full email adress located in the advert on our careers page).

All appointments with Family Action are subject to satisfactory Safer Recruitment checks.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:
We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process and you will be asked whether you require any adjustments if shortlisted for interview. We also make reasonable adjustments on the job, where required.

We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in all that we do and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Intersectionality is important to us and we particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, LGBTQIA+ candidates and disabled candidates because we are committed to increasing the representation of these groups at Family Action. We know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for families and children and strive for our workforce to be truly representative of the diverse communities we support.

All candidates with a disability are welcome to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme and request priority consideration for an interview, provided they meet the essential criteria for the role.

To help remove financial barriers to working with us, we will reimburse reasonable travel costs if you are invited to attend an interview in person.

*Ordinarily Family Action appoints new starters at the starting point of the salary scale (with subsequent annual pay progression), unless you have experience that would justify appointment further up the salary scale or there are any other exceptional reasons.

Please note that we will be reviewing applications as they come in. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if a suitable candidate is found, so we encourage you to submit your application without delay. We are also ideally looking for a candidate who can join us as soon as possible (i.e. on a short notice period), however if that is not your situation please do not hesitate to apply as applications will not be assessed on this basis.

Salary: Balham Home- Waking Nights: £30,227 or Days: £29,635 & Ealing Home- Waking Nights: £30,227 or Days: £27,929 

Contract: Full time/ Permanent

Hours:40 hours per week (including weekends, bank holidays and occasional sleep-ins) 

• Day Shifts: work between 8 am and 10:30 pm 

• Waking Night Shifts: work between 10 pm and 8 am 

Additional Benefits: 

• £50 per sleep-in 

• Time-and-a-half pay for overtime (over 40 hours per week) and bank holidays 

• Two weekends off per month

Locations: Ealing (W13) and Balham (SW12) 

Looking for fantastic career progression, excellent training and therapeutic support? Join our committed and professional team and make a difference to young people living in residential care, where no two days are the same! 

About Us 

Our vision is for every child and young person to be safe, loved and happy, to achieve their potential and have a bright future. 

St Christopher's is a leading charity caring for children and young people. We are proud of our history of providing fostering, children's homes and innovative leaving care services across the UK.We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do.We provide positive and life-changing support experiences for young people who are unable to sustain a placement in their parental or foster home. Our offering in underpinned by therapeutic expertise and young people in our care also benefit from extensive life-skills and participation opportunities as well and learning support regarding their education. 

We are an equal-opportunity employer keen to develop an inclusive workforce where people feel they belong.We hope to attract applications from under- represented groups, including people from different cultures, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions, faith, sex, orientation, childcare responsibilities and gender-diverse identities.

St Christopher’s Academy 

At St Christopher’s, we offer more than a job in social care— we offer a real career pathway. You’ll have the chance to build your skills, grow your knowledge, and make a lasting difference to young people’s lives, as well as your own. 

When you join us, you’ll receive a tailored development plan designed around your goals. Whether you want to move into a different service, progress into a leadership role, or just explore your current role further, we’ll support you every step of the way. If you want to learn more aboutSt Christopher’s Academy, please clickhere 

Our development programme, St Christopher’s Academy, is built to help you reach your full potential — and the results speak for themselves: 
84% of our Team Leaders, Deputies, and Managers are promoted internally. 

About the Role 

As a Support Worker in a Children’s Home, you will provide direct support and care for our young people, who have complex emotional and mental health difficulties (such as trauma and loss) and can struggle to regulate their emotions. Working within a therapeutic framework, you will develop a direct programme of work aimed at developing authentic relationships with our children and young people (aged between12 – 17 years old), you will also have responsibility for making sure our those in our care are safe, providing support, liaison with other external professionals and completion of support documents to record information.

If applying for the Waking Night role, you will have the additional support of an on-call manager should there be any emergencies. Further to this, you will be involved in monthly team meetings and receive monthly one-to-one supervision with your manager. 

Applicants should have 

• Minimum of 1 years’ experience working and supporting Young People in residential, semi-independent, fostering settings or youth work centres, caring for Children and Young People with emotional behavioural difficulties, neurodivergent or SEND, etc. 

• Willingness to achieve the Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare within 2 years as per Children’s Homes Regulations 2015 (England) 

• Genuine commitment to working with and supporting children and Young People to achieve their full potential; with the ability to build and promote trusted relationships while maintaining professional boundaries. 

