Public policy jobs

Family Support Worker

£24,000 pa + Company Car and benefits (including 25 days annual leave, reward scheme and pension)

South West Team - Bristol and surrounding areas

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is going through an exciting time where we are growing, with the aim of reaching more families in need.

About the role:

This Best Companies Top 100 mid-sized organisation and Top 20 Charity is looking to appoint a Family Support Worker to deliver a high-quality family support service as part of our South West Care Team.

Reporting to the Family Support Manager of the South West Care Team and working in partnership with health, education and social care professionals, you will take responsibility for providing needs-led emotional, social and practical support to families where a child/young person has a life threatening or terminal illness.

Having worked in a stressful and emotional environment you have a genuine interest in building supportive relationships and helping people; and having provided bereavement support to families, you understand processes of grief, loss and change - and how best to help others deal with its impact.

Location:

This post will cover the South West of England, with this position focusing on Bristol and the surrounding area.

What we’re looking for:

· An experienced child health, education or social care professional - applications will be particularly welcome from those who have worked in a community environment and those with a recognised qualification in education, health or social care.

· A warm, inclusive approach to achieving goals quickly and correctly.

· Practiced in child protection, information sharing and the rules around data protection - you lead by example, drawing on your own professional experience and working within established guidelines.

· Practical and people-oriented - you will thrive working at a fast pace whilst maintaining accuracy and be a confident user of IT (including MSOffice)

· A persuasive and open communicator, you will work collaboratively with your team and volunteers to ensure delivery of a high-quality service and support fundraising colleagues by writing case studies and family updates

· A practical knowledge of diversity issues affecting children, young people, and their families – aware that being responsive to others needs and concerns, is essential.

What we offer:

We have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees, including:

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

We also have a fantastic learning and development programme - the Anne Harris skills development programme - in which we aim to provide a high level of training and development opportunities for all staff, so you are able to perform to the best of your ability, achieve individual and team objectives aligned to Rainbow Trusts strategic plan, supporting staff to be the best they can be, and feel a valued member of a high performing organisation.

Our Family Support Workers are given the opportunity to complete a number of diverse training courses in their first 12 months, including but not limited to: Mental Health First Aid, Makaton, counselling skills, and Introduction to Play.

The programme aims to provide a building block for you to individually tailor your own learning and development needs, with all family support workers having a foundation level of skills within their first year.

About us:

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

How to apply:

To apply please visit our website via the link.Please disclose on your application form if you have used AI for any part of your job application.

Interview dates: Interview Dates to be confirmed.

Interviews will take place at our South West Care Team office with the dates to be confirmed. We will only contact those applicants who have been successful.

There will be a requirement for flexible working and a full current driver’s licence to accommodate the team and family need. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this post.

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

Rainbow Trust is an equal opportunities employer and a Best Companies One-Star rated organisation. Registered Charity No: 1070532

Education Officer

Are you passionate about environmental issues, in particular nature restoration, climate resilience and biodiversity?

Do you have experience working with young audiences, preferably within a wildlife or conservation setting?

We are looking for an Education Officer based in Scotland or North of England, with the ability to inspire people to connect with nature!

Position: Education Officer

Location: Remote/Scotland or North of England (this role requires frequent travel and overnight stays)

Hours: Full time (37.5 hours per week)

Contract: 1.5 year fixed term post, with the possibility of extension

Salary: £32,827 per annum

Benefits Include:  25 days holiday, plus Christmas day through to New Year’s Day paid, plus 6 days of floating holidays, pro-rata. Flexible approach to hours of work. Pension contribution of 3%, one-off contributions toward the cost of an ergonomic office chair and toward purchases of essential devices, monthly home working allowance, plus an annual contribution toward the maintenance and/or replacement of the essential devices.

Closing Date: 9am on Monday 8th September.  We reserve the right to interview candidates and close the ad ahead of the closing date, should a strong candidate be identified.

About the Role

We are looking to hire a skilled and engaging Education Officer to join a busy team, supporting the implementation and expansion of an established educational outreach programme, which reaches children in Scotland and Northern England.

At present, this post has funding for three years from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, 1.5 years of which is now complete and we are looking for someone to deliver the second 1.5 years of the project.

