Support work jobs

Lead with purpose. Work with flexibility. Make a lasting difference.

ESCAPE Family Supplort is seeking an inspirational Chief Executive to lead an award winning, highly respected, trauma-informed charity, supporting families and children affected by a loved one's addictin and makuing a real difference in Northumberland.

This is a rare opportunity to shape strategy, influence services, and drive meaningful impact for families affected by addiction within a values led, collaborative organisation.

As one of the very few charities of our size to hold Investors in People Platinum accreditation, we offer an exceptional working culture built on trust, empowerment and strong relationships.

You will work with a commited team and board and engage with partners at local, regional and national level to shape the future of our services. 

This role offers the chance to lead with purpose, influence change and leave a lasting legacy.

This is a rare opportunity to step into a CEO role that offers genuine flexibility, meaningful impact and an outstanding organisational culture. 

ABOUT ESCAPE

Founded from lived experience, ESCAPE is the only organisation in Northumberland dedicated to supporting families affected by addiction. Our work changes lives - every day. We are:

• Trauma informed and evidencebased
• An AIM registered training centre
• A trusted partner across statutory and voluntary sectors
• Proud holders of Investor in People Platinum
• An accredited Living Wage Employer  

About the role

As Chief Executive you will:

• Provide strategic leadership and direction
• Work closely with a committed Board of Trustees
• Lead an experienced and values driven team
• Develop partnerships throughout Northumberland and across the region
• Ensure high quaility, sustainable services for families 

You will play a central role in shaping the future of the organisation and strengthening its impact.

Why join ESCAPE?

Flexible leadership role

• Full or part-time from 0.6 FTE minumum
• Flexible trust-based working
• Opportunity to shape how you lead

Exceptional Culture

• Investor in People Platinum accredited
• Reflective supervision and leadership support
• Collaborative, values-driven environment         

Meaningful impact

• Direct influence on services supporting families in crisis
• Opportunity to build on a strong legacy
• Visble and tangible difference in the community

Who we are looking for

• An experienced senior leader (charity, public or related sector)
• Strategically minded with strong operational awareness
• Skilled in building partnerships and relationships
• Committed to trauma-informed, person-centred practice
• Values-led, emotionally intelligent, and authentic

This role could suit:

• An existing CEO seekng greater balance and purpose
• A senior leader ready for their first CEO role

What we offer

• £48,000 - £55,000 salary (pro rata) depending on skills and experience 
• Full time or Part-time (from 0.6 FTE minimum) Permanent
• 28 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays (pro rata)
• 6% employer pension contribution
• Simply Health pakage (including eye care)
• Family-friendly policies
• Reflective supervision and practice
• Flexible, trust-based working

For further information and details on how to apply, please visit ESCAPE's website for application form and full recruitment pack.

Closing date for applicait9ons: 26th June 2026 at 17.00

Job Title: Equipment Advice and Outreach Officer

Reports to: Chief Executive / Practice Lead

Contract: Fixed term, 18 months

Hours: Part-time, approximately 22.5 hours per week (0.6 FTE)

Location: Home-based in England, with regular travel across a large region and occasional overnight stays

Salary: £20,556 (Full-time equivalent salary (FTE): £34,259)

About Pathfinders Neuromuscular Alliance

Pathfinders Neuromuscular Alliance is a user-led charity run by and for people with muscle-weakening conditions. We provide advocacy, peer support, information, training and campaigning to help disabled people live with greater confidence, connection and control.

We are developing a new service model to help adults with neuromuscular conditions identify practical needs relating to equipment, adaptations and wider day-to-day transitions, and to connect them to people with relevant lived-experience expertise.

Purpose of the Role

The Outreach and Practitioner–Evaluator will help Pathfinders identify adults with neuromuscular conditions who may benefit from practical support around equipment, adaptations and wider day-to-day challenges.

The role is not primarily to provide complex specialist advice directly. Instead, the postholder will:

• build relationships with services and organisations to identify potential clients
• hold structured conversations to understand people’s needs
• offer initial information, practical resources and signposting
• connect people to Pathfinders’ lived-experience specialists where more specific insight is needed
• support the development of reusable lived-experience resources, including short videos, blogs and written guidance
• collect routine feedback and help document and evaluate the service

Pathfinders’ lived-experience specialists are people with direct personal experience of neuromuscular conditions and of specific issues, transitions or practical solutions. A key part of this role is helping people access that expertise.

