Head of content and communities jobs

The overall purpose of the role is to lead and coordinate meaningful participation and engagement opportunities for children, young people and adults to shape services, influence decision-making and ensure the voices of lived experience are central to organisational development. The postholder will support in designing, delivering and evaluating initiatives that build trust, inclusion and empowerment.

Main Responsibilities

• To co-ordinate and provide safe spaces for children, young people and adults to participate in user- led activities and projects.
• To be a key link between children, young people and adults within our participation service and staff, making sure their voices and experiences are heard.
• To recruit and engage children, young people, and adults, to enable them to feel comfortable to join our Participation service.
• To support the Head of Voice, Participation & Engagement to develop opportunities for children, young people, and adults to be actively involved throughout the organisation.
• Lead and facilitate small scale participation projects.
• To maintain records of all interactions with stakeholders, using Salesforce.
• To be able to work flexibly, including regular evening and occasional weekend work in response to participants availability.
• Support the Head of Voice, Participation & Engagement in planning and facilitating forums.
• Work with people with lived experience of bereavement to create meaningful content and service recommendations.
• Work across the organisation sharing, promoting and training in best practice in participation.
• To assist in planning, organising and delivering participation events (virtually and in-person).
• Ensure that a range of voices are heard, with particular focus on EDI.
• Ensure the safety and wellbeing of members of the participation service through adherence to the organisation’s safeguarding policy and practice.
• Maintain accurate records throughout all services, complying with the organisation’s recording and reporting requirements.

Communication and Relationships

• Develop and maintain trusted relationships with children, young people, families, adults, and stakeholders to create safe and inclusive spaces for participation.
• Facilitate group and one-to-one engagement sessions using creative and accessible methods to ensure diverse voices are heard and valued.
• Collaborate with internal teams, including service delivery, communication, marketing and fundraising to embed participation principles across all areas of work.
• Represent the organsiation externally at meetings, events and networks, sharing insight from lived experience to inform sector-wide learning.
• Translate feedback and participation outputs into clear reports, presentations or creative formats that inform decision-making.
• Demonstrate empathy, confidentiality and active listening when engaging with individuals or groups who may have experience loss and trauma.
• Establish excellent internal working relationships with peers and colleagues.
• Model the values and culture of the organisation in interactions and relationships at work.
• Adapt communication style and approach to suit the needs, preferences, and emotional states of children, young people and adults, including those with neurodiverse profiles or communication difficulties.
• Provide clear, compassionate explanations of support options, safeguarding procedures, and next steps to children, young people, adults and families.
• Maintain professional boundaries while fostering a safe and supportive environment for children, young people and adults.
• Respond to challenging or emotionally charged situations with sensitivity, professionalism, and a focus on empathy and support.
• Ensure accurate and timely documentation of communications and decisions in line with organisational policies and data protection regulations.

 Knowledge, training and experience

• Proven experience in youth participation, community engagement, co-production, or related areas, ideally within charity, education or health and social care sector.
• Understanding of participation frameworks, rights-based approached and trauma-informed practice.
• Demonstrate a good understanding of grief, loss, trauma, child development, and the psychological and social impact of bereavement on children, young people, families and adults.
• Experience in facilitating groups, workshops, and creative engagement activities both in-person and online.
• Ability to translate engagement insight into practical feedback and recommendations
• Adhere to legislation and statutory guidance related to Safeguarding Children and Young People, Safeguarding Adults, and the Mental Capacity Act.
• Participate actively in clinical supervision and reflective practice to ensure safe, ethical, and effective service delivery.
• Contribute to the development and sharing of knowledge within the team by supporting training, mentoring, and peer learning opportunities.

Analytical and judgment skills

• Ability to gather qualitative and quantitative feedback and identify key themes, trends, and areas for improvement.
• Exercise sound judgement in managing sensitive information, ethical boundaries and participant confidentiality.
• Assess engagement risks and implement appropriate boundaries and referrals in line with safeguarding policies.
• Critically evaluate participation initiatives and contribute to evidence-based practice through reflection, evaluation tools and reporting.
• Balance organisation priorities with participant needs, ensuring representation remains authentic rather than tokenistic.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and meaningful data recording and reporting to inform practice, service evaluation, and organisational performance monitoring.

