Youth development worker jobs in Manchester

The Hygiene Bank is looking to appoint a Partnership Officer to engage new brands with the work of our charity. This is an opportunity to join an ambitious organisation that is working to end hygiene poverty in the UK. 

The role is remote but with monthly team meetings in London and this role will require travel to partner meetings and events. 

Every day, millions of people across the UK are forced to make impossible choices between heating their homes, buying food, paying rent, or staying clean. 

At The Hygiene Bank, we believe that feeling clean should never be a luxury. Through our nationwide network of volunteers, community partners, and corporate and brand supporters, we provide access to essential hygiene products while campaigning for lasting change. 

As we embark on the next 3 years, we're looking for a Partnership Officer to help grow the brands and businesses standing alongside us in the fight against hygiene poverty. 

Read more about our work on our website along with our Impact Report and research Hygiene Poverty 2024 

This is more than a fundraising role. It's an opportunity to build meaningful partnerships that directly improve lives, influence businesses to become forces for good, and help drive a movement working to end hygiene poverty for good. 

About the role 

We're looking for a proactive, organised and relationship-focused Partnership Officer to join our growing Brand & Corporate Partnerships team. 

Working closely with and supported by the Head of Brand & Corporate Partnerships, you will play a vital role in identifying and securing new brand partnerships, nurturing existing relationships, and helping to deliver ambitious income and impact targets. 

Our partners range from emerging challenger brands to nationally recognised businesses like Boots UK. They support our work through financial contributions, product donations, employee fundraising, volunteering, awareness campaigns and skills-based support. 

You'll be at the heart of these relationships, helping partners understand the difference they can make and ensuring they have an outstanding experience of supporting The Hygiene Bank. 

This role would suit someone with experience in partnerships, business development, fundraising, account management or sales who is excited by the prospect of combining commercial relationship-building with meaningful social impact. 

Job Description  

The Partnership Officer will be a key member of The Hygiene Bank’s income generation team and wider central team, with a responsibility to help meet the needs of our existing partnerships and support in fulfilling the charity’s income generation plans and strategy. 

Key Responsibilities 

You will support the management of our brand partners, working with the Head of Brand and Corporate Partnerships. Your role will be to source new brand relationships, set up meetings for the team and support existing brand partnerships. 

• Work closely with the Head of Brand and Corporate Partnerships to identify and outreach to target brand partners, working to engage their support for the charity

• Account management of new and existing partners 

• Meticulous record keeping, ensuring the pipeline and the opportunity database are current and up to date.

• Contribute to the organisation and team's annual plans, strategies, and budgets. 

• Develop, monitor, and maintain systems and processes including Salesforce and account management plans. 

• Assist with the creation of marketing materials, such as newsletters, brochures, and partner impact reports.

• Understand and support the vision, mission, and values of The Hygiene Bank. 

• Reflect our inclusive culture in your day-to-day work and support a values-led, positive, health & safety and safeguarding culture in your interactions with colleagues and the volunteers.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise 

• Excellent relationship management and stewardship resulting in demonstrable account growth. 

• Effective account management or sales experience with brand and corporate partners across a variety of sectors.

• Experience using creativity and innovation to diversify income from partners, resulting in growth. 

• Outstanding communication skills and polished presentation and people skills to champion, and act as an ambassador for The Hygiene Bank in the business world, including preparing and leading presentations. 

• Detail-driven, strategic, motivated, with a forward-leaning approach to business. 

• Ability to work independently, multi-task, and prioritise a busy workload. 

• Outstanding written communication skills and experience in developing compelling proposals and collateral. 

• Experience working with internal stakeholder teams to help ensure partnership deliverables are met. 

• Passion for personal and professional development, as well as a proven can-do attitude to get involved in various aspects of fundraising delivery, as needed. 

Attributes and behaviours: 

• Passionate and demonstrably committed to improving the lives of people experiencing Hygiene Poverty and strong alignment with the charity’s values 

• A commitment to quality and attention to detail. 

