Operation manager jobs in Bermondsey, greater london

• Salary: £33,000– £37,000 gross per annum at 1.0 FTE (full-time equivalent), dependent on experience

• Working pattern: This is a full-time role, based on 5 days per week, 1.0 FTE or 37.5 hours per week. Flexible working arrangements for 0.80FTE (30 hours per week) will be considered upon application

• Contract: Permanent with a 6 months probationary period

• Member of: Fundraising Team

• Reporting to: Development Manager (Partnerships)

• Location: This role can be hybrid, or office based. At a minimum, candidates will be required to work from the London office at least 2 days a week, as well as be able to attend ad hoc events and away days in person.

Safe Passage International (SPI) is recruiting a Development Lead/Coordinator (Fundraising). We are looking for an enthusiastic, experienced, and motivated individual to join the Fundraising Team to help grow and diversify our core private funding/income streams in its invaluable and ground-breaking work to ensure that safe routes exist and are accessible for all people seeking asylum.

Reporting to the Development Manager (Partnerships), you will coordinate the day today delivery of our fundraising strategy, with a particular focus on high value giving and building strong, values aligned relationships with supporters.

You will play a key role in turning strategy into action. This includes nurturing relationships with major donors, trusts and foundations, and helping to develop new income such as institutional funding or legacy giving, to ensure our funding is resilient and sustainable.

You will work as part of a collaborative Fundraising Team and closely with colleagues across Safe Passage International, including teams in the UK, Greece, and France.

We are looking for good transferrable leadership and organisational skills, as detailed in the Person Specification. Experience in a similar role would be welcome, but this could also be your first paid position in the NGO sector, or you could be returning to work after time out. A full induction will be provided, alongside a dedicated training budget to support you to grow and develop within your role.

Our work is diverse across all the international locations in which SPI operates.

We value equity and diversity in our organisation and are striving to build a workforce reflective of the communities we work with. We encourage applications from people of all ethnicities, working ages, genders, sex, sexual orientations, faiths (or none), marital statuses (or none) and pregnancy status. We also have full flexible working policies to support people with disabilities and caring responsibilities. People with refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds are experts by experience and are particularly encouraged to apply.

We also have full flexible working policies to support people with disabilities and caring responsibilities. People with refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds are experts by experience and are particularly encouraged to apply.

As a refugee charity, we offer a guaranteed interview for people with direct lived experience of seeking asylum who meet most of the essential criteria outlined in the Person Specification. If you have first-hand experience of applying for asylum in any country, please let us know in your application.

We respect that people’s identity is not defined by their past experiences and do not expect candidates to describe their lived experience during the interview process unless they wish to.

If you are excited by this role and working at Safe Passage International but do not have all the experience you think is needed, we would encourage you to apply anyway and reach out for an informal chat beforehand to discuss why you would like to apply for the role and what skills or experiences you think are relevant.

If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please email our SPI Human Resources Team. Contact details can be found in the Job Description attached. 

How do I apply?

Please read the full Job Description & Person Specification and our ‘Application Questions and Guidance’ document below.

The ‘Application Questions and Guidance’ asks candidates to submit a CV and Cover Letter answering six specific questions linked to the Person Specification. Applications can be submitted via email in written form or as digital audio or video files.

We also ask candidates to complete our ‘Equal Opportunities Form’ to help us monitor and improve in our aims to become a truly diverse, representative and inclusive work force.

For information on further application guidance, FAQs and an insight into what it’s like working at Safe Passage, please visit the ‘Working at Safe Passage’ section of our website.

Closing date: Sunday 1st March 2026 at 11.59 pm.

The Bikeability Trust is entering a new exciting phase of our strategy to 2035 to ensure more children can cycle with confidence. A year into our strategy we have reviewed Executive Team roles and responsibilities and are now looking for a creative Communications and Fundraising Director to lead our mission driven communications, income generation and impact reporting functions.

You will be an experience senior leader in communications, who has the drive to take our strategy to the next level. A key member of the Executive Team, working across the home based diverse staff team to bring together the impact of our work through corporate communications and influencing. We recommend reading our annual reviews on the Bikeability website to see a flavour of the work you could be leading.

Our income generation work is focussed on small impactful corporate partnerships, we have tested some individual giving and are planning to host a fundraising Ball in 2026. Experience in fundraising is desirable, with communications experience as essential as this role will ensure strong relationships with Government. 

