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Luton Town FC Community Trust is seeking to recruit a Community Operations Manager to play a key role in the coordination, delivery and development of its community programmes. This is a senior operational role, working closely with the Head of Community Trust to ensure programmes are well managed, aligned to organisational priorities and delivered to a high standard.

The role will combine operational leadership with a proportion of direct programme delivery, enabling the postholder to remain connected to communities, delivery teams and participant needs. The Community Operations Manager will also contribute to the development of new programmes and associated funding opportunities, support partnership working and act as a key decision maker for day-to-day operational matters.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced community or sport for development professional who is motivated to make meaningful impact, strengthen organisational capacity and help reduce health inequalities across Luton and Bedfordshire. 

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Head of Community Trust, the Community Operations Manager will provide operational leadership across the organisation, while maintaining a proportion of direct programme delivery to remain connected to communities, delivery teams and participant needs.

The role will coordinate and strengthen programme delivery; line manage designated staff and support the development of new programmes and associated funding opportunities aligned to organisational priorities.

The postholder will embed organisational strategy into effective day to day operations, acting as a key decision maker for operational matters and supporting senior leadership capacity. 

Key Responsibilities

1. Community Engagement & Relationship Building

• Build strong relationships with funders, local authorities, key stakeholders, local schools, charities, grassroots clubs and other community organisations.
• Act as a liaison between the football club and the local community.
• Promote inclusion and diversity through outreach to underrepresented groups.

2. Programme Development & Delivery

• Contribute to and support funding applications, programme design, delivery and evaluation across community programmes within each department including, but not limited to:
  • Education
  • Health
  • Inclusion
  • Football Development 

3. Staff and Volunteer Management

• Recruit, train and manage staff employees and volunteers who represent the Trust.
• Provide leadership and mentoring for delivery coaches, project workers, media team and match day staff.

4. Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Track the impact of community programmes using required and appropriate metrics and key performance indicators.
• Prepare reports for stakeholders, funders (e.g. EFL in the Community, Premier League Foundation, local authorities), and Luton Town Community Trust Board of Trustees.
• Ensure compliance and governance with safeguarding, health and safety and data protection policies.

5. Marketing & Promotion

• Raise awareness of the Trust’s work through managing the organisations media output across various platforms e.g. web site, newsletters, social media and local media outlets.
• Represent the Trust at community events, matchdays, and public forums.

6. Fundraising & Grant Management

• Collaborate with the Head of Trust and Programme Managers to identify and apply for grants and funding opportunities.
• Build partnerships with sponsors, local businesses and charitable foundations.

7. Club Integration

• Work cosely with all football club departments, including first team players and staff, media and marketing, facilities and catering, and Academy to ensure alignment between Community Trust and Club.
• Manage the efficient coordination of player appearances and community involvement on behalf of the Club

MAIN JOB REQUIREMENTS AND PERSON SPECIFICATION

Education/Qualifications/Training:

Essentials

• Strong experience in community development, sport development and youth engagement.
• Strong project and operational management skills, with the ability to plan, deliver and evaluate initiatives – prioritising and managing multiple priorities
• Experience with grant funding processes
• Experience of developing organisational strategy within the sporting or charity sector
• Experience in partnership working with schools, councils, charities
• Leadership and staff supervision experience – managing coaches, volunteers or delivery staff
• Monitoring & evaluation skills – ability to track KPIs and write impact reports
• Budget management experience
• Confident IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office and database software
• Valid First Aid and Safeguarding qualifications (or willingness to obtain)
• Experience delivering health, inclusion, educational or behaviour-change programmesAbility to work to deadlines and meet project targets
• Understanding of health inequalities and barriers faced by children and families
• Understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion within community delivery
• A strong working knowledge of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance and best practice within education and community settings.
• Strong commitment to high-quality, values led delivery
• A full valid driving licence and access to car to travel between sites throughout Bedfordshire.
• Willingness to work flexibly, including evenings and weekends
• Enhanced DBS clearance
• Degree or equivalent qualification, or demonstrable relevant professional experience.

