18 Programme manager jobs in Central London, Greater London

The Sutton Trust is the UK’s leading social mobility charity. Our programmes empower young people to access life-changing opportunities, and our research influences national change to deliver a fairer future.

Over the next year the Trust will celebrate its 30th anniversary and as part of its strategy, we have ambitious plans to grow our access to the workplace programmes in new and innovative ways. We are looking for a dynamic and enthusiastic Employability Programmes Manager to join our team through this exciting period.

The Trust’s Employability programmes support talented young people from lower income backgrounds to successfully access highly competitive universities, degree apprenticeships and professional careers. Delivered in partnership with the UK’s top universities and major employers the programmes support over 1,000 students each year from across the UK.

The successful candidate will lead on the development of a brand-new Tech and Digital Pathways to the Professions programme due to launch in Sep 2027 working with colleagues across the organisation. They will also manage and deliver, a range of other cohort-based employability programmes delivered both online and in-person. They will join a small and passionate team, led by the Head of Employability Programmes, and will play an important role in contributing to the on-going success of our programme work and industry engagement strategy.

Main duties

This role is responsible for leading on the design, planning and delivery of the new Tech and Digital programme (pre 18), alongside planning delivery for the existing employability programmes including our current Careers Plus (post-18) programmes in the tech & digital sector.

Programmes design and delivery

• Design a suite of interventions and activities for the new Pathways to Tech & Digital programme for launch in September 2027 leveraging our existing Sutton Trust theory of change, previous evaluations and models adapted from existing programmes. The role will work closely with the Senior Employability Manager and other colleagues across the team responsible for employer engagement, evaluation and marketing to ensure successful launch.

• Deliver existing employability programmes including our current Careers Plus (post-18) programme to launch the next cohort in April 2027, liaising with the Alumni team to ensure alignment with overall alumni engagement.

• Plan, project manage and deliver a range of online and in person activities within those employability programmes including launch events, career insight activities, academic taster sessions, skills workshops, group projects, networking, information and advice sessions etc. Some activities will also be in-person at employer partners.

• Liaise with colleagues in the Employer Engagement team to plan and delivery work experience placements, insight days and employer volunteering across programmes.

• Design engagement and comms plans for programmes to ensure strong student engagement and retention

• Work with colleagues to build and manage relationships with industry partners from across a range of sectors, who fund and support delivery across the programmes

• Managepartnerships with external delivery organisations (including universities and 3rdsector facilitators) to ensure the sessions and content of the programmes meet its intended aims

• Ensure all events and activities are risk assessed and delivered in line with both health and safety and safeguarding policies and best practice

• Liaise with colleagues in the evaluation team to manage the monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning across programmes supporting strong response rates, stakeholder reporting and adapting programme design and delivery based on feedback.

• Lead programme transition and change, balancing the delivery of existing programmes with the development and implementation of new initiatives

• Manage programme budgets and reporting process

Team responsibilities

• Line manage a Programme Assistant who supports across programmes

• Working with the Development team, manage the evaluation and reporting of programme activities including reporting/presenting to funders

• Other duties as necessary from time to time

Organisational responsibilities:

GDPR

• Being conscious of how the GDPR relate to your area of work

• Monitoring and raising issues or potential issues as they arise

Safeguarding

• Being aware of and actively working to include safeguarding within all aspects of work

• Raising issues or potential issues as they arise

Fundraising

• Acting as a representative and ambassador of the Sutton Trust when interacting with external contacts and particularly (prospective) donors

• Engage with fundraising and/or donor-related activities if required (e.g., contributing to funding proposals, reports or donor meetings)

Health & Safety and Office

• Familiarising yourself with the Trust’s Employee Safety Handbook, and your individual H&S duties and responsibilities.

• Reporting any H&S concerns or issues as they arise, either at home or in the office, as appropriate.

• Being aware of trigger points and informing the Ops team as needed e.g. when moving address or adjusting home workstation setup.

• Ensuring line reports are completing all H&S training.

• Regularly checking in with line reports on any H&S concerns, particularly when lone working/working from home.

• Acting as the Trust’s first point of contact, by providing a responsive and efficient service for general external and internal telephone and email enquiries

HR

• Line managing, motivating and proactively supporting Programmes Assistant: Employability in their professional development

• Following the Trust’s HR policies relating to line management and engaging with relevant processes as necessary

Person Specification

We welcome applications from individuals who have experience in:

• Managing projects/programmes, including event design, planning, administration and delivery

• Developing and launching new programmes or initiatives, using evidence, insight and innovation to deliver high quality programming

• Experience of leading programme change and transition

• Leading young person-facing events and activities, including awareness of best practice in supporting student needs, ideally with experience of digital delivery

• Facilitation of sessions with young people in person or online

• Building and Managing relationships with both contracted and voluntary delivery partners as well as diverse stakeholder groups including corporate or funder relationships;

• Using data to design and deliver programmes

• Monitoring and evaluation, reporting, and administration

• Budget management

• Working within or an understanding of the not for profit sector

We are also looking for an individual who:

• Is sympathetic to the aims of the Trust and its mission to address educational disadvantage

• Demonstrates a high degree of initiative and leadership when delivering projects and events

• Has strong organisational skills including the ability to multi-task and prioritise

• Excellent verbal and written communication and strong analytical skills

• Has first-class interpersonal skills - a natural ambassador able to represent the Sutton Trust in a range of settings

• Is eligible to work in the UK

Terms of Appointment

• Contract: Full-time, Permanent

• Salary: 43,000 - 44,000 per annum

• Working location: Minimum of two office days per week. Our home working policy gives staff the option to work from home for up to 60% of the time, with approval from their line manager.

• Office location: The Sutton Trust, 9th Floor, Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP.