The role is to help people make sense of what might help, what routes may be available, and who they may need to speak to next. It is not to guarantee that equipment will be obtained, but to improve people’s understanding, preparedness and access to relevant expertise and pathways.

Main Responsibilities

1. Outreach and relationship-building

• Build and maintain relationships with clinics, hospices, charities, networks and other relevant services.
• Travel regularly to external settings to identify potential clients and raise awareness of the service.
• Confidently approach professionals, families and individuals to explain the offer and encourage engagement.
• Help create practical referral and engagement routes into the service.
• Prioritise outreach activity in line with project aims and agreed target regions.

2. Needs identification and support coordination

• Hold 1-to-1 conversations with adults with neuromuscular conditions and, where appropriate, family members or supporters, to identify practical needs relating to equipment, adaptations and wider day-to-day challenges.
• Provide initial information, signposting and relevant resources within agreed boundaries.
• Recognise when an issue would benefit from connection to a Pathfinders lived-experience specialist and facilitate that connection.
• Recognise when an issue requires statutory or clinical input and support onward referral or escalation where appropriate.
• Work with Pathfinders staff to help ensure people are connected to the most appropriate source of practical or professional support.

3. Working with lived-experience specialists and resource development

• Work with freelance lived-experience specialists to identify practical solutions, insights and examples relevant to the issues raised by service users.
• Support and encourage lived-experience specialists to share their expertise in accessible ways.
• Help coordinate and develop practical resources based on lived-experience knowledge, including short videos, blogs and written guidance.
• Contribute to ensuring these resources are accessible, organised and responsive to recurring needs identified through the service.

4. Documentation and evaluation support

• Maintain accurate records of outreach activity, contacts, needs identified, resources shared, onward connections and follow-up.
• Support the collection of routine feedback, including post-support forms and short follow-up conversations.
• Use agreed templates and systems to document contacts clearly and consistently.
• Share reflections and emerging themes with the team to support ongoing learning, evaluation and service development.

5. Teamworking and service development

• Participate in regular supervision, planning and reflective review meetings.
• Work collaboratively with the Chief Executive, Advocacy Officer, freelance lived-experience specialists and external partners.
• Contribute to the refinement of service processes, boundaries and referral pathways.
• Support dissemination of learning through briefings, webinars or other outputs as required.

Additional Requirements

• Regular travel across England is required, typically around once per week, with priority given to areas closest to the postholder’s base in the first instance. 
• Some travel may involve overnight stays.
• The postholder must have access to and use of a car for work purposes, although train travel may be used for some visits.
• Travel expenses and mileage will be reimbursed in line with organisational policy.

Person Specification

Essential

• Confident, outgoing and comfortable starting conversations with new people in professional and community settings.
• Experience of outreach, community engagement, advice, advocacy, support work or case coordination.
• Strong organisational skills and confidence managing follow-up, coordination and documentation.
• Comfortable using forms, spreadsheets, databases or case-recording systems and completing paperwork accurately.
• Familiarity with equipment, adaptations or practical support issues affecting disabled people.
• Ability to identify needs and know when to seek support, connect someone to lived-experience expertise, or refer on.
• Strong communication skills and a sensitive, respectful approach with service users, families and professionals.
• Ability to work independently while remaining well connected to a small team.
• Able and willing to travel regularly across England, including occasional overnight stays.
• Access to and use of a car for work purposes.
• Commitment to inclusion, dignity and user-led practice.

Desirable

• Experience of working alongside people with lived experience to co-produce support or resources.
• Experience of gathering feedback or supporting service evaluation.
• Knowledge of health or social care systems.
• Personal or close lived experience of disability or long-term conditions.

We are aiming to recruit immediately for this role with the first round of interviews on 1st June, but will conduct further interviews if necessary until we identify a suitable candidate.

Age UK Wandsworth is a local, independent charity that works to promote the wellbeing of all older people in the London Borough of Wandsworth.

This is a new role in our staff team that has been created to support our Executive Team during an exciting transition period where the organisation is growing and developing new services to help older people.

This role will suit an experienced, efficient and conscientious administrative professional who wants to work with a small team who are passionate about making a difference to the lives of older people. 

