Senior executive jobs in Manchester

Are you a highly organised project leader with a track record of developing rigorous and impactful processes? Do you want to lead the delivery of the nationally-recognised accreditation transforming mental health in higher education? This could be the role for you.

We’re looking for a methodical and strategic Programme Manager (Award) to manage the end-to-end delivery of University Mental Health Charter (UMHC) Award and act as key spokesperson for the programme. 

You’ll play a vital role in ensuring that the Award upholds its standards and values, and continues to develop and scale, supporting positive change for staff and students at universities across the UK.

About the role

• Lead the delivery of the nationally-recognised accreditation for mental health in higher education: the University Mental Health Charter Award.
• The UMHC Award recognises universities that promote the mental health and wellbeing of their university communities and supports them to continually improve. 
• You will own the end-to-end management of a complex, high-profile and impactful programme, balancing administrative excellence and strategic development.

Key responsibilities

• Drive the Award lifecycle, from onboarding universities, coordinating our network of assessors and managing the Award panel.
• Scale and continually improve the Award process, ensuring it remains rigorous, impactful and values-led.
• Act as key spokesperson and point of contact for universities and other stakeholders.
• Responsible for budget, risk and line management. 

What we’re looking for

• Proven track record of managing complex projects.
• Experience developing, maintaining and improving robust systems and processes.
• A rigorous approach to accuracy and quality control.
• Comfortable holding difficult conversations with stakeholders at all levels.
• A commitment to co-production, equality, anti-racism and an interest in mental health.

Find out more about the essential criteria for this role by downloading our Recruitment Pack from the documents section.

What you will gain

• The chance to contribute to a high-impact national programme supporting better mental health for university communities across the UK.
• Experience in a varied role with opportunities to learn and develop.
• A supportive and collaborative workplace culture that values wellbeing.
• Flexibility in how and where you work. 

How to apply
If this sounds like a good fit, we’d love to hear from you!

1. Click “Redirect to recruiter”, then scroll to the 'Vacancies and volunteering' section of our 'Join our team' page to access the job listing.
2. Download the recruitment pack in the document section at the bottom of this page, where you’ll find more information about the role including responsibilities and person specifications. 
3. Download and complete our application form - instead of collecting CVs, we use an application form to ensure fairness and equal opportunity for all. 
   1. Please refrain from including any identifying details in your application answers.
4. Upload your completed application form as a word document. 
   1. Please note that once you start your application on our portal, you will have 24 hours to upload your completed form. Before clicking 'Apply' and beginning the application process, make sure your form is fully completed and ready to upload.
5. Complete the Equality Monitoring Form.

Student Minds is committed to building an inclusive team and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds and walks of life.

About the role

Research has shown that there is significant potential for new and existing wealth holders to use their resources to fund climate action, and demand for trusted advisors to accelerate both the pace and efficacy of philanthropy. The Impatience Earth team has a track record of delivering quality philanthropy advisory for climate action, and with a growing team we have the capacity to take on new clients.

As the Philanthropy Catalyst Lead, you will be instrumental in building a strong pipeline of clients who would benefit from our climate advisory services. You are someone who is comfortable connecting with and engaging wealth holders, such as high-net worth individuals, family foundations and corporate foundations that have the potential to commit substantial resources (£200k+ year) to climate action. 

These clients may be based in the UK or Europe (as reflects the majority of our client base so far) although you will also work with colleagues engaged in catalysing philanthropy in other regions of the world. 

You will report directly to the Co-CEO, but also work closely with other members of the team and partners such as the Environmental Funders Network (EFN) to grow climate philanthropy. This is not a fundraising role for Impatience Earth: the primary focus will be to further develop and hone our business development strategy; to find, qualify and cultivate prospects; and to support the delivery of advisory services as needed once prospects are converted into clients. 

About Impatience Earth

Impatience Earth is a non-profit climate philanthropy consultancy founded in 2020 with a mission to educate, challenge and inspire wealth holders to take bolder funding decisions to address the climate emergency. 

Since 2020, our engagement with over 40 philanthropic foundations and businesses has supported them to make over £250m of new funding available for climate action, and we have already helped them make grants to over 200 different organisations. A great deal of these clients have come from word of mouth and from within our team’s existing connections, and we are now looking to expand our reach beyond our own network. 

