10 Quality assurance officer volunteer jobs in Bristol

We are seeking a talented Director of Programme Delivery and Operations (maternity cover), fully committed to our widening participation cause, to join the Senior Leadership Team in a pivotal role for a growing and ambitious charity. 

You will have responsibility for ensuring we are providing high quality programme delivery to young people across our centre network, that are centres are functioning effectively, and that targets are monitored and met. And of course, you will need to have a genuine passion and enthusiasm for working with young people and helping them achieve their ambitions.

The Director of Programme Delivery and Operations is a Senior Leadership Team position within the charity and reports into the Chief Operating Officer. The role is responsible for oversight of all centre programme delivery and performance across our network of 44 local learning centres (and growing).

Contract

This is a fixed-term, maternity cover role until at least end of November 2027. This role can be either full-time or part-time (0.8 FTE) - responsibilities will be adjusted proportionally for part-time candidates.

Start date
January 2027 (or as otherwise agreed)

Working hours
Mon and Thurs: 09:30-18:00
Tues, Weds, Fri: 09:00-17:30
We are a delivery organisation providing frontline educational services for young people. We are an organisation with team members at different stages of their career, including many in their first roles: We are committed to nurturing talent and providing a developmental culture for all. Our team works in-person 4 days per week (or 3 days for a 0.8 FTE staff member)
with 1 day working from home. 

Location

The role would be based at one of our IntoUniversity centres in Birmingham, Bristol, Coventry, Leeds, London, Manchester or Nottingham, with regular travel across the network and to our Head Office in London. 

Salary

£62,500 (Plus additional London contribution of £2,800 for London-based candidates). Pro rata for part-time candidate.

Annual leave

This is the full-time staff entitlement and will be pro-rated for part-time staff.

33 days (inc bank & public holidays)
+ 3 closure days (two in December and one in July)
+ additional length of service entitlement
(one day per year of service, up to 5 days)
 

Staff benefits

• Employer pension contributions of 6% (and up to 8% after two years)
• Year round ‘early finish’ Fridays at 4.30pm 
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to medical and legal support 
• Life Assurance scheme with AIG including SmartHealth service with access to 24/7 online GP appointments
• Interest-free new starter loans of up to £1,000 
• Cycle to Work Scheme and Travelcard Loan Scheme
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption pay and sick pay allowances
• Staff in FOCUS – rewards, competitions and prizes across the year

Application deadline - 9am Monday 28th September 2026.

Interview Day (in-person at our Head Office in London) - Wednesday 7th October. Please ensure that you are available on this date.

12-month fixed-term contract | Full-time 

Salary: £58,560 – £71,480 per annum

Hours: 35 per week

Location: Home-based with regular national travel 

Job reference number: 1766

Help shape the future of Cranstoun’s services 

Cranstoun is a social justice and harm reduction charity supporting and empowering people to live healthier and safer lives. Each year, we support more than 45,000 people through services including substance use, criminal justice, domestic abuse, housing and services for children and young people. 

Following a successful five-year strategy and significant growth, we remain ambitious about the difference we can make. As we enter our next phase, we are investing in the leadership and operational capability needed to support our continued development. We are now recruiting an Assistant Directors of Services to join our senior management team. 

This is a significant senior leadership role offering the opportunity to lead substantial service portfolios while helping shape how Cranstoun’s services are led and delivered across the organisation. 

The role 

Reporting to the Director of Operations, you will lead a substantial portfolio of complex commissioned services and senior operational managers. 

You will lead nine services with nine direct reports, spanning criminal justice and housing/homelessness provision. You will have clear accountability for ensuring services are safe, effective and well-led, with strong contractual performance, financial sustainability and positive outcomes for the people and communities we support. 

You will provide operational grip and evidence-based assurance, strengthen safeguarding and management accountability, build effective relationships with commissioners and partners, and ensure risks and underperformance are identified, escalated and addressed early. 

You will also work collectively with fellow senior operational leaders to embed a One Cranstoun approach, strengthening common standards, sharing learning, developing leadership capability and improving quality and resilience across our services. 