Desirables

• Experience working in a football foundation or Trust
• Knowledge of EFL Trust or Premier League Foundation community programmes including Capability Code of Practice
• Valid First Aid and Safeguarding qualifications (or willingness to obtain)
• Event planning or matchday coordination experience
• Recognised sports coaching qualifications
• Youth Mental Health First Aid
• Leadership skills within a community or education setting

Abilities/Skills/Knowledge:

• Committed, enthusiastic and passionate about Luton Town Football Club.
• Must be pro-active, motivated, organised, responsible and able to work independently as well as in a team.
• Highly developed problem-solving skills, resilience, and the ability to perform well under pressure.
• Demonstrate good listening skills and have the ability to resolve issues where appropriate.
• Ability to multi-task whilst maintaining priority efficiencies.
• Focused on achieving Club, departmental and individual success.
• Willing to follow and promote the philosophy of the football club.
• Be an ambassador for the Club presenting the Club in a positive image at all times.

SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

The Club is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

The Club has systems in place to ensure that the welfare of vulnerable groups is dealt with appropriately and sensitively. Everyone working at the Club has a duty of care to safeguard the welfare of children and young people by creating an environment that protects them from harm. Our standards of practice ensure all staff are fully aware and understand their responsibilities under safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance.

The Club ensures that all staff that have a direct responsibility for children, young people or vulnerable adults, have been subject to the most stringent of recruitment practices which include Criminal Record Checks and reference checks. These staff are alert to signs of abuse or maltreatment and will refer concerns to the relevant Designated Safeguarding Officers using the agreed safeguarding procedures.

EQUALITY STATEMENT

The individual must at all times, carry out their duties with due regard to the Clubs policies and procedures and in particular the Club’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

The individual must ensure a positive commitment towards equality and diversity by treating others fairly and not committing any form of direct or indirect discrimination, victimisation, or harassment of any description and to promote positive working relationships between all internal and external stakeholders. The individual must contribute to encouraging equality and respecting diversity by embedding such values in the workplace and challenging inappropriate behaviour and processes.

We are recruiting for a Group Media Manager

Summary

This role has a crucial part to play in Nesta’s success, using the media as a key channel in building Nesta’s influence, profile and impact. Working as part of an expert communications team, you will plan and deliver media activity targeting policymakers and the wider policy and government communities, as well as specific practitioner groups or segments of the public.

Your focus will be largely but not exclusively on our three missions; health, decarbonising heat, and early years. You will also work widely and flexibly on a range of broader topics, collaborating with experts across all of Nesta, as well as working with researchers and behavioural scientists at BIT.

You will take a flexible approach to media audiences, focusing on traditional and legacy media as key sources of influence but also leaning heavily into ‘newer’ outlets and platforms, ranging from policy podcasts to media startups and key Substack influencers, as essential routes to the audiences we need to reach and engage.

This is a hands-on role that combines the tactical delivery of media activity with the strategic planning that is required to build Nesta’s media profile, protect our reputation and position us as an organisation that is a world leader in driving innovation for social good.

What you’ll be doing:

Lead on the development and delivery of UK media plans that support the strategic objectives of Nesta and BIT

• Work collaboratively to shape stories that involve a cross-functional range of colleagues from disciplines including data science, design, behaviour science and policy and research
• Actively seek out proactive opportunities to build our profile among journalists in our three mission areas (health, decarbonising homes, early years), as well as more generally
• Work with colleagues at BIT to grow and build the reputation of the organisation as a world-class research and innovation consultancy that uses a deep understanding of human behaviour to improve people's lives.
• Accelerate our journey from a primarily legacy media-focused media team to a hybrid model where ‘newer media’ is just as important, building relationships with these outlets, writers and broadcasters and securing high-impact coverage
• Monitor relevant breaking news stories and political and policy developments, identifying and quickly capitalising on relevant opportunities for Nesta’s missions and brand
• Protect Nesta’s reputation, develop and implement crisis management media strategies and rebuttal as required
• Identify, develop and maintain relationships with key media and internal and external stakeholders, including taking the lead on managing and coordinating internal and external relationships to progress media stories, statements and positions, with often competing priorities and time pressure
• Develop and maintain Nesta’s cohort of case studies across its consumer-facing projects and services, building relationships with these contacts as advocates of Nesta’s mission goals
• Ensure the smooth day-to-day running of the Nesta press office through developing shared resources and reporting key success metrics
• Support colleagues in the Nesta communications team by guiding and supporting their media outreach, and by acting as a source of expert advice on media for the rest of the organisation
• Covering media enquiries out of hours as and when required
• Deputising for the senior media manager as and when required 

What we’re looking for:

• Professional media relations experience (essential): You will have proven experience of working in a busy press office (ideally a policy-focused media team), with at least 80% of your time spent on media. A creative thinker and experienced writer and editor, you will have experience working on a variety of stories and you think cross-channel. You have a solid understanding of how the media environment works, how it's changing and what that demands from organisations like Nesta and BIT.
• Knowledge and understanding of the UK policy context (essential): You will have worked at the interface of communications and policy, possibly in government, a thinktank, NGO or in the private sector. You will appreciate the pace, nuance and strategic thinking required to operate in a media team that is deeply connected across government, industry and practitioner groups
• Excellent writing skills (essential): You will be a superb writer, capable of adapting your style across different channels to reach audiences in the most effective way. The ability to work quickly and flexibly in the role is important. You will be as comfortable advising on a longer-term strategic project as you will be turning around flawless copy on a breaking news story.
• Project delivery skills (essential): You will have proven experience in delivering high-impact communications campaigns from conception to delivery and evaluation. You can proactively plan and deliver work, identify and act on risks and find solutions.
• Strong interpersonal and networking skills (essential): You will have experience in applying these effectively to collaborate well with colleagues, build stakeholder relationships and develop partnerships. You bring with you a bank of trusted contacts and you are always looking to expand your range of trusted contacts across media.

As with all members of Nesta Group's communications team, the post holder will be at their best working in a collaborative, fast-paced environment with multiple projects and priorities. They will have a positive, can-do attitude and a flexible approach, able to adapt to changing circumstances with good humour and an appetite for taking on new tasks and challenges. They will also have strong communication skills, the ability to write and edit content for different audiences and a proven ability in (or enthusiasm to learn) web publishing and the creation of simple communications products like social cards or videos.

What we offer

Salary: £49,200 - £65,800 plus an array of benefits including private medical insurance, dental insurance, the ability to buy and sell annual leave, eyecare vouchers and more. Offers are usually made at the bottom of the band.

Location: Hybrid, with two days per week in the London office. We ask that our team attend the office on Tuesday and one other day of their choice.

Term: Full-time, permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week. Occasional out-of-hours work (evenings, weekends, and public holidays) will be required to fulfil the role.

Flexibility: This is a full-time role, but we offer a range of flexible working arrangements and encourage our people to take advantage of them. Many do.

Reports to: Senior Media Manager

Making an application

To apply for this role, please submit your CV and cover letter before 8:00am on the 9th of March 2026.

Interviews will take place w/c 23rd of March 2026.

About Nesta

We are Nesta, a research and innovation foundation, using a powerhouse of applied methods to design, test and scale solutions for the biggest challenges of our time. Driven by a vision to improve the lives of millions of people, our focus up to 2030 is on three missions: breaking the link between family background and life chances, halving obesity and cutting household carbon emissions.

We work with partners across the public, private and third sectors to develop high-potential solutions and test them as they evolve, drawing on deep expertise in qualitative and quantitative research, data science, behavioural science and design. Once confident in the effectiveness of a solution, we are relentless in the pursuit of scale. We create and make the case for ambitious national policy proposals, develop consumer-facing products and services, spin out and support commercial ventures and harness the power of the arts to shape national narratives.

We extend our impact through two specialised units that help others to solve complex problems and achieve their missions. BIT applies a deep understanding of human behaviour to help clients achieve their goals. Challenge Works designs and runs challenge prizes to spark innovation in science, technology and society.

Together, we are building a powerful ecosystem for innovation that delivers proven solutions to create lasting, positive change. 

At Nesta, we believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more innovative, more creative and gets better results.

We want our workforce to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our workplace to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop.

This means that when we are recruiting, we actively seek to reach a diverse pool of candidates. It also means that we are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful.

We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, compressed or part-time hours, job shares and other arrangements.

Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.

Director of Healthcare Operations & Income

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Director of Healthcare Operations & Income

Hybrid 

Full Time/Permanent

Our offer to you 

We pride ourselves in being a great place to work, providing a supportive culture with opportunities to grow and develop your career, achieve a healthy work life balance and to be recognised for the great work you do. You will receive: 

• Competitive salary and pension scheme
• 33 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays) - increasing to 38 days over 5 years
• Hybrid, Flexible working
• Cycle to work scheme Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Health and Wellbeing portal – access to financial, health and wellbeing support and an Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounts – you will have access to Blue Light and NHS Discounts as well as discounts on mobile phones, gym membership, cinema tickets, restaurants, holidays and shopping 

 
About Us 

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a team of over 1,300 employees and over 28,000 volunteers, united by our goal of saving lives through essential first aid services, training and campaigning.  As a charity with rich heritage and a long history of serving humanity, we are proud of our past and excited about creating a healthier, safer, more resilient future.  