• Ability to work on your own initiative. 

• A highly competent and collaborative team worker. 

• Discretion and the ability to maintain confidentiality. 

• Willingness to learn new skills. 

• Ability to work in a growth mindset, changing and flexible organisation. 

This job description and person specification represents an outline of the major components of the job and is not intended to be exhaustive.

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships. 

The National Youth Agency is looking for a Youth Voice and Influence Officer

Youth Voice and Influence Officer
Contract: Fixed term until 30th April 2027
Hours: Full-time - 37 hours per week
Salary: £36,050 (dependent on experience and qualifications)
Location: Home-based in England with occasional travel for meetings, workshops, and team activities. Head Office is in Leicester.

What we do

As the national body for youth work, the NYA has a dual function. We are the professional statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) responsible for qualifications, quality standards, and safeguarding for youth work and services in England. In line with our charity mission and aims, we also champion youth work through research, advocacy, campaigns, and programmes.

We work in partnership and believe in collaborative leadership, listening to youth workers and the youth work sector so that we can understand their needs and respond to the challenges they face. We are ambitious for youth work and for young people and integrate youth voice and influence across our work

About the Role

We are looking for a Youth Voice and Influence Officer to support the delivery of high-quality, inclusive Youth Voice & Influence (YV&I) initiatives across the NYA, ensuring that young people are meaningfully involved in shaping programmes, influencing decisions, and leading their own advocacy. The YV&I Officer will engage directly with young people and stakeholders, lead on smaller projects and/or individual programme work strands, support internal teams, and contribute to achieving the NYA’s mission of empowering young voices.

This vacancy will have a primary focus on delivering the UK Youth Parliament programme and flexibility to respond to organisational need.

Key Responsibilities

As a Youth Voice and Influence Officer, you will:

1. Deliver Against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Work with your line manager to define clear KPIs that align with NYA's strategic goals.
• Consistently deliver activities to a high standard within agreed timelines.
• Monitor and report on progress against KPIs, identifying challenges and proposing solutions.
• Support the evaluation of youth engagement programmes to promote continuous improvement.

2. Youth Voice Engagement and Delivery

• Lead and support the delivery of Youth Voice & Influence activities and events.
• Actively engage young people in shaping programmes, campaigns, and decisions.
• Facilitate inclusive, youth-led events, workshops, and forums.
• Ensure accessibility and inclusivity, especially for marginalised or underrepresented groups.

3. Flexibility and Support Across NYA Teams

• Provide flexible support across NYA teams to embed youth voice across organisational activities.
• Collaborate with colleagues to integrate youth input into wider initiatives.
• Share youth engagement expertise with other departments.
• Offer capacity where needed to maintain a consistent youth voice focus.

4. Building Relationships with Young People and Stakeholders

• Develop and maintain trusted relationships with young people and partner organisations.
• Provide support, guidance, and opportunities for young people to participate confidently.
• Foster inclusive and respectful environments for youth engagement.
• Collaborate with external stakeholders to increase youth influence on decisions.

5. Collaboration and Teamwork

• Work alongside other YV&I practitioners and teams to ensure consistency in YV&I work.
• Share best practices and contribute to a collaborative learning culture.
• Provide feedback from young people to shape new initiatives, campaigns, or policies.
• Engage in team meetings and professional development activities.

6. Monitoring, Reporting, and Feedback

• Maintain accurate records of YV&I activities, feedback, and outcomes.
• Assist with collecting and analysing data to evaluate programme impact.
• Contribute to internal and external reporting, presentations, and updates.

7. Supporting NYA’s Strategic Goals

• Align all YV&I work with NYA’s strategic vision of youth empowerment.
• Stay informed of youth sector trends and policy developments.

Why Work for NYA?