Registered Manager – Jarvis House a home which is rated good aspiring to be outstanding

Salary: £51,275 - £58,927 per annum (Pay Grade B) at time of writing

Additional allowances are paid for on-call duties.

Please contact Karen Ciantar for an informal chat - karen.ciantar @ barnardos. org. uk 

Create Safety. Build Belonging. Help Children Grow.

Barnardo's is looking for a compassionate, values‑driven Registered Manager to lead Jarvis House, a small, nurturing residential home supporting children at a time when safety, stability, and kindness matter most.

Jarvis House supports up to three children through short‑ to medium‑term placements, including emergency admissions when no suitable alternative is immediately available. It offers a therapeutic, trauma‑informed environment where children can begin to feel safer, happier, healthier, and more hopeful, and where they are supported to heal, grow, and thrive.

This is not just about running a home. It's about creating a calm, structured space where relationships come first, experiences are understood with compassion, and children are supported to prepare for what comes next.

What Jarvis House Offers Children

Each child's time at Jarvis House is shaped by a sensitive, holistic assessment that helps us understand their experiences, strengths, and needs. Our team works closely with children to help them recover from trauma, build emotional resilience, and develop vital life skills. When children move on, whether to a foster family, a longer‑term placement, or back home, they do so with stronger foundations and greater confidence in themselves.

As one colleague put it:

“Jarvis House gives children breathing space. We slow things down, really listen, and help them believe in themselves again.”

Your Role

As Registered Manager, you will:

• Lead a small, committed team with warmth, clarity, and consistency
• Create a therapeutic, trauma‑informed environment where children feel safe and supported to thrive
• Hold the balance between structure and nurture, especially during emergency and transition placements
• Ensure high‑quality care, safeguarding, and regulatory compliance
• Embed relational, child‑centred practice in everyday decision‑making
• Support staff through reflective supervision and development
• Work collaboratively with families, social workers, and partner agencies

One of our managers describes the leadership culture at Barnardo's like this:

“You're trusted to lead in a way that feels human. You're supported, challenged, and never expected to do it alone.”

What Children Tell Us Matters

“I need people who don't leave when things get hard.”
 “Feeling safe helps me think about what comes next.”

As Registered Manager, you will keep these voices at the centre of your leadership.

What We're Looking For

You'll be someone who:

• Has experience leading or managing within residential children's services
• Understands trauma, attachment, and emotionally informed care
• Holds (or is working towards) a Level 5 Leadership and Management qualification
• Leads with curiosity, compassion, and emotional resilience
• Believes that strong relationships are the foundation of great care
• Wants to make a genuine difference in children's lives

Why Join Barnardo's?

At Barnardo's, values are more than words on a page. They shape how we lead, how we support staff, and how we care for children.

“I stay because the care is real, for the children and for us as staff.”
 “We're encouraged to reflect, to learn, and to keep getting better.”

You'll be part of an organisation that invests in its people and believes that when staff feel supported, children thrive too.

Start Date: Early July

Initial Duration: 40 Days, 3 days a week, with scope to extend

Time commitment: Estimated up to approximately 24 hours per week (based on delivery needs) 

Rate: £32 per hour (freelance billing rate)

Oak National Academy is a fully remote organisation with over 100 employees and up to 200 freelancers and partners who depend on our systems every day.

We are looking to engage an experienced freelance IT Support Specialist to deliver a defined programme of access management, systems administration and compliance work as we grow.

The focus of this engagement is to ensure our core systems are well-managed, auditable and secure, and that staff and freelancers are well supported in their day-to-day use of them.

The appointed freelancer will bring their own expertise and approach to shape how this work is delivered, working to agreed priorities and timelines, and collaborating closely with Oak colleagues.

This is a remote UK-based role, carried out on an Oak-managed device.

Scope of work

The freelancer will be responsible for delivering the following outcomes:

● Provision of first-line and second-line support across agreed IT workflows, ensuring requests are resolved efficiently and appropriately escalated where required. 

● Monitoring and managing our MDM for hardware and software alerts. 

● Delivering agreed access, provisioning and deprovisioning activities associated with onboarding and offboarding processes.

● Hardware and software troubleshooting across the organisation. 

● Monitoring and managing Google Admin alerts. 

● Effective day-to-day administration of access and permissions across Oak's core systems. 

● Collaborating with the IT & Data Security Officer on IT operations projects.

