Programme management jobs

This is a varied and rewarding leadership role that combines operational management, people leadership, and business development. You'll play a key part in growing our impact by developing new partnerships, building strong relationships with stakeholders, and expanding both our on-site and outreach programmes.

To succeed in this role, you'll be a confident and adaptable manager who can balance day-to-day operational demands with strategic thinking and creativity. You'll enjoy problem-solving, prioritising competing demands, and managing a diverse workload where no two days are the same.

We're looking for someone who:
• Has strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to motivate and develop teams
• Can foster positive collaboration across teams and functions
• Has experience building and managing partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders
• Brings commercial awareness and business development experience
• Has experience working in the charity, social care, health, or related sectors

We're looking for someone who:
• Has strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to motivate and develop teams
• Can foster positive collaboration across teams and functions
• Has experience building and managing partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders
• Brings commercial awareness and business development experience
• Has experience working in the charity, social care, health, or related sectors

In return, Thrive offers the opportunity to make a genuine difference every day, working with a values-driven charity that transforms lives through gardening and nature. In addition, you’ll be working in a collaborative and supportive organisation at our National Office, set in 3 acres of beautiful grounds.

The Programme Manager will provide leadership for the Meet N Match programme, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, inclusive services that support people with learning disabilities and autistic adults to build friendships, develop relationships and increase social connections. Meet N Match is our friendship and dating agency, supporting people to develop friendships, relationships and greater independence. Alongside relationship support, the programme delivers a range of inclusive social events that reduce social isolation and create opportunities for people to build meaningful connections. Now in its tenth year and funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, Meet N Match continues to respond to a growing demand for high-quality relationship and social opportunities.

Alongside leading a small team who provide the day-to-day delivery of Meet N Match, an exciting part of this role is the development of a new Partnership Network. This is an exciting opportunity to shape an innovative model that will enable other organisations to deliver inclusive social events using Spring into Action's framework, training and support. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting the development of this model, with the long-term ambition of creating an accredited network that extends our reach, improves opportunities for people with learning disabilities and autistic people, and contributes to the long-term sustainability of the organisation.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone to help shape the future direction of Meet N Match while supporting Spring into Action's long-term sustainability.

The West Yorkshire Programme Manager will be responsible for the strategic and effective organisation of tutoring programmes delivered in primary, secondary and post-16 settings within West Yorkshire. You will be responsible for ensuring that our tuition programmes operate effectively and efficiently on a day-to-day basis. The West Yorkshire Programme Manager will lead a team and will share with schools, local authorities and multi-academic trusts the full range of Tutor Trust services, to further promote our work.

Job Responsibilities:

Strategic Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as the primary point of contact for senior leaders in schools, MATs, and the wider education sector across West Yorkshire.
• Secure and deliver presentations to school and college leaders to expand Tutor Trust’s network of partner institutions.
• Collaborate with the Strategic Operations Manager to develop and implement regional strategies for partnership growth.
• Promote Tutor Trust’s tuition services across the region and represent the organisation at stakeholder events.

 Programme Leadership & Delivery

• Lead tuition delivery across primary, secondary, and post-16 settings in West Yorkshire.
• Line manage the West Yorkshire Programme Coordinator and Programme Administrator to ensure effective project execution.
• Support the Strategic Operations Manager in guiding and developing the Programme Coordinator team.
• Deputise for the Strategic Operations Manager when required.

 Operational Oversight & Data Management

• Ensure accurate collection and reporting of impact data from tutors and partner institutions to support quality assurance, financial processes, and performance monitoring.
• Contribute to the development and tracking of tutoring targets and KPIs for internal and external reporting.
• Maintain accurate records on tuition progress using internal and external databases.
• Support internal communication systems to ensure timely and appropriate information sharing across teams and stakeholders.
• Manage the upload of Tuition Request Forms for West Yorkshire tuition assignments.

Safeguarding & Compliance

• Lead on monitoring and reporting all safeguarding concern processes, within your teams, ensuring all concerns are reported promptly to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or deputies, and helping to promote and foster a culture of vigilance and accountability across The Tutor Trust. 
• Take lead responsibility for monitoring safeguarding processes within your teams.

Tutor Recruitment & Development

• Support the recruitment and onboarding of tutors in collaboration with the recruitment team.
• Contribute to the training and development of new tutors, ensuring alignment with organisational standards.

 General Duties

• Assist with the planning and delivery of events for a range of stakeholders.
• Attend regular Partnership Operations team meetings led by the Programme Director.
• Undertake any other responsibilities commensurate with the role and grade.

 Person Specification

Strong candidates for this role will demonstrate a solid track record of performance, possess excellent IT and English skills, exhibit strong interpersonal and diplomatic abilities, and show initiative in their approach.

Skills

Leadership & Management

• The ability to lead, build and maintain successful teams and develop professional relationships.
• Demonstrated success in achieving targets and managing responsibilities effectively. 
• Strong business development skills to promote The Tutor Trust professionally. 

 Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build rapport and engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders across all levels and sectors.
• Be able to write fluently, to think clearly and to grasp new concepts quickly.

Organisational & Time Management

• Proven experience in programme and project management.

• Strong organisational and time-management skills.
• The ability to work under pressure to cope with multiple demands and deadlines, to work fast and to a consistently high standard.

Technical Proficiency

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft 365 and general IT systems. 

• Experience with CRM (Salesforce preferable) and other software platforms (preferred). 

Sector Knowledge

• Knowledge of the education landscape in West Yorkshire (advantageous).

• Educated to degree level or equivalent relevant experience. 

Attributes

• Committed to safeguarding children and young people, and willing to undergo DBS clearance.
• Alignment with the goals, ethos, and mission of the Tutor Trust.
• Empathy for disadvantaged and vulnerable learners. 
• Enthusiastic and proactive in contributing to organisational growth and success.
• Demonstrates leadership through sound decision-making and effective prioritisation.
• Excellent time-management and attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative working style.
• Willingness to work outside standard hours when required

Post Title: West Yorkshire Programme Manager

Responsible to: Strategic Operations Manager

Salary: £35,000 per annum

Holiday entitlement/Pension: Holiday entitlement will be 33 days per annum (inclusive of Bank Holidays), Employee Assistance Programme and access to an employee perk-based platform. The Tutor Trust also provides a contributory Government-backed NEST pensions scheme, which is offered to our employees after the qualifying period.

How to Apply

To apply, download an application form, an equality and diversity monitoring form and send your completed documents to the email provided on the website.

About DadVocates

DadVocates is a new four-year project, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, that will train, mentor and supervise young dads with lived experience of young fatherhood to act as volunteer peer advocates for young fathers going through children’s social care (CSC) proceedings, including Child Protection, Child in Need and Public Law Outline.

