Learning and development lead jobs in Birmingham

Social entrepreneurs scaling their ventures face a specific set of challenges including income generation, hiring, governance, hard calls about growth and risk, all alongside scaling their social impact. We’re recruiting learning and enterprise development managers who’ve lived that journey themselves, to bring first-hand credibility and challenge directly to the entrepreneurs on our scale-up and scale-up-plus programmes.

You’ll hold ownership of SSE’s scale-up approach, shaping our learning content on strategy, profitability and the systems that hold a growing venture together – grounded in what actually works, not just what’s written down. Facilitation sits at the heart of this role. You’ll design and deliver learning programmes and group sessions for cohorts of entrepreneurs as well as leading 1-2-1 coaching and diagnostics, and delivering Action Learning Sets, SSE’s long-standing peer-coaching method (training provided).

We’re looking for people who’ve founded or led a VCSE with an annual turnover of £100,000 or more and held financial accountability such as statutory reporting to the Charity Commission and, where relevant, Companies House, reporting to a board or funders, and making hard calls about growth, income and risk.

You’ll succeed in this role if you believe in what social entrepreneurship can achieve and want to turn your experience into supporting social ventures to scale and create more impact in their communities and beyond

FitzRoy is looking for a proactive and driven Oliver McGowan Programme & Training Coordination Manager to develop, coordinate and grow our external Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training offer.

Using your excellent relationship-building skills, you will develop partnerships with commissioners and other organisations and identify strategies to help more customers access our training. You'll build strong relationships with new and existing customers, ensuring they receive an excellent experience from initial enquiry through to training delivery.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape a newly created role, identify new opportunities, improve the way we work and lead our Training Support Team in coordinating all of FitzRoy's training, while helping us reach more organisations and increase the impact of our Oliver McGowan programme.

Please note this is a remote role with occasional travel to Petersfield and other locations in the UK, so a Full Driving Licence and access to a vehicle is essential. 

Unfortunately we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role. 

This role is being offered on a Full Time basis or 30 hours per week (across 4 days) on a 12 month fixed term contract.

What you'll do

• Lead our dedicated Training Support Team, ensuring the smooth coordination of all internal and external training across FitzRoy - Not just our Oliver McGowan programme.
• Work closely with our inspirational Lived Experience Trainers and Administration team to support the successful delivery of the Oliver McGowan programme and our internal training courses in a timely and efficient way.
• Develop new business opportunities and build lasting relationships with commissioners, customers and partner organisations.
• Deliver an excellent customer experience from initial enquiry through to course completion.
• Monitor performance, income, customer feedback and quality standards to support continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with Oliver McGowan licensing requirements and contractual obligations.

About you

You’ll have

• Experience of building strong relationships with customers, commissioners or partner organisations.
• Passion for delivering an outstanding customer experience.
• Excellent communication skills, which can flex for the different needs of our team and customers
• Confident leadership skills, to support a small team, helping people to do their best work.
• Great IT skills to use Microsoft Office, our LMS and other digital systems to monitor performance and keep things running smoothly.
• Information analysis skills, to solve problems and identify opportunities for improvement and growth
• FitzRoy aligned values, committed to improving the lives of autistic people and people with a learning disability.
• Experience of working within the health and social care sector and the Oliver McGowan Training Programme.
• Transferable experience in programme or training coordination and scheduling

Why join us?

You'll be joining a well-established, high-performing Learning & Development team with an excellent reputation for high-quality training. Our trainers and Training Support Team receive fantastic feedback from colleagues and external customers, and you'll have the opportunity to build on that success by shaping a newly created role and grow our external Oliver McGowan training offer.

About Us

FitzRoy is a national charity, set up 60 years ago by brave parents as a pioneering alternative to institutional care. Their values remain the values of FitzRoy today – we see the person, we are brave and we are creative – and they thread through everything we do.

We support hundreds of people with a range of needs. You could be supporting someone with learning disabilities, autism, acquired brain injuries or mental health support needs. Many of the people we support also have physical impairments or other health issues. Working for us will give you an opportunity to learn, to grow and to transform lives. Join us today.

Benefits

• 25 days holiday rising with service
• Staff recognition scheme
• Leadership development programme
• Healthcare cashback plan and employee assistance programme
• Team bonus scheme (service based roles)
• Pension and life assurance

The School for Social Entrepreneurs backs people with purpose — entrepreneurs building organisations that change their communities. We're looking for a National Partnerships Lead to work directly with our CEO, driving high-priority national funding partnerships, diversifying our income, and building the relationships that fund our impact. 

You'll identify major funding opportunities, negotiate with trusts, corporates and government partners, and lead complex proposals from first conversation through to a signed agreement — including the budgets, risk assessments and value propositions behind them. You'll also act as a sounding board for the CEO, pressure-testing ideas and sharpening how we tell our story to funders. 

We're looking for sustained experience supporting a CEO or senior leader, a track record of leading multi-million pound funding initiatives end-to-end, and the versatile writing skills to move between board papers and detailed funder tenders without losing accuracy under pressure. Sharp budgeting and numeracy matter for this role, alongside real comfort building trust with senior external stakeholders. 

This position is for someone who thrives on ambiguity, enjoys solving complex problems, and wants their work to directly fund entrepreneurs changing their communities. 

Work where it matters most, achieve what matters more 

Be part of a team where passion meets purpose, as we work together where the challenge is greatest to change the lives and build the futures of children and young people. 

We're looking for a talented Strategy Manager to help deliver our ambitious 2025–2030 strategy.

Working within our Transformation team, you'll lead high-impact projects, provide insight that drives decision-making, and partner with senior leaders to solve complex challenges. From developing business cases and strategic recommendations to analysing data and driving organisational improvement, you'll play a key role in shaping the future direction of the Trust.

This is a varied role that combines strategy, project delivery and data-led decision-making. You'll lead projects from concept to implementation, turning complex information into clear recommendations and ensuring initiatives deliver meaningful outcomes.

You'll work closely with senior stakeholders across the organisation, providing challenge, insight and support while helping to improve processes, drive performance and deliver our strategic priorities.