• An understanding of the issues facing children and Young People and a basic understanding of safeguarding Regulations and Procedures. 

• The ability to cope effectively with challenging behaviour. 

• Good communication and team working skills. 

• Flexibility to work shifts, including weekends and bank holidays, and if applicable, sleep-in’s. 

• Commitment to undertake any mandatory training (outside of working hours) and continuous learning to ensure a high level of service. 

• Creativity, enthusiasm and energy to inspire and encourage young people to achieve their goals. 

What you should expect from us 

• Competitive pay. 

• 4 weeks full induction and training program (paid). 

• Fantastic opportunities to develop your career within our range of services, Tailored career development plan through our“St Christopher’s Academy”. 

• Industry leading training programme including access to level 3 qualifications, children’s right and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health and social pedagogy. 

• 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro-rata. 

• Contributory pension scheme, enhanced maternity and company sick scheme. 

• UK Life Assurance (Death in service) to the value of 3 times your annual salary. 

• BUPA employee assistance programme, offering counselling, financial advice and legal support. 

• Cycle to work scheme. 

• Bluelight card; discount shopping scheme at hundreds of retailers across the UK both in store and online. 

• Discretionary funded training programs for you to explore and attain new and relevant skills. 

• Employee awards based on performance and length of service. 

Recruitment Process 

At St Christopher’s we are committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people in our care. During the recruitment process you will be expected to complete an online application form to ensure we capture essential information to meet legislation, best practice and vetting requirements.

Your online application must include a supporting statement addressing the criteria stated in the Person Specification. CV’s will not be accepted. 

Application Process 

1. Application:Complete our online form and include a supporting statement addressing the criteria stated in the Person Specification.Please note that applications without supporting statement will not be accepted. 

1. Interview:Shortlisted candidates attend a face-to-face interview at our Putney office. 

1. Second Stage:Successful candidates will visit the home they applied to. 

We advise applying as soon as possible as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

Important note: 

• This post has a minimum age restriction of 21 year for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and supported accommodation Homes in line with the Equality Act ‘occupational requirement’. 

• It is illegal to applyfor any role that involves working with children and young people under the age of 18, if you know you are barred from working with children. 

• All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be asked to submit aSelf-Declaration and Disclosureform which will need to be returned prior to an interview being booked. 

• It is a requirement that practitioners working in Children Homes are qualified with the Diploma 3 in residential childcare within 2 years of starting in the job role. (Children Home Regulations England 2015). St Christopher’s provide access and funding to undertake this qualification. Applicants who have Citizenship or Visa status restrictions that may preclude them from being able to meet the qualification requirement may be considered for other options such as fixed term contracts. Each applicant’s situation will be assessed as part of the recruitment process. 

We are looking for a dynamic, technically skilled Head of Evaluation to play a senior role in shaping and delivering Youth Futures’ evidence strategy.

You will lead a team of Evidence and Evaluation Managers and oversee a portfolio of complex evaluations, helping us generate credible, useful evidence about what works to support marginalised young people into good work.

• Reporting to the Deputy Director of Evidence and Evaluation, you will be responsible for ensuring high-quality delivery of a portfolio of complex impact evaluations.

• You will have a sound understanding of youth employment and/or skills and design evidence-generating projects in a complex field that includes partners from national and devolved government, the third sector and employers.

• You will manage a team of Evaluation Managers, supporting their development while delivering projects that inform Youth Futures’ strategic goals.

This is an opportunity to shape some of the most important evidence being generated on youth employment in England. The role suits someone who enjoys combining technical evaluation expertise with leadership, judgement and collaboration, and who wants their work to influence real decisions about how services, funders and policymakers support young people.

We currently operate a hybrid model of two-days per week in the office and three-days from home.

Please download our recruitment pack for more information on this opportunity. To apply, please visit our website.

Due to receiving high volumes of interest in our opportunities, this vacancy may close earlier than the advertised deadline. To ensure your application is considered, please submit it as soon as possible.

PURPOSE OF ROLE

As part of Caudwell Youth’s five-year strategy to Go National, this role will lead the development and delivery of the organisation’s first online mentoring service.

The Project Manager for Online Services will oversee the pilot, implementation and ongoing management of the programme, ensuring safe, accessible and high-quality support for young people. Working closely with the Deputy CEO and internal teams, the role will shape the future of Caudwell Youth’s digital support offer.

