Lead policy officer jobs

Closing Date: midday 21 July

Reports to: Chief Executive

Hours of work: 0.8 FTE (30hrs per week) (flexible for the right candidate)

Holidays: Uncapped annual leave, plus two week-long shutdowns

Main work address: Hybrid - a mix of remote working and time at our Abingdon office. The role involves regular travel across Oxfordshire to meet funders, partners, and community supporters, and occasional evening or weekend work for events and networking.

Closing date: midday 21 July

Interviews: w/c 28 July or w/c 4 August

About Quest for Learning
Quest for Learning is an education charity on a mission to close the gap for primary school children in Oxfordshire who are falling behind - often due to complex and compounding disadvantage. Many of the children we support are growing up in poverty, with limited access to books, low parental literacy, and challenging home environments. Some face health inequalities, live in areas affected by crime, or have recently arrived in the UK as refugees or asylum seekers.

We work closely with schools to provide targeted, high-impact literacy and numeracy programmes that give these children the chance to catch up, thrive, and believe in their potential. On average, our small-group tutoring helps pupils make 13 months of progress in just 10 hours - building not only essential skills, but also confidence, motivation, and a renewed sense of possibility.

The impact extends well beyond the classroom. By supporting children early, we help prevent the need for more complex and costly interventions later in life, from mental health support to exclusion and social care. Our work contributes to stronger, fairer communities by giving every child the foundation they need to participate fully in society. In doing so, we are advancing social sustainability and helping to meet global goals such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals for Quality Education, Reduced Inequalities, and Good Health and Wellbeing.

Role Purpose

This is a hands-on and outward-facing role for a confident, capable fundraiser ready to lead Quest for Learning’s income generation efforts. As our sole dedicated fundraiser, you’ll take ownership of securing income across a broad mix of streams - including trusts and foundations, community fundraising, individual giving, and corporate partnerships.

You’ll be out and about representing the charity, building relationships with local businesses, community groups, and supporters, and bringing our mission to life with energy and clarity. You'll need to be a proactive self-starter who enjoys meeting people, thrives in a varied role, and is motivated by delivering results that improve life chances for disadvantaged children.

This is a busy and varied role which often involves working on multiple fundraising activities at once. A typical day could include working on an application to a new funder, designing a supporter newsletter, gathering information for an end of grant report, and researching new prospects.

This role would suit someone with experience of securing funding, managing funder relationships, and developing new opportunities - all with a focus on practical delivery. You’ll work closely with the CEO, leadership and programme teams, and our board of trustees to help grow a diverse and sustainable income base.

Key Responsibilities

Trusts and foundations

• Research and identify prospective funders, building a robust pipeline
• Write and submit compelling, tailored funding applications
• Deliver timely, high-quality reports with evidence of impact
• Build and maintain strong relationships with funders through clear, proactive stewardship
• Monitor success rates and financial information and adapt strategy to improve performance

Community fundraising

• Initiate and grow partnerships with local community groups (e.g. WIs, Rotary clubs, schools, churches)
• Support or coordinate local fundraising events and campaigns (e.g. fun runs, quizzes, coffee mornings)
• Attend community events to represent the charity and engage new supporters
• Equip and support individuals and groups to fundraise on our behalf

Corporate partnerships and other earned income

• Build relationships with local and regional businesses to secure sponsorship, gifts-in-kind or Charity of the Year support
• Develop creative, mutually beneficial opportunities to engage corporate partners
• Work with the CEO and board to identify and cultivate prospects
• Explore other potential income streams including education consultancy or training offers

Individual Giving and supporter engagement

• Support the development of campaigns to encourage donations from individuals
• Help create a compelling case for support across our communications
• Identify opportunities to increase visibility and supporter base (e.g. speaking engagements, community fairs)
• Ensure Quest for Learning is regularly engaging with our supporters
• Champion the use of storytelling and pupil outcomes to inspire giving

Marketing and communications (fundraising-focused)

