The National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) is embedded in Clinks. It has a distinct network, identity and website as well as an advisory group, an independent chair and distinct funding for specific work.
The NCJAA aims to ensure that the arts are used within the criminal justice system as a springboard for positive change. The NCJAA represents a network of over 500 individuals and organisations that deliver creative interventions to support people in prison, on probation and in the community, with impressive results. We support this transformative work by providing a network and a voice to promote access to arts and culture for people in the criminal justice system, as a springboard to positive change.
Clinks supports, promotes and represents the voluntary sector working with people in the criminal justice system and their families. Our vision is of a vibrant, independent and resilient voluntary sector that enables people to transform their lives.
Job purpose
To develop and grow the NCJAA network and develop and maintain effective working relationships with partners and stakeholders.
Job summary
The coordinator is responsible for overseeing all work and development of the NCJAA and sits within Clinks’ National Influencing & Networks directorate . The coordinator will work with a range of different stakeholders, including the NCJAA Advisory Group and the wider membership, to improve policy and practice in relation to arts-based work with people in prison, on probation and in the community. This includes maintaining and strengthening the NCJAA as the leading national network for arts organisations and individuals that work in the criminal justice system.
Reports to: Clinks Director of National Influencing & Networks
1. Duties and key responsibilities
Strategy and planning
· Work closely with Clinks colleagues and the NCJAA network to develop and deliver the NCJAA annual work plan which include a range of activities that will raise the profile and promote the work of the arts sector in the CJS, including events, publications, training, mentoring, research and networking opportunities
· Work closely with Clinks colleagues, the NCJAA advisory group, chair and wider network to help inform and shape the future direction of the NCJAA and its strategic goals, paying particular attention to its role, sustainability and emerging opportunities
· Coordinate the quarterly arts forum in collaboration with the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3) arts seat holder and government representatives
NCJAA project management & delivery
· Provide leadership for the NCJAA in the arts and CJS sectors
· Deliver the projects set out in the NCJAA’s annual workplan
· Coordinate the functioning of the advisory group of the NCJAA, including its quarterly meetings, minutes and election
· Manage work as required by NCJAA’s role as an Arts Council England Sector Support Organisation, including how we effectively capture and measure the NCJAA’s impact as the leading national arts and criminal justice network
· Provide regular and relevant reporting information as necessary to ensure all NCJAA projects and activity are working to the agreed timetable, budget and are achieving agreed outputs and outcomes, reporting any exceptions promptly to the Director of Support and Development
· Work collaboratively with various Clinks’ staff teams to deliver the NCJAA work plan and support the delivery of Clinks’ wider work plan
Stakeholder and external relations
· Work closely with HM Prison and Probation Service and other government departments and agencies to promote communication and partnership between Government and the arts in the criminal justice sector e.g. working with and supported by Clinks’ policy team, participate in meetings of the Reducing Re-offending Arts Forum convened jointly by Clinks and HM Prison and Probation Service
· Work within Clinks’ National Influencing & Networks directorate to ensure the experience and knowledge of arts and cultural organisations working in criminal justice is reflected in Clinks representation and influencing work with national government
· Assist colleagues working in the arts sector to interpret the emerging criminal justice environment and develop sustainable opportunities
· Maintain a wider view of criminal justice and arts policies and guide and support arts organisations to interpret these in a relevant and appropriate manner
· Identify and promote research and evidence in the field of arts and criminal justice
Income generation
· Work with Clinks colleagues responsible for income to identify funding sources, submit funding applications and monitoring reports when required, both for specific NCJAA projects and for the future funding of the work as a whole to ensure the sustainability and future development of the NCJAA
Budget
· Work with Clinks colleagues responsible for finance to maintain financial oversight of the overall NCJAA budget and all relevant project budgets to support the NCJAA work to progress effectively
2. General responsibilities
· Represent and be an ambassador for NCJAA and Clinks
· Work to support the mission, ethos and values of Clinks
· Be flexible and carry out other associated duties as may arise, develop or be assigned in line with the broad remit of the position
· Support and promote diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace
· Work collaboratively with others in all aspects of our work
This job description does not form part of your contract of employment and can be amended from time to time as the needs of the organisation require.
Person specification
Experience
· Experience of the arts and social inclusion sector is essential
· Experience of the criminal justice voluntary sector is desirable
· Experience in forming working relationships with opinion formers and key stakeholders to influence policy and practice.
· Experience in leading and monitoring complex projects and measuring impact with national strategic significance, preferably in the arts.
