Programmes and grants manager jobs

Independent Age is the national charity focused on improving the lives of people facing financial hardship in later life. We believe no one should face financial hardship in later life.

Our Helpline and expert advisers offer free, practical support to older people without enough money to live on. Through our grants programme, we support hundreds of local organisations working with older people across the UK. 

We use the knowledge and insight gained from our support services and partnerships to highlight the issues experienced by older people in poverty and campaign for change.

We would love to find individuals from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds to join us on this journey.

Responsibilities and Person Specification: 

This role is an exciting opportunity to play a key role providing expert analysis and conducting research on the high essential costs facing older people in financial hardship and advocating for policy change in this area.  As part of the Policy and Influencing directorate, you will contribute to strategic thinking, lead research and policy development projects using a range of methods and work across the directorate to build relationships and secure change. 

You should have experience of driving forward a policy theme, including identifying policy problems, developing credible  and evidence based solutions and working towards securing change.  Strong research and analysis skills are essential, with excellent communication and project management skills.  We are looking for experience of working independently as well as collaborating effectively across a high performing influencing function.  Most importantly, a passion to change things for older people experiencing financial hardship, and the confidence to hear and incorporate their perspectives and insights into your work mean that this role could be for you.

For full details on the role and requirements, please review the job description and person specification.  If your experience doesn’t align perfectly with all of the criteria in the person specification but you do meet most of them and are excited about the role, we encourage you to apply anyway. 

This is a full-time role, 35 hours per week, which you can choose to work over five days or a 9 day fortnight. 

What it’s like to work at Independent Age:

We celebrate diversity at Independent Age and champion the differences that make each of us unique. We actively support and encourage people from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and skill sets to join us and help shape what we do. We aim to attract and retain a wide range of talent and create an environment where everyone can feel safe, protected, welcome and included.

We offer great benefits including 28 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme with life assurance, and fantastic learning and development opportunities. We also offer a number of enhanced leave provisions and benefits. 

We know that a good work life balance helps us perform at our best and supports wellbeing. Flexible working hours and hybrid working is standard for all (those contracted to work in the office usually attend 1 day per week). But if you need a different form of flexibility, we are always happy to talk flexible working. 

You can find out more about what it’s like to work at Independent Age on the careers page of our website.

Application Process:

To apply, please submit a CV and a Supporting Statement, detailing how your skills and experience meet the criteria within the Job Description and Person Specification, by visiting our jobs website (please do not hesitate to contact us if you have specific requirements and need support to apply in an alternative format).

To support our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion our hiring managers use anonymous shortlisting. Therefore, please do not include your name, photo, or information to indicate your gender or age in your CV and supporting statement. Please do not omit dates of employment. Please ensure the title of any uploads does not contain your name. 

Independent Age is committed to safeguarding and follows Safer Recruitment practices to ensure we are safeguarding those we work with. We therefore ask that you supply your full work history with explanations for any gaps in the application documents you submit and, if offered the post, we will require two employment references including your current or most recent employer.  The role also requires a basic DBS certificate.

Closing Date: Sunday 5 October at 11:59pm

Interview Dates: Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th October via Microsoft Teams

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced fundraiser to help us increase our income from mid-level and major donors, trusts and foundations, and legacies.

This is an exciting time to join our charity, Cambridge is changing rapidly, and we are working hard to tackle issues such as the loss of nature, climate change and access to green space. We have inspiring new projects to expand habitats and green spaces on the Gog Magog Hills, to create a new wetland at our Coton Reserve, to plant trees and woodlands and to save one of Cambridge’s oldest buildings. Right now, the work of our charity is needed more than ever before, and we need the financial resources to be able to step up and make even more of a difference.

Committed to our causes, you will use your donor cultivation skills to strengthen existing relationships and use your research and networking skills to identify and cultivate new opportunities. Your excellent written and development skills will enable you to work with colleagues to turn their visions into compelling proposals for funders and our wider support base. Your knowledge of fundraising best practice will ensure that we deliver an excellent donor experience.
You will be an effective worker with an eye for detail who can use your experience to fulfil the administrative and reporting requirements of the funds you are helping to raise.
You will work alongside our Membership & Communications Manager and have some support from our Administrative Assistant. You will also be supported in your work by the CEO, trustees, volunteers, and external contractors.
You will be part of a friendly and committed management team where you can make a difference, and your work will have an impact.
Our office is in an 18th century building overlooking the beautiful Wandlebury estate. Wandlebury is located on top of the Gog Magog Hills just south of Cambridge.

The Restart Project helps people transform their relationship with electronics by supporting groups to teach repair at community events, developing fixing spaces and campaigning for a Right to Repair and better waste policy. We are looking for a strong project manager to be our new Fixing Factory Co-Lead.

