Programme Design Coordinator Jobs in Birmingham

Hybrid working – Within commuting distance of Redcar, Doncaster, Blackburn, Birmingham, London, Bradford, Bristol or Liverpool

We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic Marketing Manager to join our national Partnerships team. You will be responsible for designing and delivering end-to-end recruitment marketing campaigns, working with our external digital agency.

The National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) has an unswerving commitment to high-quality, evidence-informed teacher education and is on a mission to improve the quality of teacher and leader development across the system. Our programmes are designed by teachers and leaders who understand the joys and pressures of school life. We work in collaboration with schools across the country, ensuring that our findings benefit all schools, teachers and leaders.

The Partnerships team is responsible for the marketing, communication and recruitment of all our programmes nationally, as well as developing our brand and story and sharing our research. 

About the role

To be successful, you will have multiple years of campaign marketing experience and the ability to use and analyse data and work with senior stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.

As the Marketing Manager, you will be responsible for designing and delivering end-to-end recruitment marketing campaigns, working with our external digital agency. This is a hybrid role, and it is anticipated that the postholder will work on campus one day per fortnight. We offer flexible working and are open to considering part-time hours for the right candidate.

This is a role with great variety and the opportunity to own national strategy and make a difference.

As Marketing Manager, you will:

• Support the Director of Recruitment and Marketing to ensure successful recruitment for programmes.
• Design, implement and lead annual marketing strategies, including digital, print and in-person.
• Develop marketing toolkits that can be utilised by regional and AC staff.
• Work in close partnership with programme colleagues to ensure campaigns highlight and promote programme USPs and are a true reflection of the participant experience.
• Develop the brand guidelines and support our key stakeholders to live by these guidelines, ensuring that we develop a clearly distinct NIoT voice, look and feel.
• Coordinate and support relevant events (centrally and in our four regions) that support recruitment.
• Work closely with our Communications Manager, PR and Policy Manager and Events Coordinator to ensure alignment of activities and a comprehensive brand offer.
• Supported by the Head of Recruitment and Marketing, manage the marketing budget to ensure value for money.

We think a wide range of different work and educational experiences could support you to be successful in this role. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities.

Key benefits:

• Highly competitive pay and pay progression opportunities.
• Flexible start and end working times.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working.
• At least 27 days’ holiday a year (plus 8 bank holidays) rising to 33 days after five years’ service.
• Entry to the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• A stimulating, supportive and rewarding working environment with a dedicated team of like-minded professionals.
• Excellent opportunities to develop your skills and experience and to progress your career.

For more information and to apply, please visit our vacancies page.

Closing date: 6 April 2025.

This post requires a satisfactory enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) with a Children’s Barred List Check, and an Occupational Health Check is required as a condition of employment.

The Move 8 Week Young People’s Programme has experienced remarkable growth, with referrals increasing by 109% between 2021/22 and 2023/24. To meet the growing demand while maintaining high standards, we are recruiting a Cancer Rehab Specialist Lead.

This role is critical to overseeing the delivery, development, and impact of the MOVE 8 Week Young People's Programme. As the team lead, you will manage Cancer Rehab Specialists and a team of freelancers. You'll aslso be working in collaboration with your line manager to drive innovation, patnerships, and excellence and have your own caseload of young people.

Leadership and Team Management

• Lead and manage the Cancer Rehab Specialist and a pool of freelancers delivering aspects of the programme.
• Foster a collaborative and supportive team environment, ensuring clarity of roles and responsibilities.
• Provide ongoing guidance, performance management, and professional development for the team.

Direct Support to Participants

• Provide one-on-one support to young people with a focus on physical activity and wellbeing.
• Develop MOVE’s support for 13-30 year olds following Proton Beam Therapy, and building relationships with key stakeholders and Health Care Professionals.
• Ensure participants receive tailored support, including one-to-one sessions and resources to enhance their rehabilitation journey.
• Work alongside your line manager to monitor participant outcomes and satisfaction, using data insights to continually improve service delivery.

Partnerships, Advocacy and systems change

• Build and maintain relationships with healthcare providers, community organisations, and other key stakeholders to support young people and raise awareness on the benefits of physical activity.
• Advocate the benefits of physical activity during and after cancer treatment at professional events and conferences.
• Collaborate with healthcare professionals to embed physical activity in cancer care pathways, planning and delivering workshops to contribute towards this.

