Knowledge and policy manager jobs

Looking to Make a Real Difference in Your Community?

Do you enjoy connecting with people, working together, and being part of something meaningful? Are you passionate about helping others live healthier, more connected lives?

We’re looking for a Community Connector to join our friendly and supportive Wellbeing Collaborative Team. In this role, you’ll help link people to the fantastic support available through local charities, voluntary organisations, and community groups across Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole, and wider Dorset.

Whether it’s supporting someone as they leave hospital or helping them find a local group that boosts their wellbeing, your work will make a real difference to people’s lives and help strengthen local communities.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Building positive relationships with professionals, volunteers, and community partners
• Supporting people to find and access local services that help them stay well and independent
• Spotting where support is missing and helping to shape new, community-led solutions
• Championing the work of local charities and groups, and helping raise awareness of what’s available
• Working in both hospital and community settings to connect people with the right support at the right time

About You

You’re someone who enjoys meeting people, listening, and making connections. You care about your community and understand how important local support can be. You’ll also appreciate the role of the voluntary sector and how it works alongside services like the NHS and local councils.

You don’t need formal qualifications—just a good standard of English and Maths, and a genuine desire to help others. If you’ve worked in hospital discharge, reablement, or community signposting before, that’s great—but if not, don’t worry. We’ll provide all the training and support you need.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary
• 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays)
• Contributory pension scheme
• Season train ticket loan
• Flexible working arrangements
• A supportive, inclusive and inspiring team environment

For an informal discussion, please contact Samantha Bingham, Development Manager.

Available documents on our website:

• Together We CAN Plan 2020 2025
• CAN our values
• Job Description and Person Specification
• Application form

18-Month Fixed Term Contract
Salary: £78,181 + Excellent Benefits
Location: London / Hybrid Working
Sector: Not-for-Profit

About the Organisation

Our client is a large, complex organisation operating in the not-for-profit sector, with a diverse portfolio that includes investment management, grant funding, housing services, and pension scheme administration. With an annual income exceeding £100 million, the organisation is undergoing significant transformation to modernise its finance systems and improve service delivery.

The Finance department operates as a shared service across multiple entities, supporting strategic decision-making and ensuring financial sustainability. The team is currently engaged in a major transformation programme, including system upgrades and process improvements. This interim role has been created to allow the Head of FP&A more time to focus on this transformation. The Deputy will focus on BAU.

The Job

This is a senior interim leadership role within the Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) function. As Deputy Head of FP&A (Finance Business Partnering), you will:

• Lead a team of five Finance Business Partners, ensuring consistent and high-quality financial support across the organisation
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and management reporting processes
• Drive improvements in reporting tools, templates, and processes
• Support the Head of FP&A and collaborate with other senior finance leaders
• Lead on business-as-usual change initiatives, including internal audit actions and risk mitigation
• Act as a senior finance representative on project boards and steering groups
• Promote financial accountability and literacy across the organisation

You'll play a key role in embedding a culture of strategic insight, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

The Person

You'll be a qualified accountant with significant post-qualification experience in financial planning and analysis. You'll bring:

Essential Experience:

• Leadership of finance business partnering
• Expertise in budgeting, forecasting, and management reporting
• Proven track record of process improvement and problem-solving
• Experience developing and motivating teams
• Strong understanding of financial systems and data structures

Essential Skills:

• Advanced Excel and data manipulation skills
• Strong analytical and presentation capabilities
• Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills
• Ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-finance audiences
• Organised, proactive, and resilient

Desirable:

• SAP experience
• Advanced Excel modelling
• Experience with financial planning tools
• Knowledge of charity finance and SORP (not essential)

What's in it for you?

• Salary: £78,181
• Non-contributory pension (8%-15% depending on age)
• 28 days annual leave + 3 additional gratuity days
• Flexible working and strong work-life balance
• Inclusive and collaborative working environment
• Opportunity to lead through change and make a meaningful impact

What to Do Next

If you're a strategic finance leader looking for a rewarding interim opportunity in a purpose-driven organisation, we'd love to hear from you.

Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at hays.co.uk

For 140 years, the Forces Employment Charity has proudly supported Service leavers, veterans, and their families in building successful civilian careers.

We provide veterans with life-long, life-changing support, jobs, and training opportunities, regardless of circumstances, rank, length of service, or reason for leaving.

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Brief role description:

The Employment Advisor- Young People will provide progression mentoring and employability support to military family members and manage a diverse caseload of young people affected by military life, specifically civilian children aged 16-24 of a serving or veteran parent/guardian.

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• Assess the individual client’s needs

• Help and support Young People (YP) affected by military life

• Build relationships and partnerships with YP services

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The Employment Advisor- Yong People will do this by providing employment & job finding support, access to wider support agencies and, when required, individual needs assessments.

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Interested? Want to know more about the Charity? please visit our website

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Eager to know more the role? Have a look at the Job Description attached.

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What’s in it for you? Check out the Benefits sheet attached.

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Have we convinced you to apply? If so, submit your CV and Covering Letter by closing date Monday, 11 August 2025

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Please note: Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert; therefore, we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as possible. If you are an internal applicant, please ensure you have made The People Team aware before applying.

We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff by fostering an inclusive, supportive environment where everyone, including those with disabilities, can thrive, develop, and achieve their full potential. We actively encourage applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds and ensure reasonable adjustments are made to support candidates with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.

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We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process.

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We are looking for an ambitious and strategic Development Director to shape the future and income streams for our museum & mill . This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced individual to build a ground up strategy and lead the development of an ambitious organisation.

Thanks to generous funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Pilgrim Trust, The Headley Trust, Granada Foundation & Arts Council England, The Silk Heritage Trust is embarking on an ambitious 18-month development programme Strengthening The Future of Macclesfield's Heritage.The Trust is working to establish The Silk Museum and Paradise Mill as a national centre for silk heritage and heritage textile crafts. Strengthening The Future of Macclesfield’s Heritage moves the Trust towards this vision, strengthening fundraising capacity plus staff and board skills, to provide a solid foundation for the future.

The Trust has achieved a great deal over the last 5 years, securing funding from public sources, trusts, and foundations. This newly created role will build on this success and attract substantial support from individuals and corporate sources. It involves working with internal and external stakeholders to raise funds for core funding, projects, and capital campaigns. It is envisaged that the post-holder will work with Trustees and staff to establish a Development sub-group to inform and drive this work. Strategic planning and communications are key to this. This role will drive forward new plans for individual giving, philanthropy and fundraising to significantly rebuild the Trust’s reserves.

Role:

To lead the Trust’s work towards financial resilience through broadening its income streams

To increase voluntary income from funders and philanthropists by 50%, reflating free reserves, through an ambitious Development & Fundraising Strategy

To initiate, lead, and deliver projects to develop and transform the work, premises, and staff of the Silk Museum & Paradise Mill, working with consultancy support to:

· Develop a 3-5 year business plan

· Cost and plan options for tackling the site:

o Limitations to accessibility and visitor welcome

o Constraints to income generation

o significant challenges to building maintenance, environmental sustainability, care, and display of our collections

o rising energy costs

· Secure funding for major conservation, building repairs and organisational development.

To build a new supporter community and membership offer to attract supporters and philanthropists for the Trust’s development plans

To build and lead strong relationships with partners for collaboration, fundraising, and sponsorship

To drive strong working relationships and communication with Museum staff, volunteers, and Trustees, to develop a broad fundraising ethos, including training and mentoring to Trustees and Museum staff

To keep current with fundraising sector developments, approaches, and opportunities

Specific Responsibilities and Duties:

Development

· Review and develop the Trust’s Development & Fundraising Strategy, identifying and pursuing fundraising opportunities, campaigns, and funding applications in line with this strategy, including:

o Trusts and foundations

o Statutory funders

o Corporate support and partnerships

o a new legacies programme, Supporters, and individual giving programmes

· Maximise income and in-kind support through fundraising activities onsite and online, including events and sponsorship, to engage current supporters and cultivate new relationships.