What is a Fixing Factory? Fixing Factories do what they say on the tin! We help people fix their broken electricals and learn new fixing skills, shifting us from our current take-make-waste linear system towards a repair economy fit for the future. They generate public interest in repair. Through a series of stepping stone activities, we take people from never having looked inside an electrical item towards, if they wish, fixing for others. 

The Fixing Factories is a partnership between The Restart Project and Possible, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund. It launched in April 2022 with two initial sites in Brent (now closed) and Camden. After the initial development grant we secured funding to continue the Camden site, and open and mature three additional sites in London, including one which has already opened in Hackney, with a proportion of our focus being on long-term financial self-sustainability and scaling the model across the UK. The Restart Project is leading on the delivery of two sites, one in Hackney and another future London location (4th site), whilst Possible lead on the established Fixing Factory in Camden and an upcoming Haringey site.

Each new Fixing Factory site will grow and nurture a community of repairers, be strongly linked with local residents and stakeholders, and be driven by engaged teams of volunteers. There will be a range of offers; from free community repair events to paid workshops and retail - as we develop a replicable model which will support our long term goal of ‘a Fixing Factory in every high street’. 

About the role

The focus of this role will be overseeing the Hackney Fixing Factory, launching a 4th site (subject to funding), and working with existing repair group communities, the council, and other partners in those areas. You will be bringing to life an already developed business model, ensuring that the Fixing Factories are run in a safe, effective and financially sustainable way, as well as responding to the needs of the community and continuing to strategically develop the Fixing Factories programme.

You will be working with the Fixing Factory workshop managers, who are responsible for day to day operations at the sites, ensuring income generation targets are being met, driving the development of our accredited skills and training programme with support from consultants and ensuring the Fixing Factories are scalable and replicable. 

Key responsibilities

This role involves a combination of strategic development of the overarching Fixing Factories project, on which you’ll work closely with a counterpart at Possible, oversight of the two sites that Restart is responsible for and the workshop managers that manage their day to day operations.

About project partner, Possible: Possible is a UK based climate charity working towards a zero carbon society, built by and for the people of the UK.

Please refer to the job description for more information including the person spec and how to apply

We are seeking a Funding Officer to join our passionate and friendly team in Northern Ireland.

This permanent position is part of our Southern Team, which covers the following Council areas: Ards and North Down, Mid Ulster, Newry Mourne and Down and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon. Led by a Funding Manager and supported by four other Funding Officers, you will be responsible for the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon areas while also working flexibly across the wider local team to help meet the demands of our funding programmes.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a dedicated team delivering over £30m annually to support communities and create real impact across Northern Ireland

Based primarily in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon areas, you will work from home and within local community settings. The role will also require travel to our Belfast office (around once every couple of weeks) as well as occasional visits to other parts of the Southern team area.

This is a varied and rewarding role and involves assessing funding applications across our programmes, managing grants and monitoring progress and building strong relationships with key stakeholders. You will use your local knowledge and experience to help ensure funding is directed where it can make the greatest difference to places, people and communities who experience poverty, disadvantage and discrimination. 

Key responsibilities may include:

• Assessing funding applications across our programmes
• Managing your own caseload of grants, including liaising with grant holders, visiting projects, identifying and managing risks, and supporting organisations to deliver and evaluate their work.
• Understanding and responding to the different needs of communities, applicants and grant holders
• Providing constructive advice and feedback, supporting applicants while being confident to have challenging conversations where needed
• Representing the Fund by engaging with key stakeholders, including applicants, support agencies, Council staff, and by attending funding fairs and external meetings.
• Sharing learning from your conversations, events, project visits, reports and evaluations to help maximize our impact as a grant maker.

You may come from a voluntary sector background - many of our colleagues do- but we are also very open to transferable skills from other sectors. What matters most is your ability to build relationships, use sound judgement and support communities to thrive.

Interview details:

• Date: 9th or 13th October
• Format: Face to Face
• Location: Our Belfast Office

On application, please align your supporting statement to the criteria below

Essential Criteria:

• Communication skills: Strong listening, written and verbal communication with an emphasis on written communication for assessment purposes.
• Relational skills: Ability to build and maintain excellent relationships at different levels, with colleagues, community organisations and other external agencies with a strong commitment to equity and inclusion.
• Analytical Skills: Ability to absorb a wide range of information including ability to analyse accounts and numerical data and to make judgement-based decisions with confidence.
• Knowledge of the voluntary and community sector
• Values – Values driven and passionate about the Fund’s purpose, with a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
• An ability to use your initiative, manage your own workload and work to deadlines and a can-do attitude.
• Demonstrable IT skills and the ability to learn detailed processes quickly and accurately

Desirable

• Be responsive to emerging issues and trends which impact on your work, the work of your team, or the Fund

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.  