Planning and organisational skills

• Plan, coordinate and deliver participation activities, forums and events with clear objectives, timelines and outcomes.
• Support the development of annual participation calendars or frameworks as needed.
• Manage competing priorities across multiple projects, ensuring timely communication with internal teams and external partners.
• Maintain accurate records, consent forms and participation data using appropriate digital systems.
• Support logistical arrangements including venue booking, accessibility adjustments, transport and safeguarding measures.
• Contribute to strategic planning by identifying emerging themes, opportunities for partnerships and areas for innovation.
• Provide cover and support for participation and engagement team members during periods of absence or high demand.
• Demonstrate self-awareness and reflective capacity, using supervision and peer support to sustain personal wellbeing and professional effectiveness.
• Contribute to the development of efficient, evidence-based practices by supporting team planning, service evaluation, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Person Specification

Essential

• Minimum 3 years’ experience of working with children and young people or adults in health, social care, youth, community or education setting
• Experience of advocating for the interests of children, young people or vulnerable adults or individuals from ethnically diverse communities
• Strong written and oral communication skills, with experience of tailoring these to a wide range of audience
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage sensitively with children, families, and professionals while maintaining professional boundaries at all times
• Experience of facilitating participation groups both in person and online
• Knowledge of different facilitation approaches and methods
• Demonstratable experience of safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and an ability to practice in a way that promotes this
• Experience of building trusting relationships with children, young people, and adults creating safe space
• Passion for the power of Voice and Lived Experience
• Understanding of the challenges that participation work can present, and experience of how to overcome this
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team and with external organisations
• Emotional maturity, stability and resilience with a strong commitment to self-care and the ability to seek support and guidance when difficulties arise in the course of work
• Strong IT skills, including confidence in using multiple IT systems

Desirable

• Experience of working in bereavement sector

Benefits

• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays (pro rata if applicable) with increase for long service.
• TOIL for our hours work.
• Contributory pension scheme.
• Company sick pay.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Life assurance.
• Training loans.
• Enhanced family friendly policies.

Recruitment Timetable

Application deadline: 16th June 2026 at midnight

Winston’s Wish reserves the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications for the role before the closing date.

Please refer to our recruitment pack for further details on the interview process.

The National Youth Agency is looking for a Programme Governance Lead.

Programme Governance Lead
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time - 37 hours per week
Salary: £55,000 - £65,000 per annum (dependent on experience and qualifications)
Location: Home-based in England with occasional travel for meetings, workshops, and team activities. Head Office is in Leicester.

What we do

As the national body for youth work, the NYA has a dual function. We are the professional statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) responsible for qualifications, quality standards, and safeguarding for youth work and services in England. In line with our charity mission and aims, we also champion youth work through research, advocacy, campaigns, and programmes.

We work in partnership and believe in collaborative leadership, listening to youth workers and the youth work sector so that we can understand their needs and respond to the challenges they face. We are ambitious for youth work and for young people and integrate youth voice and influence across our work

About the Role

We are looking for Programme Governance Lead to manage and oversee the successful delivery of all programmes/projects within the Programmes Directorate by establishing and leading consistent governance and assurance. The postholder will strengthen programme governance, reporting and risk management ensuring programmes are delivered by agreed methodologies and in a consistent manner.

Key Responsibilities

As our Programme Governance Lead, you will:

• Define, implement and maintain an agreed methodology for programme/project lifecycle governance.
• Chair programme/project boards and ensuring decisions, and actions are documented and actioned.
• Identify risks, issues and dependencies which are not captured by Programme Portfolio Leads. Ensure consistent risk management across projects and programmes. Proactively identify cross-programme/project risks and issues (including those not visible to project/programme leads), implement mitigations, and escalate risks/issues to the Director of Programmes and COO as required. Assess programme/project risks against the NYA risk register and update the register accordingly.
• Produce and present monthly programme governance reports at the Directorate Programme Board, providing clear portfolio-level insight (milestones, deliverables, RAG status, KPIs, benefits, and financial/resource assumptions) to enable effective senior decision-making and assurance.
• Design and run governance routines (e.g., project start-up, weekly/monthly reviews, decision logs, change control) and support high-quality papers and actions for directorate governance forums; ensure timely escalation of material risks, issues and decisions to the COO.
• Support teams to evidence compliance with funder/contractual requirements; ensure appropriate documentation, approvals and version control are in place and accessible.
• Implement and maintain a robust lessons-learned process (during and post-delivery) and ensure findings are integrated into future programmes/projects through updated standards, templates, training and assurance checkpoints.