· Ensure that all fundraising activities are delivered professionally and timely to ensure maximum and meaningful engagement

· Manage the evaluation of fundraising activities and prepare and submit reports to key stakeholders.

· Deliver reporting for statutory funders, ensuring that the museum delivers on its reporting requirements in a timely manner.

General responsibilities and duties

· Oversee the work of the Programming Team (Senior Curator, Paradise Mill; Museum Curator; Community Engagement Programmer) in delivering, evaluating, and reporting on existing funded programmes, including Arts Council CIP, Pilgrim Trust, Granada Foundation, Foyle Foundation, and Macclesfield Town Council.

· Contribute to the success and culture of The Silk Heritage Trust

· Interact and cooperate proactively with all employees, trustees, and volunteers, ensuring good teamwork.

· Manage performance of staff, volunteers, and researchers as appropriate and in line with the Trust’s performance management processes.

· Make best use of technology across our activities.

· Support effective communications and promotion of The Silk Museum and Paradise Mill

· Work flexibly at times and on occasions that connect with the needs of audiences and communities.

· Ensure we are adhering to and compliant with our policies, processes, and statutory obligations.

· Help to ensure any barriers to equality of opportunity are removed and to eliminate unfair and unlawful discrimination, giving everyone an equal chance to learn, work and live free from discrimination and prejudice.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and target driven individual with experience of delivering investment from wide range of funding streams. The successful candidate will have a passion for storytelling, relationship building and strong negotiation, networking, and stewardship skills. You will know the complexities of working with funders and stakeholders and are able to develop strong long-term relationships, resulting in investment.

Diversity and equality within our workforce, programmes and approaches is crucial to our mission of being inclusive and relevant to our communities. We want everyone to feel welcome. We, therefore, particularly welcome applications from candidates under-represented at The Silk Museum and within the heritage sector, including Global Majority candidates and/or candidates with disabilities.

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity for the right person to join the Refugee Migrant Centre as its Finance Assistant. RMC is an established, award winning, regional charity, renowned for its work with refugees and migrants.

For over 23 years, RMC has assisted thousands of refugees and migrants from 162 countries. It has helped to remove the barriers to integration, helping its clients become equal citizens, using a whole-person approach to the delivery of services from specialist legal advice through to education and employment programmes. ​

With the organisation expanding the finance department is also expanding and there is need for a Finance Assistant who will work closely with the key members of the finance department. This is an exciting time to be joining the team, as RMC are strengthening and expanding its infrastructure following a period of growth in staff, activities and turnover (from £776k to £3.8 million in the last 5 years).

Purpose and Scope of the Role

Job purpose:   

To support the Finance Officer in all aspects of the finance function and be responsible for the Financial Administration side of the the team's daily activities. Maintaining accurate records and assisting with the production of financial reports for month end proceudres as required by the finance Manager. Must also be able to communicate effectively with internal and external staff and be able to work on using your own initiative within a team as well independently. The role requires excellent attention to detail.

Main duties and responsibilities of the role

The post holder will have at least 2 years’ in-depth Admin & Book-keeping experience which includes:  

· Excellent book keeping, including bank reconciliations, sales and purchase ledger maintenance.  

· Assisting the Finance Officer to record and monitor and track income and expenditure and maintaining balanced and highly accurate records using QuickBooks. 

· Regular use of Excel to assist with maintaining and updating financial documents.

· Maintaining petty cash and reconciling monthly for the petty cash. accounts for Volunteers' expenses and general petty cash accounts for all 4 sites.  

· Ordering equipment and stationery using the correct process and negotiating with suppliers as well as matching invoices to delivery notes.  

· Monthly supplier statement reconciliations as well as liaising with suppliers to deal with any discrepancies.  

· Analyse staff expenses in line with the organisation's policy.  

· Assisting with the pension scheme reconciliations each month. 

· Assist in the weekly payment runs to suppliers through faster payment matching, batching, coding, and posting supplier invoices

· HMRC and Pension Journals.

