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Location: Preston, Lancashire
Permanent | Full-time - 37.5 hours per week
Salary: £77,744 - £83,546
After a remarkable 26-year journey with Caritas Care, including five years as CEO, our current Chief Executive will retire at the end of 2025. This creates a rare and exciting opportunity to lead this dynamic, well-established and vibrant organisation. The Trustees are looking for an exceptional leader to take forward and further develop one of the North West's most respected and impactful charities.
About Caritas Care
For 90 years, Caritas Care has been at the heart of communities across Lancashire, Cumbria and Greater Manchester. We are a values-driven charity committed to improving lives and creating opportunities for people across the North West. Our services include adoption and fostering, support for people with disabilities, rehabilitation programs and community projects, all designed to ensure that everyone has the chance to thrive.
About the Role
As CEO, you will provide strategic leadership and operational management, ensuring our services continue to make a meaningful impact. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, your key responsibilities will include:
- Leading the organisation with passion and integrity, upholding our values in everything we do
- Developing and implementing strategic plans to enhance and expand our services
- Building strong relationships with key stakeholders, including funders, commissioners and partner organisations
- Ensuring financial sustainability, overseeing budgets and securing funding opportunities
- Maintaining governance and compliance standards, ensuring all activities meet legal, ethical and regulatory requirements
- Inspiring and supporting our dedicated staff and volunteers, fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence
About You
We are looking for an experienced and visionary leader who is passionate about making a difference. You will bring:
- Strong leadership and strategic planning skills with experience in a senior management role
- A deep understanding of the charity, social care or public sector, particularly in service delivery and safeguarding
- Excellent financial and operational management skills, ensuring sustainability and growth
- A collaborative approach, with the ability to engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders
- A values-driven mind-set, committed to inclusion, equality and social justice
Why Join Us?
This is more than a leadership role – it is an opportunity to make a real and lasting difference. You will be joining a charity with deep community roots, a skilled team and a future full of possibility.
- Lead a well-respected and impactful charity
- Work with a passionate team dedicated to making a difference
- Shape the future of services that change lives
- 30 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays
- Incremental salary scale progression
- Flexi-time and flexible working
- Opportunity to maintain a Social Work England registration
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Work based pension 5% employer contribution (LGPS transfer will be considered for the right applicant)
- Birthday leave after 10 years’ service
- Essential car user post with travel paid at 45p per mile
- Onsite free car parking
If you believe you have the skills, experience and passion to lead Caritas Care into its next chapter, we’d love to hear from you.
To find out more about this opportunity and to access the full candidate application information, please visit our vacancies page on our website
For an informal discussion, please contact Susan Swarbrick, Chief Executive.
Applicants who have previously applied for this position need not reapply.
Closing date for applications: Wednesday 24 September 2025
Provisional interview dates: Tuesday 7 & Wednesday 8 October 2025
Early applications are encouraged as we may close the recruitment process ahead of the deadline if a sufficient number of high quality applications are received
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
We are seeking a dynamic Policy Officer to join our policy team, to support our lobbying and advocacy work, raise the profile of specialist FE with parliamentarians and represent the views of members. The work is varied, including monitoring parliamentary activity, undertaking research, meeting with members, helping to prepare consultation responses and analysing government proposals and published policies. The postholder will also take a lead in communicating Natspec’s policy positions to members and other stakeholders.
The main duties of the role include:
- Monitoring parliamentary and media activity to alert the Natspec team to relevant issues
- Maintaining and developing Natspec’s parliamentary database, increasing links with MPs and ministers
- Undertaking research to support Natspec’s policy work
- Preparing news stories, press releases and social media content, and identifying media opportunities to promote Natspec’s work and policy positions
- Working with Natspec member colleges, supporting them in their local lobbying work, and establishing network meetings
- Supporting the Senior Policy Manager and Senior Policy Officer with consultation responses, reports, publications, articles and data analysis.
We are looking for a self-motivated, innovative, dynamic and enthusiastic individual with good written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to develop strong working relationships. You don’t need to have a background in learning difficulties or disabilities or further education, although a demonstrable interest in these areas would be welcome. You should, however, have some prior experience of policy work, including undertaking research and analysis, understand parliamentary processes, and be able to quickly develop your understanding of education and funding policy relevant to specialist FE.
While you will be home-based, you will be in frequent contact with your colleagues both online and in-person and there will be plenty of opportunities to work outside of the home, attending meetings and visiting colleges. You will need to travel to London on a regular basis. You must be able to work flexibly, sometimes under pressure, and thrive on the unpredictability of policy work.
