Senior network development manager jobs in Houghton regis, central bedfordshire

Salary: £70,000 - £80,000 pro rata 
Based: Based from home with frequent travel to our network of schools and EdCity (paid for)
Hours: Full time (32.5) 

Lift Schools is one of the largest and most ambitious multi-academy trusts in England. With schools across five regions, our mission is clear: to provide an excellent education for every child, in every classroom, every day. Mathematics sits at the heart of that mission. We believe that strong foundations in mathematics and numeracy unlock opportunity, academic success and lifelong learning. We are now seeking an exceptional leader to join our central curriculum team as National Lead for Secondary Mathematics to cover maternity leave. Lift Schools is growing so there is scope for the successful candidate to migrate into a permanent to add additional capacity to the team.

About the role
As a senior member of our central curriculum and education teams, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and driving our national approach to mathematics across our secondary schools. You will provide strategic leadership for mathematics, working closely with school leaders, teachers and central colleagues to improve curriculum quality, teaching practice and pupil outcomes at scale. This is a highly influential role, combining vision, expertise and collaboration to make a meaningful difference to thousands of children nationwide.

Reporting to the Director of Curriculum, you will work alongside regional education directors, heads of department and school leaders, and lead professional networks that build expertise and capacity across the trust.

About you
You are an experienced and credible secondary leader with a strong track record of improving mathematics outcomes and teaching. You hold significant expertise in effective mathematics education. You are strategic, network-minded and passionate about ensuring excellence at scale.

Who is Lift Schools?
Lift Schools is made up of 58 primary, secondary and special schools, educating more than 33,000 pupils across the country. We believe education can transform lives – and we want every child in our schools to achieve their full potential. Our mission is that we will provide an excellent education to every child, in every classroom, every day. With excellent leadership and teaching in every school, we will help children go on to lead successful and happy lives. We will work with others beyond our network to benefit more children and communities.

Why join Lift Schools?
- A rare opportunity to influence national practice at scale
- Work alongside a highly committed, values-driven central education team
- An opportunity to drive your subject forward at a high leadership and impact level 
- Flexible working with (funded) national travel
- The chance to make a lasting difference to children’s lives 

How we support you
At Lift Schools, we believe talent drives performance. We offer you:
Career development and training: Access a wide range of statutory and developmental training
Generous benefits: From your teacher pension plan to the benefits of annual leave during most teacher holiday periods,  healthcare and financial support, we've got you covered.
Lifestyle perks: Enjoy discounted gym memberships, travel deals, and even electric vehicle incentives.

The role is due to commence September 2026 or earlier if possible. This is a fixed term position to cover maternity leave.  Lift Schools is growing so there is scope for the successful candidate to migrate into a permanent to add additional capacity to the team.

Closing date: 27th April 2026
Interview date: w/c 7th May 2026

All candidates are advised to refer to the job description and person specification before making an application.
Lift Schools is committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair and consistent recruitment process which is in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.

Lift Schools embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.  Job share, part-time and flexible working opportunities will be considered.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and there is a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Clinks 

Clinks supports, promotes and represents the voluntary sector working with people in the criminal justice system and their families. Our vision is of a vibrant, independent and resilient voluntary sector that enables people to transform their lives. 

Job purpose 

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced and organised candidate to join Clinks and play a key role in delivering our annual programme of events and training. 

The Events and Training Officer will lead on the planning, coordination and delivery of Clinks’ busy calendar of member engagement activity, including online and in-person events, training sessions, and our flagship annual conference. 

Events and training at Clinks are delivered collaboratively across teams, and the post-holder will help coordinate this programme while also taking an active role in delivery. They will ensure that Clinks’ events and training offer is high quality, accessible, well-promoted, and responsive to the needs of the voluntary sector working in criminal justice. 

This role requires someone who is confident managing multiple priorities, working collaboratively across the organisation, and building strong relationships with external stakeholders. 

Reports to:  Senior Member and Digital Development Officer

Responsible for: None 
 

1. Duties and key responsibilities 

Events and Training Programme Coordination 

• Coordinate the delivery of Clinks’ annual programme of events and training, working with colleagues across the organisation to ensure a consistent, high-quality offer. 

• Manage the full event lifecycle, including planning, logistics, speaker and facilitator liaison, registration, delivery support and follow-up. 

• Act as the main point of contact for all events and training enquiries, providing excellent support to members, delegates and partners. 

