Programme lead jobs

Location: National with regular travel across the UK. (If London-based you will be required to attend the office 2 days per week)

Contract: Full Time, 12-month maternity cover

Salary: £61,926.68 – £71,274.10 per annum depending on experience. (Plus competitive pension)

Please note that this role will be closing on Monday 30 March 2026 at 9am.

A little bit about the role 

The Business Development team is a recently established and growing team at Frontline. The team is responsible for delivering and developing high-quality leadership programmes, workforce development training, and commissioned projects that support practitioners and leaders across the children’s social care sector.

Reporting to the CEO, The head of business development will play a critical leadership role in driving Frontline’s growth, diversification, and long-term sustainability. You will lead the Business Development team, setting a clear strategic direction and ensuring it is delivered through our training offers, including programmes and commissioned work that support the workforce working with children at risk of harm.

You will oversee the organisation’s sales pipeline, ensuring we identify and secure opportunities that expand Frontline’s impact and generate sustainable income. This includes building strategic partnerships and ensuring our work is shaped by the evolving needs of the children’s social care sector, positioning Frontline as a trusted partner for workforce development and system improvement.

The role comprises of five core areas of responsibility: 

• Setting strategic direction and driving growth
• Developing and managing strategic external relationships
• Overseeing programme and offer development 
• Ensuring commercial performance and sustainability 
• Leading and developing the business development team

Please review the job pack for full list of responsibilities.

This is a pivotal role for an ambitious leader who combines strategic insight, commercial acumen, and strong external relationships with a deep commitment to improving outcomes for children and strengthening the social work workforce.

A little bit about you 

We are looking for a senior leader with a professional background in social work, education or a related discipline. You should and a passion for improving outcomes for children and families. You’ll bring a proven track record of strategic leadership, business development and senior stakeholder engagement. You must be a confident and credible communicator with sound financial judgement. You must be able to lead high-performing teams with a deep commitment to equity, inclusion and Frontline’s mission.

We have a fast-moving culture within the team and organisation, so we’re looking for someone who is who is well organised, details-focused and can use their initiative to do what works. You will have excellent communication skills, be able to build relationships with people and be willing to learn. There are lots of opportunities for growth and development in this role – and for the right candidate to make the role their own. 

If you feel you have the skills to make a real impact and contribute to creating lasting social change for children and families, we would love to hear from you. 

Important information

We have increased the diversity of Frontline’s workforce in the last 12 months, but we need to do more to have greater global majority representation in our senior roles. We know the value global majority voices bring and therefore, we are strongly encouraging applicants from these backgrounds to apply. We are also a disability confident employer and welcome applicants with disabilities.

With so many people now using AI to apply for jobs, it is common for applications to be repetitive and nearly identical. There are tell-tale signs when AI has been used, the writing has the same structure, the same tone and the same language. Using AI to clarify your thoughts and sharpen your answers is one thing, but we strongly discourage you from using a tool to generate the substance of your answers. We want your application to demonstrate your skills, as well as show us your thought process, how you respond to problems, what you have learned from different experiences and how you communicate in your own voice. Please be reassured – we are not expecting perfection.

We reserve the right to close this role ahead of the deadline once we reach a suitable number of applications, so please apply as soon as you can!

About Spear Norwich

Spear Norwich is a partnership between Spear and East Church Norwich!

East Church Norwich

Their vision is to play their part in sharing and reaching the East of England with the good news of Jesus. They are a large and growing church, one church, yet formed of multiple parishes across the city of Norwich. They are a family, journeying through life together, seeking to love God, to love each other, and to love those around us, as we gather and scatter. They gather on Sundays, as groups, communities, teams, and as family to worship, pray, and to open God's word, and to be filled over and over again with the Holy Spirit. They gather to connect with one another, to have fun, and to encourage each other along the way. They then scatter, to play their part in the mission that God calls us to, empowered by his Spirit to live everyday, supernatural lives for him.

Spear is at the very forefront of their mission to bring life through Jesus to all. They believe that every person, whether young or old, has a unique call on their life, and they want to see each person find the purpose for which they have been created. Find out more on their website.

You would be employed by East Church with Spear Norwich as a key missional activity. Prayer and worship are embedded into daily working practices, so there is an Occupational Requirement for applicants to be practicing Christians. You are welcome to reach out to the Spear recruitment team to discuss further before applying, although Spear will also provide an informal conversation to discuss East Church's theology early on in the application process.

Key Information:

• Salary: from £22,400 - £25,600 FTE
• Part-time, 3 days a week – Tuesday to Thursday
• 25 days annual leave pro rata, including bank holidays
• A DBS check will be requested in the event of a job offer
• The Spear Programme offers a rewarding opportunity to work with young people, but it requires a dedicated commitment. Due to the term-based nature of the programme (i.e. two consecutive 6-week programmes in autumn, spring and summer), we expect annual leave to be taken between, rather than during terms

Recruitment Process

Application Deadline: Monday 13th April, 5pm

Informal Call

Short Administration Task

Assessment and Interview Day: Friday 20th April

For more information please read through our Job Specification and Work with us pack.

If you require any reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process please let us know.

Person Specification

• An active Christian, dedicated to representing the values and ethos of Spear and East Church.
• A commitment to grow and learn spiritually and as a Christian leader, and a desire to learn and understand coaching techniques.
• Passion for social justice, especially supporting young people in employment or education
• Confident communication and interpersonal skills, both over telephone and face to face, particularly in group facilitation.
• An ambitious and self-motivated individual with the ability to prioritise workload, exercise initiative and work well under pressure.
• High emotional intelligence, a sense of humour and fun!

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

• Lead implementation of OSH’s 2025–2028 programme strategy.

• Oversee the design, quality and coherence of residentials, leadership training and hubs.

• Take operational responsibility for residential delivery, including participant referrals, recruitment of staff and freelancers, programme content and educational standards.

• Attend and lead approximately five residential programmes per year.

• Identify opportunities to strengthen youth engagement and leadership pathways as the organisation scales.

• Ensure programme data is accurately recorded and used to improve delivery.

Team Leadership

• Line manage the Communities Manager and Leadership & Volunteering Manager.

• Provide structured supervision, clear objectives and professional development support.

• Ensure strong coordination between hubs, residentials and leadership pathways.

• Build a culture of accountability, reflection and continuous improvement.

Safeguarding & Welfare

• Act as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and serve as DSL at events as required.

• Ensure safeguarding practice is robust, consistent and embedded across all activities.

• Respond to safeguarding and behavioural issues appropriately and oversee safe recruitment processes.

Partnerships, Budget & Oversight

• Maintain referral partnerships and represent OSH externally where appropriate.

• Hold programme budgets within agreed limits and ensure financial discipline.

• Embed monitoring, evaluation and reflective practice across the programme team.

Experience & Competencies (abridged - see attached job description)

Essential

• At least 5 years’ experience in youth or youth-centred programming, including residential or intensive settings.

• Experience designing and delivering leadership development or informal education programmes.