We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.) 

Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager

We are seeking an experienced and proactive Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager. As part of the Grant Partnerships Team you will play a lead role in collaborative and ambitious partnerships between corporates and OnSide that give opportunities to young people.

Position: Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager

Location: Hybrid working: Two days a week in the London office (White City), combined with home-working and travel across the Youth Zone network as required

Salary: £50,000–£55,000 per annum

Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week (flexible working available)

Contract: Permanent

Benefits: Agile working organisation with flexibility in working hours; 25 days annual leave (rising to a maximum of 30 days with length of service) plus bank holidays, birthday leave and annual leave purchase scheme (from day one of employment); company matched pension; company sick, maternity, paternity and adoption pay; voluntary benefits with discounts on health and wellbeing, retail and leisure.

Closing Date: Monday 29th September at 12noon (We may close this role early if we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

First stage interviews (virtual): Wednesday 8th October

Second stage interviews (in-person): Tuesday 14th October in London

There will also be a short, values-based phone interview between Stage 1 and 2.

About the Role

This is not a typical charity corporate fundraising role. The charity offers a unique and values-driven proposition to corporate partners, one which is built around shared purpose, a powerful volunteering and engagement offer, and impact that is both measurable and personal.

You will help shape and deliver a portfolio of multi-year strategic corporate partnerships that create social value at scale, making it an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.

You will manage key national accounts, lead cultivation of new opportunities, and bring valuable insight, creativity, and story-telling flair to partners. Working closely with the Network of 16 Youth Zones across the country (and growing), you’ll ensure partnerships are brought to life in vibrant, locally-relevant ways, while also aligning with national priorities.

As the Network of Youth Zones grow to 22 by 2027, the charity is expanding the corporate partnerships programme to match the broader national footprint. This new role will lead that growth, building on the momentum of successful strategic partnerships established over the past four years.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with the drive and vision to help shape the future of youth opportunity through purpose-led partnerships.

About You

With exceptional relationship management skills and the ability to build rapport and trust with a wide range of people, you will have strong storytelling and proposal writing skills, with an eye for detail and impact. Above all you can demonstrate the ability to create positive and happy relations with corporate partners who will recognise you and OnSide as a peer.

You will have experience of:

• Personally winning and growing a range of high-value (£100K to £1M+) corporate partnerships in the charity or commercial sector
• Delivering outstanding account management, stewardship, and/or corporate fundraising results
• Working with internal and external stakeholders at a senior level
• Creating an engagement or volunteering offer

About the Organisation

A national charity that believes all young people should have the opportunity to discover their passion and their purpose that fund and build state-of-the-art, multimillion-pound youth centres called Youth Zones in the country’s most economically disadvantaged areas. The organisation trains the amazing people that run them and offers continuing support to youth zones nationwide through a national network of independent youth charities,

As a growing and ambitious charity, you will be offered responsibility, variety and the chance to work with a team wholly invested in providing young people with the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

As an equal opportunities’ employer, we welcome applications from under-represented groups; in particular from Black, Asian, Mixed Race & other ethnically diverse individuals, people with disabilities, and members of LGBTQ+ communities.  Our dedicated Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Group, with support from the Senior Leadership Team, is actively promoting and advancing diversity and inclusion, ensuring a culture where everyone can be themselves and thrive.

You may have experience in areas such as Corporate Partnerships, Corporate Partnerships Manager, Corporate Partnerships Officer, Senior Corporate Partnerships, Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager, Senior Corporate Partnerships Officer. #INDNFP

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.

Join the Brent Centre for Young People, where you’ll craft powerful stories that elevate our mission, spark fundraising, and shape our brand across digital and print channels. This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic Communications & Marketing Officer to shape and deliver impactful communications, marketing, and engagement strategies that amplify the charity’s brand, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and advance its mission.

The Brent Centre for Young People 

The Brent Centre for Young People (BCYP) is the leading mental health charity for young people in Northwest London, helping over 800 young people a year with a wide range of issues. We offer specialised treatment in the areas of depression, suicide prevention, self-harm, eating disorders, exam anxiety and more. Our approach is rooted in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. We aim to reach significantly more young people in the years ahead, drawing on our heritage that combines specialist treatment in-house and outreach into communities. The Brent Centre is also an important Research Centre on Adolescent Breakdown and Psychotherapy. 