Key Duties

• Lead the pilot and implementation of Caudwell Youth’s national online mentoring programme.
• Manage the digital platform where the online mentoring will take place, ensuring it operates effectively and provides a user-friendly service.
• Working in conjunction with internal teams to develop evaluation and evidence outcomes of the pilot.
• Oversee the day-to-day delivery of the online mentoring programme, ensuring safe, consistent and effective support for young people.
• Understand and analyse user journeys, using the data and insight to shape current programmes and ensure continuous improvement of online services.
• Identify opportunities to expand reach and accessibility for young people who may face barriers to in-person support.
• Ensure robust safeguarding practices within digital mentoring environments with support from Deputy CEO.
• Ensure the programme provides consistent, safe and effective support for young people.
• Monitor programme performance and contribute to evaluation and reporting for internal learning and funders.

Coordination & Development

• Develop processes, guidance and resources to support safe and effective online mentoring.
• Develop and coordinate collaboration with stakeholders
• Carry out user research and usability testing with young people and mentors to continuously improve the service.
• Support the recruitment, onboarding and training of volunteer mentors delivering online mentoring.
• Provide guidance and support to volunteers to ensure they feel confident delivering mentoring in a digital environment.
• Develop and maintain risk management processes specific to online delivery.

Partnership & Liaison

• Communicate technical requirements and flag any issues to the online mentoring platform provider, to ensure the platform supports safe and effective service delivery.
• Collaborate with the team, and stakeholders in the design phase on the platform

General

• Undertake and identify training as required and take a positive approach to personal development.
• Fulfil the duties and responsibilities of an employee as regards to Health and Safety at Work, including own safety and self-management.
• Undertake any other reasonable tasks deemed necessary.

Experience & Skills (Essential):

• Experience delivering or managing online or digital services, ideally within a support, education or youth-focused environment.
• Experience managing projects from development through to implementation, including coordinating multiple stakeholders.
• Experience supporting, coordinating or supervising volunteers or frontline staff.
• Strong communication and organisational skills, with the ability to coordinate teams and manage competing priorities.
• Ability to work collaboratively with technical teams (developers, designers or platform providers) with an understanding of user experience and accessibility.
• Experience carrying out user research or usability testing, and gathering data, feedback and evaluation to review and improve services.
• Ability to develop and implement processes and systems to support effective programme

Experience & Skills (Desirable):

• Experience working with young people, mentoring programmes, or wellbeing services.
• Knowledge of digital safeguarding and managing risk in online environments.
• Experience developing or launching new services, pilots or programmes.
• Experience working within a charity or non-profit organisation.
• Experience delivering or supporting national or remote services.

Why Work For Us

We are an experienced team that are dedicated to improving the lives of the young people we support.

Benefits:

• Flexible working
• Hybrid – working from home and in the community
• Private Healthcare (including Employee Assistance Programme and extended counselling sessions)
• Life Insurance
• Group Personal Pension with a 5% employer contribution and Salary Sacrifice Scheme
• 25 days annual leave (FTE) plus bank holidays, plus charity closure between Christmas and New Year
• Extra paid day off on your birthday
• Paid day off for volunteering in your community
• Training opportunities to support your personal development
• Employee discounts on everyday goods and services
• Being part of a passionate and dedicated team

Caudwell Youth is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. As part of this commitment, we undertake disclosure checks in accordance with the Codes of Practice for all. Having a criminal record will not automatically exclude applicants.

As an organisation supporting young people with care experience, with mental health and those at risk of criminal exploitation and offending, we are keen to receive applications from those with lived experience. For those who are care experienced, we will guarantee an interview.

We actively seek to bring diverse perspectives and experience, and especially welcome applications from disabled people and those from Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic backgrounds and LGBTQIA+.

Contract: Full-time, Permanent

Hours: 40 hours per week (shift work including weekends and bank holidays and occasional sleep-ins); work between 8 am and 10:30 pm 

Salary: £26,437 rising to £27,929 after completing mandatory training and probation

Additional Benefits:

• £50 per sleep-in
• Time-and-a-half pay for overtime (over 40 hours per week) and bank holidays
• Two weekends off per month
• 4 weeks full paid induction and further training provided 
• Excellent therapeutic support and career progression 

Location: Balham, SW12 or Ealing, W13 

If you’re looking for a fulfilling and rewarding career in Children’s Social Care where no two days are the same, this could be the perfect opportunity for you. All you need is a genuine passion for making a difference — we’ll provide full training and ongoing support to help you thrive, even if you don’t have prior care experience. 