• NYA operates as a people-focused organisation, prioritising the well-being and needs of its employees.
• NYA offers an exceptional flexible working approach which encourages our team to balance professional responsibilities with their personal life.
• A remote based team, spread across England, fostering inclusivity and diverse talent. Despite geographical distances between team members, NYA maintains a highly motivated and connected team through the optimisation of digital tools.
• NYA is committed to supporting the continual personal and professional development of our team and helping them achieve their ambitions.
• We provide 25 days leave plus 8 days, life assurance scheme, 5% employer pension contribution and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme via Spectrum.life with unlimited specialist support available to all NYA employees.

Closing date: 23:59 Friday 14th June 2026
Please note: we reserve the right to close this vacancy early)
Interviews: Week commencing 6th July (subject to change)

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

The National Youth Agency is an equal opportunities employer. 

At NYA our inclusive culture means that we embrace individual differences and understand that we need a diverse team to achieve our organisations mission.

We wish to recruit candidates from all backgrounds to ensure our team reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We encourage applications from anyone regardless of disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, sexuality, religion, socio-economic background and political beliefs but we particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates and those from other minoritised ethnic groups in the UK as they are currently underrepresented in our team.

Please note: We use AI detector software, so applications or CV’s with high levels of AI generated content may be disregarded. We understand that AI tools can offer support to candidates who have learning differences, which is why we will accept applications with some AI assistance.

No agencies please.

Hours 25 Hours Per week across 5 days – to include daily play sessions 4-6pm each day. 

Manchester Young Lives is offering an exciting opportunity to join our team as an Early Intervention Worker, providing high-quality pastoral and therapeutic support for children and young people aged 6–14 years.

Following successful delivery for the last three years, we are delighted to be recruiting to a vacancy within our Early intervention team. The Early Intervention role focuses on providing support specifically for children and young people suffering increased levels of anxiety, loss of confidence and self-esteem, missing school or other types of isolation and trauma.

This role involves working directly with children and young people through face-to-face support, while also integrating into Play and Youth Sessions at our Adventure Playgrounds. You will work closely with families, schools, and other education and support agencies to help create the best possible opportunities and outcomes for the children and young people we support.

Based at our Adventure Playgrounds in Moss Side and Ardwick, the successful candidate will bring enthusiasm and passion for working with children and young people, the ability to use creative and innovative approaches to engage, support, and reassure them alongside a strong commitment to making a positive difference within local communities.

Working hours include after-school sessions and evening work, Monday to Friday, with some weekend work required to respond to local needs. Staff may also be required to work across a number of locations as part of the wider team.

Do you have a passion for gardening, the outdoors and creativity and enjoy sharing these interests with children and young people?

If so, we would love to hear from you.

Manchester Young Lives are recruiting a Garden Play Worker to enrich our Ofsted registered afterschool play provision for 6–13-year-olds. This is an exciting opportunity to help children connect with nature develop environmental awareness and take pride in creating and caring for a flourishing garden within our Adventure Playground.

We are looking for someone who can facilitate environmental and outdoor play supporting children to build self-confidence, self-esteem, and wellbeing while learning through the hands-on gardening and exploration.

The successful Candidate will:

Develop and support an engaging garden project within our outdoor play space.

Facilitate creative nature-based play and learning activities.

Build positive trusting relationships with Children.

Encourage Team work, responsibility, and enjoyment of the outdoors.

Manchester Young Lives supports children and young people, often from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to learn, develop and connect with their communities. Our work provides safe supportive relationships with committed staff and space to play, explore and let off steam in our outdoor space.

If you enjoy being outside, love gardening, and have a natural ability to engage and inspire children through play, this role could be perfect for you.

This role is at Manchester Young Lives Adventure Playground in Wythenshawe, and includes Monday – Friday play sessions, 3.45-6.15pm, and daytime holiday playschemes.

The National Youth Agency is looking for a Business Development Manager

Business Development Manager
Contract: 12-month fixed term (Maternity leave cover)
Hours: Full-time - 37 hours per week
Salary: £43,054 per annum (dependent on experience and qualifications)
Location: Home-based in England with occasional travel for meetings, workshops, and team activities. Head Office is in Leicester.

