Mental health employment specialist jobs in bargoed, caerphilly county borough

Job purpose

This is an exciting time to join Action for ME. With developments in research and policy alongside delivering services which are in high demand, you will enjoy working in a fast-paced and continually changing environment. You will be responsible for overseeing operational programme design and delivery, reporting of progress, and measuring the impact of all Action for ME work to improve the lives of people affected by ME. Better meeting their needs today while taking action to secure change for tomorrow. You will also assist the Chief Executive in implementing the organisational strategy, and by adapting and evolving delivery models on the ground. As you will have operational management and oversight for our Healthcare Services and hold the Designated Safeguarding Lead role for the organisation, you will bring considerable services-related experience at a management and leadership level. The Chief Executive will focus predominately on external matters and therefore you must have experience of managing an organisation to achieve high quality programmes with evidenced impact and motivated teams. You will act for the Chief Executive on topics, as agreed, and deputise during their absence.

Key duties

1. Leadership

• Ensure that children and adults with ME are at the heart of everything we do through meaningful engagement and participation to influence all aspects of our work.
• Deputise for the CEO and represent and promote the Charity at national meetings and events.
• Deputise for the CEO during periods of absence, and in relation to specific matters, issues or elements of operation as delegated from time to time by the CEO, ensuring a consistency of approach and decisions aligned with the organisation’s objectives.
• With the CEO and HR Business Partner, lead on implementing the People and Culture Strategy and ensuring our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging plan is achieved.
• To provide support, leadership and coaching to the Management Team to ensure the smooth running of the organisation and development of the Charity.
• Contribute to the development of the overall strategy for Action for ME, ensuring that the best use is made of available resources within agreed priorities. Ensure that agreed strategy is delivered to target and in line with agreed budgets.
• Work closely with the Chief Executive and Trustees to ensure effective reporting to the Board and sub-committees.

2. Operations & management

• Manage the day-to-day operations of the Charity ensuring high quality service provision that meets all best practice, legal and regulatory frameworks and internal policies and procedures.
• Hold overall management responsibility for our Healthcare Services including the role of the CQC Nominated Individual, ensuring all regulatory requirements and compliance are met.
• Manage the staff and volunteer team, including holding regular meetings and ensure the efficient running of the office ensuring a culture that supports, inspires and motivates the team while ensuring required standards and quality are met at all times through effective performance management.
• Act as the organisational Designated Safeguarding Lead (children and vulnerable adults), working closely with the Designated Safeguarding Officers, colleagues and the Safeguarding Lead Trustee; facilitate the annual safeguarding audit (led by the Lead Trustee) and ensuring safeguarding standards across the organisation are maintained.
• Contribute to the learning and development of key personnel including coaching support (either directly or through the identification of external coaches) to enhance performance.
• Establish (where not already in place) and maintain a clear performance outcome-focused management system driving positive change and improvement across all teams.
• Ensure that policies and procedures are effectively implemented and kept up-to-date to enable the effective management of operations and support growth.
• Take the lead role for data protection, health and safety, compliance and risk management across the organisation and act as the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

3. Finance & income generation

• Hold financial leadership responsibility, working closely with the Finance Manager and the Fundraising Director to ensure sustainability for our work.
• Ensure effective financial management with procedures in place which are kept up-to-date and implemented accordingly.
• Provide support and engagement, where appropriate, to actively grow our income.

4. Working with others

• Lead, nurture and develop relationships with key stakeholder groups and partner organisations, both locally and nationally, supporting Action for M.’s place as the ‘go to’ organisation for people affected by ME
• Lead on new business ideas and pilot projects in line with the strategic objectives; with colleagues, develop the business case, identify and manage risks, lead implementation across teams, evaluate success and learning and make recommendations for future development.

5. Other key accountabilities

• Be proactive in keeping up to date with developments affecting operations and maintain and improve personal competence through continuous professional development.
• Take direction on projects and priorities from the CEO, which may vary from time to time.
• To ensure best value in all service delivery.

