Learning and development manager jobs

• Location: Norfolk
• Salary: £25,595 per annum, plus mileage
• Hours per week: 37.5 hours, including travel time
• Required: Previous experience working with children and young people with learning disabilities and Autism.
• Full UK manual driving licence, access to a vehicle and a willingness to travel across the area.
• Desirable: BTEC Level 4 in Positive Behaviour Support

Positive Behaviour Support changes lives. Join us and help unlock new possibilities.

 As a Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) Practitioner, you will support children and young people with learning disabilities, Autism and other support needs to transform their lives as part of our new service in Norfolk

Who will I support?

You will work with children and young people in Norfolk who may not be accessing education and may be at significant risk of entering specialist residential care.
 Your role will focus on helping them remain in their local communities, close to the people and places that matter most. 

How will I make a difference?

Every young person will benefit from tailored strategies and interventions to help them flourish in a safe, supportive environment. You will take time to understand each young person’s lived experience and support them, their families, carers and other professionals to learn and apply appropriate positive behaviour support techniques.

Your support will help young people stay in their current placements, access their communities and develop skills and tools they will use for the rest of their lives to live fulfilling, independent lives. Using approaches built on the principles of inclusion, choice and participation, your support could be the difference between a closed door and a clear path to independence 

How will I develop?

If you do not already hold a BTEC Level 4 in Positive Behaviour Support (which is desirable), you will be enrolled onto this course and supported throughout your studies while you work with us, on completion you will receive a salary increase to £27,500
 You will receive regular clinical supervision from experienced professionals to ensure you feel confident and supported in your role. 

What benefits will I have?

We have a range of benefits that you can mix and match to suit you, such as:

• Stream – an app that gives you access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it, access to coaching, vouchers, discounts, cashback and more.  
• Blue light card – we will reimburse your Blue Light Card membership which provides discounts in your favourite shops and restaurants
• Simply Health - Fully funded health cash plans giving you access to a 24-hour GP, money back on prescriptions, dental treatment, opticians and access to many more health benefits.
• Vivup – spread the cost of home and electronics items, or a bike to cycle to work through fixed salary reductions throughout the year. 
• Buy and sell annual leave – transfer windows open twice a year.  
• Pension and Life Assurance – you’ll be enrolled into our Scottish Widows pension scheme and Life Assurance scheme

In Gateshead, Spear is partnering with Alive Church – Spear Gateshead is a part of Alive Church’s mission to change the culture of the city by bringing hope to unemployed young people.

Whilst the North-East is an amazing place to live, there are still challenges, with large disparities between Gateshead’s wealthier and poorer areas, and 23,600 people live in areas described as having deep deprivation. With this comes all the associated issues that poverty causes, including 1 in 4 children growing up in poverty and one of the worst levels of social mobility in the country.

Alive Church is a diverse community gathered from across Gateshead, Newcastle and the North East with a vision to see individuals, the church and communities across our region Come Alive in Jesus name. Together they are playing their part in the re-evangelisation of the nation, the revitalisation of the church and the transformation of society.

Key Information

Salary: £27,000, pro rata

Hours: 9.00am – 5.00pm, Monday –Thursday, Part-time (with some flexibility and occasional evening or weekend work for events such as Spear Celebrations)

Contract: Maternity Cover

Location: Alive Church Gateshead

Closing date: Monday 23rd February (We are interviewing on a rolling basis and might close the application early if we find the right candidate)

Please feel free to let us know if you may require any reasonable adjustments to participate fully in our recruitment process.

For more information please read through our Work With Us Information Pack and Job Specification.

Role Responsibilities

Oversight of the Spear Programme

• As a confident communicator, you will lead group sessions of around 10 young people each, using coaching skills to transform attitudes to their own ability and the workplace, and to raise their awareness and maximise potential in stepping into the world of work.
• Prepare and coach group and 1-1 sessions with the Spear Coach.
• Ensure the programme is delivered in line with agreed targets, and report KPIs on recruitment, retention and completion of Spear Trainees, as well as their ongoing progress and sustainment of work or education.