About the Role 

BCYP is seeking a seasoned Communications and Marketing Officer who will design and implement a strategy to boost BCYP’s brand and support the efforts of clinicians. The candidate will also support the fundraising team through grassroots event management and the adoption of a small portfolio of donors. Some event and project management will be required, in particular supporting the delivery of seminars and training programmes, as well as community events.

The applicant will have excellent communication skills, be able to translate the stakeholders’ (Trustees/clinicians/donors/young people) needs and broadcast them to the community. They must have hands-on skills creating and designing digital, print, and social media and the confidence to put their signature on a strong communications and marketing strategy that will maximize external partnerships. 

This is an excellent opportunity for a confident self-starter to bring their vision and expertise into play to shape the look and feel of BCYP’s image, and to coalesce BCYP’s services to offer a holistic experience for our community.

Applications close once post is filled

Lead high-value fundraising at the heart of the UK’s emergency response. An excellent step-up for a corporate fundraising specialist ready to broaden their remit, as well as a compelling challenge for an experienced high-value leader.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) brings together 15 of the UK’s leading aid agencies to raise funds quickly and effectively when humanitarian crises strike overseas. DEC’s appeals are nationally recognised moments, uniting the public, government, and partners to generate extraordinary support.

This maternity cover offers a unique chance to combine the immediacy of appeal fundraising with the influence of long-term strategic leadership. You’ll guide high-value income across corporate partners, trusts, and major donors, while also shaping the future of DEC’s Philanthropy & Partnerships function through a mid-strategy review and a set of ambitious live projects.

This role blends urgency and delivery with breadth, oversight, and strategic impact – an excellent step-up for a corporate fundraising specialist ready to broaden their remit, as well as a compelling challenge for an experienced high-value leader.

Interviews will occur on a rolling basis, so please apply ASAP!

As Head of Philanthropy & Partnerships, you will:

• Lead high-value fundraising across corporates, trusts, and major donors, ensuring income is maximised whether or not an appeal is live
• During appeals (typically one or two per year), deliver high-value income during national emergencies
• Oversee stewardship and account management of DEC’s partners, supporting managers to deliver exceptional relationships.
• Drive key strategic projects, including:
  • Refreshing the Rapid Response Network framework and offers
  • Embedding a core costs ask across corporates and trusts
  • Developing an emergency fund outside appeals to allow funders to plan contributions
  • Contributing to a major donor review and overseeing investment in trusts & foundations
  • Introducing wealth screening and segmentation for the first time
• Lead the mid-term review of DEC’s five-year strategy, assessing pipeline, budget deployment, and future investment
  priorities
• Provide oversight, stability, and external perspective to a strong, long-standing team

About you

We’re looking for a dynamic, hands-on fundraising leader who can balance delivery with strategy and thrive in both steady-state and high-pressure contexts.

The role would best suit someone with: 

• Significant corporate fundraising expertise, with a strong track record in account management of complex, high-value partnerships
• Experience managing staff (minimum two people)
• Adaptable, proactive, and confident leading income delivery during fast-moving appeals
• Clear passion for DEC’s humanitarian mission and ability to inspire confidence with partners
• Trusts & foundations or major donor experience is desirable

Hybrid Working and Employee Benefits

Hybrid Working: 

Office location: 17-21 Wenlock Road, London, N1 7GT

DEC have 2 compulsory office days per month and 2 discretionary office days per month. These are diarised in advance, except for August, which is kept free from compulsory office attendance.

In the event of an appeal – typically one or two per year – DEC have a compulsory 2-week office attendance. Additional worked hours are paid as TOIL. For further information or if you have any questions, please discuss with Joe.

Employee benefits include: 

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• 8% employer pension contribution (post probation)
• HealthCare Cash Plan, with access to an Employee Assistance Programme
• Gym Pass. discounted access to various health club providers
• Discounts schemes via Reward Gateway and BHSN Extras
• Life isurance of 3 x annual salary
• Enhanced sick pay (post probation)

The Freedom Fund

The Freedom Fund is a global non-profit dedicated to ending modern slavery. Since 2014, we’ve invested over $100 million into frontline organisations and coalitions, helping to shift power to local actors and create lasting systems change. Our new strategy doubles down on this commitment, investing in anti-slavery movements, fostering collaboration, and working as a trusted partner to the incredible people and organisations driving this work forward. 

Research and Impact Data

This is a key role in the Freedom Fund’s Research & Evaluation team, playing a key role in measuring the real-world impact of anti-slavery initiatives across the globe. You’ll also contribute to research and evaluation projects that deepen understanding and improve the ways we work to prevent and address modern slavery.