This role is a full time, all year-round role, mainly home-based working with travel to our head office in Birmingham and our academies as required. If you're excited by this opportunity but are considering a different way of working, such as a secondment or another flexible arrangement, we'd love to hear from you and discuss the possibilities.

About you

You're a commercially minded problem-solver with strong analytical skills and a track record of delivering projects in complex environments.

You'll be confident working with data, influencing senior stakeholders and managing multiple priorities. You have excellent communication skills, strong Excel and PowerPoint capability, and the ability to translate analysis into practical action.

Experience in strategy, consulting, transformation or organisational improvement would be advantageous, as would experience within education.

Why work for Ormiston?

Our vision is to create a school system where every child thrives, regardless of background. Our people are at the heart of our approach – they are our greatest asset.

We exist to provide the best learning opportunities every day, in every school for every child. It is the people and teams in our Trust who make this a reality and ensure we have the greatest impact. If you join us at Ormiston, whatever your role, you can be sure of a role with purpose and meaning. 

Ormiston, where every member of staff enjoys… 

• The opportunity to build on the legacy of those who came before – being part of one of the longest standing Trusts, created with the sole purpose of enabling children and young people to thrive 
• Working for a Trust nationally recognised for its impact on disadvantaged children – a rewarding, stimulating career where staff are challenged to be the best they can be, for the pupils we are proud to serve 
• Being part of a team and community where you belong – receiving bespoke and holistic support from a well-resourced and ambitious network of experts and professionals that work at the heart of communities 
• A supportive environment to grow your career – an extensive professional development programme, alongside flexible working arrangements and generous benefits 

Benefits that care for you 

We value your hard work and dedication, and we’re committed to ensuring you feel supported, both professionally and personally so that you are in the best position to make the most impact for the children and young people in our schools. 

When you join us at Ormiston, you can be certain that your work will have purpose and meaning. You can also expect robust and holistic support from us to enable you to excel in your role.

You will have access to an attractive benefits package including:

• 30 days annual leave (rising to 32 days after 5 years’ service)
• Generous pension and life cover
• Access to health and well-being programmes, including counselling service.
• Discounts on retail, travel, and leisure through our benefits platform. 
• Free and confidential legal, tax and health 24/7 helpline.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Automatic pay progression.
• Flexible working arrangements.

And much more as part of a leading multi-academy trust. 

If you're excited by this opportunity but are considering a different way of working, such as a secondment or another flexible arrangement, we'd love to hear from you and discuss the possibilities.

The closing date for applications is 9am on 18 August with interviews taking place shortly after. 

Early applications are encouraged as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early should a suitable candidate be found. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

We can’t fix issues like poverty, inequality, health and climate change alone. We are fully conscious of the scale of the challenge that faces the country and the urgent need to respond. That’s why the School for Social Entrepreneurs exists, to empower and equip people with entrepreneurial ideas and solutions to grow the social economy. The social economy is a movement of organisations and enterprises that prioritise people and planet. Together, we are committed to tackling the greatest social and environmental challenges of our time.This is a new and exciting role at a significant time of growth for the School for Social Entrepreneurs. In the coming year. we are developing new programmes, working with leaders who are developing small community led social and environmental projects as well as leading larger charities and social businesses developing social investment and housing solutions.

We’re not a traditional funder. Our grants tend to be small, but they punch above their weight, helping social and environmental entrepreneurs take the next step to grow their organisations. Our grants run alongside learning programmes, challenging and supporting leaders. We’re innovative in how we do this, through both traditional and enterprise grants. We lead on Match Trading™, a grant that challenges leaders to grow their trading income, and we are working on further grants innovations.

You will work with our Grants Team, Project Co-ordinators and Assessment Lead to develop and support grant management across a range of programmes. Your role will be to lead on specific programmes, including supporting assessment, onboarding and grant management. You will ensure that grantees are fully supported to manage their grants and ensure that grant management is compliant, auditable, efficient, and timely. You will support the development of grant policies and processes, writing grant paperwork and documentation, overseeing payments, and reporting to the wider Programmes Team and others about our work.

You don’t need to have managed grants before, but you do need to have a good understanding of a wide range enterprises and charities, gained through experience of training, business consultancy or development support. You will have a good understanding of business models, legal structures and financial systems that social and environmental organisations and community run and owned businesses may use. You will need to understand social enterprise finances, be able to read accounts, budgets, cashflows and have a good knowledge of social enterprise income streams.

We need someone who understands how hard it is to start up and grow social and environmental enterprises and can support people from diverse backgrounds in managing their grant, finances and growing their business.

Are you up for the challenge?

Interviews: Friday 18th and Friday 25th September (online)

We are looking for a Safeguarding Lead to provide dedicated safeguarding leadership as our flagship Drive Project working with high-harm, high-risk perpetrators of domestic abuse, scales across England and Wales. Acting as a Safeguarding Lead, you'll hold oversight of safeguarding governance across our network, lead a shift from compliance towards collaborative, relational learning, and support delivery partners as a trusted peer and source of expertise. This is a pivotal, newly created role for someone energised by culture change, skilled at holding both accountability and compassion, and comfortable working in complexity.

Closing date: Tuesday 25th August, 9am. Please refer to the job description for further details.

To apply, please visit Respect UK website 

For nearly 20 years, Lively Minds has been proving that parents are the sleeping giants of early childhood development. With strong evidence and a national scale proof point in Ghana, we have shown that parent powered approaches delivered through government systems can transform children's lives at scale.

We are now at a pivotal moment. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum, and we need the funding, profile and influence to match our ambition. This is a rare opportunity to lead income generation and external voice for an award winning NGO entering an exciting new phase of growth. You will lead our fundraising strategy and direct engagement with Funders ensuring that we maximise all funding opportunities as we continue our strategic evolution. You will also shape a compelling external narrative that will help position Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments strengthening their early childhood development systems.

If you are an exceptional fundraiser and communicator who is equally comfortable in a strategic conversation and writing a winning proposal, we would love to hear from you.

Read the full advert and apply below. Closing date: 3rd September 2026.