· Filling and scanning documents

· Assisting in any other tasks required for the position

Flexibility 

In order to deliver the stated aims of for this post, a degree of flexibility is needed and the post holder may be required to perform work not specifically referred to above, such duties will fall within the scope of the job and be directly related within the appropriate pay grade. The job description will therefore be subject to periodic review with the post holder to ensure it accurately reflects the duties that are being performed 

Essential  

• Minimum 2 years in an equivalent Finance Position.
• Practical knowledge of QuickBooks  
• Excellent Knowledge of using Excel for financial spreadsheets  
• Familiarity of project funding and charity sector funders  

Applications will be assessed and suitable candidates will be shortlisted and interviewed on an ongoing basis and the Job will be closed once a suitable candidate has been appointed.

Reading Specialist - HMP The Mount

Location: HMP The Mount (Hertfordshire)
Department: Prison delivery
Salary: £28,274 per annum
Hours: Full time (35 hours)
Contract Type: Permanent

Do you want to join an organisation committed to addressing low literacy levels amongst people in prison?

Shannon Trust are delighted to be working with His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) to provide peer-led literacy and numeracy programmes across a number of prisons.  We now have the opportunity to provide a service at HMP The Mount. Working closely with the prison and their staff, people in prison, Shannon Trust volunteers and mentors, this post will lead the delivery and development of our prison-based reading and numeracy programme, maximising opportunities for people in prison to learn to read.

Ideally you will have some experience of prison settings underpinned by the ability to build relationships and personal qualities that include resilience, determination and a problem-solving approach. 

This role will be prison based. Employee benefits include a company contribution to pension scheme of up to 5%, 30 days holiday plus bank holidays, life insurance, paid volunteering days, discounts via Reward Gateway and an Employee Assistance Programme. The biggest benefit though is our culture – our people really want to work for the organisation.

‍We welcome job applications from people with lived experience of the criminal justice system and do not routinely ask for details of any criminal convictions. These roles do require prison security clearance, so we will need to ask for details of any relevant criminal convictions before an offer of employment is finalised.

‍Interviews are planned for: 1st August 2025

Benefits: Standard Shannon Trust: Employee benefits include a company contribution to pension scheme of up to 5%, 30 days holiday plus bank holidays, life insurance, paid volunteering days, discounts via Reward Gateway and an Employee Assistance Programme.

REF-222511

Job Title: Experienced Associate Independent Investigating Officers (IOs) for Stage 2 Complaints (This role sits within our Independent Person for Complaints (IPC) service)

Contract: Associate

Hours: Variable, according to demand for services/caseload and role in investigation

Salary: £25.25 per hour

Location: Associate Independent Investigating Officers for Complaints primarily work from home. Some travel may be required as part of an investigation – location will vary according to the referral received from the Local Authority. Cases will be allocated to Associate IOs living locally to the referring authority, wherever possible.

About Coram

Coram is committed to improving the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people.

We support children and young people from birth to independence, creating a change that lasts a lifetime.

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity, founded by Thomas Coram in London, helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.

About the role

We are seeking additional experienced Associate Independent Investigating Officers (IO) for Complaints, to increase our capacity to respond to referrals from Local Authorities to provide an independent element to the formal Stage 2 investigations under the Children Act 1989.

The IO will lead investigations, and will give the complainant (who may be a child, young person or adult) the opportunity to express their view, ensure the child or young person’s rights and best interests are at the centre of the investigation and that the investigation/review process is open and transparent. They write a report on the investigation/review, which is submitted to the referring agency.

The Job Description document sets out the expectations for an Associate Independent Person for Complaints (IPC) who is approved by Coram Voice. IPCs are independent, freelance and responsible for their own work. Nevertheless, IPCs are accountable to the organisation for their professional standards and are expected to comply with Coram Voice Code of Ethics and Practice Guidelines.

Please note: the nature of associate work means that we cannot guarantee a regular amount of work, and complaints will be allocated dependent on the associate’s availability, location and the needs and demands of the individual case. Investigation work takes place Monday to Friday within working hours. This position is not suitable for applicants who already work or have commitments more than two days within the working week.

To apply for this role, please click on the 'apply now' button below to complete the application.