The project responds to evidence from our work with over 800 young dads, which shows that the majority felt negatively about CSC proceedings from the outset: many hold fatalistic expectations about losing contact with their children and are reluctant to engage. By matching young dads with a trained volunteer DadVocate at the earliest possible stage, the project aims to build agency, improve engagement and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

Over four years, the project will train 40 volunteer DadVocates, support 100 young dads through CSC proceedings, and deliver father-inclusive practice training to 160 social workers and other professionals across five local authorities. It will also co-design clear guidance on what good father-inclusive practice looks like within children’s social care teams.

This is a genuinely ambitious project, working at the intersection of lived experience, peer advocacy, social care practice and systems change. It was conceived by a young dad who is now a NEYDL trustee and qualified social worker and has been co-designed with 174 young dads over three years.

The role

The DadVocate Programme Manager will lead this project from the outset. You will recruit, train, mentor and supervise our volunteer DadVocates; chair and manage the project Steering Committee; lead the development and delivery of professional training for social workers; oversee monitoring, evaluation and funder reporting; and manage the project budget.

This is a programme management role, not a casework role. Cases are held by NEYDL’s Senior Young Dads Workers; the DadVocates you manage provide peer support within those cases. You will have direct relationships with young dad beneficiaries through steering committee meetings, evaluation sessions and learning events, but your primary responsibility is managing and supporting the DadVocates and the systems around them.

The DadVocates are young dads with lived experience of young fatherhood, not professional practitioners. They will need significant support, encouragement and professional development to operate effectively in what can be a challenging environment. The quality of that management and support is central to the success of this project.

You will work alongside training and research providers, closely with NEYDL’s Senior Young Dads Workers as the case holders and be supported day-to-day by the CEO.

What we are looking for

We are looking for someone with substantial experience, knowledge and competency working within the children’s social care and social work arena, alongside a track record of managing projects in the voluntary sector. The ideal candidate will bring both: professional grounding in children’s social care/social work and the programme management experience to lead a complex, multi-strand project over four years.

You will possess a deep understand of the children’s social care and social work system, be able to design and deliver training that changes professional culture and have the people management skills to support a team of volunteer young dads who are developing professional skills alongside their advocacy role. You will also need to build trusted relationships with young dad beneficiaries, social workers, academic partners and a range of local statutory and voluntary organisations.

We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of young fatherhood or young parenthood, from people with personal or professional experience of children’s social care proceedings (including professionally qualified social workers) and people from minoritised backgrounds.

What we offer

NEYDL is a close, inclusive and supportive team that actively invests in the development of its staff. We are a non-judgmental organisation built on mutual trust, respect and honesty. If you join us, you will be part of a team that genuinely believes in what it does.

In addition, we offer:

• 7.2 weeks’ annual leave per year, inclusive of statutory and public holidays
• 5% employer pension contribution
• A flexible hybrid working arrangement
• Regular supervision and fortnightly team meetings
• Funded professional development and training
• Mileage paid at 55p per mile for business travel
• The opportunity to lead a nationally significant project at the forefront of father-inclusive practice

Job purpose

To lead and manage the DadVocates project, a four-year National Lottery-funded programme training volunteer young dads as peer advocates for young fathers in children’s social care proceedings; delivering professional training to social workers; and working towards the embedding of father-inclusive practice across children’s social care teams in five local authorities.

Key responsibilities

1. Project management

• Take day-to-day responsibility for the management and delivery of the DadVocates project across all strands of activity
• Manage the project budget, monitor expenditure and liaise with the CEO and Finance Officer
• Update and maintain NEYDL’s Evaluation Framework with DadVocates-specific indicators and methodologies within the first two months of the project start date
• Ensure the project meets its funder milestones and KPIs, maintaining accurate records of outputs and outcomes
• Produce quarterly progress reports for internal review and contribute to annual funder reports
• Commission and manage the external evaluator for the four-year evaluation
• Identify and escalate risks and challenges to the CEO, recommending solutions

2. Steering Committee

• Chair and manage the project Steering Committee, which meets every two months and comprises young dads, NEYDL frontline staff, the safeguarding lead, social work professionals, related experts and academic partners
• Induct Steering Committee members, including young dads, into their roles, providing tailored support to ensure they can contribute confidently alongside professionals
• Use Steering Committee meetings to review progress, identify challenges and agree recommendations for the next period of delivery

3. Co-creating the DadVocate training programme

• Work with training and research providers, young dads and Steering Committee members to co-create a 100-hour peer advocacy training programme for volunteer DadVocates
• Deliver the DadVocate training programme alongside NEYDL staff and delivery partners
• Lead annual reviews of the training programme and update content in response to learning and feedback

4. Managing and supporting volunteer DadVocates

• Recruit and train 10 young dad volunteers per year (40 over four years), all with lived experience of young fatherhood
• Provide ongoing mentoring, supervision and wellbeing support to all active DadVocate volunteers: at least 50 hours per volunteer per year
• Set clear objectives for each volunteer, conduct regular appraisals and team meetings, and support their professional development and progression
• Recognise that DadVocates are young dads with lived experience rather than professional backgrounds, and provide the high level of structured support this requires, including supporting them to navigate professional environments with confidence
• Support the progression of volunteers into employment, further training and community leadership roles

5. Matching DadVocates with young dads in CSC proceedings

• Build and maintain referral pathways with social services, midwifery, Family Nurse Partnerships, Family Hubs and other local networks across target local authorities
• Match 100 young dads over four years with a volunteer DadVocate (10 in year 1, rising to 40 in year 4)
• Work closely with NEYDL’s Senior Young Dads Workers, who hold cases, to coordinate peer advocacy support within CSC proceedings
• Maintain oversight of active advocacy arrangements, ensuring DadVocates are appropriately supported and that safeguarding obligations are met at all times
• Engage directly with young dad beneficiaries through steering committee meetings, evaluation sessions and project learning events

6. Professional training for social workers

• Co-create professional training content with social workers and young dads on the Steering Committee, drawing on national research and NEYDL’s practice experience
• Deliver half-day induction training to 15-20 social workers per local authority at the outset of each area’s involvement, co-facilitated by young dads or DadVocate volunteers
• Deliver annual refresher training in each local authority
• Facilitate quarterly case review and learning meetings with social workers in each local authority, involving DadVocate volunteers
• Co-design guidance on what father-inclusive practice looks like within children’s social care teams, with social workers and young dads (first version in year 2; updated version in year 4)
• Organise and host two information-sharing events for social care professionals in years 2 and 4 (approximately 100 professionals per event)

7. Monitoring, evaluation and learning

• Coordinate data collection with young dads, DadVocate volunteers and social workers using NEYDL’s evaluation tools and new instruments co-designed for this project
• Produce annual evaluation reports and disseminate learning through NEYDL’s wider networks, events and conferences
• Share learning through stakeholder events, professional networks and NEYDL’s regular sector-facing activity

8. Safeguarding

• Ensure robust safeguarding arrangements are in place for all project activity, particularly for DadVocate volunteers operating within CSC proceedings
• Work closely with NEYDL’s Safeguarding Lead to ensure policies and protocols relevant to the project are current, understood and followed by volunteers and partners
• Act as first point of contact for safeguarding concerns arising within the DadVocates project