Person specification

Experience and Knowledge

• Proven experience in an operations, leadership, or senior management role, ideally within the charity service delivery or healthcare sector, with the ability to develop and implement strategic plans that drive organisational growth and reporting that demonstrates impact delivered. If you come from outside a support services background, you must demonstrate sound understanding of the regulatory and best practice requirements related to delivering support and/or healthcare services.
• An understanding of ME and associated/overlapping illnesses, the impact on people affected by it or a commitment and ability to understand the illness and lead services to meet the needs of children and adults with ME
• Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams, including remote workers, and fostering a supportive workplace culture where change is a constant.
• Safeguarding understanding at a management/decision-making level.
• Proven experience of building and nurturing strong relationships internally and externally at all levels.
• A sound understanding of outcome-focused, effective performance management, quality assurance and risk management.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, financial planning, and resource management in the voluntary sector.

Skills and Behaviours

• Experience of governance, risk management, and compliance, including within regulated services, ideally within a charity and/or service delivery setting.
• Proven ability to think strategically, balance competing demands, use initiative to solve problems and actively seek innovative approaches to problem solving and delivering results.
• Strong interpersonal skills including motivational, negotiating influencing and networking skills which build strong internal and external relationships.
• An ability to understand, analyse and make effective use of data across all of our work.
• A proven ability to coach and motivate staff and to build and lead teams reflecting organisational culture and values, a respectful, constructive and energetic style.
• Proven, strong MS Office skills that supports writing, email, internet and database use.
• Demonstrable ability to work within our organisational values

Background 

People and communities around the world have the solutions to social injustice, authoritarianism, and the climate crisis. But repressive governments, corrupt corporations, and armed groups use violence and oppression to try and silence them.

By building resistance and resilience among those challenging unaccountable power, Open Voices supports a shared vision for a world where communities and ecosystems can thrive. 

As a mission-driven nonprofit, we join forces with grassroots activists, community groups, and social movements at risk. Working together, we strengthen their physical safety, digital resilience, and collective wellbeing. As a social impact consultancy, we help high-profile nonprofits and foundations manage risk and care for their teams and partners.

This dual approach allows us to work at every level of civil society, from the grassroots to the global. 

We have scaled to meet a 66% surge in demand for our support over the past two years, with our international team now responding to 11 new cases every week. Last year alone, we:

• Answered 575 calls for assistance across 100 countries.

• Delivered over 6,000 hours of mentoring and accompaniment.

• Trained over 1,000 activists in 112 holistic security workshops.

Whoever we partner with, we start with questions, not answers. Listening before speaking, understanding before acting. Together, we defend those who speak out. 

We are expanding our diverse, inspired, and purpose-driven team. Will you join us as our new philanthropy coordinator?

Role description

As our philanthropy coordinator, you will play a key role in building new partnerships with philanthropists and high-net-worth individuals, with an immediate focus on the UK, US, and Europe. You will design and implement a comprehensive strategy to build a robust portfolio of individual donors, Family Foundations, Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) and other personal giving vehicles. 

A proactive and thoughtful relationship builder, you will maintain long-term relationships and lead bold strategies to engage new audiences, including millennial and next-generation philanthropists. You will steward Open Briefing’s first global development board, working closely with our CEO and director of development to engage members around a dynamic programme of activities designed to make Open Briefing more fundable and findable. 

Together with our director of development, you will drive forward a multi-year fundraising strategy to resource our work with activists and organisations on the frontlines of human rights, social justice, and environmental action. 

Your primary responsibilities will include: 

• Designing and executing our philanthropy fundraising strategy. Lead a strategy to identify, cultivate, and solicit high-net-worth individuals (HNWI) —including through Donor Advised Funds, Family Offices, Family Foundations, and other giving vehicles—with an immediate focus on the US, UK and Europe. 

• Prospecting and donor acquisition. Manage HNWI prospecting, generate new leads, develop solicitation plans, brief senior leadership in advance of meetings, and coordinate cultivation and networking opportunities.

• Stewardship and relationship management. Build strong relationships with existing and potential donors through tailored stewardship plans designed to grow income over time. Manage donor tracking and communication systems. 

• Nurture and grow our development board - Work alongside our director of development and CEO to identify and engage members and steward the Board through a 12-month action-orientated development campaign. 

• Budget Management. Manage a programme budget for cultivation and stewardship events and activities.