• Hours: The standard working hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. This role is likely to also be required to attend events / meetings outside of normal working hours during weekday evenings and occasionally at weekends, in line with organisational policies.

• A DBS check may be required

• Please note that we are unfortunately not a licensed visa sponsor

Interviews

Applications should reach us by Tuesday 29th September, with first round interviews held over Zoom on Wednesday 7th October, and second round interviews held at our London offices on Thursday 15th October.

Safeguarding statement

The Sutton Trust believes that a child, young person or vulnerable adult should never experience abuse of any kind. We all have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. Therefore all posts undergo a safer recruitment process, including but not limited to, disclosure of criminal records where necessary and eligibility to work in the UK. We have procedures in place to promote safeguarding and a safe culture at the Trust.

Contextual recruitment

The Trust is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity and that all applicants receive equal consideration for employment. We strongly encourage individuals from all backgrounds, including those underrepresented at present at the Trust, to apply for this role. As such we particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities, Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ and from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds. We are committed to being an inclusive and welcoming place to work and know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for the young people we support.

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates throughout our recruitment process and during employment.

We also operate contextual recruitment at the Sutton Trust. Our application process gives you the option to include information about your background, such as whether you were eligible for free school meals, whether your parents went to university, or whether you attended a state school. For more examples and information on contextual recruitment, please see our website.

WEST LONDON SYNAGOGUE

Job Description

Job Title

Community Programme Manager

Department

Community: Social Action, Interfaith

Line Manager

Director of Operations & Community

Hours

Full time, 36.5 hours per week (some evening and Sunday working required, in line with the programme calendar)

Salary

£42,000-£45,000, dependent on experience

Background

West London Synagogue, founded in 1840, has a long-standing reputation as a leading and innovative institution within Progressive Judaism. It has played a significant role in shaping modern Jewish life and continues to hold a unique and influential position within the UK Jewish community.

With approximately 3,000 members, WLS is a lively, engaged and diverse community, with a strong commitment to Jewish life, social responsibility and engagement with the wider community.

WLS has an established and valued portfolio of Social Action and Interfaith activity, reflecting our commitment to making a positive contribution both within and beyond our congregation. We are now looking to build on this strong foundation, developing and expanding these areas to increase participation, strengthen partnerships and deepen their impact.

The Role

This newly combined role brings Social Action and Interfaith activity together under one postholder. The Programme Manager will be responsible for developing these areas strategically, growing participation and impact, building relationships and partnerships, and identifying new opportunities for meaningful engagement and community contribution.

The purpose of the role:

• To implement an integrated strategy for the delivery of WLS's Social Action and Interfaith activities, and the associated role of volunteers.

• To facilitate the smooth running and ongoing development of current WLS projects, alongside the introduction and implementation of new projects in these areas.

• To work with other members of staff, clergy and lay leadership to consolidate, and expand WLS's Social Action and Interfaith provision.

• To recruit, train, empower and retain an increasing number of community members as volunteers.

• To assist with funding applications and expense control relating to projects, working closely with the fundraising and finance teams.

Summary of Tasks

1. Social Action Projects

– Maintain and enhance existing social action projects, including the ongoing recruitment of participants and ensuring their financial viability, including cost control.

– Support the ongoing development of the WLS flagship Drop-in Programmes - for families seeking asylum and the Rainbow Drop-in for an LGBTQ population

– Develop a range of self-sustaining, hands-on social action projects for each age group at WLS, especially youth, students and young adults.

– Prepare timely reports, fundraising administration and formal feedback, as needed.

2. Interfaith Projects

– Execute and enhance our newly drafted Interfaith strategy, which focuses on education and awareness, grassroots initiatives, celebratory events and representation in the broader community;

– Attract and retain volunteers on an ad hoc basis for the interfaith initiatives;

– Work collaboratively with the community team and with the trustee responsible for Interfaith.

3. Experimental & Cross-Cutting Projects

– Identify, develop and lead selected new initiatives that align with WLS's strategic priorities and community needs

General Responsibilities

· Develop, maintain and manage an annual programme plan for Social Action and Interfaith activity, ensuring that projects and initiatives are aligned with WLS’s strategic priorities and community needs.

· Establish appropriate measures and processes to assess the reach, participation, outcomes and wider impact of programmes, regularly reviewing performance and using insight, feedback and data to improve existing activity and inform the development of new initiatives.

· Identify opportunities to increase the reach, relevance and impact of Social Action and Interfaith programmes, ensuring that activity continues to respond to the needs and interests of the WLS community and the wider community.

· Develop and manage a strong volunteer programme, including recruitment, induction, training, support, recognition and retention, and create meaningful opportunities for members to contribute their time, skills and experience.

· Manage relevant programme budgets including planning expenditure, monitoring income and expenditure, and ensuring that activity is delivered within agreed budgets.

· Build and maintain effective relationships with internal stakeholders, community organisations, faith communities, charities and other external partners, identifying opportunities for collaboration and developing new initiatives where appropriate.

· Collaborate with the engagement team to develop and implement appropriate communications and engagement plans to promote programmes and encourage participation.

· Attend and contribute actively to regular staff meetings, Board and committee meetings, and relevant project and working groups, providing updates on programme development, progress and impact as required.

· Contribute to the wider life of WLS, including festival celebrations and other community activities, as appropriate to the role.

· Support the development and implementation of WLS’s vision, policies and procedures, particularly in relation to Social Action and Interfaith activity involving adults, young people and children.

· Maintain awareness of, and ensure compliance with, all relevant regulations and WLS policies relating to safeguarding, particularly when working with children and vulnerable adults.

· Contribute to the development of funding and income-generation opportunities, including grants, sponsorships and partnerships, where relevant to the programme.

Person Specification

Essential

• Proven experience of managing projects and/or volunteers, with a track record of managing a varied workload and conflicting priorities to deadline.