About the Role 

As a Trainee Practitioner- Children Residential Worker, you’ll support children and young people aged 12–17 who are building resilience after experiencing adversity. You’ll help them develop key life skills, build trust, and create a safe, supportive environment where they can thrive. You’ll also have the chance to take part in fun activities and positive experiences with them. 

All we ask for is a genuine passion for making a difference. No previous care experience is needed — we provide full training and support, including professional qualifications through St Christopher’s Academy Entry Pathway. 

St Christopher’s Academy 

At St Christopher’s, we offer more than a care job— we offer a real career pathway. You’ll have the chance to build your skills, grow your knowledge, and make a lasting difference to young people’s lives. 

When you join us, you’ll receive a tailored development plan designed around your goals. Whether you want to move into a different service, progress into a leadership role, or just explore further your current role, we’ll support you every step of the way. If you want to learn more aboutSt Christopher’s Academy, please clickhere 

Our development programme, St Christopher’s Academy, is built to help you reach your full potential — and the results speak for themselves: 
84% of our Team Leaders, Deputies, and Managers are promoted internally. 

Training 

Starting a career in Children’s Social Care comes with a lot to learn, which is why we provide a 4-week fully paid induction and training programme to make sure you feel supported and confident in your new role. 

Working Hours 

Our children and young people need support around the clock so our homes run 24/7 and we operate on fixed rotas with a variety of shift patterns. 

As a Trainee Practitioner, you’ll work day shifts between 8am and 10pm, with 8, 10 or 12-hour shifts available. You’ll usually work an average of 40 hours per week, including weekends and bank holidays. 

For example, if you work four 10-hour shifts, you’ll then have three days off. Overtime is available and paid at time and a half, including bank holidays. 

At our Ealing home, you’ll be required to complete an average of 2 sleep-ins per week, paid at £50 each. 

Location 

We have Children’s Homes based inBalham and Ealing. During your interview process, you’ll have the opportunity to let us know yourpreferred location, and we’ll do our best to match you with a home that suits your preference and availability. 

What you need to bring to this role 

• Ability to build genuine, trusting relationships with children and young people. 

• Resilience to manage challenging behaviour and complex situations. 

• Strong teamworking skills and willingness to support colleagues. 

• Empathy, while always maintaining professional boundaries. 

• Flexibility to work shifts, including weekends and bank holidays, and occasional sleep-ins 

What you should expect from us 

• Competitive salary. 

• 4 weeks full induction and training program (paid). 

• Competitive pay and reward structure offering salary progression based on performance. 

• Tailored career development plan through our“St Christopher’s Academy”. 

• A friendly working environment, a fun, open and honest culture. 

• 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro-rata. 

• Industry leading training programme including access to level 3 qualifications, children’s right and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health and social pedagogy. 

• Contributory pension scheme, enhanced maternity and company sick scheme. 

• UK Life Assurance (Death in service) to the value of 3 times your annual salary. 

• BUPA employee assistance programme, offering counselling, financial advice and legal support. 

• Cycle to work scheme. 

• Bluelight card; discount shopping scheme at hundreds of retailers across the UK. 

• Discretionary funded training programs. 

• Employee awards based on performance and length of service. 

• Fantastic opportunities to develop your career within our range of services. 

About Us 

Our vision is for every child and young person to be safe, loved and happy, to achieve their potential and have a bright future. 

St Christopher's is a leading charity for children and young people.We are proud of our history of providing fostering, children's homes and innovative leaving care services across the UK & Isle of Man. We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do. We provide positive life experiences for young people who are unable to sustain a placement in their parental or foster home. 

We are an equal-opportunity employer keen to develop an inclusive workforce where people feel they belong. We hope to attract applications from under- represented groups, including people from different cultures, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions, faith, sex, orientation, childcare responsibilities, and gender-diverse identities. 

Recruitment Process 

At St Christopher’s we are committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people in our care. 

1. Application:Complete our online form and include a mandatory supporting statement addressing the criteria stated in the Person Specification.Please note that applications without Personal Statement will not be accepted. CV will not be accepted. 