What we do

As the national body for youth work, the NYA has a dual function. We are the professional statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) responsible for qualifications, quality standards, and safeguarding for youth work and services in England. In line with our charity mission and aims, we also champion youth work through research, advocacy, campaigns, and programmes.

We work in partnership and believe in collaborative leadership, listening to youth workers and the youth work sector so that we can understand their needs and respond to the challenges they face. We are ambitious for youth work and for young people and integrate youth voice and influence across our work

About the Role

We are looking for an entrepreneurial and proactive Business Development Manager to develop relationships and opportunities with new clients, drive income generation and to grow the reach of the charity.

This role leads on securing new business opportunities across tenders, grants, consultancy, training, and government contracts, managing the process from initial research through to submission and handover. It focuses on building and maintaining relationships with partners across the public, voluntary, and private sectors, while promoting the NYA’s services and quality framework.

Key Responsibilities

As a Business Development Manager, you will:

• Seeking and attracting new opportunities for the NYA to work with public sector, voluntary sector, and private sector partners.
• Identifying and assessing prospects across tenders, grants, commercial proposals and government frameworks/contracts.
• Developing win themes, evidence, pricing assumptions (where applicable) and coordinating with internal and external stakeholders to develop bids.
• Managing clarifications, presentations/interviews and negotiation stages with commissioners/funders/clients.
• Keeping pipeline and plans up to date and reporting progress/risks against targets.
• Developing relationships with and maintaining existing relationships with clients and funders.
• Taking bids through to close including final agreements and contract sign off.
• Promoting NYA products, resources, consultancy services and training offer.
• Delivering market research, developing business strategies and pitches, managing projects, and identifying new business opportunities.
• Working as part of the wider Business Development Team to achieve income targets
• Working with our youth work specialists and Programmes and Research teams and reporting to the Head of Business Development.

Why Work for NYA?

• NYA operates as a people-focused organisation, prioritising the well-being and needs of its employees.
• NYA offers an exceptional flexible working approach which encourages our team to balance professional responsibilities with their personal life.
• A remote based team, spread across England, fostering inclusivity and diverse talent. Despite geographical distances between team members, NYA maintains a highly motivated and connected team through the optimisation of digital tools.
• NYA is committed to supporting the continual personal and professional development of our team and helping them achieve their ambitions.
• We provide 25 days leave plus 8 days, life assurance scheme, 5% employer pension contribution and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme via Spectrum.life with unlimited specialist support available to all NYA employees.

Closing date: 5pm Friday 26th June 2026
Please note: we reserve the right to close this vacancy early
Interviews: Week commencing 6th July 2026 (subject to change)

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

The National Youth Agency is an equal opportunities employer. 

At NYA our inclusive culture means that we embrace individual differences and understand that we need a diverse team to achieve our organisations mission.

We wish to recruit candidates from all backgrounds to ensure our team reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We encourage applications from anyone regardless of disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, sexuality, religion, socio-economic background and political beliefs but we particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates and those from other minoritised ethnic groups in the UK as they are currently underrepresented in our team.

Please note: We use AI detector software, so applications or CV’s with high levels of AI generated content may be disregarded. We understand that AI tools can offer support to candidates who have learning differences, which is why we will accept applications with some AI assistance.

No agencies please.

We are looking for two Domestic Abuse Prevention Workers to support the delivery of services across Greater Manchester.

The role
The Domestic Abuse Prevention Worker will undertake individual and group sessions with men and women who are participating in our Domestic Abuse Prevention Programmes (DAPP) or Domestic Abuse Interventions. The purpose of this role is to deliver sessions that support a perpetrator to address and change their behaviour, ensuring they develop their understanding of domestic abuse, as well as it’s impact on others. You will conduct comprehensive needs and suitability assessments. You will support the delivery of face-to-face and online sessions, including two evening group sessions per week. 

