Leadership development intern jobs
Abbey Community Centre is a vibrant, long-established community charity at the heart of Kilburn, North West London. Every day, we bring people together, reduce isolation and improve health and wellbeing through inclusive activities, services and community support.
We are now looking for an experienced Centre Operations Manager to play a key senior role in ensuring our busy community hub runs safely, smoothly and effectively for the thousands of people who use it each year.
About Abbey Community Centre
Abbey Community Centre works with people of all ages and backgrounds, with a particular focus on older residents and low-income families with young children. We deliver a wide range of activities, services and support including children’s stay-and-play sessions and drop-ins, fitness and wellbeing activities, befriending schemes, digital inclusion support, community meals, warm space provision, food support, volunteering opportunities and specialist outreach.
Alongside this community delivery, we manage a busy public building and a programme of room hire that helps generate income to sustain our work. With a small staff team, over 100 volunteers and many partner organisations, our operations need to be reliable, well-coordinated and people-centred.
The role and its impact
As Centre Operations Manager, you will be the organisation’s senior operational lead on the ground. Working closely with the CEO, you will hold delegated authority for the day-to-day running of the Centre — ensuring the building, people and systems all work together to support high-quality community activity.
This is a hands-on leadership role combining practical problem-solving with people management. You will line manage and help develop operational staff, oversee facilities and contractors, lead on health and safety and operational compliance, support volunteering, and ensure organisational systems and processes function reliably.
Your work will directly enable staff, volunteers and partners to deliver activities and services safely and confidently, and will help ensure Abbey remains a welcoming, accessible and well-run space for the local community.
What you’ll be working on
In this role, you will:
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Oversee daily building operations, maintenance and contractor management
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Lead on health & safety and related compliance, including risk assessments and training
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Line manage & develop operational staff and support a positive, consistent working culture
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Ensure operational policies and procedures are applied effectively in practice
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Support and coordinate volunteering within the centre
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Manage operational budgets and contracts within agreed limits
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Act as a senior member of the management team, deputising for the CEO on agreed matters
Key details
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Location: Abbey Community Centre, Kilburn (NW6 4BJ, London Borough of Camden)
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Hours: 24–28 hours per week (fixed hours agreed at appointment), worked over a minimum of four weekdays
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Core hours: 11.00am–4.00pm (flexibility outside these hours by agreement)
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Contract: Permanent, part-time
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Salary: £40,000–£42,000 per annum, pro rata (depending on experience)
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Annual leave: 30 days pro-rata, rising to 35 days after 5 years’ service (plus bank holidays, pro-rata)
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Pension: NEST pension scheme (if eligible)
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Some evening and occasional weekend working is required
This role could be right for you if…
You are an experienced operational manager who enjoys combining leadership with practical delivery, thrives in a public-facing environment, and wants your work to make a visible difference to a local community. You don’t need to tick every box — we’re interested in your experience, judgement, approach and motivation.
Abbey Community Centre is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and we welcome applications from candidates from a wide range of backgrounds. Reasonable adjustments will be offered throughout the recruitment process.
To reduce poverty and isolation and improve health, wellbeing and connection through inclusive community activities, services and support.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The Organisation
Together We Learn is a charity registered in England and Wales, working in close partnership with Together We Learn Ethiopia, a registered NGO in Ethiopia. Operating as two distinct legal entities, the organisations work as sister charities with a shared mission and vision: to enable disadvantaged children to access high-quality education.
While Together We Learn in the UK leads fundraising, governance and international engagement, Together We Learn Ethiopia is responsible for implementing and delivering programmes on the ground.
Our approach focuses on improving both access to education and the quality of education systems, while supporting the wider wellbeing of students, families and communities. We work in partnership with state education systems to deliver sustainable, long-term impact.
By addressing educational needs both in and beyond the classroom, Together We Learn aims to create lasting change for children and communities across Ethiopia.
The Role
As CEO, you will lead the UK team of Together We Learn and work in close partnership with the Ethiopian team, providing guidance and support to enable them to deliver programmes to a high standard. You will provide overall leadership for the charity, with responsibility for fundraising and stakeholder engagement, oversight of programmes, and management of finance and operations.
The annual turnover of Together We Learn is £350,000, and you will be responsible for line managing two staff in the UK and occasional interns, as well as supporting our Ethiopian partner, who has 15 programme and 8 support staff working across two regional offices: Gondar in the Amhara region and Addis Ababa in the Oromia region. The charity is managed by an experienced board of 5 trustees who meet quarterly and provide ad hoc support in their professional areas of expertise.
The charity is in a stable position with funds secured for the current year and a fundraising plan in place for the year ahead. You will have a detailed handover to enable you to carry out the varied functions required by the role and will be supported in these by the Programmes Manager and Sponsorship Coordinator. You will report to the board on a quarterly basis.
