Operations associate jobs in Cardiff, wales

We are looking for an experienced, thoughtful Operations Lead to join our small,

purpose-led CIC. The Operations Lead is central to how Power & Integrity functions day-

to-day, supporting both the running of operations and the development of the systems

and processes that help us work more effectively as we grow. The postholder holds the

operational backbone of the organisation, providing trusted executive and

administrative support, coordinating our consultancy portfolio, supporting financial

processes, and strengthening the systems that allow our work to land reliably and on

time.

Working closely with the Co-Chairs, the Operations, Governance and Risk Committee,

our consultancy, impact and the finance function, the postholder combines hands-on

operational delivery with coordination across our consulting and wider engagements.

This is a varied, practical role suited to someone who enjoys constructing workflows,

anticipating needs, spotting risks early, and creating processes that allow others to do

their best work.

This is not a polished corporate operations role. We are a small organisation, still

evolving how we work, so this role would suit someone who enjoys building, shaping, and

improving systems over time, rather than stepping into something already fully formed.

The role carries responsibility for coordination, administration and reliable delivery. The

postholder enables and supports decision-making, governance and delivery, working

within agreed processes and escalating appropriately, and grows their scope over time.

About NEON 

NEON is a not-for-profit organisation committed to accelerating social movements. We build capacity and infrastructure to accelerate the transition to a new economy. We work across a wide range of progressive issues including climate, housing, healthcare, and migration and we support over 1,000 organisers across the UK working towards political, environmental, and social justice. Our theory of change is rooted in understanding both the strategies, stories, and structures required to sustain a movement. Short term, this results in improved movement infrastructure, skills, and connections; long term, it leads to robust relationships and movement alliances capable of systemic change. 

Context

NEON’s People & Operations Hub makes sure all our internal systems run smoothly and that our team is happy, high-performing and cared for. The People & Operations Hub brings together people, culture, operations, fundraising and finance, and plays a key role in making sure NEON is both high impact and a joyful place to work, at the heart of this is ensuring our values of respect, generosity and solidarity and anti-oppression principles are embedded into all internal practices.

As part of this, we’re currently looking for someone to support us for a defined period of time to review and refresh some of our core operational and compliance areas, and support us with discrete ops tasks as they arise. This includes reviewing, updating and embedding key systems and processes so that they are clear, usable and consistently followed across NEON. Alongside this, we want to create a NEON-wide handbook, so that we have a simple accessible place where people can find everything they need to know about how we do things at NEON. We also want to strengthen our guidance around event safety, both online and in-person, so staff feel comfortable and supported when planning and delivering work. It’s crucial for us that this work is developed in collaboration with the People & Operations Hub as well as the wider team. 

Who we’re looking for

We’re looking for someone who is comfortable moving across operational and compliance work. Someone who has a solid understanding and experience in delivering high-level health and safety, data protection, IT and systems work, and other operational aspects of running an organisation, and can turn that into something practical, usable and genuinely helpful for our team. Someone who is self-motivated, comfortable working independently, and able to take ownership of pieces of work from start to finish

We’d love someone who has experience working closely in or within people and operations teams in small- medium sized not-for profits or charities, and who knows how to take complex or messy systems and make them simpler, clearer and easier to embed in day-to-day practice. We’re looking for someone aligned with our values of respect, generosity and solidarity and is well-versed in including anti-oppression principles into operational work. Someone who is motivated by working in a values-led organisation where decisions factor in culture, trust and care as well as the technical elements.

This person should be confident reviewing and improving systems and understands and is experienced in working closely with other people to do this, whether that’s with the Director of People and Operations to receive direction or troubleshoot, working alongside our Ops Assistant to put things into practice and draw on their organisational expertise, or engaging the wider team to elicit their ideas and challenges, and incorporate them into improvements. Similarly someone who is able to work with external support we have in place around IT, HR and data protection and translate their recommendations into practical action.

They’ll need to be able to hit the ground running and pick up discrete pieces of work, working thoughtfully and collaboratively with a team that’s juggling lots of different priorities. Aside from improving key pieces of work, the other core part of the role is bringing people with them, which will involve coaching and mentoring skills, a learning and development approach, and helping others feel confident taking on and owning this work.