Closing date: Please note this is a rolling recruitment campaign

Interview date: TBC

Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from, Asian, African, Caribbean and other minority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBTQ+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.

If applicants feel comfortable, we would encourage them to draw on lived experience as well as professional experience in their personal statement as part of their application.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Registered Charity No. 312278.

Deputy Safeguarding Advisor
Canterbury, Kent
£36,397 pa plus excellent benefits
35 hours per week
Permanent 

The Deputy Safeguarding Advisor is a very important role at the Diocese, as you will provide advice to parishes on safeguarding issues, cases and incidents to help ensure that our parishes, the Cathedral and the Diocesan offices discharge their responsibilities for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults who may be at risk of abuse or neglect.

Reporting to the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer and working within the Safeguarding Team, you will support and carry out casework which will also include reviewing safety plans and/or safeguarding agreements, assessing and managing risk of harm and undertaking risk assessments on blemished DBS checks or Confidential Declarations.

As Deputy Safeguarding Advisor, you will provide best practice advice to all stakeholders and partners as well as participating in the Diocese of Canterbury’s Safeguarding Executive Group and Diocesan and Cathedral Safeguarding Advisory Panel, whilst taking responsibility for preparing reports when requested.

Working closely with the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer, you will also coordinate the Diocese’s response to victims and survivors of church-based abuse which includes ensuring that victims and survivors are assisted in accessing relevant support services.

With a relevant professional qualification or equivalent (for example, social care or criminal justice) you should have significant experience of undertaking safeguarding risk assessments and professional safeguarding expertise and experience in a relevant statutory, voluntary, or judicial agency. 

Practitioner experience of working with victims and survivors of abuse and with offenders and perpetrators of abuse, is also essential.

You should have an understanding of the broader safeguarding field including its social and political context along with an in-depth knowledge of safeguarding legislation in relation to safeguarding children and adults, as well as having experience in using appropriate interview models with victims, survivors, and respondents.

Experience of contributing to case review processes and identifying and disseminating lessons to be learnt, e.g. Serious Case Review, Domestic Homicide Reviews, would be desirable. It would also be beneficial but not essential for you to have an understanding and good working knowledge of the Church of England, its organisation and governance structures.

You will be required to travel across the Diocese for meetings, so the ability to travel to remote locations and work flexibly is a necessity. This role will also be subject to an enhanced DBS check.

The Diocese of Canterbury Diocesan Safeguarding Team provides professional safeguarding guidance in line with the Church of England’s Safeguarding Code of Practice, House of Bishop’s Guidance, and the Church of England National Safeguarding Standards. A key aspect of the team’s role is to provide compassionate support to survivors of abuse in addition to safeguarding children, young people, and vulnerable adults, ensuring their voices are heard and their experiences are respected.

Canterbury Diocese is the oldest diocese in England, stretching from Maidstone to Thanet, the Isle of Sheppey to the Romney Marsh. We have 350 miles of coastline with historic ports and seaside resorts, alongside rural communities, market towns and commuter-belt urban developments. Affluent areas often sit alongside pockets of major deprivation, offering an exciting and challenging mission context. 

At the heart of all we do is a vision of transformation for ourselves and our communities: no one can encounter God and remain unchanged. In the Diocese of Canterbury, we want to increasingly become a Christian community transformed through encounter with Christ, growing and overflowing to transform and bless the families, homes and communities we serve: Changed Lives, Changing Lives.

Closing date: 10th August 2025, 11.59pm
Interview date: 20th August 2025 – Canterbury.

Prison Facilitator - HMP Liverpool

Location: HMP Liverpool
Department: Prison delivery
Salary: £28,274 per annum
Hours: 35 hours
Contract Type: Permanent

Do you want to join an organisation committed to addressing low literacy levels amongst people in prison?

Shannon Trust are delighted to be working with His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) to provide peer-led learning programmes at HMP Liverpool. 

Working closely with the prison and their staff, Shannon Trust volunteers and mentors, this post will lead the delivery and development of our prison-based reading and numeracy programme, maximising peer opportunities for people in prison to learn to read.