What you will be accountable for 

As an Assistant Director, you will take senior operational accountability for: 

• Safe, effective and well-led services – ensuring strong safeguarding, quality, operational risk management and service user outcomes.  
• Contractual performance – ensuring services deliver against contractual requirements and KPIs, with strong commissioner relationships and timely action to address underperformance.  
• Financial sustainability – maintaining strong financial oversight, effective workforce management and oversight of the sustainability of individual contracts.  
• Evidence-based assurance – using reliable performance, quality, workforce and financial information to identify risks and drive improvement.  
• Collective organisational leadership – working beyond individual portfolio boundaries to build consistent standards, stronger leadership and shared ways of working across Cranstoun.  

You will lead and develop senior operational managers, set clear expectations and create a culture in which support and accountability operate together. 

You will also lead and contribute to service mobilisation, transformation, workforce planning and continuous improvement. 

Who we are looking for 

We are looking for established senior operational leaders with substantial experience leading complex commissioned services and geographically dispersed teams. 

You will bring a strong track record of: 

• leading safe, high-quality services for people with complex needs;  
• safeguarding, quality and operational risk management;  
• contract and performance management;  
• managing significant service budgets and improving financial performance;  
• building effective relationships with commissioners, regulators and strategic partners;  
• leading service improvement, mobilisation and organisational change;  
• developing senior operational managers and addressing underperformance; and  
• using performance, quality, workforce and financial information to provide assurance and drive improvement.  

You will need to combine strategic leadership with operational pragmatism, understanding the detail when necessary while maintaining oversight of performance, risk, quality and sustainability across a complex portfolio. 

Above all, we are looking for collaborative, credible and values-led leaders who can support and challenge in equal measure, build leadership capability and bring people together around common standards and organisational priorities. 

Specialist experience 

For this role, you will need significant leadership experience across both Criminal Justice and Housing/Homelessness services, including housing or accommodation-based provision. 

You will understand the complexity of working across criminal justice, housing, local government and other statutory systems and be experienced in building effective relationships with commissioners and partners while maintaining strong operational and contractual oversight. 

This is a 12-month fixed-term appointment at an important stage in Cranstoun’s transformation, offering the opportunity to lead a significant portfolio, strengthen operational performance and help shape the future development of our operating model. 

Be part of Cranstoun’s next chapter 

Our successful five-year strategy has seen Cranstoun grow considerably, extending our reach and the range of services we provide. We remain ambitious and innovative, committed to developing services that respond to the changing needs of people and communities. 

As we look to the future, we are investing in the leadership, operational capability and organisational infrastructure needed to support our continued development, strengthening operational governance, consistency and assurance across our services. 

This role offers the opportunity to do more than manage established portfolios. You will help shape the future of our services and build an Operations Directorate characterised by high standards, clear accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement. 

Find out more 

Please refer to the accompanying recruitment pack for the full Job Description, Person Specification and details of the application process.

Please note: All posts are subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

How to Apply:

For more details and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button. Please quote the appropriate Job Ref in all correspondence.

Applicants must be able to provide satisfactory evidence of their right to work in the UK at the application stage.

Sponsorship is not available for this post. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK that does not require employer sponsorship for the duration of the appointment.

Closing date: Sunday 20 September 2026.

We are an inclusive employer, committed to promoting equality and diversity in all areas of our work. 

Registered Charity No: 1061582

Permanent | Full-time 

Salary: £58,560 – £71,480 per annum

Hours: 35 per week

Location: Home-based with regular national travel 

Job reference number: 1766

Help shape the future of Cranstoun’s services 

Cranstoun is a social justice and harm reduction charity supporting and empowering people to live healthier and safer lives. Each year, we support more than 45,000 people through services including substance use, criminal justice, domestic abuse, housing and services for children and young people. 

Following a successful five-year strategy and significant growth, we remain ambitious about the difference we can make. As we enter our next phase, we are investing in the leadership and operational capability needed to support our continued development. We are now recruiting an Assistant Directors of Service to join our senior management team.

This is a significant senior leadership role offering the opportunity to lead substantial service portfolios while helping shape how Cranstoun’s services are led and delivered across the organisation. 

The role

Reporting to the Director of Operations, you will lead a substantial portfolio of complex commissioned services and senior operational managers. 