9. Collaboration and partnerships

• Work closely with NEYDL’s Senior Young Dads Workers as case holders, ensuring a joined-up and consistent approach to supporting young dads involved in the project
• Build and maintain relationships with academic, statutory and voluntary sector partners
• Work with the Business Development Manager to help secure longer-term Local Authority funding for DadVocates, using evidence of impact from the project to support conversations with Local Authorities and expand the project’s reach beyond the areas and targets in the original funding bid
• Represent NEYDL and the DadVocates project at external meetings, networks and conferences
• Contribute to NEYDL’s wider communications and engagement activity

10. Other

• Deputise for the CEO as required
• Report to the Board of Trustees in person or in writing on a quarterly basis as required

11. Standard clauses

• The post holder must carry out their responsibilities at all times with due regard to NEYDL’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategy, policy and statement, and Safeguarding Policy
• The post holder is responsible for ensuring that policies and procedures relating to health and safety in the workplace are adhered to at all times
• The post holder must respect the confidentiality of data stored electronically and by other means, in line with NEYDL’s Data Protection Policy
• This role requires satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance prior to appointment
• This job description is not exhaustive. NEYDL reserves the right to reasonably add to or revise it at any time in agreement with the post holder.

Location: London, hybrid working (1 day per week on site)
Contract: Temporary, until December 2026
Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week
Salary: £25.74 per hour (+ holiday pay) (£50,331 salaried equivalent)
Start Date: ASAP

Prospectus is delighted to be partnering with our client, a well established environmental charity, to recruit a temporary French-Speaking Programme Coordinator. This is an exciting opportunity to join a leading environmental organisation and support a range of impactful programmes across Africa and Europe.

Working as part of an international team, you will provide programme coordination, grant management and administrative support across several high-profile projects. The role will suit a highly organised and proactive individual who is fluent in both French and English and enjoys building relationships, coordinating complex activities, and supporting programme delivery in a mission-driven environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Supporting donor reporting and partner capacity-building activities under the FGMC programme, including data management, tracking and reporting.
• Providing project management and administrative support for the EFI grant, including consortium coordination, progress tracking and reporting activities.
• Supporting project development and resource mobilisation activities, including grant amendments and donor compliance processes.
• Acting as a key point of coordination for French-speaking partners and stakeholders across programme delivery activities.
• Supporting two Europe-based Systems teams with strategy implementation, including onboarding colleagues to new work breakdown structures and ways of working.
• Assisting with annual planning processes across the Systems teams and Programme Management function.
• Supporting cross-programmatic delivery activities including contracting, onboarding, due diligence, inductions, meeting planning and facilitation.
• Working collaboratively with Finance, Governance, Procurement, HR and other internal stakeholders to support effective programme delivery and continuous improvement.

Key Requirements:

• Fluency in both French and English, with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven experience in programme coordination, project administration, grant management or a similar role.
• Strong Excel and data management skills, with the ability to maintain accurate records and reporting.
• Experience supporting donor-funded projects, grants or compliance activities.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the confidence to build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• A collaborative, proactive and solutions-focused approach to work.
• Experience within the charity, NGO, environmental, international development or not-for-profit sector would be advantageous.

CVs will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early applications are strongly encouraged to avoid missing out. If you're interested, please apply ASAP with your CV in Word format.

At Prospectus, we believe recruitment should be human-led and we are committed to supporting you throughout your application journey. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on age, gender, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, or pregnancy/maternity. While AI may be used to support our administrative process, all applications are reviewed by people and all hiring decisions are made by experienced recruiters.

 Programme Manager (Talent Exchange)

WIG is a non-lobbying membership charity that convenes and develops leaders across sectors enabling collaboration to deliver this growth and prosperity across the UK for the common good. Our vision is a country where cross-sector leaders come together to deliver social and economic outcomes, with the mission to become UK’s leading authority on cross-sector collaboration. For over 40 years, we've convened senior decision-makers across government, business and civil society to drive collaboration, innovation and impact.

We're a small, ambitious team of around 34 colleagues where individual contribution is visible, valued and meaningful. As we continue an exciting period of growth and investment, we're looking for a self-starter to help re-establish and expand one of WIG's flagship offers.

The Opportunity

You will have the skills and ambition to lead the delivery, growth and evolution of WIG's secondments portfolio, including our highly regarded Charity Next programme (which places Civil Service Fast Stream graduates within no-for-profit organisations) . You will play a pivotal role in enabling leaders to build cross-sector experience, via secondments and mentoring to share expertise and strengthen collaboration for the benefit of the UK.

This is a highly varied role combining programme leadership, business development, stakeholder engagement, customer service and commercial accountability. You will have the opportunity to work with senior leaders across government, charities and corporate organisations. It presents an opportunity for you to shape WIG’s talent exchange offer at a time when the government is going through considerable transformation.  

What you will be doing:

• Lead the strategy, delivery and continuous improvement of WIG's secondment programmes, including delivering cross-sector secondment opportunities for senior civil service, business and civil society leaders, placing 2 large cohorts annually of civil service fast streamers into charity secondments and supporting senior cross-sector mentoring brokerages. 
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across the civil service, private sector, charity and further education sectors.
• Act as a strategic adviser to hosts and secondees, ensuring successful placements.
• Support governance activity, including the Charity Next Advisory Board.
• Develop compelling proposals, new programme ideas and business development opportunities, aligning to WIG’s mission and Civil Service focus areas
• Capture impact through feedback, case studies and alumni engagement.
• Collaborate across WIG to strengthen the profile and reach of our leadership development offer.
• Drive programme growth, innovation and income generation against agreed revenue targets.

About You

You will be experienced working with multiple customers, able to communicate with people at all levels and in different sectors. You will be inquisitive and energetic and a good listener. You will enjoy working in a relationship-driven environment and enjoys working at the intersection of sectors. You will also be organised and able to manage multiple shifting priorities.

We're particularly interested in candidates who bring:

• Strong programme and/or project management experience, ideally within talent, leadership development, learning, secondments or related fields.
• Experience of working with senior stakeholders, ideally from across sectors. 
• Able to manage budgets, income targets and financial performance.
• Brilliant customer service and stakeholder engagement
• Demonstrable experience in building new strategies and models to drive growth.
• A proactive, resilient and collaborative approach.

We'd Love to See

• Experience of talent exchanges, mentoring, secondments or leadership development programmes.
• A demonstrable interest in policy, current affairs and/or business/civil society

Why Join WIG?

This is an exciting opportunity to shape leadership development on a national scale, working with influential leaders across sectors while helping to build stronger connections between government, business and civil society. You'll join a charity with ambitious growth plans, a collaborative culture and the chance to make a tangible impact on the UK's future leadership landscape. You will also be working alongside a brilliant team. 