About Lively Minds

Lively Minds is an award-winning NGO with nearly 20 years of experience designing, testing and scaling early childhood development (ECD) solutions across the Global South. Our core idea is simple but radical: parents are the sleeping giants of ECD. Governments and donors have long overlooked parents, assuming that poverty and low literacy make them unable or unwilling to support their childrenʼs development. We have spent two decades proving otherwise. With RCT-backed evidence and a national-scale proof point in Ghana, we have demonstrated that parent-powered approaches, delivered through government systems, can achieve meaningful child development outcomes at scale.

Our 2026–2028 strategy marks a pivotal shift. Having demonstrated what is possible, we are now helping pioneer an innovative model of country-led sustainable scale. Rather than delivering programmes ourselves, we provide lean, time-limited technical advisory support to governments to help them integrate parent-powered ECD into their own systems, budgets and institutions. We are currently working with the governments of Ghana, Uganda, Oromia state (Ethiopia) and The Gambia in 2026, growing to six or more country engagements by 2028. Our ambition is to catalyse a sector-wide shift, positioning Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments seeking to strengthen their ECD systems.

Our scale strategy rests on three interdependent pillars: fixed-term Technical Advisory partnerships with governments; the development of a modular radio model simple and affordable enough for governments to adopt and fund independently; and an advocacy and sector influence agenda designed to make parent-powered ECD the norm globally.

Purpose of the Role

Lively Minds is at a critical inflection point. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum. We now need the funding, profile and sector influence to match our ambition. The Director of Fundraising and Communications is a priority hire, created to provide the dedicated, experienced leadership that this moment demands.

The Director will own and drive Lively Mindsʼ income generation, building new funder relationships, managing and deepening existing ones, and ensuring the organisation has the pipeline, discipline and quality of engagement to meet and exceed its fundraising targets. Working in close partnership with the Founding CEO, who retains ownership of a small number of long-standing strategic relationships, the Director will take primary responsibility for securing the funding that makes the 2026–2028 strategy deliverable, and that opens the door to greater scale beyond it. We need to raise approximately £3.4m over the next 3 years to deliver our strategy. But our ambition is to exceed that target so we can support additional governments.

Alongside fundraising, the Director will provide strategic leadership to Lively Mindsʼ communications and advocacy work, ensuring that the organisationʼs external voice is compelling and that we are building credibility in the spaces where funding decisions are made. The Director will lead and provide strategic coherence to a small but outward-facing team, including Head of Partnerships and Advocacy Lead who are active on the international stage. Lively Minds is committed to thought-leadership and active external engagement, but equally committed to ensuring that communications resource is deployed with discipline and rigour. The Director will set a clear strategic filter for where the organisation shows up, what it publishes and who it engages: prioritising focus and quality over volume, and always asking whether external activity is building the relationships and reputation that ultimately drive income and/or systems change.

Lively Minds is a dispersed, remote organisation. The Directorʼs team the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer - are internationally distributed. The ability to lead, develop and maintain high standards across a dispersed team is essential. The role requires regular travel to international conferences and events.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Income Generation

• Own and deliver the multi-year fundraising strategy with clear priorities, targets, income streams and a disciplined pipeline to support the 2026–2028 strategy and future scale
• Steward existing funder relationships, turning strong partnerships into long-term supporters, advocates and connectors to new funding opportunities.
• Lead the shift towards Big Bet and catalytic funding, personally cultivating and negotiating high-value, multi-year partnerships and positioning Lively Minds for system-level scale
• Maintain a high standard of fundraising quality, pipeline management and forecasting, while coaching the team to produce compelling, sophisticated fundraising materials
•  Build and continuously strengthen a diverse funding pipeline, identifying emerging opportunities, new funding markets and strategic partnerships that reduce concentration risk and support long-term financial sustainability

Communications, Brand & Advocacy

• Own and deliver Lively Mindsʼ communications and marketing strategy, balancing visibility and sector influence with the need to strengthen fundraising and systems-change objectives
• Partner closely with the CEO to shape and steward a coherent external narrative, brand and messaging framework across all audiences and channels
• Oversee high-quality core communications and fundraising materials, including cases for support, pitch decks, website content, proposals and donor reports
• Provide strategic communications expertise to Advocacy, Partnerships and MEL, ensuring evidence and learning are translated into compelling narratives and consistent external messaging
• Lead efforts to strengthen Lively Mindsʼ profile and thought leadership in the ECD sector, identifying opportunities for strategic media, events, publications and external platforms that reinforce its positioning and influence

Organizational Leadership&TeamDevelopment

• Contribute actively to SMT and organisational strategy, bringing funder intelligence, external perspective and communications expertise to strategic decision-making.
• Work closely with Finance and MEL to align fundraising targets, forecasting, budgets and evidence, ensuring proposals are credible, accurately costed and evidence-led
• Act as the organisationʼs communications subject matter expert, providing guidance and challenge to ensure high-quality, consistent external communications
• Lead and develop the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer, fostering a team culture of quality, accountability, strategic clarity and continuous improvement
• Build strong cross-organisational collaboration, ensuring teams understand how fundraising, communications, advocacy and evidence work together to advance Lively Mindsʼ strategic priorities

Person Specification

Essential Experience & Skills

• 10+ years of significant senior-level fundraising experience within international development, education, philanthropy or a comparable sector
• Proven track record of securing major grants from foundations, institutional donors and high-net-worth individuals, alongside demonstrated experience securing or meaningfully progressing large-scale, catalytic funding from Big Bet philanthropy programmes such as the Audacious Project, Skoll Foundation or comparable funders. A strong understanding of what these funders look for and how to position an organisation compellingly within their processes is essential
• Exceptional fundraising writing skills, with the ability to personally develop compelling cases for support, funding proposals, award applications and pitch decks tailored to sophisticated impact funders. This is a hands-on role requiring both strong writing capability and the ability to coach others to consistently produce high-quality fundraising content
• Experienced in developing and owning a marketing and communications strategy, with a strong understanding of how to balance organisational visibility, thought leadership and sector influence with coherence, strategic focus and income generation
• Demonstrated ability to work closely with a Founding CEO to shape and steward the organisationʼs external narrative and brand. Comfortable working in a founder-led environment, providing expertise and constructive challenge while ensuring the organisation maintains a clear, consistent and coherent external voice