Above all, we’re looking for someone who understands how to make organisations compliant and well-run in a way that feels proportionate, caring, and realistic for a team of our size. Someone who can embed these pieces of work, without overcomplicating things, and who can foster a sense of shared ownership. We’re also looking for someone who really cares about how operational work is truly embedded and put into practice across organisations, who thinks carefully about what happens after their involvement or support ends and knows how to build internal capability so work doesn’t stay dependent on them.

Key deliverables

By the end of the service period, the following outputs will have been delivered and fully embedded into NEON’s ways of working:

IT and systems

The freelancer will complete a high-level review of NEON’s current IT systems, identify key risks and gaps, and produce a set of recommendations. 

Outputs will include working with the People & Operations Hub to lead implementation and embedding of agreed improvements across tools and ways of working, including an improved GDrive structure, Google Workspace and IT security improvements and an IT and phones policy.

Data protection

The freelancer will complete a high-level review and strengthening of NEON’s GDPR and data protection approach.

Outputs will include updated core policies (GDPR policy, privacy notice, retention policy) and practical guidance to support consistent implementation across the organisation. It also includes delivery of staff training and further strengthening of our “Data Champions”.

Event processes

The freelancer will assess our current event-related practices (online and in-person).

Outputs will include clear, practical recommendations, strengthened guidance for managing event safety and risk in practice and staff training and support.

Health and safety

A review and update of NEON’s health and safety approach will be completed to ensure policies and processes are clear, practical and consistently applied.

Outputs will include an updated H&S policy, incident reporting process, risk assessment templates, and a simple event safety framework with guidance and checklists. It also includes delivering staff training and embedding of H&S practice across the organisation, including clarification of roles and responsibilities.

AI policy and guidance

The freelancer will research and develop NEON’s approach to AI use across the organisation, considering best practice, risks, opportunities, and the impact of AI on staff and NEON’s work. It should also include thoughtful consideration of the harms and ethical concerns associated with AI.

Outputs will include engagement with staff to understand current use and concerns, alongside the creation of clear and practical AI guidance and an organisational AI policy to support safe, thoughtful and consistent use of AI tools across NEON.

NEON Handbook

A NEON-wide handbook will be created, bringing together key processes, guidance and signposting to essential organisational information in one accessible place.

The handbook will be co-developed with staff and People & Operations Hub members to ensure it reflects day-to-day practice and is maintainable internally after completion.

Day-to-day operations support

The freelancer will provide additional operational capacity to support the Hub with emerging priorities, and time-sensitive pieces of work that arise during the contract period.

Outputs may include support with operational problem-solving and decision making, maintaining processes and procedures, providing subject knowledge expertise, maintaining documentation and other discrete operational tasks agreed with the Director of People and Operations.

A key part of this work will be ensuring that all outputs and improvements are properly embedded within the People & Ops Hub and the wider organisation. This includes creating clear documentation, guidance, training and handover processes so that NEON staff can confidently hold and maintain this work after the consultancy ends.

Timescales and fee schedule

The freelancer will be appointed and ready to engage from the end of July/ start of August 2026. We expect this work to be completed across two-three days per week for up to six months, ideally finished by the end of January or February 2027 (depending on start date). There may be a possibility of extension if other relevant and discrete projects arise and in agreement with the Director of People and Operations.

Call out information required

Interested freelancers are asked to provide the following information in response to this call out:

1. Brief career history and details of relevant assignments undertaken (this could be in the form of a CV)

2. A statement not exceeding 800 words on your proposed approach to the deliverables, including:

   1. Your technical and subject matter expertise

   2. Your personal style and approach to working with others

   3. How you will embed our values of respect, generosity and solidarity and anti-oppression principles into the deliverables

3. Your day rate, indicating whether VAT is payable (please note our indicative day rate that is aligned with our internal budget is £375)

4. A clear commitment to undertake the work within the timeframe set out above

5. Two testimonials from suitable clients or professional partners

The deadline for submissions is Sunday 28th June 11.59pm

Please find email address for submission of applications on our website.

We may wish to discuss submissions with you on Monday 6th July or Wednesday 8th July 2026. We will inform you if this is the case.