Programme Development and Growth

• Develop and implement innovative improvements to the 8 Week Programme based on participant feedback and best practices in cancer rehabilitation, for example by managing and refining referral processes to reduce waiting times and improve participant experiences.
• Work with your line manager to design and implement scalable systems and processes to support sustainable growth of the programme.
• Embed equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) principles in all activities, ensuring accessibility for underserved and diverse communities.
• Collaborate with internal teams to align the programme with organisational goals and secure funding opportunities.

Impact Evaluation and Reporting

• Work with the Programme Coordinator to oversee the collection and analysis of relevant data to evaluate the programme’s effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
• Work with your line manager to write reports for stakeholders, funders, and senior leadership, highlighting achievements and demonstrating impact.
• Identify participant stories and successes to share with the marketing and communications team.

Person Specification

Essential Requirements

• Cancer Rehab Level 4 Training or equivalent
• Proven experience leading teams, including freelancers or contractors, in a health, cancer care, or rehabilitation context.
• Strong understanding of the role of physical activity in cancer rehabilitation and recovery.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with experience managing diverse stakeholders.
• Organisational skills to support multiple aspects of programme delivery and team management effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to innovate, solve problems, and drive service improvements.
• Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion principles, with experience working with underserved communities.
• Cocreating with young people

Desirable Requirements

• Relevant qualifications in cancer rehabilitation, health promotion, or a related field.
• Experience in managing budgets and contributing to funding applications or grants.
• Familiarity with safeguarding and data protection regulations.
• Programme development experience

MOVE Benefits

Salary: £34,000 (pro rata)

Contract: 1 Year Part-Time (4 days per week) with potential to extend

Location: Remote, with occasional travel for events, workshops and meetings (Please note that this role is only available for applicants with the right to work in the UK)

The post is subject to a six months’ probationary period. We understand the importance of a work-life balance and respect individual needs.

Annual Leave: Generous allocation of 28 days of holiday leave (pro rata if part-time)

Special Day Off: Your Birthday

Extended Holiday Break: Our charity closes down in between Christmas and New Year, giving you the opportunity to enjoy some additional time off over the festive period.

Pension Benefits: Pension plan through NEST (National Employment Savings Trust)

Flexible Working Arrangements and Hours: We believe in empowering our employees to manage their time effectively. This is a remote working role (within the UK) with travel for team meetings and other work-related events.

How to apply

• Produce a document no longer than 2 sides of A4, outlining why your skills, experience and personal motivation make you the right person for this role. Please also attach your CV.
• Please provide name and contact details of two referees that we would contact if shortlisted.
• Please use your name in the subject header of the email and the file name of the document.
• Please send these to recruitment@movecharityorg
• For an informal discussion before applying, please email interim charity lead nazmeen.wardle-bi@movecharityorg
• Closing date to apply for this role is Wednesday 26th March
• If you would prefer to submit your application in an alternative format, please feel free to choose your own approach to convey the information requested.

Equal Opportunities and Diversity Statement:

MOVE Against Cancer is an equal opportunities employer, values diversity and is strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment.

Key Application and interview information:

There will be two stages of the interview process. The first stage will be virtual via video call and for those invited to the second stage, the interview will take place in-person in Manchester.

Data Protection Statement

For information about how we use your data, please contact us.

Safeguarding

Move Against Cancer is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all individuals who participate in our programmes and all staff and volunteers. Successful candidates will be required to carry out a disclosure and barring check.

Adoption & Foster Programmes Manager Freelancer (Dog Behaviour & Training Specialist) for ROLDA UK

Contract Type: Self-employed, permanent
Hours: Part-time (potential for full-time for the right candidate)
Salary: £28,000 per annum (pro-rata)
Location: Remote
Reporting To: CEO
Organisational Structure:
Works closely with Head of Fundraising (adoption success stories), Social Media Manager (social media promotion), and Adoption coordinator (shared dog allocation between the UK and Sweden).