• Strong facilitation and training skills.

• Demonstrable experience managing staff and developing teams.

• Strong understanding of safeguarding practice and willingness to act as Deputy DSL.

• Experience working with young people from refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds, or strong understanding of the issues affecting them.

• Ability to balance strategic oversight with hands-on delivery in a part-time senior leadership role.

• Strong organisational skills and commitment to inclusive, youth-led practice.

Desirable

• Level 3 Safeguarding training.

• Experience managing programme budgets.

• Experience contributing to organisational strategy or scaling programme models.

• Familiarity with Google Workspace, Beacon CRM, MyConcern or similar systems.

• Lived experience of migration or displacement.

About Symphony Collective

Symphony Collective exists to build platforms and create spaces that help young people find and thrive in their purpose, using Arts, Education and Advocacy as tools.

What began as a vision has grown into a thriving ecosystem including music education, academic support programmes, wellbeing and social justice initiatives, live events, podcasts, short films and community convenings. As our work expands, so does the need for strong delivery and operational leadership.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced Head of Programmes to co-lead Symphony Collective alongside the Founder & CEO.

This is a senior, hands-on leadership role for an operational and delivery partner who will:

• Develop and implement our cross-pillar delivery strategy
• Embed strong operational systems across all programmes
• Oversee delivery staff, freelancers and contractors
• Ensure safeguarding, compliance and quality assurance standards are consistently met
• Translate vision into structured, scalable execution

While the CEO focuses on vision, partnerships, fundraising and storytelling, you will ensure that Symphony’s programmes run with clarity, discipline and operational excellence.

This role combines programme leadership with embedded operational oversight — it is as much about systems and structure as it is about delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Programme Strategy & Delivery

• Develop and implement Symphony’s cross-pillar programme strategy
• Oversee delivery across Arts, Academics and Advocacy
• Translate organisational vision into clear plans, timelines and execution
• Ensure quality assurance metrics and impact frameworks are embedded

Operations & Systems

• Design and implement operational systems and workflows across programmes
• Improve internal coordination, reporting and accountability
• Embed automation, tools and processes that support scale and efficiency
• Oversee safeguarding protocols and compliance processes

People Leadership

• Line manage programme leads, freelancers and volunteers
• Build an inclusive, high-performing delivery culture
• Support recruitment, onboarding and performance development

Governance & Risk

• Maintain operational integrity and risk awareness
• Ensure safeguarding standards are embedded across all delivery
• Support trustee reporting in relation to programme performance and compliance

Symphony Studios

• Oversee the day-to-day programme delivery within Symphony Studios
• Ensure the space functions effectively as a hub for education, creativity and community life
• Align studio operations with wider programme growth

Programme Areas

Arts — music school (choirs, live instrument tuition, production), podcasts, short films and live events

Academics — exam support (GCSE extra tuition), mentoring, soft skills and wider learning programmes

Advocacy — wellbeing and health campaigns, social justice convenings and community work (including our flagship event, TRIBE: Festival of Hope)

About You

You may come from the charity, social enterprise, education, arts or community sector and will bring:

• Senior programme or operational leadership experience
• Strong organisational and people management capability
• Experience building systems and structures in growing organisations
• A collaborative, values-driven leadership style
• Deep alignment with Symphony Collective’s mission and communities

Above all, we are looking for someone who wants to build something brave and meaningful, and who understands what it takes to expand opportunity, support social mobility and create inclusive spaces where young people from marginalised communities can belong, grow and imagine a bigger future.

Location: Hybrid (London-based)

Contract: Full-time

Salary: up to £38,000 per annum (dependent on experience)

We’re seeking an experienced, motivated Programme Manager with a passion for music and culture, and the confidence to drive projects forward in a small, collaborative team. 

This is an exciting time to join CDR as we grow nationally and you will play a pivotal role in shaping and scaling three of our core programmes at a time of real momentum.

The ideal candidate will have 5+ years experience in delivering music education programmes, be highly organised, and proactive.

CDR is an organisation committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in everything we do, from our programmes to our hiring practices. We particularly welcome and encourage applications from Black people and others who are currently underrepresented in the music and cultural industry. 

About CDR

CDR is a community-first music organisation working towards an equitable music industry for producers and artists. Founded in 2002, we have a 20-year track record of nurturing independent music makers and pushing UK electronic music forward.

We connect education with modern music culture, empowering people to create new music, define their sound, and release music on their own terms. Our programmes span schools, youth centres, grassroots venues and international collaborations — from Newham to Nairobi.

As a Black-led, London-based National Portfolio Organisation (Arts Council England), we are building the CDR Pathway: a cohesive journey that unlocks creativity in people at a young age and supports them to develop their creative practice throughout their lives.

This is an exciting time to join CDR: after recently becoming an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation, we are rapidly growing our projects around the country. Building on 20 years of heritage in the UK underground music scene, there is a significant opportunity to push on further and grow CDR’s profile to establish ourselves as a leading music and education organisation nationally.

The Programmes You’ll Lead

Music Producer Club (MPC) – digital music-making for young people aged 12–18, delivered in schools, youth centres and online. Taught by ‘producer educators’ - working music producers we train to educate the next generation -, MPC builds creativity, skills and confidence while connecting participants with electronic music culture and the national curriculum.

Process – a development programme for women, non-binary and trans+ music makers. Structured across three strands for different abilities (Create, Define, Release), Process combines workshops, mentoring and masterclasses to build skills, confidence and community for underrepresented producers.

Out The Box (OTB) – hands-on analogue mixing workshops in leading London studios, giving emerging producers practical experience with desks, outboard gear and professional engineers while bridging digital and analogue production techniques.

Key Responsibilities

Programme Management

• Lead planning, scheduling and delivery of MPC, Process and Out The Box programmes and events.

Quality Monitoring & Evaluation

• Collect and analyse participant data, case studies and feedback, and drive solutions in response to pain points.

• Support continuous improvement by feeding programme insights into CDR’s evolving evaluation framework, learning outputs, and communications strategy.

• Ensure safeguarding, risk assessments and health and safety are adhered to across all programmes. Implementing training, good practice and further planning where necessary.

Strategic Development

• Work with senior management to scale and embed programmes nationally.

• Ensure programmes align with and contribute to the CDR Pathway, supporting participants to progress from entry-level engagement to sustained creative practice and professional development.

Person Specification

Essential

• Track record of managing and growing programmes in education, youth, or the arts.

• Strong organisational and time-management skills.

Terms & Benefits

• Full-time, hybrid working with a London office base.

• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays + office closure (Christmas week).

• Pension scheme.

• Training and professional development opportunities.

Reports to: CEO

Role: Senior Delivery Manager

Directorate:            Standards

Team:                      Workforce Development

Manager:                Director of Standards

Direct reports: Education Network Manager, High Skills Performance Coach and Curriculum Lead (two colleagues)

Role purpose

The Senior Delivery Manager plays a key role in leading high-quality operational delivery across WorldSkills UK’s workforce development products and services. The postholder will be responsible for contract, project and performance management, ensuring all programmes are delivered efficiently, consistently and to a high standard. Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, this role leads operational systems, processes and delivery management to support effective provision for further and higher education and the skills system, raising standards of teaching, learning and assessment.