• Develop fundraising messaging and materials with the CEO and team
• Lead on all communications relating to fundraising and supporter engagement
• Ensure consistent branding and tone across all fundraising-related comms
• Share our impact with passion and clarity to motivate supporters

Planning and systems

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in our Beacon CRM
• Track income performance and contribute to budgeting and forecasting
• Create and deliver realistic workplans to manage multiple deadlines
• Liaise with programme staff to gather data and stories for funders
• Report on income and fundraising activities to CEO and trustees

Person Specification

Essential

• Proven experience in fundraising, with a track record of securing income across multiple streams
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain our mission clearly and persuasively to a wide range of audiences
• Excellent bid writing and reporting skills
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
• Confidence in networking, public speaking, and relationship-building
• Proactive, self-motivated, and happy to work independently
• Highly organised with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Values-led, personable and enthusiastic - able to represent the charity with warmth and professionalism

Desirable

• Experience working in a small charity or education setting
• Knowledge of the Oxfordshire funding landscape or local networks
• Experience with community fundraising, challenge events, or individual giving
• Skills in Canva, Mailchimp or similar content creation tools
• Familiarity with Beacon or similar fundraising CRMs
• Understanding of primary education and the barriers disadvantaged children face
• Experience producing fundraising workplans or reports for trustees

Why work with us?

Quest for Learning is a friendly, values-led education charity with a big mission and a supportive culture. We’re committed to flexibility, wellbeing and professional growth, and we believe in helping our team thrive while doing meaningful work.

We offer:

• Unlimited annual leave (minimum 28 days pro rata, plus bank holidays), with full charity shutdowns in August and at Christmas
• Flexible hybrid working with autonomy over your schedule
• A culture of trust, kindness, and high standards
• Opportunities to test ideas, develop skills and shape a growing organisation

The Iona Community is seeking an inspiring Fundraiser to help secure and grow our financial sustainability as we live out our vision of justice, peace, and renewal of worship around the world. This is an exciting opportunity to build strong relationships with funders and donors, grow a culture of giving, and lead a new Fundraising Team to support our diverse work — from peacemaking and social justice to youth and environmental projects, and the care of our historic island properties. If you’re self-motivated, a great communicator, and share our values, we’d love you to join us in this vital role.

We are looking for someone to take an active lead in setting up the new Shed and working with our wider staff team and volunteers. You will be able to promote the project to encourage participation by giving talks, arranging taster sessions and using social media. You will also arrange short courses and training sessions and ensure new participants are briefed on health and safety. You will have good interpersonal skills and enjoy working a part of a team.

Head of Sector Development

Full Time: 35 hours per week | £55,500pa | Hybrid | Closing Date 7th August 2025

Job Reference: HSD02 (Please quote this on any correspondence)

Headline: Help shape sector development for the UK’s professional body for libraries, information, and knowledge management

The role

We are seeking an experienced and strategic professional to join us as Head of Sector Development. This pivotal leadership role will drive the delivery and growth of our professional services, shaping how the profession attracts, develops, and retains talent. You will play a critical role in ensuring CILIP continues to set the standard in professional development, assessment, and workforce support, enhancing the value we offer to members, employers, learning providers, and wider stakeholders.

What you’ll be responsible for:

As Head of Sector Development, you will lead a high-performing team to deliver and evolve a portfolio of services that support career progression, professional registration, accreditation, training, and sector-wide standards. You will take ownership of the Professional Knowledge and Skills Base (PKSB), ensuring it remains relevant, robust, and at the heart of our service offer. You will work closely with learning and employer partners, member networks, and other professional communities to strengthen talent pathways, while ensuring that our services are accessible, inclusive, and aligned with market need.

You will be responsible for setting the strategic direction of the sector development function, reporting on its impact and outcomes, and driving commercial growth through effective product design and service delivery. This includes the development of a scalable training offer, effective use of digital platforms, and innovation in content packaging. Your leadership will ensure that quality assurance standards are upheld across all services, while also championing the importance of professionalism and ethical practice throughout the sector.