Partnership Liaison and Relationship Management

• Establish the primary local referral agencies and steward relationships with these, overseeing and building a strategy to ensure recruitment of young people onto the Spear programme is effective.
• Maintain and develop relationships with local partners to form a strong referral network.

Line Management and Training

• Manage the Spear Coach, using a coaching approach to invest in their growth and development.
• Work alongside the Programme Manager to analyse Spear Programme performance and ongoing operations of the centre, and report back on KPIs.

Church Community

• The Spear Centre Manager is directly employed by Alive Church, meaning you are part of a vibrant church staff team and submerged in an exciting faith community.
• You will be required to establish strong relationships with key people at the church to ensure the engagement and backing of church members and help the Spear Coach to establish a strong presence at the church to build a network of supporters for the Spear programme.
• Ensure the Spear programme is a key missional feature of the work of the church; this may involve attending church events and speaking at services.

Site Management

• Work with the Church to coordinate the training room and any infrastructure needs for the Spear Centre.
• Liaise with relevant staff locally on-site issues and work to resolve them as soon as possible, ensuring the office and training room are safe and tidy working spaces in line with health and safety policies.

 

Person Specification

• An active Christian, able to personally represent the values and beliefs of Spear and Alive Church, and a commitment to grow and learn spiritually and as a Christian leader.
• A dynamic and engaging coach with an enthusiasm for and direct experience of coaching and training techniques.
• Passion for social justice and for working as part of the church to transform communities, especially supporting young people in employment or education.
• An entrepreneurial and ambitious individual who enjoys starting new projects, works well under pressure and can translate ideas into practice with creativity.
• Self-motivated with strong leadership, management and organisational skills with the ability to exercise initiative and prioritise workload.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a confidence in group facilitation, high emotional intelligence, and a sense of fun!

Key Information

Location: Kennington, office-based

Salary: from £34,000

Contract: Full-Time, Maternity Cover (9-12months)

Hours: Monday - Friday, 9.30am - 5.30pm with some out-of-hours work needed for events such as our Spear Celebrations

Closing date: Monday 23rd February (We are interviewing on a rolling basis and might close the application early if we find the right candidate)

Assessment Day: Thursday 5th March

For more information please read through our Work With Us Information Pack and Job Specification.

If you require any reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process, please let us know.

Role Responsibilities

Strategy, vision and impact

• Be at the forefront of leading our ‘big picture’ vision of a transformed society, empowering churches to transform young lives 
• Build and implement a strategy for developing relationships with local referral agencies to ensure effective recruitment of young people onto the Spear programme 
• Oversee the reporting of the Centre outcomes and ensure the Spear Programme is delivered in line with agreed targets 

Leadership, line management and training

• Lead your team with confidence; spurring them on our mission; invest in a team culture of excellence, belonging and fun 
• Manage and develop the Lead Coach and Assistant Coach, using a coaching approach to invest in their growth and development. This includes weekly 1:1s, performance reviews and regular feedback
• Equip your team to drive change through a data informed approach, and keep them accountable to agreed targets for the Spear Programme

Relationship management

• Manage great relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including referrers, local businesses, donors, and your Board of Trustees 
• Embed into your local church; working closely with your Spear Trustees and congregation, and actively participating in their mission and events
• Partner with the Spear Trustees and assist in implementing their funding strategy by helping to build corporate
• and donor relationships. For example, by hosting prospective donors in the Training Room

Delivery of the Spear Programme

• Support group and 1-1 coaching with numerous 16-24-year-olds: equipping them with practical work-ready skills and resilient mindsets 
• Provide guidance to the Lead Coach in the training room when dealing with behavioural and safeguarding situations and upskill coaches with consistent coaching feedback
• Use a coaching approach to engage young people in challenging conversations that will enable them to take responsibility and over significant barriers to employment 

Operations 

• Liaise with relevant staff regarding site operations and work to resolve any issues as soon as possible, ensuring the office and training room are safe and tidy working spaces in line with health and safety policies

Person Specification

• You are an active Christian, passionate about your work being a lived expression of your faith 
• You want to help others reach their full potential, and enable young people to overcome significant barriers to employment 
• You have demonstrable experience in coaching, teaching or training and development, as well as being keen to develop these skills further
• You are an experienced and mature leader/line manager, or have great leadership potential, and are eager to bring out the best in your team
• You are confident building relationships with a variety of stakeholders, with effective written and verbal communication skills 
• You are looking for a varied, hands-on role, where you won't be tied to a desk 

Are you an experienced Learning and Development Professional looking for your next role?

