Our Second Home (OSH) is the UK’s youth movement for people with refugee backgrounds. We support young people to build community, become leaders, and flourish into adulthood in the place they call home.
Each year, hundreds of young people from dozens of countries and living in London & Bristol take part in our residential programmes, leadership training and youth hubs. Our residentials are often the first step – immersive, relationship-rich spaces where young people connect, reflect and begin to see themselves as leaders. From there, many move into leadership training and take on volunteer roles within the movement.
Our work is youth-led and rooted in lived experience. We are now implementing our 2025–2028 strategy, focused on strengthening quality, embedding learning and ensuring our growth is sustainable and safe.
The Head of Programmes is a senior leadership role, reporting to the CEO and managing two senior colleagues. You will hold responsibility for the quality, coherence and safeguarding of all programme activity.
Responsibilities (abridged - see attached job description)
Programme Leadership & Strategy in Practice
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Lead implementation of OSH’s 2025–2028 programme strategy.
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Oversee the design, quality and coherence of residentials, leadership training and hubs.
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Take operational responsibility for residential delivery, including participant referrals, recruitment of staff and freelancers, programme content and educational standards.
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Attend and lead approximately five residential programmes per year.
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Identify opportunities to strengthen youth engagement and leadership pathways as the organisation scales.
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Ensure programme data is accurately recorded and used to improve delivery.
Team Leadership
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Line manage the Communities Manager and Leadership & Volunteering Manager.
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Provide structured supervision, clear objectives and professional development support.
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Ensure strong coordination between hubs, residentials and leadership pathways.
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Build a culture of accountability, reflection and continuous improvement.
Safeguarding & Welfare
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Act as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and serve as DSL at events as required.
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Ensure safeguarding practice is robust, consistent and embedded across all activities.
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Respond to safeguarding and behavioural issues appropriately and oversee safe recruitment processes.
Partnerships, Budget & Oversight
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Maintain referral partnerships and represent OSH externally where appropriate.
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Hold programme budgets within agreed limits and ensure financial discipline.
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Embed monitoring, evaluation and reflective practice across the programme team.
Experience & Competencies (abridged - see attached job description)
Essential
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At least 5 years’ experience in youth or youth-centred programming, including residential or intensive settings.
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Experience designing and delivering leadership development or informal education programmes.
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Strong facilitation and training skills.
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Demonstrable experience managing staff and developing teams.
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Strong understanding of safeguarding practice and willingness to act as Deputy DSL.
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Experience working with young people from refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds, or strong understanding of the issues affecting them.
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Ability to balance strategic oversight with hands-on delivery in a part-time senior leadership role.
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Strong organisational skills and commitment to inclusive, youth-led practice.
Desirable
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Level 3 Safeguarding training.
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Experience managing programme budgets.
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Experience contributing to organisational strategy or scaling programme models.
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Familiarity with Google Workspace, Beacon CRM, MyConcern or similar systems.
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Lived experience of migration or displacement.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Background to Role
Age UK Croydon is passionate about achieving our mission to reach, involve, support and connect people so they can age well in Croydon. The Healthier Lifestyle Service at Age UK Croydon offers a range of inclusive and accessible activities and events across the borough of Croydon combining, exercise, health checks, health talks and social engagement in a variety of local settings.
About the Role
We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Service Manager to lead our Healthier Lifestyle team which includes a team of 3 part time Project Officers, 2 x Dementia Project officer 1 x Dementia Carers Group Support Adviser and a great team of volunteers.
Addressing health inequalities and fulfilling our mission means that the Healthier Lifestyles service has opportunity to grow and expand. We want to reach younger older people to encourage “Act Now Age Well” . An important element of this role will be looking for opportunities to develop existing services and introduce a new services including some paid services. The Healthier Lifestyles Manager is a member of the Integrated Leadership team to support our One Organisation One team ethos for integrated working and holistic support for the older residents of Croydon.
Some duties will include (but are not limited to) –
- Monitor and manage workload, organise schedules, ensuring that services are delivered effectively,
- Ensure quality processes are followed for service delivery against key performance indicators
- Oversee and monitor accurate data recording and monitoring
- Recruit and manage staff in line with Age UK Croydon's policies and guarantee that efficient and effective procedures are in place.
- Oversee recruitment and support for volunteers across the service.
- Carry out regular supervision and appraisals and provide encouragement and support for staff including encouraging skills development and progression
- This list is not exhaustive.
Registered Charity
51 - 100
Our mission is to reach, involve, support and connect people so they can age well in Croydon.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.