What we’re looking for

You will bring significant experience from within the library, information, or knowledge management field, alongside deep knowledge of the professional development landscape. Your expertise will include developing competency frameworks, managing accredited programmes, and designing services that support career-long learning and progression. You will be confident working with regulatory requirements and quality standards, and able to use market intelligence and internal data to inform strategic decisions.

As a leader, you will be values-driven, collaborative, and commercially minded. You’ll be an effective communicator with the presence and credibility to represent CILIP at senior levels. You’ll bring a strong understanding of inclusive practice and a proven ability to develop services that are accessible and relevant to a diverse profession. Most importantly, you will be passionate about professional development, driven by impact, and committed to strengthening the role of the sector in society.

Why join us?

We’re on an exciting journey to transform how we work, what we offer, and how we serve our members and partners. You’ll play a central role in shaping this future, leading change, driving innovation, and helping ensure CILIP thrives in a rapidly evolving sector.

If you're an inclusive, strategic leader who thrives on innovation, people leadership, and delivering measurable impact, we’d love to hear from you.

About CILIP

CILIP is the leading voice for the information, knowledge management and library profession. We are here for everyone who has a professional connection to information, knowledge, data and libraries, and shares our belief in their power to change lives.

Our purpose is to unite, support and empower information professionals across all sectors.

What we do:

• Continuing Professional Development (CPD): We will deliver high-quality CPD events and training that enable our members to enhance their skills, knowledge, and expertise.
• Membership services: We will provide excellent membership services that support our members and enable them to maximise their membership benefits.
• Professional standards: We will uphold and develop professional standards that promote excellence in libraries, information and knowledge management.
• Content and publishing: We will deliver high-quality books, journals, magazines, and other content that enables our members to improve their skills and develop their expertise.
• Advocacy: We will advocate for the value of our profession and the important role of our members in organisations and society.
• Research and development: We will work in collaboration to deliver R&D programmes which advance our strategic goals.

Benefits of working for CILIP:

• Work alongside passionate, mission-driven professionals.
• Enjoy a flexible, supportive, and inclusive working environment.
• Generous pension and death-in-service entitlement.
• 28 days paid leave per year, plus bank holidays and an additional 3 days leave between Christmas and New Year.
• Perkbox employee discounts.
• Enhanced sick pay, maternity, paternity, adoption and carer’s leave.
• Employee Assistance Programme.

How to apply:
Please submit a letter of application outlining how you meet the criteria and why you are the right fit for this role.

For full details, please refer to the attached role description and person specification (on our website).

To express your interest or arrange a confidential conversation, please contact our HR department,

Closing date: Applications should be submitted by midnight on Thursday 7th August 2025 with shortlisting taking place on Monday 11th August.

Interviews: Will be held week commencing 25th August 2025

As Director of Operations and Fundraising you will play a key role in driving forward the mission of Notre Dame Refugee Centre, dedicated to supporting those seeking sanctuary in the UK.

Lead a small yet impactful team to deliver a range of vital services including IAA immigration advice and ESOL lessons, with social activities.  You will work closely with our trustees, staff and volunteers to ensure that we continue to deliver life-changing support to those who seek our help.

CV's not accepted.  Please apply at via our HR portal

JOB PURPOSE:

• To pro-actively engage with local residents and partner organisations to develop a vision for our neighbourhood
• To co-create potential future activities for the Springfield Project and beyond, developing action plans and funding proposals and testing new approaches
• To ensure that the voices of the Sparkhill community are enabled and promoted to key stakeholders, including those whose voices may be marginalised using conventional approaches
• To lead our existing Place of Welcome group, ensuring the programme develops in line with the views of participants and in line with funder requirements