As a Domestic Abuse Prevention Worker, you will work with people on awareness raising, developing their motivation to change, ensuring accountability, and prioritising the safety of their partners/ex-partners and any children involved. The Domestic Abuse Prevention worker will work closely with the victim/survivor integrated service to review risk, develop safety plans, and improve outcomes for all parties involved. 

About you
You’ll have a deep understanding of the nature of domestic abuse and its effects on clients and children, as well as the reasons behind abusive behaviours towards intimate partners.

 Your knowledge extends to the range of statutory and voluntary agencies that clients and their children may encounter, and you are aware of the impact of domestic abuse on children and parenting, including the additional needs of clients from BMER communities. 

You will have experience in working with clients on issues of domestic abuse, providing one-to-one and group support and advice, managing your own workload and administration, and assessing the risk and safety of your clients and those connected to your client. You will have handled safeguarding disclosures and referrals, and you communicate clearly with a range of people both over the telephone and in person. 

You will be organised, able to use your initiative, and work effectively as part of a multi-service team. Your administrative skills are strong, and you are adept at using a computer to maintain effective systems. 

Flexible and willing to work evenings, you can travel independently. Additionally, you will have an understanding of trauma-informed practices, risk mitigation, and safeguarding. Experience liaising with social workers and other professionals, and in related areas such as substance misuse, child protection, or family support, is desirable. 

Fluency in an additional language and skills in group work are also advantageous. You stay updated with best practices and new initiatives. 

We want you to feel empowered to bring your authentic self to this role, so we encourage flexible working around core hours. We offer an annual continuous Professional Development allowance, generous annual leave entitlement and Birthday leave.

About us
We want to make working at TLC an enjoyable and rewarding experience.
It takes a dedicated, passionate, and flexible team to deliver the range of services we provide. We’re lucky to have over 150 people on our teams and 12 Trustees who believe in what we do. We are looking for enthusiastic, experienced, engaged and highly motivated people to join our team.

We aim to encourage a culture where people can be themselves and be valued for their strengths. We seek to attract and employ the best people from the widest pool, reflecting the diverse range of people we support.

We want to make our recruitment processes accessible to everyone, so if there is any way that we can support you to be the best you can be, please contact us. 

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Please note: we will be shortlisting applications on an on-going basis so we encourage applicants not to wait until the closing date to submit an application where possible.

Head of Project Delivery

Help provide more safe spaces and support for young people across the UK.

Are you an exceptional project leader who thrives on delivering complex, multi-stakeholder programmes? Do you want your work to make a lasting difference to communities?

We’re looking for a Head of Project Delivery to play a crucial role in bringing new Youth Zones to life—state-of-the-art, multimillion-pound spaces that transform opportunities for young people in some of the country’s most disadvantaged communities.

As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome applications from under-represented groups; in particular from Black, Asian, Mixed Race & other ethnically diverse individuals, people with disabilities, and members of LGBTQ+ communities.

Position: Head of Project Delivery (internally known as Head of Youth Zone Project Delivery)

Location: Hybrid working (2 days a week in either the Bolton or London offices combined with home-working and travel across our Youth Zone network as required)

Salary: £65,000-70,000

Hours: Full-time (37.5 hours/week) – 0.8 FTE can be considered

Contract: Permanent

Benefits: Agile working with flexibility in working hours; 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (rising to a maximum of 30 days); birthday leave, additional annual leave purchase scheme; company matched pension; company sick, maternity, paternity & adoption pay; Employee Assistance Programme, active and engaged networks to join (including Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) and access to Charity Worker discounts.

Closing Date: 12noon on 10th June We may close this role early if we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

First Stage Interviews (online): 24th June

Second Stage Interviews (in-person at a Youth Zone – location TBC): 2nd July

About the Role

In this exciting and newly created role, you will lead the project management of new projects with end-to-end delivery of multiple new Youth Zones. Working closely with colleagues across multi-disciplinary teams, you will ensure every project is delivered effectively, collaboratively and to the highest standards.