• Experience of, or a strong interest in, social action and/or interfaith work.

• Excellent organisational skills and strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office 365.

• Excellent written and spoken English, with the ability to prepare clear reports and communications.

• Outstanding interpersonal skills, and a demonstrated ability to relate well to a diverse audience across all ages within the community.

• Demonstrated ability to balance the expression of views and values with respect for all.

• A high standard of personal integrity, and the ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and confidentiality.

• Self-motivated, proactive and comfortable working both independently and as part of a team.

• Flexibility to work some evenings and Sundays in line with the programme calendar.

• A good knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, Judaism.

• A good knowledge of Child and Vulnerable Adults safeguarding law and best practice.

• Willingness to obtain, or already holding, a recognised First Aid certificate.

Desirable

• Experience of grant fundraising or completing funding applications.

• A UK driving licence.

• Experience working closely with boards, volunteers and clergy.

Personal Qualities

• A collaborative team player who embraces change and is willing to get hands-on to deliver results.

• Proactive, enthusiastic, friendly and committed to making a difference.

• A good sense of humour and a warm, approachable manner.

Please note that this post is subject to:

• Two satisfactory references

• Confirmation of eligibility to work in the UK

• An enhanced DBS check

Keeping Young People Safe:

At Young Enterprise, safeguarding is at the core of everything we do. We are committed to promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. All successful applicants will receive ongoing safeguarding training throughout their employment and be expected to uphold excellent safeguarding practice at all times.

Are you passionate about helping young people build brighter futures?

Do you love bringing programmes to life, bringing people together, building relationships, and making things happen? If so, we’ve got an exciting opportunity to join the Young Enterprise team as a Senior Programme Manager.

Who We Are:

We’re Young Enterprise – a national charity with a bold mission: to give every young person the skills, confidence, and mindset to thrive in the changing world of work.

For over 60 years, we’ve empowered more than 7 million young people through hands-on enterprise and financial education programmes. Whether it’s launching a student business or learning how to manage money, we help young people develop key life skills—teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and resilience.

We’re a passionate, down-to-earth team of 90+ staff and 2,000+ volunteers who believe that every young person, regardless of background, deserves a fair start in life.

Why Join Us?

We think Young Enterprise is a great place to work-and we’re proud of our people-first culture. Here’s what you can expect:

• A friendly and supportive team where your voice is heard
• A strong commitment to diversity and inclusion-we want everyone to feel they belong
• Generous holiday allowance and flexible working
• Cycle-to-work scheme, life assurance, and NHS top-up plan
• Ongoing learning and mentoring opportunities
• A chance to directly impact the lives of young people every single day.

About the Role:

As Senior Programme Manager, you will lead a team responsible for delivering a portfolio of national education programmes that support thousands of educators and young people across the UK. Combining leadership, operational oversight and practical support, you'll help ensure programmes deliver high-quality experiences and meaningful impact.

This role is focused on providing leadership, oversight and guidance to an established team of Programme Managers, rather than personally leading the day-to-day delivery of every programme. However, you'll also be comfortable stepping in with practical operational support when required, helping the team navigate challenges, manage risk, maintain momentum and ensure successful delivery.

Working closely with colleagues across Young Enterprise, you'll use insight and evidence to drive improvement, support the ongoing development of our programmes, and help ensure they continue to deliver strong outcomes for young people. This is an opportunity to develop talented people, lead at scale, solve complex challenges and make a tangible difference to the lives of young people across the country.

You’d love this role if you:

• Enjoy leading and developing people, helping others perform at their best.
• Are equally comfortable leading strategically and stepping into operational detail when needed to support successful delivery.
• Like turning data, insight and feedback into practical improvements.
• Have experience overseeing complex programmes and know how to balance support, challenge and accountability.
• Can prioritise effectively and focus on the activities that will have the greatest impact.
• Build strong relationships quickly and enjoy working with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Are energised by improving services and finding better ways of doing things.
• Want to use your skills and experience to make a tangible difference to young people's lives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of Programme Managers, helping them deliver their best work and grow their impact.
• Provide oversight and support across a portfolio of national education programmes, ensuring high-quality experiences for educators and young people across the UK.
• Use performance data, insight and evidence to drive decisions, improve outcomes and maximise impact.
• Provide expert support and leadership when it matters most, helping teams navigate challenges, manage risk and maintain momentum.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships across education, funding and delivery networks to support programme success.
• Help shape the future of Young Enterprise's programmes and services, influencing how we support educators and equip young people with the skills they need to succeed.

A few practical things:

• This is a hybrid role based in London, with a minimum of 8 office days per month
• You’ll have the opportunity to visit some of the participating schools and colleges across the UK
• Full details can be found in the Job Description

How to Apply:

If you’re ready to help shape the futures of young people, we want to hear from you!

Please send your CV and a separate document answering these three questions (max 250 words each). When applying, please let us know whether you are applying for the role on a full-time or part-time basis.Applications must be submitted by 23:30 on 28 September 2026.

1. Leadership

Tell us about a time when you led a team to deliver a complex programme, project or portfolio. How did you support and challenge the team while ensuring successful delivery?

2. Performance, Improvement and Impact

Tell us about a time when you identified an opportunity to improve the performance, effectiveness or impact of a programme, service or initiative. What evidence or insight informed your thinking, what actions did you take, how did you engage others in the process, and what was the outcome?

3. Navigating Challenge

Tell us about a challenge you faced within a team you were leading. What was the situation, how did you approach it, and what was the outcome? What did you learn from the experience?

Please note that applications without answers to the questions will not be considered.

Please note that we may close this vacancy early if a suitable candidate is found.

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While these can be a helpful resource, we want to hear about your personal skills, experiences and insights that highlight your unique strengths and perspective.

