National support manager jobs in Manchester

The Methodist Church is committed to ensuring its churches are safe spaces for all. We work hard to ensure compliance with legal requirements, develop good practice, provide effective training and give professional advice on individual cases. We have an exciting opportunity to join our new safeguarding regional team operating in the northwest region and take this forward supporting Methodist churches and work.

Hours of work: 21 per week

About you

The post holder will join a team of safeguarding officers who will carry specific responsibility for individual cases, undertake risk assessments, lead training and advise churches. The post will be aligned to the West Midlands Methodist District requiring regular travel within this District area, and to provide support to colleagues across the regional area of the North West, which may involve occasional travel. The successful candidate will hold a relevant professional qualification and relevant experience and expertise in child and/or adult protection.

Our Culture, Values and Benefits:

Thank you for considering joining our inclusive and welcoming team that strives for excellence and values employee wellbeing.

We value and support all those who join our team through a positive work-life balance augmented by generous annual leave (plus an extra 3 days over Christmas/New Year), TOIL, flexi-leave and an on-site Wellbeing Adviser service. We offer a generous occupational pension scheme with pensions matched up to 8%.

The Methodist Church is an inclusive and supportive employer. We are actively committed to encouraging applications from people of all backgrounds. We welcome applications from people of Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic groups. We are a Disability Confident Committed employer, and welcome applications from disabled people. 

If you have questions about the vacancy or require reasonable adjustments to be made at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us HR Team

Closing date: 22 February 2026

Shortlisting date: 25 February 2026

Interview (in person): 5 March 2026

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications.

Your outstanding management of the Woodland Heritage Skills project will ensure that the project meets its objectives and in doing so help the charity in achieving its mission.

You will be a core part of how Woodland Heritage is achieving its mission and it will be an incredibly rewarding and varied experience!

Your work with the charity will be as part of a small, dedicated team of staff and a wider group of passionate trustees. Everyone will want you to succeed and will support you along the way.

Woodland Heritage is creating a thriving UK wood culture that benefits our environment, all people and our economy. We do this by championing the good use of home-grown timber from sustainable, productive woodlands for the benefit of present and future generations. Through a combination of demonstration sites, research, education, membership and outreach, we build on the wisdom and skills of the past to weather the challenges of tomorrow. 

About the role

• The role is full time 37.5 hours per week for a fixed term of two years, with planned evening and weekend working as required. 
• We can offer flexible working and hybrid working. You may wish to work at Whitney Sawmills, Herefordshire, for example for a day per week, though this is not required.
• 25 days plus Bank/Public holidays as paid leave
• Salary £35,000 PA FTE
• Your line manager will be the Chief Executive
• Employer contribution from nest pension

 All other terms and conditions will be as per your contract. More details are available via our staff handbook which can be provided to shortlisted candidates. 

This role is part of a £238,442 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to create ‘Woodland Heritage Skills’; two years of educational workshops, digital educational assets and collaboration with its members and partners to deliver the charity’s new Open Woods & Workshops initiative.

A tremendous £13,547 of this grant is matched funding from the outdoor furniture B-Corp Gaze Burvill, a corporate member of Woodland Heritage, alongside fellow personal and corporate members of the charity. 

About you

You will have a committment to the vision and values of Woodland Heritage and a desire to bring about positive change in the relationship between people and woodlands. You will have demonstrable experience of managing projects, delivering educational impact and a willingness to learn and to be flexible.

Visit our website to download the job specification and learn how to apply. We'd love to hear from you!

* This role is predominantly remote but you will be asked to come to our Brighton office few times a year

Who we are

​We’ve been on the frontline of the world’s response to HIV and AIDS for over 25 years, working with marginalised people who are denied HIV prevention and treatment simply because of who they are and where they live.

​Set up in 1993 to work with community groups in the countries most affected by the global AIDS epidemic, we’ve continually adapted our approach, looking for innovative ways to break down the barriers that marginalise people living with, or at risk of acquiring, HIV. All with one goal in mind – a future free from AIDS for everyone, everywhere.

​Everything we do is rooted in our two key beliefs:

• That the lives of all human beings are of equal value.
• That everyone has the right to access the HIV information and services they need for a healthy life.

​Today, we work with communities in more than 40 countries, taking local, national and global action on HIV, health and human rights.