You will lead eight services with nine direct reports, spanning substance use and services for children and young people. You will have clear accountability for ensuring services are safe, effective and well-led, with strong contractual performance, financial sustainability and positive outcomes for the people and communities we support. 

You will provide operational grip and evidence-based assurance, strengthen safeguarding and management accountability, build effective relationships with commissioners and partners, and ensure risks and underperformance are identified, escalated and addressed early. 

You will also work collectively with fellow senior operational leaders to embed a One Cranstoun approach, strengthening common standards, sharing learning, developing leadership capability and improving quality and resilience across our services. 

What you will be accountable for 

As an Assistant Director, you will take senior operational accountability for: 

• Safe, effective and well-led services – ensuring strong safeguarding, quality, operational risk management and service user outcomes.  
• Contractual performance – ensuring services deliver against contractual requirements and KPIs, with strong commissioner relationships and timely action to address underperformance.  
• Financial sustainability – maintaining strong financial oversight, effective workforce management and oversight of the sustainability of individual contracts.  
• Evidence-based assurance – using reliable performance, quality, workforce and financial information to identify risks and drive improvement.  
• Collective organisational leadership – working beyond individual portfolio boundaries to build consistent standards, stronger leadership and shared ways of working across Cranstoun.  

You will lead and develop senior operational managers, set clear expectations and create a culture in which support and accountability operate together. 

You will also lead and contribute to service mobilisation, transformation, workforce planning and continuous improvement. 

Who we are looking for 

We are looking for established senior operational leaders with substantial experience leading complex commissioned services and geographically dispersed teams. 

You will bring a strong track record of: 

• leading safe, high-quality services for people with complex needs;  
• safeguarding, quality and operational risk management;  
• contract and performance management;  
• managing significant service budgets and improving financial performance;  
• building effective relationships with commissioners, regulators and strategic partners;  
• leading service improvement, mobilisation and organisational change;  
• developing senior operational managers and addressing underperformance; and  
• using performance, quality, workforce and financial information to provide assurance and drive improvement.  

You will need to combine strategic leadership with operational pragmatism, understanding the detail when necessary while maintaining oversight of performance, risk, quality and sustainability across a complex portfolio. 

Above all, we are looking for collaborative, credible and values-led leaders who can support and challenge in equal measure, build leadership capability and bring people together around common standards and organisational priorities. 

Specialist experience 

For this role, significant senior leadership experience within substance use services is essential, including experience of leading CQC-regulated provision and maintaining high standards of quality, safety and regulatory compliance. 

You will also need a strong understanding of safeguarding and the governance required to deliver safe and effective services for children and young people. Direct operational experience of Children & Young People services would be valuable, but we are equally interested in candidates who can demonstrate strong safeguarding and CYP governance experience alongside substantial substance use leadership. 

This permanent appointment offers the opportunity to provide long-term leadership to a significant portfolio and help shape the future development of Cranstoun’s services. 

Be part of Cranstoun’s next chapter 

Our successful five-year strategy has seen Cranstoun grow considerably, extending our reach and the range of services we provide. We remain ambitious and innovative, committed to developing services that respond to the changing needs of people and communities. 

As we look to the future, we are investing in the leadership, operational capability and organisational infrastructure needed to support our continued development, strengthening operational governance, consistency and assurance across our services. 

This role offers the opportunity to do more than manage established portfolios. You will help shape the future of our services and build an Operations Directorate characterised by high standards, clear accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement. 

Find out more 

Please refer to the accompanying recruitment pack for the full Job Description, Person Specification and details of the application process.

Please note: All posts are subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

How to Apply:

For more details and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button. Please quote the appropriate Job Ref in all correspondence.

Applicants must be able to provide satisfactory evidence of their right to work in the UK at the application stage.

Sponsorship is not available for this post. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK that does not require employer sponsorship for the duration of the appointment.

Closing date: Sunday 20 September 2026.

We are an inclusive employer, committed to promoting equality and diversity in all areas of our work. 

Registered Charity No: 1061582

We are looking for an experienced and organised Finance Officer to join our team and take responsibility for the day-to-day financial management of our charity.

This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys working with numbers but also understands that good charity finance is about much more than processing transactions. You will help us understand our financial position, make informed decisions about our resources and ensure that our funding is managed responsibly.

