Director of fundraising and engagement jobs
What does it take to lead the national voice for special schools at a time of real change?
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – National Association of Special Schools (NASS)
National – home-based, with regular travel across England and Wales, particularly London
£90,000–£110,000 per annum
Full-time, permanent.
About NASS
The National Association of Special Schools (NASS) is the membership association for special schools in England and Wales. We bring together independent special schools, non-maintained special schools, special academies, maintained special schools and multi-academy trusts with specialist provision.
We exist to inform, support and represent our members, helping specialist schools improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND and secure the place of specialist provision within the wider education system. NASS is known for being accessible, responsive and personal, combining national influence with practical support that members value as timely, human and trustworthy.
This is a pivotal moment for the organisation. In February this year, the Department for Education published a major white paper on SEND reform which will require NASS to both influence national policy on behalf of our members and children and young people, as well as support them to navigate the changes. Our new CEO will need to review our strategy while building on our strong platform and momentum to further deepen our influence and strengthen our internal capacity.
As our next Chief Executive, you will:
- Strategy & Impact: Lead NASS through a period of policy and structural change, ensuring the organisation remains clear on purpose, responsive to members and influential in the SEND landscape.
- Governance & Finance: Work closely with the Board of Trustees to provide strong governance, prudent financial stewardship, robust risk management and clear strategic oversight.
- Operational Leadership: Provide confident leadership to a small, remote team, strengthening collaboration, accountability, resilience and a positive, high-trust culture.
- Income Generation: Oversee budgeting, planning and reporting while developing thoughtful opportunities to diversify income through membership, partnerships, events and related activity.
- Community & Partnerships: Build and sustain trusted relationships with government, parliament, regulators, sector bodies and member schools, ensuring NASS remains relevant and well connected.
- Member Services: Protect and enhance the practical offer to members, from briefings and special interest groups to conferences, webinars, training and peer-to-peer learning.
- Brand & Profile: Act as a credible public ambassador for NASS, helping to modernise communications and broaden the organisation’s voice beyond a founder-shaped model.
- Future Growth: Shape a distributed leadership profile and support a more varied, accessible and engaging approach to membership, advocacy and communications.
- A seasoned senior leader with experience in a charity, membership body, education or public sector setting, and a clear track record of leading through change.
- A strong strategic thinker, able to absorb complex information quickly and translate it into clear, practical direction.
- A confident communicator with the gravitas to represent NASS with members, staff, trustees, MPs, peers, media and national partners.
- A politically astute relationship-builder, comfortable navigating a complex and fast-moving external environment.
- Experienced in governance, with a sound understanding of working with boards or trustees and supporting effective decision-making.
- Numerate and commercially minded, with experience of budgets, financial planning, income generation or partnership development.
- Credible, approachable and resilient, with the emotional intelligence to lead well in a high-profile, remote and sometimes uncertain context.
- Direct SEND experience would be a significant advantage, alongside understanding of specialist education or similarly complex stakeholder environments.
Why NASS?
- This is a chance to lead a respected, member-led organisation with a strong national reputation and a clear public purpose.
- You will help shape the future of specialist education at a time when SEND reform is high on the agenda.
- NASS has a loyal, experienced and collegiate remote staff team, supported by an active Board of Trustees.
- The organisation offers a genuinely influential platform, with strong connections across the sector and with government.
Application
For full details of the role including how to apply, please download the full appointment brief. For an informal and confidential conversation about this position, please contact Jenny Hills at Harris Hill via apply button with times to speak and (optional but appreciated) a CV or professional profile which will be treated with the strictest confidence.
Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 8th June 2026
As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.
Thank you!
Do you have a passion for community development and sustainable change? Do you want to play a key role in strengthening partnerships that bring hope and practical support to communities facing poverty and vulnerability? Join BMS World Mission as our Development Lead.