​As a global partnership that is open to everyone, we can only do what we do – and achieve what we want to achieve by working with partners from grassroots community groups to national governments. Our partners drive change where it matters, shaking up the status quo and making a noise on issues the world often chooses to ignore.

​Are you the Candidate we’re looking for?

​Frontline AIDS is recruiting a maternity cover for the Lead: Financial Accountant role. This is a crucial leadership role within the finance team at Frontline AIDS, which oversees all core accounting work. The roles remit includes preparing monthly management accounts, overseeing balance sheet reconciliation work and ensuring balance sheet integrity, managing the accounts payable team and working as the finance business partner for all strategic finance work. The role has three direct reports.

​How to apply

Find out more by downloading the full job description and person specification below. If you are excited by this opportunity and think it’s right for you, we’d love to hear from you so apply using the button at the top of this page and upload your CV along with a covering letter outlining why you are a great match for this role.

JDLead_Financial Accountant_Core Accounting JD Jan 2026.pdf - please note this link only works via Internet Explorer browser (not Chrome)

Closing Date is: 11 February 2026

Interview Date is: TBA

We have transitioned to a hybrid model of working.  We are currently working from home but you will also be required to spend time working alongside your team as appropriate. The successful applicant will need to hold the right to work in the UK.

Frontline AIDS is committed to diversity and inclusion in its hiring approach.  We welcome applications from Black people, and other people of colour, people with disabilities, people living with HIV and LGBTIQ+ and non-binary individuals.

​All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and a criminal records check. Having a criminal conviction and/or any other information divulged on the DBS/PVG or country equivalent check would not necessarily prevent you from working for the charity, but any recruitment decision will be dependent on the nature of the position sought and the circumstances and background of the offence.

Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults

Frontline AIDS operates a rigorous recruitment and selection process that reflects our commitment to child protection. The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy can be downloaded here

The Fawcett Society is the UK’s leading feminist campaigning charity. Our vision is a feminist future where every woman and girl has the power to make her own choices and thrive.

We are recruiting a Community Builder to strengthen and grow our grassroots feminist movement. This role will support Fawcett’s Local Groups, develop clear and inclusive pathways for people to get involved, and help connect local activism with national campaigns and policy change.

This is a role for someone who believes power should be shared, not hoarded — and who is motivated by building feminist power beyond any single organisation.

About the role

Local Groups are the foundation of Fawcett’s movement. Our Local Groups campaign on local issues affecting women in their locality, and create national campaigns and policy drives based on the lived experience of their local group.

We want to do more to bring these groups together, to strengthen our support of these groups, to pull together the voices and campaigns into national policy priorities, and ensure that every member of a local group feels connected to the national movement.

This is where this new role comes in.

The Community Builder will help people set up new groups, and ensure our groups are well supported, informed, and connected, while also exploring new ways for people to organise together, including thematic and digital communities.

Alongside relationship-building, the role carries responsibility for ensuring community activity is underpinned by clear processes, agreements, and risk management, so that grassroots organising is safe and sustainable.

This is a manager-level role, working with autonomy and initiative, with scope to grow into line management in future.

What you will do

• Support and strengthen Fawcett’s local groups, building trusted relationships with activists and group leaders.
• Create clear, accessible pathways for people to set up new groups, join existing ones, or engage in other forms of feminist activism.
• Connect and embed grassroots insights and lived experience with Fawcett’s national campaigns and policy work.
• Support activists to grow their skills, confidence, and leadership in inclusive and democratic ways.
• Develop and maintain processes, agreements, and protocols that support safe, compliant, and sustainable community organising.
• Explore and assess new models and tools for feminist community-building, including digital approaches.
• Collaborate across campaigns, communications, and membership to strengthen Fawcett’s overall impact.

What we’re looking for

You don’t need to have done this exact job before.

We’re interested in people who bring:

• Experience of grassroots organising, community-building, or supporting volunteer networks (paid or unpaid).
• A strong commitment to intersectional, anti-racist feminist practice.
• An understanding of activism and how to amplify lived experience in national policy and campaigning.
• A collaborative approach to leadership and decision-making.
• Confidence working with ambiguity and helping shape new approaches where no template exists.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to build trust across diverse communities.
• Awareness of risk, safeguarding, or compliance considerations in grassroots or volunteer activity.
• Curiosity about digital tools and inclusive ways of organising.

Encouragement to apply

We know that women and people from marginalised backgrounds are less likely to apply for roles unless they meet every single criterion listed. If this role excites you and you feel you could do it well, we strongly encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet 100% of the requirements.