If you would like to have a short discussion with the CEO before applying please contact Emily Cherry CEO. We are looking to interview shortlisted candidates on the 23rd or 25th February. We are looking for a candidate to start from 1st April or sooner. 

Unseen is working towards a world without slavery. We provide safehouses and support in the community for survivors of trafficking and modern slavery. We also run the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline and work with individuals, communities, businesses, governments, other charities, and statutory agencies to stamp out slavery for good. 

Purpose of the role:

Seasonal Worker Scheme (SWS) call handlers will be responsible for responding to a variety of forms of contact made through the SWS support line. You will work as part of a small but dynamic and friendly team responding to a variety of callers and contacts. Your day-to-day responsibilities will include answering incoming calls and contacts, making callouts, sending emails, drafting referrals to external agencies, and maintaining accurate data. You will form part of a triage service that will signpost callers and contacts to identified third parties who can deal appropriately with their enquiry. You will ensure all actions and data are recorded accurately and promptly to aid relevant follow up and close out of issues. You will be person-centred and deal with a variety of worker issues, including dealing with workers who may be in situations of exploitation. SWS call handlers will report directly to the Worker Wellbeing Manager within our Business Services Team.

To apply: 

• Please complete Unseen’s application form for the role which includes a personal statement of 500 words outlining your suitability for the role, some personal details and equal opportunities questions, and;
• Please send a copy of your CV to jobs @ unseenuk. org with reference to the job title.

The deadline for applications is 22 February 2026.

Interviews will likely be held during the week commencing 2 March 2026.

Kindly note, we reserve the right to close the vacancy if we reach the requisite number of applications. If you’re interested in the role, we would encourage you to apply early.

As an organisation focused on equality and diversity, we welcome applications from all sections of the community and all backgrounds, including those with a lived experience of modern slavery, those from ethnic minority groups, those with disabilities and those from the LGBTQ+ community. 

 Any questions, please contact jobs @ unseenuk. org. 

Life is a national charity committed to delivering high‑quality, compassionate and person‑centred support to people facing crisis. Guided by our values of Humanity, Solidarity, Community, Charity and the Common Good, we work across multiple sites to provide safe, effective and life‑changing services.

The Role

We are seeking an exceptional Director of Quality Improvement and Compliance to join our Senior Leadership Team at an exciting time of organisational development.

Reporting directly to the CEO, this is a senior, influential role with strategic responsibility for quality, safeguarding, compliance, estates and continuous improvement across our national portfolio of services.

You will provide visible, values‑led leadership, ensuring that everything we do is safe, effective, person‑centred, financially sustainable and fully compliant with regulatory requirements. This role has a real opportunity to shape the future of Life – and to positively impact the lives of hundreds of people we support.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership on quality improvement, compliance and continuous improvement across supported housing, estates and services
• Hold senior accountability for safeguarding governance, complaints and assurance frameworks
• Lead audit, inspection and review activity, ensuring consistently high standards and strong regulatory outcomes
• Embed a culture of quality, learning and improvement across multi‑site services
• Oversee property compliance, health & safety and estates management, ensuring safe and welcoming environments
• Use data, insight and digital systems to drive performance, manage risk and support innovation
• Act as the organisation’s senior lead with regulators, inspectors and professional bodies
• Work collaboratively with fellow Directors to deliver a joined‑up, high‑quality client journey
• Develop, coach and inspire senior leaders, fostering a high‑performing, values‑driven culture

About You

You will be a credible, values‑led leader with a strong background in regulated services and a passion for quality and safeguarding.

Essential experience and qualifications include:

• Senior leadership experience within supported housing, homelessness or a closely related regulated sector
• Proven success leading multi‑site services and senior operational leaders
• Strong track record in quality improvement, safeguarding, compliance and inspection readiness
• Sound financial and commercial awareness, including managing significant budgets and resources
• Lean Six Sigma qualification
• Level 5 Safeguarding qualification
• Health & Safety qualification (IOSH Managing Safely or equivalent)

You will also bring:

• Strategic thinking with the ability to translate vision into practical delivery
• A collaborative, visible and approachable leadership style
• Integrity, humility and purpose in how you lead
• A commitment to co‑production, continuous learning and innovation
• Strong communication, influencing and relationship‑building skills

Information about the role: 

For further information, please see the attached job description on our website. 