2. Interview:Shortlisted candidates attend a face-to-face interview at our Putney office. 

3. Second Stage:Successful candidates will visit the home they applied to. 

Please applyas soon as possible, as we review applications on arolling basis. 

Important notes: 

• This post has a minimum age restriction of 21 year for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and supported accommodation Homes in line with the Equality Act ‘occupational requirement’. 

• It is illegal to applyfor any role that involves working with children and young people under the age of 18, if you know you are barred from working with children. 

• All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be asked to submit aSelf-Declaration and Disclosureform which will need to be returned prior to an interview being booked. 

• It is a requirement that practitioners working in Children Homes are qualified with the Diploma 3 in residential childcare within 2 years of starting in the job role. (Children Home Regulations England 2015). St Christopher’s provide access and funding to undertake this qualification. Applicants who have Citizenship or Visa status restrictions that may preclude them from being able to meet the qualification requirement may be considered for other options such as fixed term contracts. Each applicant’s situation will be assessed as part of the recruitment process. 

Role Purpose 

The Chief Executive Officer will provide strategic, operational and values-led leadership for Home-Start Norfolk, ensuring the charity delivers its mission, supports its families effectively and remains financially sustainable. Working closely with the Board of Trustees, the CEO will lead the organisation’s strategy, people, services, partnerships, governance, income generation and volunteer strategy, while acting as an ambassador for the charity and its work. 

Key Responsibilities 

Strategic Leadership 

• Lead the development and delivery of the charity’s strategic plan in partnership with the Board of Trustees. 

• Translate the charity’s vision, mission and values into clear priorities, measurable objectives and effective operational plans. 

• Identify opportunities for growth, innovation, collaboration and improved impact. 

• Ensure services and activities remain responsive to beneficiary needs and changing external circumstances. 

Governance, Compliance and Risk 

• Support the Board of Trustees to fulfil its governance responsibilities through clear reporting, sound advice and timely information. 

• Ensure the charity complies with charity law, company law where applicable, employment law, fundraising regulation, data protection requirements, safeguarding duties and all relevant regulatory obligations. 

• Maintain a robust approach to risk management, internal controls, policies and procedures. 

• Promote transparency, accountability and ethical decision-making across the organisation. 

Financial Leadership and Income Generation 

• Provide overall leadership for financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and long-term sustainability. 

• Work with trustees and senior colleagues to ensure resources are used effectively and in line with charitable objectives. 

• Lead the development of a diverse and resilient income strategy, including grants, trusts and foundations, individual giving, corporate partnerships, contracts and other appropriate income streams. 

• Maintain strong relationships with funders, commissioners, donors and supporters, ensuring excellent stewardship and reporting. 

Service Delivery, Quality and Impact 

• Ensure the charity delivers high-quality, safe and effective services that achieve positive outcomes for families. 

• Embed continuous improvement, evidence-based practice and meaningful beneficiary involvement. 

• Oversee monitoring, evaluation and impact reporting to demonstrate the value and effectiveness of the charity’s work. 

• Champion safeguarding, inclusion, accessibility and dignity in all areas of service delivery. 

• Comply with Home-Start UK’s Quality Audit Policies and Process, to ensure the charity maintains a high standard of quality assurance. 

People, Culture and Organisational Development 

• Lead, support and develop the senior leadership team and staff, creating a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture. 

• Ensure the charity has the right structures, systems, skills and capacity to deliver its strategy. 

• Promote wellbeing, learning, accountability and collaboration across the organisation. 

• Ensure effective HR, performance management and recruitment practices are in place. 

Volunteer Leadership 

• Provide strategic leadership for the development and delivery of the charity’s volunteer strategy, ensuring it supports organisational priorities and beneficiary needs. 

• Oversee effective volunteer recruitment, induction, training, supervision, support, retention and recognition. 

• Ensure volunteers are valued, well-supported, appropriately deployed and able to contribute safely and confidently to the charity’s work. 

• Develop a sustainable volunteer workforce plan, identifying current and future volunteer capacity, skills and support requirements. 

• Promote a positive volunteering culture that reflects the charity’s values and strengthens engagement, inclusion and community connection. 

External Relations, Partnerships and Advocacy 

• Act as the public face and senior ambassador for the charity, representing it with credibility and confidence. 

• Build and maintain strong relationships with beneficiaries, partners, funders, commissioners, local communities, statutory bodies and sector networks. 