Key tasks and responsibilities

The postholder will be accountable for ensuring that workforce development programmes and services are delivered efficiently, compliantly and to a high standard, with strong operational oversight and continuous improvement.

Contract and project management

· Lead contract and relationship management with key grant funders, ensuring compliance with funding agreements and timely resolution of delivery issues.

· Ensure timely and accurate reporting, including regular performance updates and financial summaries, to support effective oversight and decision making.

· Maintain strong operational governance by identifying, managing and mitigating risks, and escalating issues appropriately.

· Oversee evaluation activity, ensuring evidence and insights to inform continuous improvement and future programme development.

Operational management

· Oversee data management processes to ensure accurate collection, monitoring and reporting of operational and performance data.

· Lead the development, implementation and continuous improvement of systems and tools that underpin programme delivery (e.g. CRM, dashboards, workflow).

· Design, refine and maintain operational processes that support high‑quality, efficient delivery and a positive customer experience across all workforce development activities.

Delivery management

· Lead the planning, implementation and delivery of workforce development products and services to ensure they meet agreed project objectives, quality standards and stakeholder requirements.

· Plan and oversee high‑impact events and training delivery, managing the full end‑to‑end customer journey from promotion and delegate engagement, through booking and delivery, to post‑event evaluation. Ensure all activity is scheduled and sequenced effectively around the academic year.

· Manage and support the team of trainers and coaches to deliver high‑quality, consistent and impactful training and engagement activity.

· Coordinate internal and external resources to ensure smooth, timely and cost‑effective delivery of programmes and services.

General

In addition to the key tasks and responsibilities set out above, employees at this level are expected to:

· Manage, support and motivate allocated staff to successfully deliver agreed activities and tasks.

· Produce specification requirements in line with procurement processes for outsourced activity.

· Contribute to organisational risk and issues management processes.

· Support delivery of WorldSkills UK’s strategic priorities and annual business plan.

· Ensure resources (staff, suppliers, partners, volunteers) are managed efficiently and effectively.

· Contribute to a performance‑driven culture with robust monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

· Demonstrate WorldSkills UK’s values in all aspects of the role, contributing to a collaborative, inclusive and high-performing organisational culture.

· Promote and comply with WorldSkills UK’s policies, including safeguarding, health and safety, equality, diversity and inclusion.

· Carry out any other duty as may be reasonably assigned that is consistent with the nature of the role and its level of responsibility. Any significant changes will be made in consultation with the post holder taking account of their experience, skills and capability.

Person specification

Key: [E] Essential / [D] Desirable.

Qualifications and experience:

· Experience of operational, project or programme management within education, skills or workforce development [E].

· Experience managing complex projects and multiple stakeholders in publicly funded or grant‑funded environments [E].

· Experience of event management or oversight of outsourced delivery [D].

Knowledge and skills:

· Strong programme and budget management skills [E].

· Ability to lead operational change initiatives and embed new systems and processes [E].

· Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex information and translate insights into action [E].

· Excellent risk management, problem‑solving and decision‑making skills [E].

· Ability to influence and motivate colleagues and partners, including those working remotely [E].

· Ability to build strong and effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders [E].

Personal qualities and attributes:

· Demonstrates professionalism, reliability and sound judgement [E].

· Organised and methodical, with a structured approach to planning and delivery [E].

· Able to work independently, using sound judgement and initiative, while collaborating effectively with others [E].

· Able to identify practical solutions and improve ways of working [E].

· ideas Adapts positively to changing priorities and ways of working [E].

· Works collaboratively with colleagues and partners to achieve shared goals [E].

· Able to motivate and support others to deliver high quality work [E].

Special circumstances:

· Able to work occasionally outside normal hours where required [E].

· Able to travel within the United Kingdom, where required [E].

· Able to undertake occasional overnight stays where required [E].

Summary of terms and conditions

· Permanent.

· The salary for this role is £50,000.

· WorldSkills UK offers a maximum employer’s contribution to your pension of 6% of your basic salary, on the condition that you make an employee contribution to your pension of at least 3%. You may choose to contribute a higher percentage of your salary to your pension, subject to statutory limits.

· Group Death in Service (Life insurance) 3 x annual salary.

· Health Care Cash plan.

· Normal place of work is Third Floor, 52-54 St John Street, London EC1M 4HF. This role is office based (as above) with flexible hybrid working. It is expected the postholder will attend the office at least once or twice a week (a minimum of four days per month).

· Full time working hours are a minimum of 35 hours per week, normal working hours are 09:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday although we pride ourselves on having a flexible approach to our working practices and service delivery and are happy to discuss flexible working options, with suitable candidates.

· 25 days’ annual leave [which will increase by one additional day for each completed year of service up to a maximum of 30 days] plus public and bank holidays.

· The post is subject to six months’ probationary period with two weeks’ notice during the probationary period and one month thereafter.

· The offer of appointment will be subject to satisfactory references.

· Salaries are paid monthly by direct transfer on or about 21st of the month.

How to apply

WorldSkills UK is committed to making appointments on merit by fair and open processes and use a blind recruitment approach. Please ensure that you submit your application in Word (curriculum vitae and cover letter) to help us in this process.

We recognise that no candidate is likely to meet every criterion in full. If your experience is not an exact match but you believe you can bring relevant skills and experience to the role, we encourage you to apply.

Applications should be by email and must include:

· Curriculum vitae outlining your full career history. Please remove identifying information such as your name, contact details, date of birth, nationality, photographs and links to personal profiles to support our anonymised recruitment process. This includes your name, email address, date of birth, nationality, languages spoken other than English, photographs, and links to personal profiles (e.g. LinkedIn). Applications that contain identifying information in the CV may not be considered.

· Supporting statement outlining your suitability for the role, addressing the points listed in the role description and person specification. Throughout the recruitment process we will be looking for clear examples and evidence of your experience, knowledge and skills.

· Separate document containing your name, contact details (email and phone number) and confirmation of your right to work in the UK.

For the full information on how to apply, read the job pack attached to the advert. 

Interview process and timeline

It is intended that the interview process will have two stages:

· Stage 1 – online via MS Teams. The interviews will be held on Tuesday 7 April 2026.

· Stage 2 – in person. Candidates progressing to the second stage will be invited to attend an in-person interview at our office: Third Floor, 52–54 St John Street, London EC1M 4HF. This stage of the interview process will take place on Wednesday 15 April 2026. Candidates will be asked to complete an interview task as part of this stage of the process, details of which will be provided to those invited to the interview.

Reasonable adjustments will be offered to all candidates during the recruitment process. For further information please contact our Senior HR Manager, Andreea Ojog.