Salary: £50,285 per annum

Hours: 32 hours per week

Location: Home Based with travel across sites in the UK

Benefits:  

At Life we are passionate about providing our employees with a supportive and engaging environment. As well as ongoing development and training, we offer our:  

• Generous holiday allowance, starting at 25 days per year, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time hours) 
• Birthday Leave  (applicable after 1 years service)
• Additional annual leave for long term service    
• Company Pension Scheme  
• Signed member of the Menopause Workplace Pledge 

Safeguarding and Equality:   

Life is committed to protecting all staff, volunteers and service users from harm of any kind. Life expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct.   

We are committed to ensuring diversity and equality within our organisation by encouraging applications from all backgrounds.  

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks. Life takes its obligation to protect the rights of children and vulnerable people very seriously; therefore, the successful candidate for this post will be also subject to extensive background checking, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) which is paid for by the Charity.  

Salary: £28,000 | Hours: 35 per week
Location: Remote (optional office near Essex)
Contract: Employed | Annual Leave: 25 days + Bank Holidays
 

Are you a recent graduate passionate about web development and keen to use your skills for good? Join The Country Trust, a national charity helping disadvantaged children access food, farming and the natural world.

As our Graduate Junior Full Stack Web Developer, you’ll help build and maintain Drupal websites integrated with CiviCRM, supporting our fundraising, programmes and communications. You don’t need years of experience, just solid fundamentals, curiosity, and a desire to learn.

Essentials you’ll have:

• A degree (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Web Development, or a related STEM field
• Knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP and relational databases
• Evidence of personal or academic coding projects
• Strong communication skills and a collaborative mindset
• Enthusiasm for learning and continuous improvement

Desirable skills:

• Drupal or CiviCRM experience
• APIs, modern JS frameworks, Git, Linux, or agile knowledge

We offer:

• Full training and mentorship in Drupal and CiviCRM
• Clear progression opportunities
• A supportive, inclusive, mission-driven team
• Exposure across the organisation and real-world impact
• Remote working with optional access to our central office if within commuting distance
   

Closing date: Midnight, Monday 2 March
Please apply on our website. Due to our safer recruitment policy, CVs are not accepted

We’re hiring a Director of Communities, Health and Partnerships.

Hackney CVS is in an exciting new phase and we’re looking for a senior leader to help shape it.

Following a major restructuring and redesign of our support offer, we’re focusing more sharply on our core mission: strengthening, connecting and championing the voluntary and community sector (VCS) across Hackney and the City of London.

Our Director of Communities, Health and Partnerships will:

• Lead our networks, forums and engagement work.
• Amplify community voice in local decision-making.
• Build powerful cross-sector partnerships.
• Support the voluntary sector to influence systems change.

You’ll join our Senior Leadership Team at a pivotal moment, helping us embed new ways of working and secure a brighter future for the VCS.

If you care deeply about equity, collaboration and the potential of the VCS to transform lives, and if you thrive in complexity, influence and relationship building, we would love to hear from you.

For the full job description and person specification, please see the attached recruitment pack.

#director #community #health #partnership

One Strong Voice Lived Experience Coordinator

Contract: Fixed Term 12 months

Hours: 35 per week

Location: London/hybrid

Starting salary:  £31,387 per annum

Closing date: Sunday 22nd of February

Expected date of interviews: Wednesday 4th of March 2026

Job ref:

Freedom from Torture is the Winner of the Overall Award for Excellence and the top prize for Campaigns and Advocacy at the 2023 Charity Awards.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Lived Experience Coordinator for One Strong Voice.

Would you like to join our award-winning organisation?

About the role

The One Strong Voice Lived Experience Coordinator will coordinate the work of the OSV network, supporting and mobilising members with lived experience of the UK asylum and immigration system to lead and engage in campaigns and activities. The postholder will work closely with the Asylum Reform Initiative Deputy Director to facilitate the implementation of the OSV vision and strategies which strengthen Lived Experience leadership across the refugee and migrant sector. The post holder facilitates engagement of OSV members and, when required, may need to represent OSV in external stakeholder forums.

About you

You will have lived experience of the asylum and migration system, together with knowledge of huma rights and issues affecting refugees, people seeking asylum and migrants in the UK.  You will have excellent organisational and inter personal skills to enable you to coordinate workshops and events, some of these will be in the evening.