Ideally you will have some experience of prison settings underpinned by the ability to build relationships and possess personal qualities that include resilience, determination and a problem-solving approach. 

This role will be prison based. Employee benefits include a company contribution to pension scheme of up to 5%, 30 days holiday plus bank holidays, life insurance, paid volunteering days, discounts via Reward Gateway and an Employee Assistance Programme. The biggest benefit though is our culture – our people really want to work for the organisation.

‍We welcome job applications from people with lived experience of the criminal justice system and do not routinely ask for details of any criminal convictions. However, these roles do require prison security clearance, so we will need to ask for details of any relevant criminal convictions before an offer of employment is finalised.

Please note this role is subject to contract award.

‍Interviews are planned for: 4th August 2025

Benefits: Standard Shannon Trust: Employee benefits include a company contribution to pension scheme of up to 5%, 30 days holiday plus bank holidays, life insurance, paid volunteering days, discounts via Reward Gateway and an Employee Assistance Programme.

REF-222513

Corporate Fundraiser

Ready to take the lead and make your mark? This is your chance to bring bold ideas to life to shape and grow the corporate fundraising programme at MS-UK.

We're looking for an experienced corporate fundraiser, with at least 2 years' working experience, to drive forward our vision and grow corporate income and partnerships to support our vital services that help people affected by multiple sclerosis live healthier, happier lives.

This is a brilliant opportunity to take ownership, grow your skills and shape something truly meaningful. You'll have the flexibility to develop and grown the programme with the support of a team that values your ideas and energy.

You will be joining a passionate, supportive team where your voice is hear, and your work makes a real difference. If you're ready for your next challenge, this is your moment.

As the corporate fundraiser, you will be

• developing and delivering our corporate fundraising strategy, to meet agreed income targets
• building strong, lasting relationships with new and existing corporate supporters
• creating compelling proposals and delivering confident pitches
• representing MS-UK at networking and other events
• spotting opportunities and turning them into long-term relationships
• planning and delivering corporate events and campaigns
• working collaboratively with a friendly and driven team

We're looking for a confident communicator who thrives on building relationships over the phone, email and in person, a self-starter with a creative mindset and strategic approach, excellent written and verbal communication skills and a genuin passion for improving the lives of people with MS.

#corporatefundraising #corporatefundraiser #fundraiser #fundraising

South Bank Students Union is a non-for-profit organisation, which champions social mobility through education and has a vision to disrupt the cycle of inequality in higher education. 

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We are looking for a Student Voice Coordinator to join our new team as we embark on a five-year strategy to transform the way we engage and support students to help them reach their full potential.​

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Nowhere is inequality in our education system more recognisable than in higher education, where those from the most privileged backgrounds still have the most equity and most chances to achieve and succeed.

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South Bank students have high expectations and ambitions for themselves but lead complex lives where they are faced with the pressures of trying to balance their studies with work and juggling their lives at home. In fact, many don't identify primarily as students, but instead as carers, nurses, engineers, parents, designers, workers, entrepreneurs, apprentices, last chance learners and Londoners. 

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At South Bank Students' Union we believe that a student's background and life circumstances should not put them at an educational disadvantage, and all students deserve a high-quality University experience and the chance to graduate equipped with the tools to succeed in life - this role is at the heart of this work. 

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Alongside our current Student Voice Coordinator, the person in this role will be responsible for delivering the Union’s key Student Voice programmes which include: our course rep scheme; student issues tracking; focus groups and officer insight campaigns. They will also provide support for student leaders. This includes supporting the effective election, induction and ongoing development of the Union’s President, Lead Representatives and democratic processes.

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We are looking for someone who can truly understand the lived experiences of those who have faced societal barriers to participation, and who is motivated by delivering work which aims to challenge and remove these norms. 

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Commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

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SBSU’s simple vision of disrupting inequality is the heartbeat of the organisation and it is this which steers its decisions, practice, and priorities. It unifies our services, and it drives our staff to remove societal barriers so that all people can achieve their full potential.

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SBSU believes that in order to truly disrupt inequality for its members, it must also strive to do this for its workforce – in short, staff must experience it in order to deliver it!