Application deadline

The deadline for applications is Sunday, 29 March 2026 at 17:00. Please note that late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Martingale Postgraduate Foundation (Martingale) exists to fund and support the next generation of talented researchers. We believe that family income should not be a barrier to the pursuit of excellence, and our mission is to enable and nurture talented individuals from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to thrive within world-leading postgraduate research.

Martingale’s flagship programme is the Martingale Postgraduate Scholarship, which supports students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to pursue and excel in postgraduate degrees, by providing:

• A fully-funded Living Wage Scholarship to pursue a one-year Masters degree or a four-year PhD.
• All tuition fees and research expenses, including a tax-free stipend for living costs.
• Tailored support to apply for Martingale courses at our partner universities.
• Access to Martingale programmes, including leadership training and connections with top academic and industry professionals.
• Membership of a pioneering community of talented researchers.

In the three years since Martingale launched, we are now supporting over 100 Scholars to undertake postgraduate degrees across our ten partner universities and have committed over £7.7m in Scholarships. We are continuing to expand our offer, bringing on new partners each year.

We are seeking an experienced, strategic and collaborative Head of Programmes to join our Senior Leadership Team and play a pivotal role in shaping our fast-growing Martingale Scholarship Programme.

As Head of Programmes, you will join our senior management team, overseeing the growing programmes team. Working closely with the CEO, you will oversee all aspects of Martingale’s Scholarship Programme from application to alumni, ensuring that the programme maintains a strong reputation for being both supportive and prestigious.

You will set the strategic direction of Martingale’s Scholarship Programme, working closely with the CEO on a day-to-day basis to ensure that as we expand across STEM the programme remains of a high quality and meeting Martingale’s mission. You will ensure that Martingale’s programmes are impactful, data informed and meet the needs of the scholars we are supporting. You will also be responsible for managing relationships with various external stakeholders including universities, funders and evaluation partners.

We are looking for a strong strategic leader with extensive programme experience including line management, partnership management and external relations. You will bring excellent organisational skills, strong attention to detail, a proactive mindset, and a strong alignment with Martingale’s mission. We welcome applicants from a range of career paths who are excited to be part of a growing, fast-paced charity delivering meaningful impact.

Martingale Foundation is incubated by Purposeful Ventures who provide operational and strategic support. The Head of Programmes will be employed by Purposeful Ventures.

About Purposeful Ventures

Our vision is for a fairer society where all young people thrive. We work with social entrepreneurs, organisations and philanthropists that share our vision. Through our work with these partners, young people are given opportunities in education and beyond, helping them reach their true potential.

Purposeful Ventures offers philanthropists and funders bespoke advice, using an evidence-based approach to help them to identify high-impact opportunities to fund. We then partner with visionary individuals and mission-driven organisations with strong theories of change. We help them turn great ideas into sustainable and successful ventures by offering fully individualised and very hands-on support, access to funding and a ‘high-challenge, high-support’ home. We do the minimum necessary and whatever it takes to succeed.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership of the Scholarship Programme

• Provide strategic oversight of the end-to-end Martingale Scholarship lifecycle, from selection and admissions through to scholar progression and alumni outcomes.
• Develop and deliver a multi-year operational strategy for Martingale’s Development Programme (MDP), ensuring scalability, academic excellence, and alignment with organisational growth plans.
• Continuously refine the scholar journey to ensure it is sector-leading, prestigious, and tailored to the needs of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Build deep expertise in postgraduate education, research culture, and enabling access to inform programme evolution and innovation.

Admissions & Selection Strategy

• Lead the design, governance, and continuous improvement of a rigorous, fair, and high-quality admissions and assessment process across subject areas.
• Oversee shortlisting, interview frameworks, assessment centres, and final scholarship recommendations to the Selection Committee.
• Ensure alignment between Martingale’s selection processes and university partner requirements.
• Maintain oversight of scholar allocation, including place management, deferrals, intermissions, withdrawals, and reallocations.

Scholar Experience & Case Management

• Ensure effective advocacy for Scholars including maximising progression and retention across cohorts.
• Oversee complex scholar casework, including deferrals, intermissions, safeguarding concerns, funding queries, disciplinary action and university liaison.
• Ensure consistent, professional, and high-touch support across the scholar lifecycle.
• Strengthen cohort cohesion and long-term alumni engagement.

Safeguarding & Compliance

• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Martingale, ensuring safeguarding policy implementation and record keeping in line with best practice in relation to vulnerable adults.
• Oversee data protection compliance relating to scholar and applicant data, in partnership with the organisation’s Data Protection Officer.
• Ensure programme delivery complies with charity, funding, and regulatory requirements.

Budget, Contracting & Financial Oversight

• Hold responsibility for programme budgets, ensuring effective resource allocation, cost control, and value for money.
• Oversee scholarship programme financial management, and work with Head of Strategy and Operations on onwards grants including deferrals, funding adjustments, and invoicing.
• Work with the Head of Strategy and Operations on university contracting, scholarship agreements, and financial reconciliation with partners.
• Ensure timely and accurate invoicing and reporting processes across programme operations.

University & Sector Partnerships (Programme-Focused)

• Lead programme-level relationships with university partners, including Heads of Departments, Graduate Tutors, CDT leads, and admissions teams.
• Ensure universities meet partnership commitments and that Scholars are appropriately supported institutionally.
• Contribute to partnership negotiations where programme design or operational delivery is concerned.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen university research culture and scholar support mechanisms.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Impact

• Lead development and oversight of Martingale’s Theory of Change and evaluation framework, working with our external independent evaluators.
• Develop robust systems to track scholar progression, outcomes, and programme effectiveness.
• Provide high-quality reporting to the CEO, Board, funders, and partners, evidencing impact and continuous improvement.

New Programme Development & Innovation

• Work with the CEO to design new subject expansions, pilots, or initiatives aligned to Martingale’s mission.
• Assess operational, financial, and reputational implications of programme growth.
• Develop business cases, delivery models, and implementation plans for expansion.

Team Leadership & Culture

• Provide senior leadership to the Programmes team, including line management of programme staff.
• Build a high-performing, mission-driven team with clear accountability and ownership.
• Develop succession planning and team capability as Martingale scales.
• Model Martingale’s values of excellence, professionalism, and thoughtful support.

Organisational Leadership

• Serve as a member of the Senior Management Team, contributing to organisational strategy and governance.
• Represent Martingale externally in academic, sector, and policy contexts where appropriate.
• Support Board and Committee reporting related to programme performance and scholar outcomes.

Key Requirements:

Essential Criteria

• Right to work in the UK

Experience and skills

Essential

• Significant experience leading and delivering high-quality programmes, ideally in higher education, research, scholarships, or a mission-driven organisation.
• Strong stakeholder management experience, with evidence of working effectively with universities, academics, funders, or equivalent partners.
• Proven line management experience, with the ability to develop and lead a high-performing team.
• Experience managing complex operational delivery, including planning, timelines, and coordinating multiple moving parts.
• Strong experience handling sensitive casework and providing professional support to individuals.
• Budget management experience, including planning and overseeing programme delivery costs.
• Excellent written communication skills, including producing clear reports and briefings for senior audiences.
• Commitment to safeguarding, wellbeing and compliance, with willingness to act as safeguarding lead.

