Program officer jobs

BACKGROUND

This is an exciting opportunity to join the legal aid casework team at Asylum Aid. You will be responsible for coordinating and delivering the billing of our legal aid work (including controlled work, certificated work and inter partes bills), which is vital to ensure the financial sustainability of our work. Asylum Aid holds legal aid contracts in the immigration & asylum and public law categories.

For thirty-five years, Asylum Aid has been providing legal representation to some of the most vulnerable people seeking asylum. We have built an expert service, delivering vital and life-saving services in some of the most complex legal cases, with a particular speciality working with unaccompanied children, survivors of trafficking, torture or other forms of human cruelty, and stateless people. Our vision is that all those in need of protection from persecution and other forms of human cruelty in the UK can obtain it, and are treated fairly and with dignity.

Since August 2020, Asylum Aid has been part of the Helen Bamber Foundation Group. Asylum Aid operates as an independent charity, led by its own Executive Director within the group structure, and is ambitious about growing its impact and reach in the future to ensure protection from persecution for those who need it. 

ABOUT THE ROLE

This role would suit a person with strong attention to detail and excellent organisational skills and numeracy. The ideal candidate will have already embarked on or be looking to develop a career providing excellent legal aid billing support and coordination essential to the financial sustainability of legal aid practice, whether within the charity sector or private practice. You will have a strong commitment to the values of Asylum Aid and an understanding of the importance of sound legal aid billing practices to our continued ability to provide our expert service to our clients. Prior experience is not essential as full training will be given and peer support is available.

The focus of the role of billing coordinator is to ensure the efficient and robust delivery of costing and billing of legal aid files conducted under Legal Aid Agency (LAA) contract (Legal Help / Controlled Legal Representation and certificated work) as well as liaising with external costs lawyers to oversee the preparation of Inter Partes bills and negotiations with the paying party where we have obtained an order for our costs in judicial review proceedings.  This includes reconciliation of Legal Aid Agency payments received and made, and to provide essential coordination within the organisation to support lawyers in ensuring files are billed promptly and accurately, and costs are maximized. The billing coordinator will work with the Director of Legal Casework to develop and maintain an effective tracking system to ensure timely progression from case closure to billing.

This role will work closely with the Legal Team of Asylum Aid and the Finance team of the Helen Bamber Foundation Group. You will also have access to the London Legal Support Trust Centres of Excellence legal aid billing peer support group and peer-to-peer support.

As this is a new role, there will be clear targets set as to the additional legal aid income brought in as a result of the extra capacity it will bring and a review will be undertaken after 12 months as to whether it is having the desired impact on our legal aid income.

Equal Opportunities

Our commitment to principles of equity, diversity and inclusion is an integral part of our approach to our clients, our volunteers and our staff, and we are an equal opportunities and Living Wage employer.

We are committed to attracting and recruiting diverse candidates because we are keen to make sure that our staff, trustees, volunteers and ambassadors reflect the communities we serve and the wider community we work in.

We genuinely welcome and encourage applications from candidates from range of backgrounds, especially people of colour, people with disabilities, people from low socio-economic backgrounds, refugees, stateless people and others with lived experience of forced migration or trauma who are under-represented in our organisation.

We recognise and value the role of lived experience in meeting the needs of our clients and acknowledge the under-representation of people with lived experience of forced migration and statelessness in the refugee and migration sectors. We value experience gained overseas as well as in the UK and you will receive full training to enable you to transfer your knowledge and skills to the UK context.

How to apply 

Please note that the successful candidate will be offered the job subject to suitable references and a basic DBS check.

If appointed you will be required to give your consent to Asylum Aid to receive regular updates on your criminal records status throughout your employment. 

The first stage is to complete on our online application form on our website by 9.00am on 12 May 2025

The website form will ask you to:

1. Upload a short covering letter. Please tell us why the position appeals to you, and how your

relevant skills and experience, including any voluntary experience and lived experience, matches the listed responsibilities and person specification. Please also state in your covering letter when you would be available to start the role.