We have ambitious plans to unlock greater funding for intersectional climate justice work, with bespoke advisory for new climate funders continuing to be a core pillar of our 2026-2030 strategic plan. 

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to the following: 

• Further developing our business development strategy. This would include:

  • Reviewing and assessing previous and existing business development activities, and prioritising actions 

  • Identifying key target audiences and referral partners

  • Proposing realistic and stretch targets for our business development activities

  • Developing concise and effective communications for our target audience, for example, by crafting compelling outreach emails

• Researching, qualifying and engaging with prospective clients. This would include: 

  • Using your past experience of engaging wealth holders to suggest new business development or prospect research ideas

  • Reviewing funder databases for leads and relevant information 

  • Initiating a new (simple!) system of tracking client leads from identification to conversion

  • Arranging and joining scoping conversations with potential clients 

  • Identifying events and spaces to engage with prospective clients

• Initiating and managing key relationships. This would include:

  • Stewarding prospective clients who are not yet ready to engage with our services 

  • Re-engaging and managing strong relationships with key referral partners and intermediaries, such as EFN, private banks, wealth advisors, family offices and other philanthropy advisors

  • Representing Impatience Earth externally at meetings and events to meet our business development objectives 

• Working closely with colleagues to integrate business development across programmes. This would include:

  • Working with Impatience Earth colleagues who lead our Strategic Communications, Global South and International Partnerships work to guide and support their activities around business development 

  • General support and advice to strengthen all staff members’ business development knowledge and skills 

• Support client delivery. As and when you convert prospects into clients, we may need you to support client leads with delivery. This might include arranging and facilitating expert meetings and strategy sessions.

What we’re looking for

• At least 3 years previous experience of working in major gift fundraising, trust and foundation fundraising, private wealth advisory, or similar that gives you insight and knowledge into the philanthropic landscape, HNWIs, and the networks and ecosystem in which they operate

• Someone who enjoys engaging with philanthropists in-person and at events, and comfortable having interesting but sometimes challenging conversations 

• A proven track record of converting leads into confirmed high value clients (or funders) at the 6- or 7-figure level and managing successful relationships with them

• Strong research skills, including ability to use datasets and access information to find and qualify prospects

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• A self starter who is able to think both creatively and strategically about business development; able to work independently but also as part of a dynamic and highly collaborative team

• Confidence engaging with different types of stakeholders, especially high net worth individuals, and the emotional intelligence and social skills to build genuine, trusted relationships

• A good understanding of the role of philanthropy in the context of social, economic and climate injustices 

• Committed to tackling the climate crisis with a good grasp of its causes and solutions - though our team will provide training if you have not worked in a climate-focused role before

• Commitment to anti-oppression and social justice

You’ll have an advantage if you: 

• Have developed or contributed to the development of a successful fundraising or business development strategy 

• Have previously advised philanthropists, family offices, or foundations 

How you’ll know you’re doing a good job

• Impatience Earth is advising new clients that we had not previously engaged with

• You have converted prospects into clients that will contribute to our headline KPIs around funding catalysed and disbursed for impactful climate solutions

• You build and manage a high-quality pipeline of prospects

• You have stewarded trusted relationships with key partners turning them into a source of referrals and leads

• You have collaborated with the client delivery team to ensure a smooth handover from agreeing the terms of the client project to starting the engagement

• You contribute to increasing the team’s knowledge around business development, and understanding our Unique Selling Point 

How To Apply:

Unfortunately, we are not able to sponsor visas, nor are we able to have calls with candidates in advance of application. We are using CharityJob to accept applications, so please apply through the CharityJob portal. The only exception to this is if you would like to submit a video cover letter, in which case please email your full application to yelena @ impatience.earth

We are committed to inclusive recruitment. If you have any access requirements or need reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know so we can discuss how to support you. This might include extended time on the assignment or alternative formats for the interview. 

We recommend that you do not use AI for the content of your CV or cover letter. This is based on past recruitment rounds where applications that were written without the use of AI were more likely to go through to the next stage e.g. they were personalised with specific and relevant examples. 

Stage 1: Using CharityJob, please submit your CV and your short answers to the following two questions (no more than 1.5 pages): 

1. What experience do you have working with high-net worth individuals and are there any success stories you’d like to share as a result of their work with them?

2. What perspectives and skills make you a stand out candidate for this specific  role?

Stage 2: Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a short initial video call carried out on Zoom to discuss your experience and what excites you about the role. We will send all candidates the interview questions in advance. 