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To enable the voices of Springfield Project service users and other local residents to be heard and acted upon both within the Springfield Project and in the wider neighbourhood/ community
• To proactively engage with local residents and partners to identify issues affecting the local community, gaps in current provision and to support the co-production of new services/ activities that meet local needs.
• To amplify the voices of Sparkhill residents to ensure representation in local and city-wide systems
• To develop, implement and maintain creative and effective communication methods and tools to promote opportunities for engagement and participation in Springfield Project activities and in the wider neighbourhood, including outreach to those that might be marginalised by traditional approaches
• To coordinate the Sparkhill Child Friendly Neighbourhood Youth Advisory Board, ensuring young people are empowered and enabled to participate, to act on issues that are important to them and ensuring that they have ownership of the group and the activity that develops from the group.
• To lead, develop and sustain a 'Springfield Voices’ panel that enables co-production on a local level of new activities
• To represent the Springfield Project at external stakeholder events
• To ensure effective monitoring and evaluation processes are in place to ensure continuous improvement of services and activities
• To develop and coordinate relevant communications campaigns and engagement projects, including physical and online comms and marketing
• To coordinate Community Events ensuring the involvement of the community in the design of events
• To develop project proposals and provide evidence to support fundraising activities based on the wishes and needs of the community
• To develop and test new activities co-created with the community in response to community need
• To facilitate the Place of Welcome group, ensuring that the Place of Welcome provides a welcoming environment for all participants, in line with written procedures covering registration, recording, food provision, coordination of volunteers

· To support visitors from partner agencies to operate in the space by agreement

• To manage incidents, accidents and complaints in line with Springfield Project policy
• To liaise with the Volunteer Coordinator around recruitment and induction of volunteers

To work flexibly and deliver services across the Project as directed and to undertake any other duties commensurate with the role and responsibilities of the post as agreed with your line manager

We are looking for a highly skilled Programmes & Operations Manager with a minimum of three years’ administrative experience to provide professional, inclusive, and efficient administrative support across DanceSyndrome’s Community programme and operations. This role is responsible for overseeing and managing the weekly Community timetable, and all associated administrative processes, co-ordinating key systems, and ensuring the smooth running of day-to-day operations, particularly in relation to session bookings, CRM management, and team co-ordination.

This role is comprises of administration, and programme management.

1. POSITION IN ORGANISATION:

Reporting to the Head of Community

2. SCOPE OF ROLE:                                  

1. Administrative duties

2. Events administration

3. Programme management administration

4. Monitoring & evaluation administration

We particularly welcome applications from people from the Global Majority, people with disabilities, and older people.

The Commonwealth Foundation is mandated by its Member States to advance the interests of Commonwealth civil society. The Foundation seeks to nurture the growth of vibrant and free societies: championing the active and constructive participation of people in all aspects of governance. 

The Advocacy and Creative Programme is central to our mission. While advocacy and creativity are two distinct strands of our work, this new programme signifies our commitment to integrating the arts into our advocacy and vice versa. 

As Senior Manager, Advocacy and Creative Programme, you will have overall responsibility for the Advocacy and Creative Programme. Leading a diverse team of professionals, you will engage with policymakers, build partnerships with national and international entities, connect with storytellers and artists from around the world and play a pivotal role in designing, implementing, and overseeing events and engagements that will take you and your work to the global stage.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Strategic planning: Developing programme work plans for the advocacy and creative programme around the Foundation’s key thematic areas – climate justice, health justice and freedom of expression – and ensuring that our advocacy and creative work is intertwined.
• Project management: Overseeing advocacy and creative initiatives, including planning, budgeting, execution, and learning.
• Stakeholder engagement: Building and maintaining effective working relationships with civil society leaders, senior government officials, diplomats, storytellers and creative practitioners, and other relevant partners.
• Convening civil society: Designing, convening, and nurturing spaces and platforms – both online and in-person – for civil society and artists to amplify their voice and work, discuss, debate and make recommendations for change.
• Cross-programme collaboration: Collaborate with the wider-Foundation, particularly in harmonising our advocacy and creative work with the Foundation’s expanded programme of grants to Commonwealth civil society.
• Event management: Designing and leading impactful platforms and events where civil society can come together and influence policymakers.
• Team leadership: Managing a team of diverse, dedicated professionals, providing guidance and coaching, and fostering a collaborative work environment.
• Monitoring and evaluation: Working with the wider team to track performance against our progress markers and collect evidence so that we can tell our story of change.
• Reporting: Preparing reports for our board of governors and communicating programme progress and impact to our stakeholders.
• Representing the Foundation: Attending and participating in meetings and events nationally and internationally.