The purpose of the role is to extend passion and knowledge of beavers into communities around Britain, to engage and enthuse young people and to reconnect (or reinforce) their love of nature. Using and tailoring current materials and resources, you will do so by delivering high-quality learning sessions within schools, community groups or virtual training sessions, sometimes delivered in conjunction with beaver site partners and their education teams.

You will also be responsible for supporting wider aspects of the programme together with the Education Team, according to the requirements for each country and in partnership with relevant organisations

Key responsibilities include:

· Deliver a range of exciting, curriculum-linked workshops, non-curriculum home education talks, school and group sessions associated with beaver release sites.

· Run regional events and outreach activities to expand engagement in beaver education.

· Network and build contacts and relationships with key personnel in schools, youth groups and community groups in order to create engagement with the education programme and expand its reach.

· Support the development of further resources, activities and events specific to the country and region, and deliver existing activities for group learning.

· Monitor, collate and report on work carried out, toward learning goals and impact reporting, coordinated by the Senior Education Officer to support the programme evaluation.

· Support volunteers and build capacity working with partner site staff in the delivery of beaver education programmes.

We welcome applicants who may need flexible ways of working or support in managing workload.

About You

We are looking for someone with experience of working with young audiences, preferably within a wildlife or conservation setting. You will have a good grasp of ecology and be willing to travel around the country to support learning education opportunities as well as being confident running sessions or delivering train-the-trainer sessions online.

Essential skills and experience include:

· A foundation degree level or equivalent in a zoology, biology or conservation-related field, OR; A teaching/education qualification or equivalent experience in teaching, using different delivery methods including virtual delivery. Both formal qualifications OR equivalent lived, voluntary or professional experience are welcome.

· The ability to communicate complex concepts in an innovative and engaging way to a young audience.

· The skill set to inspire people to connect with nature, to support teachers, deliver talks, presentations and education sessions.

· A strong interest in nature, conservation and restoration.

· Working knowledge of safeguarding legislation, policies and procedures.

· Competent use of IT skills, preferably Google Suite, and high standards for visual content.

· Experience in confidently using IT packages for teaching delivery, including the use of tablets, presentation software and audiovisual.

· A full valid UK driving licence (you will be required to access remote rural locations carrying more equipment than can be handled on public transport)

· Resident in mainland Britain and proof of right to work in Britain.

· A place to store learning materials. We can offer storage support if there isn’t space at home.

This role might suit you if you have…

· A sound understanding of the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence and the English National Curriculum (primary) in terms of expectations and limitations.

· Proven experience of developing and delivering workshops and activities for school audiences.

You don’t need to meet every requirement, if you’re enthusiastic about the role, we encourage you to apply

To apply please upload a 2pp CV and 1pp covering letter explaining their interest and suitability for the role. Please note, we can only accept candidates with the right to work in the UK.

About the Organisation

Join a nature restoration charity, restoring beavers to regenerate our landscapes. Beavers were once a common and influential part of the British countryside, and as such, the team wants to reconnect people to this part of our heritage.  

We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, especially those underrepresented in the environmental sector including people of colour, disabled people, those from low-income backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ communities and all other protected characteristics.

You may have experience in roles including Education and Learning Officer, Education Project Coordinator, Youth Engagement Officer, Schools Programme Officer, Prevention Officer, Workshop Facilitator, Learning and Engagement Officer, Conservation Officer, Environmental, Environment and Conservation. #INDNFP

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

We Are Survivors have multiple job roles available in our ever growing Community Services team. 

The organisation has an ambitious strategy to ensure that #NoMaleSurvivorsIsLeftBehind and is looking for new members of staff to help us achieve this. We are recruiting for the below positions:

•          1 x Full-time Community Development Co-Ordinator (Starting Salary: £25,750).
•          1 x Full-time Community Development Co-Ordinator (Starting Salary: £25,750) – Fixed-term Contract to           31.03.27.

You’ll play a key role in delivering our community support activities to male survivors of sexual harms, working directly alongside our other services (including, therapy, ISVA, OUT Side OUT Spoken, OUT Spoken) to ensure that our clients receive quality assured care for their needs. You will also support our volunteer workforce and the provision of various advocacy requirements to survivors and their supporters.