About us
Thank you for your interest in our Adoption and Foster Programmes Manager role.
ROLDA (Romanian League in Defence of Animals) is a small but dedicated animal welfare charity committed to improving the lives of dogs, cats, and other animals in Romania and internationally. Since its establishment in 2006, ROLDA has been a beacon of hope for the millions of vulnerable stray animals in Romania—one of Europe’s economically poorest nations.
Our mission is to manage the homeless animal population, estimated to be in the millions, through six key areas of focus: rescue, rehabilitation, sheltering, sterilisation, rehoming, and education. Within our shelters—designed with inspiration from British kennel models and maintained to meet EU animal welfare standards—we can accommodate up to 700 stray
rescued animals at a time. Here, they receive full veterinary care, rehabilitation, and preparation for adoption.
Since 2006, we have helped over 80,000 animals, primarily dogs and cats, and have built two dedicated dog shelters and a facility for disabled and senior cats. In addition to our direct rescue and rehoming efforts, we provide financial support, primarily through small grants to other charities in Romania and approx 40 shelters in Ukraine. Our rehoming efforts primarily focus on Switzerland, Sweden, and the UK.
Beyond rescue and sheltering, ROLDA actively addresses the root cause of Romania’s homeless animal crisis through comprehensive neutering programmes and educational initiatives. 
We are proud of the work we do and remain committed to building a better future for Romania’s stray animals through rescue, rehabilitation, and long-term solutions.

Role Overview
We are seeking a dedicated Adoption & Foster Programmes Manager with expertise in dog behaviour and training to oversee and enhance our adoption and foster care initiatives. This role requires strong experience with stray dogs, excellent communication skills, and the ability to build relationships with adopters, foster carers, and behaviourists.

Key Responsibilities
Adoption Programme:

• Ensure smooth adoption processes by clearly communicating guidelines and expectations to adopters before the adoption is approved/dog is transported in the UK .
• Conduct pre- and post-adoption home checks in collaboration with volunteer organisations.
• Provide ongoing post-adoption support, answering queries and addressing concerns.
• Maintain regular communication with adopters to gather feedback and updates.
• Ensure dogs available for adoption are well-advertised.

Foster Programme Development:

• Create a structured and sustainable foster programme.
• Establish 1-3 reliable foster homes (to start with) for cases where adoptions fail.
• Develop a plan to expand the foster network over time.
• Determine the costs associated with the foster programme and identify potential funding sources to support it.

Dog Behaviour & Training Support:

• Provide training tips and behavioural guidance to adopters.
• Build and maintain relationships with 1-2 UK-based dog behaviourists
• Offer expert advice to adopters on handling behavioural challenges.

Communication & Relationship Management:

• Act as the key contact for adopters, providing timely advice and support in emergencies.
• Handle difficult situations with professionalism, ensuring positive representation of ROLDA.
• Gather and manage adopter feedback to improve the adoption process.

Required Skills & Experience

• Experience working with stray dogs, ideally having adopted or fostered strays personally.
• Strong knowledge of dog behaviour and training techniques.
• Ability to connect with and collaborate with professional dog behaviourists.
• Experience in managing or developing foster care programmes.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain processes clearly and support adopters effectively.
• Patience and professionalism when dealing with challenging situations.

Person Specification
Essential:

• Experience working with stray dogs, ideally having adopted or fostered strays personally.
• Strong knowledge of dog behaviour and training techniques.
• Ability to provide clear training advice and behavioural support to adopters.
• Experience in managing or developing foster care programmes.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain processes clearly and support adopters effectively.
• Patience and professionalism when dealing with challenging situations.
• Ability to work independently and proactively to improve the adoption and foster programs.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to handle sensitive situations with empathy.
• Good organisational and administrative skills, including record-keeping and follow-ups.
• A flexible approach to working, including occasional tasks outside core responsibilities.

Desirable:

• Previous experience in an adoption or fostering role within an animal welfare organisation.
• Established connections with professional dog behaviourists in the UK.
• Knowledge of fundraising and budgeting to support the foster programme.
• Experience using social media or online platforms for dog adoption promotion.
• Understanding of UK dog adoption regulations and requirements.
• Familiarity with home-check procedures and adoption screening.

Qualifications & Training
Essential:

• Professional experience in dog behaviour, training, or welfare (may be through hands-on work rather than formal education).
• Knowledge of animal welfare standards and best practices in adoption and fostering.
• Demonstrable experience working with dogs, particularly strays or rescue dogs.