Desirable Experience

• Experienced fundraising for a technical advisory, systems change or government-facing organisation
• Knowledge of the ECD, education or early childhood sector and its funding landscape
• Familiarity with the Big Bang Philanthropy network or equivalent impact-focused funder communities
• Experience working alongside advocacy and partnerships teams, providing communications expertise and strategic coherence to their external activity
• Familiarity with the funding landscape for organisations operating in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Experience working remotely across multiple countries and effectively collaborating with cross-cultural teams

Behaviours & Ways of Working

• A doer, equally comfortable in strategic conversations and writing a funding proposal
• Sets a high bar for quality and clarity in all external communications and holds it consistently
• Builds a strong, trust-based partnership with the Founding CEO, provides honest challenge and operates effectively within a founder-led dynamic without losing their own voice or judgement
• Collaborative and cross-organisational. Invests in strong relationships with programme, MEL and finance colleagues, understanding that the best fundraising is grounded in organisational reality
• Calm and focused under pressure - able to manage competing priorities and maintain quality when the stakes are high

What We Offer

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• 25 days annual leave
• Health insurance
• Pension contribution
• Generous learning and development budget
• Flexible, remote working

Application Instruction

Interested candidates are encouraged to read the Job Description carefully before applying to ensure they understand the role and meet the required criteria.

To apply, please complete the pre-screening questions and submit your updated CV

PLEASE NOTE - Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Timeline

Closing Date: 3rd September 2026

Our Stance

Lively Minds operates a strict Safeguarding Policy and is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children and vulnerable people. As part of our recruitment process, the suitability of successful candidates will be verified through appropriate background checks including professional references and police checks.

Lively Minds is fully committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and to providing equal opportunities throughout our recruitment process. We want this commitment to be reflected in the diversity of the people who work for us, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, experiences and perspectives.

We are committed to ensuring that recruitment decisions are based on merit, skills, experience and suitability for the role, and that all candidates are treated fairly and with respect throughout the recruitment process.

Women's experiences of gambling harm are still poorly understood across the sector. GamCare's Women's Pathway is changing that, and we're looking for a Training Lead to help lead the way. You'll design and deliver engaging CPD-accredited training to professionals, volunteers, community organisations and women's groups, building strong partnerships that increase awareness, early identification and access to support.

Working closely with stakeholders across the sector, you'll combine training delivery, partnership development and content design to help ensure the Women's Pathway reaches the women who need it most. As an independent charity and the leading provider of support for anyone affected by gambling harms, the work you do will help GamCare improve outcomes for women across the UK.

About you

We're looking for an experienced and engaging trainer who is passionate about empowering women and supporting behaviour change through high-quality learning experiences. You'll have experience designing and delivering training to a range of audiences and be confident adapting your approach to meet different learning needs. Importantly, you'll bring experience of working directly with professionals and/or women's groups, ideally within community, support, recovery, health, social care or voluntary sector settings.

You'll understand how to create inclusive and trauma-informed learning environments and be skilled at building relationships with both professional stakeholders and community-based organisations. Strong facilitation, communication and organisational skills, along with a commitment to safeguarding and confidentiality, will enable you to deliver impactful training that increases awareness, builds confidence and improves pathways into support. 

Working at GamCare

Founded in 1997, GamCare is one of the leading providers of information, advice and support for anyone affected by gambling harms. We operate the National Gambling Helpline, provide treatment for anyone who is harmed by gambling, create awareness about safer gambling and treatment, and encourage an effective approach to safer gambling within the gambling industry. 

Staff Benefits we can offer you:

• 33 days basic annual leave entitlement per annum (pro-rated for part-time colleagues) including bank holidays, which increases with service
• A generous Pension Scheme – we contribute 6% and you contribute 2%
• Discretionary company sick pay after 6 months' service
• Employee Assistance Programme – 24-hour support
• Premium access to the CALM app for you and up to 5 dependents

Closing date for applications: Sunday 23rd August 2026 (23:59)

Interviews will take place: In person at GamCare's London HQ (online interview available if required) – week commencing 31st August 2026.

GamCare is committed to offering the best support to people affected by gambling harms, as such we welcome applications from candidates with lived experience.

GamCare is an equal opportunities employer and doesn’t discriminate based on race, religion, gender, age, sexuality, gender identification, or physical ability. We are only able to facilitate visa sponsorship in very limited circumstances, so candidates outside of the UK or who don’t have the right to work in the UK need not apply.

Location: Hybrid – Home-based with some regional travel in England

Reports to: Head of Programmes and Impact

Contract: Fixed-term/Temporary maternity cover, approx. 12-month secondment

Salary: £30,600 per annum

Application deadline: Thursday 27th August at 9am

Interview information: We plan to hold online interviews from week commencing 7th September

About The Girls’ Network:

The Girls' Network is a national charity with a mission to inspire and empower girls from the least advantaged communities by connecting them with a network of professional women role models and volunteer mentors. We believe no girl should have her future limited by her gender, ethnicity, background, or parental income. Our vision is a future where all girls are supported to realise their ambitions, discover their self-worth, and shape their own futures.

We partner with secondary schools and colleges across multiple regions in England, including London, Merseyside, Portsmouth, Southampton, Sussex, Tees Valley, Tyne & Wear and the West Midlands. We match girls aged 14–19 with trained volunteer mentors for one-to-one support. In addition to this core mentoring, workshops, and access to an Ambassador Community that provides continued opportunities for development, career support, and connection.

Role Summary:

The Programme Development Officer is responsible for ensuring that The Girls' Network develops high-quality, consistent, and impactful programmes for girls and young women across all regions. Working closely with the colleagues in the Programme team, volunteers, and education establishments, the post-holder will support the development and continuous improvement of our mentoring, workshop, and ambassador offer. They will ensure that programmes are grounded in best practice and aligned to organisational strategy. Key responsibilities include leading programme quality assurance, developing resources, and delivering staff and volunteer training, while embedding learning from delivery to strengthen outcomes.