We seek an individual with strong knowledge of international development and diplomacy, extensive experience in programme leadership and event management, and a demonstrated capacity to lead a high-performing team. An understanding of the power of art and creative expression is essential, preferably with experience of how the arts can bring about social change. Excellent communication and strategic thinking skills are essential, along with a highly practical, solutions-based mindset. Appropriate tertiary qualifications or additional experience in lieu of such qualifications are required.

The Foundation is proud of our welcoming and accommodating working environment. We strive to be a great place to work.

We offer generous holidays (almost seven weeks a year excluding public holidays). Fifteen percent of your salary is payable tax-free at stipulated periods in lieu of a formal superannuation scheme.

Foundation staff have access to our private health scheme, including dental cover.

We are based in Marlborough House, Pall Mall, central London. We are currently operating a flexible working policy which requires all staff to work from the office at least five days per fortnight including every Wednesday, and applicants must be able to affirm their capacity and willingness to work within this policy.

The Foundation celebrates diversity, and we are proud of our diverse and welcoming team. All qualified applicants already eligible to work in the UK will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status or pregnancy.

We are looking for a strategic, self-motivated and entrepreneurial Deputy Director to support the long-term success and sustainability of Nottingham Contemporary. The Deputy Director works closely with the Director, Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Board to deliver the strategic direction, business planning and lead the operational management of the organisation.

The Deputy Director is responsible for the effective internal operation of the organisation, embracing its administrative, facilities, financial, personnel, IT and legal functions as well as its income generation growth strategy. The post holder has executive responsibility for the development and delivery of all aspects of the Business Plan and Arts Council England’s National Portfolio funding agreement, monitoring all Key Performance Indicators. The Deputy Director works with the Director and SLT to shape a sustainable future for the Gallery, maximise income generation and reduce environmental impact.

The role

Your main accountabilities will include:

• Develop operational policies, procedures and documentation, including risk management, ensuring they are up to date and reflect the organisation’s values and align with the Arts Council’s Investment Principles.
• Lead the organisation’s business plan alongside the Director and with support from the SLT, ensuring this is in line with the organisation’s vision, offer, purpose and values.
• Manage the preparation and submission of annual applications to key public sector funders, including Arts Council England, Nottingham City Council and HE partners by providing relevant departmental data and information.
• Lead responsibility for all aspects of financial management and administration of the organisation, including related regulatory reporting.
• In liaison with the Director and SLT, set and manage annual and multi-year budgets and resources, providing suitable reporting on a regular basis to the Director, budget holders and Trustees.
• Ensure that legal responsibilities of Nottingham Contemporary are met including charity, company and health and safety, liaising with solicitors as required.
• Ensure the efficient maintenance and excellent presentation of the building.
• Spearhead income generation strategies in the business plan with support from the Director and Senior Development Manager to diversify and increase the gallery’s revenue streams.
• Oversee the promotion and communication of Nottingham Contemporary’s artistic and educational programmes and commercial activities across all platforms, including print, press, digital and social media.
• Develop and manage key local and regional partnerships, and working relationships with regional and national tourism organisations.
• Be an outstanding member of the SLT, upholding our values and contributing to Nottingham Contemporary being a high-performing organisation and an excellent and inclusive employer.

Please see the Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

The person

This role would suit someone experienced in business planning and strategy at a senior level, with strong financial understanding and experience. The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker, with excellent organisational skills and commercial acumen. Self-motivated and proactive, you’ll be able to work calmly under pressure to inspire and support colleagues at all levels of the organisation.