Desirable:

• Formal qualification in dog behaviour, training, or animal welfare (e.g., Level 3 or higher qualification in Animal Care, Canine Behaviour, or similar).
• Certification from a recognised dog training or behaviour body (e.g., IMDT, APDT, IAABC, or ABTC-accredited course).
• Qualification or training in animal welfare legislation and home-checking procedures.
• First Aid for Dogs certification.
• Training in conflict resolution or customer service, especially in animal welfare contexts.

Additional Requirements & Flexibility

• The successful candidate must be willing to take on occasional tasks outside their core responsibilities as needed.
• The role requires adaptability as the adoption and foster programmes evolve.
•  Must be willing to travel as needed to support the charity’s adoption, foster, and rescue initiatives, as well as to collaborate with partner organisations.

Benefits

• Flexible work arrangements: To support your work-life balance, we offer flexible work hours and the option to work remotely.
• Meaningful work: Join a team dedicated to making a real difference to animals in need and see the direct impact of your efforts.
• Opportunities for leadership: Take on this leadership role and gain valuable experience and career growth opportunities.
• Inclusive culture: Be part of a diverse, inclusive team that values and respects all members.

How to Apply:

Before submit your CV with a cover letter outlining your relevant experience, please make sure that the essentials listed on Person Specification, Qualifications and Training are met. Thank you.

ROLDA is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.

Why Join Us?
This is a fantastic opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of stray dogs, ensuring they find loving and well-prepared homes. If you are passionate about dog welfare and have the skills to manage adoption and foster programmes, we would love to hear from you.

Global Canopy is a data-driven not for profit that targets the market forces destroying nature. We do this by improving transparency and accountability. Our focus is on open data, aligned metrics and strong regulation, to help powerful organisations stop nature-related impacts and realise opportunities for positive action. 

 We do this through an interlinked portfolio of programmes: 

1. Our Supply Chain Transparency Programme delivers a step change in the transparency of the trade and financing of high-risk commodity supply chains – like soy, palm oil and cattle (see Trase).
2. Our Corporate Performance Programme works to improve the quality and uptake of sustainability and social metrics for the global companies most impacting forests and nature (Forest 500, ForestIQ).
3. Our Nature-related Finance Programme creates the tools and frameworks to help Financial Institutions, corporates and governments to shift global financial flows away from nature-negative outcomes and toward nature-positive outcomes (see ENCORE and TNFD).

Our tools and platforms are used by Fortune 500 companies, major financial institutions, national and regional governments, and some of the world’s most effective campaigning organisations.

GC is supported by governments including the UK, Norway, Germany and Switzerland; by major trusts and foundations including the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation,  Quadrature and the Waterloo Foundations; and by a growing group of individual major donors and family offices. We have deep partnerships with the UNEP Finance Initiative, Stockholm Environment Institute, UNDP, WWF and ZSL among others. 

We work globally, but have focal regions in Latin America, Indonesia, Europe and China. Our team of around 45 people is mostly based out of our Oxford office, but we have team members also based across forest regions and major markets worldwide.

Purpose

Global Canopy (GC) is looking for an experienced Earth Observation Specialist who can step in and work with the team to deliver an ‘Earth Observation for Nature Finance’ pilot. The pilot project aims to explore and strengthen the role of open access earth observation (EO) data towards leveraging financial mechanisms for nature finance. The pilot will focus on agricultural portfolios, with scope to include forestry portfolios to conduct analysis leveraging ESA Sentinel data on a use case to be defined by a financial service institution project partner. The exact use case will be specified over the coming months and can both be to conduct an analysis leveraging satellite data to assess land use change linked to financed companies and their supply chains or to assess sustainable practices of financed companies in the forestry sector.

Today, few corporations disclose geolocation-specific supplier lists for key high-risk commodities including soft commodities and timber. If and when they do disclose, the data is often at jurisdiction or municipality-level, lacking asset-level detail. As a result, land conversion is difficult to link to corporate supply chains. If the final use case will be to analyse land conversion in financed agricultural supply chains then the EO expert will use Sentinel data to conduct an analysis which enables identification of land conversion events alongside potential underlying drivers, allowing FIs to engage with financed companies and support disclosure. This approach aims to improve FI understanding of land conversion dynamics, enhancing engagement with investees towards more sustainable land management practices. If the use case instead will focus on the forestry sector, then the EO expert will conduct analysis using Sentinel data to identify what types of insights on sustainable forest management practices can be generated from Sentinel data sets and conduct that analysis. The results will be shared and discussed with the financial service institution and the EO expert will need to conduct and lead the technical presentation.