• Raise the charity’s profile and influence through effective communications, thought leadership and advocacy. 

• Promote collaboration and partnership working to extend reach, improve outcomes and strengthen sustainability. 

Job Title: Independent Domestic Violence Advocate

Location: Warwickshire
Salary: £26,701.36per annum 
Contract type: Full Time, Permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

We want kind and empathic people to work at Refuge, who believe in equality, diversity, and inclusion, are experts in their area of knowledge, want to make a positive difference and improve the lives of the women and children we support.

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as an Independent Domestic Violence Advocate supporting women and children who are impacted by domestic violence.

We are looking for a skilled, values driven IDVA who is committed to challenging inequality, reducing harm, and improving safety for adults and children affected by domestic abuse. You will bring relevant professional experience, strong skills in assessment, engagement, safety planning and communication, and the ability to work safely in complex and high risk situations. We are seeking people who can hold clear boundaries and accountability while offering empathy, curiosity and respect. You will work in a trauma informed, survivor centred and strengths based way, recognising each survivor as the expert in their own life. You will understand how gendered power, oppression and structural barriers shape survivors’ experiences, and you will be confident applying these principles in your practice.

This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies. 

As part of this role, you will be required to participate in our local Warwickshire domestic abuse helpline, on a rota basis.  This requires covering a later shift from 12:30 – 20:30, approximately twice per month.

Closing Date: 09:00am 24 August 2026

Interview Date: 2 September 2026

This exciting new role sits within REUK’s Education Pathways work which has been in a pilot phase for the last few years and is rapidly growing now that the UK government has made a commitment to expanding safe and legal routes to higher education in the UK for refugee students.

Once a student is selected for participation and offered a university place, this postholder becomes their core anchor and primary REUK point of contact. This role oversees the entire student journey—from pre-departure preparation and arrival orientation to ongoing academic support, psychosocial wellbeing, community building on campus and monitoring of student outcomes.

The postholder will work alongside the newly created Education Pathways Universities Lead. While the Universities Lead focuses on institutional partnerships, you will focus on the student support side of the pathway: equipping university welcome groups to develop integration plans, pairing scholars with academic mentors (with support from REUK’s educational mentoring team), building a vibrant national student network, and providing hands-on casework escalation when complex issues arise.

This is a critical role within a small, high-capacity specialist unit within REUK. Because this is an emerging and new area of work you must be comfortable working with risk and ambiguity, refining and learning rapidly as parameters evolve. You will be a versatile practitioner - equally skilled at designing cohort orientation programmes and delivering student workshops as you are at managing administrative workflows, tracking student outcomes, and delivering compassionate, individual casework support.

Role outcomes

1. Refugee Education Pathway students transition smoothly into UK higher education through comprehensive pre-departure guidance, arrival orientation, and holistic onboarding. To this end, key responsibilities include: 

• Serving as REUK’s primary point of contact for scholars in the months immediately preceding travel, delivering pre-departure briefings and managing expectation-setting.

• Supporting the Education Pathways Lead to recruit, select and match eligible students.

• Coordinating arrival logistics and initial orientation in close collaboration with partner universities and campus welcome groups.

• Establishing clear, trauma-informed onboarding protocols to help students adapt quickly to the academic and cultural environment of UK universities.

• Designing and delivering (in collaboration with young refugees who participated in the pilot pathway) high-quality orientation resources, toolkits, and interactive induction sessions tailored to the unique practical and psychosocial needs of newly arrived refugee students.

• Working alongside the Universities Lead to conduct campus visits to ensure scholars are safely settled and Welcome Groups are offering appropriate integration support

2. Scholars thrive academically, socially, and emotionally through tailored REUK-added support structures, mentorship, and peer networks. To this end, key responsibilities include: 

• Supporting the Universities Lead in training campus welcome groups (staff, student unions, and peer volunteers) and maintaining ongoing liaison to ensure high-quality local support.

• Overseeing REUK’s added-value support framework, including:

  • Sourcing, matching, and managing academic mentors for students on the programme;

  • Facilitating a vibrant, national network for education pathway students, organising regular in-person and online meet-ups and peer connections, as well as referrals to REUK’s refugee student leadership programme;

  • Providing occasional direct, high-level casework support and conflict resolution when complex student welfare, academic, or integration issues are escalated from universities to REUK.

• Fostering an empowering community environment that prioritises student agency, mental health, and long-term wellbeing throughout their studies.