Stage 3: You will be asked to complete a short assignment at a time that suits you. At this stage in the process, we will offer candidates a £50 stipend to cover the time invested in this exercise.

Stage 4: As part of the final interview stage, you’ll be invited to a full interview, and we will be sending all candidates the interview questions in advance. At this stage in the process, we will offer candidates an additional £50 stipend to cover the time invested in preparing for the interview.

As part of the interview process, you will meet our Co-CEO Yasmin Ahammad, Senior Manager Raysa Franca and People and Wellbeing Director, Heather Salmon. For more information, see our website impatience.earth.

Screening questions: 

Do you have the right to work in the UK or the EFTA/EU?

Have you worked with High-Net Worth Individuals before?

Have you contributed to a growing pipeline of clients or funders in your past work?

Key information 

Salary: £50,000 – £55,000 depending on experience (plus benefits) 

Contract: Full time, 12-month fixed term contract, with potential for extension (part-time considered for the right candidate). 

Location: UK based (remote); occasional UK travel for team meetings and events 

Reports to: CEO

Closing date: Friday 10 April, 5pm 

Right to work in the UK required 

About FutureDotNow 

FutureDotNow is a charity uniting business to close the UK workforce’s essential digital skills gap. We are the leading authority on workforce essential digital skills, with hundreds of organisations signed up to the Workforce Digital Skills Charter and direct reach to more than 2 million people. Yet over 22 million working-age adults still lack at least some digital basics. Closing that gap requires coordinated, high-quality delivery at scale. 

FutureDotNow is bringing focus to the digital upskilling needs of working age adults, raising awareness and bringing specificity to the action required whatever sector or role people might work in. We work with business and government to surface and solve systemic issues and provide scalable solutions every organisation can use. 

This new senior role sits at the intersection of marketing, communications and commercial development, owning the propositions, pipelines and channels through which we engage and support businesses. You’ll work closely with our CEO and COO and play a significant role shaping and delivering the organisation’s business model and financial sustainability.

Why this role matters 

This is an exciting time for FutureDotNow as we enter a new phase of growth and delivery. We’re a small but mighty organisation with a reputation for making a difference. Our 5-year strategy is called Routes to 20 million for good reason. That’s the number of people of working age in the UK that don’t currently have all the essential digital skills and we are working to reach them at scale through their employers and other routes.

This new role will own and deliver FutureDotNow’s growth programme, increasing membership numbers, expanding Charter signatories and building a stronger, more diverse funding base. Ultimately, it’s all about action designed to increase the number of business helping people build their essential digital skills. 

You’ll design and deliver strategies to raise awareness of what we call ‘the hidden middle’ among businesses and organisations in the UK. You’ll help businesses see the relevance, inspire them to want to help people of working age build the digital essentials, sell the benefits of being part of the FutureDotNow coalition and provide them with solutions that make doing that as easy as possible. 

Key responsibilities 

This role’s primary focus is developing our member value proposition and driving growth in both membership and Workforce Digital Skills Charter signatories.  

• Charter & Membership Growth. You will design and execute strategies to significantly grow the number of companies who are signatories to the Workforce Digital Skills Charter and / or FutureDotNow members, alongside strategies that retain and engage the existing community.

• Membership management. You’ll own and manage the membership pipeline end-to-end, from inbound interest through to conversion, onboarding and retention. You will drive self-service into our processes so it’s easy for organisations to see the value and sign up as members and charter signatories, minimising the need for calls and meetings. For some organisations that extra bit of hand holding to get them over the line will be necessary and, in these circumstances, you’ll act as the front face of FutureDotNow.

• Member Value Proposition. You will shape and refine our value proposition to members, bringing the features and benefits to life in new and compelling ways that talk to the needs of business in their language. Effectively, you’ll be responsible for ‘productising’ our bank of reports and other resources into tools and solutions and identifying value that may have been overlooked. As part of this, you’ll maintain and develop the FutureDotNow’s training directory so it’s easy for employers to find high-quality training content that already exists.

• Organisational Maturity Framework Mapping. You’ll lead our work to position the Organisational Maturity Framework as a new way for businesses to understand the journey they may be on and position against peers (ideally creating FOMO along the way). You’ll own the first mapping of existing FutureDotNow tools and solutions to the Organisational Maturity Framework, prioritising quick wins that unlock member action, and developing this into a BAU process.