Experience and expertise

We are interested in hearing from freelancers who can demonstrate:

● 3+ years' experience in IT systems or infrastructure roles, where systems administration, access management and security were a core part of the work. 

● Strong, hands-on expertise in Google Workspace Admin, including user management, groups, permissions and security settings. 

● Experience using MDM platforms and remote support tools. 

● A careful, trustworthy and improvement-focused approach, with a strong appreciation of security, accountability and collaborative working.

● The ability to work independently and take ownership of delivering agreed outcomes. 

● Confidence working within a small, remote team and collaborating effectively with colleagues.

● Google Workspace Admin certification is desirable but not required. We are most interested in practical experience and how you approach the work, so formal certifications are not essential to apply.

Tools and access

We will give you access to all the systems you need to carry out the work. The core tools you will be working with are Google Admin and the Google Suite, NinjaOne, Slack, Notion, 1Password and NordLayer.

We will provide an Oak-managed device (Windows and macOS) for the duration of the engagement. Given the level of system access this role involves, we require all work to be carried out on this device. We will handle device setup and system access before you start, so you are ready to go from day one.

Ways of working

This engagement is offered on a self-employed basis. You will work closely with the IT & Data Security Officer to ensure alignment, share progress, and agree priorities throughout the engagement period. 

Next steps

You'll answer some questions - some short ones relating to admin and then four discipline-related ones. After the task closes, your answers will go through our sifting process: all answers will be anonymised, randomised and then reviewed by a panel of reviewers. If shortlisted, we'll invite you to a remote interview over Zoom.

We're receiving a strong response to our freelancer adverts, which may lead us to close the role early so if you're considering applying, please get your application in early to avoid missing out.

Manchester Young Lives does education differently. We build trusting relationships that enable young people to feel respected and safe, facilitating engaging creative personalised learning programmes that leave young people with SEND believing they can succeed. We are looking for passionate values driven professionals who will support young people in our Learning Hubs to believe in themselves and achieve their aspirations.

Due to growth across our Learning Hubs, MYL is recruiting for a Careers and Work Placements Adviser to provide engaging, inclusive, and effective careers advice to young people aged 16+ with SEND, inspiring them to believe they can thrive in adulthood. You will develop a network of Employers and secure, assess and manage a portfolio of work experience placements to meet young people’s needs and goals.

You will have a relevant careers advice and guidance qualification, and have experience of delivering careers advice and guidance. You should be experienced and confident in working with young people/adults with SEND, and able to communicate and build relationships with young people, parents/carers, employers and other professionals.

MYL is a flexible, supportive and values led environment in which to work. Applicants can choose between a 30 hour a week year-round contract, or a 35 hour a week term-time only contract, both with a pro-rata salary. You will need to be willing to travel around the city of Manchester.

Are you an experienced charity leader ready to drive strategy, sustainability and frontline impact for an organisation supporting vulnerable young people experiencing social/emotional/domestic difficulties in school?

Mentor link is seeking an exceptional Chief Executive Officer to lead our Stourport based charity into its next phase due to the retirement of the Founder and CEO. Strengthening financial resilience, governance, partnerships and service impact whilst delivering high-quality, mentoring support.

This is a pivotal senior leadership role with full strategic and operational accountability.

About Mentor link

Mentor link supports vulnerable young people experiencing social/emotional or domestic difficulties in schools across the West Midlands. Based in Stourport on Severn Worcestershire the position is full time  circa £60k per annum and permanent subject to 3 months’ probation.

Please see the full job description attached

Flood Engagement Officer – Job Description Overview

The National Flood Forum (NFF) is seeking a dynamic, motivated individual for the role of Flood Engagement Officer for London and the Home Counties. This is an exciting opportunity for someone passionate about working with communities, especially those at risk of flooding, to deliver community-based flood risk management solutions.

Key Details:

• Location: Home-based (London and Home Counties team), with regular travel across London and the South, including evening meetings and occasional overnight stays.
• Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week
• Salary: £24,784.56 per annum rising to £27,840.90 (discretionary London weighting may apply) travel expenses covered
• Contract: Permanent
• Benefits: 30 days annual leave including bank holidays, a day off for your birthday, auto-enrolment pension scheme, learning and development opportunities.
• Closing Date: Sunday 21st June 2026  (Midnight). Early application is encouraged as the position may close earlier if sufficient applications are received.