#Programme Manager #Programme #Programme Manager #Manager #Talent Exchange Programme Manager #Programme Manager Talent Exchange

This is an exciting new opportunity to help empower young people aged 8–16 to take action, build confidence and develop new skills through our youth-led programmes in schools.

The Programmes Executive will play a key role in supporting our community of primary and secondary schools throughout the school year. You will help design and deliver Bite Back in Schools, ensuring a positive and engaging experience for young people, their teachers and their schools whilst making sure the programme achieves meaningful impact.

Alongside day-to-day programme delivery, you will contribute to a range of initiatives across the organisation, including supporting an exciting collaboration with the School Food Project and helping to coordinate and support wider organisational events such as our youth residentials.

This role would suit someone who enjoys working with young people, is proactive and adaptable, and is ready to learn and grow at a leading youth-led health charity. You’ll be motivated by helping young people turn their ideas into action and seeing the difference that makes in schools and beyond.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Programme delivery 

• Schedule and organise visits to schools, agreeing agendas with the schools in advance to include meeting pupils and teachers, leading feedback sessions and focus groups and supporting the development of their social action campaigns. 

• Schedule and deliver assemblies with primary and secondary schools participating in the programme, coordinating with our Bite Back ambassadors.

• Support the School Ambassadors with travel logistics as they deliver assemblies in schools across England and Scotland.

• Deliver training and webinars for schools where necessary. 

• Maintain and regularly update programme management software and associated data to ensure accurate and up to date information for all participating primary schools.

• Ensure successful end-to-end support for the 5+ primary schools participating in the programme throughout the 26/27 school year.

• Celebrate and share examples of best practice and impactful social action projects amongst our community of schools. 

Relationship management 

• Provide ongoing support to both primary and secondary schools throughout their time on the programme, building strong working relationships with participating schools. 

• Support communication with all primary schools, providing a point of contact for the coordinator and lead teacher in each school. 

• Support monitoring and evaluation through creation of surveys, ensuring completion of baseline and end of year surveys, and analysis of data submitted (working with our Impact & Evaluation Manager).

• Provide timely responses to school queries and alert the Programmes Manager of any potential risks.

• Proactively seek feedback from teachers and young people on our programmes.

• Ensure opportunities for schools to engage in at least two one-on-one meetings with our team during the school year. 

• Build productive relationships with programme partners.

Project support 

• Help coordinate our relationship with our partners in The School Food Project, including Chefs in Schools, School Food Matters, Food Foundation & Jamie Oliver’s Group.

• Support the national rollout of the Bite Back in Schools Primary programme, translating insights and evidence from two successful pilot programmes into engaging assemblies and high-quality resources that drive effective programme delivery and impact.

• Provide support to Programme Manager in the delivery of projects, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget and scope.

• Provide ad hoc input to evolving organisational requirements as directed by senior team members.

Event support 

• Support the planning, coordination and delivery of Bite Back events throughout the year, including travelling as required to meet the operational needs of the Youth teams.

• Coordinate the logistical arrangements for youth residential events, including travel, accommodation and other practical requirements.

• Contribute to event planning and preparation, including resource ordering, coordination and ensuring all materials are organised and available in advance.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate would have the following:

Essential

• Ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with a broad range of stakeholders at the individual level and in representation of the organisation.

• Strong organisational and project management skills, with excellent time management, ability to manage competing priorities and attention to detail.

• Excellent writing and communication skills, with the ability to adapt messages and language to resonate with different audiences.

• A willingness to build relationships across sectors, with young people and adults.

• Experience of creating resources which are engaging for young people.

• Experience of youth facilitation and/or delivering training.

• Experience in presenting and delivering content, ideally to young people such as an educational, heritage or other  setting, for example such as leading assemblies and workshops.

• Demonstrated experience planning and coordinating events, including logistics, stakeholder communication, and on-the-day delivery.

• Confident public speaker or willingness to learn.

• Ability to travel across England and Scotland when required (occasional).

Desirable

• Proven experience coordinating programmes in partnership with external stakeholders, fostering strong collaborative relationships to ensure successful delivery and shared outcomes.

• Experience of working with CRM systems.

• Strong understanding of the education sector and experience of working with schools and teachers.

• Experience in drafting compelling copy and uploading content to digital platforms.

• Understanding of youth social action and extracurricular programmes.

• Interest in campaigning, social justice, food, and child health.

• Experience with design tools like Canva. 

Volunteer Programme Manager

Part-time, 3 days per week

Up to £40,000 (pro rata £24,000) + excellent benefits

Leatherhead, Surrey

About the role:

We are looking to appoint a Volunteer Programme Manager on a part-time basis to lead Rainbow Trust’s Volunteer Programme, playing a pivotal role in raising the profile of Rainbow Trust and acting as an ambassador for the organisation.

Reporting to the Director of HR & Volunteering, the Volunteer Programme Manager will be responsible for developing and delivering Rainbow Trust’s volunteer strategy in line with wider organisational objectives, taking the lead on strategic volunteer projects and embedding volunteering across our services.

Working closely with all our internal departments and external volunteer networks, and line managing the Volunteer Coordinator, the post holder will lead volunteer engagement activities, manage the volunteering budget and policy, and support volunteer recruitment, training, support, engagement and retention.

What we’re looking for: 

• A clear and creative communication style – you have strong interpersonal skills, develop effective working relationships with a wide range of people, and inspire motivated team working
• Poised, enthusiastic and outgoing – you have a collaborative approach to achieving goals through knowledge-sharing and effective delegation. You are excellent at building rapport and engaging the commitment of others.
• A multi-tasker with a sense of urgency for goal achievement – you delegate effectively with thorough follow-up and are quick to learn and adapt.
• An innovative, practical and creative problem-solver – you are a big picture thinker that responds quickly to varied activities and changing conditions
• Professional experience of working in a volunteer management capacity – with experience of developing policy and implementing strategic projects.

What we offer:

We’re proud to be a Two-Star Best Companies Top 50 mid-sized organisation and a Top 10 Charity, and we’re committed to being a great place to work. You will benefit from:

• 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays – rising to 26 days after 1 year, 27 days after 5 years and 30 days after 11 years, with an additional 5 days to use in your 10th or 20th year of service (pro rata for part time).
• A pension scheme where we contribute 5% of your salary and you contribute at least 3%.
• A life assurance scheme for all employees which provides a death in service benefit of three times’ basic pay.
• Flexible core working hours to balance home and working life.
• The option to buy/sell annual leave, as well as additional leave for your birthday, wedding/civil ceremony and an extra half day off for Christmas shopping.
• Time off in lieu.
• Employee Assistance Programme with access to remote GP, counselling, physiotherapy, resources to support your mental health and financial wellbeing, as well as a 24/7 helpline via Help@Hand.
• Family friendly policies, focused on employee wellbeing, and an active cross-organisational wellbeing group running a number of initiatives throughout the year.
• Access to the Blue Light Card Scheme, and other rewards and discounts.
• Bike to work, season ticket loan and payroll giving schemes.
• A recommend a friend recruitment bonus scheme.
• Robust training and development programmes to support your learning and growth

If you’d like to find out more about these benefits and working with us, please visit our website.