You will be responsible for the day-to-day running of our finances, including bookkeeping, payments and receipts, reconciliations, payroll liaison, budgeting, grant monitoring and producing regular management information. You will also support the preparation of year-end information and work with our external auditor as required.

We are a placed based health and wellbeing charity working to improve the lives of people in our communities. We are committed to making a meaningful difference and ensuring that our resources are used effectively and responsibly.

This is an opportunity to join an organisation where your work will have a direct impact. Good financial management enables us to deliver our work, meet our commitments to funders and make sustainable decisions about our future.

If you are looking for a role where you can use your financial skills in a supportive, purposeful organisation — and where your contribution will genuinely matter — we would love to hear from you.

Accreditation Manager        

Salary: £58,000p.a.

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week 

Location: Wigan or Home Based with extensive travel throughout the UK and occasional international travel.

Keep Britain Tidy is one of the UK’s leading environmental charities. At a time when we are living in a world that is facing its greatest environmental challenges, the work we do has never been more important or more urgent.

About the role

This is a leadership role for someone who can combine strategic thinking, strong project management, commercial awareness and excellent stakeholder engagement. You will ensure our accreditation programmes continue to inspire participation, generate income and deliver measurable impact for people, places and the environment.

As Accreditation Manager, you will lead the strategy, growth and delivery of our accreditation programmes, ensuring they support accessible, high-quality places, promote wellbeing and sustainability, generate income and demonstrate measurable impact. You will oversee budgets, partnerships, quality assurance, impact reporting and programme teams, while acting as a senior contact for government, sector bodies, partners, customers and stakeholders in the UK and internationally.

We are looking for someone with strong leadership, project management and relationship-building skills, together with the confidence to work with senior stakeholders and represent the organisation externally. You will bring experience of managing budgets, developing commercial or partner-funded relationships, solving complex problems and leading teams to deliver high-quality outcomes.

Knowledge of the green spaces sector is essential, while knowledge of the coastal and hospitality sectors would be an advantage.

Benefits

All our roles benefit from generous holiday entitlement and pension contributions, including the opportunity to join the UK’s first net zero carbon pension scheme and to receive extra days leave for using alternatives to flights. You can view our range of benefits on our website.

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to building a diverse workforce and welcome applicants from all backgrounds including those from underrepresented groups.

If you need any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please let us know. 

How to Apply

If this sounds like the perfect role for you and you’d like to help us make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.  Please review a copy of the full job description and ensure you meet the essential criteria before applying. 

After reading the application information, if you would love to work with us please continue to apply.

As part of the application process you will need to answer 3 sift questions relating to your relevant experience and submit your tailored CV which highlights how you meet the essential criteria of the role.  We also ask that you complete equal opportunities monitoring information as we want to try to make sure that our workforce is representative of the population and we are not excluding any community. Please note that this information will be held separately.

Please submit your application before the closing date.

The deadline for applications is 09:00 Monday 28 September 2026. Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy early, so recommend that you submit your application at the earliest opportunity. 

Interviews will be held via MS Teams on 14 or 15 October 2026. 

If you require an in-person interview, please let us know. 

We have signed the pledge to always #ShowTheSalary for the roles that we advertise.

No agencies please.

The role

The People Operations Manager will be responsible for developing and embedding effective people, operational and organisational practices across The Carers’ Centre. The role will combine strong HR practice with a practical understanding of how the organisation operates, ensuring that managers have the tools, processes, guidance and confidence they need to lead effectively.

A key focus of the role will be developing clear and consistent ways of working, including policies, procedures, standard operating procedures and management guidance, and supporting managers to embed these in day-to-day practice.

About you

You are an experienced people and operations professional who enjoys making organisations work better. You have or are working towards completing your CIPD level 5 qualification. You combine strong HR knowledge with practical operational judgement and are confident turning policies, requirements and ideas into clear processes that people can use. You are organised, proactive and confident building positive relationships with managers, staff and external partners.

About us

The Carers’ Centre is a local independent charity with a big vision! We want to live in a community where unpaid carers are fully recognised, valued, and supported. By joining The Carers’ Centre, you are joining a team dedicated to helping families across Bath and North East Somerset when they need us most.