Our current three-year strategy focuses on building the capacity of our Ethiopian partner so that they can take a greater role in leading the organisation. This runs through our approach in all aspects of our work, and specific targets have been identified to help us achieve this goal over the strategic period. You will have the opportunity to advance our strategy using your unique skills.
Responsibilities
Team Leadership
- Line manage the Programmes Manager, Sponsorship Coordinator and interns.
- Collaborate with the Ethiopia Country Director and the staff or Together We Learn-
- Ethiopia on programme delivery.
- Deliver the organisational strategy.
Deliver High Quality Programmes
- Monitor delivery of activity plans related to projects, sponsorship and school linking.
- Track programme finances against budgets.
- Support the UK staff in their programme roles.
Finance and Operations Management
- Steward Together We Learn’s finances, including reconciling accounts, managing the finance database and tracking performance against the forecast and fundraising plan.
- Due diligence checks on Ethiopian partner finances.
- Prepare annual accounts for examination and develop the annual report for Charity Commission submission.
- Governance duties and other finance admin.
Fundraising
- Reporting and applications to trusts and foundations.
- Stewardship of donors and fundraisers.
- Oversight of the annual online fundraising campaign.
Communications and Stakeholder Engagement
- Quarterly supporter newsletters.
- Posting regular updates on our social media platforms.
- Maintaining the website content, including blog updates and basic SEO management.
The job of a CEO is hard to define, especially in a small charity, so the list above covers the key areas but is not exhaustive, and other duties may be required.
Person Specification
This role requires someone with excellent time management and interpersonal skills. The ideal candidate will have experience managing teams in a development or small charity environment, as well as significant experience managing finance systems, fundraising and having oversight of multiple programmes.
Essential Experience & Competencies
- Energetic and self-motivated individual who shares our mission.
- 3+ years of team leadership or experience in a senior management role directly responsible for staff and high-level reporting. Ability to provide positive, hands-on leadership to a small team of experienced and motivated individuals.
- 3+ years of financial management, including full-cost budgeting, tracking and reconciling finances, and reporting against forecasts and spending plans.
- 3+ years of proven experience in fundraising, a successful track record of securing and reporting on significant grants as well as maintaining positive funder relations.
- Experience working overseas in an international development or education context or working closely with overseas partners in the same sectors.
- A practical, collaborative and adaptable approach with good problem-solving skills.
- Excellent time management and organisational skills.
- Strong and adaptable communication skills, both written and verbal, to support sensitive cross-cultural working and inspire funders and supporters.
- Fluency with MS Office programs, gmail and shared drives.
Desirable Experience & Competencies
- Lived experience of Ethiopia, or of a comparable context, such as the Horn of Africa or East Africa, or a strong personal or professional connection to Habesha or other African cultures.
- Degree or master’s in international development, or similar field of study.
- Office management experience.
- Project delivery or programme management experience, especially in a small charity, international development or education context.
- Experience reporting directly to board level.
- Experience increasing online engagement or driving new donor recruitment.
- Familiarity with a CRM system (e.g. Salesforce).
Equal Opportunities
We value the benefits of a diverse team and encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of the Ethiopian context, or from the African diaspora, for the knowledge and cultural insight they can bring to our work.
Flexible Working
Together We Learn operates a hybrid working style, where you will spend at least one day a week in the office. We find this regular face-to-face time beneficial as a small team, enabling positive collaboration, peer support and engagement with all areas of the organisation’s work. Other hours can be worked remotely or in the office according to individual preference.
You will be responsible for your own time management but must complete the majority of your work within office hours to ensure consistent management and collaboration with colleagues. This includes staff from our partner charity in Ethiopia (time zone GMT+3/ BST+2).
Ideally, we are looking for a candidate to work full-time; however we will consider an 80% part-time role or job share applications, for the right candidate. If you are applying for a job share, please clarify which responsibilities are best aligned with your abilities.
Please note that this post is subject to a satisfactory DBS check, and the successful candidate must have the right to work in the UK.
Application Process
To apply for this role, please submit a cover letter and CV by midnight on 8 March 2026.
The cover letter should explain how your experience and skills meet the criteria required for the role.
First-stage interviews will be held online during the week commencing 16th March, with second-stage in-person interviews at our London office during the week commencing 23rd March.
Role to start date from 13th April 2026.
We regret that we are not able to provide feedback on applications that are not shortlisted for interview.
Use of AI
We understand that AI may sometimes be useful in helping you clarify your ideas or check grammar. However, we want to learn about your voice and approach, so please ensure that the application submitted is written by you and a true reflection of your professional experience.
We look forward to hearing from you!
The Opportunity
As a key team member within our Partnerships and Income Development team, you will play a vital role in supporting the management and growth of our corporate partnerships, with a focus on partnerships that enable and enhance our Aspiring Professionals Programme.
1. Account Management:
- Ownership and management of the direction, growth and success of key strategic partnerships with Freshfields and Linklaters, providing excellent stewardship and effective communications to ensure long-term and mutually beneficial relationships.