About us:

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity enables families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness to make the most of time together, providing expert, practical and emotional support, where they need it for as long as it is needed. For families living with childhood illness, time is everything. Right now, there are too many families coping alone with no support, no time to think, no time to make memories and no time for each other. We believe that no family should go through this alone, so we are here to change that.

Apply now:

To apply please send your CV and a Covering letter highlighting why your application should be considered above others and clearly stating how you meet the essential criteria of the role, to us via the link.

For a full job description and person specification visit our website 

Please disclose in your covering letter if you have used AI for any part of your job application.

Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.

Interviews will take place at our Head Office in Leatherhead. We will only contact those applicants who have been successful. If you require any adjustments during the interview process, please let us know.

An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this post.

Rainbow Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.

Rainbow Trust is an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all backgrounds.

We are looking for experienced social workers to help take the Weekenders programme into its next chapter. You will join a small, ambitious charity and play a central role in growing a relational, child-focused programme across England.

THE OPPORTUNITY 

• Salary: starting from £40,000, subject to experience

• Hours: full time, 37.5 hours per week

• Location: home-based within England, with regular team co-working and travel

• Contracts: one permanent post and two 18-month fixed-term posts

• Flexibility: occasional evening or weekend delivery, usually around once per month

• Travel: across England, including occasional overnight stays; reasonable expenses are covered

ABOUT NOW FOSTER

Now Foster brings together social work, service design, lived experience and innovation to transform fostering in England. Our vision is to bring many more wonderful people into fostering so that more children and young people can experience stable, meaningful relationships with caring adults.

We are a small team with big ambitions. We value creativity, collaboration, learning and continuous improvement, and we work with partners who share our determination to do better for children and families.

ABOUT WEEKENDERS 

Weekenders is our flagship programme. We recruit and support weekend foster carers – known as Weekenders – who build regular, long-term relationships with children and young people supported by local authorities. It is about showing up, making a difference and becoming an adult a young person can count on.

The programme is entering an exciting period of growth. We are expanding our partnerships with Regional Care Cooperatives, Fostering Hubs and local authorities across England, currently including London, the South West, North West and North East.

THE ROLE – Lead delivery, develop people and stay close to practice

As a Weekenders Programme Manager, you will turn our ambition into consistently excellent delivery. You will lead the day-to-day support of applicants across an agreed portfolio of areas, making sure prospective Weekenders receive a warm, responsive and motivational experience and that our partners can rely on us to deliver what we have agreed.

This is a people-management and delivery role with a strong connection to practice. You will line-manage Journey Guides, manage a network of independent social workers (ISWs), lead our prep group training and undertake some intro chats yourself.

The role does not carry a statutory caseload. It does carry real responsibility for safeguarding, practice quality, operational oversight and relationships across a growing, geographically distributed programme.

Delivery Leadership: Lead programme delivery

• Take day-to-day responsibility for Weekenders delivery across an agreed portfolio of Fostering Hubs and local authority partners.

• Turn partnership agreements and local processes into clear applicant journeys, with roles, handovers and timescales understood by everyone involved.

• Plan capacity across Journey Guides, ISWs, prep group training and your own direct work so that delivery keeps pace with demand.

• Monitor applicant progress, identify delays or risks early and work with colleagues and partners to find practical solutions.

• Maintain a consistent Now Foster experience across regions while adapting thoughtfully to local contexts.

People Management: Manage and develop Journey Guides

• Provide reflective one-to-one and group supervision, clear objectives and timely feedback.

• Allocate work fairly, monitor workloads and create the structure needed for responsive applicant support.

• Coach Journey Guides in relationship-based, strengths-based and motivational conversations, using observation, role play and practice review where helpful.

• Support sound judgement, safe practice and professional boundaries, addressing performance or wellbeing concerns early and constructively.

• Build a connected team culture in which people share learning, ask for help and take ownership.

Practice Oversight: Manage ISWs and assure practice quality

• Build and maintain a reliable pool of qualified, registered ISWs to undertake initial home visits and teach on prep group training days.

• Coordinate ISW recruitment, onboarding, availability, allocation and briefing in line with our safer recruitment and practice arrangements.

• Set clear expectations for the quality, timeliness and tone of home visits, written outputs, training and feedback.

• Review quality, provide constructive feedback and address concerns promptly, while forecasting capacity and arranging cover.

Training: Plan, staff and lead prep group training

• Own the planning and delivery of prep group training across programme areas, including schedules, venues or online delivery, materials, communications and staffing.

• Facilitate and teach on prep groups, modelling inclusive, relational and reflective practice.

• Brief and support ISW co-facilitators so sessions are coherent, well-paced and grounded in the realities of fostering.

• Make sure applicants can reflect meaningfully on children's needs, safer caring, trauma-informed care, cultural matching and working with fostering services.

• Ensure observations and training feedback are recorded sensitively and on time, and use feedback to strengthen future delivery.

Relationships: Stay close to applicants and partners

• Undertake some intro chats, particularly where additional experience, judgement or continuity is needed.

• Step into complex applicant situations or difficult conversations without taking over work appropriately held by Journey Guides.

• Develop trusted operational relationships with Fostering Hubs, Regional Care Cooperatives, local authority fostering teams and other partners.

• Work through differences or blockages constructively, combining persistence with curiosity about other people's pressures and perspectives.

Programme Addurance: Safeguarding, quality and improvement

• Promote a strong safeguarding culture and ensure concerns are recognised, recorded and escalated appropriately.

• Maintain accurate, timely records and use pipeline data, feedback and practice observations to understand performance and improve delivery.

• Contribute to the development of tools, guidance, communications and digital workflows as Weekenders grows.

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR – Experience, judgement and a strongly relational approach

Essential

You will need a recognised social work qualification and current registration with Social Work England. Beyond that, we are looking for someone who can combine strong practice judgement with people leadership and operational oversight.

You will thrive in this role if you have

• People-management experience – line-managing, supervising or developing staff, including giving feedback and supporting performance and wellbeing.

• Operational leadership – experience leading a service, programme or complex workflow with multiple people, deadlines and handovers.

• Children's services experience – in fostering, children's social care or a closely related setting, with a sound understanding of safeguarding and professional accountability.

• Training confidence – experience planning and delivering engaging adult learning, workshops or group training.

• Partnership skills – experience building productive relationships across organisational boundaries and working through operational challenges.

• A relational approach – able to hold warm, purposeful and appropriately challenging conversations with people from a wide range of backgrounds.

• Strong organisation and judgement – able to prioritise, delegate, manage dependencies and recognise what needs closer oversight or escalation.

• Digital and data confidence – comfortable using CRM and workflow systems, interpreting delivery information and turning insight into action.

The way you work matters

• Children first – you keep children's needs, relationships and long-term outcomes at the centre of decisions.