We’re looking for a Learning & Development Partner on a 1 year fixed term contract (maternity cover) to help design, deliver and continuously improve learning that supports our people, our culture and our strategic priorities. Working closely with the Learning & Development Manager, you’ll play a key role in bringing our Learning Programme to life — blending digital, virtual and face-to-face approaches to maximise engagement, impact and compliance.

Come and be part of the leading Armed Forces charity, making a difference to the lives of those who have served to keep us safe and protect our way of life.

Key Responsibilities:

- Design, develop and deliver engaging learning interventions using blended approaches (virtual, face-to-face and digital), aligned to the 70:20:10 learning model.
- Support delivery of the L&D plan, including cultural, interpersonal skills, Diversity & Inclusion and management development programmes.
- Create and maintain essential and mandatory learning, ensuring compliance with legislative, policy and best-practice requirements.
- Work collaboratively with stakeholders, subject matter experts and project teams to identify needs and deliver effective learning solutions.
- Partner with the Digital L&D Specialist to develop and continuously improve high-quality digital and e-learning content.
- Evaluate learning impact using data and insight, driving continuous improvement and informed decision-making.

You will be contracted to our Haig House hub with a minimum expectation of two days per week working in person at the hub and flexibility for working remotely/at home when not on site.

Employee benefits include:

- 28 day’s paid holiday (plus bank holidays) increasing with service, with optional annual leave purchase scheme of up to 5 working days
- Generous pension contributions, with Employer contributions ranging from 6% to 10%
- Range of flexible working options may be available, depending on your role
- Employee Assistance Programme providing confidential counselling, financial and legal advice
- Range of courses delivered by learning specialists to support your development goals and objectives
- Opportunities to volunteer
- Travel loans, Cycle to Work, and more!

For more detailed information about the role, please see our Vacancy Information Pack attached to our direct advert. Our shortlisting is performed on the evidence provided in your application against the Essential and Desirable criteria in the Person Specification.

RBL is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive organisation, reflecting the diversity of the armed forces community and of wider society. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and personal characteristics.

Interview Dates:
1st stage (virtual) – WC 02/03/2026
2nd stage (face to face) – WC 09/03/2026

We may close this vacancy early if we believe we have enough strong applications to be able to successfully fill the role(s). Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Learning Disability Community Leader, L'Arche Manchester

ABOUT THE ROLE

Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week (including some evening and weekend working, and regular on-call)

Salary: £47,946 per annum

Reports to: L’Arche UK Regional Leader

Place of work: L’Arche Manchester Community, Manchester M20 4AW. Some travel and overnight stays will be required within the UK

Contract type: Temporary 12-month appointment to cover maternity leave

Closing date: Monday, 2nd March at 12 pm.

Main purpose of the role

The Community Leader is responsible for ensuring that the Community is living the mission of L’Arche, by providing excellent and sustainable care and support services, support for  spirituality, and engaging with our neighbours and the wider community around us.

The Community Leader will:

• Lead the Community by responding to the needs, choices and context of our members while being faithful to the L'Arche UK Vision and Values, the L'Arche International Identity and Mission Statement, and to a co-created Community Mandate and plan;
• Maintain and enhance high-quality, person-centred care, support, and housing for people with learning disabilities, both at home and in our day services in partnership with the Registered Manager, the local and national teams, individual circles of support, and external partners. 
• Ensure the Community’s financial sustainability through robust financial planning and management. This includes setting budgets and controlling spending, maximising housing occupancy, supporting the negotiation of care contracts, growing our day services and spotting fundraising opportunities. 
• Foster a culture that maximises the voice and power for people with learning disabilities, and builds listening and collaboration between Community members. This will include working with an active Community Support Group, Community Gatherings, listening groups, and other forums. 
• Lead and manage a committed and engaged leadership team to achieve objectives, set a positive culture, and support the personal and professional growth of our teams. 
• Cultivate an open, creative, and inclusive spiritual life, inviting everyone in the Community to deepen their connections. 
• Model, advocate for, and embrace the L’Arche ethos of deep, long-term, and mutually transforming relationships between people with and without learning disabilities. Plan and lead a regular calendar of events that build community belonging and help keep people connected. 
• Contribute to the national work programmes of L’Arche UK, as part of the National Council, collaborating with Community Leaders of other L’Arche Communities, to share skills, best practice and resources. 
• Be a visible representative of L’Arche locally in the wider community, with stakeholders like local authorities, professional organisations, schools, faith communities, and L’Arche world wide.

Key essential criteria

• Senior leadership experience in support to adults with learning disabilities (or transferable skills and experience in a closely-related field). 
• Experience leading and managing an organisation or large teams to deliver results, maintain compliance and quality, and to respond to risks and opportunities. 
• Experience leading and developing diverse teams to flourish, individually and together. 
• Good financial planning skills and experience successfully managing a substantial budget. 
• Evidence of the ability to think strategically, and work collaboratively to develop and implement community plans. 
• Experience of living or working alongside people with learning disabilities and/or autistic individuals

This role is subject to an enhanced DBS criminal record check. 

You may have held these job titles in the past: Registered Manager, Service Manager, Head of Care, Senior Operations Lead, Community Director, Head of Community Services, Country or Regional Lead, Learning Disability Services Manager, Head of Mission and Community Life, Health & Social Care Manager, Local Authority Commissioning Lead;

You can find more details about L'Arche and the Manchester community on our website. 

Why join L'Arche?

As well as joining a friendly Community, where you will be well supervised and supported, and benefit from L’Arche’s mentorship programme, these are some other benefits you get by working for us:

• Joining shared meals since cooking and having a meal together is what we are all about
• Enhanced Maternity, Adoption/Surrogacy, Paternity Pay (depending on length of service, details available on request) 
• Enhanced sick pay
• Interest free loans and salary advances available
• Free DBS / PVG checks
• Free Employee Assistance Programme available to everyone
• Up to 5 days paid compassionate leave
• Up to 6 days paid (pro rata) for time off for emergency dependents leave
• Specialist bereavement counselling for employees and their family members
• Life Assurance
• Access to the Bike to Work scheme

Discover what makes L’Arche a rewarding place to work—explore  more of our employee benefits on our website.

A full job description and person specification can be found in the Recruitment Pack.

To apply, please submit your CV and answer the questions from our online application form. 

The closing date is: Monday, 2nd of March at 12 pm.

First interviews (online via Microsoft Teams) are expected to take place during the week beginning the 9th March 2026.

Second round interviews will take on the place week beginning 16th March 2026 and will take place within the Community.

We encourage you not to wait until the closing date to submit your application, as we may begin interviewing strong candidates before then.
We also reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive enough suitable applications.

Please also read our privacy notice for job applicants.

LD:NorthEast is a local charity supporting people across North Tyneside who have lived experience of learning disabilities, learning difficulties and autism.

You’ll be responsible for:

· Managing and leading the Community Outreach team who provide support to people with learning disabilities, learning difficulties and/or autism.

· Ensuring LD:NorthEast provides a high quality Community Outreach service via 1:1 support in the community, group sessions and a short break service.

· Ensuring the Community Outreach service provides person centered support in line with individual support plans and/or requirements, family requirements and local authority commissioning.

· Ensuring the quality of life of the people we support is maintained or improved and they are given full support to achieve the best possible outcomes to Live Life their Way.

· Promoting the Community Outreach Service to commissioners, professionals and families.

· Ensuring the Community Outreach support team adheres to Safeguarding reporting procedures.

· Being a member of the Senior Management Team.

· Providing direct Outreach support when required.