We care about values, potential, and how you approach your work, not just whether your experience matches the role line-by-line.

Inclusion and adjustments

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. You do not need to disclose a disability to request adjustments.

The Role

If you are passionate about the outdoors, have a "roll up your sleeves" attitude and are looking for a role where your event management skills will make a lasting impact on young lives, then this is the job for you. We’re seeking a dynamic individual who can lead our exciting portfolio of outdoor challenge events and help us take our fundraising to the next level.

The Youth Adventure Trust's outdoor challenge events are a vital source of funding for the charity, and the relationships we build with our participants and corporate partners are more important than ever. This is where you come in.

As our Challenge Events Manager, you'll be the driving force behind our exciting challenge events portfolio.You'll work on bespoke corporate team-building challenges, high-energy industry networking events like the Hike Bike Paddle for the sports and outdoor sector and the Housebuilders Challenge, and our popular open events like the Wiltshire 3 Peaks Challenge and the Somerset Cycle. 

Challenge events not only enable people to raise amazing sums for the charity, but are also a fantastic way to engage supporters with our work, giving them the opportunity to step outside their comfort zones, embrace the outdoors and achieve things they never thought possible - similar to our work with the young people on our programmes.

The Challenge Events Manager role is a varied position which would be perfect for somebody who has event management experience. You will be responsible for the full event cycle, from the initial planning, participant recruitment and stewardship to on the day event delivery and post event follow ups. You will be somebody who can spot opportunities, take on a project and run with it. You’ll be an excellent communicator, happy to pick up the phone to chat to event participants, deliver pre-event webinars or create engaging participant emails. You’re self-motivated, well organised, able to multi-task, a strong administrator, a fantastic team player, have excellent interpersonal skills and enjoy being outdoors. You should also have some fundraising experience, ideally in a paid capacity but in a voluntary capacity would also be considered.

You'll work closely with the Corporate Partnership Manager, who is highly experienced in delivering our challenge events, but needs time to develop new corporate partnerships which is why we have created this new role. You'll also line-manage our Events Fundraising Officer who plays a key support role on the events. You must live in or near the South West as there will be a semi-regular requirement to attend in person staff meetings, visit programmes and join event planning sessions.

About You

You’re a people-person, self-motivated and highly organised. You are as comfortable managing a budget and a CRM database as you are standing on a mountain side in your waterproofs! You’ll have:

• Event Expertise: A proven track record in delivering successful fundraising or challenge events.

• Fundraising Experience: You might be an existing fundraiser or somebody who has taken on fundraising activities in a voluntary capacity. You will need to be able to relate to the challenge participants and guide them on how to reach their fundraising targets.

• Agility: The ability to think on your feet and adapt plans dynamically when situations change on the ground.

• Leadership Skills: Experience managing staff or volunteers and the ability to motivate a team.

• A Passion for Adventure: A genuine love for the outdoors, comfortable in wellies and waterproofs with an understanding of 'the power of the outdoors'.

The Charity

At the Youth Adventure Trust, we use outdoor adventure to empower vulnerable young people from Swindon, Wiltshire and Somerset to fulfil their potential and lead positive lives in the future. We work with them to build resilience, develop confidence and learn skills that will last a lifetime, helping them to face the challenges in their lives. Dedicated support, guidance and mentoring from our staff and volunteers ensures young people receive the maximum benefit from our long-term intervention. Our aim is to make a lasting improvement to the lives of vulnerable young people. All our services are provided completely free of charge to the young people who are nominated by schools and other youth organisations to take part.

We’re proud to offer our programmes completely free of charge to participants, and with ambitious plans to help more young people over the coming years, our fundraising challenge events are more important than ever.

Why Join Us?

This is a unique opportunity to make a direct and lasting impact on young lives through your passion for the outdoors. You’ll be part of a small fundraising team with a big heart, with plenty of opportunities to visit our camps and see the tangible impact of your work. 

If this sounds like the perfect fit for you, please download the full Job Pack for more details, including the job description and person specification. All applicants must complete an application form and refer to the job description and person specification in their application.

The Youth Adventure Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and expects all employees to share this commitment. The suitability of all prospective employees will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment. Full details can be found in the Job Pack.

The Role
We are looking for a Volunteer Lead to provide critical direction and expertise, driving forward a new, organisation-wide approach to volunteering — one that is inclusive, impactful, and aligned with our mission to improve outcomes for deaf children and their families.
 