Desirable

• Experience working directly with postgraduate research, PhD programmes, or doctoral training environments.
• Experience designing or overseeing selection and assessment processes (e.g. interviews, admissions, recruitment pipelines).
• Experience managing programme evaluation frameworks, including Theory of Change and external evaluators.
• Familiarity with contracting, invoicing, and operational finance processes.
• Knowledge of UK higher education systems and research culture.
• Experience working in a start-up, scale-up, or fast-growing charity.

Personal Characteristics

• Highly organised, proactive, and able to prioritise effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills: able to build rapport and trusting relationships, able to work co-operatively in a multidisciplinary setting.
• Strong judgement, discretion and professionalism, including ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
• A commitment to Martingale’s mission to support postgraduate students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Comfortable working in a rapidly growing and changing organisation with a degree of ambiguity – confident to create processes and ways forward where they might not yet exist.
• Creative and innovative: willing to think outside the box to maximise reach.
• Resourceful, able to act on initiative, hardworking, detail-oriented, and systematic.

About Rose Castle Foundation
Our vision is to build a more sustainable peace in some of the world’s most polarised societies. We do this by equipping a global network of leaders with the habits and skills they need to act across deep divides and transform unhealthy conflict. With more than 20 years of experience in the field, we specialise in creating spaces for faith-formed leaders to encounter each other authentically, re-humanising those they no longer see or hear, and working towards a more peaceful future where both sides flourish – one in which their differences still matter.

We work in partnership with organisations that have the capacity to enable long term, transformational change by supporting tomorrow’s leaders to lead through change, chaos and conflict. Our partners include universities, seminaries, houses of worship, faith-based and non-governmental organisations, located in a range of the world’s most divided contexts.

RCF is receiving unprecedented demand for our work and we are moving from a period of start-up to growth where there are exciting opportunities for the Foundation, our partners, and our team members. We are a close-knit team who support one another and are passionate about our mission. We look forward to welcoming new team members. 

Outline of Role
The job holder will work closely with the Head of Programmes and the Facilitator & Content Design Manager to coordinate and deliver high-quality, transformational reconciliation programming and events in the UK and abroad.

This role would ideally suit – but is not limited to – candidates at an early stage in their career with demonstrable interest in religion and peacebuilding, seeking a role that will generate a broad range of experiences and with considerable scope for professional development and increased responsibility as RCF enters a period of sustained growth.

This is an exciting role in a unique organisation.  Our vision is to provide an outstanding experience for all UCL students and to be one of the best students’ unions in the UK and the world.  We aim to build a vibrant and empowered student community with real influence in UCL and beyond, that enables students to enjoy their time at university; pursue their interests and passions; see the world in new ways; and develop the skills and experience to change the world for the better.

We are a registered charity employing over 150 career staff and 300 student staff, delivering a wide range of services and representative functions for UCL students. We have the widest portfolio of services of any student organisation in the country, managing UCL’s extracurricular programmes for sport, music, drama, dance, media, volunteering, academic societies and intercultural engagement; providing a wide range of fantastic social spaces; leading on student democracy and representation across UCL; and offering excellent student support services.

It's an exciting time to join our growing organisation as we lead the delivery of UCL’s groundbreaking new Student Life Strategy. This is enabling us to build more programmes to improve students’ mental and physical wellbeing, promote genuine equity for all, build students’ skills and confidence, develop their international connections and intercultural skills, and make a real contribution to our local community.

We support hybrid working. Excellent benefits including defined benefit pension scheme and generous holiday entitlement. We are proud of high levels of staff engagement and pride ourselves on being a great place to work. We will consider applications to work on a flexible and job share basis wherever possible. 

The role is full-time and fixed term for 12 months. This role is based at our Bloomsbury campus with flexibility to work from home on a 40/60 basis (40% working from the office).

We are looking for a Prevention and Intervention Programme Manager to line manage the Advisors (Sexual Violence Liaison Officers) and be responsible for an SVLO programme to support students who have experienced sexual violence, sexual harassment, gender-based violence and/or domestic abuse at any point in their lives. The Programme Manager will need to work closely with the Advice Service Manager to support the Specialist Advisors in working alongside the generalist advice provision. The Programme Manager will oversee the Active Bystander Programme as well as the expansion of new and existing programmes, including developing personalised packages for departments and an attractive offer for external partner organisations. 

Have you got demonstrable experience of working with individuals who have experienced one or more of the following: sexual violence, harassment, gender-based violence or domestic abuse? Have you got an understanding of the impact of sexual violence and sexual harassment on survivors, and how to support them with a trauma informed approach? If the answer is yes, then we want to hear from you. 

Our ideal candidate will continue to develop and embed the trauma-informed Consent and Tackling Sexual Misconduct strand to enhance and grow the Active Bystander Programme. The right candidate will scope and develop propositions for new and innovative prevention and intervention programmes. The successful role holder will also manage the planning and implementation of an SVLO programme, in collaboration with UCL colleagues (such as Student Support and Wellbeing Services, the Casework team, and the Crime Prevention & Personal Safety team). 

Ready to step into a role where your skills drive growth, impact, and real change? Love connecting people with growth opportunities? Be part of a team that transforms leadership across the UK’s health and care system!
 
This is a great opportunity to join a purpose-led health and care charity as their Recruitment Officer, supporting the growth of impactful leadership and organisational development programmes across the UK health and care system.
 
This role would suit someone who enjoys building trusted relationships, nurturing enquiries into confirmed bookings, and being at the heart of a thoughtful, high-quality participant experience from first contact through to onboarding.
 
If you have previous experience in participant recruitment, admissions, membership engagement or programme coordination - particularly within a membership, charitable or public service setting - this could be the role for you!
 
Role: Recruitment Officer (Programmes)
Organisation Type: Health and care charity
Salary/Rate: £23 – £26 per hour
Working Arrangements: Hybrid – 2 days per week in London office
Employment Type: Temporary position
Hours: Full time 35 hours per week
Duration: 3 - 6 months approx..
Closing Date: CVs are being reviewed on a rolling basis – early applications encouraged!
 
The Role:
 
As the Participant Engagement Lead, you’ll play a central part in growing enrolment across my client’s leadership development programmes. You will lead the full participant recruitment journey, from initial enquiry through to onboarding, ensuring a thoughtful, high-quality experience for every prospective participant.
 