· Experienced in multiple funder and stakeholder management
· Proven track record of developing and delivering successful projects, including the development of project plans and budgets; implementation; evaluation; reporting and monitoring
· Working to deadlines singularly and as a part of a team responsibility
Skills and abilities
· Excellent interpersonal and strong spoken and written communication skills which engage audiences, encouraging understanding and participation
· Ability to liaise with a wide range of stakeholders with different perspectives, including voluntary sector agencies, arts organisations, government, private sector, service users and media
· The ability to lead, inspire and co-ordinate a complex network of organisations working and supporting arts in criminal justice settings
· Influencing, negotiation and communication skills at a national level
· Facilitate and chair meetings at all levels of the organisations engagement – nationally, regionally, locally
· Highly organised with an ability to maintain effective record keeping systems
· Adopt a problem solving, solution-focused approach and make decisions effectively and timely
· Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
· Strategic thinking, planning and project management skills
· IT skills at a level that supports report writing, email, internet and databases
· Adaptability and flexibility in being able to take on new roles and manage a range of different internal and external relationships.
· Budget management and reporting skills
Knowledge
· Knowledge and understanding of the criminal justice system policy and operating environment in order to promote and support the arts within it.
· Understanding the value of different art forms in criminal justice settings
· Knowledge and experience of national policy, practice and membership organisations relating to arts and/or criminal justice sector
Education and training
· No one specific qualification is required, but evidence of recent continuing professional development in a professional area with demonstrable relevance to the role
Personal attributes and other requirements
· Able to travel extensively nationally
· Able to work some evenings and weekends and stay overnight where necessary.
· Works well in a team with a flexible approach to work
· Personal resilience and the ability to stay focused in a rapidly changing environment
· Demonstrable passion for and commitment to the transformative role of the arts in criminal justice settings
· Demonstrable commitment to anti-racism, anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities. An ability to apply awareness of diversity issues to all areas of work
· Commitment to the values and ethos of supporting people in the criminal justice system
· Commitment to upholding the rights of people facing disadvantage and discrimination in the CJS
Clinks is the national infrastructure charity dedicated to supporting voluntary organisations working with people in the criminal justice system
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The National Lottery Community Fund – Climate Action Fund Decision Panel Appointments
Climate Action Fund- Food Systems - Expert Panel Member Role Specification
Term of Appointment: Three Years
Time Commitment - 9 Days per year
The National Lottery Community Fund (The Fund) wishes to recruit an external member for the Climate Action Fund Decision Panel. The Chair of the UK Funding Committee (UKFC) accordingly invites applications for the position of external member of The National Lottery Community Fund’s Climate Action Fund Decision Panel.
Background
The Fund is the largest funder of community activity in the UK. It launched the Climate Action Fund in 2019 as a long-term commitment to support communities across the UK to act on climate change and involve more people in positive environmental action. Since its launch the Climate Action Fund has awarded over £182m to communities across the UK. This includes over 175 larger projects, predominantly delivered through partnership approaches and over 440 small grants that were delivered through Together for Our Planet, a funding programme in support of COP26. The programme has always had a test and learn ethos and each strand of funding has built on learning to date.
In January 2026 the Climate Action Fund launched a new strand of funding - Food Systems, focusing on strengthening food systems across the UK, while reducing food insecurity for people and communities, without harming the planet. It will achieve this through supporting partnerships that can deliver long term solutions and transformational systems change. Funding will enable large and long term interventions with the capacity and time to deliver progress against their intended aims and ambitions. We will support agroecological approaches which work with nature to create resilient, sustainable and equitable food systems. Projects can apply for a minimum of £2.5 million over three years, and we expect to fund up to ten projects in the first year. More information about funding aims and criteria can be found in Annex A (attached).
Through the Climate Action Fund we support projects based in all four countries of the UK and a combination of place based, cross country, regional, national and UK wide.
Role Specification
The Climate Action Fund is seeking a subject matter expert in food systems, who will complement our existing panel and support our work across the UK. They will have an understanding of the holistic aims we seek to address in supporting long term solutions that will have benefits for both climate, environment and nature, and to people and communities.
The Climate Action Fund Decision Panel has delegated authority from the UK Funding Committee (UKFC) to make funding decisions on Climate Action Fund Programmes.
The purpose of the Climate Action Fund Decision Panel is to make funding decisions, review the performance of the Climate Action Fund portfolio, and make recommendations where appropriate to UKFC. Funding decisions shall be taken in the context of the UKFC Delegation and shall undertake its duties within the framework of overall National Lottery Community Fund policy and procedures.
Person Specification
Knowledge, skills and experience
- Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the food system across the UK, with a particular focus on agroecology and long term, systemic ways to strengthen our food system and reduce food insecurity for people and communities.
- The ability and skill to contribute effectively to the development of this strand of funding and wider work of The Fund in relation to food systems, with a strong track record of achievement in this area.
- Ability to work on a Panel with excellent interpersonal, team working, communication and representational skills.
- The ability to engage and influence in relationships with stakeholders to ensure the Fund is well represented and externally impactful.
- Personal and operational integrity, the ability to work with people from different backgrounds, and a commitment to improving equity, diversity and inclusion.
- Clear understanding and commitment to building strong and connected communities, that reflect the whole of the UK.
- Ability to deliver operational transformation and culture improvement in a large organisation.
- A strong commitment to engaging communities across the UK, and factoring UK-wide perspectives into all decision making.