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Our Union benefits enormously from having a team of staff with a range of diverse lived experiences. We understand that some life circumstances might be more complex, and that some will have had to overcome more barriers. We value the unique perspectives that are formed by an individual’s background and believe that ‘bringing your whole self to work’ is essential for informed decision making and collaboration and paves the way for high performance so we welcome applications from all, especially if your background and circumstances are traditionally under-represented in the workplace. 

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Further Information

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To find out more information about South Bank Students Union and the role, including the job description and person specification, you can download the recruitment pack below.​ You can also download our​ five-year strategy below ​to help you understand more about our vision for SBSU.​

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Process​

To apply, you will need to:

• submit a copy of your CV
• ​submit a supporting statement (a maximum of two sides of A4) that details your interest in, and suitability for the role in PDF format.
• answer some questions relating to your eligibility for employment.
• provide some details about your individual identity (not mandatory) 

Candidates will be shortlisted based on how well their application demonstrates they meet the criteria in the job description and person specification. Your CV will provide information on your education and work experience, however, your supporting statement is your chance to show why you are right for the role and an opportunity to stand out from others. It should provide clear and relevant examples of how you have met the key criteria, and the successes you have had in your previous roles. An application which does not provide this detail is unlikely to make it through to an interview so please take the time to make sure you have given this full consideration. 

The job description and person specification can be found in the recruitment pack which can be downloaded below.

Applications should be submitted electronically via the link above. The closing date for applications is 23:59pm on Sunday 3 August 2025. Interviews for this role are likely to take place week commencing 18 August.

Shortlisted candidates will receive an invitation to an interview, with a panel of SU staff and elected officers and may also include some written and / or scenario-based tasks.

The students’ union is unable to offer feedback to non shortlisted candidates; however, every applicant will be informed of the outcome of their application. 

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​Accessibility

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We encourage applications from candidates from a broad range of backgrounds and life circumstances and want to make sure that this recruitment process is accessible to all. We also recognise that this recruitment process, and the opportunity to join the organisation, is taking place during a period of major instability and uncertainty in the wider world, so should you require support related to this process or attending a digital interview, please let us know at any point during the process.

We are looking to recruit a project coordinator to lead on 2 areas of our engagement work including embedding co-production across the wider children and families system and rolling out our refreshed WHAM Plan programme enabling young people to support their peers around emotional wellbeing.  There are also opportunities to support other existing project work within the youth engagement portfolio.

We're looking for a confident and compassionate Co-Director to lead our mental health charity using gardens, creativity & community for recovery.

**We offer mentoring support for applicants who might benefit from additional guidance - please see the full Job Description for further details**

About Sydenham Garden

Based in Lewisham in South-East London, Sydenham Garden is a unique wellbeing centre utilising its gardens, nature reserve and activity rooms to help people living with and recovering from mental and physical ill-health. We provide nature and arts based creative, social and therapeutic activities for co-workers (the name we give to our primary beneficiaries).

About the role 

Our Director has been in post since November 2021 and on returning from maternity leave in January 2026 she will be working 3 days a week.  We are seeking a Co-Director to jointly lead the organisation going forwards as we have made a positive decision to move towards a co-director model.  This is an exciting opportunity which can have benefits of increasing capacity, efficiency, and transparency and allow for a broader range of identities both to better reflect the diverse populations they serve and as a way to include more diverse leaders. It is a model that can also reduce burnout, build equity, and support flexible working.

As Co-Director you will be jointly responsible for leading and manage the day-to-day running of Sydenham Garden for the benefit of our co-workers.  This will involve overseeing implementation and regular review of Sydenham Garden’s strategic plan and to ensure all governance arrangements are in place to monitor the work of the organisation and to report to the Board of Trustees and to funders.

You will ensure fundraising and financial plans and processes are in place to deliver the agreed services, including fundraising from Trusts & Foundations, community fundraising and developing contracted services as necessary.

The Co-Directors will be jointly accountable to the Trustee Board for all aspects of the job description. You may take lead responsibility on particular areas which will be discussed and agreed with the existing Co-Director and Trustee Board.