• Warm and reflective – you build genuine relationships, remain curious about your own impact and welcome feedback.

• Courageous and accountable – you name concerns, make decisions, follow through and own mistakes.

• Collaborative – you share learning generously while maintaining clear accountability.

• Adaptable – you are comfortable in a small, ambitious organisation where roles and systems continue to evolve.

Bonus points for

• Lived experience of the care system.

• Training or experience in motivational interviewing, systemic practice, coaching or another relational approach.

• Experience of foster carer recruitment, initial visits, assessment, prep groups, panel or post-approval support.

• Experience commissioning, coordinating or quality-assuring ISWs, associates or other independent practitioners.

• A practice educator, adult-teaching or training qualification, or substantial equivalent experience.

• Experience scaling a service across regions or working with a dispersed team and multiple delivery partners.

• Project, budget, contract, risk or resource-management experience.

• Experience of co-production, service design or continuous improvement.

WHAT IS IN IT FOR YOU

Joining Now Foster means being part of something different. We are small, ambitious and innovative, and you will have genuine influence over how Weekenders grows. You will stay close to practice and impact without carrying a statutory caseload.

You will join a supportive, collaborative team that cares about doing excellent work in a sustainable and humane way. We work a 37.5-hour week and trust people to manage their time with balance. The programme sometimes requires evening work, weekend training days or travel, and we flex working time around those commitments.

• Salary from £40,000.

• 28 days of annual leave plus bank holidays.

• Home-based working with regular co-working and team days.

• Travel and reasonable work expenses covered in line with Now Foster policy.

• The tools and technology you need to work effectively.

• Workplace pension scheme

• The opportunity to help build a bold, lasting and more relational approach to fostering.
   

We know strong candidates do not always meet every desirable criterion. If the purpose of the role excites you and your experience gives you a strong foundation for the essentials, we encourage you to apply.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS – Key dates and how to apply

• Applications close – Sunday 20 September 2026 at 23:30
• First-round interviews – Online planned for Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 September 2026
• Role play – For candidates progressing to the second round, before the second interview. 30 mins, completed online with one of our Weekenders.
• Second-round interviews– In person planned for Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 October 2026 (reasonable travel expenses covered)

Early application is encouraged. We may close the advert before 20 September if we receive a sufficient number of strong applications.

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply through the Charity Jobs listing by the closing date. Candidates invited to interview will receive further information about the format and preparation in advance.

You must have the right to work in the UK. Appointment is subject to current registration with Social Work England, a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check and our other safer recruitment requirements.

We recognise that candidates may use generative AI tools to support their application. This is acceptable, but your application must remain an authentic reflection of your own experience and motivation. Please tell us if and how you used AI as part of preparing it.

As a small charity unfortunately we do not have capacity to respond to unsuccessful candidates or offer feedback at the application stage. Please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion if you do not hear from us before the interview dates.

OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUALITY 

Now Foster is committed to being an equal opportunities employer. We celebrate diversity and actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences. Recruitment decisions are made using fair, objective and transparent criteria, and we will make reasonable adjustments so the process is accessible.

If you want to help grow a pioneering programme, develop a thoughtful team and create more lasting relationships for children and young people, we would love to hear from you.

£70,000-£78,000 | Permanent | Hybrid (Head Office based in London) 

Prospectus is delighted to be supporting our client in the search for a new Directorof Programmes. The organisation believes that science should be relevant, representative and connected to society. Through nationally recognised science programmes, the charity creates opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to engage with, influence and benefit from science and research.

This is an exciting opportunity for an accomplished senior leader to join the Executive Team and take strategic ownership of a significant and diverse programme portfolio spanning education, community engagement, festivals and grant-making. Reporting to the CEO and leading three experienced Heads of Department, you will play a key role in shaping organisational strategy, driving operational excellence and ensuring programmes deliver sustainable impact at scale.

You will be a strategic and operational leader with experience of overseeing complex programmes, portfolios or services within a multi-stakeholder environment.

You may come from the charity, education, public engagement, cultural, research, consulting or wider not-for-profit sectors, and although a background in science is not essential, you will have a demonstrable track record of successfully balancing strategic thinking with operational delivery.

You will bring:

• Significant experience leading and developing complex programme portfolios, services or organisational functions.
• A proven ability to translate strategy into successful operational delivery within complex or evolving environments.
• Strong financial and operational capability, including responsibility for budgets, contracts, financial planning and resource management.
• Demonstrable experience of contract management and oversight of complex funding or grant agreements.
• Experience leading, developing and supporting high-performing teams, including through periods of growth, change or transformation.
• A track record of securing funding, building strategic partnerships and developing sustainable income opportunities.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with experience engaging senior funders, partners, trustees or boards.
• Strong attention to detail, with the ability to apply evidence, evaluation and insight to drive decision-making and organisational improvement.
• A commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, and a leadership style that creates an inclusive and supportive working environment.
• A genuine enthusiasm for the charity's mission and a belief that science should be accessible and relevant to everyone.

Most importantly, you will be someone who enjoys working across multiple priorities, is comfortable operating with a high degree of autonomy, and is motivated by the opportunity to shape the future direction of a respected and ambitious national charity.

As Director of Programmes, you will:

• Provide strategic leadership across the charity's programme portfolio, including Education, Community Engagement and Festivals.
• Lead and support three Heads of Department, ensuring effective delivery, collaboration and alignment with organisational objectives.
• Oversee key funder relationships, including major strategic partnerships and contracts with organisations such as UK Research & Innovation (UKRI).
• Take responsibility for contract management, reporting, governance requirements, risk management and organisational compliance.
• Lead annual budgeting and financial planning processes across the Programmes Directorate, working closely with colleagues across finance and the wider Senior Management Team.
• Play a central role in fundraising, partnership development, bid development and the creation of new programmes and income opportunities.
• Support the ongoing growth and development of flagship initiatives, including opportunities for international expansion and commercial development.
• Act as a senior organisational leader, contributing to strategy development, operational effectiveness, safeguarding oversight and continuous improvement.
• Represent the charity externally and act as an ambassador for its mission, programmes and partnerships.

To Apply
Please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining how your skills and experience align with the essential and desirable criteria for the role.

At Prospectus, we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds and are happy to make reasonable adjustments to enable all interested candidates to apply. If you require assistance with your application, please contact Shannon Sanderson, the lead consultant for this role. 

Please note that applications and CVs sent directly by email cannot be accepted and must be submitted through the application link to ensure they are properly recorded and considered. 

Overview

Looking for a rewarding career where you can make a real difference?

Join our team at HMP Channings Wood as a Programmes Facilitator and help people develop the confidence, skills, and resilience needed to make positive changes in their lives.

You'll deliver engaging group programmes and recovery-focused interventions, creating safe and supportive environments where individuals can build insight, explore new perspectives, and take meaningful steps towards recovery and rehabilitation.