Role Overview:

The Flood Engagement Officer will support the London and Home Counties community engagement team, reporting to a Community Engagement Manager. Your primary responsibility will be to work closely with communities to support them in tackling flooding risks.

Key Responsibilities:

• Community Project Delivery: Lead and support the implementation of projects focused on flood risk management.
• Community Engagement: Engage and empower at-risk communities, ensuring they have the tools and information to co-create solutions to flood risks.
• Stakeholder Management: Build and maintain relationships with key community stakeholders and partners.
• Data Management: Provide data to help evaluate and support engagement activities.
• Support the Senior Team: Assist in broader tasks and activities as required by the senior team.

About You:

The ideal candidate will be:

• Empathetic: Understand the challenges faced by those at risk of flooding and help to work with communities and agencies to provide practical solutions.
• Organized and Flexible: Able to prioritize tasks and travel extensively across the region, including evenings and occasional overnight stays.
• Collaborative: A team player with a solution-focused mindset.
• Skilled in Engagement: Experience or an interest in community engagement and building relationships.
• Driving Licence: Full driving licence and access to a car are essential due to the travel requirements.

You must also be a resident of the UK with the right to work in the UK.

About the National Flood Forum:

The NFF is a national charity founded by those affected by flooding, working to support and represent individuals and communities at risk. The organization focuses on empowering flood-affected communities to recover and improve flood resilience. The NFF encourages applications from individuals with lived experience of flooding, and from diverse backgrounds.

This is a wonderful opportunity for those passionate about community engagement and flood risk management to make a tangible difference in people’s lives.

Alongside Youth Workers and Senior Youth Workers you will focus on delivering face-to-face youth work in schools and in community settings.

You’ll be working alongside young people who may be navigating complex challenges, including community safety concerns and the risks of exploitation. Your role will be to build trust, provide meaningful support and empower them to make positive choices for their future.

If you’re committed to creating lasting change and have the skills to connect with and inspire young people, we’d love to hear from you!

As Community Manager at StandOut you wi l be responsible for shaping and leading our support of participants as they leave the prison gates and begin life in the community. From managing and supporting a team of passionate and dynamic community coaches as they work with participants, to working with programmes leadership to set the strategy and direction of the community team, the role is varied, stretching and incredibly rewarding. This role would be ideal for someone with previous experience managing a team, overseeing and driving a delivery area and a good understanding of the cha lenges faced by those caught up in the criminal justice system, gained either by working in prison or through a range of work outside prison. 

We have a culture of encouraging creativity. Bringing ideas and solutions to complex problems is welcomed as part of the role. We believe in connectivity, and ensure that we connect as a team by being together in our Vauxha l workspace as much as we can. However, getting the balance right is important to us and we appreciate that working across London means that working from home or a coffee shop is the best place to be on some days. As part of the community team there wi l be days that you spend in prison, particularly during delivery, when working hours wi l be longer due to the prison daily regimes that we have to work within whilst delivering our course. 

Healthcare & Community Liaison - Advocacy & Project Support

Organisation: The Elfrida Society

Location: London (with travel across London)

Salary: £27,629.70 pro-rata

Contract Type: Part-time (14 hours per week)
 

About the Organisation

The Elfrida Society is a user-led charity working alongside people with learning disabilities and/or neurodivergent needs (LDND). They are deeply committed to creating a more inclusive society where people with LDND can access the services, support and opportunities they need.

They centre lived experience, co-production and inclusion in everything they do, and strongly encourage applications from people with lived experience of disability and neurodivergence or people who have navigated health systems on behalf of relatives.
 

About the Role

They are looking for a Healthcare & Community Liaison to support their Healthcare Project. You will build relationships with healthcare providers, community organisations and underrepresented groups to raise awareness of the work they do and increase access to advocacy. You will also support the promotion of their workshops and podcast.

This is also a development opportunity: you will gain hands-on experience in one-to-one advocacy, supported by an experienced and collaborative team.
 