Your responsibilities will include:
 

• Acting as the primary point of contact for prospective participants across open programmes
• Proactively nurturing enquiries and guiding individuals through to enrolment
• Managing the full application and admissions cycle using a new system
• Coordinating virtual interviews and communicating outcomes promptly
• Overseeing onboarding, invoicing, ticketing and participant communications
• Maintaining accurate recruitment metrics and reporting against targets
• Collaborating with marketing colleagues to align campaigns with recruitment goals
• Contributing to promotional messaging and ensuring programme information is accurate across channels
• Working closely with programme leads to ensure seamless handover from recruitment to delivery
• Identifying opportunities to streamline and enhance recruitment processes

 
About You:
 
You’ll bring experience in recruitment, participant engagement, membership, admissions or programme-focused roles, with a track record of guiding enquiries through to successful enrolment while balancing relationship-building with achieving targets.
 
You’ll also have:
 

• Experience handling high-volume enquiries with professionalism and responsiveness
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple workflows simultaneously
• Confidence with data, reporting, budgeting and forecasting
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with a warm and persuasive tone
• Strong CRM/database experience and high attention to accuracy
• A collaborative approach and the ability to work cross-functionally
• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset and comfort working in a changing environment
• Experience within health, social care, leadership development or mission-led organisations would be advantageous, but not essential.

 
Why Apply?
 
This is a genuinely pivotal role within a respected and purpose-driven organisation working to improve health and care outcomes across the UK. You’ll have the chance to shape a new recruitment approach, build meaningful relationships with professionals committed to improving public services, and contribute directly to the growth of a leadership development portfolio with national impact.
If you’re motivated by achieving targets, delivering excellent customer experience and making a difference through people development, this is a role where your impact will be seen and felt.
 
Interested?
 
CVs are being reviewed on a rolling basis – early applications are encouraged.
Apply now to be part of a mission-led organisation dedicated to strengthening leadership across the UK health and care system.

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential; please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustment so that we can help with making the application process work for you.

Program Director (Youth Employment)

Prospectus is supporting an independent foundation seeking a Program Director (Youth Employment) who can complement the existing team by virtue of their experience in labor market economics, workforce development, value chain transformation, and/or the prioritization of public-sector investment in critical economic sectors.

Program Directors work with their government counterparts to design and support implementation of transformative programs, and many government counterparts are prioritizing youth employment. Program Directors are accountable to the CEO and are responsible for ensuring quality execution of programs; strengthening routine monitoring systems; leading evidence-based decision-making; and driving highly leveraged outcomes.

Program Directors each work on a variety of matters related to human capital development and contribute to programs in different African geographies. You can expect a dynamic environment and a culture of collaboration, innovation, and drive for highly leveraged outcomes.

Candidate Profile

• Extensive experience with complex and large-scale program ideation and implementation, ideally related to youth employment, labor market interventions, value chain transformation, and public-sector investment.
• Good understanding of how governmental departments work, ideally with direct experience working within government.
• Significant interactions at high policy levels within governments, with proven experience in managing complex and politically sensitive relationships with different stakeholders.
• Demonstration of methodical program oversight and management.
• Experienced in the use of programmatic tools such as dashboard creation, program monitoring and strategic planning.
• Demonstrated familiarity with and/or experience working in sub-Saharan Africa.

Terms

• £100,000 – £140,000 + benefits.
• The position is full-time. Staff members working in the London office attend the office five days a week. However, if you have a disability and need a different arrangement as a reasonable adjustment, please let us know. We are committed to supporting an inclusive and accessible workplace and will consider any requests in line with the organisation’s obligations.
• The position will require travel to sub-Saharan Africa
• Equal opportunities employer

How to Apply
To apply for the role, please upload your CV together with a supporting statement (no more than 500 words) onto the Prospectus website.

At Prospectus we believe passionately that a truly inclusive workplace leads to increased social impact. We are committed to supporting our clients build more inclusive teams. To understand how we are performing, we ask that you kindly complete the brief equal opportunities questionnaire when you submit your application via our website.

Recruitment Timetable (Subject to Change)

• Deadline for applications: 5th April
• Interviews with Prospectus: 13th – 14th April
• First stage panel interviews: w/c 4th May

Be the spark that turns creativity into impact.

​Help Age Exchange grow arts & heritage programmes that change lives in social care.

Age Exchange—embedded in social care and powered by the arts—is hiring a Business Development Manager to ignite partnerships and funding that deliver innovative programmes across the UK. If you come from museums, galleries, archives or cultural organisations and can spot opportunities, craft compelling bids and open doors fast, this is your stage. Lead the growth of projects that boost health, wellbeing, learning and social connection—so creativity reaches the people who need it most.

The role will require someone who can work from our head office in Blackheath and the role will include some national travel as and when required so the ideal candidate will be based within an hours commute of the Community Hub in Blackheath, London. 

What is The Deal for you?

• Flexibility! You will be working 35 hours per week over 5 days with some weekend work.
• Location: You need to be based within a commutable distance to our Community Hub in Blackheath, London.
• Benefits: retail discounts, holiday discounts, cycle to work scheme and travel discounts through our benefits app
• Best Lives Possible: You'll be working for an award winning charity who is passionate about ensuring our colleagues and the people we support lead the best lives possible 
• Development: We'll work with you to develop your career or to learn and experience new things. We're passionate about developing our people!
• Support: From our Employee Assistance Programme (available 24/7), financial support options, and wellbeing fund you'll have the support available to lead an easier (financial) life

This role will design and secure a portfolio of national and local strategically aligned, market-relevant and impactful programmes which use arts, culture and creativity to achieve a positive impact on our target audiences. These programmes will empower the health, wellbeing, learning, social mobility and social connection of people supported by Age Exchange and Community Integrated Care. The role holder will play an essential role in leading the growth, reach and sustainability of Age Exchange by generating funding and commercial revenue and new partnerships.

​What You'll do (list not exhaustive):

• Win funding & partnerships that fuel our programmes and core costs—trusts & foundations, corporates/sponsorships, individual giving, and earned income.
• Build and manage a high-quality pipeline—prospect, cultivate, write compelling bids/proposals, negotiate, and steward partners.
• Collaborate across the delivery team—aligning with colleagues so proposed projects and tenders are fundable, impactful, and on-brand.
• Report outcomes & learn—own quarterly KPI reporting and iterate approaches to hit clear income and partnership targets.

Our ideal Candidate:​

• Degree-level education or equivalent experience.
• Proven success in bid writing and securing projects/tenders of £250k+.
• Strong experience in fundraising, commercial development, and project management within a funded environment.
• Creative thinker with the ability to design innovative programmes aligned to strategic objectives.
• Excellent relationship-building and influencing skills, with experience engaging stakeholders at senior levels.
• Skilled communicator and presenter, able to craft compelling proposals and pitches.
• Proficiency in MS Office and project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet).
• Bring proven success in the arts or heritage sector (e.g., museums, galleries, performing arts, creative health, community arts) with a track record of securing grants and/or sponsorships.
• Are a confident storyteller and bid writer who can turn creative ideas into fundable, strategically aligned propositions.

Why join us ?

• Be part of a nationally recognised charity making a real difference in people’s lives.
• Lead ground-breaking projects that combine creativity and social impact.
• Work in a collaborative, values-driven environment with opportunities for professional growth.