You’ll have a strong record of using your entrepreneurial business skills in the non-profit sector, and will be able to develop and manage partnerships and build the organisation’s profile. You’ll understand our organisational mission and vision, and be aligned with our values: brave, open, hopeful and resourceful.

We understand the benefit of transferable skills and experience. Even if you don’t meet all of the criteria but are interested in the role, we would still like to hear from you.

Counselling Service Administrator 

Age UK Camden is recruiting an Administration Officer to join the Counselling Team. 

Age UK Camden is a local, independent and innovative charity which has provided services to older people in Camden for more than 50 years through diverse and inclusive services.   Our counselling services operate in partnership with the NHS Camden Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression iCope, and we offer time-limited counselling (on average 8-12 sessions) for clients with low to medium levels of depression, anxiety, and psychological issues. 

The successful candidate will: 

• Assist with the Counselling Services’ administrative needs and conduct tasks as required by the Counselling Service Manager and the Clinical Lead Councillor 

• Ensure in conjunction with the Manager, the effective implementation of administrative systems for supporting the service including the maintenance of the Client Filing system and the databases, including Charitylog and IAPTus database. 

• Make contacts with clients by telephone, email, letter and in person regarding their enquiries, referrals, progress and cancellation. 

• Help arrange workshops and therapy groups as requested. 

•  (See Job description and person specification for full duties) 

Salary:  SCP 12-15  £29,071.14 to £30,672.75 pa FTE (£17,442.68 to £18,403.65 pa for a 21 hour week) 

Hours: 21 hours per week  Contract Type: Permanent 

Closing date:  Monday 21st July 2025 - 5pm

Interview dates: Thursday 31st July 2025 – in person 

To Apply please complete the application form, equal opps form and criminal declaration

As part of the application process please submit an application form demonstrating how you meet the shortlisting criteria in the Person Specification. Please also complete and return the criminal convictions declaration form. 

Age UK Camden is an Equal Opportunities and London Living Wage Employer.  Registered Charity No. 293446 

The Director of Care is a key leadership role responsible for the strategic development, operational management, and continuous improvement of patient care services within the Mary Stevens Hospice. Ensuring the highest standards of palliative and end-of-life care are delivered in line with regulatory requirements, national best practices, and the values of the hospice. Working closely with the CEO and the Senior Leadership Team, the Director of Care will provide visionary leadership, fostering a culture of compassion, excellence, and innovation in patient care.

They will take the role and responsibilities as the registered manager for the hospice and its regulated activities in accordance with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The postholder will act as the Director for Infection Prevention.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

· As the Registered Manager, you will ensure that all legislative requirements of the Care Quality Commission are adhered to within the necessary timeframes, maintaining outstanding ratings where possible.

· Develop and implement the hospice’s care strategy in line with the organisational vision.

· To lead on the delivery of care strategies to always ensure outstanding standards of patient care and safety.

· Ensure compliance with regulatory bodies, including the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

· Chair the Infection Prevention committee and report to the Senior Leadership Team any actions required.

· Monitor and be responsible for quality assurance and governance standards across all clinical services.

· Lead the development and implementation of policies, procedures, and quality assurance frameworks.

· Ensure hospice compliance with local and national standards and ensure that regular audits of all care services are carried out and improvements in practice are instigated as needed.

· Attend regular Trustee meetings as a member of the Senior Leadership Team providing reports as requested.

· Provide the CEO with information on clinical operational issues and any risks to service delivery with recommendations for action, in a timely manner.

· To develop and maintain collaborative working relationships with external stakeholders, including the Integrated Care Board and commissioning bodies, to influence palliative care provision across Dudley and the wider community.

· Represent the hospice at local Place and End of Life meetings as required.

· Provide strong leadership, support and supervision across the clinical and supportive care teams maintaining professional and ethical standards.

· Manage and monitor clinical effectiveness, ensuring continuous quality improvement.

· Management of direct reports by providing support, supervision and advice through regular 1:1s and annual appraisals fostering a developmental culture and consistently applying the hospice HR policies and procedures as appropriate.