Key Responsibilities

• Build relationships with hospitals, GPs, community organisations and local partners
• Engage with diverse communities, including ethnic minority groups and young people transitioning into adult services
• Promote Elfrida's advocacy services, workshops and podcast
• Support referrals into one-to-one advocacy
• Develop skills and experience in advocacy work with people with LDND
• Provide advocacy support (with guidance) where appropriate
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to develop and improve services
• Maintain accurate records in line with GDPR
   

Person Specification

Essential

• Experience working with people with learning disabilities and/or neurodivergent needs
• Interest in advocacy and willingness to develop one-to-one support skills
• Experience of community engagement, outreach or partnership working
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Commitment to inclusion, accessibility and co-production

Desirable

• Experience of healthcare or social care systems
• Experience engaging young people or ethnic minority communities
• Experience supporting outreach, workshops or events

Additional Information

• Enhanced DBS check required
• Travel across London and occasional out-of-hours work may be required
   

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Elfrida Society are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. They actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those with lived experience of disability and neurodivergence.

They are happy to provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and in the role. If you require this, please let us know.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit your application to Abi at Charity People

If you would like to know more about the role in more detail then please reach out to Abi to arrange a time to talk.

Camberwell with community-based delivery

Are you a proactive, collaborative and compassionate individual with a proven record of delivering ETE-focused support to young people and a strong knowledge of education systems, training pathways and employment routes?  Looking for an exciting new career opportunity?

If so, St Giles is looking for a Specialist Education Training and Employment Caseworker to deliver targeted, specialist education, training and employment interventions to young Londoners and support the wider VESS service through expertise, consultation and structured progression pathways. The Specialist ETE function operates as a 3.5 FTE team, combining direct delivery with specialist input into the wider service.

About St Giles Trust

An ambitious, well-established charity that helps people facing adversity to find jobs, homes and the right support they need. Central to our ethos is our belief that people with first-hand experience of successfully overcoming issues such as an offending background, homelessness, addictions and gang involvement, hold the key to positive change in others.

About this key role

You will deliver targeted ETE interventions through one-to-one support, group work and co-working alongside FFT caseworkers, plus support young people to progress into and sustain education, training and employment outcomes. You will also provide specialist advice and consultation to FFT caseworkers to strengthen ETE delivery across their caseloads, while also co-working complex cases requiring specialist input while maintaining FFT case ownership and delivering structured group work within PRUs, Alternative Provision and community settings.

We will also count on you to support engagement with training providers, employers and education settings and to contribute to developing clear pathways into ETE opportunities. Supporting families where appropriate to improve stability linked to employment and training and contributing to service-wide planning, delivery and continuous improvement of ETE provision are also key elements of this key role.

What we are looking for

• Experience of working with young people at risk and understanding of safeguarding
• The ability to deliver effective both one-to-one and group interventions
• Strong organisational and caseload management skills
• The ability to provide specialist advice and support to colleagues
• Experience of partnership working across education, training or employment sectors
• Excellent interpersonal, relationship-building and communication skills, verbal and written
• A flexible, collaborative and professional approach to your work

Please note: this role requires an Enhanced DBS check.

In return, you can expect a competitive salary, generous leave allowance, staff pension, access to clinical supervision, flexible working, a mentoring programme, an advice and counselling service, season ticket loan and much more.

We are an equity and inclusion confident employer. We welcome all applications, and we particularly encourage applications from people of the global majority (black, brown, multi- heritage) and those who identify as disabled, neuroexpansive, neurodiverse, with any protected characteristics and/or social barriers or challenges. We value the empowering and informative impact that all lived experiences and diversity of thought can offer the organisation.

St Giles will guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria set out in the Job Description for the vacancy.

Closing date: 9 am on 29 June 2026.

If you share our vision that ‘every young person should be empowered to gain the confidence, independence and skills they need for a better and brighter future’ we might have the perfect role for you!

ThinkForward is recruiting a Progression Coach in Gillingham, Kent, to join our team delivering our unique programme supporting young people into further education and employment. If you are….

· Passionate about, and experienced in, supporting young people to make amazing decisions about their futures

· Committed to equity, diversity, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory practice

· Persistent, empathic and agile in your style of work and able to apply a coaching approach to the delivery of our programme

· Able to tell the stories of our work through data

· Confident in running one-to-one and group work sessions 

· Knowledgeable of employability practices and the importance of tailored progression planning for young people

…then please click on the job pack for our role description and information pack for more details about ThinkForward and the role you could play, then apply with your CV and cover letter.

Applicants should note that this role will require access to a vehicle. 