• Ensure events are delivered in the most cost-effective way, to budget, and in line with Clinks’ internal processes. 

• Support staff across Clinks to deliver events and training sessions, including providing guidance, templates, systems support and coordination. 

• Promote all events and training opportunities through appropriate channels, working closely with communications colleagues. 

• Manage relationships with external facilitators and event partners to ensure smooth delivery and strong collaboration. 

• Monitor pricing and access to ensure smaller organisations are supported, while also contributing to Clinks’ income generation targets. 

• Collect, analyse and report on feedback and evaluation data to inform continuous improvement. 

Annual Conference Planning and Delivery 

• Lead on the planning and delivery of Clinks’ annual conference, working closely with colleagues across the organisation. 

• Coordinate venue liaison, suppliers, programme planning, speaker management, delegate communications and event-day delivery. 

• Develop and manage the conference project timeline, ensuring milestones are met and risks are proactively addressed. 

• Support opportunities for sponsorship, partnerships and income generation linked to the conference. 

• Ensure the conference reflects Clinks’ strategic priorities and provides an engaging, inclusive experience for members and stakeholders. 

Membership Engagement Support 

• Support the wider Membership team to ensure events and training align with Clinks’ membership offer and benefits. 

• Encourage member engagement through forums, learning opportunities and networking events. 

• Work with colleagues to identify unmet need across the sector and shape future event and training activity accordingly. 

• Contribute to the development and implementation of Clinks’ membership and engagement strategy, particularly where it connects to events delivery. 

Systems, Administration and Digital Support 

• Oversee event booking and registration systems, ensuring accurate records and smooth user journeys. 

• Maintain and update relevant website content linked to events, training and learning resources. 

• Ensure event data is recorded accurately to support evaluation and reporting. 

• Support ongoing improvements to systems and processes for managing events and training efficiently. 

General responsibilities 

• Represent and be an ambassador for Clinks 

• Work to support the mission, ethos and values of Clinks 

• Be flexible and carry out other associated duties as may arise, develop or be assigned in line with the broad remit of the position 

• Support and promote diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace 

• Work collaboratively with others in all aspects of our work 

Person specification

Experience 

Essential

· Experience of planning, coordinating and delivering events or training activity, both online and in-person.

· Experience of managing event logistics and administration, including booking systems, delegate communications and follow-up.

· Experience of working with a range of stakeholders, such as members, external partners, speakers or facilitators.

· Experience of working collaboratively as part of a team, while also being able to take responsibility for tasks independently.

Desirable

· Experience of coordinating or supporting delivery of a large-scale event such as an annual conference.

· Experience of evaluating events or training activity and using feedback to inform improvements.

· Experience of supporting income generation through events, training or related activity.

Skills and abilities 

Essential

· Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a busy programme environment.

· Excellent attention to detail, including accurate handling of event data, bookings and communications.

· Confidence delivering training sessions or contributing directly to delivery where required.

· Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with colleagues, members and external partners.

· Ability to work proactively, using initiative to solve problems and improve processes.

· Confidence using digital tools and systems, including online event platforms, booking systems and databases/CRMs.

Desirable

· Ability to support the development of new event and training offers in response to member need.

· Experience of supporting marketing or promotional activity for events and training.

· Understanding of accessibility and inclusion in event delivery, ensuring a positive experience for all participants.

Knowledge

Essential

· Understanding of the role of the voluntary and community sector, and the importance of strong networks, learning and collaboration.

· Awareness of the need for events and training to be high quality, accessible and responsive to stakeholder needs.

Desirable

· Knowledge of the criminal justice system and/or organisations working within it.

· Understanding of the challenges faced by smaller VCSE organisations, particularly around access, capacity and resources.

Personal attributes and other requirements

· Able to travel nationally across England and Wales.

· Able to work evenings and weekends and stay away from home overnight where necessary.

· Work well as part of a small team and independently, with a flexible approach to work.

· Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities. An ability to apply awareness of diversity issues to all areas of work.

· Commitment to the values and ethos of supporting people in the criminal justice system.

This job description does not form part of your contract of employment and can be amended from time to time as the needs of the organisation require. 

What if your financial insight and partnership could help one of the UK's largest charities direct its resources where they make the greatest difference for people affected by dementia?

About the opportunity

As a Finance Business Partner, you'll work alongside budget holders across Alzheimer's Society, turning complex financial information into clear insights that support better decision-making. In a role where every pound matters in the fight against dementia, you'll help ensure our resources reach the places they can have the most impact, whether that's funding groundbreaking research, delivering vital support services, or campaigning for systemic change.