The Role

As Wilder Learning Manager, you’ll lead a small, passionate team delivering inspiring outdoor learning and engagement programmes that connect schools, educators and young people with nature across Sussex. You’ll oversee the delivery and ongoing development of high‑quality accredited training, INSETs, school sessions and advice that supports schools to improve their grounds for nature and outdoor learning.

You’ll be an enthusiastic and confident leader, able to step into delivery when needed, and excited by innovation, collaboration and partnership working. Bringing experience of managing people, you’ll foster a positive, supportive and inclusive culture, encouraging creativity, continuous improvement and professional development.

This varied role combines leadership, project management and hands‑on involvement, playing a key part in ensuring our learning offer inspires and empowers educators and young people to connect with, care for and benefit from nature across Sussex’s land and marine environments.

A valid drivers licence is required for this role.

This role is subject to an Enhanced DBS with Barred List check

The Person

You will be a professional, values-led leader who enjoys supporting others to do their best work. You’ll bring a positive, practical and reflective approach; enabling you to navigate complexity, manage competing demands and support decision-making. You’ll be comfortable building trust, having honest conversations, and creating space for others to grow; balancing encouragement with clear expectations.

You’ll be organised and reflective, able to manage your time and priorities while remaining approachable and supportive. You’ll share Sussex Wildlife Trust’s commitment to inclusion and safeguarding, and reflect our values in your practice.  You’ll demonstrate a personal passion for wildlife, outdoor learning and the benefits nature connection for young people in Sussex, which will underpin everything you do.

Are you a Product Development Manager looking to make a significant and critical impact?

RCR Learning supports the professional development of clinical radiologists and oncologists throughout their careers. We design and deliver in person, live online and blended programmes - short courses, lecture series and conferences - rooted in the realities of clinical practice. We’re ambitious to grow, and are investing to expand our needs led, commercially sustainable portfolio.
 
In this is hands-on role you’ll shape our portfolio, drive innovation, and design high-impact courses that improve patient care.
 
What you’ll do:

• Manage the new product development (NPD) process for new learning programmes - owning the pipeline from horizon scanning and opportunity selection through to design, piloting and evaluation.
• Lead the end-to-end design, development and pilot delivery of CPD courses, working closely with our course delivery teams.
• Collaborate with and coach SMEs (clinicians), using your learning design expertise to design high-impact, innovative short courses.
• Conduct market/user research and testing to ensure products meet demand, demonstrate educational impact and are financially viable.
• Lead go to market (GTM) planning and launches for new short courses to achieve commercial targets.

What you’ll bring

• Proven success in developing programmes which blend educational rigour with industry/market relevance.
• Strong experience in learning design and education programme development
• Commercial acumen and a user-focused mindset.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• The ability to lead and inspire cross functional teams.

Why join us:

• Make a difference to the lives of Doctors and the specialities they work in every day!
• Hybrid working (60% working week can be done remotely)
• Modern working environment
• Equipment provided to work from home
• Generous annual leave allowance
• Excellent pension scheme
• Interest free season ticket loan and cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme

L&W is growing our research team and looking for a Head of Research to lead innovative, impactful research and evaluation projects across our focus areas of employment and skills.

This role will expand our capacity to win and deliver evaluation and qualitative research, while strengthening our methodological capability. We’re open-minded about what that means—but we want people who can go beyond standard process evaluations and basic qualitative approaches. You might have experience mapping and evaluating complex system-level change, applying realist evaluation methods, or developing co-design and participatory research projects. You will have have applied these while working alongside the practitioners and policymakers who need these insights to make decisions.

You will join a team that is enthusiastic about learning and improving, and a peer group of experienced qualitative and quantitative research leaders who you will work alongside.

If you have research consultancy experience and want to join a purpose-driven organisation that delivers real impact locally and nationally, we’d love to hear from you. But you might come from a different professional background and still meet our criteria. 

Location: Hybrid working: 40-60% in an L&W office. Our offices for this role are currently in Leicester and London, but if you are based elsewhere, please contact us to talk about how the role could work for you.

Team:Research and Development

Salary:£45,650-£59,080 per annum (pro rata), dependent on experience and location

Duration:Permanent

Working hours:0.6 to 1 FTE, with flexible working supported (eg, condensed hours, flexible start and finish times

Main Purpose

The Head of Research: Evaluation and Qualitative Methods is a new post for L&W – as we seek to deepen our capability and expand our capacity.