First Interviews will take place at our Central London Office on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 October 2026.

We’re committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to everyone.

If you have a disability, a long-term health condition, or any other need that requires adjustments, please let us know. We’re happy to make reasonable adjustments at any stage of the process - whether that’s providing application materials in a different format, arranging wheelchair access, offering extra time for assessments, or any other support you may need.

You can contact us directly to request a reasonable adjustment.  Contact details are available when you apply for role. All requests will be treated with sensitivity and confidentiality.

At Young Enterprise we are passionate and committed to keeping your data safe and secure.  Full details can be found in the YE People’s Privacy Notice

Join us – and help us give every young person the chance to thrive.

The role

We're recruiting for a Programme Logistics Manager to join our Programme Operations team and help strengthen the systems that support Mary's Meals' school feeding programmes around the world.

Working closely with Programme Affiliates, Programme Partners and colleagues across Mary's Meals International, you'll provide technical oversight and support across key areas including inventory, fleet, facilities and supplier management, helping to ensure our logistics systems and processes are effective, efficient and sustainable.

You'll also drive continuous improvement, share best practice and support alignment with our school feeding model and programme operations strategy. At the heart of this role is a commitment to quality, stewardship and simplicity, helping us deliver our mission as effectively as possible.

Key priorities:

• Shape practical logistics policies, processes and tools that support our global programmes.
• Use performance data and insights to identify opportunities, manage risk and support informed decision-making.
• Support country teams to build capability, confidence and consistently high standards.
• Foster collaboration between procurement and logistics colleagues to improve programme delivery.
• Champion safe, efficient and cost-effective fleet management, including vehicle tracking and telematics.
• Strengthen supplier relationships, contract management and performance monitoring.
• Enhance facilities, warehousing and distribution practices across our supply chain.
• Contribute to programme planning, audits, growth initiatives and operational strategy.

About you:

We're looking for a Programme Logistics Manager who combines strong logistics expertise with a collaborative, solutions-focused approach and a genuine passion for our mission. You’ll bring:  

• Significant experience in logistics and/or operations within an international organisation.
• A strong understanding of logistics systems, processes and performance management.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively across cultures.
• Experience using data and insights to monitor performance and drive improvements.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to balance competing priorities.
• A proactive, adaptable and results-focused approach.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to turn insight into action.
• Proficiency in MS Office and data analysis tools.
• A genuine commitment to Mary's Meals' mission and values.
• Experience leading or coordinating teams, particularly in decentralised or geographically dispersed environments would be beneficial but not essential.

About us:  

Mary’s Meals is a global movement supported by people from all walks of life and from all faiths and none. We are focused on one goal – that every child receives a nutritious daily meal in a place of education. Today, more than 3 million children receive Mary’s Meals in some of the world’s poorest communities.  

We are a values-driven organisation that believes in the innate goodness of people, respects the dignity of every human being and family life, and values good stewardship of the resources entrusted to us. In line with our values, we are fully committed to a culture of safeguarding.

Mary’s Meals is committed to preventing any form of unwanted behaviour at work, and we expect all members of the Mary’s Meals family to share this commitment and act in the best interests of the communities we serve. Our safer recruitment practices ensure that only those committed to our high standards join our movement.

We are happy for you to work remotely and flexibly, in a way that best supports your work-life balance. We have an office in Glasgow for those who would like to work from here occasionally or on a regular basis. Some travel to Glasgow, will likely be required as part of this role.

We believe in the innate goodness and dignity of every person. In line with this, Mary’s Meals is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment. All applicants will be considered fairly and on merit, without discrimination of any kind. 

Our Benefits:

• 34 days annual leave (pro-rated for part time working patterns) including bank holidays, increasing by 1 day each completed calendar year, to a maximum of 39 days (+ option to buy another week)
• Flexible working
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Life assurance
• Pension

Farm Discovery Programme Manager

Salary: £40,170 | Home-based | 35 hours per week | Permanent

This is a varied senior role combining programme leadership, team and contract management, quality assurance, safeguarding, data and financial oversight, partnership development and programme improvement.

You’ll ensure our Farm Discovery team has the clarity, support and resources they need to deliver consistently high-quality educational experiences for children from disadvantaged communities. You’ll also use data, feedback and evaluation to improve the programme, develop partnerships and contribute to its future growth and development.

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has a strong track record in programme management and leading complex delivery
• Is outstanding at enabling and leading educators and dispersed teams
• Understands the primary education context in England
• Can build strong relationships with schools, farmers, funders and partners
• Has experience of quality, safeguarding, health and safety and risk management
• Is confident using data, managing budgets and improving systems and processes
• Can communicate effectively and work collaboratively across an organisation
• Shares our commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for children experiencing disadvantage

The role is home-based, with regular travel across England and North Wales, including overnight stays, an essential part of the role. Reasonable travel and accommodation expenses are covered.

Hours: 35 hours per week, with flexible working arrangements considered, including slightly reduced or compressed hours for the right candidate.

Closing date: Thursday 8 October 2026, midday.
CVs not accepted for this role. Please see our website for more information.

Job Title: EDIS Programme Manager (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Science and Health)
Reporting to: Head of EDIS
Responsible for: Project staff, contractors, consultants and delivery partners as required.
Based: Our Head Office is based in London, but we have an agile working policy enabling people to work at another UK location up to 4 days/week. Requests for permanent remote working will be considered and we welcome applications from people based in other parts of the UK.
Hours: Full-time (35 hours per week). Requests for part-time or flexible working will be considered
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £40,517 to £44,423 FTE per annum

About Us

The British Science Association (BSA) was founded in 1831 and is a registered charity.

We are creating a future where science is more relevant, representative, and connected to society.

We have ambitious goals to put people at the heart of science.