You will thrive on managing the detail of individual projects, whilst also maintaining oversight across the whole portfolio of projects at different stages. The role doesn’t have direct reports but requires strong matrix leadership, influencing others to deliver at pace and with accountability.

You will:

• Lead project planning, governance and delivery across multiple Youth Zone developments
• Chair project meetings and manage decision-making gateways
• Ensure robust reporting, risk management and issue resolution
• Use strong relationships and collaborative working to coordinate diverse stakeholders across multi-disciplinary teams

About You

You will have excellent project management skills and significant experience of project managing multi-year complex projects and/or programmes using robust project management tools and methodologies.

A confident, credible project leader who can operate at both strategic and operational levels, you’ll bring:

• Experience using formal project methodologies (e.g. PRINCE2, PMP) and tools such as MS Project
• Strong stakeholder management with the ability to influence others
• Excellent planning, organisational and reporting skills
• A highly collaborative approach with ability to work across multi-disciplinary teams
• Clear, engaging communication skills with the ability to adapt to different audiences
• Experience within the charity or public sector (desirable)
• A genuine passion for improving outcomes for young people

Above all, you’re motivated by purpose and excited by the opportunity to help deliver spaces that enable young people to thrive.

About the Organisation

A national charity that believes all young people should have the opportunity to discover their passion and their purpose that fund and build state-of-the-art, multimillion-pound youth centres called Youth Zones in the country’s most economically disadvantaged areas. The organisation trains the amazing people that run them and offers continuing support to youth zones nationwide through a national network of independent youth charities.

It’s about opportunity.

You may have experience in areas such as Project Manager, Head of Project Management, Director of Project Management, Head of Project Delivery, Senior Project Manager, Project Manager Lead.

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

Drive is a high risk / high harm domestic abuse perpetration intervention. Its sole aim is to reduce the risk posed by those using high levels of harm towards family members and / or (ex) partners. This is achieved via disruption, diversion and direct behaviour change work, where safe to do so, within a multi-agency framework.

The Case Manager will strive to work one-to-one with perpetrators who have been identified as high risk to pro-actively secure engagement, influence attitudinal and behavioural change and connect with complementary services. To do this, the Case Manager will work with local agencies to design a co-ordinated, strategic individual intervention plan to address identified needs and risks and promote understanding of the impact of abusive behaviours. However, it may not always be safe or possible to meet with the perpetrator. Equally as vital to risk reduction efforts is analysis of presenting information to identify ways to disrupt their abusive behaviour, alongside close-knit multiagency working to implement actions.

Throughout all intervention the Drive Case Manager will work closely with the local IDVA service to review risk, develop safety plans and improve outcomes for all parties involved.

The Case Manager will be responsible for delivering outcomes, working typically for up to 12 months to achieve behaviour change with each Service User.

About you
You’ll have a deep understanding of the nature of domestic abuse and its effects on clients and children, as well as the reasons behind abusive behaviours towards intimate partners.

Your knowledge extends to the range of statutory and voluntary agencies that clients and their children may encounter, and you are aware of the impact of domestic abuse on children and parenting, including the additional needs of clients from BMER communities. 

You will have experience in working with clients on issues of domestic abuse, providing one-to-one and group support and advice, managing your own workload and administration, and assessing the risk and safety of your clients and those connected to your client.  You will have handled safeguarding disclosures and referrals, and you communicate clearly with a range of people both over the telephone and in person. 

You will be organised, able to use your initiative, and work effectively as part of a multi-service team. Your administrative skills are strong, and you are adept at using a computer to maintain effective systems. 

Flexible and willing to work evenings, you can travel independently. Additionally, you will understand trauma-informed practices, risk mitigation, and safeguarding. Experience liaising with social workers and other professionals, and in related areas such as substance misuse, child protection, or family support, is desirable. 

Fluency in an additional language and skills in group work are also advantageous. You stay updated with best practices and new initiatives. 

We want you to feel empowered to bring your authentic self to this role, so we encourage flexible working around core hours. We offer an annual continuous Professional Development allowance, generous annual leave entitlement and Birthday leave.

