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Luton (On-site)
£34,000 - £36,000 per year
Full-time
Permanent
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Job description
Luton Town FC Community Trust is seeking to recruit a Community Operations Manager to play a key role in the coordination, delivery and development of its community programmes. This is a senior operational role, working closely with the Head of Community Trust to ensure programmes are well managed, aligned to organisational priorities and delivered to a high standard.
The role will combine operational leadership with a proportion of direct programme delivery, enabling the postholder to remain connected to communities, delivery teams and participant needs. The Community Operations Manager will also contribute to the development of new programmes and associated funding opportunities, support partnership working and act as a key decision maker for day-to-day operational matters.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced community or sport for development professional who is motivated to make meaningful impact, strengthen organisational capacity and help reduce health inequalities across Luton and Bedfordshire.
Job Purpose
Reporting to the Head of Community Trust, the Community Operations Manager will provide operational leadership across the organisation, while maintaining a proportion of direct programme delivery to remain connected to communities, delivery teams and participant needs.
The role will coordinate and strengthen programme delivery; line manage designated staff and support the development of new programmes and associated funding opportunities aligned to organisational priorities.
The postholder will embed organisational strategy into effective day to day operations, acting as a key decision maker for operational matters and supporting senior leadership capacity.
Key Responsibilities
1. Community Engagement & Relationship Building
- Build strong relationships with funders, local authorities, key stakeholders, local schools, charities, grassroots clubs and other community organisations.
- Act as a liaison between the football club and the local community.
- Promote inclusion and diversity through outreach to underrepresented groups.
2. Programme Development & Delivery
- Contribute to and support funding applications, programme design, delivery and evaluation across community programmes within each department including, but not limited to:
- Education
- Health
- Inclusion
- Football Development
3. Staff and Volunteer Management
- Recruit, train and manage staff employees and volunteers who represent the Trust.
- Provide leadership and mentoring for delivery coaches, project workers, media team and match day staff.
4. Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting
- Track the impact of community programmes using required and appropriate metrics and key performance indicators.
- Prepare reports for stakeholders, funders (e.g. EFL in the Community, Premier League Foundation, local authorities), and Luton Town Community Trust Board of Trustees.
- Ensure compliance and governance with safeguarding, health and safety and data protection policies.
5. Marketing & Promotion
- Raise awareness of the Trust’s work through managing the organisations media output across various platforms e.g. web site, newsletters, social media and local media outlets.
- Represent the Trust at community events, matchdays, and public forums.
6. Fundraising & Grant Management
- Collaborate with the Head of Trust and Programme Managers to identify and apply for grants and funding opportunities.
- Build partnerships with sponsors, local businesses and charitable foundations.
7. Club Integration
- Work cosely with all football club departments, including first team players and staff, media and marketing, facilities and catering, and Academy to ensure alignment between Community Trust and Club.
- Manage the efficient coordination of player appearances and community involvement on behalf of the Club
MAIN JOB REQUIREMENTS AND PERSON SPECIFICATION
Education/Qualifications/Training:
Essentials
- Strong experience in community development, sport development and youth engagement.
- Strong project and operational management skills, with the ability to plan, deliver and evaluate initiatives – prioritising and managing multiple priorities
- Experience with grant funding processes
- Experience of developing organisational strategy within the sporting or charity sector
- Experience in partnership working with schools, councils, charities
- Leadership and staff supervision experience – managing coaches, volunteers or delivery staff
- Monitoring & evaluation skills – ability to track KPIs and write impact reports
- Budget management experience
- Confident IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office and database software
- Valid First Aid and Safeguarding qualifications (or willingness to obtain)
- Experience delivering health, inclusion, educational or behaviour-change programmesAbility to work to deadlines and meet project targets
- Understanding of health inequalities and barriers faced by children and families
- Understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion within community delivery
- A strong working knowledge of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance and best practice within education and community settings.
- Strong commitment to high-quality, values led delivery
- A full valid driving licence and access to car to travel between sites throughout Bedfordshire.
- Willingness to work flexibly, including evenings and weekends
- Enhanced DBS clearance
- Degree or equivalent qualification, or demonstrable relevant professional experience.
Desirables
- Experience working in a football foundation or Trust
- Knowledge of EFL Trust or Premier League Foundation community programmes including Capability Code of Practice
- Valid First Aid and Safeguarding qualifications (or willingness to obtain)
- Event planning or matchday coordination experience
- Recognised sports coaching qualifications
- Youth Mental Health First Aid
- Leadership skills within a community or education setting
Abilities/Skills/Knowledge:
- Committed, enthusiastic and passionate about Luton Town Football Club.
- Must be pro-active, motivated, organised, responsible and able to work independently as well as in a team.
- Highly developed problem-solving skills, resilience, and the ability to perform well under pressure.
