32 Local development officer jobs in Belfast

Job Title: Independent Services Manager

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 25 hours per week

Salary: £22,857– £24,286 per annum (£32,000 - 34,000 FTE)

Location: Home based

About Coram

Coram is committed to improving the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people.

We support children and young people from birth to independence, creating a change that lasts a lifetime.

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity founded by Thomas Coram in London helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.

About Coram Voice

Coram Voice is part of the Coram Group of charities. We are a leading children’s rights organisation. We champion the rights of children. We get young voices heard in decisions that matter to them and work to improve the lives of children in care, care leavers and others who depend upon the help of the state

We support children and young people from birth to independence, creating a change that lasts a lifetime.

About the Independent Service Manager role

We are looking for an experienced professional to manage our England wide service for complaints under the Children Act (1989) and Independent Person service for Secure Accommodation Reviews for children placed in secure children’s home under section 25 of the Children Act (1989).

The role will be responsible for the delivery of this national service managing a group of committed and dedicated associate Independent Persons, as well as managing the relationships with our commissioning authorities.You will have the credibility to work at a management level, and the skills and experience in the sector to support and manage people, relationships with commissioners whilst maintaining high standards of professional practice.

We want a leader who will build and develop our team of associate Independent Persons who act as Investigating Officers, Independent Persons, Stage 3 Panel chairs and panel members for Children Act (1989) complaints against local authorities, and Independent Persons for Secure Accommodation Reviews.

The post holder will be responsible for ensuring excellent service delivery that meets internal and external performance measures.They will hold responsibility for quality assuring work undertaken via contact with Independent Persons and scrutiny of investigation reports.

We are seeking candidates who are committed to our objectives for children and young people and equally committed to the organisation and the development of our services.

This post will be home based (with access to our attractive Central London offices for those who wish to do so).

The post holder may on occasion be asked to travel within England as part of contract management or to attend staff and management events in London.

To apply for this role, please click on the 'apply now' button below to complete the application.

Closing Date: 21st September 2026

Interview Date: 29th September 2026

Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from, Asian, African, Caribbean and other minority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBQT+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.

If applicants feel comfortable, we would encourage them to draw on lived experience as well as professional experience in their personal statement as part of their application.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

2026 Coram Voice - Registered charity no: 1046207