About us
We want to make working at TLC an enjoyable and rewarding experience.
It takes a dedicated, passionate, and flexible team to deliver the range of services we provide. We’re lucky to have over 150 people on our teams and 12 Trustees who believe in what we do. We are looking for enthusiastic, experienced, engaged and highly motivated people to join our team.

We aim to encourage a culture where people can be themselves and be valued for their strengths. We seek to attract and employ the best people from the widest pool, reflecting the diverse range of people we support.

We want to make our recruitment processes accessible to everyone, so if there is any way that we can support you to be the best you can be, please contact us. 

Please note: We are running an active interviewing process for these roles. Rather than waiting until the application deadline to begin reviewing candidates, we start reading applications and speaking with people as they come in.

This means interviews may take place throughout the advertising period, and the role may be filled before the closing date if we find the right candidate early. If you’re interested, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible so you can be considered in the first round of interviews

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check

Today, 12 children and young people will be diagnosed with cancer. We’ll stop at nothing to make sure they get the right care and support at the right time.  ​

• Directorate: Innovation, Policy & Systems Change
• Reporting into: Associate Director of Research, Learning and Systems Change
• Colleagues reporting into role: No direct reports at present. However, coaching and managing of volunteers and/or consultants is expected. 
• Location: You can be home-based anywhere in the UK, with travel for meetings. You can also choose to work from our Bristol or London offices.
• Closing date: Monday 8 June at 12 midday
• Interview dates: Monday 15 June and Tuesday 16 June (please tell us in your application if you cannot attend interview on one of these days)

Change lives in a life-changing career

When a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer, their whole world can feel like it’s falling apart. Independence is taken and confidence is stolen. Stability no longer exists. The future suddenly feels uncertain.

The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical. And that impact can be felt by entire family. That’s why we exist. Our specialist social workers help children and young people with cancer and their families navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer.

We remove barriers, solve problems and prioritise well-being. And we stop at nothing to make their voices heard and their unique needs understood, so they can get the right care and support at the right time.

About the role

We’re looking for a Head of Research & Evidence to join our ambitious Research, Learning & Systems Change Team. 

Young Lives vs Cancer has a strong and growing commitment to changing the system for children and young people with cancer, and their loved ones. Our North Star vision and Time is Now Strategy focus on influencing how the wider system works – from services and policy to practice on the ground – so that families get the support they need.

The Head of Research and Evidence sits in the Research, Learning & Systems Change team, within our Innovation, Policy & Systems Change Directorate. The role is responsible for ensuring our work is grounded in strong, credible and useful evidence, and that learning is actively used to shape decisions, practice and change across the system.

This is a leadership role within a small but ambitious team. You will set direction and provide thought leadership, but you will also be hands on – designing, commissioning, managing and using research alongside colleagues and partners.

Building trusted relationships and using evidence to influence thinking and action are central. You will work with colleagues, children and young people, families, and partner organisations (such as the North Star Cancer Collective) to learn, strengthen credibility and create change.

This role is subject to a Criminal Record Check. In the event of a successful application, a Basic Criminal Record Check will be completed. A previous conviction is not necessarily a barrier to employment. We encourage qualified applicants to apply, and we will consider each case individually.

What will I be doing?

No two days are the same at Young Lives vs Cancer. So, summarising your ‘day to day’ isn’t easy. You’ll work as part of a strong internal team, collaborating closely with colleagues across the organisation and with key external partners to generate, use and apply evidence that supports learning, influence and system change. Here are some of the main things you’ll be doing, but you’ll find more details in the job description and pack:

• You’ll be setting the direction for research and learning, leading a clear and purposeful research programme focused on the psychosocial experiences of children and young people with cancer. You’ll ensure research is high‑quality, ethical and impactful, including commissioning work with partners and contributing to research funding bids.