The role is open to part-time, freelance, and term-time only arrangements.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Lead a national charity at a pivotal moment of change and make a life‑changing impact for individuals and families affected by rare craniofacial conditions. 

Headlines Craniofacial Support is a UK-based charity providing information, advice and support to individuals and families affected by craniosynostosis and other rare craniofacial conditions.  The charity works closely with professional partners, including the 5 NHS Designated Specialist Craniofacial Units across the UK.

Craniosynostosis is a condition where two or more of the plates in the skull fuse prematurely, requiring medical support from a young age. Around 350 children are born with craniosynostosis each year in the UK.

Established by group of parents in 1993, Headlines now has over 2,500 members.  Within our charity offer we send out regular newsletters and an annual magazine, Headline News.  We also support families to connect through events such as an annual Family Weekend, conferences and Days Out, and provide information through our helpline and access to psychological support.  We have private social media groups and specific groups within our membership who meet regularly including Cranio Dads, Young Persons Network and a Teens Group.

After 8 successful years, our current Director will be retiring in 2026 and we are now seeking an enthusiastic, inspirational and proactive individual to take up the reins.This is a rare opportunity to lead a well-established, respected national charity at an important moment of transition.

Strategic priorities for us, moving forward, include increasing our fundraising activities to ensure sustainability of the charity alongside the smooth running of our core activities in providing support, facilitating research and raising awareness.

Key responsibilities

The Executive Director will hold day-to-day responsibilities, working closely with the Chair and Trustee Board to provide effective leadership and operational management of the charity. Specifically, they will:

• Act as an ambassador for the charity, liaising with members, health professionals and with wider community and provide day-to-day management of Headlines staff and activities, setting objectives in line with the operational plan.
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding, data protection and other legal, statutory and regulatory requirements and responsibilities.
• Work on behalf of and with the Trustees to deliver the charity’s mission, goals, operational plans and long-term strategy,  and act as a positive leader and role model, managing and motivating Headlines staff,
• Ensure effective financial management of Headlines working closely with trustees and the treasurer to ensure financial security and appropriate allocation of funds.
• Manage and enhance the event programme to meet charity objectives, including identifying and meeting members’ priorities and raising awareness of craniofacial conditions.
• Develop opportunities for collaborative working and partnerships with other organisations for the benefit of people with craniosynostosis and rare craniofacial conditions.  This also includes work overseas, predominantly in Europe with our medical and charity partners.
• Oversee communications and marketing activities to raise the profile of Headlines, its work and the needs of its members.
• Identify opportunities for growth, developing projects and keeping policies relevant, to enhance and expand the work of Headlines.
• Be responsible for generating funds through innovative and cost-effective fundraising activities and grant applications to maintain the long-term success of the charity.

Person specification 

Essential criteria

• An understanding of the importance of the charity’s values and priorities.
• Evidence of inclusive, innovative and proactive leadership, with demonstrable experience of fundraising and income generation.
• Excellent organisational and interpersonal skills with experience organising events and activities.
• Experience of successfully managing budgets and developing new and sustainable funding streams.
• Excellent organisational, presentation and communication skills and the ability to write reports for public consumption and for statutory obligations.
• A high level of digital literacy skills with an understanding of online technology and the application of social media.
• Proven track record in managing, leading and motivating staff and volunteers.
• Willingness to operate a hybrid model of working with most work taking place from home, working remotely with stakeholders and across the UK/ internationally for specific events.
• Experience of working within the charity sector, ideally at a management level and/or within  financial management of the charitable sector, with sound knowledge of the relevant legal requirements and regulations applicable to a charitable organisation.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working effectively with a Chair and Board of Trustees.
• Experience of working for a health-related organisation.
• An awareness of the principles of inclusivity, accessibility or experience of working with individuals with visible differences.
• Degree or equivalent.
• Experience of commissioning research and liaising with research bodies.

Other information

Headlines hosts events and fundraising activities throughout the whole of the UK. All Headlines staff are expected to work flexibly to support those activities as required, e.g. attendance at Annual Family Weekend, conferences, member events, supporter receptions and other related scientific meetings and conferences. This may occasionally require travel and overnight stays. In addition, all staff are expected to be self-servicing in terms of administration and basic digital skills. Please note that the list of duties is not exhaustive and additional responsibilities might occasionally arise and the workload can vary across the year