Alongside programme development duties, the post-holder will also be a member of the safeguarding team, acting as a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO). In this capacity, they will support the organisation's commitment to providing safe and inclusive programmes to girls and young women. This role involves supporting delivery staff on day-to-day safeguarding issues, refining policies as required, carrying out risk assessments, and auditing procedures to guarantee that safeguarding frameworks are consistently understood, accurately recorded, and central to service delivery.

Key Duties/Responsibilities:

Programme Development

• Support the development and continuous improvement of The Girls' Network's programme offer, ensuring delivery aligns with organisational strategy and responds to the needs of the girls and young women we serve.

• Develop and maintain programme standards, frameworks, and guidance to drive consistent, high-quality delivery across all regions.

• Take ownership of The Girls' Network volunteering platform, ensuring it effectively supports volunteer engagement and delivery.

• Ensure mentoring, workshops, and wider programme activities are aligned with The Girls' Network Theory of Change.

• Work collaboratively with the wider programme team to identify opportunities to strengthen and evolve programme delivery.

• Stay informed of sector research and emerging practice on mentoring, youth issues, and girls' empowerment, embedding relevant learning into programme design.

• Collaborate with the Head of Programmes & Impact to ensure programme development activity reflects both operational needs and strategic priorities.

Quality Assurance and Improvement

• Design and implement robust quality assurance processes that underpin excellence and consistency across programme delivery.

• Conduct programme reviews, fieldwork, and quality assurance activities, identifying strengths, risks, and opportunities for improvement.

• Work closely with the National Programme Manager to embed programme standards in day-to-day delivery and support the sharing of best practice across teams.

• Produce actionable recommendations and improvement plans to enhance programme effectiveness and operational delivery.

• Ensure programme resources, guidance, and delivery materials remain current, relevant, and aligned to organisational priorities.

• Foster a culture of learning, collaboration, and continuous improvement across programme delivery teams.

Programme Resources and Training

• Support the development, review, and maintenance of programme resources, workshop content, and mentoring materials.

• Design and deliver training, guidance, and support for programme staff and volunteers to enable effective and consistent delivery.

• Facilitate learning opportunities that build programme delivery capability across the organisation.

Safeguarding

• Act as a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) and support the development, implementation, and regular review of safeguarding policies and procedures across the organisation.

• Act as a key point of contact for day-to-day safeguarding concerns, informing the Designated Safeguarding Lead(s) or relevant statutory bodies of situations/outcomes

• Provide quality safeguarding advice and guidance to staff and volunteers as required.

• Manage and respond to safeguarding concerns, disclosures and referrals, ensuring accurate documentation and appropriate action is taken in line with statutory requirements and The Girls’ Network policies. Initiate and coordinate referrals to external agencies and services, ensuring follow-up actions are carried out and monitored

• Contribute to the delivery of safeguarding training and the promotion of best practice across the organisation

• Keep abreast of safeguarding practice, making recommendations as appropriate, to ensure compliance with statutory and organisational guidelines

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding legislation, emerging risks, and sector best practice.

• Collate and produce safeguarding reports, data, and narrative for Head of Programmes and Impact as/when required.

Note: This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the role. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities and duties required.
 

Person Specification:

Essential

• Qualified teacher or experienced trainer, with a proven ability to design and deliver engaging learning programmes.

• Experience of developing, implementing, and improving youth, mentoring, education, or employability programmes.

• Experience of quality assurance, programme reviews, or service improvement activities.

• Experience developing resources, frameworks, guidance, or training materials.

• Experience using feedback, learning, and evaluation findings to inform programme development.

• Strong organisational and project management skills, including accurate record-keeping, case management, reporting and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.

• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships across a wide range of internal and external partners.

• Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, with a clear understanding of the barriers faced by girls and young women from disadvantaged backgrounds.

• Strong knowledge of child and adult safeguarding legislation, risk assessment, statutory guidance, and best practice.

• Experience managing safeguarding disclosures and referrals, including liaison with statutory agencies (e.g., social care, police, safeguarding boards).

• Ability to handle sensitive and complex cases with professionalism, discretion, and sound judgement.

• Ability and willingness to travel across our regions, as/when required (travel expenses will be reimbursed).

Desirable

• A full, clean driving licence.

• Experience working within the charity, education, youth, or mentoring sectors.

• Experience developing youth participation and voice programmes.

• Experience designing and implementing quality assurance frameworks, including evaluation approaches focused on outcomes and engagement.

• Knowledge of social and emotional learning, employability, or youth development approaches.

• Experience facilitating training and professional development for staff or volunteers.

• Experience using digital platforms or developing digital resources to support learning, engagement or programme delivery.

• Understanding of charity sector governance and the specific safeguarding considerations when working with volunteers.

• Knowledge of current trends and best practice in mentoring, education, or youth development programmes.

How to apply

Please apply as soon as possible. You will be asked to complete your application by submitting your CV and answering a few application questions.

Appointees are subject to a DBS check. You must have the right to work in the UK to apply.

The deadline to submit your application is 27th August at 9am. Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

Use of AI in applications

AI can be a helpful tool for inclusivity and accessibility, and we recognise that it may support applicants with spelling or grammar. However, when it comes to our selection process, what matters most to us is hearing your authentic voice and personal experiences. We're not looking for polished answers — just your own experiences, in your own words.

Diversity at our core

The Girls' Network is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating discrimination. In line with the Equality Act 2010, if you require any reasonable adjustments to support you with any stage of this recruitment process, please contact the HR team.

Our Benefits

• 27 holiday days per year, plus public holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff)

• Option to purchase up to 5 additional days of annual leave every year

• Gifted birthday leave

• 3 days volunteering leave per year

• Extended and comprehensive sick pay policy

• Enhanced Family Leave pay policy

• Pension scheme

• Annual professional development fund to help you grow

• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme for wellbeing support

• Benefit from flexible, remote working options with a full suite of home office equipment.

• A dedicated Girls’ Network buddy, available beyond the induction period for ongoing support

Are you interested in improving the lives of people with a learning disability? Can you turn complex ideas into evidence-based policy? Are you a skilled communicator able to influence decision-makers? If so, we would love to hear from you!