· Being a role model and advocate for the hospice values of Care, Compassion and Kindness. 

· Provide inspirational leadership to clinical teams, ensuring a culture of professional development, well-being, and engagement.

· Support and mentor clinical managers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.

· Champion staff training and development, ensuring adherence to best practices and regulatory standards.

· Participate in the development of the hospice’s education programme both internally and externally.

· Work with senior colleagues to monitor cost efficiencies and cost improvement opportunities.

· Represent the hospice at regional and national forums, influencing policy and best practices in palliative care.

· Develop strong relationships with commissioners, donors, and external healthcare organisations to ensure service sustainability.

· Work with the CEO and Finance Director to manage care budgets efficiently.

· Ensure optimal use of resources while maintaining high standards of care.

This is not an exhaustive list and you may be required to carry out other reasonable tasks to support the smooth running of the hospice. 

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Educated to degree level in related healthcare field

Registered health professional

Leadership qualification/ or demonstratable leadership experience

Excellent IT skills-Excel, Word, MS Office

Minimum of 5 years’ post registration experience

Excellent leadership skills

Knowledge of healthcare sector

Experience of leading infection prevention practice

Strong knowledge of CQC and other regulatory requirements

Evidence of advanced communication skills

Excellent interpersonal skills

Enhanced DBS 

Desirable

Experience in a palliative care environment

Non-medical prescriber

Who we're looking for

Brilliant storyteller with confidence in their digital marketing, copywriting and PR skills. 

Changemaker who is excited about embedding and championing our new brand. 

Motivated communicator who will improve engagement with our stakeholders. 

Creative leader who enjoys a proactive and responsive environment. 

Impact and evidence champion to influence target audiences, raise awareness and garner support. 

Values-led collaborator who will build strong relationships with our team, members and strategic partners.

Our focus is on creating libraries of tomorrow with children and young people today.

We want all children and young people to feel at home at the library, to be understood, empowered and inspired. Our collaborative network is made up of member, partners and supporters. We believe in the need for safe spaces and real-life connections to support the demands of modern life. Together, we’re creating change, and you can be a part of it.

Our charity is going through a rebirth, with a new name, strategy and brand identity launching this autumn. This is a pivotal time for a passionate, skilled communicator to join our team. We’re looking for someone to bring the energy and expertise to take us into this new chapter and to new heights, maximising impact and reach. 

We are an Arts Council England Investment Principles Support Organisation. Our members are leaders in children and young people’s public libraries and schools library services (SLS). 

What’s important to us needs to be important to you too. We want to focus on impact, to work openly, to collaborate with and learn from others, to take the time to care for ourselves and each other, and to have fun together. We want to build an environmentally sustainable charity, and we want to be celebrated as an inclusion changemaker in the sector. 

Experience as a communications professional is essential and you’ll be energised by the opportunity to: 

• Raise our profile higher within the sector. 

• Raise awareness of the range of activities and impacts libraries deliver for children and young people through research, evidence and compelling communication. 

• Develop, manage and deliver targeted advocacy for public libraries and schools library services. 

• Maintain and cultivate proactive relationships with advocacy and influencing partners to ensure children and young people are always represented in national policy discussions. 

• Embed and champion a strong brand, which supports our members and resonates with new stakeholders to ensure we are the ‘go to partner’ for children and young people’s libraries. 

• Maximise our use of existing and new research and data to evidence the impact of library services for children and young people’s and schools library services. 

• Promote the sector-leading work of our charity, grow our membership and develop new and innovative ways to increase our reach and engagement. 

• Develop a strong case for support to attract new funders and supporters. 

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll endeavour to be as accommodating as possible. If you would like to discuss specific requirements, please get in touch.

Further information including the role description and application form is available on our website.