About the role

The EDIS Programme Manager will provide the stewardship and coordination needed to translate EDIS's strategic ambitions into practical, high-quality delivery.

The role will lead programme planning, reporting, risk management and delivery oversight across the EDIS portfolio. It will ensure that activity is well sequenced, clearly governed and focused on practical progress against EDIS priorities.

A central focus will be the development and stewardship of the Embedding EDI workstream. The postholder will work closely with members, partners and stakeholders to shape priorities, agree shared approaches, co-create practical tools, guidance and resources, support implementation across member and partner settings, identify learning and improvement opportunities, and help embed inclusive practice across EDIS activity.

Working with EDIS members, delivery partners, the Francis Crick Institute, Wellcome and colleagues across the British Science Association, the postholder will help to ensure that programme activity is joined up, evidence-informed and focused on meaningful, sustainable change across the science and health research sector.

This role would suit someone who combines strong programme management with collaborative leadership, systems thinking, and a clear commitment to and knowledge of equity, diversity and inclusion. The successful candidate will be confident moving between strategy and delivery, helping to shape the future direction of EDIS while ensuring that programmes, partnerships and workstreams are delivered effectively.

Key responsibilities

• Lead programme delivery across the EDIS portfolio, ensuring activities are strategically aligned, effectively planned and delivered against agreed priorities, objectives, budgets and timelines.
• Provide programme leadership, governance and oversight, maintaining programme plans, risk and issue management processes, action tracking, performance monitoring, financial reporting to support informed decision-making.
• Lead the development and stewardship of the Embedding EDI workstream, working with members and partners to develop practical tools, guidance, resources and implementation approaches that support sustainable organisational change across the sector.
• Coordinate delivery across EDIS workstreams and partnerships, ensuring member engagement, commissioned activity, evidence generation, communications and reporting are joined up and contribute to shared outcomes.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with members, funders, delivery partners, suppliers and key stakeholders, acting as a trusted point of coordination and supporting collaborative delivery across the EDIS network.
• Manage the procurement, contracting and performance of consultants, commissioned partners and suppliers, ensuring high-quality delivery, effective resource management and value for money.
• Lead approaches to monitoring programme performance, impact, learning and continuous improvement, ensuring evidence and insight are used to strengthen delivery and demonstrate progress against EDIS objectives.
• Prepare and present high-quality reports, briefings and recommendations for the Head of EDIS, BSA leadership, governance groups, funders and other stakeholders, communicating progress, risks, opportunities and key decisions clearly and effectively.
• Support funder engagement, strategic partnership development and long-term sustainability planning, helping to identify opportunities for growth, influence and future investment in EDIS.
• Champion equity, diversity and inclusion throughout programme delivery, ensuring inclusive practice, accessibility and meaningful participation are embedded across planning, implementation, governance, learning and evaluation.

About you

The successful candidate will bring the following experience, skills and approach.

Essential criteria

• Significant experience managing complex programmes, projects or portfolios with multiple workstreams.
• Experience developing and maintaining programme plans, milestones and reporting systems. This will include maintaining programme plans, governance arrangements, risk and issue management processes, delivery reporting, budget monitoring and financial reporting, ensuring accurate oversight of programme performance, expenditure, value for money and organisational accountability.
• Substantial experience applying equity, diversity and inclusion in practice at a programme or organisational level, including using inclusive design principles, accessibility considerations and relevant legal duties to shape planning, delivery, governance and learning.
• Experience of facilitating collaboration between multiple stakeholders, members or partners with different insights and perspectives.
• Experience of maintaining programme governance, including identifying and managing risks, dependencies and delivery challenges across multiple workstreams.
• Experience working with multiple partners, stakeholders or suppliers to deliver shared outcomes.
• Ability to produce clear, well-structured written outputs, such as reports, briefings, decision papers or similar materials, that support understanding, discussion and decision-making for different audiences.
• Ability to take ownership of agreed areas of programme delivery, manage priorities across workstreams and make progress with appropriate support, while keeping managers and senior colleagues informed about key risks, decisions, dependencies and delivery progress.

Desirable criteria

We do not expect candidates to have all of the following, but one or more would be helpful in the role.

• Experience working in science, research, health, public engagement, charity or membership settings.
• Experience commissioning or managing consultants, suppliers or delivery partners.
• Experience developing practical toolkits, guidance or resources for organisational change.

The closing date for applications is Friday 2nd October 2026.
First interviews are due to take place online w/c 26th October 2026, with second interviews (in person in London) expected on Monday 2nd November 2026.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

As part of the British Science Association’s commitment to being a Disability Confident employer, all disabled applicants who meet the ‘essential criteria’ for this vacancy will be offered an interview under our guaranteed interview scheme.

No agencies please.

We have a fantastic development opportunity to join our Children’s Homes in West London. We are looking for candidates with the aspiration to develop their careers with us and become Registered Managers through our Leadership Passport and Management Training offer.

Starting salary of £43,000 as Deputy Manager, and up to £65,000 as Registered Manager.

We are proud that 80% of our Registered Managers are internal promotions. Take your career to next level with our comprehensive in-house training and funded Level 5 qualifications.

About Us

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

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

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

St Christopher’s Academy

When you join St Christopher’s, we will set you up in your career with a tailored development plan. Whether you want to move across to a different service, become a Manager or just explore further your current role, we will support you to map out your career trajectory and help you achieve your professional ambitions. If you want to learn more about St Christopher’s Academy, please visit our website.