We provide trusted information, advice, and support to unpaid carers, from as young as 5 years old. We enable our community to maintain and improve their health and wellbeing, stay in control of their caring role and connect with others in a similar position. In addition, we work with the wider community to improve recognition and support for unpaid carers.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All applicants are subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check and at least two independent references. We are committed to providing services that embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity.

Why join us?

· We want our employees to have more control over their work/life balance, that’s why we offer flexible start and finish times, as well as the ability to enjoy our beautiful riverside office which come with free parking, and to work from the comfort of your home.

· With work/life balance in mind and the many caring roles we know people can experience, we make sure our policies work for families.

· By joining The Carers’ Centre, you’ll be part of strong and dedicated team, where collaboration and support is at the heart. We’re all in this to make the world a little better.

· As a small but powerful local charity, we rely on digital innovation. You’ll have access to a large suite of digital tools to support you to make the biggest impact in your role.

· As well as all this, you will receive a 5% pension contribution, generous sickness pay and 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and an additional wellbeing day as well as discounts through an employee discount scheme. In addition, you will also get an additional day of annual leave each year, for 5 years.

Key responsibilities

Human Resources

· Work with the Senior Management Team and People Sub Group in the development and implementation of a People Strategy.

· Ensure staff and volunteers receive relevant and timely training in line with organisational plans and commissioned contracts.

· Lead on supporting day-to-day performance management throughout the whole employment lifecycle.

· Be the first point of contact for HR queries from staff and managers.

· Monitor, report and respond to changing wellbeing needs of staff and volunteers.

· Serve as a point of contact between the charity and Stone King (or similar HR legal advice), Occupational Health, Access to Work and SafeHR.

Line Management

· Manages the administration and volunteer officers to help them maximise their potential and effectiveness.

· Provide guidance and clarity around priorities and goals, ensuring work plans are achieved.

Compliance

· Work with the Deputy CEO to ensure the charity is legally compliant in relation to all aspects of employment, equality and health and safety legislation.

· Ensure that policies and procedures are developed, maintained, and applied across the organisation.

· Provide guidance and support to staff to maintain compliance.

· Help the Health and safety lead to ensure risk assessments are up to date and ensure relevant actions are taken to mitigate risks for our premises and services.

· Work with the Data Protection Lead to ensure the charity’s day-to-day compliance with Data Protection policies and procedures.

Operational Practice

· Develop, document and embed effective organisational processes and ways of working, working with managers to ensure they are practical and consistently applied.

· Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), guidance and templates for key organisational processes.

· Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency and quality, making practical recommendations to the Deputy CEO.

· Support the implementation of organisational changes and new ways of working, ensuring that managers and staff understand their responsibilities.

· Build managers’ confidence and capability through practical advice, coaching and training on people management and organisational processes.

· Develop and deliver guidance or training for managers where common issues, new processes or changes in practice are identified.

Administration

· Oversight of the charity admin function.

· Maintain HR records using Safe HR.

· Process DBS checks.

· Provide HR KPI’s to the Deputy CEO on a monthly basis.

· Working with the CEO and Deputy CEO to undertake quality assurance assessments as agreed in the organisational plan.

· Provide admin support to the People Sub-Group.

Finance

· Work within agreed budgets.

· Contribute towards funding applications as appropriate for the role and provide relevant feedback for funders.

General

· Stay informed and regularly raise staff awareness of changes in employment legislation and Health and Safety 

· Adhere to the Carers’ Charter.

· Encourage carers to provide feedback on The Carers’ Centre services and to become actively involved in shaping future delivery.

· Ensure that you adopt good practice within the Carers Trust network.

· Ensure that you work within The Carers’ Centre policy framework.

Donkey Welfare Adviser

We now have an excellent secondment opportunity for a dynamic and resourceful individual with a proven track record of community-based animal welfare work, excellent decision-making and time-management skills and a strong customer service ethic to join the team as Donkey Welfare Adviser for Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire.

Position: Donkey Welfare Adviser

Location: Home based/Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire (it is preferable that candidates live centrally within region to gain easy access to travel and communication networks. However, locations close to the defined area may be considered if operationally viable)

Hours: Part-time, working an average of 32 hours per week on an annualised hours basis.