Working pattern: full-time (36.25 hours per week) 

It is essential that you live within the Thames Valley region, or close enough to commute 

Working location: mostly remote work with some travel required. You will deliver a face-to-face service to clients in their own home or safe meeting place across the Thames Valley area as well as providing support by phone, email or other means to suit the service user. We take a person-centred approach so the amount of travel will vary depending on your caseload at the time. You’re in control of your own diary. 

Why this role is important: Every 20 minutes, someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads. For families affected, the emotional and practical challenges are immense. As a Caseworker, you will provide trauma-informed care to individuals and families suffering from the sudden bereavement or life-altering injury of a loved one. Working mostly remotely, with some home visits to service users, you’ll offer vital emotional and practical support—including helping them access therapeutic resources, financial assistance, and guidance through the complexities of medical and legal processes. 

About Brake: Brake is a renowned and respected road safety charity with a 30-year history dedicated to supporting people affected by road crashes and advocating for safer streets. 

The role: This is a rewarding role where every day brings the opportunity to make a positive difference to people's lives. We regularly receive testimonials from service users describing the life-changing impact of receiving support from our caseworkers in the National Road Victim Service.

You'll join a closely knit team of fellow caseworkers, each using their individual experience and skills to provide person-centred support to victims. This provides a ready-made peer group who share best practice and knowledge and support each other so, in turn, they can best support road victims. There's no sugar coating it, this isn't an easy role, it requires a special type of person with strong resilience, but the reward is a strong sense of purpose, every day. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so we have strong support systems in place to support our caseworker's wellbeing, including clinical supervision. 

What we offer:

- A generous 35 days of annual leave (including bank holidays and 3-day end of year shutdown) 

- Birthday day off 

- Flexible working (choose a working pattern to suit you between the hours of 8am-6pm Mon-Fri) 

- Enhanced sick pay and compassionate leave 

- Death in service benefit 

- Pension 

- Employee Assistance Programme 

- Clinical supervision and excellent support 

- A rewarding role with purpose 

- Be part of a skilled, friendly team with an engaged Board of Trustees 

- Opportunity to attend prestigious events such as the Brake annual reception and awards (if you want to) 

Who we're looking for 

Full training will be provided under the guidance of our dedicated Training Officer. Our induction program has been developed to equip caseworkers with the skills they need to provide high quality support to road victims and covers topics such as being trauma-informed, safeguarding and risk management. We're open to candidates from all sorts of backgrounds, as long as you're a compassionate, self-starter with a background in providing high-quality emotional support and advocacy. Your experience in roles within the NHS, any health and social care, road safety, counselling, the police and family liaison officers, lived experience or any type of casework could make you an ideal candidate. 

Essential Requirements: 

• A full, clean UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle (travel expenses are reimbursed) 

• Resident in the Thames Valley area. 

• Experience delivering frontline support, preferably involving sudden bereavement or heightened vulnerabilities. 

• Strong advocacy and research skills to liaise with multiple organisations on behalf of service users. 

• Competency in I.T skills to work remotely. 

Desirable Experience: 

Comprehensive understanding of the processes involved in the criminal justice system and coronial process 

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: Brake is passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We’re committed to supporting employees to achieve a good work/life balance and flexible around caring commitments. We welcome your application whatever your background or situation. We particularly welcome applications from those who are part of the global majority, the LGBTQIA+ community or disabled. We are proud to be a disability confident employer. We don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it. So, if you have a passion for making a difference and share in our vision for a world where no one is killed on our roads, we would love to hear from you. 

Apply now: If you're up for a new challenge and have the skills, apply now by sending your CV and cover letter. We'd like to get to know the real you through your application, not an AI version. If you do use AI to write your cover letter, please check it and make sure it reflects who you are. We encourage cover letters in alternative formats such as videos or presentations. 

Not for traffic offenders: Due to the nature of our work we can't accept applications from traffic offenders. Candidates will be asked to disclose whether they have any unspent points on their licence at screening/interview. 

An enhanced DBS check is required due to the sensitive nature of our service. 

Questions? If you would like to discuss the role further, please get in touch, we'd love to chat. 

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.