The consultant will be responsible for researching geolocation specific datasets, available open source and in proprietary databases. If the final use case will be for agriculture then the consultant will leverage the supply shed approach, utilising datasets such as the TRASE database and the Universal Mill List to determine supply shed sizes. This will serve as a starting point to address current challenges. If the final use case will be on sustainable forestry then the EO expert will leverage geolocation data from  the financial service institution to overlay with satellite data to conduct the technical analysis.

What work do we want a consultant to do?

Global Canopy is seeking a supply chain EO expert for two to three days a week over the course of 14 months to conduct technical hands-on data analysis work for the specific final use case to be selected. The EO expert will work collaboratively as part of a small team, predominantly collaborating with the project coordinator and the piloting bank to deliver this pilot. The EO expert will be responsible for undertaking the technical data analysis applying Sentinel data to the use case. The successful candidate will research relevant datasets to be tested and support the financial institution to utilise the supply shed approach, if the final use case will be in the agricultural sector, and other relevant approaches if the final use case is for the forestry sector. 

The EO expert must have previous experience dealing with earth observation data.

Applicants should be able to complete the work remotely between May 2025 until the end of June 2026, with the work being completed during 8-6pm UK time (hours are flexible within this period). 

Key Responsibilities

1. Pilot design 

The EO expert, in collaboration with the FI, will be responsible for designing the pilot, identifying the methodology to be used for the purpose of the analysis. 

2. Research, analysis and measurement of supply sheds 

The EO expert will research geolocation specific datasets available open source and in proprietary databases. The EO Expert will conduct the technical analysis using Sentinel EO data to answer the key questions of the use case for either financed agricultural or forestry supply chains. This analysis will link the company data sets with the EO data sets to generate key insights and results to answer the use case questions. The EO expert will write a technical specification report of the analysis as a key output including specification of any data quality issues to be aware of in the use of the results. 

3. Drafting and publication of final output

The final is a paper describing the results of the EO analysis to answer the key use case questions. It will be packaged as a use case for publication detailing the pilot journey, methodology used, technical analysis output, the findings and challenges encountered during the course of the pilot project. This output will be developed to be used as a replicable example by other organisations to illustrate a financial institution’s nature journey. 

Note: The above-mentioned tasks are intended as a guide and may be modified following discussion with the selected consultant. 

Lines of communication 

The consultant will be part of Global Canopy’s Nature-related Finance programme team, working closely with the pilot project coordinator within the Nature-related Finance team, Nature-related Finance Director sitting within the consortium leadership team, as well as external piloting partners and other consortium members.

Location 

The Consultancy is able to be completed on a remote basis but location is required to be within 3hrs of CET.

Timeline 

May 2025 to the end of June 2026. 

Outputs: 

A technical analysis leveraging Sentinel data to answer the questions specified by the use case in either financed agricultural or forestry supply chains. The key questions will be on the nature-related impacts of financed supply chains, either negative or positive impacts for nature. The deliverables include a technical EO analysis answering the use case questions, the technical specifications of methodology and description of algorithms use, description of data leveraged for the analysis. This information will be used by the EO expert to collaboratively draft a use case with the team. 

Requirements

As a successful applicant you will have a strong background in spatial data and analyses, linking agricultural production systems and environmental and social impacts, preferably with a focus on tropical ecosystems and supply chains. You will be motivated by making data and research accessible to a diverse range of audiences, including the private sector, governments and civil society, and ideally have practical experience in how to drive uptake and use of data products by different users. 

Global Canopy is looking for an individual consultant with the skills and experience as detailed below. 

Essential

1. Deep knowledge of earth observation (EO) datasets and tools. Track record in design of algorithms to analyse satellite data to generate desired insights.
2. Strong writing skills with a track record of successfully delivering projects from start to finish. 
3. A strong drive to contribute to Global Canopy’s mission, a passion for sustainability and the role that the finance sector can play to drive change. 

