Participation manager jobs in ilford, greater london

The National Gallery is looking for an experienced Project Manager to lead the delivery of the upcoming major capital projects at the National Gallery. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a major capital project that will have a lasting impact on the Gallery’s future.

The successful candidate will have a proven track record in managing complex capital projects and a strong understanding of heritage environments and design quality.

This is a full-time, fixed-term contract for up to 36 months. The role is primarily on-site (4–5 days per week), with some flexibility. Full attendance will be required during key project phases.

For more information, please refer to the attached job pack and explore the benefits we offer.

This is a fantastic opportunity to build and grow Molly Rose Foundation's lived engagement and youth programmes, and to push for a safer online world driven by the needs and perspectives of lived experience.

Working at the intersect of tech accountability, online safety and suicide prevention, Molly Rose Foundation was founded following the death of 14-year old Molly Russell.

Today we’re committed to building and amplifying the voices of those with lived experiences of online harm – and to challenging government, regulators and tech firms to listen to and act decisively on what they have to say.

MRF is grounded in youth and lived experience, and we will always ensure the lessons of Molly's death act as a catalyst for positive change. You’ll help us maintain and grow our networks to build and amplify the voices of youth, bereaved parents and young people directly impacted by harms, and have a track record in working in partnership across the sector.

As Lived Engagement and Youth Manager you'll build strong internal and external relationships and ensure lived experience and youth runs through everything we do.

You'll manage day-to-day relationships with youth and lived experience advocates and have a strong focus on safeguarding and trauma-informed practice.

This is a rare opportunity to build a lived experience programme that really counts. We’re looking for an exceptional individual who’s motivated by the chance to really make a difference. Your work will help to ensure that tomorrow’s young people live long and stay strong.

MRF is committed to flexible working and we know that a diverse team makes us stronger. While we are recruiting for a full-time position, we will actively consider part-time and flexible working requests.

Please submit your CV and a cover letter, no more than two sides each, to apply for this role. Please refrain from overly relying on AI in your application. 

To lead the development and delivery of Women for Refugee Women’s (WRW) campaigns and communications strategy, ensuring compelling public engagement that amplifies the voices of refugee and asylum-seeking women, strengthens WRW’s profile, and mobilises supporters to take action. This role combines strategic communications and media liaison with impactful campaigning to influence public opinion and drive systemic change.

We are part of the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative. The network supports inclusive recruitment of people with lived experience of the UK asylum or immigration system. If this is your experience, you can find useful resources on the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative website.

The postholder will support adults with learning disabilities and/or autism to have their voices heard, engage in the community, and influence the services they use. Key responsibilities include:

• Organising Mystery Shops: Plan and run mystery shopping activities to ensure members experience high-quality services from statutory and other organisations, providing timely feedback to help providers improve.

• Coordinating Speak Out Meetings: Organise and facilitate monthly Speak Out campaign meetings and support members’ participation in LD Partnership Board meetings.

• Supporting Campaign Participation: Assist members to take part in and report on campaigns at Borough, Londonwide, and UK levels, with the aim of improving services for adults with learning disabilities.

• Supporting Consultations: Help members engage in consultations at local, regional, and national levels, ensuring their views are captured and communicated effectively.

We are seeking someone who can empower our members to stand up for themselves, share their opinions, and actively participate in community life. Excellent organisational, communication, and interpersonal skills are essential, alongside a good understanding of the challenges faced by adults with learning disabilities and/or autism. This role is central to helping members Speak Out in Hounslow and increasing their visibility and influence as valued community members.

Purpose of Post: The Events Coordinator will help to plan, promote and deliver a diverse programme of online and in-person events that reflect the organisation’s mission to support, empower and amplify the voices of people with lived experience of mental illness. These will include outreach sessions, campaigning events, open forums, creative workshops, community engagement activities, fundraising events, awareness days and partnership events.

The post-holder will ensure all events are accessible, inclusive, trauma-informed and well-organised, working closely with the Engagement & Campaigns Manager, project teams, volunteers and external partners.

Given the collaborative and engagement-focused nature of this role, and its direct delivery responsibilities, regular face-to-face working is required, with the post-holder based primarily in the office and attending events and community activities as needed.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Planning and Coordination

• Develop and maintain an annual events calendar covering outreach, campaigns, creative sessions, open forums, workshops and fundraising (both online and in-person).
• Lead on the end-to-end planning of online and in-person events including aims, audience, format, accessibility needs, timelines, budgets, venues, equipment and staffing.
• Prepare event plans, schedules, risk assessments and checklists to ensure smooth delivery.
• Liaise with venues, suppliers and partners to negotiate costs (ensuring value for money), confirm bookings and arrange logistics.

 Promotion and Communications

• Produce accessible event information and promotional materials, working with colleagues to ensure inclusive language, imagery and formats.
• Use social media, website updates, e-newsletters and community networks to publicise events.
• Maintain event booking systems (e.g. Eventbrite, online forms), manage attendee lists and respond promptly to enquiries.

Event Delivery

• Act as point of contact on the day of events, ensuring smooth set-up, running and pack-down (including seating, signage, technology and accessibility adjustments).

• Brief staff, volunteers and facilitators on their roles and responsibilities before and during events, to ensure clarity of roles.

• Greet attendees, speakers and partners; creating a warm, inclusive and trauma-sensitive environment.
• Monitor timing, technical requirements (e.g. microphones, presentations, online platforms if appropriate) and respond to any issues that arise calmly and adapt plans where needed.

Community Engagement and Stakeholder Support

• Build strong relationships with partner organisations, community groups, local charities, the council and health & social care stakeholders.
• Represent the organisation professionally at meetings, outreach events and networking opportunities as necessary.
• Support delivery of awareness campaigns, public consultations and community engagement activity.

Volunteer Coordination

• Support the recruitment, induction, supervision and recognition of event volunteers.
• Provide clear instructions and create a positive, supportive environment for volunteers.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Collect and analyse event data, including attendance, demographics, costs, outcomes and feedback (e.g. surveys, informal feedback, Mentimeter)
• Produce reports and summaries to evidence impact, support funder reporting and inform future planning.

Finance and Administration

• Work within agreed event budgets, tracking expenditure and income, and seeking value for money.
• Process invoices, petty cash and expenses in line with Hear Us, financial procedures.
• Maintain an organised system for event documentation (e.g. booking forms, contracts, attendance, risk assessments, evaluations).

Safeguarding, EDI and Health & Safety

• Ensure all events comply with safeguarding, data protection, confidentiality and health & safety policies.
• Ensure events are inclusive of people from diverse backgrounds and are accessible to people with a range of mental health needs and disabilities.
• Report safeguarding concerns promptly following internal procedures.

Other Duties

• Attend staff meetings, supervision, training and development opportunities.
• Contribute to a positive, collaborative and learning culture.
• Carry out any other reasonable duties within the scope and spirit of the role as requested by your line manager.

It is the nature of the work that tasks and responsibilities are in many circumstances unpredictable and varied. All employees are expected to work in a flexible way, as required by Hear Us. Some meetings and other events may be held out of normal office hours and could involve travel away from the local area.

The above items outline the main duties and responsibilities of the post and are designed to give an accurate flavour of the nature and scope of this post. However, they do not represent an inclusive list of all the duties required

About Us

The Woodfield Project is a vibrant, community-focused charity responsible for The Woodfield Pavilion - a beautifully refurbished sports pavilion located near the north-eastern corner of Tooting Bec Common. Today, the Pavilion serves as a lively community hub, offering events and activities that: support social wellbeing; bring the local community together; and encourage appreciation and care for the surrounding natural environment.

Purpose and scope of role

We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic and energetic Pavilion Manager with the skills and experience to help drive forward our mission of ensuring that the Pavilion serves as a vital resource for local communities and groups and to actively encourage participation from members and volunteers who share our passion for making a difference. The Trustee Board provides governance and strategic leadership for the charity. The Pavilion Manager will oversee the day-to-day running of the building and plan and deliver an engaging programme of community events and activities, as well as seeking to develop new activities. The role includes operational management, future planning and ensuring a sustainable income and membership base.

Deadline for applications: 14 January 2025.

For fulll details of the role and how to apply, see the attached job application pack. 

Harris Hill is delighted to be working with a dynamic community charity in London in their search for a Community Engagement Manager.

Part-time, 22.5 hours per week
Salary: £36,000–£38,000 per annum (pro rata)
Location: Central London (on-site)

This is a fantastic opportunity for a motivated and creative engagement professional to lead a small, dedicated team and make a real difference within a vibrant, diverse inner-city community.

The role

As Community Engagement Manager, you’ll be an active ambassador for the organisation—raising awareness of its services, building strong relationships with residents and partner organisations, and leading initiatives that empower local people to participate and shape the community around them.

You’ll manage a small team of engagement staff and volunteers, oversee outreach and participation projects, and develop partnerships that enhance opportunities for local residents. A key focus will be increasing community reach, growing membership, and supporting user-led initiatives that reflect local needs and interests.

About you

We’re looking for a confident and experienced community engagement professional who:

• Has proven experience leading staff and volunteers to deliver community programmes.
• Understands the dynamics of engaging diverse inner-city communities through creative, inclusive approaches.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluating the impact of engagement activities, ensuring resources are used effectively.
• Has experience supporting user-led initiatives and volunteer development.
• Brings excellent communication and partnership-building skills.
• Is comfortable working flexibly, including some evenings and weekends.
• Is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and upholding safeguarding and health & safety standards.

If this sounds like you and you’re keen to hear more, please send your CV to .

Please note, CVs are being reviewed on a rolling basis, and only successful applicants will be contacted with more information.

 As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp™, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.

Make a real difference in the lives of asylum seekers and newly recognised refugees! Join New Citizens’ Gateway as an Outreach Project Manager and lead the delivery of vital frontline support to people residing in temporary accommodation across five hotels in Barnet. You will oversee a dedicated outreach team working to reduce isolation, improve wellbeing, and empower individuals seeking asylum.

We offer a supportive working environment with excellent benefits including:

• 6% employer pension contribution
• 35 days annual leave (including bank holidays)
• Ongoing training and professional development opportunities

New Citizens’ Gateway (NCG) is an independent, registered charity working to reduce health inequalities, combat social exclusion and poverty, and support the integration and independence of refugees and asylum seekers.

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Outreach Project Manager to lead our outreach service. This role is responsible for managing outreach staff, coordinating support across multiple hotel sites, ensuring compliance with safeguarding and quality standards, and providing specialist guidance to the team on complex client issues.

The successful candidate will have at least two years’ project management experience and direct experience supporting refugees and asylum seekers, with strong communication and organisational skills. Ability to speak a community language is desirable.

New Citizens’ Gateway is committed to equality, diversity, and creating a workplace that values lived experience. We welcome applications from people of refugee background and others with direct experience of the issues our clients face.

Closing date: 04/01/2026Interview date: 08/01/2026 (please keep this date free)

The Organisation

The Royal Parks (TRP) is a charity created in March 2017. We manage over 5,000 acres of diverse parkland, rare habitats and historic buildings and monuments in eight Royal Parks across London. These are Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, The Green Park, St James’s Park, The Regent's Park and Primrose Hill, Greenwich Park, Richmond Park and Bushy Park.

We also manage other important public spaces, including Brompton Cemetery and Victoria Tower Gardens. Our eight Royal Parks and other public spaces are among the most visited attractions in the UK, with tens of millions of visits every year.

We are now looking for a Sport & Leisure Development Officer to join us on a full-time, permanent basis, working 36 hours per week.

The Benefits

• Salary of £33,666 - £36,500 per annum, depending on experience.
• 26 days' annual leave plus public holidays, increasing to 29 days after three years’ service
• Pension scheme (3% employee contribution; up to 10% employer contribution
• Private medical insurance and healthcare cash plan
• Employee assistance programme and access to mental health first aiders
• Learning and development opportunities
• Cycle to work scheme
• Offices in a beautiful park location

This is a standout opportunity for an individual with experience in sport development, community engagement, or participation growth to join our mission-led organisation.

In this highly rewarding role, you will have the chance to make a real impact on the sports that take place across the Royal Parks, positively influencing the lives of Londoners and further developing your career in an engaging area.

What’s more, you’ll discover a dynamic and exciting environment where there is plenty of room for growth and a host of rich rewards that will ensure you are equipped and enabled to thrive in your role.

The Role

As our Sport & Leisure Development Officer, you will lead initiatives that grow participation in sports activity across our organisation, with a strong focus on inclusion and access for underrepresented communities.

Working closely with on-site tennis facility leads and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), you will design and deliver participation programmes, seeking to increase engagement and court usage, and maximise programme capacity.

You’ll build strong partnerships with clubs, schools, local authorities, and community organisations, helping to remove barriers to participation and ensure sport within the parks is welcoming, affordable, and sustainable.

Additionally, you will:

• Shape diverse and inclusive sports programmes
• Create opportunities for underrepresented groups
• Monitor and evaluate participation data to guide decision-making and report on outcomes
• Represent us at meetings, forums and events
• Support coach-led sessions and wider health and wellbeing activities
• Assist with reporting, usage records, and business plan delivery

About You

To be considered as our Sport & Leisure Development Officer, you will need:

• Experience in sport development, community engagement, or participation growth
• Experience of managing partnerships and stakeholder relationships
• A strong understanding of inclusion and barriers to participation in underserved communities
• Knowledge of the UK tennis landscape and/or experience working with or alongside the LTA
• Strong organisational skills with a data-informed, outcome-focused approach
• Confident communication skills and a genuine passion for social impact through sport

We want to put everyone in the best possible position to succeed and use the Recite-me accessibility software. At the top of the application page, there is an “Accessibility Tools” button, which you can use to complete the application form in a way that works for you. If you think that you may need more support to complete our application process, please do get in touch.

Other organisations may call this role Sports Development Officer, Participation Development Officer, Project Officer, Engagement Officer, Community Sport Officer, or Leisure Development Officer.

The Royal Parks is strongly committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and encourage applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

The Degrees Initiative is a UK-based NGO that strengthens the capacity of the Global South to evaluate solar radiation modification (SRM), a controversial proposal for reducing some impacts of climate change by reflecting sunlight away from the Earth. Degrees is neutral on whether SRM should ever be used, but we believe that the Global South should be empowered to conduct their own research and to play a central role in SRM discussions. The initiative has been working in different forms for over a decade, and our work receives worldwide coverage and widespread acclaim. 

This is a unique opportunity to inform conversations on SRM in Africa. Rather than lobbying for outcomes, Degrees aims to support informed, independent policymaking by fostering connections between researchers and policymakers and strengthening institutional expertise. Degrees promotes regional research, creates spaces for policy-science dialogue, and supports the dissemination of Global South research.

Responsibilities

The Policy and Engagement Manager, Africa will strengthen the voice of the Global South in discussions and potential negotiations on SRM research and governance with relevance to Africa by connecting experts to policy processes. Accordingly, the successful candidate will: 

• Identify and engage key policy actors (e.g. national delegates and legislators, scientific advisors, intergovernmental officials) in Africa, connecting them to local SRM experts and providing them with information, where appropriate, while remaining neutral regarding the potential use and governance of SRM;
• Work with SRM researchers from the region to support the ongoing development of a coordinated community of experts; 
• Build informal and formal partnerships with like-minded organisations, helping to inform discussions and counter misinformation about climate and SRM.
• Share expertise and experience gained from Africa with staff and researchers and participate, as appropriate, in activities in Asia and the Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean to gain similar expertise;
• Identify the most impactful international forums and regional SRM discussions, and work to connect local experts into these; 
• Identify a core group of researchers interested in policy engagement, and facilitate and join their participation in governance fora such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNFCCC COP, UN Environment Assembly, and meetings of the Convention on Biological Diversity;
• Support the execution and coordination of the Degrees policy engagement strategy in collaboration with other policy and programmatic staff; 
• Contribute to budgeting and alignment with programmes;
• Support monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) activities by contributing to tracking, documentation, and reporting of policy engagement outcomes;
• In cooperation with the communications staff, ensure the development of clear, contextualised briefing materials for policy makers and other audiences. 

Severndroog Castle is a much-loved Grade II* listed historic site, saved by the community and now run by a passionate charity committed to heritage, learning, and local engagement. We are looking for an enthusiastic and people-focused Community and Volunteer Engagement Manager to join our small team and help shape the Castle’s future.

This role is one of two complementary part-time positions forming a collaborative partnership model. You will work closely with the Site and Operations Manager to ensure a joined-up, positive experience for visitors, volunteers, and community partners.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys connecting with people, building community relationships, and creating memorable visitor experiences. You will lead our volunteer programme, develop partnerships, support events, and help ensure that Severndroog Castle remains a welcoming and engaging place for all.

• We’re looking for someone who:enjoys working with people, including volunteers, community groups, and visitors
• has experience in community engagement, volunteering, or heritage/cultural settings
• is warm, organised, proactive, and full of ideas to grow participation and outreach
• is a collaborative and supportive team player who thrives in a small organization

Working pattern:

20 hours per week, including some weekends. Hybrid working, with regular on-site presence, and a minimum of one Sunday per month on site.

In Spring 2028, the National Gallery will launch a new, public-facing Research Centre to facilitate and showcase our world-leading research in the history and science of painting. This will be a complex space sitting at the intersection of multiple valued research stakeholders both within and beyond the Gallery, including the Gallery’s own wide array of research-active staff, our Artists-in-Residence, specialist users of our extensive Library & Archive collections, and a research-engaged general public attending events and consulting materials.

We are now recruiting for a new role, a Research Centre Manager, to support in the creative planning and daily delivery of an exceptional experience at the Research Centre. The role-holder will provide vital clarity and consistency in the day-to-day running of this multifaceted space to ensure a smoothly functioning whole. This includes coordinating all aspects of the Research Centre operations, managing staff, ensuring compliance with regulations, and maintaining the Research Centre facilities and administration. They will also think creatively about the Centre’s different spaces and, alongside Gallery colleagues, will help produce exciting research programming.

An ideal candidate will have experience in a comparable multifaceted role, and will bring to the Gallery strong leadership, excellent communication, creative programming, innovative problem-solving, and strong organisational skills to manage both day-to-day operations and strategic planning for the Centre.

This is a full time, permanent position and requires on-site working 5 days per week.

Applications closing date is 2nd January at 23:30hrs.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Access Interns Programme, a partnership between The Kartik Foundation and Variety, provides disabled young people with meaningful corporate internship opportunities to support their career aspirations. For many disabled young people, accessing work experience can be challenging due to societal barriers, lack of support, and limited opportunities. Access Interns is designed to break down these barriers, ensuring that participants gain valuable work experience, professional skills, and industry connections to help them succeed in their chosen careers.

The Access Interns Programme Manager is responsible for the successful delivery of the ACCESS INTERNS programme, overseeing the internship placement process, employer engagement, and student support. This includes managing the selection process, coordinating placements, ensuring workplace accessibility, and tracking the programme’s impact.

The role also involves working closely with corporate employers to create inclusive work environments, supporting interns throughout their placements, and expanding engagement with schools, employers, and industry leaders to ensure disabled young people have equal access to high-quality career opportunities.

ABOUT VARIETY

In the UK, there are more than 1.3 million disabled children and over 4 million children living in poverty. Variety exists to improve their lives. We believe every child has a right to live their best life and reach their full potential, whoever they are. We fund and deliver life-changing programmes that enhance their quality of life and give children and young people across the UK a better future.

Over the past 75 years we have supported over one million children by funding almost 6,000 Sunshine Coaches, almost the same number of wheelchairs, and giving thousands of grants to individual children, schools, youth clubs and other organisations for specialist equipment.

In addition, each year thousands of children take part in day trips, special events and educational activities as part of our Variety Great Days Out programme and every single day we are improving more young lives. We do it with practical, tangible help, that makes a real and immediate difference.

 KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Programme Management

· Managing the Access Interns Programme, ensuring it is delivered to a high standard and in line with Variety’s policies and procedures

· Working with the Chief Executive Officer to set annual internship placement targets, manage the Access Interns budget and develop the Access Interns Programme.

· Overseeing the end-to-end process of the programme, from student recruitment and employer engagement to placement coordination and post-internship evaluation.

· Adhering to Variety’s Safeguarding policies and procedures and working with the Head of Programmes, by recognising that interns are vulnerable adults, and taking responsibility for their safety, welfare, and well-being throughout the programme.

· Identifying opportunities to expand and enhance the programme, ensuring it remains impactful, sustainable, and aligned with Variety’s strategic goals.

· Developing guidance materials, training sessions, and workshops to prepare students for internships and support their professional growth

· Working with the Programme’s team to input & manage programme data and reporting.

· Tracking and reporting on Programme Impact and analysing data to ensure continuous improvement.

Logistics and Coordination

· Coordinating interview schedule, employer meeting, and onboarding sessions to facilitate successful placements.

· Managing communication with interns, employers, schools, and other stakeholders, ensuring all parties are well-informed and supported.

· Organising online disability awareness training for corporate employers as part of the onboarding process, ensuring employers understand best practices for supporting disabled interns and creating accessible workplaces.

· Ensuring all necessary documentation, contracts and agreements are completed and maintained in line with Variety’s Policies and Compliance standards.

Budget and Income Generation

· Managing the Access Interns Programme budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources and cost control.

· Generating income from the programme, including securing corporate partnerships and funding opportunities to sustain and expand Access Interns.

· Working closely with the fundraising team to assist in converting Access Intern partners into Corporate Donors for Variety’s wider work.

· Working with the Chief Executive Officer to set financial targets and explore additional funding streams.

· Monitoring expenditure, tracking income, and providing financial reports on programme performance.

Student Outreach & Support

· Manage the application and selection process, ensuring fair and transparent recruitment.

· Working closely with students to support their career development, including

- CV writing and cover letter workshops

- Interview preparation sessions

- Professional skills training (e.g. workplace etiquette, communication skills, and confidence-building)

- One-on-one mentoring and guidance

· Provide guidance and support to interns throughout their journey, from pre-placement preparation to post-internship follow-up.

· Responsible for marketing to schools and colleges to increase awareness and participation.

· Ensuring students understand their rights and workplace accommodations, advocating for inclusive and accessible internships.

· Visiting schools and colleges to promote the programme, engage with students, and increase participation from disabled young people.

Employer Outreach & Support

· Building and maintaining strong relationships with corporate employers to ensure a positive and productive experience for employers participating in the programme.

· Acting as the primary point of contact for employers, providing guidance and support throughout the internship process.

· Working with employers to develop meaningful internship opportunities, ensuring placements align with both business needs and student development goals

· Addressing any challenges or concerns that arise during placements, acting as a mediator where necessary.

· Delivering pre-placement briefings for employers, setting expectations and promoting inclusive hiring practices

· Gathering feedback from employers to continuously refine and improve the programme.

Customer Service and Administration

· Working with Operations Team and external partners to devise and deploy scalable on-boarding and internship management systems.

· Providing excellent customer service to applicants and prospective applicants, giving advice and guidance over the phone, in person and via email.

· Collecting and collating impact and monitoring data.

· Providing administrative support for other Programmes depending on workload, capacity and department demand.

Other Duties and Partner Support

· Assisting with events, reporting, and stakeholder engagement related to Variety’s wider mission and partner organisations.

· Collaborating with internal and external teams to support strategic initiatives that align with the goals of the Access Interns Programme.

General Responsibilities

· Negotiate placements and work collaboratively with employers to ensure meaningful learning experiences for interns.

· Applying knowledge of disabilities, relevant laws (e.g. Equality Act 2010), and reasonable adjustments to ensure that both interns and employers receive the necessary support for a successful and inclusive internship experience

· Expand the programme’s employer network, targeting organisations in corporate sectors to enhance placement opportunities.

· To work cross functionally with other departments, regions and countries.

· To achieve the highest standards of safeguarding for the young people who complete a corporate internship by Variety by complying with all appropriate Policies and Procedures.

· Working within Variety’s Data Protection policies at all times.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

Essential:

• Proven experience in managing programmes or projects, including planning, delivery, and evaluation.

• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with diverse stakeholders (e.g., employers, schools, students).

• Knowledge of disability rights, accessibility requirements, and the Equality Act 2010.

• Understanding of safeguarding principles and experience working with vulnerable adults or young people

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly and persuasively.

• Strong ability to manage multiple tasks, deadlines, and priorities effectively.

• Competence in collecting, analysing, and reporting data to measure impact and inform improvements.

• Confident using Microsoft Office and CRM or database systems.

Desirable:

• Delivering or coordinating training sessions for employers or staff.

• Experience managing budgets, monitoring expenditure, and reporting on financial performance.

• Familiarity with employability skills training, CV writing, and interview preparation.

• Experience organising workshops, meetings, or onboarding sessions.

• Ability to promote programmes to schools, colleges, and employers.

• Using impact data to drive continuous improvement.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your CV with a cover letter explaining why you’d make a great candidate for this role. Applications will close on Friday 9th January 2026 at 5pm with interviews taking place week commencing 12th and 19 January 2026.

Please let us know if you have any accessibility requirements or need any adjustments for the interview.

MAIN BENEFITS, TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Location: Variety HQ, Camden Town, London (hybrid working, 3 days in the office per week)

Hours: 9am to 5pm

25 days holiday (we also normally give between Christmas and New Year off, but this is not contractual). In addition, after one year's continuous service, there will be an extra 2 days annual holiday for every complete year of service, up to a maximum of five days' extra holiday.

Pension 7% ER contribution, Life Assurance 4x annual salary, Company sick pay scheme, medicash benefit.

EQUALITY DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

 Inclusion is one of our key values and it is our ambition to recruit great people from diverse communities. We welcome and encourage applications from suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment/identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy/maternity and or marriage/civil partnership status, race, religion or belief.

Salary: up to £50,000 depending on experience and qualifications

40 hours per week including evenings, weekends and bank holidays

Contract: Permanent 

Location: East Croydon (Sanderstead Station) 

We have a fantastic opportunity to join St Christopher's fellowship as a Deputy Manager for our new specialist Children’s home in Croydon. You will work alongside the Registered Manager to lead and support a professional team of staff committed to transforming young lives and creating positive outcomes. You will be supported by Team Leaders, experienced Residential Practitioners, as well as our Wrap Around and Education Teams.

Visit our website to watch our short video to gain an insight into our working life here at St Christopher’s

About Us

Our vision is for every child and young person to be safe, loved and happy, to achieve their potential and have a bright future.

St Christopher's is a leading charity for children and young people. We are proud of our history of providing fostering, children's homes and innovative leaving care services across the UK & Isle of Man.  We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do.  We provide positive life experiences for young people who are unable to sustain a placement in their parental or foster home.

We are an equal-opportunity employer keen to develop an inclusive workforce where people feel they belong.  We hope to attract applications from under- represented groups, including people from different cultures, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions, faith, sex, orientation, childcare responsibilities, and gender-diverse identities. 

About the Role

As Deputy Manager, you will lead and support a professional team of staff committed to transforming young lives and creating positive outcomes. You will be supported by a Registered Manager, Deputy Manager, Team Leaders, and the team of residential staff.

Key aspect of the role:

• To assist the manager in safeguarding and ensuring every child and young person receives high quality care as measured by Ofsted in the social care common inspection framework.
• To assist the manager in the management of the home, including the staff, external relationships, the budget, the resources and fabric of the building.

St Christopher’s Academy

Our 'St Christopher’s Academy' ensures our staff is continually developing. We will support you to map out your career trajectory and help you achieve your professional ambitions. If you want to learn more about St Christopher’s Academy, please visit our website

The successful candidate will have:

• A degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. Psychology, Social Work, Mental Health Nursing, Youth Work etc)
• A willingness to undertake a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare, if possessing only a Level 3 qualification relevant to the role
• At least 2 years’ experience in residential children’s homes
• At least 1 years’ experience of staff supervision and management responsibility.
• Ability to develop appropriate one-to-one relationships with young people and employ mentoring skills that empower young people to achieve their goals.
• Numeracy skills to manage budgets efficiently and contribute to the budgetary process.
• An understanding of the regulatory framework relevant to the provision of residential services for children and young people.
• Awareness of issues facing young people such as bullying, gangs and exploitation and how these impact on behaviour.
• An understanding of trauma informed practice
• Ability to work shifts including weekends and bank holidays and undertake sleep-ins.
• Ability and willingness to be part of an on call rota overseeing multiple Homes. 

In return we offer:

• Starting salary up to £50,000 per annum depending on experience and qualifications
• Opportunities to develop your career and become a Registered Manager.
• A friendly working environment, a fun, open and honest culture.
• 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro-rata.
• Industry leading training programme including access to level 3 qualifications, children’s right and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health and social pedagogy.
• Contributory pension scheme, enhanced maternity and company sick scheme.
• UK Life Assurance (Death in service) to the value of 3 times your annual salary.
• BUPA employee assistance programme, offering counselling, financial advice and legal support.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Bluelight card; discount shopping scheme at hundreds of retailers across the UK.
• Discretionary funded training programs.
• Employee awards based on performance and length of service.
• Fantastic opportunities to develop your career within our range of services.

Recruitment Process:

At St Christopher’s we are committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people in our care. During the recruitment process you will be expected to complete an online application form to ensure we capture essential information to meet legislation, best practice and vetting requirements.

Applicants will ideally already be on the DBS Update Service; if this is not the case St Christopher's will carry out a DBS (police) check prior to starting.

Your online application must include a supporting statement addressing the criteria stated in the Person Specification. For the full Job Description and Person Specification please visit our website. CV’s will not be accepted.

For more information or assistance during the application process, please contact us via our website.

Please note:

• This post has a minimum age restriction of 21 year for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and supported accommodation Homes in line with the Equality Act ‘occupational requirement’.
• It is illegal to apply for any role that involves working with children and young people under the age of 18, if you know you are barred from working with children.
• All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be asked to submit a Self-Declaration and Disclosure form which will need to be returned prior to an interview being booked.