As Development Lead, you will support partners and mission workers delivering community development programmes and essential services in some of the world’s most challenging contexts. Your work will help strengthen sustainable programmes, build partner capacity, and support communities to flourish with dignity and hope.
Working as part of the HOPE for the World team, you will collaborate closely with colleagues, partners and mission workers to support effective programme delivery, coordination, monitoring and learning. You will help nurture strong relationships, encourage good practice, and contribute to programmes that reflect BMS’ Christian mission and values.
We are looking for someone with strong programme coordination and relationship management skills, experience working cross-culturally, and a genuine passion for supporting vulnerable communities. You will be aligned with BMS’ Christian vision and values, committed to collaborative working, and motivated to keep learning and growing.
If you want your work to make a lasting difference through global mission and development, we would love to hear from you.
Key Information
Location: Didcot, Oxfordshire: This role can be office-based or hybrid. We are happy to appoint a candidate who lives too far from Didcot to attend the office regularly, if they are able to be flexible to come to Didcot as required.The cost of travel to BMS Didcot whether on a regular basis or infrequently, would be borne by the employee.
Hours: 17.5 hrs. per week/part time
Employment type: 2 years fixed term contract
Salary: £22,992.50 pro rata of £45,985 FTE
Closing date: 3rd June 2026
Interview date: Friday 12 June 2026
Registered Charity
51 - 100
BMS World Mission mobilises people, resources and skills across the Global Church to share the good news of Jesus and practical hope they’re need
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
BASED IN THE SWINDON AREA
NO CVS ACCEPTED and STRICTLY NO AGENCIES/RECRUITMENT CONSULTANTS.
This role requires the submission of a completed Medaille Trust Application Form which you can download from the Vacancies page on Medaille Trust website. This is to be uploaded to the 'Other Document Upload' button. Your application will not be considered without an application form as we do not accept CVS.
Interview date to be confirmed.
About the job
We are currently advertising for a Service Manager in the Swindon area. The role will involve supporting the Safehouse Project Manager in overseeing services for survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking.
In the role you will:
- To oversee the day-today operations of the safehouse accommodation and services for potential victims of modern slavery in the service and their dependents
- You will work with the Modern Slavery Case Workers to supervise their production of support plans, updating records accurately and reporting key changes. This also includes preparing the client for exit, repatriation and any other resettlement plans.
What we are looking for:
- Strong knowledge of Health & Safety, safeguarding, and quality frameworks.
- Excellent communication, organisational, and IT skills.
- Experience of working with vulnerable adults, the ability to work within a residential or community setting with non-UK residents
This service is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week which means you must be willing to work flexibly, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays. You will also be required to be part of an on call rota and able to get to and from the project via public transport or your own car if it is necessary to attend the project whilst on call.
Interested? For full details and how to apply please visit Medaille Trust website
Closing Date: Friday, 5th June 2026 at 10am
Interviews: TBC
About Us
Medaille Trust is one of the leading providers of support to survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking in the UK. We are working to provide refuge and freedom for survivors and fighting to see slavery in all its forms become a thing of the past. The need for this work has never been higher, there are more than 50 million estimated victims of modern slavery worldwide, and over 120,000 potential victims in the UK.
We operate ten safe houses and five outreach hubs, staffed round the clock by specialist staff, working with more than 600 men, women and dependent children each year. We work to raise awareness in the UK and to provide preventive work in source countries. Our Pursue work helps survivors to engage with police and within the legal system to seek justice and to secure convictions against their perpetrators.
This role is a subject to satisfactory Disclosure & Barring Service checks.
The ability to drive with a valid licence with use of own vehicle insured for business purposes is desirable.
Candidates are asked to complete their own application form without assistance from other external sources such as ChatGPT. Where there is reasonable belief that external support is evident, we regret that application forms will not be accepted for shortlisting.
Registered Charity
101 - 500
Medaille Trust's mission is to provide refuge & freedom from modern slavery. One of UK's leading providers of support for survivors of modern slavery.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.