Desirable

1. Comprehensive understanding of ESG metrics, nature-related data, tools, assessment approaches, disclosure initiatives and frameworks, sustainable finance and its mechanisms.
2. Experience engaging with the financial sector, specifically engaging financial institutions in the assessment of their nature-related issues, as well as engaging and developing good working relationships with multiple stakeholders.

Other information

Whilst our office is based in Oxford, we strongly welcome interest from candidates based in other parts of the UK, and internationally.

How to apply

To apply for the position, please use the apply button or visit our website and submit your application by 9am GMT 31st March 2025, including: 

• A cover letter – outlining your interest in our work, and how your expertise, experience and working style maps to our focal areas and requirements
• An up-to-date CV
• Your day rate in GBP 

We welcome early applications, and expressions of interest will be considered as they are received. 

By submitting your application, you consent to us holding your data in line with our policies. GC is under no obligation to engage anyone as a result of this search. Individual contracts will be negotiated as we initiate the work.

About the Role

Sense is recruiting for a Volunteer Development Lead to join our fantastic People & Culture Team, working on a hybrid basis between home and our offices in either London or Birmingham. We can also accommodate candidates able to commit to a part-time schedule (minimum of four days per week).

The Volunteer Team owns the strategic overview and direction of volunteering at Sense. As a key role in growing, supporting and enhancing volunteering across Sense, they work collaboratively with all functions across the organisation to help shape volunteering opportunities, improve volunteer experience and embed processes that ensure volunteers feel valued and empowered to make a real impact.
 

The main duties and responsibilities include:

• Support with the delivery of Sense’s Volunteer Strategy, helping to ensure all activity aligns with Sense’s vision and mission.
• Increase volunteer participation by developing inclusive and meaningful opportunities that cater to diverse interests, skills, and availability.
• Enhance the quality and impact of volunteering by establishing clear guidance on volunteer engagement and management.
• Ensure volunteering at Sense is accessible, inclusive and contributes to the charity’s overall mission.
• Develop innovative and new volunteering models, including micro-volunteering to further enhance our work.
• Help design and deliver Volunteer Management workshops to help equip volunteer managers across the organisation with best practice tools, and strategies to enhance the volunteer experience.

To succeed in this role, you will have:

• Experience in developing volunteer programmes and volunteer management.
• Strong knowledge of best practices, legislation and emerging trends in volunteering.
• Demonstrated success in delivering strategies and/or large-scale projects.
• Promote inclusive volunteering opportunities, identifying and addressing barriers to participation.
• Develop external partnerships to enhance Sense’s volunteer network and extend opportunities.
• Good knowledge of policies and practices in safeguarding, risk management, and volunteer engagement.
• A commitment to people with complex disabilities and Sense’s vision and values.

Personal Circumstances

• This role requires a hybrid working model, with at least two days per week in the office or visiting shops or other sites.
• Ability to travel to either our Selly Oak (Birmingham) or our London office.
• Applications will be considered from candidates able to commit to a part-time schedule (pro-rata, minimum of four days per week).
• This role may require occasional overnight stays for training, meetings or events. 
   

About Sense

For everyone living with complex disabilities. For everyone who is deafblind. Sense is here to help people communicate and experience the world. We believe that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. Sense are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer.

Working at Sense can be incredibly rewarding; we offer the opportunity to work in a large, diverse and successful charity where people can develop their skills, knowledge and careers in a supportive and flexible environment. In addition, we have excellent training and development, the opportunity for you to join our Group Personal Pension scheme and a generous annual leave entitlement.

To apply

Please use the link below to complete your application. Managers will use your application to shortlist candidates for interview; in relation to the Personal Specification. Therefore, it is very important you complete this section thoroughly.  We would recommend that you read the job description and person specification before applying.

Please note to avoid disappointment, we advise you to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close posts at any time.

No agency submissions please: any submissions without prior authorisation from the Sense Recruitment Team will be treated as our own and as such no fee will be payable.

Sense is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable children and adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. Therefore, all offers of employment, where appropriate, are subject to a DBS check; level dependent on the nature of the role.