Experience in substance misuse, education, training, social care, mental health, or criminal justice can be beneficial, but it isn't essential. If you enjoy working with groups, have strong communication skills, and are passionate about helping others achieve their potential, we'll provide the training and support needed to succeed.

This is an exciting time to join us. HMP Channings Wood is preparing for a significant prison expansion, creating opportunities for development, progression, and future career growth within a growing service.

If you're looking for a role with purpose, where you can inspire positive change and help people build brighter futures, we'd love to hear from you.

Through the Gate Worker Location: HMP Channings Wood
Hours: 37.5 per week
Contract: Permanent 

Full-time hours at Change Grow Live are 37.5 hours per week. For part-time roles, the salary and payments will be pro rata based on contracted hours

This is a rolling recruitment campaign and applications will be reviewed as they are received. The vacancy will close once a suitable candidate has been appointed, so early applications are encouraged.

Responsibilities

Looking for a Rewarding Career Where You Can Make a Real Difference?

As a Programmes Facilitator at HMP Channings Wood, you'll support people to develop new skills, build confidence, and make positive changes through structured group programmes and recovery-focused interventions.

You'll play an important role in creating engaging, supportive environments where individuals can explore challenges, develop resilience, and take positive steps towards recovery and rehabilitation.

Experience in substance misuse services, education, training, social care, or criminal justice can be beneficial, but it isn't essential. If you have strong people skills, enjoy working with groups, and are passionate about helping others achieve their potential, we'll provide the training and support needed to succeed in the role.

Why Join Us?

This is an exciting time to join our team. HMP Channings Wood is preparing for a significant prison expansion, and our service will grow alongside it to support an increasing prison population.

Joining us now means becoming part of a growing team with exciting opportunities for development, progression, and future career growth.

What You'll Do

• Deliver engaging recovery and psychosocial group programmes.
• Facilitate structured interventions, including the Atlas Programme.
• Create safe, inclusive, and supportive environments that encourage participation.
• Support individuals to build confidence, resilience, and motivation for change.
• Complete assessments and identify appropriate interventions.
• Provide one-to-one support to encourage engagement and progression.
• Work closely with healthcare teams, prison staff, and partner agencies.
• Contribute to improved wellbeing, reduced harm, and positive rehabilitation outcomes.

What We're Looking For

You might be a great fit if you:

• Enjoy facilitating discussions, workshops, or group activities.
• Communicate effectively and build positive relationships.
• Can motivate and engage people from a range of backgrounds.
• Create safe, inclusive, and respectful environments.
• Are organised and able to manage competing priorities.
• Work well independently and as part of a team.
• Are committed to learning and developing your skills.

Experience in education, training, youth work, social care, mental health, criminal justice, probation, coaching, mentoring, healthcare, or wellbeing services is welcomed but not essential. We value attitude, motivation, and transferable skills and will provide training to support your development.

What We Offer

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Paid weekly Wellbeing Hour.
• Pension scheme and employee wellbeing support.
• Discounts on shopping, travel, and entertainment.
• Ongoing training and career development opportunities.

Join Us

At Change Grow Live, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to change, grow, and live life to its full potential.

Apply today and help people build confidence, develop new perspectives, and take positive steps towards a brighter future.

This is a rolling recruitment campaign and applications will be reviewed as they are received. The vacancy will close once a suitable candidate has been appointed, so early applications are encouraged.

Please ensure that when completing your application form and supporting statement, you reflect on the details outlined in the job description. This will help us understand how your skills and experiences align with the requirements of the role.

A note about using AI in your application

AI can be a really helpful tool when putting together your application, and we're happy for you to use it. However, what we're most interested in is you.

We want to understand your experiences, achievements and strengths, so please make sure your application reflects your own story and clearly shows how you meet the essential criteria and the impact you've made in previous roles.

There's no need to write in a particular style. The strongest applications are those that are authentic, specific and clearly demonstrate your skills, experience and potential. We look forward to learning more about you.

Direct applications only — we will not be engaging agencies for this vacancy. 

Please note: This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK at the time of application. For applicants with time-limited visas, unfortunately, we are unable to support new visa applications or extensions. 

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. 

Salary Range (pro rata if part time)

CGL points 23 to 28 (£28,557.79 - £32,802.41)

Closing Date

25/11/2026

This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at an enhanced level.

London Youth Gateway is a sector leading service supporting 18-25 year-olds facing homelessness or rough sleeping across the capital. Our mission is to make sure young Londoners bounce back quickly and safely in times of crisis and to prevent or solve their homelessness for good. You will be playing a leading role in helping to shape the work of the partnership, its collaborative processes as well as its connections with each of the London local authorities.

This is a key role in our organisation, and we are looking for someone with demonstrable experience in partnership and stakeholder engagement who knows how to get and keep people on board to meet mutual or differing needs. The ideal candidate will be a confident communicator and persuasive negotiator with an eye for detail. You will be able to facilitate multi-agency meetings and collaboration, hold responsibility for regular reporting to the commissioner, and contribute to our broader policy and influencing work. We have big ambitions for an organisation our size, so we are on the look-out for someone who can work at their own initiative, support our different teams, and is not afraid to get hand-on with administrative tasks, while tuning into partner priorities and sniffing out great opportunities to connect.

Key details

• Contract type and hours: The role is full-time (35 hours per week), Monday-Friday. Some work over the Christmas period will also be required.

• Starting salary: £39,634. Salary scale AP32 (£39,634) to AP36 (£44,348).

• Location: New Horizon Youth Centre, 68 Chalton Street, London, NW1 1JR

• Application deadline:9am, Monday 21 September

• How to apply: complete our application form below, submit your CV and write a 2 page cover letter/supporting statement. Please don't include your name or address in your CV or cover letter.

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation UK Branch is looking for a Communications and Programmes Officer to join our small, collaborative London team.

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is an independent charitable foundation established in Portugal in 1956. It is one of the largest European foundations, with headquarters in Lisbon and offices in London (the UK Branch) and Paris. The Foundation's mission is to promote the development of individuals and organisations, through art, science, education, and charity, for a more equitable and sustainable society.

The Communications and Programmes Officer will work with colleagues to support the delivery of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation UK Branch's strategy. This post will help deliver the UK Branch's communications activity and support the UK programme's grant-making and projects.

The UK Branch aims to strengthen arts and civil society ecosystems and emphasises transnational collaboration between Portugal (where the Foundation is headquartered) and the UK. Our grantmaking programme has three focus areas: arts opportunities, NGO capacity-building and climate-health. We fund and support partner organisations working in these areas and directly deliver projects in-line with our programme goals. The UK Branch also collaborates on flagship international initiatives of the Foundation, including the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity and the Alliance for Socially Engaged Arts.

The appointed person is likely to spend around 50% of time working on communications projects, and 50% on general programmatic work (including research, events, project management, and administration).

This is a brilliant opportunity for someone with around two years of relevant experience looking to extend their skills and responsibilities and develop professionally.

About you

We do not expect candidates to evidence that they meet every point listed below. Instead, we encourage applications from candidates who meet the majority of the specification and are excited by the role.