In this role, you’ll manage the digital backbone of our data systems, ensuring that impact is measured consistently and meaningfully. You’ll provide colleagues and partners with the tools and training they need to monitor progress and address challenges. Through engaging dashboards and innovative visualisations, you’ll turn complex data into accessible insights for a wide range of audiences: from grassroots partners to the Freedom Fund’s senior leadership.

You’ll report to the Head of Research & Evaluation and work alongside Research & Evaluation team members based globally. The role will involve one to two international trips per year. This position offers excellent opportunities to advance your professional skills and the chance to influence how impact is measured and communicated across the anti-slavery movement.

Interview process:

2 stage interview process: week commencing 29th September 2025.

Please see the job description for all details.

About Us

The City of London Corporation manages 11,000 acres of land in and around London, welcoming millions of visitors annually.  The North London Open Spaces (NLOS) section oversees c. 1,000 acres of that portfolio and includes some of the UK's most iconic urban greenspaces, including:

• Hampstead Heath (including Golders Hill Park, Parliament Hill Fields, and Heath Extension)
• Highgate Wood
• Queen’s Park
• West Ham Park

These beloved green spaces boast spectacular landscapes and vistas, ancient woodland, diverse wildlife, world class sporting and athletics facilities, and heritage assets.  We work closely with local communities and stakeholders to preserve and enhance these natural assets, helping to make London one of the most liveable large cities in the world.

About the Role

This is a rare opportunity to take a senior leadership role at North London Open Spaces, and directly contribute to and make a meaningful impact in the conservation and protection of these cherished green spaces. 

As a member of the senior management team, the successful candidate will serve as the primary subject matter expert at NLOS for nature conservation, conceiving and leading on initiatives, advising colleagues, and working collaboratively both internally and externally.  They will have responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day management of most of Hampstead Heath and all of Highgate Wood, and will also oversee a number of services that function across and support the four open spaces (eg, arboriculture and tree management, waste and recycling, conservation, and ecology).  

For the better performance of their duties, the Head of Conservation will be required to reside in accommodation that is provided on site and will be scheduled onto an on-call and duty manager rota with other colleagues.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary subject matter expert for nature conservation at Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood, Queen’s Park, and West Ham Park
• Oversee the day-to-day management of Highgate Wood and most of Hampstead Heath
• Oversee arboriculture / tree management, waste management, conservation, habitat creation/restoration and management, wildlife management, water body management, and climate change adaptation across North London Open Spaces
• Lead and motivate a team of 25-30 multi-skilled professionals committed to the conservation of these four sites
• Ensure compliance with all applicable legislation, including environmental protection, climate change, nature recovery, wildlife protection, flood risk management, and health and safety.

About You

We are looking for a high-energy and innovative leader with a strong background in nature conservation, open space management, and team leadership. 

The successful candidate will bring:

• Demonstrable experience in managing complex public open spaces.
• Comprehensive experience developing and delivering biodiversity and land management programmes and projects in a range of habitats, ideally within an urban setting.

• Significant experience managing complex conservation work and projects across varied landscapes
• Significant knowledge of biodiversity and wildlife management, including land and water management.

• Strong experience managing a diverse team of professionals in an operational environment. 

• Experience of implementing legislation and policy relevant to biodiversity conservation, planning guidance, and site designation for wildlife conservation and species status designations.
• A highly creative, entrepreneurial and ‘can do’ approach to problem solving, with the ability to remain resilient in the face of challenges. 
• Strong quantitative skills and comfort interrogating and analysing data and budgets.

Why Join Us?

• Opportunity to join a prestigious organisation that protects some of London’s most treasured landscapes.
• Lead through a high-impact role with the opportunity to shape the future of these iconic spaces.
• Work within a supportive and collaborative team that is committed to conservation and community engagement.
• Work across multiple iconic sites.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
  

How to Apply

If you are excited about the opportunity to play a pivotal role in preserving and enhancing London’s most cherished green spaces, we’d love to hear from you.

Provisional Interview dates: W/C 6th October & 13th October 2025

Closing date: 12 Noon on Monday 22nd September 2025

To apply please click the Apply button.

The City of London Corporation is committed to Equal Opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. 

We reserve the right to close the advert earlier should we receive a high number of applications. 

Because our roles are so varied, we don’t have a ‘one size fits all’ policy for workplace attendance. How many days a week you’ll be required to attend your workplace will depend on the requirements of your role. It’s important that you understand the requirements before applying to ensure you are able to meet them. We are committed to considering requests to work flexibly and job share. Requests will be considered by the recruiting manager in line with our policies and business needs. 

For more information on our categories for workplace attendance, please view our guide.

We will be reviewing this policy and approach at regular intervals to ensure we’re meeting our attendance needs. 