For this role we particularly welcome applications from candidates from underrepresented ethnic minority backgrounds and candidates with disabilities. Sense is committed to equality of opportunity, and to promoting and celebrating the diversity of staff, volunteers and the people we work with. Everyone's contribution is valued and we ensure they're given the opportunity to realise their potential. We welcome applications from talented people from all sections of the community who share our values and belief that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. 

Deaf Unity is seeking an Organisational Development Consultant with experience of successfully supporting small charities through growth and change.  

We are planning the transition from a freelance to a PAYE salary structure and require support with: 

• Designing an appropriate staffing structure 

• Benchmarking salaries 

• Business and financial planning 

• HR/employment systems and policies, related training 

• Governance 

The overall aim of this commission is to establish an effective and well-managed staffing structure for the organisation, with strong systems and policies embedded across our teams. Ultimately this will build Deaf Unity’s stability and resilience for the long-term. 

Deaf Unity: mission and purpose 

Deaf Unity is a deaf-led charity (CIO), based in London, that works to empower, nurture and train deaf individuals. Our particular focus is on three main points of transition that are pivotal in enabling deaf people to realise their potential – and to thrive within and contribute fully to society. These transition points are: 

• leaving school to enter further/higher education 

• entering the workforce 

• progressing in the workplace 

We work with our community in London to identify the barriers deaf people face at every stage of this journey, empowering them to make informed choices and to succeed. We partner with stakeholders (universities, employers, voluntary sector partners) to decrease, overcome or eradicate these barriers altogether. 

From our home base in London, we work alongside our community and partners to develop and deliver new initiatives in response to clearly identified needs. We directly engage 300+ deaf people each year: inspiring and supporting school-leavers to take their first steps into higher education; empowering graduates and employees to navigate the world of work with confidence; and connecting deaf people with each other to build community, tackle isolation, mobilise around key issues and break down barriers to learning and employment. Sharing and dissemination of our work (including online to reach the national community) goes on to engage far greater numbers. 

Deaf Unity generates much of its income from providing interpreting and consultancy services and delivering training (British Sign Language and deaf awareness courses).  This activity fully aligns with our charitable mission and generates essential unrestricted funding to support our wider activities. Income in the year ending December 2023 was £115,316, of which over 80% was generated from course delivery and interpreting services. That year we generated a surplus of £11,102. 

Context for the commission 

To date, deaf Unity’s programmes have been delivered entirely by a freelance team: CEO, administrator,  tutors and project managers/coordinators leading on different streams of activity.  We have recently recruited a Training and Operations Manager (freelance) to lead on training and interpreting services. 

Activity continues to grow. Turnover in 2024 was c. £175,000 (final accounts are currently being produced), demand for courses is strong and we have had a successful year of fundraising. 

Our activities engage a broad range of beneficiaries, participants and stakeholders: deaf students and employees; our local deaf community in London; and many different stakeholders – universities, employers and local councils – working with us to remove the barriers that disadvantage deaf people and prevent access to opportunity. We are proud of a track record of impactful interventions that have made a real difference in the prospects of deaf learners, jobseekers and employees. 

This said, we have not reaped the full benefits of the partnerships and experience that have contributed to this success. A wholly freelance workforce means skills, knowledge, relationships and learning are regularly lost. We now wish to bring a core team into a salaried, PAYE structure to assure greater stability and continuity. We wish to invest in our people and demonstrate good employability practices, as champions of Deaf parity in the workplace. Specialist support is needed to ensure a good process, an affordable structure, and that appropriate systems, policies and structures are in place to support future work.

In late 2023, the Board of Trustees agreed a forward plan, setting out the charity’s objectives and the activities we plan to deliver over the next 3-5 years. Our work is guided by 5 high-level, strategic objectives. We aim that by 2028:

1. Deaf Unity will have created in partnership with London schools a high-quality, effective careers advice pack/toolkit which can be accessed digitally by schools across the UK to inspire and support deaf learners on their FE/HE/vocational journey.

2. Deaf Unity will be providing a comprehensive package of support around employability, that is recognised and in use by 5 leading nationwide employers and by the National Union of Students (NUS). 