Visit our website to check out our staff stories to see how you can develop your career with us

The successful candidate will have:

• Two years’ recent experience of working with children/young people who are at risk in a residential or community based setting.
• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Residential Childcare or equivalent; and a commitment to complete Level 5 diploma in Leadership and Management in residential care within 2 years of starting.
• Ability to develop appropriate one-to-one relationships with young people and employ mentoring skills that empower young people to achieve their goals.
• Numeracy skills to manage budgets efficiently and contribute to the budgetary process.
• An understanding of the regulatory framework relevant to the provision of residential services for children and young people.
• Awareness of issues facing young people such as bullying, gangs and exploitation and how these impact on behaviour.
• Ability to work shifts including weekends and bank holidays and undertake sleep-ins.
• Ability and willingness to be part of an on call rota overseeing multiple Homes.

About the Role

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

Key aspect of the role:

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

In return we offer:

• Starting salary of £43,000 per annum for full time contract.
• Real opportunities to develop your career and become a Registered Manager.
• A friendly working environment, a fun, open and honest culture.
• 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro-rata.
• Industry leading training programme including access to level 3 qualifications, children’s right and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health and social pedagogy.
• Contributory pension scheme, enhanced maternity and company sick scheme.
• UK Life Assurance (Death in service) to the value of 3 times your annual salary.
• BUPA employee assistance programme, offering counselling, financial advice and legal support.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Bluelight card; discount shopping scheme at hundreds of retailers across the UK.
• Discretionary funded training programs.
• Employee awards based on performance and length of service.
• Fantastic opportunities to develop your career within our range of services.

Recruitment Process

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

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

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

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

This post has a minimum age restriction of 21 year for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and supported accommodation Homes in line with the Equality Act ‘occupational requirement’.

It is illegal to apply for any role that involves working with children and young people under the age of 18, if you know you are barred from working with children.

All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be asked to submit a Self-Declaration and Disclosure form which will need to be returned prior to an interview being booked.

Each year Youth Careers Collective works with more than 6000 young people and we are supported by over 1000 employer volunteers, who take part in employer engagement events, careers and employability skills workshops, work experiences placements and one-to-one career mentoring.

The Youth and Volunteer Engagement Manager is a new role at Youth Careers Collective, establishing an active and well-supported alumni community, empowering our Youth Board, and actively engaging with and managing our wide network of Young Associates and volunteers.

This is an important and dynamic role in our team, seeking to develop deeper and more impactful relationships across our community.

To work effectively with these various stakeholders, you will be a natural relationship builder and an empathetic individual, with an understanding of different needs, extremely organised, able to identify opportunities and respond flexibly to change.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

Experience

• Three years or more experience of working within a purpose-led organisation, such as a charity or social enterprise.
• Three years or more experience of working directly with and supporting young people (aged 16 to 24), ideally including young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
• Experience and understanding of how best to support inclusion and participation of young people with lived experience, alongside demonstrable experience of engaging and building productive relationships with marginalised and disconnected young people.
• Experience of working with and supporting diverse volunteers; driving recruitment, engagement and retention.
• Experience of designing and facilitating engaging and dynamic events, activities, learning and development opportunities, with and for young people and volunteers.
• Experience of managing and improving organisation wide systems and processes.
• A background and experience in one or more of the following disciplines:
  • Youth work
  • Training and facilitation
  • Careers and employability
  • Education
  • Personal and professional development

Skills

• Adept and enthusiastic relationship builder, with the ability to engage and energise others, including with marginalised young people.
• Good communication skills, able to speak confidently with young people, volunteers, and senior professionals.
• Very organised, with an attention to detail, excellent time management skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong IT proficiency, including the use of Excel and CRMs.
• Confident and effective at using a range of tools to support planning and project management.
• Able to create clear, professional and accessible resources and tools.
• Able to understand and explain complex concepts in a straight-forward and accessible manner.
• Able to self-manage, staying efficient and motivated and on task.
• Able to operate in a fast-paced environment without compromising on accuracy or quality.

Attitude

• Passionate and enthusiastic about improving young people’s lives.
• Highly motivated and energetic.
• Can take initiative and is comfortable working independently
• Thrives in a busy and fast-paced working environment.
• Positive and solution-focussed, able to maintain a positive approach to problem solving.
• Self-assured, with a ‘can-do’ approach.
• Welcomes feedback, with a desire to continuously improve and develop.
• A commitment to our organisation values of; empowerment, collaboration, reliability, quality and learning.

WHAT WE OFFER

• £36,230 per annum

• 28 days leave (inc. 3 days between Christmas and New Year)

• 2 volunteering days

• 1 life event day

• Matched pension contributions (up to 6%)

• Flexible working (our core business hours are 10am to 3pm)

• Life insurance (5 x annual salary)

• Canada Life WeCare employee support package

Earliest Start Date: 2nd November 2026

Contract: 12 Months with Potential for Exentension

Job Title: Known internally as "Key Work Manager (Maternity Cover)"

Location: 30 Petworth Street, Battersea, SW11 4QW. The post will also involve working in the community so some local travel will be required.

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, including some evening & occasional weekend work

About the Role

As Key Work Manager you will lead on and oversee all Key Work activity at Carney’s Community. This includes undertaking key work yourself on a one to one basis with young people involved in the criminal justice system as well as managing a small team of key workers.

You will provide advice, practical support and befriending to a caseload of participants, aged 11-30, who are at risk of/involved in offending; to encourage and enable them to participate in Carney’s Community’s personal development opportunities and to access the wider services and support they may need in order to give them the best chances of being “the best they can be”. This will involve supporting young people to engage in positive and constructive activities, attend Youth Justice Service or Probation appointments and creating opportunities for their personal, social and emotional development

You will work alongside the employment support manager to plan and deliver the employment group, supporting participants that attend this group and leading specific employment programmes. As manager of the key work project you will oversee the small team of key workers, provide support, guidance and supervision. You will be involved in monitoring and reporting for the project, collecting feedback from participants. You will manage referrals to the project from other organisations including schools, social services, probation and the youth justice service.