The Research Team is pivotal to ensuring that research funded by Children with Cancer UK is at the
forefront of the children and young person’s cancer research area. You will have the opportunity to be at
the cutting edge of cancer research in children and young people and work closely with members of the
scientific community, surrounded by people working towards the same mission.
The post-holder will be responsible for line managing 2-3 members of the Research Team, providing them
with support and identifying areas and opportunities for them to expand and develop their experience
and skillset.

Borders Forest Trust (BFT) are recruiting for a new Chief Executive .

BFT is a charity established to restore native woodland habitats to Southern Scotland, an area with the lowest percentage of native woodlands in mainland Scotland. Since 1996, we have been working towards planting trees, restoring peatlands and other natural habitats, enriching the biological diversity of around 31 sq km in the Southern Uplands. They demonstrate large scale ecological restoration in action, and inspire landowners, statutory bodies, local communities and policy makers to embrace this alternative model for land use and conservation.

The charity’s previous Director has led the organisation for five years, and BFT are in a strong position, ready to develop a new organisational strategy and grow. This is a role of great strategic importance to the charity and the role is varied, with a broad remit.  

The Chief Executive role has organisational responsibility for 12 members of staff, some office based but most out and about across the countryside in which BFT works.  

As Chief Executive, you’ll bring proven senior leadership experience and the ability to get the best from staff and volunteers. A natural communicator, you’ll engage confidently with a wide range of people – from volunteers and donors to policymakers and conservation experts. 

You’ll have experience generating significant income in the not-for-profit sector, alongside strengths in strategic planning and programme development. Passionate about conservation, you’ll be an inspiring ambassador for Borders Forest Trust, able to share our impact and build lasting partnerships that help us achieve our vision. 

This role is hybrid based, with candidates being in the Head Office in Jedburgh (Scottish Borders) once or twice weekly, with other time spent out and about across the geography BFT covers. Applications are welcomed from candidates based across Scotland and the North East. Please note, travel costs to the Jedburgh office for office working days will not be reimbursed. 

To find out more, discuss any reasonable adjustments you may require and to progress an application, please download the Candidate Pack and email us to arrange a chat with our Recruitment team. 

Timeframes: 

Role closing: midnight Monday 13th October – please ensure you have allowed time for a screening conversation with the THINK Recruitment team before the closing date 

1st Stage interviews: 22nd or 23rd October 2025 

2nd Stage interviews: 29th October 2025 

WHAT IS START NETWORK?

Our purpose is to be a catalyst for system-level change that improves the efficiency, effectiveness and ethics of humanitarian action. We do this by working as a network to develop, test & spread new ways of collaborating and resourcing locally-led crisis response and anticipation.
Our current membership is made up of over 130 local, national and international NGOs based all around the world. We also support 10 national and regional hubs made up of civil society organisations and NGOs as our vehicle for devolving power, resources and accountability.

OUR SOLUTIONS

• DECENTRAISLING & LOCALLY-LED ACTION: Shifting power and resources and decentralising decision-making to locally led networks and organisations.
• EARLY & RAPID FINANCING: Building a global financing system that reduces risk, anticipates, and acts ahead of predictable crises.
• COMMUNITY-LED INNOVATION: Incentivising innovative, locally led, and contextual solutions and learning from them together with people affected by crises.

For more information about Start Network and what we do, please visit our website. 

OUR VALUES

• WE PUT PEOPLE FIRST: Communities come first in our decision-making and programming.
• WE ARE BRAVE: We have great ambition and are willing to explore new things and take risks to achieve it
• WE OPERATE COLLECTIVELY: We leverage the value of working as a network, sharing risk and resources, and learning together.
• WE ARE INCLUSIVE: We see the value in diverse perspectives and work to remove the barriers that prevent voices from being heard.
• WE ARE OPEN: We work transparently and with integrity, building mutual trust in all levels of our work, from governance to programming.
• WE ARE ETHICAL: We behave and operate based on key principles of anti-racism, non-discrimination, and anti-colonialism. This is a work in progress.

JOB PURPOSE 

This exciting role focuses on raising income for the Start Network and its global initiatives, including the Start Fund, Start Ready, innovation and the expansion of a locally led network. The postholder will be an experienced trusts and / or corporate fundraiser who wants a role focused on business and relationship development. They will be responsible for an exciting portfolio of existing and prospective funders (that give 6-7 figure grants), adopting a relational approach to fundraising. 

You will be responsible for carrying out prospect donor mapping, growing a fundraising pipeline, building relationships with prominent foundations and corporates in the humanitarian space, writing technical proposals as required, pitching to donors well-articulated concepts, and building fundraising capacity within the organisation. 