We are currently looking for a Policy Specialist to join Mencap. This position sits within the Policy and Public Affairs teams of Mencap’s Campaigns, Advocacy and Activism Directorate (CAA). You will work closely with our influencing, information and advice, campaigning, and research work, as well as sector partners.

This is an exciting new role to deliver policy change and enhance the rights of people with a learning disability. At a key time to influence health reform, we are seeking a policy specialist to shape policy work that reflects the needs and experiences of people with a learning disability and their families. Working within the policy team, you will be responsible for developing evidence-based policy work and influencing decision-makers. 

This is a 4-day a week position (30 hours per week). We are flexible with your work location, but there may be some occasional travel needed to our London office or Westminster.

You will: 

You will bring to this role:

If you're passionate about driving meaningful change for people with a learning disability and you're ready to use your policy expertise to make a real impact, please apply now with an up-to-date CV. Applications close on Tuesday 1st September, 2026. Interviews are scheduled to take place via Microsoft Teams during the week commencing 7th September 2026.

• Translate complex work into clear and persuasive policy briefings, consultation responses and reports.
• Work within wider coalitions of charities, building collaborative relationships and ensuring that the needs and priorities of our community are addressed.
• Develop and expand Mencap’s ‘Policy Shapers’ work, ensuring our work reflects the health needs and experiences of people with a learning disability and their families.
• Support our information and advice team, briefing them on important developments, inputting into casework discussions relevant to your areas of work, and supporting the creation of public information resources.
• Represent Mencap at meetings and events, with MPs, civil servants, and sector partners.
• Identify and analyse relevant research to develop evidence-based policy recommendations.
• Experience of working on health policy issues.
• Strong communication skills: experience tailoring your messaging to a variety of different audiences and representing an organisation.
• Experience building positive relationships and working collaboratively to achieve outcomes; able to positively challenge, negotiate and compromise.
• The ability to work on your own initiative while contributing to team priorities and sustain enthusiasm under pressure.
•  Experience analysing evidence to develop recommendations.
• Knowledge of the health issues facing people with a learning disability, as well as the health and wider parliamentary system. 
• Passion about making the world a better place for people with a learning disability. 

Benefits

Here at Mencap, we offer an impressive range of benefits designed to support and reward our employees to ensure that our teams feel valued and appreciated. 

Our benefits package offers 32 days of paid holiday (including bank holidays, pro rata), along with a range of perks such as discounts at leading high-street retailers, access to health cash plans, interest-free loans, and many more exciting offerings. 

For more details on what we have to offer, please see the attached document outlining all the fantastic benefits available to you as a member of our team! 

About Mencap

Our vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives. 

We're here to support people with a learning disability, their families and their carers. We fight for a kinder, fairer and more inclusive society for people with a learning disability to live in. 

At Mencap, everyone works with people with a learning disability either providing support or advice, or alongside one another as colleagues. 

Belonging at Mencap is for everyone, every day, everywhere. 

· Everyone is expected to treat people well and make Mencap an inclusive organisation. 

· Every day we grow and learn. It’s okay to make mistakes but we learn from them and make changes 

· Everywhere people will feel respected, valued, and safe to be themselves. 

We have Belonging network groups that meet online and are open to all colleagues. The groups include people who identify as Black and Asian, LGBTQIA+, disabled or with a long- term health condition, women, parents and carers, and their allies. 

We want to encourage everyone to apply to work at Mencap and we offer a variety of different contract types and working patterns. We’re not looking for specific experience. It is your personality and values that will make you a great colleague. We will train and develop you to succeed in the role you’re applying for. 

We’re looking for an experienced debt adviser who wants to lead practice, develop colleagues, influence service delivery, and make a lasting difference for people facing financial hardship.

This is a senior, hands-on role that combines expert debt advice with practice leadership. As our lead debt specialist, you will manage a complex caseload while driving quality, supporting adviser development and helping shape the future of debt advice within a trusted local charity.

Working closely with colleagues and partners, you will influence service development and ensure that clients receive high-quality, compliant and person-centred support.

If you're an experienced debt adviser ready to influence practice, support colleagues and make a real difference in your community, we'd love to hear from you!

Shape the future of play and early intervention services for disabled children while leading strategic innovation at one of the UK's most impactful disability charities.

About Newlife
As one of the UK's leading charities providing essential specialist equipment to children with disabilities, Newlife is dedicated to making life better - for the families we serve, and for the people who help us to make that happen.

Through grants and emergency equipment loans, we ensure children get the vital equipment they need, when they need it, while our free nurse helpline offers crucial support and information – as well as a listening ear. Our campaigns help to give children with disabilities and their families a voice, advocating for change to benefit the families we serve.

Across the whole of Newlife, our teams are crucial to our success – it's not just a job; here you'll be helping us to change lives every day.

What you'll be doing
You will lead the development and delivery of innovative services that improve the lives of disabled children and their families through play, early intervention and inclusive practice. Working closely with families, healthcare professionals, education providers and community partners, you will identify emerging needs, drive service improvement and develop approaches that increase impact, reach and sustainability.

A key focus will be shaping the future of Newlife's play offer, including Community Play programmes, Play Pods and the development of new Early Years services. You will ensure services are informed by evidence, family insight and best practice in child development, inclusion and play.

If you're ready to lead transformational change in early intervention services and make a lasting impact on the lives of disabled children and their families, we'd love to hear from you.

Please note DBS check will be required for this role.

Location: Remote with regular travel to multiple locations (including Head Office in London)
Contract Type: Full-Time, Standard Contract
Reports to: Executive Headteacher
Responsible for: Curriculum Leads and Teaching Staff
Start Date: 4th January 2027 

Please note: Applicants who successfully pass the initial CV screening will be required to submit a full Equal Education Academy application form in line with KCSIE statutory guidance prior to formal shortlisting and interview.

Interview schedule: 

• Online interview (45mins) - Friday 28th August 2026.

• In-Person Assessment Day (London) - Friday 11th September 2026.

About Equal Education Academy (EEA)

Equal Education is excited to launch a new online academy for Key Stage 4 students, accredited under the DfE’s Online Education Accreditation Scheme (OEAS). We deliver high-quality alternative education tailored for learners facing barriers to education or with complex needs. This includes young people with SEND, SEMH needs, interrupted schooling, Children Looked After, and those requiring specialist or alternative provision.