We are looking to push boundaries and test new ways of doing things to reach our customers and engage with volunteers. The chances are, we haven’t done it before, so we are looking for a brave and creative mindset to breathe new life into our approaches..
 
 
What you'll do
 

• Focus on the design & implementation of a new, sustainable approach to volunteering where you will use your expertise to shape the direction of travel.
• Provide strategic input on developing sustainable, scalable initiatives that serve our communities and respond to need. 
• Develop approaches to decentralise volunteer management whereby community groups, partners and staff have confidence recruiting, managing and engaging volunteers.
• Provide an oversight of the rollout of the volunteer management system, working with the Volunteer Advisor to ensure that it is tailored to the needs of volunteers, staff and customers. 
• Develop new and creative strategies to engage and reward volunteers that recognises diverse needs and motivations.

 
What you'll need
 

• Significant experience in a volunteering management role.
• Strong demonstrable experience of inclusive volunteer management, including recruitment, training, support & recognition.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, data protection & compliance relevant to volunteering.
• Experience of a participative approach to volunteering, co-creating initiatives in collaboration with communities or service users.
• Strong digital skills and a sound understanding of agile values & principles.
• A criminal record check / DBS disclosure (if offered the position).

What you'll get

• Home-based working with flexible hours.
• 25 days holiday - plus an additional 3 days at Christmas (& bank holidays).
• Pension (5.5% employer contribution).
• Healthcare Cashplan.
• Annual performance-based salary increase.
• Employee Assistance & Wellbeing Programmes.

 
What we do
 
The National Deaf Children's Society are the leading charity for deaf children. We give expert support on childhood deafness, raise awareness and campaign for deaf children's rights, so they have the same opportunities as everyone else.
 
 
Disability Confidence
 
We are a Disability Confident Employer and committed to offering interviews to candidates who request to be considered under the disability confident scheme and meet the minimum requirements of the person specification. Please contact our recruitment team with any accessibility or reasonable adjustment enquiries.
 
The National Deaf Children’s Society is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 1016532 and in Scotland no. SC040779.

Fractional Programme Manager (PMO Setup & Delivery Team Enablement)
Time commitment: 3 to 4 days per week
Contract: approximately 7 months (until 31/08) with a review after month 1 & 3.
Reporting to: Director of Operations

Remuneration:  £300 per day. (Outside IR35)

Start Date: Asap 

Location: Remote with occasional in-person meetings usually in our London office 

To apply: Please follow the link to send your covering letter focussing on relevant experience and evidence of impact and C.V. with the subject line Fractional Programme Manager 

Recruitment Dates: applications close on 20/02/2026. We reserve the right to close the advert early should we exceed the number of applicants we can review within our recruitment process. 

Voice 21 is the national oracy charity. 

Voice 21 has grown rapidly over the last five years and now works with over 1,200 schools. We are entering our next phase of growth, moving from rapid scale to organisational maturity. We are managing more projects and cross-team initiatives and are forming an emerging delivery team comprising a Project Manager, Systems Analyst and Digital Product Owner.

We are seeking an experienced fractional Programme Manager to design and embed an agile and proportional PMO, strengthen portfolio-level delivery and support the Director of Operations to shape and establish this delivery team. The role combines strategic setup with hands-on delivery.

Outcomes by month 6

• A clear, proportionate PMO model agreed and in use with standard templates and guidance; 

• A prioritisation and intake process agreed and used by SLT, supported by clear portfolio-level reporting for SLT and trustees;

• Defined purpose, scope and operating model for the delivery team;

• Organisation-wide use of Asana as the single source of truth for project and programme planning;

• Project management of some cross-organisation projects; 

• Long-term ownership for the PMO defined and transition supported.

What you will do

• Design and embed a pragmatic, proportional  PMO suited to a scaling charity using the Asana platform as the work management tool;

• Work with the P&C department to role out whole organisation training on process and platform; 

• Support the Director of Operations to define how the delivery team is structured and integrated;

• Partner and coach the Delivery team in ways of working, planning and reporting;

• Establish portfolio visibility, prioritisation and reporting;

• Lead a small number of high-impact projects directly;

• Produce a short PMO and delivery playbook and support transition to long-term ownership.