It is critical that the postholder is comfortable with developing new relations. We have grown a significant number of new donors within our Foundations and Corporates over the last few years, and we hope to continue the growth of the team in this exciting role, so proof of having grown an income stream is key.

Finally, the Partnerships Funding Advisor will sit within a team of 4 focusing on strengthening and increasing the philanthropic portfolio and will work alongside the Partnerships Engagement Officer, one other Partnerships Funding Advisor and will report to the Partnerships Manager. 

Role Summary

Join our team and help us improve public sector food across the UK with our School Plates and new Hospital Plates programmes. We're looking for a passionate and driven Chef Trainer to support schools and hospitals in delivering healthier and more sustainable menus.

The programmes continue to go from strength to strength. Through School Plates, we currently support over a third of all UK local authorities, catering for more than 12,000 schools and feeding over 1.25 million children daily. To date, we have been responsible for swapping over 50 million school meals from meat-based to meat-free or plant-based. We're now expanding our successful model into the health sector with our new Hospital Plates programme, bringing the same positive change to patient and staff menus.

Are you a skilled chef trainer with a passion for improving public food? Can you match our ambition? You'll be using your culinary expertise to train catering teams in both schools and hospitals, provide menu advice, and get involved with recipe development and culinary education. You will also run cooking workshops for pupils in secondary schools, inspiring the next generation to get excited about plant-based food. You will also build and manage relationships with our catering partners, helping them deliver delicious and sustainable meals. This is a UK-wide role and will require travel to different sites.

We’re looking for someone to join our team for 3 days a week but are open to applicants looking for flexible working hours, including, potentially, 4 days a week.

Job Details

Job Title: Chef Trainer - School Plates & Hospital Plates 
Reporting to: Programme Manager, UK
Location: Remote (home-based with travel across UK) 
Hours: 21-28 hours per week (0.6-0.8 FTE)
Salary: £32,000 per annum pro rata (based on 1.0 FTE) 

 

Responsibilities

As our Chef Trainer & Programme Support, you'll be a key player in developing and delivering our School Plates and Hospital Plates programmes. You'll use your culinary expertise and passion for food system change to create resources, train professionals, and engage with our partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Recipe Development & Training: You'll co-lead the creation, testing, and development of new plant-based recipes for our school and hospital programmes, and lead on developing ‘grab-and-go’ and internationally inspired options for secondary schools. You'll also plan and deliver training sessions, including in-person and online workshops, and create e-learning courses for caterers.

• Programme Development & Support: Work closely with programme managers to develop and refine the strategy for our initiatives. This includes supporting pilot programmes, measuring their impact, and creating bespoke catering resources for our partners.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Communication: Represent our organisation at events and in meetings, providing expert catering advice and information on our programmes. Collaborate with our communications manager to create engaging content, including recipes and videos for our website, e-learning platform and social media.

• Education & Outreach: Partner with our education manager to plan and co-deliver secondary school cooking workshops. These sessions will teach pupils basic plant-based culinary skills that align with the National Curriculum as well as inspire the next generation to choose plant-forward options and learn about the impact of their food choices in a positive way.

• Inspire Catering Teams: Your role is to build and maintain relationships with catering partners, providing expert catering advice and practical recipe suggestions. You'll work with them directly on pilot programmes, offering bespoke support to inspire positive menu changes. You'll also provide essential administrative support for our programmes and help create and deliver presentations to promote our work to a wider audience.

Qualifications

    Essential

• Experienced in planning and delivering cooking workshops to groups.

• Experience of working in a culinary setting and developing recipes with a strong interest in plant-based recipes.

• Excellent communication skills and be a confident and engaging educator.

• Flexible and agile approach, with a willingness to be a true team player and fill gaps as needed.

• Proactive with initiative and drive.

• Strong organisational skills.

• Attention to detail.

• Solution-focused and resilient.

• Confident in creating basic spreadsheets and slide decks.

• Ability to work well under pressure and manage time effectively in a fast-paced and small but fast-growing non-profit work environment.

• Ability to work well unsupervised with experience of working in remote teams with a reliable internet connection.

• Passionate about food systems change.

• Alignment with our vision and mission.

• Based in the UK and able to attend meetings, events, and training to represent the team and programme across the UK.

• Willing to travel across the UK for workshops and events. 

Desirable

• Experience of working within school and/or hospital food. 

• Experience of food photography and creating recipe content for social platforms or online courses. 

• Experience of managing projects.

• Experience of liaising with local authorities, schools, or other public sector bodies.

• Experience in the field of nutrition, including an interest in plant-based nutrition.

• Experience of working in the food, health or environmental sector.

• Experience of using customer relationship management (CRM) systems (training will be provided).