About You:

You must have proven experience of working directly with young people in a youth work or key work setting, providing one to one support. You will have the ability to empathise and mediate for young people, a strong understanding of the local area, barriers facing young people, the interplay between material disadvantage, vulnerability and social exclusion and be highly skilled in diplomacy, professional distance, demonstrating empathy, boundaries and sound judgement. You will have experience managing other staff or volunteers.

About Carney’s Community

We support young people living in and around Wandsworth, targeting ages 11-30 facing extreme challenges including criminal justice system involvement or care experience. Carney’s works differently by providing long-term, consistent, unconditional support with empathy; a safe space and activities including boxing, bike workshops, employment support, studio sessions, mentoring and key work. Inspired by boxing legend Mick Carney, the charity was founded in his name after his passing in 2011, building on work led by our co-founders. We aim to create a “virtuous cycle”: while support is free of charge, we ask that when young people are ready, they channel the positivity they have received into others. As a result, many go on to volunteer, mentor, join our staff team or even set up their own community initiatives. Former participants make up the majority of our workforce. They provide the most authentic role models, people who genuinely understand the challenges our young people face and who show what is possible. For our young people we strive for equality and aim to: Improve Physical and Mental Health; Improve Education, Skills and Employability; Improve Community Engagement; Reduce Offending and Reoffending.

At One YMCA, we work alongside young people to help them develop confidence, skills, resilience, and positive futures. We are looking for an inspiring, experienced and motivated Youth Work Manager to lead and develop our local youth work provision, ensuring that high-quality, impactful services reach young people across our communities.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in delivering our Youth Work Strategy, managing a dedicated team, driving quality and developing services that make a real difference in the lives of young people.

About the role:

Reporting to the Head of Youth Work, you will take operational responsibility for the delivery, development, monitoring, and quality assurance of our youth work services. You will lead and support Youth Work Coordinators and wider youth work staff, ensuring services are safe, effective, youth-centred, and aligned with One YMCA's strategic priorities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the development and delivery of youth work programmes, specialist support services, mentoring initiatives, life skills courses, and large-scale youth events.
• Managing and supporting staff through recruitment, induction, supervision, training, and performance development.
• Monitoring contract performance, outcomes, impact data, and key performance indicators to demonstrate the difference our services make.
• Building strong relationships with schools, local authorities, partner agencies, and community stakeholders.
• Leading quality assurance, compliance, safeguarding, and continuous improvement across the service.
• Acting as Designated Safeguarding Lead and participating in the safeguarding on-call rota.
• Working with young people and teams to ensure youth voice is at the heart of everything we do.

We're looking for someone who combines strong operational leadership, experience in managing contractual compliance, with a genuine commitment to young people.

You will bring:

• Significant experience delivering and managing youth work programmes, projects, or contracts.
• A strong understanding of issues affecting young people's lives and a passion for helping them achieve positive outcomes.
• Experience leading, motivating, and developing staff teams.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and partnership-working skills.
• The ability to analyse data, monitor impact, and use insight to improve services.
• A youth work or related community-focused qualification at degree level, or significant equivalent experience.
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes.

Location: Home-based role but with regular travel to YMCA youth work delivery sites across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, as well as to support the broader youth work within One YMCA. 

Driving licence and access to a car is essential for this role.

If you are an experienced youth work leader ready for your next challenge, we would love to hear from you! 

Important: Please include a supporting statement with your application/CV.

We do not provide visa sponsorship; you must be eligible to work in the UK. You must reside in the UK for the duration of your employment and provide Right to Work evidence.

As some of our roles involve working with vulnerable members of society, this position may require a Basic or Enhanced Criminal Disclosure, which will be conducted once a conditional offer is made

Previous Applications: We welcome applications from all qualified candidates. However, if you have applied for a similar role within the last 6 months and were not successful, please consider whether your experience has developed further before reapplying

Accessibility & Adjustments: We are committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and will strive to be as accommodating as possible. Please inform us in advance of any arrangements you may need to fully participate in the process.

At One YMCA we are an inclusive organisation and actively promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We do not discriminate on the basis of Age, Disability, Gender Reassignment, Marriage/Civil Partnership, Pregnancy/Maternity, Race, Religion/Belief, Sex and/or Sexual Orientation. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities, and industries, and are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences, and abilities.

Working hours: 37.5 hours per week, generally Monday to Friday but with flexibility of working pattern to support both the ideal candidate and business need. Some evening work expected, and occasional weekend, overnight stays or residential work.

Research Programme Manager – Mental Health Advert

Contract: Fixed-term contract for 2 years (with the possibility of extension of up to a further 12 months)

Hours: 28 hours per week (FTE is 35 hours per week)

Location: London (hybrid), with occasional travel within the UK)

Salary: £52,467 (FTE £65,584)

Closing date: 23rdSeptember 2026

Interview Dates: Week Commencing 28th September (London Office)

Freedom from Torture has an exciting opportunity for a Research Programme Manager to join our team and play a central role in delivering an innovative international mental health research programme funded by a major UK research funder. The programme will explore whether artificial intelligence can safely and effectively support survivors of torture with managing distressing memories. Survivor co-design is central to the programme, ensuring that people with lived experience across diverse cultures, languages and backgrounds meaningfully shape innovation in mental health.

About us

Freedom from Torture is an established charity that has been supporting survivors of torture for over 35 years and has a dedicated donor base. We are committed to providing high-quality, evidence-based interventions for people who have survived torture. We provide therapies to improve physical and mental health, medically document torture, and offer legal and welfare support. Our clinical model has been co-designed with survivors of torture and includes a range of interventions, including trauma-focused therapy, psychotherapy, family and couple systemic psychotherapy, group work, pain management and health assessment.

In addition to our treatment services, we expose torture globally, campaign for the rights of survivors and work to hold torturing states to account. We use evidence from our services and survivor voices to influence national and international change, placing survivors at the centre of everything we do.