The post-holder will direct research projects across all of our areas of work, providing specific leadership and expertise in programme and system-level evaluations, and projects mobilising innovative or advanced qualitative methods (such as system mapping, co-design methods, ethnographic methods, creative methods and/or theory-based/realist evaluation).

They will work with the Head of Research: Employment and Better Work to develop the wider qualitative and evaluative skills of the wider research team.

They will also play a key role in leading and writing responding to tenders and working with colleagues to develop pro-active research proposals that fill key evidence gaps and respond to the interests of our funders. They will be a good relationship manager – who can understand what commissioners are interested in, and shape projects to deliver meaningful insights that solve the problems practitioners and policymakers face across employment and skills.

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and management

• Line manage members of the R&D team
• Co-lead the qualitative methods group at L&W: supporting the wider research team to develop their skills. 

Income

• Write and contribute to reactive and proactive funding proposals across L&W’s areas of work, with a specific focus on process and theory-based evaluations, and proposals using advanced/innovative qualitative methods
• Build relationships with current and potential funders
• Identify and build relationships with research partners

Impact

• Ensure that all projects under their direction generate meaningful insights and recommendations that respond to the real-world concerns and challenges faced by practitioners and policymakers
• Communicate insights clearly and effectively to funders and other stakeholders

Delivery

• Act as Project Director for research and evaluation projects: liaising with funders; shaping research proposals and plans; supporting project managers; leading project meetings; ensuring project margins are delivered effectively; carrying out research directly where appropriate
• Work with External Affairs team to develop appropriate comms and influencing plans for projects under your direction
• Use your research skills and experience to support the wider development of the Learning and Work team

Person Specification 

Expericence 

Experience of delivering and directing high-quality programmes evaluation and policy-relevant research: shaping research plans, working with funders and delivering meaningful insights -Essential 

Experience of responding to research and evaluation tenders and writing proposals. -Essential 

Experience of managing, supporting and developing researchers and research managers -Essential 

Experience of carrying out research and evaluation in the areas of employment and skills -Desirable

Skills

Advanced qualitative evaluation and research skills, eg. One or more of theory-based evaluation, ethnographic methods, creative/art-based methods, co-design methods, system-level evaluation -Essential 

Effective and efficient relationship management -Essential 

Clear and direct written communication style -Essential 

Knowledge

Knowledge of, and commitment to, L&W’s charitable aims and purpose -Essential 

Demonstrable knowledge in the areas of employment and skills policy and practice -Desirable

Learning and Work Institute works across the UK. Our work in Wales is led by a Cardiff based team, but all staff are required to follow the guidance set out in our Welsh language scheme when working in Wales.

This is an exciting opportunity for a creative, learning-focused Digital Learning Content Developer to join the expanding Learning Team at The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR).

You’ll play a key role in designing and delivering high-quality digital learning resources for radiologists and clinical oncologists worldwide. Working closely with passionate colleagues and subject matter experts, you’ll help build a world-class digital learning library that supports doctors at every stage of their careers ultimately making a real impact on professional development and patient care.

What you’ll do:

• Develop and build interactive e-learning courses using tools like Articulate Storyline, Rise 360, and Adobe Creative Suite.
• Create engaging visual assets: animations, infographics, videos that bring learning to life.
• Collaborate with Learning Designers and SMEs to ensure content is innovative, accessible, and user centred.
• Champion best practice in digital learning, keeping up to date with industry trends and new eLearning innovations, sharing recommendations.

What we’re looking for:

• Experience creating interactive digital learning resources and applying learning design principles.
• Proficiency in e-learning tools and visual design software (Articulate, Adobe Creative Suite).
• Strong communication skills and the ability to manage multiple projects effectively.
• A passion for innovation, technology, and effective learning design.
• Knowledge of the application of relevant legislation including data protection, accessibility and copyright.
• Ideally you will also have experience in medical visual learning design and the ability to create medical animations

Join us at the RCR to be part of a team that values creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement. You’ll have the chance to make a meaningful contributions to ultimately help doctors deliver the best possible care to patients.