Success in this role means:​

• Meeting funding and growth targets.
• Delivering a diverse portfolio of innovative programmes.
• Enhancing the charity’s profile through impactful projects and partnerships.

Ready to make a difference ?
Apply now and help us shape a future where arts and creativity empower communities across the UK.

​Please note, if you are interested in this role, we welcome your application as soon as possible! Depending on the volume of applications received, the vacancy may be closed before the expected advertising end date.

​We’re really proud to be a Hive HR Employee Voice Certified organisation, a recognition that confirms our commitment to creating a culture where our colleagues are not only encouraged to share their thoughts, but where this feedback is actively sought and acted upon to drive positive change at every level.

In our 2025 Colleague Engagement Survey, 59% (nearly 3,800) of our people shared their feedback and insights, giving us an incredible Employee Net Promoter Score of +34.

The Employee Net Promoter Score is a measure of how willing our colleagues are to recommend us as a good place to work to their loved ones – and a score of +34 is considered a Very Good score when compared to global benchmarks set by hundreds of other organisations.

Role: National Programme Coordinator

Directorate:           Operations

Team: National Competitions

Manager:               Senior National Competitions Manager

Direct reports: N/A

Role purpose

The purpose of this role is to support the National Programme Team with the implementation of operational plans that deliver successful national skills competitions. This will include supporting the activities and actions relating to the national programme cycle, projects across diversity and inclusion and transfer of global standards to maximise local and national activity in the UK.

Key tasks and responsibilities

· To contribute to the successful delivery of WorldSkills UK’s strategic priorities and annual business objectives.

· To support skills competitions that raise standards of teaching and learning and serve as a key vehicle for practitioner development across the vocational education and training sector and the workplace, including Apprenticeship/Traineeships.

· To co-ordinate activities relating to requesting, tracking and quality assuring key documents required from our Competition Organising Partners (COPs), ensuring documents are received within set deadlines.

· To co-ordinate and support the planning and event delivery of national skills competition activity across the UK, including booking travel, venues, accommodation and catering.

· To administer and co-ordinate the local and national projects i.e. Competitor Support Fund, and Evaluations.

· To administer and co-ordinate project plans, reporting, finance, systems, processes (i.e. Quality Assurance) and document management.

· To support improved engagement in skills competitions by all Stakeholder groups and audiences.

· To support the organisation by producing reports and data requests using the organisational database and systems.

· To support the National Competitions Delivery Managers in the organisation of skills competitions, to include administration and research of new skills competitions.

· To co-ordinate and provide support on the implementation of the quality assurance process and ensure that accurate information is recorded at the bi-annual reviews with the COPs.

· To support the recruitment and briefing of volunteers as required for the national competition cycle.

· To organise and support communication with competitors, their organisations and COPs through monitoring the Competitions email inbox, allocating queries to team members and responding to requests for information and providing support to the team in answering queries from staff, external stakeholders and suppliers.

· To maintain and update competition management systems, records and files, handling confidential information in compliance with the organisations procedures.

· To effectively co-ordinate resources (including agencies, suppliers, contractors) so that all project elements are delivered to acceptable standards on time, to budget and meet the required specification(s)/objective(s) and assisting the team with financial processes such as raising purchase orders.

· To support activities/tasks in accordance with the agreed project plan to ensure delivery on time and to budget.

General:

In addition to the key tasks and responsibilities set out above, all employees at this level are expected to:

· Contribute to the successful delivery of WorldSkills UK’s strategic priorities and annual business objectives.

· Promote and comply with WorldSkills UK’s Employee Handbook and the policies contained therein with particular reference to those related to Health and Safety and on equity, diversity and inclusion.

· Carry out any other duty as may be reasonably assigned that is consistent with the nature of the job and its level of responsibility. Any significant changes will be made in consultation with the post holder acknowledging experience, education and ability.

Person specification

Key: [E] Essential / [D] Desirable.

Qualifications and experience:

· Demonstrable experience or qualifications relevant to project coordination or administrative support [E].

· Apprenticeship or other relevant project experience [D].

· Experience of providing support to programmes in the public sector [D].

· Experience of organising events [D].

· An understanding of basic project management principles [D].

Knowledge and skills:

· Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Office suite skills as well as using bespoke software programmes for data reporting [D].

· Highly developed administration skills [E].

· Good verbal, written and presentation skills [E].

· Knowledge of further education, apprenticeships and skills [D].

Personal qualities and attributes:

· Consistently dependable and acts with integrity in all professional matters [E].

· Able to work on own initiative with broad direction [E].

· Able to contribute to solving problems by offering practical or innovative approaches [E].

· Possess a strong work ethic and desire to achieve results [E].

· Flexible in working methods and ideas [E].

· Able to work collaboratively with others and contribute positively to team outcomes [E].

· Demonstrates commitment to the organisation’s mission and can support and encourage others [E].

· Respect for diversity and inclusion with practical ideas for their implementation within the scope of the post [E].

Special circumstances:

· Prepared occasionally to work outside normal hours [E].

· Prepared to travel within the United Kingdom [E].

· Able to spend time away from home [E].

Summary of terms and conditions

· Permanent.

· The salary for this role is £28,000.

· WorldSkills UK offers a maximum employer’s contribution to your pension of 6% of your basic salary, on the condition that you make an employee contribution to your pension of at least 3%. You may choose to contribute a higher percentage of your salary to your pension, subject to statutory limits.

· Group Death in Service (Life insurance) 3 x annual salary.

· Health Care Cash plan.

· Normal place of work is Third Floor, 52-54 St John Street, London EC1M 4HF. This role is office based (as above) but with flexible hybrid working. It is expected the postholder will attend the office at least once or twice a week.

· Full time working hours are a minimum of 35 hours per week, normal working hours are 09:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday although we pride ourselves on having a flexible approach to our working practices and service delivery and are happy to discuss flexible working options, with suitable candidates.

· 25 days’ annual leave [which will increase by one additional day for each completed year of service up to a maximum of 30 days] plus public and bank holidays.

· The post is subject to six months’ probationary period with two weeks’ notice during the probationary period and one month thereafter.

· The offer of appointment will be subject to satisfactory references.

· Salaries are paid monthly by direct transfer on or about 21st of the month.

How to apply

WorldSkills UK is committed to making appointments on merit by fair and open processes and use a blind recruitment approach. Please ensure that you submit your application in Word (curriculum vitae and cover letter) to help us in this process.

Applications should be submitted by email and must include:

· Curriculum vitae outlining your full career history. Please remove any identifying information to support our anonymised recruitment process. This includes your name, email address, date of birth, nationality, languages spoken other than English, photographs, and links to personal profiles (e.g. LinkedIn). Applications that contain identifying information in the CV may not be considered.

· Supporting statement outlining your suitability for the role, addressing the points listed in the role description and person specification. Throughout the recruitment process we will be looking for clear examples and evidence of your experience, knowledge and skills.

· Separate document containing your name, contact details (email and phone number) and confirmation of your right to work in the UK.