3. Student support operations, cross-team coordination, safeguarding and administrative processes are managed efficiently and self-sufficiently. To this end, key responsibilities include: 

• Managing all student-facing administrative processes, communication channels, and record-keeping systems independently without junior administrative support. 

• Working in close alignment with the Universities Lead to ensure institutional arrangements and campus support delivery are fully synchronized.

• Maintaining robust safeguarding and data protection protocols across all student casework, communications, and interactions. 

• Liaising with external specialist organizations (e.g., legal advisors, healthcare providers, mental health services) when complex casework exceeds standard university support.

4. Student progress and outcomes are robustly evaluated and clearly communicated, contributing to programme learning and REUK’s wider mission. To this end, key responsibilities include: 

• Reporting directly to the Education Pathways Lead and Chief Executive on cohort wellbeing, retention rates, academic progress, and key student outcomes.

• Designing and implementing (with the support of REUK’s Research Manager) student feedback mechanisms, regular check-ins, and longitudinal evaluation frameworks to track scholar progression.

• Supporting grant reporting and contributing qualitative impact stories and student reflections for funders, communications and organisational learning.

• Working alongside the Youth Advocacy Manager to provide Education Pathways students opportunities to engage with our Refugee Changemakers team

• Feeding student-led insights and operational learning into REUK’s broader research, policy, and systemic change work to improve refugee education nationwide.

Person specification

Although each role requires particular competencies, we seek staff members - irrespective of role - who are willing and able to demonstrate core competencies related to 1) character and values, 2) personal working style and 3) team working. Please see the applicant pack for more details. The competencies required for this specific role are:

• Student support and safeguarding: Proven track record of delivering direct support, pastoral care and complex casework for displaced young people or international/refugee students in higher education and supporting others to do the same.

• Training and resources: Experience designing and delivering transition, orientation, or onboarding programmes that support cross-cultural adaptation and academic readiness.

• Volunteering management: Strong experience in recruiting, training and supporting volunteers and volunteer groups (e.g., akin to academic mentors or campus welcome groups).

• Network and community building: Skills in facilitating student-led networks, organizing cohort events/meet-ups, and building inclusive peer-to-peer support spaces.

• Operational self-sufficiency and willingness to travel: High level of personal organization, ability to manage admin independently without junior support, and willingness to travel regularly across the UK.

• Knowledge of education pathway models: Familiarity with international refugee education pathway models (such as Canada’s WUSC; Australia’s RSSP/SkillPath and or others operating in Japan, Italy, Ireland etc).

• Knowledge and understanding of refugee tertiary education and the needs of resettled refugees more broadly: Strong understanding of the systemic barriers faced by refugee students in higher education both in the UK and internationally in first countries of asylum, as well as the support needed on resettlement to a third country.

• Student participation: Deep understanding of the principles of youth or student leadership and co-production, with the ability to embed these meaningfully across the education pathway 

• Interpersonal skills: An ability to build and maintain positive, warm and confidence inspiring working relationships with internal colleagues and external partners and stakeholders, including in complex situations.

• Communications: Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, including ability to appropriately communicate nuance and complexity; confidence communicating with and presenting to a variety of audiences.

This exciting new role sits within REUK’s Education Pathways work which has been in a pilot phase for the last few years and is rapidly growing now that the UK government has made a commitment to expanding safe and legal routes to higher education in the UK for refugee students.

Higher education provides a transformative pathway for refugee youth, but establishing sustainable institutional access routes requires systemic collaboration. This role will lead the growth, formalisation, and management of university partnerships required to make an education pathway to the UK grow and flourish. You will oversee the complete partnership lifecycle: from university outreach and onboarding (including negotiating formal agreements at senior level), to enabling the formation of campus welcome groups, leading on initial and ongoing university and welcome group training and support, and monitoring and improving all university-facing processes within the pathway.

The postholder will work alongside a newly created Students Lead role, enabling you to focus on the institution-facing workstreams, while student-facing onboarding, welfare, and direct casework are handled by your counterpart.

This is a critical role within a small, high-capacity specialist unit within REUK. Because this is an emerging and new area of work you must be comfortable working with risk and ambiguity, refining and learning rapidly as parameters evolve. You will be an allrounder - as comfortable presenting to university executive boards and Vice-Chancellors as you are drafting MoUs, establishing Terms of Reference, organising and facilitating institutional training, and handling complex partnership operations independently.