For any further information or clarification prior to submission, contact us at our website.

Associate Director of Fundraising and Communications

Are you a commercially minded leader and inspiring people manager? Are you at a professional level where you’re ready to deliver a step-change for a leading and major Welsh cancer charity?

We’re looking for an Associate Director of Fundraising and Communications who is primed to play a major role as the driving force behind a new era of income growth and brand influence in the Third Sector.

Working 35 hours per week in a hybrid role you can work effectively from home with a willingness to regularly network across Wales and attend Cardiff City Centre Head Office as the nature of the role requires.

The Role

You’re a people focused leader with a passion for driving transformation to spearhead our income growth and elevate our brand. This is a high impact, critical and senior leadership role where you’ll have direct responsibility for financial performance and leading integrated functions to ensure no opportunity for impact is missed.

You’ll balance high-level strategic leadership with a hands-on approach to delivery. From identifying and converting high-value corporate partnerships to leading a multi-disciplinary team across fundraising and marketing, your work will directly fund essential cancer services across Wales. You’ll use data-driven insights to sharpen our performance and generate income to make a difference to our communities across Wales.

You'll have 4 direct reports and oversee a headcount of circa 20 and have a seat with the Senior Leadership Team working closely with all our Directors and department Heads.

Reporting into the Director of Income Generation, Marketing and Communication, you’ll take ownership of a significant portfolio. Your mission is clear: transition our fundraising into a more commercially focused, insight-driven operation—with a specific mandate to build a powerhouse corporate and high-value income stream.

We welcome informal and confidential candidate conversations about the role before the 30th June closing date. Candidates will need to be available for an in-person interview at our Cardiff Head Office on the 14th July.

Please take a look at the Recruitment Pack by clicking on Apply or on our website when considering your application. Your application should demonstrate your motivation for the Associate Director of Fundraising and Communications role and how your skills and experience are a great match for the role and how you align with our values.

Key Responsibilities and What You’ll Bring

• Strategic & Proven Growth: You’ll lead the development of integrated fundraising and comms strategies that don't just "hit targets" but deliver measurable, sustainable growth. You’ve a demonstrable track record of delivering significant income, with expertise in corporate or high-value fundraising.
• Empowering & Senior Leadership: You’ll manage and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and clear accountability. You’ve experience operating at a senior level with clear accountability for budgets, forecasts, and ROI.
• Corporate Powerhouse & Integrated Strategy: You’ll build and convert a high-quality pipeline of corporate partnerships capable of generating consistent five and six-figure streams. You’ve a background in leading combined fundraising, marketing, and communications functions within complex environments.
• Brand Amplification & Sector Experience: You’ll ensure our marketing and communications are strategically aligned to support income generation and strengthen our reach and impact across Welsh communities. You’ve ideally a deep understanding of the Third Sector and the Welsh political landscape, specifically regarding how cancer services are funded and delivered.
• Performance, Insight & Team Development: You’ll move beyond gut feeling using data and market intelligence to drive ROI, manage robust forecasts. Reporting directly to the Director of Income Generation, Marketing & Communications you’ve a natural ability to lead and nurture high-performing, agile teams who share and live out our values through behaviour.

What You’ll Need to Succeed

• Proven Track Record: You’ve delivered significant income growth, specifically within corporate or high-value fundraising environments.

• Senior Gravitas & Influencing Power: You’ve experience operating at a senior level with full accountability for financial performance and budgets. You demonstrate highly developed skills to build credibility and influence at a senior/Board level.

• Commercial Sharpness: You can spot an opportunity, build the case, and close the deal with the ability to spot and convert income opportunities at pace.
• Strategic Integration & Data-Driven: You’re experienced in leading multi-disciplinary teams across fundraising, marketing, and communications and proficient in using insight and data to drive decision-making
• Welsh Context: A gained understanding of the Welsh political landscape and how cancer services are funded/delivered in Wales.

• Communication & Values: You’re a confident, engaging communicator for diverse audiences. You share our values and role model them through your behaviour as a compass in how you and your team work.