Salary: £40,389 per annum

Contract: Fixed term maternity cover contract starting on 11 January 2027 until 3 April 2028

Closing Date:Sunday 4 October 2026. Please note this role may close earlier than advertised so apply as soon as possible.

Interview Date:Sidmouth, Wednesday 28 October and Tuesday 27th October 2026.

About the Role

Donkey Welfare Advisers are professionals in the field of donkey and mule welfare. They play a key front-line role in the work of the Sanctuary: responding to donkeys in need, supporting donkeys in the community, growing and managing a high-quality rehoming scheme, and acting as an ambassador for the charity at all times.

Your principal duties and responsibilities will include:

• Promoting good welfare for donkeys and mules by working proactively to support, guide and educate key audiences and by sharing best practice.
• Communicating effectively with groups from all social, racial, and cultural backgrounds, often in highly emotive and sometimes confrontational circumstances.
• Delivering high quality, impactful training to a range of stakeholders in a style suitable to the audience and the resources available.
• Responding to future care enquiries, working creatively to identify suitable alternatives to sanctuary care where appropriate, and gathering and co-ordinating relevant information to inform donkey placement decisions and help owners make informed choices for their donkeys, including end of life decisions.
• Supporting a good quality rehoming scheme by ensuring donkeys are placed in the most suitable environments for their needs.
• Working proactively to prevent/alleviate suffering, referring to and/or collaborating with enforcement agencies when necessary.
• Providing reliable evidence for welfare investigation cases, including witness statements and other relevant evidence in court compliant formats, and attending court to give evidence as required.

About You

You will be a positive influencer able to promote and model our values in all areas of your work, with a high level of equine knowledge with significant experience of working with equines.

You will also have:

• A working knowledge of legal practicalities and experience of the application of relevant animal welfare legislation.
• An understanding of equine behaviour and demonstrable practical experience in the field.
• Able to influence change and respond appropriately in emotional challenging or confrontational situations.
• Excellent communicator able to deliver advice and training to stakeholder groups with varying experience.
• Strong interpersonal skills, comfortable with making new contacts and able to develop and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Before applying, please ensure that if successful in being called to interview, you would be able to attend in person on the specified date, as we cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate requests for alternative arrangements.

Benefits include:

• Competitive pension.
• Life assurance – 2 x annual salary
• 31 days holiday (including Bank holidays), rising to 34 will each full year of service pro rata
• Wellbeing team.
• Recorded Pilates and Yoga classes.
• Long service awards.
• Healthshield plan
• Free parking.
• Life assurance.
• Subsidised restaurant and shop.

About the Organisation

Join one of the UK’s largest international animal welfare charities, currently supporting projects in over 35 countries worldwide, working for a world where donkeys and mules live free from suffering and their contribution to humanity is fully valued.

The Charity is a Disability Confident Employer, committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable people (children and adults) and expects all staff and volunteers to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to safer recruitment processes, including an application for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check where required for the post.

You may also have experience in areas such as Welfare, Animal Welfare, Equine, Donkey, Animal Welfare Advisor, Donkey Welfare Advisor, Animal Welfare Officer, Donkey Welfare Officer.

Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client, Not For Profit People. #INDNFP

Donkey Welfare Adviser

We now have an excellent secondment opportunity for a dynamic and resourceful individual with a proven track record of community-based animal welfare work, excellent decision-making and time-management skills and a strong customer service ethic to join the team as Donkey Welfare Adviser for South Wales.

Position: Donkey Welfare Adviser

Location: Home based (it is preferable that candidates live centrally within region to gain easy access to travel and communication networks. However, locations close to the defined area may be considered if operationally viable)

Hours: Full-time, working an average of 37.5 hours per week on an annualised hours basis.

Salary: £40,389 per annum

Contract: Fixed term maternity cover contract starting on 14 December 2026 until 3 March 2028

Closing Date: Sunday 27 September 2026. Please note this role may close earlier than advertised so apply as soon as possible.

