482 Organisational development and change lead jobs

About the role

The Co-production and Campaigns Lead will play a key role in ensuring that the voices, experiences and priorities of Disabled people influence RAID's services, activities, campaigns and future direction. The postholder will create impactful and targeted campaigns that put pressure on decision-makers to make change and support local disabled people to have a voice about issues that impact them.

The postholder will lead and develop RAID's approach to co-production, building meaningful opportunities for members, service users and other Disabled people to influence our work. They will work across RAID, connecting co-production with our advice services, inclusion and peer-led activities, membership and campaigning work, ensuring that learning and priorities are shared across the organisation. As the lead they will provide advice and support to managers, build organisational capacity, and establish sustainable participation structures across services.

The postholder will also develop strong relationships with local decision-makers and organisations, including the local authority, NHS, social housing providers and other key partners, using the experiences and collective voice of Disabled people to influence services, resolve issues and improve outcomes.

The role will continue to lead RAID's established Housing Forum, while developing a wider network of co-production forums, panels and other opportunities for people to contribute their experience and expertise.

The postholder will ensure that co-production is meaningful and has a clear impact – making sure that people's contributions inform decisions, lead to action and result in improvements that people can see and experience.

Key responsibilities

• Bring together insight from across RAID to identify emerging issues, systemic barriers and opportunities for change.
• Lead and champion co-production and campaigning across RAID’s ensuring it is embedded across the organisation, supporting managers to use lived experience to inform service development, quality and planning.
• Lead the Housing Forum and establish and facilitate other forums, panels and groups based on the priorities of Disabled people.
• Work closely with managers to identify recurring issues and trends that could inform service improvement, influencing and campaigning, increase membership and peer-led activities.
• Ensure Disabled people's voices arising from our coproduction work are communicated accessibly and effectively across social media, e-newsletters, and our website.
• Capture and demonstrate the impact of co-production, campaigning and influencing activity.

About You

You are passionate about user-led working, co-production and campaigning creating positive change for Disabled people. You understand that people with lived experience are experts in their own lives and should have a genuine voice in shaping the services and decisions that affect them.

• You are passionate about social justice and promoting Deaf and Disabled people’s rights.
• You have experience of engagement activities including holding consultations, surveys, running social media or digital campaigns.
• You have experience of working in policy or producing social policy research and analysis through work or activism.
• You have good campaigning and influencing skills that you want to develop and use to bring about tangible social change.

You will be confident bringing people together, facilitating inclusive discussions and turning what you hear into practical action and meaningful change. You will be able to build trusted relationships with Disabled people, colleagues, managers and external partners, and be comfortable working collaboratively while also challenging organisations and decision-makers when change is needed.

You will enjoy working across an organisation and connecting different sources of insight – including our advice services, inclusion and peer-led activities, membership and co-production forums – to identify common issues, improve our services and develop campaigning and influencing opportunities.

You will be a confident communicator who can work with managers to embed co-production within their services, as well as representing RAID with local authorities, NHS organisations, housing providers and other partners.

Most importantly, you will share RAID's commitment to being a user-led disability charity and will be motivated by ensuring that Disabled people's voices are heard, valued and lead to real change.

Swansea Women’s Aid is seeking an inspiring, courageous and values-led Chief Executive Officer to lead our specialist women-only domestic abuse charity following the retirement of our current Chief Executive Lynne Sanders MBE after more than 40 years of outstanding service. 

Working closely with a well-established Board of Trustees, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across the charity. You will: 

• Provide clear, strategic and compassionate leadership. 

• Work with Trustees to shape and deliver the charity’s future direction. 

• Ensure strong governance, safeguarding, financial sustainability and compliance. 

• Represent Swansea Women’s Aid as a credible and influential voice for women and children affected by abuse. 

• Identify opportunities for service development, partnership working, fundraising and long-term sustainability. 

About you

You will bring significant senior leadership experience together with: 

• Strong financial and organisational management skills. 

• Understanding of income generation, commissioning and accountability
• Experience of leading people and supporting positive organisational culture. 

• The ability to build trusted relationships and effective partnerships. 

• A genuine commitment to ending violence against women and children. 

Knowledge and experience of the VAWDASV sector, charity governance, commissioning, fundraising and service development would be highly desirable. 

You may not have followed a traditional route into senior charity leadership. We are interested in the skills, experience, values and perspective you can bring to Swansea Women’s Aid and its future. 

Equality and inclusion 

Swansea Women’s Aid welcomes applications from women with the skills, values and lived or professional understanding needed to lead a specialist service. 

This post is open to women only. Swansea Women’s Aid considers that being a woman is an occupational requirement for this post under Schedule 9, Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010. 

The National Biodiversity Network Trust is the UK charity dedicated to making biodiversity data accessible and useful. We co-ordinate the National Biodiversity Network, develop the NBN Atlas, support iNaturalistUK and are developing the NBN Record Manager. Our work connects biological recording, digital infrastructure and better decisions for nature across the UK. 

Our vision is Nature thriving everywhere, in all its diversity.
Our mission is Making data work for nature.

We are looking for an experienced leader to undertake a newly-created Head of Data & Digital role reporting to the Chief Executive Officer on a full-time fixed-term contract of 24 months.
 

Purpose of Job
 

• Lead the NBN Trust’s data and digital function, providing strategic and functional leadership across the NBN Atlas, related digital products and services, and the Trust’s wider data and digital portfolio.

• Line manages the Trust’s data and technical team managers, ensuring clear priorities, strong performance, proportionate governance, and effective delivery across business as usual, funded projects, and strategic development.

• Ensure the Trust’s data and digital work is led in a way that is inclusive, accessible, and supportive of a diverse range of staff, partners, and users.

• Deliver the Trust’s 2-year National Lottery Heritage Fund’s organisational sustainability project, “Building a Sustainable Future for the UK’s Biodiversity Data Heritage”, including the development and testing of value-added data and digital services, hosted products, and support offers that strengthen financial resilience without compromising the Trust’s public good role.

• Support the strategic direction, stewardship, and future sustainability of the NBN Atlas, related digital products and services, and the Trust’s wider technical delivery, ensuring that risks, opportunities, and investment choices are well managed.

•  Play an active role in the NBN Trust’s Executive Team, contributing to organisational planning, funding development, cross Trust collaboration, and external engagement where this supports delivery and the Trust’s wider strategic objectives.

• The role provides strategic and functional leadership across the Trust’s data and digital work, working closely with the Principal Software Engineer as the Trust’s senior software engineering lead. 

Main Responsibilities
 

Strategic Leadership and Function Management
 

·   Lead the Trust’s data and digital function, aligning work with organisational priorities, the NBN Atlas strategy, and the wider Operating Plan.

·   Provide strategic advice to the CEO and senior colleagues on delivery priorities, service development, digital risk, technical resilience, and future investment needs.

·   Translate complex technical, delivery, and service development issues into clear options, trade-offs, and recommendations for the CEO, Executive Team, Board, and relevant committees.

·   Lead, line manage, and develop the Trust’s data and technical managers, and relevant technical project staff, ensuring clear objectives, strong management practice, accountability, wellbeing support, and effective performance management.

·   Build leadership capacity within the function, supporting managers to develop their teams, handle performance issues well, and contribute positively to the Trust’s culture and ways of working.

·   Assess capacity, sequencing, and resource pressures across the data and digital portfolio, working with team managers to identify priorities, trade-offs, and resourcing needs and advise the CEO accordingly.

·   Work across the Trust to improve prioritisation, sequencing, decision making, and resource allocation across data and digital activity.

·      Champion inclusive leadership and equality, diversity and inclusion in team management, service design, recruitment, and ways of working, helping ensure the Trust’s data and digital function is accessible, supportive, and well-led.

Data Infrastructure, Services, and Innovation
 

·    Provide strategic leadership for the stewardship, prioritisation, development, and continuous improvement of the NBN Atlas and related data and digital products and services, working with the relevant data, technical, and programme leads.

·    Ensure data and digital activity support the long-term accessibility, usability, quality, and public value of biodiversity records and related digital services.

·    Lead diagnostic work, market testing, and service development to identify viable value-added data and digital offers, working with relevant data, technical, programme, and commercial colleagues to shape propositions.

·    Oversee the selection, development, and testing of pilot services, hosted products, training, or support offers, working with the relevant delivery leads and refining propositions in light of evidence, demand, legal advice, licensing constraints, and delivery capacity.

Governance, Risk and Project Delivery
 

·    Lead delivery of the organisational resilience project within agreed scope, time, and budget, with support from colleagues and external consultants as required.

·    Ensure major data and digital programmes have proportionate project governance, reporting, stakeholder, and advisory arrangements in place, working with relevant programme and project leads and identifying additional project support where required.

·     Commission and manage consultants and contractors, ensuring briefs are clear, outputs are practical, and learning is embedded in delivery, working with relevant technical or data leads where specialist assessment or oversight is required.

·     Act as the senior staff lead for the Data and Technology Committee, working in partnership with its Trustee Chair and relevant data and technical leads to support effective oversight of the Trust’s data and digital infrastructure, strategic development, risk, and associated governance.

·     Oversee function-level risks relating to data and digital resilience, data governance, licensing, delivery capacity, and service sustainability, working with the relevant technical and data leads to ensure specialist risks are identified, managed, and escalated appropriately.

·     Balance governance, assurance, and innovation so that data and digital systems support delivery, resilience, and public value without creating unnecessary burden.

·      Work with finance and programme colleagues to ensure accurate budgeting, reporting, monitoring, and evidence of impact.

Partnerships, Income Development and External Engagement
 

·   Build and manage relationships with key partners, data providers, heritage and conservation organisations, public bodies, consultancies, funders, and prospective service users.

·   Help shape and test future income opportunities, including service offers, hosted portals, training, funded programmes, and strategic partnerships.

·    Develop and support fundable and deliverable future propositions arising from the work, ensuring the Trust is better positioned for long term resilience.

·    Act as the Trust’s UK Node Manager for GBIF, leading relationships, coordination, and representation linked to the UK Node function, and ensuring this role supports the Trust’s wider strategic, technical, and partnership objectives.

·    Represent the Trust externally on biodiversity data infrastructure, digital leadership, service development, standards, and innovation, working alongside relevant technical and data leads where specialist expertise is required

Trust Wide Contribution
 

·    Play an active role in the Executive Team, contributing to organisational planning, business improvement, and wider strategic discussions.

·    Keep the wider NBN Trust team up to date with, and involved in, relevant data and digital activity as appropriate.

·    Contribute to Trust wide initiatives, events, business planning, and other activities as needed.

·    Share ideas, lessons learned, and opportunities openly to improve organisational performance.

General Responsibilities  
 

• Attend any required learning and development opportunities. 
• Collaborate effectively with other departments.  
• Contribute to a respectful and inclusive working environment. 
• Ensure commitment to continuous professional development. 
• Follow organisational policies including Health & Safety, Cybersecurity, IT, Finance, and EDI.  

The ability to travel occasionally is required, including international travel. Candidates must also be based in and have the right to work in the UK, and be able to work effectively from home. 

These are the criteria we will be looking for in your application. If you don't meet all of them in full, but can offer something else that would help you excel in the role, we'd still encourage you to apply.

Essential Experience and Qualities
 

·   Strong leadership experience in data, digital, technical, product, or programme roles, ideally with responsibility for teams, delivery, and strategic planning.

·   Ability to operate at both strategic and practical levels, moving between organisational leadership, service design, risk management, and delivery oversight.
·   Experience of commissioning and managing consultants, contractors, or specialist external support to deliver clear and practical outputs.
·   Experience of developing partnerships, shaping propositions, or securing income through funded programmes, service offers, or strategic collaboration.
·   Good judgement, with the ability to assess trade-offs, challenge assumptions, and make proportionate decisions in a resource-constrained environment.
·   Strong communication and relationship management skills, including confidence with senior stakeholders, funders, partners, and technical specialists.

·   Knowledge of biodiversity data infrastructure, environmental data, heritage data, or closely related fields would be beneficial, but is not essential if the candidate can learn quickly and lead credibly.

·   Experience of working with Boards, committees, or governance groups, including presenting complex issues clearly and supporting effective decision-making.

 

Head of Organisational Strategy and Operations (known internally as Infrastructure Lead) is a senior strategic leadership role within Healing Justice Ldn, working closely alongside the Executive Director to help shape and steward the organisational infrastructure, systems, and coordination practices needed for HJL’ s next phase of development.

The role exists to strengthen the connective infrastructure that enables HJL’ s organisational arms to operate autonomously while remaining aligned, collaborative, sustainable, and responsive within rapidly changing political, social, and movement landscapes.

Rather than focusing primarily on operational administration or hierarchical management, the role centres on developing values-aligned systems, organisational practices, and ways of working that support collective care, adaptability, organisational health, and long-term sustainability. Working across programmes, research, narrative strategy, operations, and leadership, the post holder will support communication, coordination, learning, and organisational coherence across the organisation while strengthening distributed leadership.

This role would suit someone who has previously held senior leadership responsibility across multiple organisational areas within a values-led, justice-oriented, community-based, or movement environment. As a newly created role within an evolving organisational structure, the responsibilities, focus, and ways of working within the role may continue to develop over time in response to organisational learning, growth, and changing needs.

Responsibilities

 Organisational stewardship & coordination

• Shape and steward HJL’ s organisational infrastructure, systems, and long-term sustainability alongside the Executive Director and wider leadership.
• Support strategic coherence, communication, and coordination across HJL’ s organisational arms, including programmes, research, narrative strategy, operations, and infrastructure.
• Develop organisational systems, structures, and practices that support autonomy, collaboration, accountability, adaptability, and collective wellbeing.
• Support organisational decision-making, governance, and ways of working that reflect HJL’ s commitments to disability justice, racial justice, accessibility, collective care, and community accountability.
• Help strengthen organisational resilience and responsiveness within changing political, social, funding, and movement conditions.

Infrastructure & organisational development 

• Lead the development and stewardship of values-aligned organisational systems, policies, and internal processes.
• Build and strengthen the connective infrastructure that supports collaboration, shared learning, and coordination across different organisational areas.
• Support organisational learning, reflection, adaptation, and knowledge sharing processes across teams and leadership.
• Help create structures and organisational cultures that support sustainable collaboration, leadership development, conflict navigation, and organisational wellbeing.
• Work collaboratively with advisors, external partners, and leadership to support organisational sustainability and adaptive development.

Organisational sustainability & external relationships (Operational sustainability) 

• Work alongside the Executive Director and external finance partners to support organisational sustainability, financial planning, and resource stewardship.
• Contribute to fundraising strategy, partnership development, and relationship-building with funders, collaborators, and aligned organisations.
• Support infrastructure connected to organisational growth, partnerships, and long-term sustainability.
• Build and maintain strong relationships across HJL s wider ecosystem of collaborators, movement partners, advisors, and aligned organisations.

Organisational health, risk and resilience (Risk, Resilience & Infrastructure) 

• Identify, map and respond to organisational vulnerabilities, operational challenges and external pressures affecting HJL’ s work and sustainability.
• Support systems and practices related to safeguarding, accountability, evaluation, organisational learning, and collective wellbeing.
• Support the organisation to navigate complexity, uncertainty, conflict, and change in ways that remain adaptive, relational, and values-aligned.

Person specification

Experience & Capabilities 

We recognise that people develop leadership experience through many different pathways and do not expect applicants to meet every area listed below.

We are particularly interested in people who bring systems thinking, organisational leadership experience, and experience working within complex, values-led environments.

You may bring:

• Significant experience working within community-based, justice-oriented, movement, or values-led organisations.
• Experience holding strategic responsibility across multiple organisational areas such as organisational development, governance, operations, partnerships, sustainability, fundraising, or people management.
• Experience developing or evolving organisational systems, structures, policies, or ways of working within changing or complex environments.
• Experience supporting organisational growth, transition, resilience, or change.
• Experience building collaborative relationships with funders, partners, advisors, communities, or wider movement ecosystems.
• Systems thinking, facilitation, coordination, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to navigate complexity, ambiguity, conflict, and organisational change with emotional maturity and relational awareness.
• Ability to support collaboration and coherence across multiple teams, work streams, or organisational areas without relying on hierarchical management approaches.
• Understanding of equity-centred, accessibility-informed, trauma-informed, and relational approaches to organisational development and leadership.
• Commitment to collective care, disability justice, racial justice, and community accountability.

Benefits

• 4% Pension contribution
• Individual professional development budget
• Enhanced annual leave provisions beyond the statutory minimum including a summer and winter break
• Staff training on somatics, trauma and resilience
• Free office refreshments
• Season ticket loan
• Enhanced parental leave pay

Introductory / Q&A Webinar

Interested in learning more about the role and our organisation? Join us for a one-hour webinar hosted by our Executive Director, Farzana Khan. We'll share insights into the role, our work and what you can expect from joining the organisation. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions during a live Q&A.

The webinar will take place at 5pm on Tuesday 15 September 2026 (click apply link for details on how to join the webinar).

Recruitment Timeline

• Applications Open: Wednesday 9th September 2026
• Introductory / Q&A Webinar: 15th September 2026 at 5pm BST
• Applications Close: Monday 21st September 2026 at 3pm BST
• 1st stage virtual interview: w/c 5th October 2026
• 2nd stage in person interview and task: w/c 12th October 2026
• Appointment made by Monday 19th October 2026

About Healing Justice Ldn

Healing Justice Ldn (HJL) is a community-led organisation working at the intersections of health justice, collective care, healing, and systems change. Rooted in disability justice, transformative practice, and liberation work, HJL develops community-led approaches to wellbeing that address the structural impacts of racism, ableism, state violence, and inequality.

Through research, training, political education, movement support, and healing practice, HJL works to build the infrastructures, relationships, and capacities needed for long-term collective resilience and liberation. The organisation supports communities, organisers, practitioners, and movements to develop sustainable approaches to health, care, and social transformation.

HJL operates through an evolving organisational model centred around autonomy, connection, collaboration, and collective stewardship. Different organisational “ arms ” hold distinct areas of practice while remaining connected through shared values, coordination structures, and relational infrastructure.

As HJL enters a new phase of organisational development, there is an increasing need for organisational infrastructure, systems, governance, and connective coordination that can support sustainable growth while remaining responsive and accountable within rapidly changing political, social, and movement landscapes.

Contract: Full Time, Permanent
Salary: £45,288.27 (£48,863.65  if you are receiving London Office Allowance) plus competitive pension 

Location: Flexible, hybrid. If you are based in London you are required to attend the London office twice a week. If you are based outside of London, you are required to attend the London office once a month. (Please note that travel to the London office is at your own expense)

As our People Partner within the People team you'll work alongside leaders across the organisation to build high-performing, inclusive teams, by developing confident managers and supporting them to make great people decisions. 

You'll join at an important period of development for Frontline, working across a varied portfolio of business partnering activity and People projects as our organisational needs continue to evolve. 

You’ll act as a trusted adviser to managers across the full employee lifecycle, balancing strategic thinking with practical delivery. Whether supporting organisational change, recruitment, talent, employee relations or wider people projects, you'll bring sound judgement, a coaching style and a pragmatic approach to achieving great outcomes for our people and the organisation.

This is a broad, evolving role that combines business partnering, employee relations, recruitment, talent and organisational improvement. We're looking for a true generalist that enjoys variety, and can role model our organisational culture and values.

Key Responsibilities

Business Partnering 

• Partner with managers to strengthen leadership capability, support effective decision-making and develop confident people management practices.
• Provide expert, balanced and pragmatic advice on employee relations matters including absence, performance, conduct, grievances, capability and organisational change.
• Advise managers on organisational and contractual change, helping them assess people implications, identify appropriate approaches and navigate consultation and change processes fairly and effectively. 
• Coach and support managers to lead their teams through periods of change and uncertainty, ensuring effective communication and engagement
• Provide proactive coaching, advice and challenge across the employee lifecycle.
• Build manager capability by coaching leaders to identify and address people challenges early, preventing issues from escalating where possible.
• Support managers to build high-performing teams through effective recruitment, performance management, talent development and succession planning. 

Organisational Development

• Lead and contribute to People projects and initiatives in response to organisational priorities, taking ownership from development through to implementation. 
• Support the delivery of our talent and workforce priorities, including performance, development and succession planning. 
• Partner with managers on workforce planning and organisational change, helping teams adapt as organisational needs evolve. 
• Use insight, feedback and data to identify opportunities to strengthen organisational effectiveness and employee experience

People strategy and improvement

• Take ownership for reviewing and improving People policies, guidance and processes.
• Identify themes and trends from business partnering activity and translate these into practical improvements.
• Develop strategies that support effective, inclusive recruitment and retention
• Use insight and data to inform decisions and influence stakeholders
• Take ownership of and contribute to People Team priorities and projects, adapting focus as organisational needs evolve.
• Role model organisational values and act as an ambassador for the People Team

For list of full responsibilities, please see the job pack

A little bit about you

Experience and Knowledge

•  Previous experience operating in a People Partner, Senior HR Adviser role (or similar)
•  Experience of independently advising managers across a broad range of employee relations matters, including complex cases.
•  Experience partnering with managers across recruitment, workforce planning and/or talent management (desirable)
•  Experience of working within a mission-led, or charity context (desirable)
•  Demonstrable experience of using a coaching style with the ability to influence, challenge and build management capability
•  Good knowledge of employment law and best practice with the ability apply policy proportionately whilst balancing organisational risk
• Experience advising and supporting managers through organisational and contractual change, including consultation processes
•  CIPD qualified (desirable)

Characteristics and Skills

• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to understand organisational priorities and translate them into practical people solutions.
• Comfortable operating autonomously, exercising professional judgment and taking ownership for outcomes
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and prioritise competing demands effectively
• Able to maintain professionalism and influence constructively.
• Strong understanding of risk and confidence in knowing when to escalate.
• Demonstrates commitment to creating inclusive and high-performing cultures.
• Enjoys variety and is comfortable working in a role where priorities may evolve as the organisation grows.

Benefits

• Flexible working hours
• Competitive pension employer contribution
• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays + office closes from 25 Dec to 1 Jan
• Buy up to five days annual leave a year
• Interest free loan for season ticket
• Personal coaching and mentoring
• Cycle loan scheme
• Deposit loan scheme
• Volunteering days
• Employee assistance programme
• Life Assurance Scheme (x3 salary)

Who we are:

Muslim Aid is a UK faith-based international development organisation that provides support to communities around the world affected by disasters, conflict, or endemic poverty without regard to their social, religious, or ethnic background. 

Established in 1985, Muslim Aid has facilitated the engagement of the British Muslim and non-Muslim community in support of its work in a variety of ways. Over the years, its humanitarian work has included responses to major crises around the world including famine in East Africa, earthquakes and flooding in Pakistan and Bangladesh as well as conflicts in Syria and Yemen. 

We place strong emphasis on long-term development projects that build the capacity of local people to help themselves. In addition to our 5 country offices worldwide, we also work with multiple partner offices focusing on sustainable development programmes and providing humanitarian relief during times of crisis.

Summary of the role:

The Governance & Performance Manager ensures effective organisational governance, performance oversight, and alignment between strategy and delivery.

The postholder is responsible for leading the coordination of governance processes, Board and Committee cycles, organisational performance frameworks, strategic project management and executive reporting. The role ensures that organisational priorities are translated into clear plans, supported by strong metrics and KPIs, tracked effectively, and reported with accuracy, insight, and consistency.

Working closely with the CEO and Leadership Team, the role strengthens accountability, and enables data-driven decision-making through high-quality performance reporting and analysis.

A key focus of the role is to develop and embed an integrated business planning and performance management framework, ensuring alignment between departmental KPIs, strategic objectives, and organisational outcomes.

The Governance and Performance Manager owns design, judgement, quality assurance and insight, whereas the Governance and Performance Officer owns coordination, tracking, records, follow-up and administrative support.

About the Role:

1. Lead the planning and coordination of Board and Committee cycles, including forward planning, agendas, papers, and meeting schedules.
2. Ensure Board and Committee papers are high-quality, timely, and aligned with governance standards.
3. Oversee Board and Committee minute-taking, action tracking, and follow-up to ensure effective implementation of decisions.
4. Develop high-quality, insight-driven performance reports for the CEO, Leadership Team and Board.
5. Provide analysis, trends, and actionable recommendations to support leadership decision-making.
6. Lead the planning, coordination and development of the organisation’s annual report, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities, performance data and organisational achievements as well as the timelines of external auditors, trustees and statutory requirements.

About You:

You must currently hold the right to work in the UK. Muslim Aid is not offering sponsorship for this role.

This role operates on a hybrid working basis, with a requirement to work from the office for two/three days per week, and additional days where required to meet organisational needs.

To be successful in this role, you will need:

1. Degree or equivalent experience in business, management, public administration, or related field.
2. Significant experience in supporting Trustees and Leadership in organisational governance.
3. Significant experience in performance management and organisational reporting.
4. Experience coordinating complex organisational initiatives or projects.
5. Ability to summarise complex information and present clear, actionable recommendations
6. Ability to manage competing priorities and work under pressure.

Why you should apply:

Join Muslim Aid as our Governance & Performance Manager and play a key role in strengthening governance, driving organisational performance, and supporting strategic decision-making. Working closely with the CEO and Leadership Team, you'll help translate strategy into measurable outcomes, lead governance and performance reporting, and embed effective planning frameworks across the organisation. We’d love to hear from you if you're passionate about governance, performance improvement, and making a meaningful impact through strong organisational leadership.

Benefits you will enjoy working for us: 

• 25 days’ annual leave + 4 Privilege days
• Hybrid working - 2/3 days per week in the office
• Paid time off for medical appointments 
• 2 hours lunch break on Fridays 
• Time off in Lieu (TOIL) 
• Pension Scheme

How to apply:

To apply please submit your cover letter (no more than 1 page) and CV.

Pre-employment Checks:

Due to the nature of our work with children and vulnerable communities, Muslim Aid operates rigorous safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) procedures in our recruitment process. We are committed to the prevention of sexual abuse and exploitation and adopt a zero-tolerance approach to SEA. As a result, any employment with Muslim Aid is subject to the following checks prior to your start date:

• Satisfactory professional references, including safeguarding-specific enquiries.
• A Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and/or an International Criminal Record Check where applicable.
• A review of right-to-work documentation for the country in which the role is based. 

We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work with children and vulnerable people are recruited to work for us.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, or age. 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applications will be accepted until the closing date. However, Muslim Aid reserves the right to initiate interviews and the selection process on a rolling basis with the aim of identifying an appropriate candidate as quickly as possible.

About the RoleAn exciting opportunity has arisen for an Organisational Development Advisor to support the delivery of strategic people and culture initiatives within a leading Higher Education institution. Working closely with academic and professional services leaders, you will help drive organisational effectiveness, leadership development, employee engagement, and workforce capability projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with schools, faculties, and professional services teams to deliver OD initiatives and people-focused projects.
• Support manager and leadership development, team effectiveness interventions, and career development support during change.
• Design and facilitate workshops, briefings, and learning interventions and provide 1:1 coaching.
• Provide advice and support to managers on organisational development and workforce capability activities.
• Monitor and evaluate OD programmes, using data and feedback to measure impact and inform improvements.

About You

• CIPD qualified (or equivalent) with experience in Organisational Development, Learning & Development, or HR.
• Experience delivering people, culture, leadership, or organisational change initiatives within a complex organisation.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and build relationships across diverse teams.
• Higher Education or public sector experience is highly desirable.

Why Apply?This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to a people strategy that supports organisational excellence, staff development, and a positive workplace culture within a dynamic Higher Education environment.

Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at hays.co.uk

About the Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Organisational Development Advisor to support the delivery of strategic people and culture initiatives within a leading Higher Education institution. Working closely with academic and professional services leaders, you will help drive organisational effectiveness, leadership development, employee engagement, and workforce capability projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with schools, faculties, and professional services teams to deliver OD initiatives and people-focused projects.
• Support leadership development, staff engagement, culture change, and wellbeing programmes.
• Design and facilitate workshops, briefings, and learning interventions.
• Provide advice and support to managers on organisational development and workforce planning activities.
• Monitor and evaluate OD programmes, using data and feedback to measure impact and inform improvements.

About You

• CIPD qualified (or equivalent) with experience in Organisational Development, Learning & Development, or HR.
• Experience delivering people, culture, leadership, or organisational change initiatives within a complex organisation.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and build relationships across diverse teams.
• Higher Education or public sector experience is highly desirable.

Why Apply?

This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to a people strategy that supports organisational excellence, staff development, and a positive workplace culture within a dynamic Higher Education environment.

Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at hays.co.uk

Bible Society believes the Bible is God’s gift for God’s world. We share it because we believe it changes lives for good. We want Christians to be confident in the Bible’s truthfulness and reliability, and we want to change how people talk about it in wider society and invite them to see it as a source of wisdom and joy.

As our Impact and Evaluation Lead, you will play a vital role in helping Bible Society understand and demonstrate how our work is making a difference in people’s lives, communities and cultures around the world. Sitting within our Research and Impact team, this role leads the design and embedding of a robust organisational impact framework, supporting colleagues across England, Wales and our global partnerships to measure what matters and to learn what helps people engage with the Bible in meaningful ways. From shaping theories of change and evaluation approaches to analysing data and sharing insights with senior leaders and trustees, you will ensure evidence and learning are at the heart of our mission and strategy. 

We are looking for someone who brings strong analytical expertise alongside excellent people skills, and who enjoys helping teams use evidence, learning and insight to improve their work. If you have experience designing and delivering impact or evaluation frameworks, confidence using qualitative and quantitative research methods, and a desire to see learning shape mission and strategy in a Christian organisation, we would love to hear from you. 

If this sounds like you and you have the legal right to work and remain in the UK, we’d love to hear from you. Please provide your CV and a 250-word statement that sets out your motivation and relevant experience for the job. 

Bible Society is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We value diversity and aspire to reflect this in our workforce. We welcome applications from people representing all sections of the community.

Closing date: 5 October 2026 

Interview date: First round interviews will be held online on Monday 12 October 2026. Second round interviews will be held in person in our Swindon office on Thursday 22 October 2026.

This is a pivotal role at the heart of ISEAL, bringing together strategic and operational HR leadership and effective office management to create an inclusive, well-supported workplace. The Manager, HR and Office Management will translate our new organisational strategy into forward-looking people practices, while ensuring that colleagues are supported by the policies, systems, resources and working environment they need to thrive.

Working closely with directors, the leadership team, line managers and two HR Coordinators, the postholder will shape the employee experience across the full journey—from recruitment and induction to development, progression and exit. The role will also oversee workplace services, internal communications, budgets and legal compliance across multiple jurisdictions (UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, and Canada), helping a hybrid and remote workforce stay connected, informed and confident. As an additional resource, an experienced HR consultant delivers recruitment campaigns and other special projects.

We are looking for an experienced generalist HR professional, who combines strategic insight with practical delivery and sound judgement. You will bring current employment law knowledge, strong influencing and coaching skills, a genuine commitment to inclusion and wellbeing, and the confidence to improve policies, systems and ways of working in an international, values-led organisation. Above all, you will be collaborative, resilient and motivated by ISEAL’s mission to accelerate positive change for people and the planet.

The key responsibilities we entrust you with:

HR Management

• Develop and deliver a HR strategy aligned with the organisation’s new strategic direction, translating priorities into sustained impact
• In collaboration with Leadership team, advise on and implement resource and overhead planning to support strategic objectives
• Shape, continuously improve and communicate ISEAL’s HR policies, procedures and processes, enabling colleagues in a hybrid/remote setting to understand them easily and apply them confidently
• Deliver a proactive approach to employment compliance, anticipating legislative developments across 6 jurisdictions with ISEAL staff and translating them into clear, timely organisational actions
• Champion a thriving organisational culture, empowering colleagues at every level to bring ISEAL’s values to life in their decisions, behaviours and ways of working
• Cultivate a workplace where wellbeing is embedded in everyday practice and open, constructive dialogue flows well between employees, line managers and across the organisation
• Foster and continually enhance an inclusive employee experience across the full journey—from recruitment and induction to performance, progression, learning and development, and exit
• Navigate emerging employee matters with care, sound judgement and consistency, equipping line managers to confidently address both routine and complex HR situations
• Serve as a trusted strategic adviser to directors and the leadership team, bringing forward progressive HR practices that strengthen organisational effectiveness and employee engagement
• Coordinate support of a dedicated external HR consultant for recruitment and special projects
• Oversee maintenance of all personnel and HR records in appropriate systems

Office Management

• Lead on maintaining a comfortable and well-functioning workplace, including continuous review of the overall physical infrastructure needs and provision 
• Shape and communicate forward-looking workplace policies and practices, pioneering flexible approaches to space, collaboration and ways of working.
• Create a safe, welcoming workplace by leading the effective delivery and continuous improvement of office services, facilities, IT equipment and resources
• Act as first point of contact for any issues raised by staff relating to the office

Other

• Lead and continually strengthen internal communications that connect colleagues, reinforce shared purpose and encourage meaningful participation, including monthly staff meetings, the quarterly support staff newsletter and organisation-wide communications.
• Lead and empower two HR Coordinators, creating the conditions for them to grow, develop and deliver excellent support across the organisation
• Steward the HR and premises budgets with foresight and accountability, directing resources towards the organisation’s people, workplace and strategic priorities.
• Build own capacity and knowledge on all matters related to organisational legal compliance

Essential attributes / skills / knowledge

• Substantial generalist HR management experience, combining strategic understanding with confident delivery of day-to-day people operations
• Demonstrable experience of developing and implementing HR strategies aligned with organisational priorities
• Strong track record of designing, reviewing and embedding accessible HR policies, procedures and processes
• Proven experience of managing diverse employee relations matters with sound judgement, fairness, discretion and appropriate confidentiality
• Current, practical knowledge of UK employment law and the ability to translate legislative change into clear, compliant policies and advice
• Excellent communication skills both in person and in a hybrid/remote environment with an ability to influence senior leaders and coach line managers at all levels
• Experience working in values-led culture that supports employee wellbeing, engagement and open dialogue
• Commitment to EDI principles and experience implementing approaches that foster an inclusive workspace
• Varied experience of HRIS solutions and, ideally, with the implementation of new systems to enhance HR operations
• Experience working in an international setting covering a variety of jurisdictions and employee locations
• Proven people-management capability, including coaching, developing and empowering team members to work to the best of their ability
• Strong planning, prioritisation and budget-management skills, with the ability to balance strategic projects and operational demands
• High levels of integrity, initiative and resilience, with a collaborative, solutions-focused approach to organisational change and continuous improvement
• A personal commitment to and interest in creating a more sustainable world

Desirable

• Oversight of international payrolls
• CIPD Level 5 qualified

ISEAL´s culture and how we will help you thrive

Our values are Connection, Empowerment, Inspiration, Wellbeing, Effective Working and Creativity.

These are traits we value in each other and in the organisation overall and we instil these in all our processes and interactions. The issues we work on are of a global nature and our team reflects this, with individuals from many different backgrounds and nationalities. We know this diversity adds to the high quality of work we deliver as an organisation and through our commitment to diversity and inclusion we want to add strengths and perspectives in our team with each recruitment. Diversity for us includes race and gender identity, age, disability status, sexual orientation, religion and many other areas forming part of someone´s identity. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer.

As an organisation, we also support our people in their personal and professional development, with specific budgets and processes enabling individuals to take advantage of growth and development opportunities. We offer 25 days of annual leave, to which we will add a day a year after 2 years (to a maximum of 30 days), as well as an extra five days as a one off once you have been with us for a full five years.

We recognise individuals’ preferences when it comes to where and when to work through a hybrid working model as well as the opportunity to apply for flexible working arrangements to suit individual´s needs.

Other relevant information

Term: This is a permanent contract

Working hours:               80 % (30 hours) could be spread across 4 or 5 days

Salary: £57,000-62,000, depending on experience (pro rata for less than 100%)

Location:                        London is the preferred location. The role requires a minimum of 2 days per week in the office. 

                                       Applicants will need to provide evidence that they are entitled to work in the UK.

International travel:        The post holder will be required to undertake occasional international travel

Ideal start date:            November/December 26 ideally

Reporting to:                  Director, Finance & Operations

How to apply

Specific enquiries about this role and the application process can be sent to the recruitment(@)isealalliance(.)org.

Deadline for applications is 4 October 2026. Please note that we will only contact shortlisted applicants.

Cover letter: We would like to see candidates´ own writing in the cover letter and discourage the use of AI for this purpose.

Interview process

Please note that we will endeavor to keep to this schedule, but some dates may be subject to change.

Screening interviews (Teams): 7-12 October

Pre-interview timed exercises (between 60 – 90 minutes from home): 16-18 October (if applicable)

Panel interviews (in person): w/c 19 October

Decision: w/c 26 October

Accessibility

If candidates require additional time or other considerations for the interview process, we are committed to accommodating any reasonable requests. Please note that ISEAL will cover travel expenses for in person interviews for candidates travelling from outside of Greater London. ISEAL also covers caring expenses for candidates who are carers and need to arrange of cover for the duration of the interview/exercises

Support, Guide and Lead Services That Change Lives

This is your opportunity to provide leadership to services that make a real difference to people, families and communities across Lancashire. Join a values-led organisation where your leadership will help shape services, support talented teams, and create positive, lasting change.

At New Era North West, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive. For over 40 years, we have worked alongside children, young people, adults and families to reduce inequality, improve wellbeing, increase opportunities and build stronger communities. Through our work in employment, skills and education, health and wellbeing, and family and community services, we help people overcome challenges, build resilience and achieve their potential. 

As our Charitable Service Lead, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across our charitable services, ensuring they remain high quality, responsive and focused on delivering meaningful outcomes. Working closely with the CEO, Operations Manager and Leadership Team, you will provide direction, guidance and support to service managers and practitioners, enabling them to deliver high-quality services that achieve positive outcomes for the people and communities we serve. You'll play a key role in developing confident, capable teams, fostering a positive and supportive culture, and ensuring our services continue to make a lasting difference across Lancashire. 

This role offers the opportunity to influence the future direction of a respected and growing organisation. You'll lead and support passionate teams, develop strong partnerships, and help create a positive workplace culture where people feel valued, supported and empowered to do their best work. We're looking for someone who can inspire others, bring people together, and balance strategic thinking with a practical approach to leadership.

What We Offer

• Salary: £38,428.46 per annum 
• Contract: Permanent, full-time (37 hours per week)
• Location: Burnley, Lancashire, with travel across service areas required (essential car user) 
• Annual Leave: 32 days per year 
• The opportunity to shape and influence services that improve lives and strengthen communities.
• A supportive, values-driven culture built on Care, Support and Belief.
• The chance to work alongside committed colleagues who are passionate about making a difference.
• A senior leadership role where your ideas, experience and vision can have a genuine impact.

If you are passionate about creating opportunities, supporting communities and leading services that deliver real social impact, we'd love to hear from you. Join us and help challenge inequality, strengthen communities and transform lives.

We are looking for an exceptional senior leader to join The National Lottery Community Fund as Deputy Director England, Policy, Partnerships and Performance. As a key member of the England Senior Leadership Team, you will lead a multidisciplinary function that provides the strategic backbone for delivery of the England Portfolio - connecting policy, partnerships, planning, performance, improvement, insight and learning so that our funding achieves measurable impact for communities.

Reporting to the England Director, Strategy, Partnerships & Engagement, you will lead high-performing, dispersed teams and work closely with funding colleagues and corporate and enabling functions, including Funding Strategy, Corporate Responsibilities, Communications and Impact. The role combines substantial internal leadership with a strong ambassadorial remit, building the Fund’s credibility and influence across the voluntary and community, public and private sectors.

This is a varied, strategic role focused on turning ambition into delivery. You will set clear direction for policy, partnerships and performance; use external intelligence, management information and learning to shape decisions; and ensure implementation is coherent, well governed and able to adapt. You will represent the Fund with senior stakeholders, produce compelling advice for governance forums, including Committee and Board meetings, and create the conditions for teams to deliver consistently and collaboratively.

Key responsibilities may include:

• Lead the Policy, Partnerships and Performance function and support effective implementation of the England Portfolio.
• Develop the Fund’s policy positioning and influence, informed by community need, external insight and organisational priorities.
• Develop the vision and strategy for funding and non-funding partnerships, overseeing relationship and operational management, funding priorities and the grant budget, and using inclusive co-design, convening, listening and learning to increase collective impact.
• Integrate planning, performance reporting, insight, risk, learning and improvement across the England directorate.
• Ensure evidence and performance insight inform priorities, resource allocation, governance and continuous improvement, and demonstrate the delivery and measurable impact of the England Portfolio.
• Champion One Fund ways of working through shared outcomes, clear accountabilities and practical arrangements for joint planning, prioritisation, decision-making and escalation across organisational boundaries.
• Lead and develop inclusive, high-performing teams through change, working across organisational boundaries.

You will bring significant senior-level experience of policy and strategy development, partnership working, implementation and performance leadership. You will have a strong record of translating strategy into coherent plans and measurable delivery, using evidence to manage risk and improve performance. An inclusive and compassionate leader, you will be confident operating in decision-making environments at Board or Committee level, influencing senior stakeholders and communicating complex issues clearly. You will also be financially astute, with extensive experience of costing, financial modelling and budgeting, comfortable overseeing grant budgets and resource decisions, and motivated by the Fund’s purpose and the communities we serve. This England-focused role will involve travel to build relationships with colleagues, communities and partners.

Interview details:

• Date: Week Commencing 19th October 2026
• Format: Virtual
• Location: England

We have a hybrid approach to working. The work pattern, contracted office and travel expectations will be agreed with the successful candidate.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact the recruitment team. 

How to apply:

Upload your CV in Word format and provide a supporting statement of up to 1,000 words demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria below. We will use this to score your application.

Essential Criteria:

• Significant senior-level experience of policy and strategy development, partnership working, implementation and performance leadership.
• Demonstrable success in translating strategy into delivery by setting priorities, aligning resources, managing risk, tracking progress and adapting plans through evidence and learning.
• Experience of leading multidisciplinary and dispersed teams through change, creating an inclusive, collaborative and high-performance culture.
• A strong track record of developing relationships with senior stakeholders across sectors, representing an organisation externally and building credibility, influence and shared purpose.
• Extensive experience of policy development, positioning and implementation, connecting external insight and community need with organisational priorities, alongside identifying and realising funding and non-funding partnership opportunities.
• Strong analytical, performance-management and improvement skills, using data, management information and learning to support decisions, improve operational effectiveness and evidence measurable impact.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication, including producing clear advice and presentations for senior governance forums and operating effectively in Board or Committee decision-making environments.
• Financial and governance acumen, including costing, financial modelling, budgeting, grant-budget oversight, resource decisions, risk management, accountability and effective stewardship of public funds.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of grant-making or working closely with communities, civil society and organisations serving diverse communities.
• Experience of developing innovative funding and non-funding partnerships across the voluntary and community, public and private sectors.
• Experience of bringing together policy, partnerships, planning, performance, insight, improvement or evaluation within a single strategic function.
• A demonstrable commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and to the Fund’s values and purpose.

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.) 

Who we are

Camphill Village Trust is a national charity that has been supporting adults with learning disabilities, autism and mental health support needs for more than 70 years. Across our communities in England, we enable people to lead meaningful, independent and connected lives through high-quality, person-centred support, underpinned by a strong commitment to inclusion, community and opportunity.

Our communities are distinctive places. Alongside high-quality care and support, people have opportunities to develop skills, build relationships and participate in meaningful activities through our farms, gardens, workshops, cafés, shops and wider community partnerships. Our connection with nature, land and community remains an important part of who we are and our ambition for the future.

Camphill Village Trust has been through a significant period of organisational change and is now entering an important next chapter. We are building greater stability across the organisation while continuing to develop the culture, leadership and organisational capability needed to deliver our ambitions.

As part of this next phase, we are creating the role of Director of Culture & People to provide Executive leadership for our culture and people agenda and help create an organisation where our colleagues can thrive, and the people we support continue to receive outstanding, person-centred support.

About the role

As Director of Culture & People, you will lead the strategic development of our organisational culture, leadership capability and employee experience, working across a diverse and geographically dispersed organisation of around 800 colleagues.

We already have an experienced Head of People & Talent and an established People team responsible for operational HR and professional people practice. Your role will be to work alongside, and through that team, while providing the strategic leadership, organisational development expertise and Executive influence required to take our culture and people agenda to its next stage.

We have already started this journey.

Colleagues across Camphill Village Trust have contributed to conversations about our culture and what they want the organisation to become. We are developing a three-year People Strategy focused around culture, capability, capacity, communication and change.

Our next Director will turn that insight and ambition into meaningful and sustained action.

You will help us strengthen leadership and management capability, develop our approach to organisational development, talent and succession, improve employee experience and engagement and ensure our structures and workforce remain fit for the future.

Central to this will be building trust.

Our colleagues have experienced considerable organisational change, and we recognise that meaningful culture change cannot simply be announced or imposed. People need to see that their contribution matters and that when we listen, something happens.

You will therefore work with colleagues and communities rather than doing change to them, creating meaningful opportunities for people to contribute and helping leaders across the organisation build the confidence and capability to lead change well.

Communication will be fundamental. Our workforce is exceptionally diverse, from support workers, farmers and colleagues working in our shops and cafés to professional and central teams. Colleagues are spread across communities throughout England, with many working remotely. You will help us find better ways to connect people, strengthen our shared identity and values while respecting the individuality of our communities, and ensure colleagues feel part of the wider Trust.

This is also a highly visible leadership role. We want our Executive leaders to spend meaningful time within our communities, listening to colleagues and the people we support and understanding first-hand how organisational decisions and changes are experienced.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for an experienced senior leader with a strong track record in organisational culture, organisational development and complex change.

You will have led significant culture or organisational transformation and understand how to move beyond strategies and frameworks to create sustainable change in behaviours, leadership and everyday experience.

You may come from social care, another large charity or a different values-led and people-intensive environment. What matters is that you understand the realities of leading culture change across a complex, geographically dispersed workforce and can adapt your approach to very different people, communities and professional groups.

You will bring strong strategic People expertise and a sound understanding of contemporary people practice and employment law, but your experience and interests will extend considerably beyond operational HR.

You will be an engaging and credible Executive leader, able to influence and constructively challenge colleagues, Trustees and senior leaders while also being comfortable spending time with frontline colleagues and the people we support.

We are looking for someone who listens before acting; is curious about why things are as they are; and can recognise and build on the considerable commitment and capability already within the organisation.

You will combine compassion and empathy with clear expectations and accountability. You will be comfortable with complexity and resistance and understand that lasting culture change requires patience, consistency and sustained leadership.

Above all, you will believe that organisational culture should ultimately enable better lives for the people we support. You will be excited by the opportunity to make a long-term contribution, helping Camphill Village Trust become an organisation where colleagues feel valued, supported and empowered to do their best work.

About School of Hard Knocks

School of Hard Knocks (SOHK) is one of the UK’s leading education charities, working in 29 secondary schools across England, Scotland, and Wales. Using rugby as a key delivery tool, we support young people who are struggling to engage in early secondary education - often because of anxiety, low confidence, disrupted home lives, or behavioural challenges rooted in trauma. For many of the children we support, life has already brought more hardship than most adults experience in a lifetime. Our purpose is clear: to help young people facing complex challenges break the cycle and move towards a safer, stronger, more hopeful future.

The SOHK Schools Programme is a two-year intervention working with cohorts of around 20 pupils from Year 7 through to Year 9. Pupils are selected by the school and are typically among the hardest to reach young people. Each week, we deliver half a day of rugby training and classroom sessions built around our 3Cs framework, covering topics such as growth mindset, goal setting, and decision-making, alongside monthly one-to-one sessions with every pupil. The programme’s impact is evaluated by SOHK staff, teachers, parents, and the pupils themselves.

90% of our participants report feeling more confident and more engaged with school after taking part, with long-term effects on attendance, attainment, and life outcomes. Find out more about our Schools Programme.

Since 2023, SOHK has been proud to partner with Impetus, a charity that invests in and supports organisations helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed. This partnership combines investment with strategic and organisational development support, helping to strengthen our impact and set SOHK up for sustainable growth.

We are proud to be delivering long-term programmes that meaningfully reach hundreds of young people each year - but the societal need is vast. Our ambitious four-year strategic plan targets growth, aiming to bring our impactful programme to hundreds more young people each year.

“Despite the usual challenges that every education or sport for development charity faces, School of Hard Knocks really is unique. It is not so much what we deliver at a programme level (which is of course brilliant) but who we are as a team. If you are a values-led leader and love the idea of ‘team’, then School of Hard Knocks is the place for you.”

- Ken Cowen, Founder and outgoing CEO

The Role

The CEO is the public face and leader of SOHK, responsible for the overall strategic direction, vision, and management of the charity - ensuring SOHK meets its mission and strategic objectives while maintaining strong relationships with Trustees, staff, supporters, and the wider SOHK community. We’re looking for a mission-driven charity leader and effective fundraiser, capable of building a sustainable growth model.

Strategy and Direction

● Be the face and voice of the charity - its principal ambassador

● Lead the development and periodic review of SOHK’s strategy with the Trustees and Senior Management Team

● Translate the 2026-30 strategy into organisational priorities, plans, and goals

● Ensure safeguarding, wellbeing, and the lived experience of young people remain central to every decision and growth plan

Programme Delivery, Quality and Impact

● Hold a high bar for programme quality and outcomes for young people

● Line-manage and support the Director of Programmes, working with delivery teams and partners to build a world-class, evidence-based intervention

● Ensure SOHK can evidence the impact of its programmes, with insights feeding back into constant improvement

Income Generation, Fundraising and External Relations

● Lead income generation across trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, individual giving, and challenges and events

● Line-manage and support the Head of Fundraising in executing a comprehensive fundraising strategy

● Hold senior relationships with funders and partners, building SOHK’s brand, reputation, and profile

Leading People, Culture and Operations

● Build and lead a high-performing Senior Management Team

● Foster a positive, inclusive, high-performing culture aligned with SOHK’s values

● Line-manage and support the Director of Finance & Operations, ensuring operational excellence

Governance and the Board

● Act as the primary link between the organisation and the Trustees

● Attend all Trustee meetings (held quarterly) and provide timely, accurate reporting

● Ensure compliance with all legal, regulatory, and Charity Commission requirements

About You

Essential

● Proven senior leadership experience in the charity, education, youth, or social impact sector - whether as CEO or as part of an executive team - including working directly with a Board of Trustees

● Demonstrated success in building or significantly growing an organisation, programme, or initiative

● A collaborative and values-led leadership style, with the ability to inspire trust, hold people to account, and build high-performing teams

● Strong track record of income generation, including securing significant funding from trusts, foundations, corporates, or major donors

● Experience of financial oversight, budgeting, and organisational planning at a senior level

● Strategic thinker, able to translate vision into clear plans and delivery

● Strong relationship-builder and communicator, confident with a wide range of stakeholders

Desirable

● Previous charity CEO experience - a bonus, but not essential; we know brilliant candidates come from a wide range of backgrounds

● Direct classroom, youth work, or education leadership experience

● Knowledge of the UK education system and youth policy landscape

● Experience of scaling a multi-site delivery organisation and working with local authorities

Personal Attributes

● Deep commitment to improving outcomes for young people, especially those facing disadvantage

● Resilient and persistent, able to work under pressure and navigate setbacks

● Collaborative, open, and reflective leader who seeks feedback and learns from it

Terms of Appointment

Contract type

Full-time, permanent

Location

Greater London, with offices in Edinburgh & Cardiff

Salary

£85,000 – £90,000 per year + £5,000 PRP

Reports to

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Direct reports

Director of Programmes; Head of Fundraising; Director of Finance & Operations

Travel

Regular UK travel, primarily to Edinburgh and Cardiff. Occasional evenings for stakeholder engagement and fundraising events

Trustee meetings

Quarterly, in London, in the evening, plus ad hoc subcommittees