At Tenovus Cancer Care we’re guided in all that we do by our core values. These are: Collaborative, Integrity, Innovative, Respectful and Inclusive. We’re dedicated to making our workplace diverse and inclusive where everyone feels they belong and can be their authentic selves at work. This means that whatever your background you’ll have an equal opportunity with us.

We can’t wait to receive your application! We’d love you to find out more about our staff benefits , about us and what it’s like to work with us.

Applying is easy, just click the ‘Apply Now’ button at the top of the page and follow the online process on the Tenovus Cancer Care website. If you’d like any help with your application or to discuss any adjustments you may need please contact our People Team.

Harris Hill is working with an education based organisation, supporting their search for an interim Events Manager, working remotely, 4 days per week, for 3- 6 months. 

The pro rota salary would be £36-40k, on the basis that you work 4dpw, but could spread the 4 across 5. You would however be responsible for attending the various events.

We are looking for a seasoned Events Manager, who is adept at the whole life cycle of events, with a emphasis on planning, and the marketing of the events themselves, so someone with both events and marketing experience is essential.

The team does have some events, admin, and communications support, but you would need to steer the a little, be very hands on, and flexible to the needs of the role.

Specifically, the role of the Events Manager involves:

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, and working closely with the staff team, to develop and deliver ALT’s programme of events.

Organising the logistics for in-person and online events and conferences, managing associated budgets and revenue generation, and negotiating with exhibitors and sponsors.

Leading on events-related stakeholder management, including working in partnership with volunteers to create conference programmes and managing event-related collaborations with partner organisations, nationally, and internationally.  This also includes leading on logistics for the Annual Awards.

Leading on events marketing and communications and social media, including promoting opportunities for members and partners across sectors.

Overseeing delegate and exhibitor liaison and carrying out event evaluations, including acting as the person responsible for feedback and complaints.

Evaluating and reporting on events to committees including the Board of Trustees.

Business and project management

Devise and manage project plans, risk registers and budgets for events and associated areas of operations.

Negotiate with potential and selected suppliers of products and services to secure best value, and manage and develop long term relationships with its suppliers.

Recruit, train, and line manage casual staff employed by the organisation in the run-up to and during conferences. 

General

Represent the organisation at events, promote the organisation and establish new and develop existing relationships with partners and stakeholders. This will involve occasional weekend, and evening work, and travel within the UK, and will include attendance at the two in-person conferences in the UK.

Contribute to the development and implementation of the Strategy.

Undertake training to ensure appropriate skills are acquired or developed.

Provide occasional holiday and sickness cover for posts at the same or lower grade.

Undertake any other duties and responsibilities as may be determined by the organisation that are commensurate with the level and grade of this post.

If you would like to hear more about this opportunity, please apply for further details

Weston Hospicecare is seeking a Director of Retail to lead and develop our retail division at a pivotal moment in our journey. This is a senior leadership role with influence and autonomy, giving the opportunity to shape a vital income stream that directly supports specialist palliative and end-of-life care for our local community.

About the role

As Director of Retail, you will provide strategic leadership for a diverse retail portfolio comprising 16 shops across North Somerset and Somerset, e-commerce operations, and the associated logistics and donation processes. Reporting to the Chief Executive and working closely with the senior leadership team and Trustees, providing significant Board-level engagement, you will develop and deliver a forward-thinking, sustainable retail strategy that responds to evolving customer behaviours, high street trends, economic pressures and developments within the wider charity retail sector.

Just as importantly, you will lead, inspire and develop a committed team of paid staff and volunteers, creating a high-performance, values-led culture where people feel supported, accountable and proud to be part of their local community.

By building strong relationships across the hospice and working collaboratively, you will maximise income opportunities, strengthen community engagement, and protect and enhance the hospice’s reputation.

What you will bring

We are looking for a leader who combines commercial credibility with warmth, empathy and purpose, and who can confidently operate at both strategic and operational levels.

You will demonstrate:

Commercial and strategic leadership

· Significant experience of maximising resources and delivering strong commercial performance within a retail setting

· The ability to develop, articulate and deliver a clear, ambitious and sustainable retail strategy

· Agility and confidence to move comfortably between board-level conversations and front-line retail operations

People and culture

· A proven ability to lead, inspire and develop diverse teams of paid staff and volunteers

· A collaborative leadership style that brings people with you, fostering ownership and accountability

· Resilience to lead effectively through challenge and uncertainty, responding openly and constructively to feedback and change

· Credibility, confidence and presence to inspire others and lead effectively through change

Values and behaviours

· A genuine passion for charity retail and the difference it can make in communities

· Warmth, empathy and compassion, personifying our hospice values in how you lead

· A values-led approach with a commitment to encouragement, inclusion, collaboration and continuous improvement

· A strong commitment to building effective relationships with trustees, colleagues, supporters, customers and donors, patients and their loved ones

Why join us?

In return, we offer:

· A senior leadership role with real influence, autonomy and purpose

· The opportunity to take our retail division to the next level at a crucial time

· A supportive, flexible and collaborative working environment with passionate, committed colleagues

· A sector-competitive salary and benefits package

· Access to training, professional development and wellbeing support

We are seeking to appoint a permanent Director of Retail; however, we will also welcome applications from experienced interim retail leaders who can bring immediate expertise, stability and momentum during this important period while we recruit to the permanent role.

Weston Hospicecare is located in the quiet village of Uphill on the North Somerset coast, and was founded by our local community over 30 years ago. We are the major provider of specialist palliative care within the catchment we serve, offering in-patient, community, day care and related services to patients, and bereavement support to their families and loved ones. All our care is provided free of charge to whomever needs it, however it costs approximately £7 million every year to provide our full range of services, of which less than 20% is funded by the NHS. The remainder is raised each year through a combination of our retail division income, our multi-varied fundraising activities, and gifts in wills.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or any other category protected by law.

We’re looking for a highly organised and proactive Programme Coordinator to lead the day-to-day delivery of our GCSE resits support programme across a portfolio of partner colleges in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

This is a hands-on, delivery-focused role where you’ll act as the main point of contact for students, tutors and college staff, helping to ensure programmes run smoothly, students stay engaged, and delivery meets a high standard.

What you’ll be doing

• Coordinating the delivery of programmes across partner colleges
• Building strong relationships with college staff, tutors and students
• Monitoring student enrolment, attendance and engagement
• Supporting tutors to deliver high-quality sessions
• Overseeing logistics such as timetabling, reporting and day-to-day problem solving
• Maintaining a regular on-site presence in colleges and ensuring effective communication with stakeholders
• Contributing to continuous improvement and helping to drive strong outcomes for learners

About you

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Highly organised, responsive and able to manage multiple priorities
• A confident communicator who can build strong relationships with a range of stakeholders
• Comfortable working independently and taking ownership of delivery
• Calm and solutions-focused when challenges arise
• Motivated by improving outcomes for young people
• Detail-oriented, with strong administrative and IT skills

Experience in programme coordination, education, youth support or partnership working would be valuable. An understanding of the further education or charity sector would be helpful, but is not essential.

Role details

• Location: Cardiff/ hybrid remote, with regular travel to partner colleges (minimum three days on site per week)
• Hours: Full-time, with flexibility available
• Salary: £28,000
• Contract: Permanent

This role would suit someone who enjoys combining relationship management, coordination and operational delivery in a role with clear social impact.

Are you a qualified finance professional who enjoys working in partnership with others to turn financial insight into better decisions? Join Shelter as a Senior Finance Business Partner and play a key role in supporting our directorates to plan, prioritise and deliver work that helps end the housing emergency.

About the role

This role will be leading in the financial business partnering needs of our Income Generation directorate. 

Among your responsibilities will be the need to align financial plans to operational and strategic plans and make sure they’re clearly understood by Business Units. Seeing that each Unit is provided with a channel of effective, two-way communication with Finance will be important too. And, when it comes to seeing that they receive regular relevant and useful financial insight and analysis, again, we’ll count on you to deliver. You’ll be working within a great finance department to achieve this, who work as a team of experts to safeguard resources and support decision making across Shelter. We strive to ensure Shelter is financially sustainable in order to achieve our vision of a home for everyone.

Role specifics

We’re looking for a qualified accountant who is confident working with colleagues across an organisation and able to explain financial information clearly to non-finance audiences. You’ll have experience assessing financial risk and producing clear, insightful analysis to support good decision-making. With strong attention to detail, excellent numeracy and solid Excel skills, you’ll be comfortable managing your time, meeting deadlines and reprioritising when needed. Experience of charity finance and working with fundraising teams would be an advantage.

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.

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

 Shelter’s Finance Team sits within the Strategy Enablement Directorate, which also includes HR Operations, Technology and Data, and Governance, Planning and Property. The Finance Team consists of 32 people led by the Assistant Director of Finance.

This role sits within the Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) Team. FP&A produces financial reports and analysis, provides expert advice, and enables collaboration to support effective decision making throughout the charity.

How to Apply

Please click ‘Apply for Job’. You are required to submit your work history and a supporting statement. The supporting statement should include your 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 and ensure you demonstrate how you address the behaviours below in your responses:
 

• We prioritise diversity and have an inclusive and open mindset

Any applications submitted without a supporting statement will not be considered.

About Shelter

Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet everyday millions 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. 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 role

We have a vacancy in the South & Southwest Region for a Regional Administrator, 28 hours per week. You will be joining a dedicated and friendly team of regional staff and volunteers. This is a fixed term post, initially for one year. The postholder will ensure smooth running of regional administration and carry out administrative duties as required by the region. They will support direct service delivery and volunteers across a number of branches to deliver services in line with Cruse standards, policies and procedures 

How to apply

Your application must consist of a CV and short covering letter which outlines your suitability for the role with reference to the Job Description and Person Specification and should be no longer than two pages. If application does not include both, it may not be considered. 

The closing date for applications is 2nd July 2026 we reserve the right to close the advert early, as interviews will be held as suitable candidates apply.

Please be advised that if you do not hear from us by 10th July 2026, unfortunately on this occasion you have not been shortlisted.

Cruse welcomes and encourages applications from all protected groups as defined by the Equality Act 2010. Appointment will be made on merit.

Criminal Record Checks

All staff are required to complete a Criminal Record check. Staff working directly with clients will be required to complete an enhanced check. We comply with the relevant codes of practice and they can be viewed online: 

· Applicants in England and Wales: DBS Code of Practice

· Applicants in Northern Ireland: AccessNI Code of Practice

Previous convictions will not prevent full consideration of your application to work with Cruse. Our Recruitment of Ex-offenders' Policy & Handling Criminal Record Check Data Policy are available on request by email.

We comply with all relevant data protection legislation and process your data fairly.   

About Adolescent Health Study

The Adolescent Health Study (AHS) is an ambitious new UKRI-funded initiative to establish a prospective, longitudinal population study that will generate a globally leading open science data platform and research resource. AHS aims to recruit at least 100,000 young people aged eight to 18 years from across the UK and to follow their mental and physical health and wellbeing over at least 10 years. It plans to collect data through questions and measures; to obtain bio-samples for a wide range of genomic and other high-throughput assays; and to capture linked data relevant to health and wellbeing from participants’ health, education and other administrative records. Recruitment will take place mainly through schools. There will be a strong emphasis on engaging with and involving young people, schools, parents and other relevant stakeholders in the design and delivery of the study, as well as on including young people that represent as wide as possible a range of backgrounds, experiences and characteristics. AHS will focus on enabling a wide range of research, including studies of the critical biological and social developments that occur during the transition from childhood to adulthood and the determinants of both mental and physical health and wellbeing in adolescents and young adults.

Purpose of the post

 The Procurement Lead is responsible for developing and delivering a robust procurement and commercial strategy that ensures value for money, compliance with Procurement Act 2023 regulations in line with AHS being primarily public funded and supports AHS study and operational objectives. The role will lead on sourcing, contracting, supplier management, and commercial governance, ensuring ethical, transparent, and efficient use of public funds.

Main responsibilities

Procurement Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and implement a procurement and commercial strategy aligned with organisational goals and funding requirements.
• Lead procurement planning across research programmes, operations, and corporate services.
• Act as a subject matter expert on public procurement policy and best practice.
• Drive continuous improvement in procurement processes, systems, and capability.