• Members Area. You will lead the strategy and delivery of our Members’ Area on the FutureDotNow website, defining the information architecture and content governance. You’ll use WordPress to add new content and keep existing content up-to-date and relevant. You’ll work closely with our Communications and Campaigns Manager to improve both the UX and value offer of the Member’s Area on our website, working with a third-party web development agency when required. 

• Digital Strategies & Campaigns. You will be responsible for setting digital strategies to engage existing members and grow the pipeline of new members and Charter signatories. You’ll create and deliver digital content and campaigns (website, social, email etc.) that drive membership engagement and growth, working with our Communications and Campaigns Manager. 

• Partner Engagement & Storytelling. You will establish efficient ways to engage with partner businesses and key stakeholders. You will work closely with our Communications and Campaigns Manager to create and deliver content that showcases what works and raises the profile of members, including case studies and other compelling content. 

• Data, Insight & CRM. You’ll own our CRM (HubSpot). You’ll use our CRM data, website analytics and member feedback to manage and enhance our value proposition, track engagement, segment the audience, and drive continuous improvement. This will include setting KPIs and monitoring campaign performance and reporting. 

• Empowering others. We have a significant community of influential organisations and individuals, and you’ll be responsible for developing and delivering content that enables us to work through them, making it easy for them to be advocates and encourage their peers to be part of the FutureDotNow coalition.

Skills, experience & attributes 

We don’t have big budgets to play with, but we do have creative licence, huge energy for our mission and a powerful community of leading businesses on which to draw. So, we’re looking for an experienced growth-minded marketer, a self-starter with bundles of energy, who thinks strategically and can make things happen.

In return, we’ll offer you a brilliant platform to make a huge impact on a mission of national importance, with your work directly shaping national progress on digital skills.

Essential 

• Strong marketing and sales skills, gained in an environment where success was measured by growth, uptake or revenue, not just outputs, (ideally in a coalition, charity, or industry body). 

• Proven ability building acquisition and retention programmes. You’ll love getting to grips with all the content we have available, translating it into user journeys for our members, slicing and dicing it in new ways that speak to business challenges, and using it to create compelling messaging and campaigns. 

• Strong stakeholder management skills including experience owning commercial conversations, influencing decisionmakers and converting interest into commitment. 

• Strong CRM skills - ideally Hubspot as that’s the platform we use - and you’ll be comfortable using web and other analytics to drive improvement. 

• Confident using a content management system (CMS), ideally WordPress to add and maintain website content. 

• Strong end-to-end project delivery skills, including planning and reporting. You’ll be very organised and methodical, able to balance competing priorities and multiple streams of activity.

• You’ll be a clear communicator, adept at turning complex ideas into clear, motivating messages in line with brand voice.

• Experience working with senior leaders from a variety of industries and sectors. 

• And of course you’ll have strong digital capabilities! 

Desirable 

• Experience of HubSpot and WordPress. 

• Experience curating or product managing a content directory or learning catalogue.

• Knowledge of UK digital skills policy and employer led upskilling. 

Mindset & values 

• A self-starter; someone that drives for impact and results at pace. 

• Enjoy working in a small, fast-paced organisation, with evolving priorities. Ambiguity won’t phase you. And because we don’t have big budgets (unless you really knock it out of the park and grow our member numbers even faster than we hope!) you’ll like getting stuck in and making a little go a very long way. 

• Collaborative and purpose driven, relentlessly focused on practical action that drives FutureDotNow’s mission forward and helps employers make progress now.

Equality, diversity & inclusion 

We’re committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the UK workforce and to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive. If you’re excited by this role but don’t meet 100% of the criteria, we’d still love to hear from you. 

Application Process 

Our application process is designed to be straightforward and proportionate, while giving candidates a clear opportunity to demonstrate their skills. 

• Stage 1: Submit a CV and short cover note outlining your interest in the role and relevant experience. 

• Stage 2: Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a short initial interview. 

• Stage 3: Candidates progressing from the first interview will be asked to complete a short practical task, reflecting the type of work involved in the role. 

• Stage 4: A final shortlist will be invited to a final interview. 

We aim to keep the process clear, fair and respectful of candidates’ time. 