The River Great Ouse Valley Wetland Arc Project 

The Parks Trust has been awarded £213,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to create a landscape-scale masterplan for the River Great Ouse Valley Wetland Arc. This wonderful landscape spans 355 hectares (approximately 500 football pitches) along the River Great Ouse in the north of Milton Keynes. The Wetland Arc project will help The Parks Trust to plan for a future of nature recovery along the river valley and encourage community participation in and activation of the landscape.

The Wetland Arc project is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery Players, we have been able to secure funding for a Project Officer to deliver project events and activities. 

Key Objective 

• Develop, facilitate, and manage activities to achieve the intended outputs and outcomes of the Wetland Arc project.

Further Details

• Please divert via the link to proceed to apply in which further details about the organisation and role will be displayed.
• Job description and Overview of the Wetland Arc Project is attached. 

A fantastic opportunity to join a small but growing team of committed staff working to support children with brain tumours and their families.

Leading our T&F applications, you will have a deep-understanding of the trusts and foundations (as well as corporate foundations) landscape and you will have experience of working with Senior Management Teams to ensure successful applications for larger grants (£20k+).  You will have proven success in securing multi-year funding and building healthy pipelines with the skills to write compelling and evidence-based applications and reports.

Remote role with travel to our Cambridge office at least quarterly.

Are you passionate about making a difference in your community? Do you thrive on engaging with diverse groups and driving positive change? Are you ready for an adventure in advocacy? We are currently looking for a User Voice Community Development Worker to join our dynamic and passionate team in Hertfordshire. Immerse yourself in a role that makes a real difference!

As a User Voice Community Development Worker, you will primarily be office. You’ll be providing a regular range of innovative and creative activities that will improve confidence and empower people with a learning disability to get involved with ‘Speaking up or Self-Advocacy’ opportunities in the East of the County. You’ll also run community engagement sessions/events/outreach in each district that will feed into the Learning Disability Co-production Board. Additionally, you will be creating activity schedules offering a range of varied activities to maximise uptake and running four quarterly engagement sessions held in each district per year (25 in total) with unique individuals attending being reported on.

In addition to working as a User Voice Community Development Worker, you will also split your role to work as an Independent Advocate, providing crucial support to vulnerable adults facing significant health and social care challenges. We are seeking a passionate and skilled Independent Advocate to join our team. This role focuses on providing advocacy for individuals under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA), the Mental Health Act (MHA), and supporting NHS complaints and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), Care Act processes.

Your role will involve delivering persuasive verbal and written representations on behalf of clients, collaborating with public and voluntary organisations, and taking focused actions to address client issues. This role demands flexibility, excellent communication, and the ability to handle sensitive information confidently.

Pohwer is dedicated to promoting the rights and well-being of individuals in care settings, hospitals and the community . We are seeking a passionate and skilled Independent Advocate to join our team. This role focuses on providing advocacy for individuals under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA), the Mental Health Act (MHA), and supporting NHS complaints and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) processes.

Hours of Work: Full-time: 37 hours per week, between Monday to Friday, 9 am – 5 pm

(This role will be split into 3 days User Voice Community Development & 2 days as an independent advocate. We will also consider applications for part time positions.)

Location: Home based with travel around the county. 

(Applicants have a full driver’s licence and access to their own transport)

Salary: Total salary £24,755.76 Per Annum split between the 2 positions as follows:

User Voice Community Development Worker £15,058.80 (Full Time Equivalent Salary – £25098.00 per annum)

Independent advocate £9696.96 (Full Time Equivalent Salary – £24,242.40 per annum)

Contract Type: Fixed term 3 years

User Voice Development Worker/Independent Advocate Requirements:

1. Proven experience of working with people with learning disabilities, mental health, dementia etc.
2. Experience community engagement including running events.
3. Strong networking skills with the ability to build relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
4. Excellent communications skills, able to communicate sensitively and empathetically.
5. Experience providing written reports to a high standard.
6. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport and trust with people
7. A Good understanding and experience with IT software packages.
8. Full UK driving licence and access to your own transport, with geographical knowledge of the local area.