- Manage, renew and develop a select portfolio of smaller existing partnerships in the legal sector, identifying new opportunities to deliver greater impact and income growth.
- Support internal account management structure across corporate programme partnerships, ensuring relationship management and programme delivery is delivered to a high standard, processes are consistently upheld, and partnerships are renewed where required.
2. Stewardship and Reporting:
- Track deadlines, deliverables and reporting requirements for own portfolio of corporate partnerships.
- Create reports, updates and support with the creation of case studies to demonstrate the value and impact of partnerships.
- Find creative ways to share updates and engage partners with our mission and work
- Work closely with the Head of Partnerships & Income Development, Partnerships Manager and finance team to build budgets, track secured income accurately, report on risk and opportunities, and ensure that income is banked.
3. New Business and Partnership Development
- Work closely with the Programme Delivery team to understand programme needs and gaps in provision, in order to improve the quality, depth and breadth of programme partnerships.
- Use your expertise and creativity to design and shape strategic programme partnerships that align partner objectives with student and programme outcomes.
- Write, build and create compelling and innovative partnership proposals, budgets and presentations to secure new business and develop existing partnerships.
- Deliver a smooth onboarding process for transitioning new partners into account management structure.
4. Line Management
- Outline outcomes to be achieved, considering individual skills, capabilities, and workload to ensure a balanced distribution of work.
- Review work outputs, monitor and quality assure work.
- Identify training and development needs; employ a coaching approach, and clarify opportunities for skill enhancement and career growth.
See attached job description for more detail on the key responsibilities in the role
Person Specification:
We need someone who will demonstrate our organisational skills-based competencies - as listed below:
- Leadership
- Communication
- Adaptability
- Professionalism
- Decision-making
Technical knowledge, understanding and experience required:
- Demonstrable experience of working in a partnership role in a charity or similar non-profit organisation.
- Demonstrable experience of building, maintaining and developing outstanding and mutually beneficial corporate partnerships.
- Knowledge of programme design and planning with corporate partners, including setting and managing complex budgets.
- Understanding of good practice in fundraising including data protection and partner stewardship.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Excel.
- A basic level of understanding of Salesforce CRM
See attached job description for more detail on the person specification
Ways of working:
- Most of our work is office based, but you will spend a lot of time collaborating with other teams and clients via email, telephone and other communications channels such as Teams or Zoom.
- Some travel will be required as part of this role to other offices and locations, as needed for events, work placements and meetings.
Benefits
- 36/37 days' annual leave (England & Wales and Scotland respectively - includes bank and public holidays), with 3 of these days reserved for the annual end of year office closure.
- Cycle to Work scheme.
- 5% Salary sacrifice pension scheme with enhanced matching employer contributions
- Employee Assistance Programme available to staff and their family
- Flexible work options such as hybrid working, flexitime, part-time
- Regular staff team building and business planning “away days”
How to Apply
If you are interested in applying for this role, please head over to our website by 23:59, Sunday 22nd February and answer the following questions:
1) Why would you like to work at the Social Mobility Foundation? (250 words max.)
2) What makes you a suitable candidate for this role, including specific examples from your experience and skills? (500 words max.)
3) Tell us about a time when you managed an important relationship with a corporate partner, client or external stakeholder. What was your role in maintaining the relationship, and what did you learn about effective account management from the experience? (500 words max.)
We unlock potential, broaden horizons and create opportunities for young people


The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Children’s and Families’ Worker
Community of St Paulinus, Sheffield Cathedral
We are seeking a creative, relational and passionate Children’s and Families’ Worker to join our newly forming team, working at the heart of the Cathedral’s life and mission with children, families and local communities.
Based at the Cathedral, you will be responsible for shaping and delivering engaging children’s work, including Sunday provision, early years activities, and creative opportunities that help children grow in their Christian faith and feel at home within the worshipping life of the Cathedral. You will recruit, support and develop volunteer teams, work closely with Cathedral colleagues, and help create welcoming spaces where children and families can explore faith together.
You will also contribute to the wider mission of the Cathedral through the Community of St Paulinus, supporting the development of new worshipping communities for young children and their families, and working in partnership with local churches and the Centenary Project Network.
This is an exciting opportunity for a practising Christian with experience of working with children—whether in a church, school, youth work or community setting—who is passionate about children’s spiritual development, inclusive mission and creative engagement with families, particularly in areas of social and economic disadvantage.
For an informal chat about the role, contact Dr Genevieve Langdon, Sub-Prior of the Community of St Paulinus
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25 hours per week (to include Sundays and Thursdays)
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Fixed-term until 31 December 2028, with the possibility of extension subject to funding.
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£20,270 per year for 25 hours/week (£30,000 FTE), plus Cathedral pension
Closing date: 2 pm, Friday 13 February 2026
Shortlisting: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.