2. Upload your current CV

3. Complete an online Equal Opportunities monitoring form – completion of this form will help us ensure that our recruitment procedures operate in such a way as to provide genuine equality of opportunity. The questions are entirely optional and this information will not be available to members of the selection panel.

Selection Process

We anticipate that we will invite candidates to an initial 15-minute online screening meeting week commencing 19 May 2025, followed by shortlisted candidates attending in-person interview week commencing 26 May 2025. We will also ask you to complete a short written task ahead of/on the day.

At Helen Bamber Foundation Group we want to be transparent about what kind of qualities we are looking for and build trust from the very beginning of your journey with us. The first step is your interview, and we mean ‘your’ interview so we will provide you with your interview questions ahead of the interview. This will allow you time to prepare, and ensure you have your best examples in mind.

We regret that we can only respond to applicants who make it to the interview stage.

We offer a guaranteed interview for refugees, stateless people and others with lived experience of forced migration, provided that they meet at least 50% of the essential criteria.

Eligibility

Please note that the successful candidate must have the right to work in the UK (as a small charity we do not have the capacity to sponsor work visas).

Successful candidates will also be subject to a basic DBS check. If appointed, you will also be required to give your consent to the charity to receive regular updates on your criminal records status throughout your employment and to disclose any relevant convictions incurred during your time with us.

Adjustments

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible. If you require a different format of the application form, such as large print or Word format, or if you would like to discuss any specific requirements, please get in touch with us though phone or email.

Experts by Experience Support

We are also proud to be a member of the Experts by Experience Employment Network , which aims to increase representation of people with lived experience in the charitable sector.

If you are an expert by experience (a refugee or a migrant with direct, first-hand experience of issues and challenges of the UK asylum or immigration system), you can ask for an independent and confidential support for your job application from the Experts by Experience Employment Network and access other information and resources at  which may help in preparing your job application. .

Please complete this form request support and they will confirm if they can match you with a mentor to support your application

Who are Guts UK Charity?

Guts UK Charity is committed to a world where digestive conditions are better understood, better treated and everyone who lives with one gets the support they need. Too many people are suffering or dying in silence or alone. They don’t know where to turn for information or support, diagnosis takes too long for many, and treatment can often come too late.​

We are the only UK charity funding research into the digestive system. We raise vital awareness of digestive conditions, fund life-saving research, and provide patients and loved ones with expert information and support – we are informed by evidence and expertise, our community, and the patient voice.​ 

Our mission is simple: to improve the lives of millions of people affected by digestive conditions 

The role of Helpline Advisor

For several years, Guts UK have provided information, support and guidance to our community over the phone and by email. This year, we’re formalising that service into a professional Helpline and are looking for someone to join our small, talented support team.

During the initial 6-month trial period, the Helpline phone lines will be open Monday to Friday, 10am to 2pm, but this may expand or change later in the year. Queries could be received via phone, email or web-query form.

​As a member of the Helpline team, you will offer on demand information, support, guidance and signposting primarily to enquirers living with, or caring for those with, digestive conditions and symptoms. The support offered will include receiving calls, emails and web form queries from people who are looking for more information about their digestive condition, need to know where they can turn to for support, or are waiting on a diagnosis and need help navigating how to get there. You will provide appropriate information, guidance and signposting to our own information and other external support organisations. As a charity, Guts UK covers all digestive symptoms and conditions, across the whole of the UK, and so no two days will be the same and queries will be diverse and interesting.

The role holder will man the Helpline (alongside others from the team) from 10am to 2pm (with a 30-minute lunch break) and during that time will receive, respond to and appropriately log phone calls, web-queries and emails.

Who we’re looking for?

· Do you want to make a difference every day?

· Do you have resilience & adaptability and thrive in a small, close knit team?

· Are you passionate about customer service and care?

· Do you want to empower people to understand and improve their own health management?

Ideally, we are looking for someone who has already spent time working on a helpline service (even better if it’s a charity helpline service) but we will consider applications from candidates if they have demonstrable customer service, and telephone experience.

Location

The Helpline team have a secure office space in our Huddersfield based office in which they can handle confidential calls and information. This is supported by hybrid working, with team members able to work from home as well.

Please see the attached detail job pack for further information and how to apply. 

Job Title: Eastern European Floating Support Worker 

Location: Hybrid working with a requirement to occasionally work at Head Office (Vauxhall, London) and co-locations across London
Salary: £28,857.12 per annum inclusive of London weighting if applicable
Contract type: This post is Fixed Term Contract until March 2026. There is a possible extension of contract depending on funding

Hours: 37.5 hours per week 

We are recruiting for Floating Support Worker who will support the Ascent Pan London Service in building sustainable referral pathways and joint working protocols with a range of partners working with survivors of domestic abuse

You will provide capacity-building in the form of advice, advocacy, support, and briefings across the London boroughs to statutory agencies and community organizations around the needs of Eastern European domestic abuse survivors, to embed best practice across our communities. 

It is desirable for candidates to be proficient in one or more Eastern European languages.

You will have proven experience of providing direct emotional and practical support to women as well as up-to-date knowledge of legislation relating to survivors of gender-based violence. You will have excellent casework skills, good written and verbal communication skills, clear professional boundaries and be a proactive team player. All candidates must demonstrate a commitment to the feminist values of empowerment and equality which underpin all of our work. 

The post holder will provide a high-quality personal welfare support service to Eastern European survivors of domestic abuse and other forms of violence and abuse and their children. The post holder will empower Eastern European survivors by providing them with emotional and practical support, including support to access safe accommodation. 

The post holder will provide capacity building in the form of advice, advocacy, support and briefings across the London boroughs to statutory agencies and community organizations around the needs of Eastern European domestic abuse survivors, to embed best practice across our communities. 

Please note that this post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

Closing Date: 09:00am 16 May 2025

Interview Date: 27 May 2025

Refuge is the UK’s largest provider of specialist services, and we are proud to be a leader in our field and an employer of choice, with leading edge systems for supervision, quality management and development.

Refuge offers a variety of exciting opportunities to learn, develop and grow in your career. We recognise the value everyone brings to the organisation to achieve our aims and are dedicated to developing and rewarding our staff. More details of our benefits can be found in Job Information Pack.

Job Title: Duty Independent Gender Violence Advocate (Duty IGVA)

Location: Lambeth, London
Salary: £23,085.69 per annum, inclusive of London weighting allowance 
Contract type: Part Time, Permanent 

Hours: 30 hours per week (days to be discussed). Please note that the the operating hours of the service are 8AM- 6PM Monday- Friday with the expectation to work on some days 8- 4pm or 10- 6pm to cover. 

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as a Duty Independent Domestic Violence Advocate to be the first point of contact for women who are impacted by domestic violence. You will work closely with victims of domestic abuse from the point of crisis and other gender-based abuse to provide high quality independent support to survivors all risk levels and their children..

In this role you will be part of a busy team. You will be the first point of contact for survivors who have been referred to the Gaia Centre. The duty IGVA will be responding to daily enquiries (specify from whom- public, agencies, individuals? over the phone and email as well as contacting survivors, assessing their risks and needs.

The duty IGVA will be responsible for carrying out and implementing safety plans and needs and will ensure an effective handover to the over to the relevant GAIA team for ongoing support. The post holder will also empower survivors by providing them with emotional, practical and personal welfare support. You will ensure that survivors are provided with a safe, supportive and welcoming environment, enabling them to access their rights, make decisions and increase their life options. The job involves working within a multi-agency framework consisting of the MARAC and local partnership protocols and procedures that prioritise the safety of survivors.

As part of this role, you will be required to participate in an out-of-hours on call rota.

Please note that this post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

For this role we pay a Recruitment and Retention Allowance to external candidates of £1500 (pro rata for part time roles). This is paid in two payments – half on commencement in the role and the other half following the successful completion of probation. The allowance is subject to deduction for tax and NI.

Refuge is the UK’s largest provider of specialist services, and we are proud to be a leader in our field and an employer of choice, with leading edge systems for supervision, quality management and development.

Refuge offers a variety of exciting opportunities to learn, develop and grow in your career. We recognise the value everyone brings to the organisation to achieve our aims and are dedicated to developing and rewarding our staff. More details of our benefits can be found in Job Information Pack.

Job Title: Independent Domestic Violence Advocate

Location: Warwickshire
Salary: £25,857.12 per annum
Contract type: Full Time, Fixed Term Contract (21/01/2026)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

We want kind and empathic people to work at Refuge, who believe in equality, diversity, and inclusion, are experts in their area of knowledge, want to make a positive difference and improve the lives of the women and children we support.

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as an Independent Domestic Violence Advocate supporting women and children who are impacted by domestic violence. You will work closely with victims of domestic abuse from the point of crisis, to provide high quality independent advocacy and support to survivors of domestic abuse at the highest risk and their children.

The role will be part of increasing the ability of partner agencies to recognize, reject and respond appropriately and safely to all forms of gender-based violence (including domestic violence, sexual, financial, and emotional abuse, female genital mutilation, forced marriage and honor-based violence).

This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies. 

Closing Date: 6 May 2025

Interview Date: 15 May 2025

Job Title: Deputy Service Manager

Location: Lambeth, London
Salary: £37,635 per annum
Contract type: Full Time, Permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

We want kind and empathic people to work at Refuge, who believe in equality, diversity, and inclusion, are experts in their area of knowledge, want to make a positive difference and improve the lives of the women and children we support.

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as a Deputy Service Manager to support women and children who are impacted by domestic abuse and other forms of violence against women and girls.

In this role you will provide line management and support to staff who work with and help women and their children who experienced domestic abuse and are staying living in our refuges. Our Lambeth refuges are culturally specific services for women and children of African and Caribbean heritage. This will include providing supervision on complex casework issues such as child protection, overseeing operational emergencies and ensuring high standards of casework.

This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

As part of this role, you will be required to participate in an out-of-hours on call rota. 

Closing Date: 09:00am 6 May 2025

Interview Date: 14 and 15 May 2025

Refuge is the UK’s largest provider of specialist services, and we are proud to be a leader in our field and an employer of choice, with leading edge systems for supervision, quality management and development. 

Refuge offers a variety of exciting opportunities to learn, develop and grow in your career. We recognise the value everyone brings to the organisation to achieve our aims and are dedicated to developing and rewarding our staff. More details of our benefits can be found in Job Information Pack.

Job Title: Independent Domestic Violence Advocate

Location: Warwickshire
Salary: £25,857.12 per annum
Contract type: Full Time, Permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

We want kind and empathic people to work at Refuge, who believe in equality, diversity, and inclusion, are experts in their area of knowledge, want to make a positive difference and improve the lives of the women and children we support.

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as an Independent Domestic Violence Advocate supporting women and children who are impacted by domestic violence. You will work closely with victims of domestic abuse from the point of crisis, to provide high quality independent advocacy and support to survivors of domestic abuse at the highest risk and their children.

The role will be part of increasing the ability of partner agencies to recognize, reject and respond appropriately and safely to all forms of gender-based violence (including domestic violence, sexual, financial, and emotional abuse, female genital mutilation, forced marriage and honor-based violence).

This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies. 

Closing Date: 09:00am 6 May 2025

Interview Date: 16 May 2025

Ambitious, professional, committed and friendly.  That describes us.  If it also describes you and you have a passion for corporate fundraising, then we’re keen to hear from you.

We have 600 volunteers supporting unrepresented litigants in the civil and family courts in England and Wales, helping over 50,000 times last year.  At a time when legal support is increasingly limited, we have a vision that no one should have to go to court alone.  To make this vision a reality we have a focused fundraising strategy to ensure the charity has the resources it needs and our corporate partnerships are key.

We’re looking for a Corporate Partnerships Manager (Maternity Cover) to join our team, to steward existing partnerships and grow new connections, especially with those in the legal sector.  As well as running our Guardians’ network, you’ll arrange key supporter events and develop bespoke partnerships.

It’s a busy role and you’ll be supported by an assistant and a close working fundraising team. You’ll also be able to build on the firm foundations we already have in place. 

We’re open to applications from experienced corporate fundraisers, as well as corporate fundraisers ready to step up into managing the corporate income streams.

Interviews will be held on the 14th May 2025