Benefits:

1. 25 days annual leave + Bank holiday (Rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service) with the option to buy or sell up to 5 days leave + your birthday off as an additional holiday day after 1 years’ service!
2. Discretionary shutdown days at Christmas with up to 4 additional days leave.
3. 1 Community Leave Day per annum.
4. Cash Wellbeing Healthcare Plan which covers Optical/dental/alternative therapy and more!
5. Auto enrolment Pension plan
6. Death in service cover.
7. Bike to work scheme.

Meet the Organisation: Who We Are and What We Do

POhWER stands for People and Organisations Working in Equal Rights. We are dedicated to empowering and supporting adults with multiple vulnerabilities, promoting their rights to have a voice and exercise choice in the services they receive. With a strong presence in communities across the UK, our team is committed to providing high-quality advocacy services that make a lasting impact. We are dedicated to promoting the rights and well-being of individuals in care settings and the community

If you think you are suitable for this Community Development Worker/Independent advocate role, don’t wait, – apply now! Take the first step to joining an organisation that values your passion and skills and make a genuine difference in your community.

Closing Date: 9AM, Monday 22nd September 2025 (We reserve the right to close this vacancy early)

Interview Date: TBC (Via Teams)

An Enhanced DBS check and National Offender Management Service vetting will be conducted for this position.

We’re proud to support our colleagues from the armed forces signing the Armed Forces Covenant in August 2024.

POhWER is an equal opportunities employer, holder of the Investors in People Silver award, and a member of the MINDFUL EMPLOYER scheme. We are a level 2 Disability confidence scheme employer, and disabled applicants who meet all the essential criteria will be guaranteed an interview.

POhWER is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, cultures, and abilities, and particularly welcome candidates from groups currently underrepresented in our workforce. Our goal is to foster an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute. This includes, but is not limited to, people with disabilities, women, men, Black, Asian and other racially minoritised people, LGBTQ+ who are currently under-represented in our workforce.

To help embed inclusion for all, from day one, we offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and employee networks to support people from different backgrounds.

The Woodland Trust is looking for a Project Manager - Mourne Park on a fixed term contract until December 2029 to lead the work on the development and delivery of The National Lottery Heritage Funded project at Mourne Park.

The Role: 
•    This is a key role in The National Lottery Heritage Funded project at Mourne Park.  The Project Manager will be required to work on the development and delivery of visitor experience enhancement, countryside access and interpretation projects linked to conservation of Mourne Park’s natural and built heritage through woodland management, creation and restoration schemes.
•    The role will be responsible for the project management and budget responsibility, ensuring all Heritage Fund and Woodland Trust reporting and recording systems are up to date, work programmes are delivered on time across the programme.
•    You will direct the project team delivering all access projects, on site interpretation and in line with the Access & Interpretation Plans for the project.
•    You are responsible for fostering good relations with partners, contractors, interested organisations and individuals, local people, visitors and the media. Identifying, reviewing and meeting with potential partners who could assist the project to meet its objectives and whose objectives could be assisted by the project. 
•    This role is homebased within Northern Ireland and will require the successful candidate to regularly travel to Mourne Park and around Northern Ireland as required (with reasonable paid travel expenses).
•    This role is a funded fixed term role until December 2029.
•    This role will require an enhanced DBS check as part of our pre-employment checks.
•    This role is made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery Players.

The Candidate: 
•    You have an enthusiasm for the environment and share our core values-Grow Together, Explore, Focus and Make it Count.
•    Hands on experience in project delivery especially in complex, multi-disciplinary projects bringing together a variety of skills from both within and outside the organisation to plan, monitor and deliver projects on time and to budget.
•    You’ll have experience in forestry or conservation land management experience, including experience of volunteer and community engagement.
•    You’ll be an inspiring leader, with experience leading teams and motivating colleagues to deliver projects on time and to budget.
•    You’ll have a collaborative approach, with the ability to work with multiple teams, building relationships with both internal and external stakeholders effectively. 
•    You’ll know about delivery of access infrastructure construction and interpretation projects on public and private sites to build an enhanced visitor experience.
•    Strong communication skills, both written and verbally being able to liaise with internal and external stakeholders, especially volunteers using a variety of methods to suite the audience. 
•    This role does require regular travel to and from Mourne Park and Northern Ireland. A full UK driving licence is required. 

Benefits & