Policy project officer jobs in manchester

Senior External Affairs Adviser 
Contract type: Fixed Term Contract (12 months) 
Full time: 34.5 hours, we are open to a conversation about how you work these hours  
Location: Home based
Salary range: £43,000 - £48,000

About us 

At Macmillan you'll find talented people working together to do whatever it takes to support people living with cancer. We're going all out to find even better ways to help even more people who need our support. Our values are at the heart of who we are and everything we do, inspiring our thinking and guiding our actions. 

Our new organisational strategy sets out how we’ll fight even harder to make every pound raised count for even more. With your help, we’ll transform cancer care for good. 

About the role

Join Macmillan Cancer Support as a Senior External Affairs Adviser, where you will play a vital role in shaping and delivering impactful change propositions and external affairs strategies across the UK. Your work will focus on delivering at-scale change for people with cancer, particularly the most marginalised groups. 

Key responsibilities:

• Provide senior-level advice to develop external affairs strategies aligned with Macmillan’s mission. 
• Lead cross-functional external affairs projects that are evidence-based and impactful. 
• Develop and manage relationships with political stakeholders, policymakers, civil servants and healthcare providers. 
• Provide high-quality insight and briefings to senior colleagues on the political landscape, and what the external opportunities and risks are. 
• Anticipate shifts within the external environment and adapt approaches to maintain our relevance and influence. 
• Collaborate with teams to ensure policy positions are strategic and evidence-based. 
• Represent Macmillan at external events, advocating for improvements in cancer care. 
• Coordinate campaigns to influence public policy and funding decisions. 

About you 

The successful candidate will have... 

• Proven ability to manage complex and sensitive external contexts, making sound judgements on tone and messaging. 
• Strong understanding of operating within a four-nations context and engaging with diverse stakeholders, including senior politicians and civil servants.
• Expertise in analysing complex policy issues and developing impactful, evidence-based policy positions. 
• Strong organisational skills and flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances and emerging issues. 
• Excellent communication skills which are adaptable for external and internal audiences. 
• Experience of working in multi-disciplinary teams or on multi-disciplinary projects. 

Recruitment process 

Application deadline: 23:59 on Tuesday 16th December 2025 

Interview date: Virtual interviews will be held on 8th January 2026 

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. 

So we can support you to be your best during the application or interview process, please contact Macmillan's TA Team for advice and reasonable adjustments.  

We welcome applications from everyone who meet the criteria and strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Macmillan. Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy along with our internal employee representation body, ‘Our Voice’ and 8 Employee Network groups help us promote fairness and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people. 

About Us

Caritas Diocese of Salford is the principal social action agency of the Catholic Diocese. Our mission is to put Love Into Action. We help those across Greater Manchester and Lancashire experiencing poverty, disadvantage, and discrimination to transform their lives with dignity. We provide a practical response to those in crisis, suffering hardship or who are at risk. We rebuild lives for the long-term, enabling people to live in a safe, healthy, and secure environment. We call for a better, more just world, where the voices of the poor are heard and acted upon and positively influence the systems, decisions and resources that affect those in need.

About the job

We are looking to recruit a Grants and Foundations Officer to join Caritas Salford’s fundraising team. You will be part of a team that is passionate about tackling poverty and inequality, where your work will have a real and visible impact. Your focus will be on maintaining and growing income from charitable trusts and statutory agencies.

As a Grants and Foundations Officer, you will work closely with senior managers and service managers, researching potential funders, securing funding from trusts, foundations and other potential funding partners. As well as building and stewarding lasting relationships that will help sustain and grow Caritas’ mission. We will support your development, helping you grow your fundraising skills, take on complex projects and help shape bids for commissioned services.

You will have excellent interpersonal skills, strong research and analytical expertise, be highly organised and confident in using IT systems and digital tools for research, communication and data management. Additionally, you will have the ability to build and maintain positive relationships with a range of stakeholders, plus a willingness to learn from others about fundraising and social impact.

37.5 hours per week. Monday to Friday with occasional evening and weekends required.

Part time would be considered

Flexibility to work remotely, with regular visits to Caritas services across Greater Manchester and Lancashire.

If this sounds like the next step you are looking for and you would like to work for an organisation passionate about transforming lives, we would love to hear from you!

Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and we reserve the right to interview/ appoint before the closing date. Early applications are therefore strongly encouraged.

To apply, please complete an application form and click the link in the advert to be redirected to the Caritas website. You will need to click Apply Now next to the Grants and Foundations Officer role, complete the necessary information and upload your application form plus any supporting documents.

Closing date: Thursday, 8 January 2026 at 9am

Interview: Monday, 19 and/or Tuesday, 20 January 2026

Caritas follows Safer Recruitment practices, and this post is subject to a Disclosure & Barring Service check. 

For full details please visit Caritas Diocese of Salford - Caritas | Diocese Of Salford – About - Careers

Caritas Diocese of Salford is an equal opportunities employer

Registered Charity Number: 1125808

Please note we do not accept applications via agencies or CVs

We are seeking a Community Development Officer to lead a major in-progress project improving recognition, support, and care for people with smell and taste disorders at a local level across England. 

This three-year, volunteer-led programme, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund has achieved significant success in its first eighteen months. We are now recruiting a new postholder to take this strong foundation forward through the next phase of delivery. 

Over the past eighteen months, we have recruited and established a thriving network of volunteers and local groups across England. This momentum is expected to continue. The Community Development Officer will work closely with existing volunteers and groups, primarily remotely, while also attending in-person events and meetings in different parts of England as needed. 

The postholder will lead the ongoing recruitment, training, and support of volunteer groups, working with them to identify opportunities for local outreach and engagement. Together, you will ensure that more people affected by smell and taste disorders access the information, support, and recognition they need, while continuing to raise awareness of these often-unrecognised sensory impairments. 

Our volunteer groups bring together people with lived experience alongside experts from the food, beverage and fragrance sectors, and other relevant fields. 

We are looking for a motivated, forward-thinking individual with experience in leading and inspiring others. You will bring energy, creativity, and excellent communication skills to drive the project forward and help build an innovative, sustainable programme of volunteer-led activity, supporting our volunteers to influence change within their communities. 

You will empower volunteers to play an active role in transforming public understanding of how essential smell and taste are to our lives, whether they are running peer support groups, organising local events, delivering talks in community settings, or representing the charity at information days. 

You will join a small, friendly and ambitious team committed to your professional development as the charity continues to grow. 

If you are passionate about making a difference, enjoy working with people, and want to contribute to a pioneering and collaborative organisation that values and empowers its community, we would love to hear from you. We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. 

SCIE Vision

We are committed to building a society which enables people who draw on social care to live fulfilling lives.

At the SCIE, we are driven by our values:

· Progressive – always learning and developing.

· Inclusive – working together for equality, diversity, and fairness.

· Credible – evidence-based, robust, and reliable.

· Transparent – open and honest.

· Committed - focused on making a difference to people’s lives.

The role:

A great opportunity for you to join our small friendly team and make a real difference to people’s lives by:

· keeping our finances running smoothly

· supporting smarter decision-making

· help power the work that changes lives.

If you’re detail-driven, organised and ready to make your skills matter, we’d love to have you on our team.

What we are looking for:

· actively studying for your AAT or already qualified, with a solid grasp of financial processes and the confidence to work accurately at pace.

· previous experience of working within a Finance Team

· someone who loves getting the details right and takes pride in keeping finances running like clockwork

· strong numeracy, great organisational skills, and a proactive, can-do attitude

· a problem-solver who enjoys improving systems, collaborating with colleagues, and making a real impact through your work.

What we offer in return.

We offer excellent staff benefits including a competitive salary and homeworking allowance. We provide an employer pension contribution above the statutory minimum, an award-winning employee assistance programme, and an attractive holiday package which rises with length of service.

If you would like to access the application form in a different format or if would like any assistance that might help improve your experience while completing the application, please contact us.

Are you passionate about improving technical education? Gatsby Charitable Foundation is looking for a highly organised Project Officer to play an integral part in its programme delivery, with a particular focus on T Level industry placements.

Location: Manchester (On-site Tuesday-Thursday)

Applications close at 9 a.m. Friday 12th December.

Who we are

In 1967, David Sainsbury wrote out a cheque for five pounds to establish the Gatsby Charitable Foundation. Lord Sainsbury has since given Gatsby more than £1 billion to distribute to charitable causes in fields he is passionate about, including neuroscience, plant science, development in East Africa and public policy.

Gatsby established a small team focused on education policy in England almost 40 years ago. The team’s priorities have typically mirrored and sought to address the policy challenges of the times, from addressing the uptake of engineering degrees in the 1980s to our commitment to the improvement of the nation’s technical education and career guidance systems today. While priorities have changed and evolved, our approach has been consistent: we aim to be more than a funder. We act as an enabler for projects, working with partners in designing, developing, and, in some cases, delivering activities. We take a long-term view as we do not think much can be achieved by short, one-off projects.

We believe that a strong technical education system can open up good career opportunities for young people and adults, as well as drive greater national productivity and economic competitiveness. That is why our current work is focused on supporting the implementation of technical education reforms and the embedding of a stable career guidance system in England.

About the role

Gatsby is seeking a proactive and curious Project Officer to support the delivery of work that strengthens T Level implementation and expands high-quality industry placements across England. Working in the Industry Placement Team, you will help manage grants and contracts, coordinate employer-facing projects, organise events and networks, and capture insights and outputs to inform future activity. You will contribute to developing training and support for industry placement coordinators, produce case studies and blog content, and build relationships with providers, employers and sector partners.

This role works across several T Level subject areas. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with experience in or adjacent to further education, strong organisational and communication skills, and an enthusiasm for supporting technical education.

Please click 'Redirect to recruiter’ to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you can find full details of the job description and register your interest to apply.

Applications for this role close at 9 a.m. Friday 12th December.

Job Title: Hertfordshire Project Officer

Salary: £29,500 (London Fringe weighting)

Position Type: Full time/Fixed term (until December 2028)

Reports to: Scaling Manager

Based at: Remote, with travel to schools in Hertfordshire

Working Hours: 5 days a week, 9am-5pm (flexible)

Pension: School Food Matters matches pension contributions at 7% of pensionable earnings

Holiday: 31 days including bank holidays that fall on working days. Holidays must be taken during the school holidays

This role requires occasional work outside of core hours (for example, if visiting a school breakfast club). It also requires travel to schools across Hertfordshire, so access to a car would be desirable. Training for delivery of the programme will be provided online and in person, and you will be expected to travel outside of Hertfordshire for some of these sessions.

Background to School Food Matters

At School Food Matters we believe that school food can unlock a happier, healthier, more sustainable future for every child. We want a school food system that delivers for all children, so they can enjoy nutritious, delicious and sustainable school food and leave school with an informed and positive relationship with food. To achieve this, we campaign for a better school food system, bringing the voices of children, parents, and teachers to government policy, and deliver fully funded food education programmes in schools across the country.

Background to Nourish

Our Nourish programme supports schools to create a food environment that puts children and young people's nutrition first. The evidence-based, multi-component programme helps schools to develop action plans and policies to cover the food served across the whole school day. Nourish uses a collaborative whole school approach to food involving everyone across the school community to create lasting positive change.

Job purpose

· To deliver Nourish in 40 schools in Hertfordshire (primary, secondary and SEND settings) over 3 years in a delivery team of two Project Officers and a Project Assistant.

Key tasks include

· Support with recruitment of schools to take part in Nourish

· Complete in person food audits in schools looking across the whole school day

· Support schools to create and deliver a food improvement plan (action plan)

· Develop and deliver workshops in schools to staff, parents and students based on their action plan (e.g. assemblies, cooking sessions, school food standards training, packed lunch advice, food ed/sensory tasting sessions)

· Support schools to write a school food policy

· Build relationships and work closely with teachers, teaching assistants, cooks, kitchen teams and senior leaders in schools to improve the food they offer their students

· Collect data and maintain accurate records relating to the project

· Work closely with University of Hertfordshire and our Evaluation team to complete all monitoring and evaluation

· Work in collaboration with Hertfordshire project delivery team

· Gather content for our comms team (website and social media platforms)

· Keep Scaling Manager fully updated on progress

· Keep up to date with safeguarding requirements and reporting procedures

· Maintaining the ethos of the charity and positively promoting our work at all times

· You will also be expected to undertake any other tasks relevant to the affairs of SFM that may arise from time to time.  Therefore, being flexible and approaching the job with an open and positive mindset is essential.

Person specification

Essential

· Registered nutritionist or advanced understanding of nutritional guidelines and health promotion

· Good interpersonal skills, with experience of building relationships

· Confident engaging with a variety of audiences (students, headteachers, school staff and parents), including communications via email, virtual and face to face meetings with the ability to deliver workshops & presentations

· Excellent administrative and organisational skills with great attention to detail

· Excellent IT skills including excel, word and email

· Able to work independently and remote

· Self-motivated and optimistic with a can-do attitude

· Ability to work in a team and seek help when needed

Desirable

· Experience of engaging and working with schools and/or communities

· Experience of working for a charity or not for profit organisation

· Knowledge in food education and children’s health

· Access to a car

Job Purpose

Within the National Influencing & Networks team, the Digital Communications Officer is responsible for delivering core communications functions. The postholder will work directly with the Director of National Influencing and Networks to plan communications activity in line with organisational objectives, and to deliver planned, regular and ad-hoc outputs. They will also work closely with the Area Engagement and Partnerships Team. It is desirable for the postholder to bring innovative video editing and production expertise, along with strong digital content creation skills, to enhance Clinks’ communications reach and impact.

Duties and key responsibilities

· Contribute to the continued development of communications outputs of relevance to the voluntary sector working in criminal justice

· Deliver Clinks’ communications functions to ensure our work and the voluntary sector is promoted in an accurate and timely manner.

· Contribute to Clinks’ communications outputs through oversight of the organisational communications planner, supporting the development of timelines and executing as appropriate

· Responsible for publication and design of organisational policy reports, e-bulletins, newsletters, blog posts, ad-hoc publications and other relevant digital outputs

· Responsible for the collation and distribution of Clinks’ Light Lunch on a weekly basis as well as newsflashes, women’s network updates and art alliance updates

· Provide communications and digital expertise to all Clinks staff, including planning of social media, publications or key deliverables including Clinks’ annual State of the sector research

· Work closely with the Membership and Digital Development Officer to ensure coordination of Clinks’ digital output, and supporting the Clinks digital era by contributing to project managed task groups from a communications perspective

· Work with Clinks’ partners on the delivery of local communications outputs

· Lead on Clinks’ regular programme of reporting and benchmarking, with relevance to communications metrics, triaging responsibility within the organisation, and escalating as appropriate, as well as liaising with third parties as needed

· Track and evaluate the impact of Clinks’ communications and digital outputs and advise colleagues accordingly

· Responsible, with the Membership and Digital Development Officer, for keeping information on the website up to date.

· Ensure the implementation of Clinks’ Content Creation Strategy and social media strategy, and contribute to development of wider organisational digital strategy

· Continuously review comms process’ and outputs to ensure a continued high standard to Clinks overall delivery

· Support fundraising activity and bid applications to help secure income for development work.

Additional responsibilities

· Contribute to team activity, including the communication of policy positions rooted in evidence, expertise and experience

· Ensure high standards across all Clinks communications products

· Support the development and operation of the various groups, networks and structures facilitated by Clinks

· Represent Clinks at external meetings and events

· Work with colleagues to maintain and develop Clinks’ database of stakeholders to support the distribution of published materials and other communications.

General responsibilities

· Represent and be an ambassador for Clinks

· Work to support the mission, ethos and values of Clinks

· Be flexible and carry out other associated duties as they may arise, develop or be assigned in line with the broad remit of the position

· Support and promote diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace

· Work collaboratively with others in all aspects of our work.

This job description does not form part of your contract of employment and can be amended from time to time as the needs of the organisation require.

Person specification

Education and experience

• 2-3 years’ experience in a communications-related role
• Experience in innovative video editing, production, and digital content creation is highly desirable. 

Knowledge, skills and abilities

· An understanding of issues related to:

•  The role of the voluntary sector in addressing social exclusion and inequalities
• The criminal justice system, in particular prisons and probation.

· The ability to engage audiences, persuade, and encourage understanding and participation in written and/or other communications, with a focus on social media output.

· Ability to manage multiple workstreams and competing priorities

· A collaborative approach to working with colleagues

· Strong IT skills, including knowledge of Microsoft Office, and an ability to support online platforms, including Drupal and Simple News, as well as proficiency in web development

· An eye for design, with the ability to liaise with external designers and to use design software, for example InDesign to create documents and manipulate document templates and Canva to produce assets.

· Clear, concise and engaging written and online communication skills

· A scrupulous approach to proofreading and a high level of skill in written English.

· Good knowledge of social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Bluesky, how to create and schedule engaging content for social media, and how to track engagement

· Monitor feed, share content and engage with Clinks’ members via social media

Personal attributes and other requirements

· Working well in a team with a flexible approach to work

· Ability to manage multiple and sometimes competing priorities

· Personal resilience and ability to stay focused in a rapidly changing environment

· Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities, including for people with lived experience of the criminal justice system

· Ability to apply awareness of diversity issues to all areas of work

· Commitment to upholding the rights of people facing disadvantage and discrimination in the criminal justice system.

The Christie Charity is a vibrant, fast moving, energetic organisation with a passionate team and a fantastic reputation.

Everything we do is geared to supporting the renowned Christie hospital ensuring cancer patients receive the highest level of treatment and care and have access to world leading research and technology. We provide funding over and above what the NHS provides.

We are currently entering a particularly exciting period of growth and expansion as we fundraise for a number of major projects.

We are looking for a dynamic and enthusiastic self-starter to support the Head of PR, Communications and Celebrity Engagement and work collaboratively with Charity and hospital colleagues to highlight the impact our supporters and fundraisers make to cancer patients.

You will be equally at home pitching a story to a national journalist, working with a senior consultant or scientist to draft a new Charity funded research story, briefing photographers, liaising with fundraisers to tell their story, writing newsletter and marketing copy or devising a communications plan.

The Charity team is responsible for raising millions of pounds each year to ensure Christie patients receive the very best care and treatment. This includes everything from access to world first clinical trials and receiving radiotherapy in state-of-the-art treatment centres, to young adults being cared for in a bespoke age-appropriate centre and being able to offer patients anxiety reducing complementary therapy, or even creative sessions in our art room.

If you want to make a real difference to cancer patients and are ready to rise to the challenge of working for one of the most successful charities in the North-West, then this could be the role for you.

We will be reviewing applications and arranging interviews on a rolling basis, so early submission is encouraged.

Please note: We are currently recruiting for two separate roles - Project Manager and Administrator. However, we welcome applicants who may wish to apply for both roles combined as a full-time position. These roles are usually carried out by one person, with a combined salary of up to £34,000. If you wish to apply for both roles, please complete only one application and clearly state at the top of your personal statement that you are applying for the full time combined role.

About the Role

Working alongside the Managing Director, you will play a key role in supporting the day to day running of the BDD Foundation while leading on key projects during this three month cover period. The primary focus of this role will be to oversee and manage the Overcoming BDD Programme (OBP), ensuring effective delivery, volunteer support and supervision, and a high quality, compassionate experience for all participants.

In addition to the Overcoming BDD Programme, you will provide project management support across other core initiatives, including the Schools Project, Conference planning, and any additional projects that form part of the charity’s priorities during this period. You will work collaboratively with the team to maintain operational efficiency, uphold the charity’s values, and contribute to activities that extend our impact and support the BDD community.

This role also involves HR responsibilities, including overseeing the full employee life cycle of staff and volunteers, reviewing and updating charity policies, and managing any people or volunteer related queries or concerns. Knowledge and understanding of HR processes is desirable, but not essential - this can be discussed at interview or offer stage should it not already be part of your skillset.

This is a meaningful and rewarding opportunity for someone who is organised, values driven and keen to contribute to positive change for people living with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).

How to Apply

Please submit a CV and a personal statement (maximum 750 words) via CharityJob by 12pm midday on 3rd December 2025.

In your personal statement, please include:

• Why you are interested in the role
• Any connection you may have to BDD or passion for the cause
• The skills and qualities you would bring
• How your experience makes you suitable for this position

Interviews are due to take place on 11th and 12th December 2025

If applying for both the Project Manager and Administrator roles combined, please state this clearly at the top of your personal statement and submit only one application.

This role is open to UK based applicants only and subject to a DBS check.

We have a new vacancy for an HR Operations Coordinator in the Strategy, Finance and Operations team, reporting to the Head of People. The person will be supporting HR and People related operational activities by delivering excellent support through strong relationships across the organisation.The salary is £13,780 per year (18.75 paid contractual hours per week). This is £27,560 pro-rated.

Role responsibilities (not an exhaustive list, there may be reasonable changes over time) 

Operations – People and General: 

• Promptly responding and resolving colleague queries from across the organisation
• Maintaining the BambooHR system to ensure People records are accurate and secure. Training will be provided.
• Arranging bookings for Town Halls / Engagement events, organising the meeting agendas and catering bookings where relevant.
• Updating HR information system Guidance documents, creating new versions, and ensuring managers are fully trained on people management responsibilities.
• Update employment policies with guidance from the Head of People, manage the administration of benefits and recognition awards
• Manage the recruitment administration using the Bamboo software and providing proactive updates to hiring managers.
• Managing the Onboarding and Offboarding processes using the BambooHR system, including the Employment references, conducting Right to Work and DBS checks.
• Preparing and issuing employment contracts, ensuring compliance with employment legislation
• Manage the induction process and arranging induction meetings for new joiners, communicating proactively with hiring managers.
• Coordinate and participate in the virtual phone rota and handle correspondence in a a professional manner.This includes overseeing successful handover between rota team members.
• Supporting the Chief Operations Officer in ensuring the charity meets Health and Safety and legal requirements
• Manage staff IT related activities (Microsoft 365), for example during staff onboarding and offboarding (with support from IT service provider) 
• Support other operational activities as required 

Person specification 

Essential: 

• Analytical and systematic problem-solving attributes 
• Passionate about technology and using it to develop efficiencies 
• Previous HR Administrator experience
• Collaborative approach to business partnering and teamwork across Departments
• Flexible approach to work and solution oriented
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong administrative skills and time management skills 
• Excellent attention to detail and high levels of accuracy
• Able to handle sensitive and private information confidentially and professionally
• Proficient in using Microsoft 365 applications effectively, incl. Sharepoint, data analysis, presentations, and numeracy skills 
• Proactive and supportive team player and willingness to learn
• A commitment to the mission and values of The Access Project 

Desirable: 

Experience of HR information systems
Project management experience 

Benefits: 

• 25 days annual leave p.a. (pro rata) plus Bank Holidays and 5 Winter closure days. 
• PerkBox – online shopping discounts, gym memberships, holidays, wellbeing support. 
• Employee Assistance Programme, a 24-hour helpline for staff 
• Online Medical assistance – access 24/7 to a qualified GP within minutes, with referrals and prescriptions available same-day. 
• Interest-free travelcard loans 
• Cyclescheme loans 
• 2 paid Volunteering Days 
• 1 paid Wellbeing Day 
• Employer’s pensions contributions (3%) 
• Learning and Development opportunities 
• Staff Mentoring scheme 
• The Access Project welcomes requests for flexible working arrangements 

Training Conferences and Events Officer

Exciting opportunity for a Training Conferences and Events Officer – Make an impact today.

Anna Freud is seeking a Training Conferences and Events Officer to join our world-leading mental health charity for children, young people and their families. Our mission is to close the gap in wellbeing and mental health by advancing, translating, delivering, and sharing the best science and practice with everyone who impacts the lives of children, young people and their families. More information about Anna Freud is available on our website.

Our EDI commitment

We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and being an equal opportunities employer, whereby equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are core to our recruitment practices. All candidates who meet the job criteria will be considered for employment, regardless of ethnic origin, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, socioeconomic background, caring responsibilities and care experience.

We ask candidates to share their diversity dimensions with us to help us identify, tackle and prevent bias across the employee lifecycle. We believe a diverse workforce enhances our ability to support mental health and wellbeing, allowing us to better meet the needs of the children, young people and families we serve.

As a Disability Confident employer, disabled candidates meeting our criteria are guaranteed an interview. Applications are submitted anonymously and assessed using a fair evaluation process based on the criteria set out in our job profiles.

What we offer

We offer a range of benefits which you can find on our Careers page

What you’ll do

In this role, you’ll be part of a friendly, collaborative team that delivers high-quality training, conferences, and events for mental health professionals. You’ll play a key part in coordinating sessions, supporting trainers and participants, and keeping our operations running smoothly so that every event feels seamless and well organised

• You’ll coordinate and schedule training, conferences and events (online, in-person and hybrid), liaising with internal colleagues and external partners to ensure smooth delivery.
• You’ll support delivery days by facilitating sessions, handling AV/IT setup, and assisting with any troubleshooting needed during the event.
• As the Training Conferences and Events Officer, you’ll act as the administrative lead for allocated programmes, managing systems, processing bookings and applications, sending invoices, monitoring payments, and ensuring attendee viability.
• You will provide high-quality administrative support to trainers and speakers, including preparing documents, arranging travel within budget, offering Zoom guidance, and organising team meetings with agendas and minutes.
• As the Training Conferences and Events Officer, you’ll maintain accurate data across our systems, manage a high volume of email and phone enquiries, and nurture strong relationships with trainers, supervisors and commissioners to help plan and deliver programmes effectively

What you’ll bring

We’re looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, people-centred environment, bringing strong organisation, calm under pressure, and proven experience in coordinating training or events while delivering an excellent experience for everyone involved.

• Experience coordinating projects or events in a busy, deadline-driven environment, with the ability to manage competing priorities confidently.
• Strong administrative skills, including maintaining accurate records, managing databases, and setting up efficient systems.
• Clear, professional communication skills, enabling you to work effectively with colleagues at all levels as well as external partners, trainers and participants.
• Ability to work independently and take initiative, whilst also collaborating well as part of a supportive team.
• Confident IT capability, including Microsoft Office, online platforms such as Zoom, and familiarity with database systems (e.g., Salesforce)

Key details

Hours: Part-time (17.5hrs) ideally Monday to Friday 09:00 - 12:30, flexibility to support training, conferences and events outside of these hours required

Salary: £31,366 per annum FTE, plus 6% contributory pension scheme

Location: Hybrid (a mixture of home/onsite working): staff are working onsite for at least 20% of their working hours, either at our London site (4-8 Rodney Street, London N1 9JH) or our Northern Hub (Huckletree, The Express Building, 9 Great Ancoats Street, Manchester M4 5AD).

Contract type: Fixed term 6 months

Next steps

Closing date for applications: midday (12pm), Friday, 12 December 2025. Please note that due to high application volumes, we may close this advert early. We encourage you to apply promptly and to keep an eye on our future vacancies for more opportunities.

Notification of interview: shortlisted applicants will be notified no later than Tuesday, 16 December 2025. During shortlisting, applicants are anonymously assessed using the criteria visible in the Job Profile. Please note: due to the high volume of applications received, we will not be able to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

Interviews: will be held in-person/remotely week commencing 12 January 2026

How to apply: click on the 'apply now’ button to apply online. We are unable to accept CVs and kindly request no contact from agencies.

Questions?

Please email with any job enquiries, or if you require assistance or experience difficulties when applying. Please note that successful candidate(s) will be asked to evidence their Right to Work in the UK post-job offer – we do not hold a sponsor license therefore we are unable to provide Visa sponsorship.

Job Title:  Gardener Project Officer for Young Marketeers Knowsley

Position Type: Freelance

Reports to: Project Coordinator

Based at:  Home-working and at schools in Knowsley

Working Hours: 17.5 days @ £165 per day from February – July (£2,887.50) plus 10 x school gardening sessions at £110 per session plus 1 day planning @ £220 (£1,320)

Contract: Temporary

Job Purpose

· To manage the delivery of Young Marketeers in Knowsley in five primary schools

Background to School Food Matters

At School Food Matters we believe that school food can unlock a happier, healthier, more sustainable future for every child. We want a school food system that delivers for all children, so they can enjoy nutritious, delicious and sustainable school food and leave school with an informed and positive relationship with food. To achieve this, we campaign for a better school food system, bringing the voices of children, parents, and teachers to government policy, and deliver fully funded food education programmes in schools across the country.

Young Marketeers

This much-loved programme was started in London in 2012. It is now running in 16 cities across England.  We have been commissioned to deliver the programme in Knowsley by Knowsley Public Health. The programme provides hands-on opportunities for children from primary schools to grow fruit and veg from seed to sell at their local market. Young Marketeers is also a platform for School Food Matters to promote food education to schools and communities as a way to support children to live happy and healthy lives. Children learn the art of growing veg from seed, and market traders will share their secrets on how to create a winning market stall. Primary schools will be visited by our gardener in March/April and then again in May/June and receive further tips on how to ensure a bumper crop. Then in July, they head to the market to sell their produce, and to meet the Mayor!

Key Tasks include:

· Assist with recruitment of five schools to take part in Young Marketeers

· Build and maintain relationships with teachers, teaching assistants and senior leaders to ensure the smooth running of the project

· Build and support relationships with contacts in partner organisations

· Schedule, organise and deliver

o One assembly in each school

o Two food growing sessions in each school

o One market trader training session in each school

o Market Day in the city centre in July for all schools

· Maintain accurate records relating to the programme

• Complete monitoring and evaluation forms in accordance with instructions from our Evaluation team
• Take photos of workshops and events where possible
• Keep Project Coordinator fully updated on progress

· Keep up to date with safeguarding requirements and reporting procedures

• Maintain the ethos of the charity and positively promote our work at all times

Person specification

 Essential

· Experience of delivering food growing sessions to children

· Knowledge of fruit and vegetable growing

· Excellent administrative and organisational skills with great attention to detail

· Excellent IT skills including excel, word and email

· Experience of building relationships with partner organisations and individuals

· Ability to work in a team, and seek help when needed

· Self-motivated and optimistic with a can-do attitude

Desirable

· Experience of working for a charity or not for profit organisation

· Experience of working in primary schools and engaging children

Job Title: Hertfordshire Project Assistant

Salary: £27,150 (London Fringe weighting)

Position Type: Full time/Fixed term (until December 2028)

Reports to: Scaling Manager

Based at: Remote, with travel to schools in Hertfordshire

Working Hours: 5 days a week, 9am-5pm (flexible)

Pension: School Food Matters matches pension contributions at 7% of pensionable earnings

Holiday: 31 days including bank holidays that fall on working days. Holidays must be taken during the school holidays

This role requires occasional work outside of core hours (for example, if visiting a school breakfast club). It also requires travel to schools across Hertfordshire, so access to a car would be desirable. Training for delivery of the programme will be provided online and in person, and you will be expected to travel outside of Hertfordshire for some of these sessions.

Background to School Food Matters

At School Food Matters we believe that school food can unlock a happier, healthier, more sustainable future for every child. We want a school food system that delivers for all children, so they can enjoy nutritious, delicious and sustainable school food and leave school with an informed and positive relationship with food. To achieve this, we campaign for a better school food system, bringing the voices of children, parents, and teachers to government policy, and deliver fully funded food education programmes in schools across the country.

Background to Nourish

Our Nourish programme supports schools to create a food environment that puts children and young people's nutrition first. The evidence-based, multi-component programme helps schools to develop action plans and policies to cover the food served across the whole school day. Nourish uses a collaborative whole school approach to food involving everyone across the school community to create lasting positive change.

Job purpose

· To support two Project Officers with the delivery of Nourish in 40 schools in Hertfordshire (primary, secondary and SEND settings) over 3 years

Key tasks include

· Recruit schools to take part in Nourish

· Shadow and support project team to deliver in person food audits in schools

· Build relationships and work closely with teachers, teaching assistants, cooks, kitchen teams and senior leaders in schools in Hertfordshire to improve the food they offer their students

· Provide practical support to the project team with setting up workshops including paperwork and food shopping

· Provide admin support to the project team

· Tailor Nourish resources for Hertfordshire schools where required

· Collect data and maintain accurate records relating to the project

· Gather content for our comms team, website and social media platforms

· Keep project team fully updated on progress

· Keep up to date with safeguarding requirements and reporting procedures.

· Maintaining the ethos of the charity and positively promoting our work at all times

· You will also be expected to undertake any other tasks relevant to the affairs of SFM that may arise from time to time. Therefore, being flexible and approaching the job with an open and positive mindset is essential.

Person Specification

Essential

· Excellent administrative and organisational skills with great attention to detail

· Excellent IT skills including excel, word and email

· Ability to work in a team, and seek help when needed

· Comfortable engaging with variety of audiences (students, school staff and parents), incl. writing and responding to email, conducting telephone, virtual and face to face meetings, and running workshops

· Self-motivated and optimistic with a can-do attitude

Desirable

· Experience of working for a charity or not for profit organisation

· Experience of working in schools

· An interest in food education and children’s health

· Access to a car

Summary

EduSpots is an innovative, dynamic, and community-orientated UK and Ghanaian registered charity which connects, trains, and equips grassroots voluntary educators (named ‘Catalysts’) to drive community-led change through education spaces named ‘Spots’. Our vision is of a world in which communities unite to create the futures they want to see, through education.

Since 2016, through collaborating with over 400 local voluntary community educators and actors – named ‘Catalysts’ – who take a central leadership role in the development of the network, we have supported 50 communities in creating and running community-led and owned education spaces named ‘Spots’’. Together, we are developing a model for a community-led education space with accompanying network engagement that could have global relevance. 

Our Ghana-based team creates collaborative learning opportunities through three leadership programmes for Catalysts which are increasingly facilitated by the EduSpots app: the Ignite, Catalyse and Inspire Mentoring Programmes. These enable the Catalysts to lead EduKidz (early years education), DigLit (digital literacy), EcoSTEM (STEM and environmental education) and Ignite Equity (gender equity) clubs for learners typically aged 3-16, alongside locally designed education projects, reaching over 10,000 learners of all ages annually. 

We are in an exciting period of our development, having more than doubled our income, programme breadth and reach in the last two years, with a recent independent evaluation by Expectation State offering further evidence in support of our model’s outcomes. We have been recently selected for two accelerator programmes, who are supporting us as we consider the scaling potential of our model. In the period, we are aiming to double our network reach, bringing an additional 50 Spots into the network.

We won the Tes International Award in 2018 and the Big Give Supporters’ Choice Award in 2022, and we were recently selected as a finalist for the 2023 Their World Scale-Up Innovation Prize. In 2021, our Founder was a Finalist in the UNESCO-backed $1 million Global Teacher Prize.

We are excited by our future. 

About this role 

The Global Head of Operations is a new role being introduced in 2026 with the core purpose of strengthening systems, processes and strategic delivery across both EduSpots Global and EduSpots Ghana, offering hands-on support to the CEO and wider staff across a range of areas.

In this senior role, you will work closely alongside the CEO, offering her the advice and skills needed to move EduSpots successfully through a complex period of growth in a challenging fundraising context, enabling more learners and Catalysts to participate in a unique community-led model of education, whilst sharing our practice more widely.

We are looking for an organised and empathetic strategic leader, ideally with strong or developing skills across project management, finance, HR and MEL skills and an ability to work independently in a fast moving work environment.

This role has the potential to grow into a Director of Global Operations or Deputy CEO role in time for outstanding candidates, and carries significant organisation-wide responsibility.

Candidates should hold a genuine passion for educational equity, a strong belief in the power of community-led models to transform lives at scale and a high level of flexibility in a fast-changing yet friendly and playful work environment.

Whilst this role is remote, and open to all global candidates, you will need to have understanding and experience of UK law, accounting and policy development, or a strong appetite to build experience in this area quickly.

Main duties and responsibilities 

Systems

• Work with the CEO and staff to proactively strengthen systems and processes across the organisation, including monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks and operations. 
• Support the wider team with IT, including general skill development, leading the Google Space system. 
• Monitor compliance to organisational policies and lead the quarterly review of the organisational risk register, working with the Ghana Head of Operations. 

Finance 

• Work with the Finance and Admin Officer to produce monthly and quarterly global management accounts, cash flow analysis and to complete the annual audit. 
• Lead the financial planning of the organisation, working with the CEO and the Ghana Head of Operations to create the annual budget. 
• Work with the Ghana Head of Operations to strengthen financial systems, processes, and training across the organisation. 
• Work with the Ghana Head of Operations to prepare budgets for funding bids as needed.
• Work with the grants team to track grant spending and produce consolidated financial reports (including expenditure from the UK and Ghana) for donors. 
• Ensure EduSpots’ new accounting software (QuickBooks) is fully embedded and utilised.
• Oversee bank account management, including payments, checking bank statements, and reviewing bank reconciliations for UK and Ghana.
• Ensure staff payroll (likely to be outsourced) and payments to freelancers / consultants are done accurately and in a timely manner.

HR

• Work alongside the CEO, Head of Operations, Safeguarding and Inclusion Managers  and wider staff to develop strategies to sustain and strengthen a high performing and friendly work culture. 
• Work across the team to strengthen HR and performance management structures, informed by best practice and legal frameworks. 
• Lead the recruitment of staff, consultants and volunteers in the UK (advertising roles, drafting contracts, contacting referees and completing all filing and administration relating to recruitment).
• Onboard new staff, provide training on policies and procedures, and track key information (leave, appraisals, etc) for UK staff. 
• Regularly review and keep the Staff Handbook up to date.
• Depending on skill-set, work with the CEO to lead professional development for staff across the organisation, liaising with trustees and advisory group members.

Administration & Governance

• Manage and maintain databases and our Google Drive system. 
• Ensure compliance with GDPR and adherence to our child safeguarding and protection policy. 
• Maintain insurance renewals, tracking and filing.
• Review and keep up to date all organisational policies in line with current legislation, working with the Trustees and Directors. 
• Assist the CEO in the administration relating to EduSpots’ governance, including board meeting arrangements and minute taking.
• Support the CEO in all ad-hoc tasks that arise, working closely alongside her to ensure the smooth running of the organisation. 

Strategic insight 

• Work closely with the CEO and staff/Catalysts across the organisation to ensure all EduSpots’ decision-making is strategic and in the best interests of the Catalysts, Sparks and Communities we partner with. 

Other areas 

• Depending on experience, you may in time take on management responsibilities for some staff, but this role is principally a systems strengthening and quality improvement role, working closely with the CEO to offer advice and additional capacity. 
• Depending on experience, you may support with grants writing / management and/or community fundraising. Experience of fundraising would be of significant benefit to the organisation in this key leadership role. 

Personal Specification 

Essential 

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience of operations in a small/medium charity context. 
• Self-starter with the ability to hit the ground running and work with minimal supervision with high levels of flexibility.
• Self-motivated, with an ability to motivate and energise others.
• High level strategic understanding, critical thinking and the ability to strengthen systems in a fast-paced high performance environment.
• Excellent communication, both oral and written.
• The ability to thrive and adapt in a fast-paced, creative and impact-driven culture. 
• Strong administrative skills with a high level of attention to detail. 
• Experience in creating user-friendly tools and processes to support project and quality management.
• Experience using Google Suite, with strong Excel skills.
• Tech savvy – ability to learn new tech tools efficiently.
• Experience coordinating others. 
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills with strong empathy and cultural sensitivity 
• Strong personal alignment with the mission, vision and values of EduSpots. 

Highly desirable 

• Experience supporting charity Boards, and working with external bodies including auditors, tax authorities, and other official bodies is highly desirable.
• Experience complying and strong familiarity with UK charity regulations and requirements.
• Experience preparing budgets and financial reports for donors/grants. 
• Experience of working in a cross-cultural team.
• Experience of working with an international charity would be advantageous. 

Please send a tailored covering letter and CV addressed to the CEO Miss Cat Davison by Wednesday 31st December with a hope to meet shortlisted candidates for a first-round interview in the week starting Monday 12th January.