In return, we offer a competitive package, with a generous 30-day annual leave entitlement, and 6% employer pension contribution (minimum 1% employee contribution).

Freedom from Torture is committed to showing the salary for all advertised roles and not negotiating salaries for roles, in light of evidence that this contributes to structural inequality.

Our policy is that all appointments will be at the start of the salary range but successful candidates will have the opportunity to move up the scale over time. The progression up the salary range is reviewed on an annual basis and subject to affordability. For this role, the salary range is £31,387 - £36,409

To view the Job Description and Person Specification, please kindly find the attached file. 

Please note a CV and a cover letter addressing the job description and person specification of the role are mandatory to be considered for the position.

Freedom from Torture is dedicated to healing and protecting people who have survived torture. We provide therapies to improve physical and mental health, we medically document torture, and we provide legal and welfare help. We expose torture globally, we fight to hold torturing states to account and we campaign for fairer treatment of torture survivors in the UK.

We campaign for national and global change, using evidence from our services and survivor voices to protect and promote survivors' rights and hold torturing states to account. We are proud to play a significant role in the global anti-torture movement. Survivors, active and empowered, are at the centre of all of our work.

Freedom from Torture is committed to its responsibilities under safeguarding and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to a satisfactory enhanced  DBS disclosure, as well as a need for full employment history and up to date employment references.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.)

Freedom from Torture is an equal opportunity employer. People with lived experience of torture or asylum, from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ individuals and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

No agencies please.

Giving Back Recruitment is partnering with a long-established professional membership organisation with a proud history of setting and upholding world-class standards, to appoint a Finance Director to a role of real strategic influence.

This is a standout opportunity for a senior finance leader to operate at an executive level within a complex, purpose-led organisation, combining financial leadership with genuine organisational impact.

Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will lead the finance function end-to-end, working closely with the Board, Audit & Risk Committee and senior leadership to ensure strong financial governance, clear decision-making and long-term sustainability.

The opportunity

As Finance Director, you will:

· Shape and deliver financial strategy in a complex, multi-income organisation

· Lead statutory and management reporting, budgeting, forecasting and long-term planning

· Act as a trusted adviser to Boards and Committees, providing clear insight on performance, risk and opportunity

· Oversee cashflow, investments, balance sheet management and financial sustainability

· Lead the year-end process and external audit across group entities

· Build and lead a high-performing, forward-thinking finance team

· Drive continuous improvement across systems, processes and financial capability

· Provide executive oversight of facilities and building services, ensuring efficient and effective operations

This role offers genuine breadth, influence and visibility, sitting at the heart of organisational strategy and governance.

About you

You will be a confident, commercially minded finance leader who enjoys operating at executive level and influencing complex organisations.

You will bring:

· A recognised accountancy qualification and senior-level finance leadership experience

· Strong experience in financial governance, reporting and strategic planning

· Proven ability to advise and challenge Boards and senior leaders constructively

· Experience leading and developing teams through change and growth

· Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex financial data into clear insight

· A collaborative, values-driven leadership style

Experience within a membership body, charity, not-for-profit or regulated environment would be advantageous.

About the Role

We are seeking a passionate and organised Children and Families Worker to lead and grow our ministry with children and families in the parish. This role is perfect for someone who loves helping children explore faith, has experience working with different age groups, and enjoys building relationships in the community.

Key Responsibilities

• Run Children’s Church on Sundays during term-time — including leading sessions and coordinating a team of volunteers.

• Develop a new older children’s group, including volunteer recruitment and curriculum planning.

• Help lead monthly All-Age Services in collaboration with the Vicar.

• Run a monthly Bubble Church service and manage related outreach and admin.

• Co-lead Tufnell Tots (stay-and-play group) on Thursday mornings.

• Build relationships with local primary schools (Tufnell Park and Yerbury) through regular lunch clubs, assemblies, and visits.

• Support and co-run termly community events such as our Pancake Party, Fireworks Night, and Back to School Party.

• Develop creative, new initiatives — such as after-school activities or holiday clubs — to help children and families engage with faith.

• Ensure full compliance with our safeguarding policy and support safeguarding admin.

• Encourage sustainability in children’s events and teach the importance of caring for God’s creation.

• Support an inclusive approach to working with children with additional needs and disabilities, adapting content and approaches as needed.

About You

Essential:

• A living Christian faith and a desire to help children grow in their knowledge and experience of God.