Guided by our values of Belong, Empower and Aspire, we provide a safe, inclusive, and aspirational environment. We align with DfE guidance and aim to meet OEAS standards, ensuring that safeguarding, particularly online, is the foundation of our culture.

Purpose of the Role

The Head of Centre will provide strategic and operational leadership for Equal Education Academy, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, inclusive, and trauma-informed online provision. Serving as the Academy’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) and Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), the postholder will embed safeguarding, inclusion, and wellbeing into all organisational decision-making.

Key responsibilities include leading SEND and safeguarding strategy (including overseeing the Single Central Record)  delivering high-impact staff training, and driving rigorous quality assurance by monitoring and reviewing teaching and learning practices. 

Working collaboratively across the Academy and the wider Equal Education Limited group, the Head of Centre will serve as a vital operational bridge, facilitating seamless collaboration and synergy between Equal Education Academy and Equal Education Limited. Operating at the intersection of both entities, the post-holder is uniquely positioned to identify and leverage cross-group resources, optimising them to drive the growth and development of the Academy. By championing alignment across the ecosystem, this pivotal role ensures that the Academy’s functions, team, and strategic objectives are seamlessly integrated within the wider organisation.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Quality of Education

• Support the Executive Headteacher in setting the Academy’s strategic direction and ensuring compliance with OEAS/DfE standards.

• Monitor and review teaching and learning across the Academy, using lesson observations, work scrutiny, and data analysis to drive pedagogical improvement.

• Contribute to the Academy Improvement Plan and lead on inspection readiness and quality assurance activities.

• Lead on developing and implementing a program of CPD and training for new staff. Ensuring the team is aligned under the vision and values of the EE Academy.

• Facilitate operational synergy between Equal Education Academy and Equal Education Limited, leveraging group resources to optimise performance.

2. SEND Leadership (SENCO)

• Coordinate all SEND provision, ensuring the identification, assessment, and effective support of learners with complex needs.

• Oversee EHCP management, annual reviews, and the development of targeted Individual Learning Plans (ILPs).

• Oversee PEP management for Looked After Children

• Champion inclusive pedagogy, ensuring all staff adopt trauma-informed and adaptive teaching strategies.

• Manage multi-agency collaboration with families, local authorities, and external professionals to secure positive learner outcomes.

3. Safeguarding and Wellbeing (DSL)

• Serve as the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), maintaining oversight of all safeguarding systems, referrals, and online safety protocols.

• Ensure policies remain compliant with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) and best practice.

• Promote a culture of vigilance, ensuring learner wellbeing, attendance, and emotional safety are central to all Academy functions.

• Lead on multi-agency safeguarding processes and provide expert advice to the leadership team.

4. Leadership & Staff Development

• Design and deliver high-impact staff training programs, specifically focusing on safeguarding, online pedagogy, SEND frameworks, and inclusive, trauma-informed practice.

• Lead staff appraisal, coaching, and professional development to ensure high standards of accountability and growth.

• Foster a collaborative, reflective culture, supporting recruitment, induction, and retention.

• Support learner engagement, attendance and successful transition pathways

• Contribute to self-evaluation and school improvement activities

5. Partnership Working, Influence and Professional Representation

• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal stakeholders to drive seamless integration between Equal Education Academy and the wider Equal Education Limited group.Work closely with the Executive Headteacher, Group CEO and relevant members of operational teams to ensure effective collaboration across the group. 

• Develop and sustain effective partnerships with families, schools, local authorities, virtual schools, and external agencies.

• Support policy development, implementation, and review.

• Represent Equal Education at professional meetings, conferences, and external forums.

• Undertake any other duties reasonably directed by the Headteacher or Executive Headteacher.

• Contribute to strategic planning and organisational development, effectively pitching ideas and challenging the status quo.

• Ability to constructively and professionally challenge colleagues and stakeholders at all levels, including leadership as necessary, in the interest of managing risk and developing a quality service offering.

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications and Experience

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

• National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCO). 

• Significant (3 years minimum) senior leadership experience in a school, AP, SEND, or online setting within the last year. 

• Proven experience in designing and delivering whole-school staff training.

• Extensive (1 year minimum) experience as a DSL (safeguarding) and SENCO (SEND provision).

• Deep understanding of KCSIE, the SEND Code of Practice, and OEAS/DfE requirements.

• Experience in reviewing teaching and learning to drive quality improvement.

• Significant experience supporting children and young people with barriers to learning and/or emerging or complex needs, including those with SEND, SEMH needs, interrupted education, Children Looked After, and learners requiring specialist or alternative provision.

• Significant experience supporting learners with EHCPs and complex needs, while coordinating multi-agency support and collaborating effectively with local authorities, schools, and external agencies.

• Experience contributing to quality assurance, school improvement or inspection readiness activities. 

Skills and Attributes

• Strong strategic, operational and project management skills

  • Ability to manage complex projects in an organised manner, develop project plans with effective tracking (e.g. Project Initiation documents, gantt charts,   reporting on key metrics, meeting key milestones and working to budgets). 

  • Ability to lead projects and processes in a collaborative way, identifying and engaging key stakeholders to ensure efficiency and avoid duplication of work across a group business structure. 

  • Demonstrates a commercial mindset, with the ability to articulate business cases, work effectively with budgets and interpret information effectively. 

• Excellent communication: capable of building high-trust relationships with staff, families, and local authorities.

• Resilient, reflective and adaptable. A champion of inclusion: deep commitment to supporting vulnerable learners and EEA’s values.

• Strong organisational skills, data-literate and improvement-focused with the abilities to support and develop colleagues. 

• Analytical mindset, able to challenge own assumptions and adapt based on learnings.

• Up to date educational landscape knowledge and a desire to remain informed of sector shifts and updates.

General

The post-holder will be provided with the technology required to complete their role. Equal Education works exclusively on Apple devices using Google software.

Equal Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All colleagues are expected to share this commitment. The post is subject to Enhanced DBS clearance, right to work in the UK, and two satisfactory professional references (one from the last employer). 