• Collaboration and Communication. Work closely with our communications coordinator, director of development and programme teams in the production and dissemination of donor-relevant reports, updates and other content; and contribute to the conception and organisation of donor-facing online and in-person events.

• Team support. As a key member of our development and communications team, undertaken other duties as reasonably requested relevant to team and organisational goals. 

Person specification 

Essential 

• You will have extensive experience managing a HNWI or major gift portfolio. 

• You will have a proven track-record of personally securing four, five, or six-figure donations from HNWI and/or major gift donors in the UK, US and/or Europe. 

• You will have experience working within a nonprofit focused on human rights, social justice, and/or environmental action. 

• You will have excellent verbal communication skills, including English language skills, both spoken and written. 

• You will have experience working with senior stakeholders and board members to support fundraising activities. 

• You will have an ability to work both strategically and operationally.

• You will have creative thinking and problem-solving aptitude.

Desirable

• You may have experience working within a global nonprofit. 

• You may have knowledge of the human rights, social justice, environmental justice, and/or international development funding landscape. 

• You may understand grant-making and grant-management processes, especially with respect to private philanthropic funding, including family foundations, DAFs, and Family Offices. 

• You may understand tax-efficient donation mechanisms in the UK, US, and across Europe. 

• You may understand the trends in dynastic giving as well as emerging and next-generation philanthropists. 

If you feel you meet some but not all of the criteria, we would encourage you to get in touch. 

Terms and remuneration

This is a remote, home-working role. You will be contracted for 40 hours a week on a full-time, fixed-term contract. Flexible working is available and encouraged. 

We are looking for someone who wants to embrace this pivotal role within our close-knit team and develop a long-term working relationship with us. You will be properly onboarded and continually supported by experienced and compassionate managers and colleagues. Your line manager will be our director of development, Vicky Nida. 

In return for your time and dedication, we will offer you a remuneration package made up of fair pay, sector-leading benefits, and progressive leave policies, including:

• Salary of £46,900 per annum.

• 7% employer pension contribution.

• Family private medical insurance.

• Employee Assistance Programme, including welfare counselling.

• Unlimited professional coaching.

• Enhanced annual leave of 25 days plus local public holidays.

• Additional leave days for annual closedown.

• Enhanced sick pay.

• Flexible working, including flexitime and remote and home working.

• Access to local coworking spaces.

• Support for climate action:

  • Personal carbon emissions offsetting.

  • Up to two additional leave days for sustainable travel.

  • Up to two additional leave days for climate activism.

• Apple MacBook and peripherals.

If you are based outside the United Kingdom, you will be offered comparable compensation through our local employer of record, Remote. For parity, we contribute 4% above the local statutory requirements into the personal pension plans of staff members employed outside the UK. We will contribute 7% into the personal pension plans of staff members employed in counties where there is no  local statutory provision. 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Open Briefing values diversity. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all can be their authentic selves. We therefore encourage applications from all who meet the person specification and particularly from candidates who are from racialised communities and those under-recognised in our development team. This currently includes people of colour and people from countries in the global majority.

Please read our diversity, equity, and inclusion policy for more information. Our ethical and environmental policies are also available. And you may find our Vision, Mission, and Values statements of interest.

Open Briefing is a Disability Confident Employer and a signatory of the Charter for Employers Who Are Positive About Mental Health. We will make reasonable adjustments for disabled and neurodivergent people during the recruitment process and any subsequent employment. Please let us know in your cover letter how we can be the recruiter and employer you need us to be.

We have checked the text of this advert using the Gender Decoder tool.

Safeguarding

Open Briefing is dedicated to upholding the highest safeguarding standards, ensuring a culture of respect and protection for both our internal and external stakeholders. Our approach encompasses preventative measures and a strong response mechanism to any safeguarding concerns, guided by a survivor/victim-centred ethos. We enforce a strict no-tolerance policy towards any violations of safeguarding policies, ensuring that all concerns are addressed promptly and appropriately. Our safeguarding policy is available here.

How to apply

Please submit your application using our online form and note the following dates:

• Closing date: 30 May 2025

• Interviews: w/c 9 June 2025 

• Desired start date: As soon as possible 

Please let us know on the form if any of these dates are problematic and we will try to accommodate. The successful candidate will need to complete a reasonable vetting process before engagement.