About You

You are a confident and compassionate leader with a commitment to the mental health and wellbeing sector.  You bring a thoughtful, strategic and inclusive approach to leadership.

Your communication skills are excellent, and you’re able to build strong, trusting relationships with colleagues at all levels, as well as with external partners, funders, and stakeholders.  You are deeply committed to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, with a clear track record of putting these values into practice.

You have a proven experience in securing income for charitable work and are confident in financial management and planning. 

You also understand the value of co-production and have experience working collaboratively with volunteers and co-workers (service users), ensuring their voices are central to service design and delivery.

We’re looking for someone who is dedicated to the mission of Sydenham Garden and has relevant experience at management level in a mental health charity of similar organisation. 

How to apply

Candidates will be shortlisted based on:

· Experience of working at a management level in a mental health charity or comparable organisation. 

· An excellent strategic thinker with experience of input into strategic development and implementation.

· Good communication skills and the ability to build relationships with colleagues at all levels in an organisation and with external contacts and partners. 

· A proven commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

· Experience of line managing and developing staff, including through appraisal systems. 

· Proven ability to secure income, manage fundraising processes and to manage and produce fundraising applications. 

· Experience of financial management and planning, including managing budgets. 

· Experience of working with volunteers and co-workers (service users). 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Sydenham Garden is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). We want to build a diverse and inclusive staff, volunteer and trustee team where everyone feels that they belong and that reflects the profile of the communities we serve. Therefore, we will welcome and consider applications from candidates of all backgrounds and protected characteristics, and we particularly encourage applications from people of African or Caribbean heritage to ensure our staff team represents the communities we serve.

To apply, please send us a CV together with a supporting statement (maximum 2 pages, minimum font size of 11) that addresses how you meet the Person Specification listed above.

Main tasks and responsibilities

Key areas of focus will include:

• Supporting young people, building and maintaining positive relationships with and recognizing their different needs and starting points. Have strong commitment to the values of acceptance and respect within youth work and being a positive role model. Encourage young people to take an active role in social action projects, youth voice and young leader activities

• Working together with the team in planning and delivery of full program offer, including evening youth club sessions and off-site educational visits, including to our outdoor centre in Cumbria with occasional over night stays. Assist in the development and introduction of additional activities such as twilight sessions, youth voice, targeted group work and mentoring

• Identify formal and informal educational, social, cultural and recreational needs of the young people and help to plan a positive interventions and innovations which enhances the knowledge, awareness and personal development of young people

• Articulate and record young people’s progression in sessional and project recording documentation and provide information for management and funding reports.

• Attend occasional weekend residentials and events at the GMYF’s outdoor pursuits centre and encourage young people to get involved. Support the planning and delivery of off-site trips/activities at local venues

• Comply with all policies and procedures relating to safeguarding, codes of conduct, health and safety and equality and diversity. Be alert to issues of safeguarding and child protection, ensuring the welfare and safety of young people is promoted and prioritized. Report any concerns and participate in regular safeguarding training

• Represent GMYF at events and meeting with partner agencies. Ensure conduct is professional and represents the charity in a positive manner to internal and external visitors, working with a wide range of local partners and community organisations

• Commit to continuous professional development with own training, accessing available training including youth work specific courses

• Carry out all duties with the scope of the role as directed with due diligence and professionalism

About You

We are looking for candidates who believe in GMYF’s mission, values, and are experienced in working with young people. You will be able and confident in building positive relationships with young people, always taking a young person centred approach. You will have experience planning and delivering activities, bringing creative and innovative ideas to share for young people. You will have good team working and organisational skills, understanding of safeguarding, and willingness to undertake further training.

Other Requirements

The post is subject to a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check. This is a UK-based post, and applicants must be living in and have the right to work in the UK. If applicable, please detail your Visa status in your covering email. Equality and diversity matter to us. If you think you would be suitable for the role, we would love to hear from you regardless of age, disability status, ethnicity, gender, religion or sexuality. Greater Manchester Youth Federation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The highest priority is given to following guidance and regulations to safeguard children and young people