What you bring

• Senior programme or portfolio management experience, with a track record of delivering complex, cross-team initiatives;

• Proven experience designing and embedding PMOs or organisation-wide delivery frameworks;

• Strong working knowledge of project and programme management approaches (e.g. Agile, hybrid etc), and the ability to apply them to match organisational size, scale and capacity;

• Confidence using work management platforms to drive planning, visibility and accountability (experience with Asana is an advantage);

• Strong facilitation, coaching and stakeholder management skills;

• A pragmatic, delivery-focused mindset and comfort operating both strategically and hands-on;

• Experience in a charity, education or mission-led organisation is desirable but not essential

We are seeking a leader with a hands-on approach to lead our small team of administrative staff and support our Board of Trustees and members to help shape and implement our strategy for the future. You will manage the day-to-day operations of the organisation, translating the strategy into practice to help the organisation grow and deliver real value to our members.

About Us
ACAT is a charity dedicated to advancing Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) through training, accreditation and the provision of continuous professional development to CAT Therapists. Also, through research and promotion of CAT as a valuable and valued talking therapy.

About you
We are looking for someone who is an experienced leader with a knowledge of and understanding of CAT who is:
A strategic thinker
Able to set, manage and report on budgets
An excellent communicator with a proven track record of implementing change

Why Join ACAT
The opportunity to work with dedicated professionals to develop CAT training and the governance of CAT therapists
30 days annual leave for FTE (Pro Rata)
Flexible working arrangements with both home working and some team-based hours each month at the office in Dorchester, Dorset, and attendance at ad hoc meetings and events in person within the UK from time to time.

This is a permanent contract; part-time flexible 14 hours per week subject to successful completion of a 6-month probationary period.

Closing date: Wednesday 11th February 2026

Salary: £35,000 – £39,000
Contract: 18?month contract
Location: Flexible (home/office/hybrid) – must be available on Marathon weekend (26 April 2026 & 25 April 2027)
Closing date: Monday 9^th February
Benefits: 25 days annual leave bank holidays wellbeing days, pension, flexible benefits, healthcare cash plan, discounts, training & development

We are delighted to be working with the National Autistic Society to recruit a London Marathon Event Manager, a pivotal role leading their biggest and most high?profile fundraising event of the year. This is an incredible opportunity to take ownership of the full 2027 London Marathon campaign—a landmark year with record participation and income expected. If you thrive in fast?paced mass?participation events, love exceptional supporter experience and want to deliver one of the UK’s most iconic charity events, this role offers huge impact, variety and visibility.

As the London Marathon Event Manager, you’ll develop and deliver the full fundraising strategy, manage supporter journeys end?to?end, lead a small team of Event Officers, drive partnerships and logistics, and work cross?functionally with key teams including Marketing, Supporter Care, Corporate Partnerships and Data Services. You will also be the main liaison with London Marathon Events, ensuring seamless partnership working and a standout charity presence throughout the campaign.

To be successful as the London Marathon Event Manager, you will need:

• Experience of working on the London Marathon in a charity setting, with strong budget management and KPI delivery
• Experience and passion for motivating and managing staff, setting clear objectives and supporting development
• Ability to plan and deliver complex event logistics, including risk assessments and volunteer management

If you would like to discuss this role with us please contact us and quote the reference 2839EI.

Ashby Jenkins Recruitment are a specialist charity recruitment agency, we use our extensive sector knowledge and experience to match candidates to the most suitable charity jobs. We are passionate about improving equality across the sector, you can read more about our commitment to diversity here.

We take a relationship-led approach to recruitment in the charity sector and partner with you as the leading charity recruitment agency.
If enough applications are received the charity reserve the right to end the application period sooner.

 

The Dementia Trust was formally created as a charity in 1988 in Scotland with the purpose of enhancing the quality of life for individuals living with dementia and their carers by funding innovative, impactful projects, and fostering a community of knowledge sharing and support.

We are now looking to award a fixed term service agreement to provide interim content creation and digital marketing support from 1 March 2026. The appointed contractor will lead delivery of all content creation and digital marketing activity during this period, ensuring consistency, quality and responsiveness. 

Working closely with the Interim Lead Officer (also a part-time contractor role), the contractor will manage a fortnightly content catch-up to coordinate priorities and discuss performance, direction and opportunities. This relationship will support a dynamic balance between proactive planning, such as event timelines, grant cycles and campaigns, and reactive activity driven by media interest, sector conversations or project updates.

Please download the Request for Proposal (RfP) for the full scope of the role and details on how to apply.