• Good knowledge of the Bible and enthusiasm for sharing its stories.

• A strong understanding of safeguarding principles.

• Excellent team player who relates well to both children and adults.

• Experience in recruiting and supporting volunteers.

• Confident organisational and communication skills.

Desirable:

• A qualification in children’s ministry or a related field.

• Experience working with a range of age groups — from toddlers to pre-teens.

• First Aid certification.

Why Join Us?

• A caring, inclusive church committed to your growth and well-being.

• Flexibility, creativity, and scope to shape and develop this ministry.

• A part-time role that makes a full-hearted difference in the lives of local children and families.

Deadline for completed applications: 23 February 2026 at 5:00 PM.

Interviews: We expect to interview in late February to early March. 

It is a genuine occupational requirement that the post holder is a committed Christian.

The Diocese of London is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults through the use of the Safer Recruitment practice guidance.  This role is subject to acceptable pre-appointment checks, including a satisfactory Enhanced DBS.

Data Services is part of the Central Services of the Church of England, providing statistical information, data, analysis, research and consultancy.

The team works collaboratively with the National Church Institutions (NCIs), dioceses and parishes collecting and assembling data to support the Church's missional, pastoral and operational activities through high-quality information and analysis. This is used locally, at parish, diocesan and national levels, involving the Team in a wide range of customer contacts and interfaces.

In the context of the Church of England's Transforming Effectiveness Programme, the Data Services Team will work to promote data collection that is economic, efficient and effective, producing high-quality services and deliverables geared to a varied range of customer needs. Within Data Services, the Partner & Projects team will be the main interface between all of Data Services and its customers across the NCIs, dioceses and parishes, ensuring that opportunities for collaboration are identified and acted upon. It will lead on the management and delivery of projects and/or data requests coming into the team as well as capturing and maintaining team business plans.

This role is being advertised as a one-year fixed-term maternity cover, or until the substantive post holder returns from maternity leave. It may also be offered as a secondment opportunity for internal NCI employees.

• Are you a skilled and curious practitioner who has experience working with young women and girls?
• Can you support young women to achieve their own best hopes and develop their independence and agency?
• Do you want to work for an ambitious, values-driven charity that believes young women are the experts on their own lives?

Abianda is a London-based charity that works with young women and girls affected by criminal exploitation and violence, and the professionals who support them. We exist to ensure young women are no longer hidden in our communities and can live free from harm and abuse. We aim to bring about a culture shift in how services are delivered to young women and girls, so that they can access support that works for them when they need it.

Abianda is seeking an experienced and collaborative Young Women and Girls Practitioner (1:1) to work with young women and girls aged 13-25 affected by criminal exploitation and violence as part of our flagship service, the Star Project.

As the Young Women and Girls Practitioner (1:1), you will take young women and girls through a tailored programme of activities, supporting skills development and critical thinking. You will work with young women and girls over a period of approximately 6 months, or up to 24 sessions. You can read more about the service on our website.

If you have experience of delivering one-to-one sessions with young women and girls affected by criminal exploitation and want to support them to navigate systems, spaces and relationships safely and healthily, and advocate for their rights and needs, then we’d love to hear from you.
 

Job Details:

• Salary: £30,756 per annum, plus pension (reviewed annually)

• Full-time, 35 hours (however we are currently on a 31.5 hour-week trial that will likely be extended)

• One-year fixed-term contract

• 25 days holiday per annum, plus bank holidays

• Flexible working - hybrid working including from our office in London N5, from home and travel around London with the possibility of UK travel

• Reporting to Abianda’s Head of Programmes - Borough Provision

• Abianda provides a generous benefits and training and development budget for all employees​

You can read the full job description attached. 

How to apply:

To apply, please send your CV and a supporting statement (max. 1,000 words) detailing why you want to work for us and how you meet the skills and experiences listed in the person specification via CharityJob. Please note, if you would prefer, you can submit your application via video or voice recording (no longer than 5 minutes) or a PowerPoint presentation (no longer than 5 slides).

Please also download and our equal opportunities form (this is optional).

Early applications are encouraged and we may close the job vacancy if we receive sufficient applications. Applications will be received and reviewed on a rolling basis. ​The deadline for completed applications is 11.59pm Wednesday 11 February.

Interviews will be held on 24 and 25 February at our office in London, N5 2EF. Please let us know when you submit your application if you are not available on either of these dates.