• Excellent writing skills for a variety of audiences
• Experience developing content for social media and digital platforms
• Experience using communications software, ideally Mailchimp and WordPress (or equivalent)
• Strong research skills
• Experience managing projects and/or delivering events
• Awareness of, and an interest in, arts, environmental sustainability and the charity sector
• Prior employment in communications and/or a related field (ideally around two years of experience), or experience producing written and other communications in a formal context

What we offer

• Salary of £29,850 to £33,000, depending on the experience of the candidate
• Stakeholder pension scheme, which new employees are eligible to join after a successful probation period, to which the Foundation makes a matched contribution
• Leave entitlement at the rate of 28 days per annum in addition to UK statutory holidays
• Health and dental insurance coverage for all employees
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), which includes mental health support services
• A generous budget for employee training
• Hybrid working, with equipment provided by the Foundation to support effective home working

How to apply

Download the full job pack and submit your CV and a cover letter, following the instructions provided, by 23:59 on Sunday 20 September 2026. The postholder must be eligible to work in the UK. 

Equal Opportunities

The Foundation has an equal opportunity policy and implements to make this policy fully effective by ensuring that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, disability or race. The principle applies to recruitment, pay, terms and conditions of employment and promotion.

Rural Refugee Network (RRN) is a small local charity in East Hampshire, Havant and Portsmouth, working alongside refugees and people seeking asylum through the work of six board members, thirty operational volunteers, one part-time permanent employee and a small bank of project staff and contractors. The charity is widely recognised by stakeholders and the local community for sensitively and effectively addressing the many challenges people arriving in the UK face as they strive to resettle and thrive in our community.

RRN is seeking an experienced Head of Operations to lead its support for refugees and people seeking asylum. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a small charity through a period of significant change, with overall operational responsibility for the charity, including partnerships, funding, coordination of delivery, safeguarding and compliance. 

Working directly with a range of stakeholders and beneficiaries, the ideal candidate for this complex and high trust role will be self-reliant, adaptable, and able to engage and influence through excellent face-to-face and online communication skills. This is a genuinely flexible role, with significant autonomy over when and where work is undertaken. There will be regular opportunities for in-person team management and relationship-building, alongside substantial flexibility in how the wider working week is structured and where work is carried out. We are looking for someone who is confident working independently, manages their own time effectively and values the trust and responsibility that come with this level of autonomy.

A candidate who is energised by working flexibly and sensitively with a small team will thrive in this role, which offers the opportunity to make a direct and meaningful impact on people’s lives.

Experience in the refugee sector is desirable.

Deadline: 5pm Monday 21 September

To apply, please send your CV and a supporting statement of not more than 2 sides, explaining your motivation, reflecting on how you would approach being RRN’s only core employed leader, and demonstrating your fit against the specification below. Please use the email subject heading “Head of Operations Application”. Unfortunately, we are unable to respond to all applications.

Job Description

Title: Rural Refugee Network Head of Operations

Reports to:  Board of Trustees

Hours:  Part-time (0.5 FTE, negotiable). Permanent contract.

Salary range: £40,000 - £45,000 FTE depending on experience.

Benefits: 25 days plus bank holidays (pro rata to hours agreed). 3% employer pension contribution.

Location and expectations: Flexible hybrid working with frequent travel to projects, events and stakeholder meetings in Portsmouth, Havant, Petersfield and the wider Hampshire area. Occasional evening and weekend in-person working required.

Purpose: To lead the day-to-day operation, development and sustainability of Rural Refugee Network, working with trustees, volunteers, funders and partner organisations to ensure refugees and asylum seekers receive practical support and RRN maintains compliance and operational sustainability.

About the role:. 

In this small charity, the Head of Operations combines operational coordination, programme oversight, partnership development and income generation, with delivery shared across volunteers, trustees and contracted staff.The role offers a high degree of autonomy and flexibility, alongside the opportunity to shape how the organisation works and develops. It requires strong judgement in balancing opportunities, risks and priorities within limited capacity, and the confidence to work independently while bringing others with you.

RRN is volunteer-led, and the Head of Operations is the organisation’s only permanent employee, holding overall coordination and accountability for day-to-day operations. This is therefore a broad, high-trust role: rather than delivering everything directly, you will enable and coordinate others, working closely with trustees, volunteers and contractors who deliver significant elements of the activity you lead.

The role will suit someone who enjoys variety, autonomy and a flexible working pattern, and who is comfortable taking ownership while knowing when to collaborate, delegate or seek support.

Key responsibilities:

Leadership, coordination and partnerships

• Deliver agreed strategic objectives and support trustees in developing future priorities.

• Prepare quarterly Board reports.

• Coordinate relationships with statutory, voluntary and community partners.

• With the support of trustees, represent the charity in local forums, develop opportunities for collaboration and promote RRN in the local community.

Programme and volunteer coordination

• Provide oversight of funded and core programmes.

• Recruit, train and manage project staff (currently two youth workers) and contracted/sessional staff.

• Recruit, train, support and retain volunteers.

• Oversee referral pathways and access.

• Support volunteer-led communications activity including website, newsletters, social media, impact reports and case studies.

Income development and funding

• Write grant applications and manage reporting requirements (with volunteer/trustee input).

• Maintain and develop funding pipeline and actively develop new funding streams.

• Support relationship-building with donors and community supporters.

Finance and compliance 

• Monitor programme budgets, working with the Treasurer.

• Support trustees in governance, reporting and compliance responsibilities.

• Maintain organisational policies and procedures.

• Lead safeguarding practice and reporting, acting as Designated Safeguarding Lead and ensuring policies are implemented by staff, volunteers, and contractors.

• Maintain oversight of organisational risk, compliance with Charity Commission, data protection, employment requirements and insurance arrangements.

• Ensure appropriate administrative systems are in place and followed, including maintaining up-to-date records in the CRM, Lamplight.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

• Substantial experience managing programmes or services in the charity/social impact sector, including line management, budgeting and financial oversight, and grant compliance/reporting.

• Strong partnership-building and stakeholder engagement skills.

• Experience leading and recruiting volunteer teams. 

• Deep understanding of safeguarding and compliance and recent experience leading safeguarding practice and decision-making. Up to date on requirements and best practice.

• Ability to work independently, exercising sound judgement about what trustees need to know and when, and to prioritise effectively within limited capacity and competing demands.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, IT proficiency.

Desirable

• Experience working with refugees, asylum seekers or other vulnerable groups.

• Understanding of immigration, integration or resettlement issues.

• Successful fundraising and bid-writing experience. 

• Experience of local authority commissioning or grant funding.

• Comfort and experience in IT, data and/or CRMs.

RRN is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. Appointment is subject to an enhanced DBS check, including a check of the relevant barred list, two satisfactory references, including your most recent employer, and safer recruitment practice including verification of employment history and a right to work check. RRN is unable to sponsor work visas, so applicants must already have the right to work in the UK.