Salary: £37,739.41 per annum plus a company car

Location: Home based with regular travel to Shelter shops across East Scotland

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time 37.5 per week

Closing date: Tuesday the 6th of January at 11:30pm

At Shelter Scotland, we believe home is everything. Every day, thousands of people are devastated by the housing emergency — and we’re here to fight it. Our shops play a vital role in raising funds to support our frontline services and campaigns, while also connecting us with communities across Scotland.

We’re now looking for a dynamic and motivated leader to join our Retail team as Assistant Area Manager (East Scotland). In this role, you’ll help ensure our shops are safe, welcoming, and thriving spaces that inspire donations, volunteering, and sales — all contributing to Shelter’s mission of defending the right to a safe home.

About the role

This role supports the Area Manager to ensure shops across the area are safe, welcoming and thriving. You’ll represent Shelter in the community, creating positive experiences for customers, donors and volunteers while maximising Gift Aid and encouraging ongoing support.

You’ll help to oversee shop operations – from pricing and stock rotation to displays and local income-generating events, along with playing a key part in recruiting, developing and guiding Community Shop Managers.

Financial responsibility is central, following procedures, reviewing shop accounts and supporting managers to identify opportunities and reduce costs. Success means helping shops meet and exceed targets, increasing Shelter’s contribution and ensuring vibrant, well-run shops that maximise impact.

About you

We’re looking for an experienced leader who can inspire and motivate teams to deliver outstanding results. You’ll thrive in a varied role, bringing energy and creativity to shop environments, helping teams attract customers and donors, and deepening their knowledge of Shelter’s mission. With strong influencing skills, you’ll train, develop and empower people to run successful shops that raise vital funds.

To succeed, you’ll need experience managing staff or volunteers, delivering excellent customer service, overseeing multiple sites and working with budgets. You’ll also be enterprising and innovative, with the ability to engage communities and have knowledge of charity retail and how to grow sales.

Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.

Benefits 

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support and legal services. And we campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to us for help. We’re here so no one has to fight bad housing or homelessness on their own.

We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.

About the team

This role sits within the Income Generation directorate within the Retail team at Shelter. You will work alongside and report into the Area Manager, along with the Community Shop Managers of the shops you will be helping to oversee.

How to apply

Please click ‘Apply for Job’ on the advert. You are required to submit a CV and a supporting statement with responses to the points in the About You section of the job description of no more than 350 words each. Please provide specific examples following the STAR format.

• We prioritise diversity and have an inclusive and open mindset

Any applications submitted without a supporting statement will not be considered

About Shelter Scotland 

Shelter Scotland is Scotland’s national housing and homelessness charity. Our vision is of a home for everyone in Scotland. For over 50 years, the way we drive change has remained the same. We advise and support people in housing need today and use the insight we gain to inform our campaigns to change tomorrow. We also raise professional standards for those working in Scotland’s housing and homelessness sector by offering a broad range of training courses.

Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet everyday thousands of people are being devastated by the housing emergency.

We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.

We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter Scotland. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist.

Safeguarding statement

Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.

The Head of Advocacy, Awareness and External Relations is a senior leadership role within AtaLoss, working closely with and reporting directly to the CEO. The post-holder will lead work across the public, bereavement and commercial sectors to deliver AtaLoss’ strategic outcomes by:

• providing national leadership in bereavement awareness, advocacy and policy influence, including through Parliament, the APPG and the media
• strengthening the website as the UK’s trusted gateway for bereavement support, ensuring accessible, high-quality content and effective signposting
• enabling holistic bereavement support in communities and workplaces through partnership development, training and the growth of Bereavement Friendly Communities
• contributing to organisational sustainability through income-generating training, cross-sector partnerships and effective external engagement.

The role sits at the heart of AtaLoss’ mission to ensure that every bereaved person can access the right support at the right time, and to position bereavement as a public health issue requiring timely, coordinated and understanding response.