Interview process and timeline

It is intended that the interview process will have two stages:

· Stage 1 – online via MS Teams. The interviews will be held on Wednesday 15 April 2026.

 · Stage 2 – in person. Candidates progressing to the second stage will be invited to attend an in-person interview at our office: Third Floor, 52–54 St John Street, London EC1M 4HF. This stage of the interview process will take place on Wednesday 22 April 2026.

Candidates will be asked to complete a 30-minute interview task, the details of which will be provided to those invited to the interview.

Reasonable adjustments will be offered to all candidates during the recruitment process. For further information please contact our Senior HR Manager.

Application deadline

The deadline for applications is Monday 6 April 2026 at 17:00. Please note that late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Partnerships Officer (Programme Officer)

Aga Khan Foundation

The position

AKF(UK) Partnerships Officers are part of the Global Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) Partnerships team tasked with identifying funding partnerships and strengthening existing ones to support our strategic goals. Partnerships Officers manage a set of grants across a variety of themes and geographies. They also support engagement with European and Asian bilaterals, multilaterals and foundations to secure funding for ten multi-sector not-for-profit and for-profit agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) operating across Asia and Africa. This is all done in close collaboration with field units, global teams, and our partners.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND CORE TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

Grants Management

• Manage a portfolio of grants through regular interface and coordination with AKF(UK)’s partnerships team, AKF(UK)’s programme finance team and relevant AKF/AKDN field units/agencies acting as a central resource for field units in donor best practice.
• Interface with donors about the implementation of ongoing grants to ensure strong, enduring relationships.
• Coordinate, review, and assure the quality of donor deliverables (e.g. work plans, monitoring and evaluation plans, staffing plans, budgets, close-out plans, donor troubleshooting).
• Ensure adherence with donor requirements, rules, and regulations, and that grant deliverables are produced on time and to a high standard.
• Coordinate contractual amendments, changes, and project adaptations, engage with donors in a pro-active and diplomatic way, and flag potential changes (e.g. budget revisions, extensions, risks) in advance to ‘trouble shoot’ and ensure smooth project implementation.
• Facilitate grant monitoring efforts including routine coordination meetings and as needed, support with donor steering committees, donor project visits, and donor monitoring missions.
• Undertake coordination and administrative tasks related to grants and support the maintenance and update of grant management tools and tracking systems (e.g. Award Information Management System (AIMS)).
• Ensure strong relationship cultivation throughout the grants cycle, anticipate, and plan for future funding and project extensions.

Resource Mobilisation

• Coordinate and facilitate the development, review and quality assurance of expressions of interest, concept notes, and full proposals for funding opportunities.
• Liaise and coordinate with internal stakeholders as well as with donors, partners, and consortia to facilitate project design, align proposal and donor requirements, gather required legal and administrative documentation, and draft sections of proposals as needed.

Coordinate processes of contracting and negotiation, engaging relevant stakeholders, and ensuring contracts ‘get over the line’ in a timely and efficient way.

• Conduct due diligence of new partners (donors, NGOs, universities, etc.) in coordination with AKF(UK)’s programme finance team and AKF’s global programmes team.

• Develop and contribute to positioning pieces and communication materials (e.g., presentations, narrative overviews) to enable regular and effective engagement with donors.
• Research, scan and source relevant information regarding new donors and funding opportunities to identify potential funding matches and gather intelligence around European and Asian donors.
• Update donor profiles, researching and summarising latest donor strategies and using AIMS to update AKF/AKDN funding summaries. 
• Contribute to management systems, such as AIMS.

Carry out any other duties as assigned by the Senior Partnerships Manager, Deputy Regional Directors or Global Deputy Director for Institutional Partnerships.
 

The requirements

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, BEHAVIOURS, ATTRIBUTES
Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree essential
• Master’s degree in a relevant field preferred

Skills

• Strong level of fluency in French is highly desirable
• Creativity, critical thinking, and project management
• Entrepreneurial, pro-active self-starter with maturity and emotional intelligence
• Ability to problem-solve, work independently and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment with numerous and competing deadlines
• Ability to handle complex relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders in a professional manner
• Excellent writing, speaking and other communications skills, with thoroughness and attention to detail
• Ability to provide stable, consistent, reliable and courteous communication when dealing with external organisations, senior colleagues and community members
• Strong financial literacy, including the ability to read and produce detailed budgets and business plans
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office 365 and Salesforce
• French language skills desirable, but not essential
• Proficiency in French language desirable

Knowledge

• Understanding and knowledge of the UK/European and Asian donor landscape preferred
• Knowledge of and commitment to international development

Experience

• A minimum of 3 years of professional experience
• Experience in developing and writing proposals, developing budgets, business plans/cases, concept papers, briefs, executive summaries, as well as coordinating multiple inputs from a variety of sources
• Experience of managing relationships in complex organisations with numerous stakeholders
• Experience managing grants in complex organisations desirable

Attributes

• Committed to international development, improving the quality of life, and promoting pluralism through civil society.
• Demonstrates equity, transparency, and integrity with high personal and organisational ethical standards; is fair, honest, and trustworthy with respect for confidentiality; inspires and builds trust and respect from others; promotes credibility and professional reputation.

Behaviours

• Communicates clearly and concisely with a broad range of audiences at different levels; ability to expresses complex ideas and concepts in simple terms; listens to the views of others; changes communication styles to meet individual and audience needs; encourages dialogue and effective communication by others.
• Builds, maintains, and deepens constructive and effective relationships with stakeholders with a specific focus on AKF’s mission; balances business situations and the art of dealing with people and communities; changes approach to achieve desired results if required.
• Has a customer focused orientation to others, is flexible and always puts the good of others at the centre of decision making; optimises respect for others and is dedicated to AKF’s purpose and fulfilling the mission.
• Acknowledges creativity, has the desire to understand and use new innovations (including technology); adapts established methods for new uses; is focused on improving systems and processes; open to change; analyses, synthesises and challenges conventional thinking; supports the development of communities of practice.

FURTHER DETAILS

• The role will involve travel to countries where we operate programmes, and where the candidate is supporting grants management.
• As well as a rewarding role with a global international development organisation, you’ll get access to a wide range of enhanced benefits including but not limited to flexible hybrid working, enhanced leave entitlement and access to several health and wellbeing programmes and benefits.
• Must include CV and a supporting statement that outlines why you want the role, why you want to work for AKF(UK) and how your experiences and skills to date make you the most suitable applicant for the role.

Sector

Social Development

About the Agency

The Aga Khan Foundation is a leading global development organisation working to tackle the root causes of poverty. For more than 50 years, we have helped create strong community institutions that support sustainable, locally driven initiatives to improve the lives of millions of people. By combining local knowledge with global best practices, we strive to bring about transformative and long-lasting improvements to quality of life.

Working alongside the agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network and through partnerships with local communities, civil society and business as well as governments and international aid agencies, we are building a future where we all thrive together.

Job Expires: 25-Mar-2026