Natspec is the membership association for organisations which offer specialist provision for students with learning difficulties and disabilities.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Having adopted a new and ambitious strategy, and embarked on a period of transformational change, Two Saints are now looking to ensure they are in the strongest position to deliver their vision in what are difficult times. This vision is ‘to be a safety net for people in tough times and the springboard to a brighter future.’ The organisation delivers a full range of services to clients across Hampshire, Dorset, Berkshire and the Isle of Wight, and the role of the Two Saints Board is to guide, direct and challenge the plans and strategic decisions relating to these services.
So we’re looking for people who can help Two Saints deliver their vision, with a background and experience in either:
- Asset management, perhaps with experience of the net-zero agenda
- Supported housing services or social care
We’re interested in hearing from talented people who may be looking for their first governance role, and you may have had lived experience.
If you’re interested in what Two Saints do and feel you can make a contribution, we’d like to hear from you so take a look at the candidate pack here https://bit.ly/45U1yDX.
The Organisation
Beat is the UK’s eating disorder charity. We exist to end the pain and suffering and loss of life among people affected by eating disorders:
- We help them to understand their illness, support them to get treatment and help them towards recovery.
- We help families and carers know how best to support a loved one into, through and out of treatment.
- And we train teachers, health professionals and other key individuals to spot when someone is showing the early signs of an eating disorder, how to talk to them and how to encourage them to seek and get treatment as quickly as possible.
We use our experience to campaign for better government policy and health service practice that addresses the challenges faced by people with eating disorders, always guided by the experience of our beneficiaries and the expertise of clinicians. We work both nationally and locally, focusing on three priority areas: early intervention, family empowerment and prevention & cure.
The Role
We are seeking a strategic, experienced, and inspiring leader to join Beat as our next Director of Finance and Resources. This is a rare opportunity to help lead a fast-growing, mission-driven organisation at a pivotal moment in its journey. You will join a truly collaborative Executive team where decisions are made collectively, ideas are shared openly, and every Director plays a vital role in shaping Beat’s strategy and future. Together, we will guide the organisation as we launch our new five-year strategy, ensuring that we can continue to build financial resilience, grow our reach, strengthen our impact, and remain a sustainable charity.
In this role, you will not only oversee the financial health of the charity, but also shape the systems, people strategy, and resources that underpin everything we do. Your leadership will be instrumental in embedding robust and transparent financial management, driving operational excellence, and ensuring that our people and infrastructure are fully equipped to deliver our ambitious goals.
You will lead a multi-disciplinary team covering finance, HR, IT, and facilities, providing clear direction and supportive leadership. With direct line management of the Finance Manager, HR & Governance Manager, and Senior Project Manager and Evaluation Lead, you will ensure that all areas of Finance and Resources operate efficiently, sustainably, and in close partnership with colleagues across the charity.
The Person
This role will suit someone who thrives on collaboration, innovation, and impact. You may already be working at Director level, or you may be ready to step up from leading a senior finance, HR, or operations function in a larger organisation. Either way, you will bring the vision and experience to strengthen Beat’s foundations and the drive to help us reach new heights.
- Proven experience working as part of an Executive Team to lead an organisation, shaping strategy and delivering results through cross-functional collaboration.
- Significant experience leading organisation-wide HR strategy and operations, with a proven ability to build an inclusive, high-performing culture. CIPD qualification desirable but not essential.
- Proven experience leading finance in a complex organisation, ideally in the charity or not-for-profit sector to ensure long-term financial sustainability. Qualified accountant (CCAB-recognised body: ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA) or equivalent senior-level financial management experience.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence colleagues, Trustees, and external partners.
- Sound understanding of governance, compliance, and risk management in a regulated environment.
- Demonstrated commitment to Beat’s mission, values, and to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion.
Further Information
For extended information about Beat, the role responsibilities and the person specification, please download the Candidate Information Pack.
How to Apply
If you are interested in this brilliant opportunity, please provide the following with your application:
- An up to date CV with details of two referees (we will not contact them without your prior permission).
- A supporting statement which addresses how you meet the criteria for the role and highlights your motivations for applying.
- You will be asked to complete an Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form.
Next Steps
The closing date for applications: Wednesday 17th September 2025
Preliminary interviews with Russam: 18th – 23rd September 2025 (online)
First stage interviews with Beat: 2nd-8th October (London)
Second stage interviews: 13th-14th October (Norwich)
Travel expenses can be covered for in-person interviews.