Interview Date: Sidmouth, on Tuesday 27th Wednesday 28th October 2026

About the Role

Donkey Welfare Advisers are professionals in the field of donkey and mule welfare. They play a key front-line role in the work of the Sanctuary: responding to donkeys in need, supporting donkeys in the community, growing and managing a high-quality rehoming scheme, and acting as an ambassador for the charity at all times.

Your principal duties and responsibilities will include:

• Promoting good welfare for donkeys and mules by working proactively to support, guide and educate key audiences and by sharing best practice.
• Communicating effectively with groups from all social, racial, and cultural backgrounds, often in highly emotive and sometimes confrontational circumstances.
• Delivering high quality, impactful training to a range of stakeholders in a style suitable to the audience and the resources available.
• Responding to future care enquiries, working creatively to identify suitable alternatives to sanctuary care where appropriate, and gathering and co-ordinating relevant information to inform donkey placement decisions and help owners make informed choices for their donkeys, including end of life decisions.
• Supporting a good quality rehoming scheme by ensuring donkeys are placed in the most suitable environments for their needs.
• Working proactively to prevent/alleviate suffering, referring to and/or collaborating with enforcement agencies when necessary.
• Providing reliable evidence for welfare investigation cases, including witness statements and other relevant evidence in court compliant formats, and attending court to give evidence as required.

About You

You will be a positive influencer able to promote and model our values in all areas of your work, with a high level of equine knowledge with significant experience of working with equines.

You will also have:

• A working knowledge of legal practicalities and experience of the application of relevant animal welfare legislation.
• An understanding of equine behaviour and demonstrable practical experience in the field.
• Able to influence change and respond appropriately in emotional challenging or confrontational situations.
• Excellent communicator able to deliver advice and training to stakeholder groups with varying experience.
• Strong interpersonal skills, comfortable with making new contacts and able to develop and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Before applying, please ensure that if successful in being called to interview, you would be able to attend in person on the specified date, as we cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate requests for alternative arrangements.

Benefits include:

• Competitive pension.
• Life assurance – 2 x annual salary
• 31 days holiday (including Bank holidays), rising to 34 will each full year of service pro rata
• Wellbeing team.
• Recorded Pilates and Yoga classes.
• Long service awards.
• Healthshield plan
• Free parking.
• Life assurance.
• Subsidised restaurant and shop.

About the Organisation

Join one of the UK’s largest international animal welfare charities, currently supporting projects in over 35 countries worldwide, working for a world where donkeys and mules live free from suffering and their contribution to humanity is fully valued.

The Charity is a Disability Confident Employer, committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable people (children and adults) and expects all staff and volunteers to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to safer recruitment processes, including an application for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check where required for the post.

You may also have experience in areas such as Welfare, Animal Welfare, Equine, Donkey, Animal Welfare Advisor, Donkey Welfare Advisor, Animal Welfare Officer, Donkey Welfare Officer.

Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client, Not For Profit People. #INDNFP

This is a unique opportunity to lead fundraising for a charity at the cusp of substantial growth, with an exceptional track record of recent fundraising success, an engaged base of supporters and significant untapped potential across multiple channels.

Overview
As Director of Fundraising and Development for Plum Village UK, you will provide strategic leadership of the charity’s fundraising at this critical juncture. Building on the successful campaigns that brought our new Being Peace Practice Centre into being, you will lead the development of a sustainable, diversified fundraising operation across donor stewardship, trusts and foundations, regular giving, legacies, and partnerships, to deepen relationships of trust and gratitude with our supporters.

This role is ideal for a fundraising leader, whether from a career fundraising background or another field, who brings strategic capability alongside deep alignment with the Plum Village tradition, where fundraising itself becomes a form of engaged practice in service of mindfulness and community transformation.

Fundraising in the Plum Village tradition is fundamentally relational. It is not a matter of extracting income from a base of supporters, but of deepening the relationships of trust, gratitude and shared purpose with those who make our work possible, in ways that embody the values of the tradition. Done well, fundraising is itself a form of engaged practice. The Director will be expected to lead the function in this spirit.

The role comes with a high level of strategic ownership. An initial fundraising strategy has been developed and shared with trustees, providing a framework of priority channels, governance arrangements and resourcing for the next phase. The new Director will inherit this as a starting frame, and will then be empowered and expected to develop, refine and bring forward a fundraising strategy on their own authority, working closely with the Lead Trustee for Fundraising and presenting proposals to the board as appropriate. The role also carries operational ownership of the fundraising mechanics, including the choice and management of supporting systems, databases and tools.
 