Our current strategy seeks to increase access to rehabilitation services for survivors of torture, strengthen our clinical excellence through research, and explore innovative models of service delivery that enable us to reach more people in need. This includes developing research partnerships and innovation opportunities that advance knowledge, improve practice and create meaningful impact for survivors. We undertake our work under our four core values of Hope, Compassion, Empowerment and Resolve. This is an exciting time to join Freedom from Torture and make a meaningful contribution to our future development.

We offer a competitive package, with a generous 30-day annual leave entitlement (pro rata), 6% employer pension contribution, and flexible and hybrid working arrangements.

About the role

This is a senior research programme management role supporting the delivery of a major externally funded health research programme involving multiple organisations, international collaborators and diverse stakeholder groups. The programme includes research involving human participants and brings together expertise from universities, charities, clinicians, researchers, technologists and people with lived experience.

A defining feature of this programme is its commitment to survivor leadership and co-design. Survivors of torture will play an active role in shaping, informing and governing the research throughout its lifecycle. The successful candidate will therefore work closely with survivor advisors, co-design groups and governance structures to support meaningful participation and ensure that lived experience perspectives are incorporated into programme decision-making, research development and delivery. This commitment to participation is central to the ethos, methodology and success of the programme.

Reporting to the Principal Investigator, the Research Programme Manager will act as the central coordination point across the consortium and will be responsible for leading programme planning, coordinating international partners, supporting governance structures, managing funder reporting and compliance, coordinating financial oversight, supporting research governance and ethics, monitoring programme risks and preparing high-quality reports and briefings for funders, governance bodies and senior stakeholders.

The successful candidate will work closely with Freedom Fron Torture colleagues across clinical services, survivor leadership and empowerment, fundraising, finance, research partners and organisational leadership to ensure successful delivery of programme objectives. This role offers a rare opportunity to work at the intersection of health research, innovation, survivor involvement and international collaboration.

About you

You will be an experienced programme or project management professional with a track record of delivering complex health research programmes. You will have experience of managing externally funded research programmes, working with major research funders, coordinating activity across multiple organisations, supporting governance structures, managing risk and assurance processes, and contributing to financial monitoring and reporting.

You will understand the importance of meaningful involvement of people with lived experience in research and service development. You will have experience of supporting inclusive engagement, co-design, consultation or participation activities and be committed to ensuring that diverse voices influence decision-making, governance and programme delivery.

You will bring excellent communication and relationship-management skills, with the ability to work confidently with academics, clinicians, funders, people with lived experience, senior organisational leaders and colleagues across different professional backgrounds. You will be organised, proactive and able to exercise sound judgement in a complex and fast-moving programme environment.

This role would particularly suit candidates from university or health providers research management, major health research funders, and mental or physical health clinicians with substantial research management experience.

In Return

In return, we offer a competitive package, with a generous 30-day annual leave entitlement, and 6% employer pension contribution (minimum 1% employee contribution).

Freedom from Torture is committed to showing the salary for all advertised roles and not negotiating salaries for roles, in light of evidence that this contributes to structural inequality.

Our policy is that all appointments will be at the start of the salary range but successful candidates will have the opportunity to move up the scale over time. The progression up the salary range is reviewed on an annual basis and subject to affordability. For this role, the salary range is £52,467 per annum to £60,861 per annum (FTE £65,584 to 76,077).

To view the Job Description and Person Specification, please click here 

Freedom from Torture is dedicated to healing and protecting people who have survived torture. We provide therapies to improve physical and mental health, we medically document torture, and we provide legal and welfare help. We expose torture globally, we fight to hold torturing states to account and we campaign for fairer treatment of torture survivors in the UK.

We campaign for national and global change, using evidence from our services and survivor voices to protect and promote survivors' rights and hold torturing states to account. We are proud to play a significant role in the global anti-torture movement. Survivors, active and empowered, are at the centre of all of our work.

Freedom from Torture is committed to its responsibilities under safeguarding and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS/PVG disclosure, as well as a full employment history and up-to-date employment references.

Freedom from Torture is an equal opportunity employer. People with lived experience of torture or asylum, from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ individuals and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please note that a CV and a cover letter addressing the Job Description and Person Specification are mandatory to be considered for this position.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

No agencies please.

Cure Parkinson’s is looking for an experienced events professional to join our Research Team and take charge of our programme of research workshops and conferences, both for the scientific community and for lay/patient supporters of the charity. This is an exciting time to join the team as we restructure our event offering and grow our programme of activity.

As our Scientific Programmes Manager you will have a degree in life sciences, with experience in neuroscience an advantage. You will have significant experience in planning, co-ordinating and delivering scientific programmes events, meetings and conferences (in-person, hybrid and virtual). You will be adept at liaising with and growing a research community and be skilled at speaking to and writing for both lay and scientific audiences.

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.

We're looking for someone with strong roots in Barking & Dagenham, experience working alongside young people and communities experiencing inequality, excellent partnership-building skills, and a commitment to anti-oppressive practice and social justice to shape our place-based work in Barking & Dagenham.

Key responsibilities

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with local stakeholders, including youth organisations, community groups, grassroots leaders, local authority teams, schools, colleges, funders and voluntary sector networks.
• Conduct community engagement and local mapping activities to gather insight on services, networks, needs, opportunities and gaps in provision, helping to inform Blagrave's work and partnerships.
• Convene and support an intergenerational steering group of local people experiencing deep-rooted inequality to guide the development of a youth hub in Barking & Dagenham.
• Lead local grant-making activity, including developing grant programmes and partnerships, managing relationships with grant partners, and ensuring local organisations are supported to flourish.
• Collect and share learning, insights and intelligence from community engagement and grants activity, and work with partners to deliver community events that centre youth and community participation.