Why Work for NYA?

• NYA operates as a people-focused organisation, prioritising the well-being and needs of its employees.
• NYA offers an exceptional flexible working approach which encourages our team to balance professional responsibilities with their personal life.
• A remote based team, spread across England, fostering inclusivity and diverse talent. Despite geographical distances between team members, NYA maintains a highly motivated and connected team through the optimisation of digital tools.
• NYA is committed to supporting the continual personal and professional development of our team and helping them achieve their ambitions.
• We provide 25 days leave plus 8 days, life assurance scheme, 5% employer pension contribution and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme via Spectrum.life with unlimited specialist support available to all NYA employees.

Closing date: 23:59 Friday 3rd July 2026.
N.B. We would encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may close the vacancy early if we receive a sufficient number of suitable applications.
Interviews: W/C 13th July OR W/C 20th July

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

The National Youth Agency is an equal opportunities employer.

At NYA our inclusive culture means that we embrace individual differences and understand that we need a diverse team to achieve our organisations mission.

We wish to recruit candidates from all backgrounds to ensure our team reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We encourage applications from anyone regardless of disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, sexuality, religion, socio-economic background and political beliefs but we particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates and those from other minoritised ethnic groups in the UK as they are currently underrepresented in our team.

Please note: We use AI detector software, so applications or CV’s with high levels of AI generated content may be disregarded. We understand that AI tools can offer support to candidates who have learning differences, which is why we will accept applications with some AI assistance.

No agencies please.

The National Youth Agency is looking for an Events Manager.

Events Manager
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time - 37 hours per week
Salary: £35,000 per annum (dependent on experience and qualifications)
Location: Home-based in England with occasional travel for meetings, workshops, and team activities. Head Office is in Leicester.

What we do

As the national body for youth work, the NYA has a dual function. We are the professional statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) responsible for qualifications, quality standards, and safeguarding for youth work and services in England. In line with our charity mission and aims, we also champion youth work through research, advocacy, campaigns, and programmes.

We work in partnership and believe in collaborative leadership, listening to youth workers and the youth work sector so that we can understand their needs and respond to the challenges they face. We are ambitious for youth work and for young people and integrate youth voice and influence across our work.

Role Purpose

To manage the planning, delivery and continuous improvement of our most high-profile annual events, including, but not limited to, UKYP, Peer Network Conference and a number of our annual policy events. The postholder will deliver multi-stakeholder events to high standards, on time and in budget, identifying opportunities to develop and improve events year on year.

The Event Manager plays a pivotal role in organising the events and activities that will provide young people, from across the United Kingdom, the opportunity to collaboratively engage in the democratic process through the UK Youth Parliament Programme.

This role involves working closely with the UK Youth Parliament team and our partners to support the effective organisation, communication and delivery of the UK wide events and activities.

The Event Manager will work closely with the Policy team, Communications team and Programme Management teams.

Key Responsibilities

As our Events Manager, you will:

• Plan, organisation and on-site delivery of regional and national events, including residential and single-day conferences, networking events and a House of Commons sitting.
• Project management of all event elements including budgets, logistics, health and safety, safeguarding, attendees, AV and delegate communications.
• Be responsible for selection and management of all event suppliers including accommodation, equipment, AV and logistics.
• Oversee venue and supplier management
• Act as first point of contact for all delegates where appropriate to the event
• First point of contact for internal and external stakeholders
• Work with our finance team to ensure event budgets are managed closely and events are delivered in budget
• Report for each event during event planning phase and developing comprehensive post-event reports which
• Any other reasonable duties to support the successful deliver of the events.

Why Work for NYA?

• NYA operates as a people-focused organisation, prioritising the well-being and needs of its employees.
• NYA offers an exceptional flexible working approach which encourages our team to balance professional responsibilities with their personal life.
• A remote based team, spread across England, fostering inclusivity and diverse talent. Despite geographical distances between team members, NYA maintains a highly motivated and connected team through the optimisation of digital tools.
• NYA is committed to supporting the continual personal and professional development of our team and helping them achieve their ambitions.
• We provide 25 days leave plus 8 days, life assurance scheme, 5% employer pension contribution and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme via Spectrum.life with unlimited specialist support available to all NYA employees.