Key Responsibilities

Strategic leadership of fundraising

• Lead PVUK's fundraising strategy, developing and refining the strategic direction, and presenting proposals to the Board for approval and resourcing.

• Set, monitor, and report on fundraising targets across all income channels, in agreement with the Lead Trustee for Fundraising and the Board.

• Provide regular substantive updates on fundraising at quarterly board meetings, working with the Lead Trustee on the preparation of board-level reporting.

• Bring forward analysis and proposals to support the Board in setting wider strategic priorities, including realistic income potential by channel and the investment required to secure it.

• Identify and manage risk in the fundraising portfolio, including channel concentration, donor over-reliance, and the sustainability of resourcing.

Donor stewardship and relationship development

• Lead the stewardship of PVUK’s existing donors, lenders, and supporters with the depth of care that this base deserves, recognising it as the most precious resource of the fundraising function.

• Cultivate and deepen relationships with major donors, including through personal contact, site visits, and tailored communication of impact.

• Work with the Chair of Trustees, the Centre Director, and other senior figures on key relationships that require their involvement.

• Steward the friendly lender base throughout the lifetime of their loans, maintaining trust and keeping them informed of the charity’s progress.

• Build and maintain a culture of gratitude and recognition that appropriately honours the contributions of all supporters.

Income channel development

• Lead delivery and growth across PVUK’s priority fundraising channels: donor stewardship, trust and foundation fundraising, regular giving, legacies and Gifts in Wills, and partnerships with values-aligned organisations and networks.

• Develop trust and foundation fundraising as a substantial new income stream, including scoping aligned funders, building peer-to-peer introductions, constructing tailored funding propositions, and overseeing high-quality application writing and reporting.

• Design and grow a regular giving programme that converts members, retreatants and supporters into ongoing monthly donors.

• Develop a structured legacy and Gifts in Wills programme that normalises legacy giving across PVUK’s communications and supports those who wish to leave a Gift in their Will.

• Develop partnerships with values-aligned organisations and networks where these support both income generation and the wider reach of PVUK’s work, in close consultation with monastics and trustees.

Operations, systems and budget ownership

• Own the operational mechanics of fundraising for PVUK, including the choice, configuration and ongoing management of databases, donor management systems, online giving platforms, and integration with communications tools.

• Manage the fundraising budget, including a discretionary supplementary budget for consultancy, training, materials creation, contracted support and light administrative resource, deployed at the Director’s judgement to develop the function effectively.

• Maintain accurate, GDPR-compliant supporter records and ensure sound data practices throughout the fundraising operation.

• Provide accurate financial reporting on fundraising performance, working with PVUK’s finance function and external accountants as required.

• Make the case for additional resourcing where evidence of need supports it, including the possible recruitment of a Fundraising Officer in due course.

Communications and storytelling

• Lead the development of compelling fundraising narratives that authentically convey the work of PVUK and the Being Peace Centre to multiple audiences, including major donors, institutional funders, individual supporters and the wider public.

• Work closely with the PVUK Communications team on the integration of fundraising communications with the wider communications strategy.

• Commission and oversee the production of fundraising materials, including written content, graphic design, video and digital assets, drawing on contracted specialists where appropriate.

• Ensure that all fundraising messaging about the Being Peace Practice Centre is agreed with the Centre Director before publication.

Working partnerships across PVUK

• Work in close partnership with the Centre Director on all matters relating to Being Peace, with agreed ways of working on messaging, external representation, and any programming commitments made to funders.

• Work with the Lead Trustee for Fundraising as primary day-to-day point of contact at board level, supporting the Lead Trustee to hold strategic oversight of fundraising on behalf of the Board.

• Work with colleagues across PVUK’s communications, dharma programming, sangha-building and partnership functions, with these working relationships developing naturally in the first months of the role.

• Draw on external advisors and specialists as needed for support and assurance, both in technical fundraising disciplines and in sector-specific knowledge.

• Engage volunteer capacity from within the community where this can valuably supplement the fundraising operation.