We’re Hiring: Chief Executive Officer
Salary: £75,000 – £80,000 + pension
Location: Northamptonshire (flexible, with min. 3 days on-site)
Closing date: 5pm, Friday 3rd October 2025
Age UK Northamptonshire is looking for a dynamic Chief Executive Officer to lead us into our next chapter.
We are the leading local charity supporting older people across the county—providing advice, companionship, and essential services to 18,000+ people every year.
As our long-serving CEO retires, we need an inspiring, strategic leader who can:
✅ Champion older people as a trusted advocate and spokesperson
✅ Lead a dedicated team of 140+ staff and 260+ volunteers
✅ Strengthen partnerships and income streams to ensure sustainability
✅ Build on our proud history while driving innovation and growth
About You
You’ll bring:
- Proven senior leadership experience in a complex organisation
- Strong financial and strategic planning skills
- Excellent communication and influencing abilities
- Integrity, energy, and resilience to lead by example
Knowledge of the voluntary sector, health, social care, or issues affecting older people is highly desirable.
Interviews take place in October. If you have any questions then please use the above email.
Be the voice for older people in Northamptonshire. Lead us into the future.
Please note that applications must include both a CV (maximum 3 pages) and a written supporting statement (maximum 1000 words) addressing the person specification and your motivation for joining us. Applications submitted without a supporting statement will not be considered.
We kindly ask all candidates to ensure their application includes both documents before submission.
Our vision and mission statement Age UK Northamptonshire cares for older people. We help them to make the best of life and to have a secure and dign

Social Media Officer
Permanent, Full Time. Hybrid working
This role can be based in any of our UK locations; Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, or Warrington. You will be required to attend the office for a minimum of 2 days per week with the option to work remotely for the remaining 3 days.
Salary: £35,911 per year (plus London allowance if applicable)
About the role
As a Social Media Officer at Christian Aid, you will help shape and manage our social media presence across platforms, driving engagement and raising awareness of our mission. You'll develop and execute a dynamic strategy to grow our audience and support our fundraising and advocacy work. Collaborating with teams across the organisation, you will create compelling content for our diverse audiences, including supporters, partners, and the faith community.
In this role, you will oversee day-to-day management of multiple social channels, using analytics to optimise content reach and inspire engagement. Additionally, you'll provide guidance and training to colleagues, helping them maximise their social media impact.
About you
You are an experienced social media professional with a proven track record of managing multiple channels, either in-house or agency-side. You excel at crafting engaging, insightful content that not only tells a compelling story but also drives meaningful action. With a deep understanding of social media algorithms, analytics, and trends, you develop adaptable strategies to maximise reach and engagement. A creative thinker, you're skilled in producing diverse content formats—from written copy to video and graphics—optimising each for specific platforms. Highly organised and adept at project management, you thrive in balancing competing priorities. Your attention to detail and passion for supporting colleagues ensure that social media best practices are consistently upheld across the organisation.
About us
Christian Aid exists to create a world where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty. We are a global movement of people, churches and local organisations who passionately champion dignity, equality and justice worldwide. We are the changemakers, the peacemakers, the mighty of heart.
We're committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, and recognise the value this brings in forming strong, creative and high performing teams. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, and from those with experience from outside of the voluntary sector. And no, you don't have to be Christian to work here - we encourage people of all faiths and none to apply. We just ask that everyone lives out our values of dignity, equality, justice and love. We value a good work-life balance, so we're open to part-time and flexible working. We also offer hybrid working for our office-based colleagues and the option of being a homeworker for most of our roles too.
Further information
At Christian Aid we strive to be an inclusive and diverse employer and recognise the value that this brings in helping to build strong, creative and high performing teams.
We are actively encouraging racialised minorities, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people with caring responsibilities, people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, women, and older workers to apply. This is because these groups are under-represented within our teams, especially at senior level, and we recognise and value the contributions members of these groups make to strong, creative and high performing teams.
We have a strong Christian ethos and we encourage applications from all faiths. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of and sympathy with Christian Aid's faith identity.
All successful candidates will require a DBS/police check appropriate to the role and location and a Counter Terrorism Sanction check as part of your clearance for commencing your role with us. We also participate in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information as part of the referencing process from job applicants' previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.
This role requires applicants to have the right to live and work in the country where this position is based and undertake the role that you have been offered. If you are successful and we make you an offer for the role, we will be required to conduct a right to work check on your immigration status in the UK. We will contact you regarding the documentation you will need to provide to evidence this.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.