Closing date: 23:59 Friday 26th June 2026.
N.B. We would encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may close the vacancy early if we receive a sufficient number of suitable applications.
Interviews: Week commencing 13th July (subject to change)

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

The National Youth Agency is an equal opportunities employer.

At NYA our inclusive culture means that we embrace individual differences and understand that we need a diverse team to achieve our organisations mission.

We wish to recruit candidates from all backgrounds to ensure our team reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We encourage applications from anyone regardless of disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, sexuality, religion, socio-economic background and political beliefs but we particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates and those from other minoritised ethnic groups in the UK as they are currently underrepresented in our team.

Please note: We use AI detector software, so applications or CV’s with high levels of AI generated content may be disregarded. We understand that AI tools can offer support to candidates who have learning differences, which is why we will accept applications with some AI assistance.

No agencies please.

Demand for our specialist tutoring programmes for Children Looked After, those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) continues to increase and we are seeking a dedicated and effective Partnerships Account Manager to join our team and support the increased demand for our provision and the continued scaling of our organisation.

The Organisation

Equal Education is a social enterprise working to improve outcomes and narrow the attainment gap for disadvantaged and vulnerable learners, including Children Looked After, those with SEND, and unaccompanied asylum seeking children. We have over 13 years’ experience delivering 1:1 tuition, working with hundreds of Schools and Local Authority partners across the country, reaching hundreds of pupils annually. 

As a member of the Fair Education Alliance, we believe in providing meaningful educational provision to students whose needs may not be best met within a traditional classroom environment, those who aren’t currently accessing education, or who benefit from additional 1:1 support. We work with over 200 qualified teachers to provide academic, subject specialised and individual tutoring and mentoring for children of all ages. Tutors provide pastoral care and work with pupils to increase engagement and attainment. Our programmes will help the students to overcome barriers to learning, help them build trusted relationships, increase their aspirations, and fulfil their potential. We are passionate about our cause and are looking for people who are motivated by a strong desire to address educational inequality and improve outcomes. 

What is the Role?
In this role, you will drive business growth by securing new partnerships and managing key client accounts across designated regions. With a focus on building and sustaining long-term local council and school relationships, you will work closely with clients to understand their needs, expand our service offerings, and ensure the highest levels of satisfaction. As the majority of our key client relationships are with local councils, we are looking for someone with knowledge of how they operate.

The post holder will have the opportunity to line manage junior member(s) of the team, who provide essential bid-writing and administrative support to facilitate efficient and effective client management.

This role would suit someone with proven ability to operate effectively in scaling organisations where processes are still being defined. This role suits someone who is adaptable, resilient, and confident working at pace amid change.

The role will be suited to those who have worked within an education setting and held the title: SENCO, Head of Department, Advisory Teacher, Inclusion Coordinator or Designated Teacher. The role will also be suited to those who have worked within a Local Authority setting and held the title: Commissioning Officer, Senior Case Officer, Case Officer. Whilst the role is also suited for an experienced (key) account/client manager, we are looking for an individual who has experience and/or knowledge of the UK education system.

This role is ideal for an ambitious, client-focused individual, passionate about creating positive outcomes for vulnerable students. If you’re ready to contribute to a growing organisation that’s making a difference, we’d love to hear from you! We expect that the successful candidate will be able to swiftly absorb our ways of working and contribute to the ongoing growth and success of the organisation.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Client Acquisition and Relationship Management

   • Proactively seek new business opportunities within assigned regions to grow the client base.

   • Develop and maintain strong, positive relationships with key clients, ensuring their evolving needs are met and service offerings are aligned.

   • Lead regular client review meetings to discuss progress, gather feedback, and identify additional service opportunities.

   • Manage internal relationships to ensure what matters to clients is communicated internally using the proper channels, to allow for effective delivery by our Service Delivery team

   • Maintain good internal stakeholder relationships with our Service Delivery team to ensure client demands are balanced with our processes and team capacity. 

2. Strategic Planning and Development

   • Collaborate with Senior Leaders to develop strategies for client retention and growth.

   • Work closely within the Partnerships team to align on strategic objectives and ensure seamless service delivery across functions.

   • Participate in client and industry events to represent the organisation, expand networks, and identify new business opportunities.

3. Performance Monitoring and Reporting

   • Monitor client engagement, satisfaction levels, and service outcomes; produce regular progress reports for management.