Abianda is a Disability Confident employer. We aim to offer a disabled candidate who meets all of the essential requirements of the role an interview. 

If you would like to have an informal conversation about the role, please contact our Head of Operations Sam at sam[at]abianda[dot]com. Sam is not on the recruitment panel.

All applicants are requested to complete a criminal record self-disclosure form at interview stage. We value the lived experience of our applicants and all disclosures will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Please note

• Due to the work we do, Abianda's roles are subject to an Occupational Requirement on the grounds of the protected characteristic of sex. We are a women’s-only employer, and as such, this position is exempt under Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010. For the avoidance of doubt, all women including trans women are welcome to apply for and hold such roles, as are non-binary people if the applicant believes that their lived experience aligns with that of women and girls.

• We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, people of colour, the LGBTQ+ community and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds.

• We encourage applications from people from all walks of life, including those who may have had exposure to similar experiences that young women across London are facing.

Can you help us?

We’re seeking a proactive and highly organised individual to lead the delivery and quality assurance of our national specialty training programme in Community Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (CSRH). As Training Programme Lead, you’ll play a central role in supporting CSRH trainees, upholding curriculum standards, and ensuring compliance with the regulatory requirements of the General Medical Council (GMC). You’ll also guide doctors pursuing specialist registration through alternative routes, such as the GMC’s Portfolio Pathway, ensuring these processes are fair, transparent, and effective. Acting as the key liaison between trainees, educators, regulators, and other stakeholders across the UK, you’ll help shape the future workforce in this vital area of healthcare. If you’re passionate about education, thrive in a collaborative environment, and are committed to continuous improvement, we’d love to hear from you.

Unseen is working towards a world without slavery. We provide safehouses and support in the community for survivors of trafficking and modern slavery. We also run the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline and work with individuals, communities, businesses, governments, other charities, and statutory agencies to stamp out slavery for good. 

Purpose of the role:

You will help form part of a UK-wide team of remote Helpline Advisors operating the only modern slavery specific helpline in the UK. After completing our training package for new Helpline Advisors (approximately four weeks) you will begin working as part of a collaborative and dynamic team responding to a variety of callers and contacts.

You will be answering incoming calls, making callouts, sending emails, drafting referrals to external agencies, and maintaining accurate data will be your day-to-day responsibilities.

You will contribute to a service that as well as providing information, advice and guidance to our service users, also helps create one of the largest non-governmental bodies of data on the scale of modern slavery in the UK which is used to influence strategy and policy at local, national and international levels.

You will provide trauma informed and person-centred information, advice, and guidance to a variety of caller types, including people in and out of exploitation, professionals, members of the public, and businesses.

To apply: 

• Please complete the application form attached. This includes a personal statement of 500 words outlining your suitability for the role, and;
• Please send a copy of your CV to jobs @ unseenuk. org with reference to the job title.

The deadline for applications is midnight on Sunday 1 March 2026. This deadline is likely to be brought forward if sufficient applications are received by an earlier date. Please apply early to avoid disappointment.

As an organisation focused on equality and diversity, we welcome applications from all sections of the community and all backgrounds, including those with a lived experience of modern slavery, those from ethnic minority groups, those with disabilities and those from the LGBTQ+ community. 

 Any questions, please contact jobs @ unseenuk. org. 

Job title: Programme Assistant, Enquiries 

Line manager: Team Leader, Enquiries (Senior Officer, Enquiries in Team Leader’s absence) 

Salary: £30,000 

Type of contract: Permanent 

Start date: 16th February 2026 or shortly thereafter 

Benefits: 

• Challenging and rewarding work, always life-changing, sometimes lifesaving 

• Competitive salary 

• Team and individual training opportunities 

• Commitment to performance and personal development 

• Hybrid working, home and office (minimum 2 days each week in the office) 

• Eight hours each day Monday – Friday, with flexible working by arrangement around core hours of 10am – 4pm 

• 25 days plus Bank Holidays annual leave entitlement 

• 8% employer pension contribution 

• Convenient office location at Elephant and Castle, close to Tube (Bakerloo and Northern lines) and bus routes 

Role purpose statement: The Programme Assistant, Enquiries plays a vital role in the Fellowship Programme working directly with academics facing immediate risk in their home countries to carry out due diligence or signposting. This includes managing an individual caseload, dealing with prospective applications and general enquiries, providing administrative support to the Enquiries team as well as support across the Fellowship Programme when needed. 