Benefits of working with us

• Generous annual leave entitlement - 25 days per year, with an additional day granted at the start of each calendar up to a maximum of 30 days (plus bank holidays)

• A strong organisational focus on personal development, with a designated training budget.

• Provision of a work laptop.

• Flexible, trust-based working arrangements and home-office arrangements.

• Career development support

• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption pay

• Compassionate animal companion leave

• Employee Assistance Programme including counselling

• Access to 24/7 virtual GP Service

• Mindfulness support via a free Headspace account for you and up to 5 friends or family members

• Access to the Wisdom app with exclusive perks and discounts

• Membership to the OpenUp platform

• We are a workplace that encourages everyone to bring their whole selves to work. We are an inclusive workplace for our diverse employees around the world.

• And, last but not least, become part of a great team and work with us towards a world where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is good for all humans, animals, and our planet!

When?

Application deadline: 5th October 2025
Start date: November 2025

Application process and timeline 

Please submit your application using our online form including your CV and cover letter. By submitting your application you agree that your personal data will be processed by and shared with our UK entity (ProVeg C.I.C.) and German entity (ProVeg e.V.). 

The recruitment process consists of two rounds: 1): an online trial task; 2): an interview with the Programme Manager and Director. 
 

• Application deadline: 5th October 2025

• Online trial task: sent to longlisted candidates by 10th October 5pm, to be completed by 12 October at 5pm 

• Interviews: take place on 21st and 22nd October 2025

• Start date: November 2025

Salary: £23,672.00 to £28,783.00 dependent on your skills, knowledge and experience

Interviews: 7th of October in our Newcastle Centre

Are you a passionate advocate for 18–30-year-old entrepreneurs? Do you have what it takes to help them bring their business dreams to life? The King's Trust is calling for someone just like you to join our dynamic team and make a real impact.

At The King's Trust, we're on a mission to empower young people and foster the next generation of business leaders. We believe in turning dreams into reality and providing unwavering support to young entrepreneurs.

As a Youth Development Lead – Enterprise, your mission is to be the driving force behind young entrepreneurs' success stories. The Enterprise programme’s aim is to support young people interested in self-employment to explore and test their ideas, write business plans and start their own businesses or achieve alternative outcomes in education, training, volunteering or work.

You'll be the guiding light for a caseload of young people, helping them successfully launch their business ideas and work towards those vital business start targets. We also won’t have you sitting still as travel will be required, exploring your local area to assist in the programme delivery of our Exploring Enterprise course as needed. The delivery can be a mix of online, in-centre or out in the community.

Crafting robust and viable business plans will be your forte. Cash flow forecasts, personal survival budgets, and sector-specific insights are all part of your toolkit. Plus, your knack for providing positive and constructive feedback will help these ideas flourish. Funding applications? You've got it covered!

Attention to detail is your superpower and you’ll be passionate about inspiring change. At The Trust, we're strong advocates for fostering an inclusive workplace, and it would be fantastic if you share that passion too.

This is more than just a job—it's an opportunity to change lives, including your own.

Want to learn more about our Enterprise programme? Please click here.

What happens next?  

Please submit a CV, and Cover Letter that includes your experience, transferrable skills and motivation to work for The King's Trust! The Team will be in touch about the next steps shortly after the closing date. 

Why do we need Youth Development Leads? 

Last year, we helped more than 40,000 Young People, with every three in four moving into a positive outcome for either work, education or training. Youth Development Leads play a crucial role in supporting young people, no matter the young person's background or current circumstances, to fulfil their full potential. We want to continue having a positive impact on young people’s lives and we couldn’t do this without the important work of Youth Development Leads! 

Perks for working at The Trust! 

• Great holiday package! 30 days annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays. Office closure on the days between Christmas and New Year 
• Flexible working! Unless the location of the role is remote, the Youth Development Lead role requires a combination of office days and working from home. 
• You can volunteer for and/or attend events – The King's Trust Awards, Pride, active events etc. 
• In-house learning platform! Develop your skills for your career and your role 
• Benefits platform! Everything from health and financial well-being support to discounts on your favourite restaurants, shops and cinemas. 
• Personal development opportunities through our Networks – KT CAN (Cultural Awareness Network), KT GEN (Gender Equality Network), KT DAWN (Disability & Wellbeing Network), and PULSE (LGBTQIA+ Network). 
• Fantastic Family leave! Receive 13 weeks of full pay and 13 weeks of half pay for maternity and adoption leave. Receive 8 weeks of full pay for paternity leave. 
• Interest-free season ticket loans 
• Cycle-to-Work Scheme
• The Trust will contribute 5% of your salary to the Trust Pension Scheme 
• Generous life assurance cover (4 x annual salary)