About Play for Progress 

Play for Progress is a small but mighty London-based charity dedicated to improving the lives of young unaccompanied refugees and asylum seekers. We provide a safe, welcoming environment where young people aged 14-25 can access practical support, education, wellbeing programmes, and a genuine sense of community. Our work is driven by a deep belief that every young person — regardless of where they come from — deserves the chance to thrive. 

We are a close-knit team with a flat structure, a strong values-led culture, and a real commitment to involving the young people we serve in everything we do. 

The Role 

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced finance professional to play a central role in the sustainable growth of our charity. As Finance Manager, you will be the financial heartbeat of the organisation — ensuring robust financial management, supporting our fundraising and grant compliance, and providing the Executive Director and Board with the financial insight they need to make good decisions. 

This is a hands-on role suited to someone who is comfortable working across all aspects of charity finance in a small team, and who brings both technical skill and a genuine commitment to our mission. 

Key Responsibilities

Financial Management & Reporting 

• Maintain accurate, up-to-date financial records using accounting software (currently Xero ) 

• Prepare clear and insightful monthly management accounts for the ED and Board of Trustees 

• Monitor cash flow, manage banking, and provide regular financial forecasts 

• Lead the annual budgeting process in collaboration with the ED and programme leads 

• Help Budget leads to manage devolved targets through reports and Quarterly Review 

• Prepare year-end statutory accounts and liaise with the external independent examiners or auditors 

• Ensure financial systems, processes and controls are fit for purpose and continuously improved 

Grant & Fund Management 

• Maintain accurate tracking of all restricted and unrestricted funds, ensuring full compliance with funder terms and conditions 

• Prepare timely and accurate financial reports for statutory, trust and individual funders 

• Support the ED and fundraiser with budget development for grant applications 

• Monitor programme spend against budgets and proactively flag underspends, overspends or risks 

• Support due diligence processes for new funders and partnerships 

Payroll & HR Finance 

• Manage monthly payroll for employees, including PAYE, National Insurance and auto-enrolment pension 

• Process staff expense claims and ensure adherence to the expenses policy 

• Maintain accurate staff financial records and support HR administration as needed

Governance & Compliance 

• Ensure the charity operates in compliance with Charity Commission regulations, SORP and relevant financial legislation 

• Prepare and submit annual returns to the Charity Commission and Companies House.

• Complete all required Company secretarial duties

• Review, maintain and implement financial policies and procedures

• Support the Board meetings, including preparing papers, attending meetings and responding to trustee queries 

General & Organisational 

• Process purchase invoices, supplier payments and income receipts in a timely manner 

• Support the wider team with financial queries, guidance and informal training

• Contribute to organisational planning, risk management and strategy as part of the senior team 

• Carry out any other duties reasonably requested by the ED 

Person Specification 

Essential 

• Part-qualified or fully qualified accountant (AAT, ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent), or qualified by significant relevant experience 

• Demonstrable experience in a finance management role, ideally within the charity or not-for-profit sector 

• Strong working knowledge of charity accounting, fund accounting and the Charities SORP 

• Proven experience managing restricted and unrestricted grant funds 

• Proficiency with accounting software (e.g. Xero, QuickBooks or Sage) and Microsoft Excel 

• Experience preparing management accounts, year-end accounts and budgets 

• Experience managing payroll (in-house or via an external provider) 

• Excellent attention to detail and high degree of accuracy 

• Ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues and trustees 

• Self-motivated and able to work independently and prioritise effectively in a small team 

• A genuine commitment to the rights, dignity and potential of young refugees and asylum seekers 

Desirable 

• Experience working in a refugee, asylum, migration or broader human rights context 

• Familiarity with funding from Trusts and Foundations and complex funder reporting requirements 

• Experience supporting Board-level governance, including Finance Sub-Committees 

• Experience of working in an organisation going through a period of growth or change 

What We Offer 

• A flexible, supportive and genuinely values-led working environment 

• The opportunity to make a tangible difference to the lives of young people who have overcome extraordinary challenges 

• 20 days annual leave pro rata, plus bank holidays 

• Employer pension contribution of 3% 

• Remote and flexible working arrangements 

• Regular supervision, an open-door culture, and access to professional development 

• A diverse and inclusive team that reflects the communities we serve 

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion 

Play for Progress is an equal opportunities employer. We actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic communities, and those with lived experience of the refugee or asylum journey. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and heard. 

If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to contact us.