   • Oversee tracking and analysis of client-related statistics to ensure targets are met and clients receive impactful, value-driven service.

   • Manage and track client data and prospect pipelines using CRM systems, ensuring accuracy and up-to-date information.

   • Report to the the Partnerships Director on accounts, Tenders, Bids, client meetings on a regular basis.

   • Be curious to explore our Salesforce system data, understanding and interpreting delivery and impact data. 

4. Line Management and Support Coordination

   • Lead, mentor, and manage junior member(s) of the team focused on bid/application writing, tender management, and client-related administration.

   • Support junior member(s) in producing and reviewing high-quality application documents and responses that align with client requirements and enhance our partnership outcomes.

   • Provide oversight to ensure that administrative tasks are completed efficiently, supporting smooth client interactions and consistent follow-through.

   • Work with other area leaders, to ensure strong delivery of services.

   • Contribute to, and foster strong internal working relationships to successfully delivery against strategy and objectives.. 

5. Bid Management and Process Improvement

   • Oversee the preparation and submission of tenders and bid applications, working closely with junior member(s) to ensure high-quality and timely submissions.

   • Continuously review and improve internal processes to optimise bid management, client onboarding, and service delivery.

   • Report on bid submission performance, review bidfeedback to continuously improve. 

Essential Skills and Experience:

• Detailed knowledge of the UK education sector. 

• Experience working in the education sector or with local authorities, particularly in roles involving SEND or children’s services.

• Proven track record in client relationship management, with experience in sales or partnership development roles.

• Strong communication skills, particularly in face-to-face and telephone interactions, with the ability to build rapport quickly and maintain long-lasting relationships.

• Experience managing a small team, providing leadership, direction, and support to ensure high-performance standards.

• High level of empathy and commitment to supporting vulnerable and underserved communities.

• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet both short- and long-term deadlines effectively.

• Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) for tracking client data, leads, and progress.

• Proactive, problem-solving mindset, able to address issues independently and provide client-focused solutions.

• Able to work in a high pressure environment, whilst taking initiative, we would want the postholder to ask for support when needed.

Desirable:

• Exceptional written communication skills, with proven confidence in drafting, editing, and refining persuasive content across a variety of formats.

• Experience in bid and tender writing or grant applications is advantageous, though a background in producing compelling written materials for diverse purposes is equally valued.

General
The job is subject to having the right to work in the UK, two professional references and a basic DBS check.

Why Equal Education?

• Competitive salary

• Investment in you - we believe in developing from within and offer our team training opportunities and personalised development plans, as well as the chance to get involved with lots of projects across the organisation.

• Flexible, hybrid work environment with regular opportunities for in-person client engagement.

• Working alongside a passionate team working to make a positive impact in the lives of under-resourced children and young people across the UK.

• Staff wellbeing benefits such as ClassPass membership, access to discounts via Perks at Work, eyecare vouchers, regular wellbeing sessions and team social events.

At Equal Education, you are the expert. We give you the space, the support and the technology to be your best. The rest is up to you.

Being you at Equal Education 

Every young person we support is unique and our team isn’t any different. Our differences are our strength when it comes to providing a tailored, human approach to education. We are proud of our people and provide an environment where everyone can bring their most authentic self to work. 

Our recruitment practices are carried out in line with equal opportunities and all candidates will be reviewed fairly regardless of age, gender reassignment, sex, race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic. 

Next steps

If you feel inspired and you think you have the right motivation and experience for the role, we would love to receive your application.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and interviews will be arranged accordingly. We reserve the right to close this application early, for example if we receive an unprecedented number of applications, so please apply promptly to ensure you are considered for this role.

We are recruiting a Play and Events Coordinator to join our team. This role will be responsible for coordinating our commissioned Theatre in Education school tours in Scotland, London and Northern Ireland, as well as coordinating other DSMF fundraising, networking and information-sharing events.  

Suitable candidates will:

• be passionate about supporting young people to make safer choices about drugs and alcohol,
• have experience of project and event coordination, with excellent organisation skills
• be a skilled and effective communicator, both in writing and orally, with a range of people and agencies
• be proactive, self-motivated and confident to take initiative
• enjoy working as part of a small and busy team

The Job description, person specification and application form are available below.  Please click 'how to apply' to view the application form. 

Please share with anybody you think might be interested in joining our brilliant team!

Interviews are likely to be held on Tuesday 30th June.