Tendering and Contract Management

• Oversee end-to-end procurement processes including tendering, evaluation, and contract award.
• Ensure compliance with UK public procurement regulations (e.g., Procurement Act and associated guidance).
• Draft, review, and negotiate complex contracts, including research, clinical, and grant-related agreements.
• Manage contract lifecycle including performance monitoring, renewals, and extensions.

Commercial Governance & Compliance

• Establish and maintain procurement policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
• Ensure all procurement activities meet audit, transparency, and reporting requirements for public funding.
• Identify and mitigate commercial risks across supplier engagements.
• Support internal and external audit processes.

Supplier & Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships, ensuring high performance and innovation.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders (research teams, finance, legal) to understand needs and deliver value-driven procurement solutions.
• Work with external stakeholders including funders, partners and strategic advisors to develop optimum outcomes
• Provide commercial advice and guidance to senior leadership and project teams.
• Promote sustainable and ethical sourcing practices.

Financial & Value Management

• Deliver value for money through effective sourcing and negotiation strategies.
• Monitor procurement spend and identify cost-saving or efficiency opportunities.
• Contribute to budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning processes.
• Ensure funding is used appropriately, ethically and in line with public funding requirements.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential

1. Professional qualification in procurement or supply chain e.g., CIPS Level 5 or equivalent
2. Degree or comparable experience in business, finance, law, or related field.
3. Proven track record of managing complex procurement exercises and contracts.
4. Experience in procurement or commercial roles within regulated procurement environments, specifically those classed as a public authority
5. Strong understanding of UK public procurement regulations and best practice.
6. Commercial acumen with strong negotiation and contract management skills.
7. Experience of drafting and reviewing heads of terms and commercial agreements.
8. Knowledge of intellectual property (IP) considerations in research contracts.
9. Strong experience in supplier and stakeholder management.
10. Excellent analytical, financial, and problem-solving abilities.
11. Strong communication and influencing skills across all levels of an organisation.
12. Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively.

Desirable

1. CIPS Level 6 or equivalent
2. Membership of a professional body (e.g., MCIPS or FCIPS).
3. Experience managing high-value and complex contracts, including collaborative or partnership agreements
4. Experience in procurement or commercial roles within charity and/or research sectors
5. Detailed understanding of intellectual property (IP) considerations in research contracts.
6. Detailed knowledge of the UK Procurement Act (or Public Contracts Regulations 2015 historically) and transitions between them.
7. Experience of drafting and reviewing heads of terms and commercial agreements.
8. Understanding of subsidy control, state aid, or funding compliance frameworks.
9. Ability to analyse procurement data and generate insights using tools such as Excel, Power BI, or similar.
10. Experience leading organisational change or transformation programmes in procurement.
11. Ability to build procurement capability across a non-procurement stakeholder base.

Dimensions

• This is a full-time role, 37.5 hours per week, offered initially as an 18-month fixed-term contract with potential route to permanency.
• Flexible working across several geographical locations in the UK.  Travel may be required to AHS locations and partner organisations.
• AHS is a national organisation, and our activities take place across the UK.

Application Process

All candidates are required to complete the application form which can be found when clicking 'Apply Now' via Charity Job.

Please refer to the ‘How to Apply’ section of the downloadable application form.

Please note that only applications submitted directly to Gravitate HR will be accepted for this position.

The closing date for applications is 11:00pm on Sunday 12th July 2026.

Interviews are currently expected to take place on Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th August 2026.

Equal Opportunities Policy Statement

AHS is an equal opportunities employer, and as such aims to treat all employees, consultants and applicants fairly. It is our policy to provide employment equality to all, irrespective of:

• Gender, including gender reassignment
• Marital or civil partnership status
• Having or not having dependants
• Religion or belief
• Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins)
• Disability
• Sexual orientation
• Age

We are opposed to all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination.  All job applicants and employees who work for us will be treated fairly and will not be unfairly discriminated against on any of the above grounds. Decisions about recruitment and selection, promotion, training or any other benefit will be made objectively and without unlawful discrimination. 

Values

It is an exciting time for the Adolescent Health Study (AHS) as we establish our senior leadership team and begin to plan the pilot studies. As the senior executive team evolves, the AHS values will be grounded in inclusivity, integrity, accountability, and collaboration.