Why join us:

• Make a difference to the lives of Doctors and the specialities they work in every day!
• Hybrid working (60% working week can be done remotely)
• Modern working environment
• Equipment provided to work from home
• Generous annual leave allowance
• Excellent pension scheme
• Interest free season ticket loan and cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme

At Outside the Box we make a real difference, positively changing the lives of the people with learning disabilities/autism. To build on our success, we are now looking for someone special to lead our ‘day’ services (OTB Choices).

OTB Choices provides a dynamic portfolio of education, skills, creative and work experience opportunities, from cooking, art and craft to printing, computing, music and customer service, and much more. We are at an exciting stage in our delivery and development and are seeking an exceptional person to lead and manage our services, ensuring consistently high quality provision that really does make a difference.

You will play a pivotal role in our work, proactively leading a diverse team and multi-site operations to achieve targets and outcomes. You will be solution-focused, have the strength, vision and evidenced track record of an experienced manager and shared passion for enabling and empowering people with learning disabilities and/or autism to have their best lives.

We are looking for an experienced museum and heritage professional with a curatorial and/or learning and engagement background to ensure our collection, archive and content development has relevance for diverse audiences and partners.

The role of Head of Content, Learning & Engagement offers a hugely exciting opportunity to join a young and ambitious charity at a pivotal moment in its evolution.

You will develop our work across the collection and archive, including having curatorial oversight for Crystal Palace Museum, ownership of which will be transferring to the Trust during 2026. You will also lead our learning and engagement programmes, ensuring all activity is audience-driven and rooted in our mission, values and strategic principles and taking inspiration from our rich heritage and landscape and fascinating creative, cultural, and sporting legacy.

Longer working lives and ongoing economic transitions are reshaping careers: how we start them, and how we move through them. But too many people remain paid in low-paid, low-quality work – with damaging consequences for them personally, and our economy as a whole. We’re seeking a senior, policy-oriented research leader to help us and our partners generate insights that enable more people to move into and progress through better work.

You’ll have a proven track record in scoping and securing funding for research and influencing activity, with significant autonomy to lead your own programme at L&W. You’ll be supported by committed researchers and managers whom you will coach, lead, and develop—alongside a peer group of Deputy Directors working across other key pillars. We welcome quantitative expertise, but most important are the skills to design and deliver high-quality, impactful research programmes.

You’ll join an organisation with a national reputation for driving policy change—and a friendly, highly capable, delivery-focused team. 

Location: Hybrid working: 40-60% in an L&W office. Our offices for this role are currently in Leicester and London, but if you are based elsewhere, please contact us to talk about how the role could work for you.

Team:Research and Development

Salary:£64,450 -£77,880 per annum (pro rata), dependent on experience and location

Duration:Permanent

Working hours:0.8 to 1 FTE, with flexible working supported (e.g. condensed hours, flexible start and finish times)

Main Purpose

The Deputy Director, Policy and Research (Better Work and Progression) will have overall ownership of the ‘Better Work’ pillar of our strategic plan at L&W: overseeing all projects and activity in this area and generating new work (including developing project ideas and securing funding).

While there is significant scope to shape the ongoing programme of research and impact work, we anticipate that key areas of focus in this area going forward will be: understanding & better supporting career change; understanding and improving policy to increase employer investment in skills; high quality and fair access apprenticeships and technical education; understanding how to better support progression from low pay.

They will be a senior leader for the organization – helping to continuously shape our strategy and the plans we are implementing to deliver it.

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and management

• Intellectual leadership of the Better Work pillar: developing and owning policy positions, messages, theory of change and research priorities, and supporting the wider team to feed into and understand them
• Line management of senior and mid-level staff
• Act as a senior leader at L&W – including taking on specific organization-level responsibilities where appropriate

Income

• Write and/or co-ordinate responses to reactive research and evaluation tenders in the areas of employment, better work and progression
• Develop pro-active proposals that will drive change in your area, and respond to the interests of funders and partners
• Build relationships with current and potential funders and research partners

Impact

• Act as an external expert on the issues of better work and progression: writing press quotes, articles and blogs;speaking on platforms
• Building relationships with practitioners, policymakers and partners to improve our insights, and get our recommendations implemented
• Develop appropriate means of tracking impact towards our better work goals, and monitor against them. 