- Demonstrate good listening skills and have the ability to resolve issues where appropriate.
- Ability to multi-task whilst maintaining priority efficiencies.
- Focused on achieving Club, departmental and individual success.
- Willing to follow and promote the philosophy of the football club.
- Be an ambassador for the Club presenting the Club in a positive image at all times.
SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT
The Club is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
The Club has systems in place to ensure that the welfare of vulnerable groups is dealt with appropriately and sensitively. Everyone working at the Club has a duty of care to safeguard the welfare of children and young people by creating an environment that protects them from harm. Our standards of practice ensure all staff are fully aware and understand their responsibilities under safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance.
The Club ensures that all staff that have a direct responsibility for children, young people or vulnerable adults, have been subject to the most stringent of recruitment practices which include Criminal Record Checks and reference checks. These staff are alert to signs of abuse or maltreatment and will refer concerns to the relevant Designated Safeguarding Officers using the agreed safeguarding procedures.
EQUALITY STATEMENT
The individual must at all times, carry out their duties with due regard to the Clubs policies and procedures and in particular the Club’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.
The individual must ensure a positive commitment towards equality and diversity by treating others fairly and not committing any form of direct or indirect discrimination, victimisation, or harassment of any description and to promote positive working relationships between all internal and external stakeholders. The individual must contribute to encouraging equality and respecting diversity by embedding such values in the workplace and challenging inappropriate behaviour and processes.
Organisation
Posted on: 24 February 2026
Closing date: 24 March 2026 at 23:30
Tags: Operations, Public Health, Community Fundraising
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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Abidjan, Abidjan (Hybrid)
Delhi, India
Lahore, Lahore
Canary Wharf, Greater London
£62,707 per year
Full-time
Permanent
Job description
Starting Date: ASAP
Contract type: Full-time and open-ended
Salary: If based in London - £62,707, Delhi - INR 3,350,997, Lahore - PKR 8,697,613, Abidjan - €4,095 per month
Location: London, Lahore, Delhi, Côte d'Ivoire
Application closing date: 25th March 2026
About the Job
The Grant Programme Manager is responsible for overseeing a portfolio of grant-funded projects across multiple sub-funds and geographies. Working closely with programme partners, this role ensures that funded projects not only produce certified Better Cotton but also deliver measurable impact aligned with BCI’s strategic targets. The role includes stewardship and oversight of significant donor funding and accountability for strong financial, performance and compliance standards across the portfolio.
Are you purpose-led and ready to embark on a journey to shape the future of sustainable cotton? Join us at Better Cotton Initiative as Grant Programme Manager and play a key role in delivering high-impact funding programmes for the world’s largest cotton sustainability initiative. We support more sustainable farming practices and farm livelihoods for nearly 1.6 million farmers across 15 countries.
The Challenge
Looking ahead to 2030, BCI is targeting a 50 percent reduction in GHG emissions from cotton production, significant reductions in synthetic pesticide use, improved soil health across our network, increased farm income and stronger support for women’s empowerment among farmers and farm workers.
As a Grant Programme Manager, you will oversee a multi-country grant portfolio, ensure strong financial stewardship, drive performance against strategic targets and strengthen partnerships with programme partners and donors.
Responsibilities
We are seeking a motivated Grant Programme Manager to join our Global Programmes team within GIF. In this role, you will be responsible for managing a complex grant portfolio and ensuring effective delivery, financial oversight and strategic alignment.
- Oversee and manage a portfolio of Small Farm Fund projects across multiple countries, ensuring delivery against BCI strategy and BCSS targets.
- Lead grant application and assessment processes, including reviewing proposals, analysing organisational viability and contributing to funding recommendations.
- Ensure effective financial stewardship of donor funds, reviewing budgets, tracking expenditure and identifying risks or corrective actions where required.
- Monitor and evaluate portfolio performance, ensuring robust data quality, learning integration and continuous improvement.
- Represent GIF in internal governance forums, including the Field Investment and Innovation Committee, contributing to funding decisions and strategic discussions.
- Engage with donors and external stakeholders, supporting reporting, relationship management and future funding opportunities.
- Support Large Farm Fund and Knowledge Partner Fund rounds, including assessment, monitoring and stakeholder engagement.
- Strengthen grant management systems and processes, identifying and implementing improvements to enhance efficiency, compliance and transparency.
- Collaborate closely with country programme teams, MEL colleagues and finance teams to ensure coordinated delivery and alignment across functions.
- Contribute to annual reporting, portfolio analysis and strategic planning for the GIF and wider Global Programmes function.
Experience
We are looking for candidates with the following skills, knowledge and experience:
- Degree in Agronomy, International Development, Anthropology or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- Demonstrated experience managing complex grant or project portfolios within rural development or sustainability contexts.