Interview details:
- Date: Interviews will take place in early July with appointments confirmed by the end of July.
- Format: Online
How to apply:
Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement with a maximum of 1000 words. Your supporting statement should explain how your skills and experience meet the essential and desirable criteria below.
Essential Criteria
- An advocate and ambassador for The Fund and a demonstrable commitment to its mission and purpose.
- Understanding and experience at a senior level of community organisations and track record in creating an environment where communities are connected and supported.
- Experience of systems change work and how that translates to community centred funding.
- Experience and understanding of food systems, particularly in alignment with our funding aims and the conditions required to influence and shape long term solutions that start with communities.
- Experience of influencing or shaping food systems policy from a community perspective.
- A demonstrable commitment to and experience in equity and equitable practices.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Desirable Criteria
- An understanding of funding, philanthropy or public sector systems.
If you are excited about the opportunity to help communities drive lasting change, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.
We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.)
It starts with community.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer, and nearly one million people are living with it today. Behind every number is a person, a family, and a need for better support, care and hope.
What would it take to turn an idea into something that improves lives at scale? And how do we make sure good innovations do not get stuck, but reach the people who need them?
At Alzheimer’s Society, innovation is how we turn ideas into real world change. We identify, support and invest in solutions that improve diagnosis, care, access to treatment and help prevent crisis. Our Innovation Programme has supported more than 60 innovations, reaching over 1.5 million people and helping partners secure millions in further funding.
We are looking for an Innovation Officer (Portfolio) to help grow and strengthen this impact. You will sit within our Innovation Team in the Research and Influencing Directorate, supporting performance, relationships and learning across our investment portfolio.
This role is about helping good ideas go further and making sure they deliver real benefit for people affected by dementia.
What does it look like when innovation truly works in the real world?
What you’ll do
You will manage relationships with our innovation portfolio partners, monitoring progress, impact and reach, seeking opportunities for wider implementation and scale of innovations, how can we drive opportunities for wider adoption and growth of innovations?
You will help us understand the impact of our innovation portfolio by turning project data into clear, useful insight through dashboards and analysis. .How do we frame data to focus on outcomes and emphasise real world change?
You will track the return on investment of innovations within the portfolio, monitoring quarterly sales and annual returns to understand whether innovations are delivering the expected impact and sustainability. How do we balance impact, growth and financial return?
You will help with operational delivery, including due diligence, contracting, and invoicing. How do we keep the behind the scenes work steady so innovation can move forward?
You will also help share the work of our team and innovators we support through events, communications, and engagement. How do we make impact feel real and support innovations to be accessible to others?
You will support learning and evaluation to understand what works and why. How do we make space for learning, not just delivery?
Key responsibilities include:
- Manage portfolio partner relationships through regular engagement, meetings, and stakeholder support
- Develop and maintain impact metrics and dashboards to track portfolio performance, returns, and impact
- Monitor financial performance including sales, returns, and quarterly partner reporting
- Review and analyse partner reports to identify progress, risks, and key themes across the portfolio
- Support income-generation opportunities by identifying routes for testing, implementation, and scaling
- Monitor compliance requirements including contractual obligations and brand-licensing agreements
- Lead evaluation activity by designing, commissioning, and monitoring evaluations with partners
- Prepare and coordinate partner representation and involvement in meetings and events
- Support operational processes such as invoicing, due diligence, contracting, and onboarding of new partners
- Collaborate across teams and contribute to continuous improvement of portfolio management and reporting
About you
You care about work that makes a difference. You are curious, open to learning, and comfortable working across information, people and processes.
You might come from innovation, partnerships, health, charity or the public sector. Or somewhere completely different.
We do not expect you to know everything on day one. We care more about how you think and how you work with others.
If you meet some of the criteria but not all, we would still really like to hear from you.
- You are interested in understanding what is working and what is not, and why
- You enjoy working with others to keep things moving
- You can manage multiple pieces of work and notice what matters most
- You communicate clearly, even when information is complex or changing
- You find practical ways forward when things are not straightforward
We are building innovation that transforms lives. This role helps make sure that happens.
Interviews for are provisionally scheduled to take place on the 14th July via MS Teams
About Alzheimer's Society
Dementia is the UK's biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.
At Alzheimer's Society, we're the UK's leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding groundbreaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.
Together with our supporters, we're working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.
Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for.
Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society.
We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society.
Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people.
Our hiring process
During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply. Please also contact Alzheimer's Society Talent Acquisition Team via [email protected] for application support or any adjustments you might need.
To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value it truly adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to showcase them in your own voice.
We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice.
We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a Criminal Record Check at the relevant level. You can read more information via our Website.
Giving back to you
Our employees work hard every day to make a true difference in people's lives. We are proud to support them with a range of benefits, recognition and many options for working agilely, all contributing to a strong work life balance. We also have various learning programmes to support you in your development and help you grow to realise your potential and shape a career with Alzheimer's Society.
You can also visit our Working for Us pages, which give you more information about what it's like to be an employee at the Society.