Delivery

• Deputy Director/Project Director-level oversight of projects being delivered in your and related areas: supporting project team to shape research plans, deliver sharp insights and manage funder relationships
• Quality Assurance of research proposals and outputs
• Use your research skills and experience to support the wider development of the Learning and Work team

Person Specification

Experience

Experience of developing, overseeing and delivering programmes of policy-relevant research at a high level - Essential

Experience of business development in a policy/research context: developing ideas, writing bids and building relationships with funders- Essential

Experience of building senior-level relationships with external stakeholders for impact and influence -Essential

Track record of delivering national and/or local policy change - Essential

Experience of senior organisational leadership as part of a team - Desirable 

Experience of responding to tenders- Desirable 

Skills

Advanced research skills (qualitative of quantitative) -Essential

Quantitative skills: experience of using key national research and administrative data sets to generate insights into the labour market -Desirable 

Clear and direct written communication style - Essential

Knowledge

Knowledge of, and commitment to, L&W’s charitable aims and purpose.- Essential

Demonstrable knowledge of employment and/or skills policy in the UK - Essential

Demonstrable knowledge in the specific areas of Better Work and/or progression -Desirable 

Learning and Work Institute works across the UK. Our work in Wales is led by a Cardiff based team, but all staff are required to follow the guidance set out in our Welsh language scheme when working in Wales.

NEON is a not- for profit Organtision 

Our Mission is to remove structural barriers within the arts and creative industries by creating equitable access to training, space, professional experience and paid work.

We centre children, young people and emerging creatives from underrepresented and underprivileged communities, ensuring talent is supported not only creatively, but economically and professionally.

We are seeking to expand our team capacity to deliver transformational growth across our creative programming. The Business Development Manager will  transition NEON from project-based delivery to sustainable, recurring programmes while scaling our impact within the creative industries and local community.

Job Description

You will work closely with both our external cross-sector funders, clients and internal delivery partners and teams to provide a service that exceeds expectations by  monitoring progress and continually adapting and improving effectiveness to meet changing needs

The postholder will:

• Expand income generation through studio hires, memberships, events, and trading

• Securing sponsorships, multi-year funding, and philanthropic donations

• Develop contracts and partnerships with schools, local authorities, and corporate entities

• Strengthening impact reporting and financial reporting and management

• Supporting the Founder and Artistic Director to build a resilient business model across our sites in Vauxhall from 2026. 

Role Profile - Essential Experience and Skills 

• 5 years plus demonstrable experience of income generation  and management, delivering on time and within budget 

• Demonstrable experience of budget management - strong financial literacy, commercial awareness and analytical 

• You enjoy working in an entrepreneurial and creative, start-up environment - understanding that this may mean doing what is needed to get the outcome, even if not within one’s own role

• You have resilience to change course and adapt priorities as needed by the business

• You are as comfortable working independently as you are as part of a team

• You enjoy working with a small team and contributing to the broader ambition of the whole organisation and being an ambassador for our work

• Willing to be based in our studio in Vauxhall

• Substantial experience of relationship building and collaborative partnership with people from all sectors and backgrounds - especially at senior management/executive level e.g. stakeholders, funders and delivery partners

• Demonstrable track record of managing and monitoring performance to meet objectives and delivery of targets 

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to articulate and present ideas clearly, coherently and persuasively in the written format as well as verbally 

• Ability to think, act and communicate strategically and creatively

• Ability to be self-servicing including proficient use of Microsoft IT and Google Suite package

Desirable

• Knowledge and/or experience of the arts and creative industries, in a startup or with creative entrepreneurs is desirable though not essential. We would still like to hear from you if you have experience leading and delivering high-profile projects and are committed to making a difference.

• You are passionate about the arts and creative sectors, wanting to use your abilities to nurture the talents of others and increase diversity within these sectors