- Experience working with commercial and institutional donors, including proposal development and reporting.
- Strong financial oversight experience, including reviewing budgets and financial performance.
- Experience using MEL frameworks, logframes and performance monitoring tools.
- Willingness to travel for project visits twice a year (trips of between 7-10 days), and up to 2 trips per year for team/organisational meetings in Europe. If the successful applicant is based in one of our programme countries ie. CDI, India or Pakistan, the number of project visits would be greater.
Desirable
- Expertise in smallholder agriculture.
- Experience supporting organisational development of partners.
- Experience communicating with donors and representing programmes externally.
- Experience working in Sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia.
- Additional language skills relevant to programme geographies.
What we offer
- Hybrid working – 2-3 days per week in our London, Delhi, or Lahore offices. Fully Remote in Côte d'Ivoire
- The opportunity to work from anywhere in the world for up to one month per year
- Flexible working, with core hours from 10 am to 4 pm local time
- Continuous learning and development
- Pension scheme
- A generous annual leave package, including paid holiday, public holidays, additional paid days off during the festive season, study and exam days, and extra discretionary leave for life events such as family weddings or moving home
- Enhanced parental benefits
- The opportunity to make your mark and make a difference.
Working arrangements
The position is full-time (40 hours per week) and will be based either in London, Delhi, Lahore or Côte d'Ivoire. Better Cotton Initiative offers flexible working, with core hours being 10 am – 4 pm. The position will require limited travel.
Send us your CV (2 pages maximum) and a brief cover letter (1-page maximum) by or before 25/03/2026 via the application link.
In your cover letter, please include an explanation of why your experience is specifically relevant to this role at Better Cotton Initiative. We want to see your personal style – what makes you tick and why you think your next opportunity is here with us.
Better Cotton Initiative does not use artificial intelligence or automated screening tools in its hiring process. Every application is reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team and relevant hiring managers to ensure a fair and human-led assessment experience.
Our hiring process
Initial Screening:
Applicant screening is a crucial step in our recruitment process. This stage may involve a brief phone interview or video call to evaluate your suitability for the position. During this screening, we review resumes and cover letters, and may conduct initial background checks to narrow down the pool of applicant. Internal candidates are encouraged to inform their line manager about their application to promote transparency and help facilitate a smooth transition if selected.
Interviews:
If you successfully pass the initial screening, you will be invited for interviews. The interview process at Better Cotton Initiative may include one or more rounds of interviews with various stakeholders, such as the hiring manager, team members, and potentially senior management. As an internal candidate, you may have discussions regarding your current responsibilities and how they will transition to the new position.
Assessment and Testing:
Depending on the role, you might be required to complete assessments, technical tests, or skills evaluations to gauge your competency and suitability for the position. Internal candidates may have the option to demonstrate their existing skills through current job performance or past project outcomes.
Reference Checks:
Once you progress further in the process, reference checks are conducted to validate your work history, skills, and qualifications, and for some roles, your education and criminal history. Internal candidates may be asked for references from current or previous supervisors within Better Cotton Initiative to provide insights into their performance and capabilities.
Offer stage:
After completing interviews, assessments, and reference checks, the hiring team evaluates your performance and fit for the role. If you are selected and your references are relevant and satisfactory, you will receive a formal job offer letter outlining the terms of employment, compensation, benefits, and any other relevant details. For internal candidates, the offer process may include a discussion about how your transition to the new role will be managed and any support needed for a smooth handover.
About Better Cotton Initiative
Better Cotton Initiative is a global not-for-profit organisation supporting the production of more equitable and sustainable cotton at farm level. We exist to catalyse the cotton farming community with partners, governments and others to continuously drive positive impact by setting standards and facilitating the supply and demand of more sustainable cotton from farm to brand. In just 15 years we have aligned more than a fifth of the world’s cotton with our standard and helped farmers and farming communities thrive. Join us in building a better, more sustainable future for cotton worldwide.
About our Values
The post holder will be expected to operate in line with our workplace values which are:
- Trustworthy (including honest, transparent, credible)
- As having Integrity (including responsible, authentic)
- Positive (including problem-solving, pragmatic)
- Engaging (including adaptable, inclusive, holistic)
- Daring (including courageous, innovative, game-changing)
Being you @ Better Cotton Initiative
Better Cotton Initiative is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to good practice and transparency in the management of natural, human, and financial resources.
We have a zero-tolerance approach to any attitudes or behaviours that put children or adults at risk of harm. Safeguarding incidents are acts of serious misconduct and are grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including, dismissal and referral to relevant authorities for criminal prosecution. Therefore, all offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks.
Organisation
Posted on: 05 March 2026
Closing date: 25 March 2026 at 10:45
Tags: International Development, Grants
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