Organisational Background 

The Council for At-Risk Academics is a UK-registered charity founded in 1933 under the leadership of William Beveridge, to rescue academics suffering persecution under the rise of Nazism and facilitate their continued work in safety. Sixteen Cara Fellows from the 1930s and 1940s became Nobel Laureates, and many more innovators in their fields, including, Nikolaus Pevsner, Lise Meitner and Karl Popper. A number of Cara’s founders and Council members also personally provided places and/or funds to help individual academics; and Cara, known in the 1930s as the AAC, later the SPSL, was closely involved in the successful effort in 1933 to bring to London the Warburg Institute art library, which had been prohibited by the Nazis, and six of its staff. The Fellowship Programme is the continuation of the rescue mission operation started in 1933. 

Cara has been a lifeline to academics at risk for over 90 years, as and when world events have placed them in the line of fire: Hungarian Uprising, Cold War, Apartheid South Africa, Iran, Latin American Juntas, Vietnam, Kosovo, DRC, Rwanda, Sudan, Zimbabwe etc. and, more recently Iraq, Turkey, Yemen, Palestine, Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine. Cara support is typically framed as temporary sanctuary offered at times of heightened risk. 

Cara Objectives ‘To assist academics who have been, or are, or are at risk of being, subject to discrimination, persecution, suffering or violence on account of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, to relieve needs among them and their dependants and ensure that their specialist knowledge and abilities can continue to be used for the benefit of the public.’ 

‘To advance education by supporting academics and their educational institutions in countries where their continuing work is at risk or compromised, to ensure that such academics and institutions can continue to fulfil their critical role as educators for the public benefit.’ 

This is a critical time to join our dedicated and friendly Fellowship Programme team as we expand our capacity to support at-risk academics from the Middle East, Sudan, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Russia and many other countries. 

Role & Responsibilities  

Casework  

• Signposting prospective applicants to the application form. 

• Manage own caseload, preparing cases for eligibility review, including arranging calls to speak with applicants, booking English language tests, and gathering all relevant documentation.

• Escalating complex cases to the Team Leader as required. 

• Maintain accurate and GDPR-Compliant records of casework activity. 

• Researching international affairs to develop understanding about risks applicants face. 

• Researching potential hosts for academic placements and liaising with external stakeholders in relation to applicants. 

• Attend weekly case review meetings with the team. 

Administration   

• Provide general administrative and logistical support, including answering phone enquiries. 

• Manage the general enquiries inbox, alongside another colleague, answering emails about the enquiries’ process, the Fellowship Programme and Cara. 

• Signpost enquiries to relevant colleagues internally and to other organisations where applicable. 

• Contribute to report writing. 

• Present and collect data on general enquiries and applications to the Programme. 

• Ensure safekeeping of confidential information. 

• Maintain excellent detailed records of correspondence, documents, and activities. 

• Provide administrative support to colleagues on projects as required.

Managerial Support  

• Contributing to Fellowship Programme policy changes and decision-making. 

• Provide advice and guidance to colleagues. 

Ad Hoc Responsibilities  

• Show adaptability and willingness to take on additional work when necessary. 

• Support the Fellowship Programme and Cara as a whole with ad hoc responsibilities.

Responsibilities also include related activities that might arise in relation to the Fellowship Programme as required by the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive & Fellowship Programme Manager, and other senior colleagues. 

Person Specification 

Essential:  

• Bachelor’s degree 

• Fluent English (spoken and written) 

• Proactive with a willingness to learn 

• Confident and empathetic with strong interpersonal and communication skills 

• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment 

• Keen team player who is ready to support and help colleagues 

• Excellent record keeping and attention to detail 

• Ability to work independently and in a team 

• Good time management with ability to prioritise and independently work to deadlines 

• Understanding of issues of confidentiality

• Interest in and commitment to the work of Cara 

• Confident use of Microsoft package 

• Awareness of current global issues

• Ability to handle difficult conversations with sensitivity and resilience 

Desirable 

• Master’s or equivalent experience 

• Casework experience 

• Arabic language skills are desirable. Other foreign languages (such as Farsi/Dari, Pashto, Ukrainian and Russian) will also be considered 

• Salesforce/CRM software experience 

• Experience in a supporting role with people with lived experience of forced migration or other forms of severe adversity