• You’ll be understanding needs and experiences to grow a strong, credible evidence base, building and using robust evidence on need, inequality, impact and progress to inform strategy, services, policy and system change. You’ll ensure children, young people and families meaningfully shape research and that insight is shared in clear, practical ways.

• You’ll be providing system insight and leadership, analysing how the system works, identifying trends and pressures, and using evidence to guide where change is most needed. You’ll build trusted relationships across the voluntary sector, NHS and research community, sharing learning and strengthening our credibility and influence.

• You’ll be turning learning into action and influence, helping teams apply research to real‑world practice and supporting testing, learning and improvement over time. You’ll put feedback and learning loops in place and assess how research‑informed change is affecting practice and outcomes.

What do I need? 

Diverse perspectives and unique skill sets are at the heart of Young Lives vs Cancer. If you're passionate about making a positive impact and eager to learn, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet the criteria and person specification fully. Your potential is what matters most to us, and we’re committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment to help you develop.

The key skills we’re looking for in this role are:

• Experience leading and delivering research, including setting direction, choosing methods, commissioning or carrying out research, analysing data, and ensuring high quality and ethical practice.

• Strong research and analytical skills, with confidence working with both qualitative and quantitative data and evidence, and turning insight into practical action.

• Experience using evidence to support change, such as shaping strategy, influencing policy, improving services or supporting system change.

• Experience working across organisations, building trusted relationships with colleagues, partners, and where appropriate, children, young people and families.

• Ability to communicate complex research clearly and accessibly to different audiences, in writing and in conversation.

• A collaborative way of working, with strong people skills, curiosity and a learning mindset, and a clear commitment to equity, inclusion and anti‑oppressive practice.

What will I gain?

For people to reach their full potential, they need the right environment. As a member of Team Young Lives, you’ll be made to feel supported, valued and appreciated. Here’s how we do it:

• Flexible working: we’re open to working hours outside of 9 - 5 and we can talk through your flexibility requirements at interview stage
• Well-being, Thinking & Growth Days: four days a year to to step back from the day-to-day and focus on your own learning and development
• Generous annual leave allowance
• Great family/caring leave entitlements
• Enhanced pension
• Access to our employee savings scheme

To find out more about our benefits package, have a look on our website.

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

At Young Lives vs Cancer, we recognise that opportunities for too many people remain a condition of their sex, ethnicity, class, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation – or a combination. This has never been acceptable to us as an organisation. We don’t just accept difference, we value it, celebrate it, nurture it and we thrive because of it.

We’re on a journey to be reflective of the diverse children, young people and families we support. We know we aren’t there yet, and we’re passionately committed to taking actions and making changes to be a truly diverse, inclusive and equitable organisation. This includes taking anti-oppressive action and removing barriers in our recruitment practices. Our Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging strategy will tell you more.

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 AI 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 tell us about your skills and experiences in your own voice.

Accessibility

We’re committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always aim to be as accommodating as possible. Please let us know in your application form of any adjustments or access requirements we could make to help you with the application process and interview.

To hear more about this role, please sign up to one of our informal drop in sessions taking place at 12:30pm on Tuesday 26th May and 17:30pm on Monday 01st June.

#ShowTheSalary #NonGraduatesWelcome

The Navigators is a Christian discipleshp charity working across the UK. We are seeking an organised and proactive Events Executive to provide maternity cover and lead the delivery of our key external events, including the National Conference and launch of our Alongside course.

The role involves co-ordinating event logistics, managing budgets, working closely with internal teams and helping ensure events are used effectively to engage people with our work and support the growth of a movment of 'Alongsiders'.

We offer a friendly and supportive team to work with, the opportunity to take responsibility for two high profile events based on solid foundations from previous successes and a competitive remuneration package.

We would ideally like to have a candidate working fully or hybrid from the Southampton Office. However we are willing to consider applications from exceptional candidates who would only be able to take the post working fully remotely from within the UK with the ability to travel to events. 

The attached candidate pack contains more details about our work, the role and the person description for this post.

Please note that there is an occupational requirement for the post holder to be a practicing Christian.