Role outcomes

1. UK universities actively partner with REUK to create, expand, and sustain dedicated safe and legal education pathways for displaced students. To this end, key responsibilities include: 

• Developing and executing a national university engagement strategy to identify, pitch to, and secure new partner universities across the UK higher education sector.

• Engaging directly with key university representatives - including Vice-Chancellors, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Heads of Admissions, Sanctuary staff and key academics - to build institutional buy-in and secure long-term commitment to refugee education pathways.

• Negotiating university support packages, including as appropriate fee waivers, scholarship or bursary structures, and accommodation commitments.

• Nurturing and strategically managing existing university partnerships to ensure institutional sustainability, high-level engagement, and year-on-year growth in pathway placements.

• Representing REUK where appropriate in sector-wide higher education networks and working groups on displaced student pathways.

2. Partner universities establish institutional frameworks, well-trained staff networks and campus welcome groups to receive refugee education pathway learners. To this end, key responsibilities include: 

• Guiding universities in establishing and structuring sustainable on-campus welcome groups (bringing together university staff and students) to support the welcome and integration of education pathway students.

• Designing and delivering high quality training sessions for on-campus welcome groups and other key staff members.

• Developing practical toolkits, guides, and frameworks for university staff to accompany above training.

• Collaborating with the Students Lead to ensure campus welcome structures integrate with REUK's student support mechanisms.

• Advocating within partner institutions for structural policy improvements (e.g. contextual admissions and flexible documentation policies).

3. University partnership governance, agreements, and operational systems run effectively and efficiently. To this end, key responsibilities include: 

• Drafting, negotiating, and finalizing formal Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), Terms of Reference (ToRs), and operational service agreements with partner universities. 

• Managing all administrative and governance aspects of university partnerships independently, including contract tracking, partnership reviews, and operational timelines without junior admin support.

• Coordinating institutional admissions frameworks and placement quotas with university registry and admissions departments.

• Serving as the primary point of contact for senior university leads when strategic, structural, or other partnership challenges arise

• Maintaining robust data systems and records relating to university commitments, funding allocations, and institutional agreements.

4. REUK’s Education Pathways university partnerships work is robustly evaluated, financially sustainable, and aligned with REUK’s broader strategy. To this end, key responsibilities include: 

• Reporting directly to the Education Pathways Lead  on partnership growth, institutional engagement metrics, and strategic pathway goals.

• Working in close alignment with the Students Lead to ensure institutional frameworks effectively support cohort needs and programme delivery.

• Collecting sector data, university feedback, and institutional metrics to demonstrate impact to funders, university boards, REUK’s board of trustees, and government stakeholders.

• Supporting grant reporting and budget management related to university pathway expansion and partner development.

• Feeding operational insights from university partnerships into REUK’s broader research, policy, and systemic change initiatives.

Person specification

Although each role requires particular competencies, we seek staff members - irrespective of role - who are willing and able to demonstrate core competencies related to 1) character and values, 2) personal working style and 3) team working. Please see the applicant pack for more details. The competencies required for this specific role are:

• Higher Education sector expertise: Deep understanding of UK university governance, executive structures, admissions procedures, international frameworks, and sanctuary initiatives.

• Senior stakeholder engagement and negotiation: Proven track record of engaging and influencing senior decision-makers within universities.
   

• Partnership governance: Demonstrated experience drafting, negotiating, and executing formal and operational agreements, including MoUs and ToRs.
   

• Facilitation and training: Strong training and facilitation skills, with a track record of designing and delivering workshops and guidance, ideally within the higher education or refugee education sectors

• Operational self-sufficiency: Outstanding organisational skills with the ability to manage high-level administration, systems setup, and contract management independently without administrative support.

• Knowledge of education pathway models: Familiarity with international refugee education pathway models (such as Canada’s WUSC; Australia’s RSSP/SkillPath and or others operating in Japan, Italy, Ireland etc).

• Knowledge and understanding of refugee tertiary education: Strong understanding of the systemic barriers faced by refugee students in higher education both in the UK and in first countries of asylum. 

• Interpersonal skills: An ability to build and maintain positive, warm and confidence inspiring working relationships with internal colleagues and external partners and stakeholders, including in complex situations.

• Communications: Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, including ability to appropriately communicate nuance and complexity; confidence communicating with and presenting to high level audiences.