3.  We will be hosting in London a highly respected, impactful annual event for deaf people in work that is reaching 100 deaf people each year, directly or indirectly 

4. Deaf Unity will be able to evidence that the CIO is making a substantial positive difference in the lives of learners, students and employees - through quantitative and qualitative feedback including testimonials and case studies 

5. Our organisation will be stable, financially secure and resilient, supported by strong governance and management systems and effective partnership networks

This commission directly supports objective 5. 

In parallel with this: 

1. Deaf Unity will work with an Evaluation specialist to develop a practical, effective evaluation framework and plan enabling us to capture and analyse our impact across the full range of our activities. This will enable us to improve the design and delivery of our services and activities, on an ongoing basis and to better evidence the charity’s impact and the difference we are making in people’s lives. 

2. Staff and Trustees will undertake training to address identified skills and knowledge gaps (a modest budget is allocated for this) 

This programme of development activity is kindly funded by Trust for London. 

In the course of the year Deaf Unity will also be working with a corporate partner offering pro-bono support to redevelop the website and advise on online course delivery. 

Overview of role 

The consultant will be required to lead and support Deaf Unity’s CEO and Board through a systematic approach to agreeing, implementing and embedding the new structure. We currently envisage that this will include: 

• A review of the functions, skills and competencies required to deliver Deaf Unity’s forward plan 

• Producing a proposed, costed staff structure, with salaries, rates of pay and conditions that are benchmarked against the sector and meet good practice e.g. in terms of Living Wage parity 

• Business planning to include producing a revised budget for 2025 (currently indicative only) and an indicative budget for 2026, based on current levels of activity/growth, to ensure that the new structure is affordable. (An in-depth business development process is planned for a later stage, separate from this commission) 

• A review of governance and existing policies

• Support with the transition process e.g. ensuring that the moving of any freelance staff to salaried contracts is compliant with the law and with good employment practice

• Development of a training plan (spanning the Board, staff and freelance team) to address identified skills gaps 

We will however welcome alternative proposals for how this work might most effectively be structured.

Schedule 

We aim to start work in mid April 2025, completing by end October 2025 (7 months). The consultant will be required to work flexibly throughout this period and this will be negotiated with you on appointment, bearing in mind your other commitments. 

Time commitment: estimated 15-20 days over a 7-month period 

Fees: Fixed fee is £8,250 inclusive of VAT and expenses 

Specification 

The consultant will - 

• Inform and guide the transition to this new staffing model and way of working, to ensure the resulting structures are effective, affordable and compliant with statutory requirements and with best practice 

• Provide hands-on practical support where necessary e.g. benchmarking salaries, drafting job descriptions, reviewing and updating budgets, reviewing policies 

• Be aware of and alert to Deaf Unity’s ongoing, parallel streams of activity (e.g. evaluation work, development of website) and strive to maximise synergies and added value linked to these 

• Have due regard throughout the process to Deaf Unity’s charitable objects, so as to ensure that all progress is made with these and the good of our beneficiaries in mind 

Person specification 

Essential 

• Evidenced skills and experience in supporting projects of this nature for third sector organisations that have limited capacity and resources 

• Comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of employment/HR law and practice 

• An understanding of the operating context of a charity such as ours, that is reliant on mixed income streams including fees, public grants and charitable grants. 

• Experience of business planning for the voluntary sector 

• Exceptional communication and strong facilitation skills, coupled with sensitivity and a commitment to confidentiality 

Desirable 

• Some knowledge of British Sign Language 

• Familiarity with the XERO accounting system 

• Commitment to values of social justice and equity 

• Experience of working with the deaf community 

It is anticipated that you will work remotely: Deaf Unity currently does not use a main office. 

How to Apply 

To apply for this role, please submit an application of no more than 1000 words detailing your relevant experience and qualifications; two or more examples of past, comparable roles you have successfully completed and your interest in the project.  Please provide details of two referees.

Please submit this by 5pm on 7 April 2025.  Please use “Organisational Development” as your title.

This will be a Freelance contract. You will be responsible for paying your own Tax and NI contributions.

Interviews will be held online in the week commencing 14th or 21st April 2025 

Deaf Unity celebrates diversity and opportunity. We strive to ensure the deaf Community and its members have access to the same opportunities as those in wider society and the same chances to contribute their talent and skills to the workforce. We will guarantee an interview for all deaf applicants to this role who meet the essential criteria.