St John Ambulance works at the heart of communities, supporting and enabling them to access and receive physical and mental health first aid. We do this through developing and providing effective community response and outreach services including our Ambulance Operations and using our longstanding expertise to empower people with vital clinical skills and the confidence to use them such as SJA Volunteers, and our Young Responders programmes. There is also a buoyant social enterprise network which delivers first aid training and supplies medical consumables to businesses and consumers.  And now with a new strategy and after a review of our current structures were recruiting to a new National Head of Ambulance Operations to help take our delivery to the next level and build our services. 
 
Job Summary 

In a newly refreshed role, were looking for an outstanding individual, someone that will bring robust experience in aligned fields, is used to working in a challenging but rewarding environment, enjoys leadership and is genuinely driven by the cause of St John. 

We have huge ambition at St John to increase our income, reach and impact and as lead Director, you will hold overall responsibility and accountability for the Healthcare Operations Directorate encompassing Event Healthcare, Ambulance Operations and Community Healthcare delivery. You will drive the commercial ambition of your portfolio, shaping strategy, setting direction, and delivering against stretching targets. You’ll work closely with volunteer leaders across the organisation, forging strong partnerships that strengthen our impact and help us build new community centred healthcare provision. 

You will take the lead on our engagement with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and key external partners, regulators, stakeholders and commissioners, including Event Customers, ICBs, Trusts and the wider NHS. Central to the role is championing innovative, high quality, patient centred services that are reliable, financially viable, effective and continuously improving. You will provide visible, motivational leadership across your directorate, embedding our HEART values and positioning our services as an employer of choice beyond the NHS. Alongside fellow leaders, you will share collective responsibility for delivering the charity’s strategic objectives, while confidently managing a significant P&L of approximately £20m+.

About You 

You will be degree‑educated (with a relevant master’s desirable), ideally hold a clinical qualification such as Registered Paramedic. You’ll bring substantial senior leadership experience in large, complex organisations, with a strong track record in delivering ambulance or health service strategies, leading in CQC‑regulated environments, and managing a commercial operation of £20m+ with full P&L accountability. You’ll have experience shaping effective policies and processes, leading large staff and volunteer teams, and delivering complex change programmes. Exceptional interpersonal, influencing and people‑centred leadership skills, underpinned by emotional intelligence and collaboration, are essential.

About the Role 

• To lead and hold overall responsibility and accountability for our major services including Event Healthcare, Ambulance Operations and Community Healthcare delivery.
• To hold overall accountability for a significant P&L and ensure adherence to plan
• To ensure that our services are patient focused, responsive, safe, effective, well led, and sustainable, and hold overall accountability for CQC leadership and the highest standards of delivery.
• To role model, empower and enable your people. To champion and exemplify compassionate, ethical and accountable leadership and St John HEART values.
• Inspire excellence, compassion and commitment in your leadership team
• In collaboration with key colleagues, lead on the development of effective business and commercial development and marketing strategies that drive revenue surplus, enhance market share, and strengthen brand value.   
• Establish and drive continuous improvement of KPIs and dashboards to measure and drive effectiveness across the various teams, including Events and Ambulance Operations, and the business and to ensure we meet compliance of all Healthcare Operations contracts, continually measuring and acting on customer/stakeholder feedback
• Cultivate relationships with external stakeholders, partners and customers (including key Event customers, Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE), ICB’s, and NHS England), ensuring the Charity is well positioned to capitalise on potential business and funding opportunities

Please see the job description for more detail (this can be viewed on our website or once you click apply) 

If you are a current St John Ambulance employee, please apply here: Click here 

For all other candidates, or St John Ambulance volunteers wishing to apply: please apply below 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive high volume of applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. 

St John Ambulance are committed to increasing the diversity of our team and making sure we best reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.   At St John, everyone is valued and supported to thrive, we have several networks including Multi Culture, Disability and Accessibility, Pride, Family and Carers and Women’s groups.  We do not tolerate any form of discrimination and engender a sense of belonging for all, by creating an environment of mutual respect, where we value unique differences and demonstrate authentic allyship. We believe passionately in equality, diversity and inclusion.    

'St John Ambulance is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice. Therefore, all successful applicants will undergo pre-employment checks, including DBS Clearance, as part of the onboarding process, if applicable to the nature of the role'. 

Please note: St John does not accept speculative CVs and will only review CVs sent in application for an advertised vacancy.