You'll build trusted relationships with stakeholders across the organisation, providing the financial analysis, challenge and support they need to navigate complexity with confidence. Through coaching and partnership, you'll help budget holders strengthen their own financial capability, so that sound financial thinking becomes part of how the Society operates, not something that sits only within Finance.

You'll be part of our Finance and Assurance directorate, where our vision is to be the Society's single point of truth. Working within the Financial Partnering, Planning and Analysis function, you'll be the dedicated finance partner for our Income and Engagement directorate, connecting Finance with the teams responsible for growing and protecting the Society's income. You'll translate their plans into sound financial frameworks that enable our mission rather than hold it back.

You'll already have or be open to developing a deep understanding of how fundraised, legacy and restricted income flows through the Society, and you'll use that specialism to add real value to the teams responsible for growing and stewarding our income.

About you

You're a finance professional with proven business partnering experience who understands that effective partnering means combining accurate numbers with clear communication, constructive challenge and a genuine interest in helping others see the bigger picture. You're comfortable working across boundaries, building relationships at all levels, and coaching colleagues to develop their financial confidence.

You'll have:

- A relevant professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent), either fully or part qualified, or qualified by experience.
- Experience supporting business teams with budgeting, forecasting and month-end processes, including ensuring appropriate controls are in place and financial performance is communicated effectively and on time.
- A track record of applying analytical skills to provide financial advice that supports strategic decision-making.
- Experience of identifying and collecting feedback and other data to inform quality improvement and to monitor the performance of processes or tools.
- Good communication skills, with the ability to interpret financial information and present it in a way that tells a clear story.
- The confidence to challenge, negotiate and influence, while taking a balanced view that incorporates different perspectives.
- Experience working with ERP systems. Experience with Unit4 would be particularly valuable, though it is not essential.
- The ability to work independently and manage competing priorities, while knowing when to consult and when to ask for support.

It would be particularly valuable if you also bring:

- Experience partnering with income-generating, fundraising, marketing or engagement functions within a non-profit or charity setting.
- An understanding of restricted fund accounting and the financial management of legacy income.

What you'll focus on

- Partnering with budget holders across your assigned directorate to provide analysis, insight and recommendations that support effective, informed decision-making.
- Preparing financial reports, budgets, forecasts and business plans, and modelling financial data to support operational and strategic priorities.
- Supporting and challenging budget holders to identify risks and opportunities early, escalating appropriately and agreeing remedial action where needed.
- Strengthening financial knowledge and confidence across your stakeholder group through coaching, training and a partnership-based approach.
- Working collaboratively across the Finance team to design intuitive reports and analysis that meet the needs of colleagues across the Society.
- Advocating good accounting principles and helping to educate, inform and develop others within your directorate and the wider Finance team.
- Identifying cost saving or optimisation opportunities, working closely with colleagues in Procurement and Sustainability to realise these.
- Supporting Senior Business Partners in identifying key performance metrics and collecting routine feedback from partners across the Society to drive constant quality improvement.

You may also line manage a Finance Business Partnering Assistant, role-modelling a high challenge, high support culture where accountability, performance and development go hand in hand.

Are you ready to be a trusted financial partner, bringing both challenge and practical solutions to the people working to make life better for everyone affected by dementia?

Important Dates:

- Deadline for applications is Sunday 12th April 2026
- Interview invites issued Friday 17th April 2026
- Interviews taking place across W/C 20th April 2026

About Alzheimer's Society

Dementia is the UK's biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.

At Alzheimer's Society, we're the UK's leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding groundbreaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.

Together with our supporters, we're working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.

Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for.

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society.  

We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society. 

Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people. 

Our hiring process

During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply.  Please also contact Alzheimer's Society Talent Acquisition Team via [email protected] for application support or any adjustments you might need.

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value it truly adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to showcase them in your own voice.

We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice.

We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a Criminal Record Check at the relevant level. You can read more information via our Website.

Giving back to you

Our employees work hard every day to make a true difference in people's lives. We are proud to support them with a range of benefits, recognition and many options for working agilely, all contributing to a strong work life balance. We also have various learning programmes to support you in your development and help you grow to realise your potential and shape a career with Alzheimer's Society. 

You can also visit our Working for Us pages, which give you more information about what it's like to be an employee at the Society.