About this role: Based in Higher Openshaw, East Manchester, Justlife currently works across Manchester and Tameside providing one-to-one key work support to empower vulnerable adults housed in temporary accommodation (TA) to move towards more secure housing, independent living and improved health and wellbeing. The role of Specialist Support Worker involves playing an active part in the Specialist Support Team by supporting a caseload of clients that are experiencing housing vulnerability and taking part in regular outreach visits to TA’s across Greater Manchester on the Justlife minibus. The role requires the use of specialist knowledge and relationship skills to support clients with varying degrees of mental and physical health, addiction and trauma related issues to engage with health services and to access suitable housing solutions. The Specialist Support Worker is also expected to develop good working relationships with TA Landlords and Managers recognising the important role that they play in ensuring that their tenants experience of TA is as positive as possible. This will include advocacy in registering them for medical services and accompanying them to appointments, assisting them in addressing all aspects of physical and mental health and addiction needs, as well as advocating for them to get access to suitable housing and social security benefits. The role is dependent on excellent communication and collaborative working with colleagues and a variety of partners and professionals, including the Probation Service, local council services and other third sector organisations. The role requires a high degree of motivation in addition to creativity and flexibility to support people with multiple and compound needs. With a passion to work collaboratively with others for the good of our clients, and with experience of working in a related field in a voluntary or paid capacity. A high degree of emotional intelligence is required to support clients, many of whom have complex emotional needs, with backgrounds of trauma, neglect, abuse and involvement in the criminal justice system. In a role of this nature you will experience a range of emotions from joy to grief and as such it requires a high degree of resilience and self-awareness to cope with the emotional demands of the role. The role sits within a highly supportive team with all staff in receipt of regular line management and external clinical supervision; with reflective practice actively encouraged in team meetings.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Head of Communications to come and join our team providing maternity cover until January 2027 during a period of organisational growth.

Location – This role is mainly working from home with one day a week in our London office (usually a Monday). Occasional travel to our other programme sites (currently Stoke-On-Trent, Redcar, Middlesbrough and Scotland) will also be required.

Salary – Circa £60,000

Employment Type – Fixed term until January 2027, 35 hours per week

Team – Communications team

About you

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate the following:

· Strong experience in strategic communications, ideally within a start-up, growing, complex or place-based organisation.

· Experience setting up and embedding communications functions, including establishing foundations and building approaches as priorities evolve.

· Significant experience in people leadership, including developing others and building a strong, collaborative working culture.

· Experience influencing senior stakeholders and working with an SLT, including supporting government policy, media, funding and influence related activity.

· Strong content, storytelling and copywriting expertise and the ability to communicate a clear organisational narrative.

About the role

The responsibilities of this role include:

· Overseeing and ensuring the delivery of national and local communications strategies and plans, including national content activity and priority local campaigns and stakeholder engagement.

· Leading the set-up and embedding of new place-based communications functions.

· Leading and overseeing the planning and delivery of Thrive at Five’s 2026 Impact Report, communications relating to evaluations and learning, and our fifth-year anniversary, working closely with evaluation and fundraising colleagues.

· Maintaining and strengthening relationships with key national and local stakeholders in line with our communications strategy and goals.

· Providing professional and operational leadership and coaching to the wider Communications team to ensure they deliver to a high standard.

About us

Thrive at Five is a national charity focused on giving every child the best possible start in life. We know the foundations for life and learning are built in the earliest years, from pregnancy to five. By working alongside families, communities and local partners, we help build stronger, more connected support for parents, so more children get what they need to thrive and reach a good level of development by age five.

Thrive at Five is a relatively young organisation but with an already strong national and political profile, having been called out in Parliament for our ways of working in Stoke-on-Trent and invited to be interviewed at the 2025 Civil Society Summit by the Secretary of State for Education. We have grown rapidly in our first four years, with a growing team of nearly 40 across the country. 2026 will be a year of further growth and milestones for the charity as we celebrate our fifth-year anniversary and expand into our third and fourth regions. This will involve recruiting for a new teams, establishing our programmes and beginning to co-design and implement our work in partnership with communities.

About our benefits

· Pension contributions – We will contribute 3% and you can contribute 5% towards your pension through NEST.

· Hybrid working with one anchor day a week in our central London office near to Victoria train station, coach station and underground.

· 25 annual leave days per year plus bank holidays.

· In addition to your laptop and phone provided by us, you can also receive a £100 contribution towards your home-working set up.

· £100 contribution towards your professional body membership

Please note that as this role is subject to a successful Basic Level Disclosure check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). If you have any unspent convictions, but wish to apply for this role, please advise us in your application. The successful candidate will also need to provide satisfactory references and current right to work in the UK.

To apply for this role, please submit your cover letter and CV by following the Apply Now button. Applications will be reviewed and shortlisted as they are received. While the closing date is midnight on Wednesday, 18 February 2026, we may close the vacancy earlier if a suitable candidate is identified.