Every young person we support is unique and our team isn’t any different. Our differences are our strength when it comes to providing a tailored, human approach to education. We are proud of our people and provide an environment where everyone can bring their most authentic self to work. 

Our recruitment practices are carried out in line with equal opportunities and all candidates will be reviewed fairly regardless of age, gender reassignment, sex, race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic.

Reports to: Community Support Manager 
Contract: Full-time 

Role Purpose 

As Community Support Lead: Grantmaking, you will provide the day-to-day administrative and operational support that enables HOST to deliver hosted grantmaking activities accurately, safely, and efficiently for our hosted partners. 

You will be line managed by the Community Support Manager and work closely with the Partnerships Manager: Grantmakers to deliver Hosted Grantmaking. Your primary focus will be grantmaking administration: due diligence coordination, grant agreement support, process tracking, records management, and audit-ready documentation. 

You will also provide secondary cover for general Community Support activity, including onboarding administration, payment or invoice queries, routine partner communications, and escalation. Relationship ownership and strategic funder or partner management will sit with the Community Support Manager, Partnerships Manager: Grantmakers, and relevant senior colleagues. 

Core Responsibilities 

1. Hosted Grantmaking Administration and Process Tracking 

• Maintain clear, accurate, and up-to-date grantmaking records across ClickUp, Zendesk, CRM systems, shared folders, and relevant internal trackers. 

• Track hosted grantmaking processes from initial request through due diligence, agreement preparation, approval, disbursement, and reporting. 

• Monitor deadlines, dependencies, missing information, and next steps, following up promptly and clearly. 

• Support the Community Support Manager and Partnerships Manager: Grantmakers to maintain visibility of live grantmaking activity, bottlenecks, risks, and upcoming priorities. 

• Keep grantmaking documentation organised, complete, and accessible to Finance, Legal, Partnerships, and Community Support colleagues. 

2. Due Diligence Coordination and Documentation 

• Administer due diligence processes for hosted grantmaking activities, ensuring required checks are initiated, tracked, and documented. 

• Coordinate the collection of information and supporting documents from hosted partners, grantees, funders, or internal colleagues as directed. 

• Maintain audit-ready due diligence records, ensuring forms, evidence, approvals, and risk notes are saved in the correct systems. 

• Spot missing information, incomplete checks, or process delays and escalate promptly to the Community Support Manager, Partnerships Manager: Grantmakers, or relevant colleagues. 

3. Grant Agreement and Grant Process Support 

• Coordinate the administrative steps required to prepare, review, issue, sign, and store grant agreements and related documentation. 

• Track agreement status, including drafts, internal reviews, approvals, signatures, amendments, and filing. 

• Liaise with Legal, Finance, Partnerships, and Community Support colleagues to keep grant agreements moving through the agreed process. 

• Flag inconsistencies, missing approvals, unusual terms, or unclear documentation for review by the Community Support Manager or Partnerships Manager: Grantmakers. 

4. Payment, Disbursement and Finance Coordination Support 

• Support the administrative coordination of grant disbursements, payment requests, invoice corrections, and related finance workflows. 

• Check that payment-related documentation is complete before progressing requests to Finance. 

• Track payment and disbursement status, following up on missing information or delays where appropriate. 

• Respond to straightforward payment or invoice queries from hosted partners, escalating complex or sensitive issues as needed. 

5. Community Support 

• Provide flexible cover across general Community Support activities, including onboarding administration, system guidance, routine hosted partner queries, and follow-up actions. 

• Support onboarding processes by preparing materials, updating records, tracking completion of onboarding tasks, and ensuring next steps are clear. 

• Maintain accurate records of partner interactions, ensuring relevant issues, risks, and decisions are documented and shared with appropriate colleagues. 

• Escalate relationship-sensitive, complex, or higher-risk matters to the Community Support Manager or relevant Partnerships lead. 

6. Systems, SOPs and Process Improvement 

• Support the creation, testing, and improvement of SOPs for hosted grantmaking, due diligence, grant agreements, onboarding, and payment-related workflows. 

• Identify gaps, duplication, or unclear steps in grantmaking and Community Support processes, and suggest practical improvements. 

• Keep internal checklists, templates, and guidance up to date so grantmaking processes are easier to follow and audit. 

7. Risk Identification and Escalation 

• Identify potential financial, operational, compliance, or reputational risks arising from hosted grantmaking administration or partner support activity. 

• Escalate risks promptly to the Community Support Manager, Partnerships Manager: Grantmakers, Legal, Finance or Partnerships colleagues as appropriate. 

• Maintain clear records of risks, decisions, approvals, and follow-up actions. 

You Bring 

• Experience in administration, operations, grants administration, programme support, community support, or client service. 

• Strong organisational skills, with excellent attention to detail and confidence managing multiple tasks, deadlines, and trackers. 

• A process-minded approach, with the ability to follow agreed steps carefully and spot where information, approvals, or documentation are missing. 

• Clear written communication skills, with the ability to provide warm, accurate, and practical updates to partners and colleagues. 

• Confidence using digital tools such as ClickUp, Zendesk, CRM systems, shared drives, spreadsheets, and cloud-based documents. 

• An understanding of, or willingness to learn about, due diligence, compliance, grant agreements, and audit-ready record keeping. 

• Good judgement about when to resolve straightforward issues independently and when to escalate complex, sensitive, or higher-risk matters. 

Key Relationships 

Internal: Community Support Manager, Partnerships Manager: Grantmakers, Partnerships Manager: Changemakers, Community Support Team, Finance Team, Legal Team. 
External: Hosted partners, grantees, funders, fiscal sponsorship partners, service providers, and other stakeholders involved in hosted grantmaking and project hosting processes. 

Performance Indicators 

• Grantmaking records and trackers are accurate, current, and easy to use. 

• Due diligence, agreement, approval, payment, and reporting steps are tracked and followed up on time. 

• Missing information, delays, unusual terms, and risks are escalated promptly. 

• Grant agreements and supporting documents are complete, correctly filed, and audit-ready. 

• Routine hosted partner queries and CS cover tasks are handled clearly, warmly, and within agreed timeframes.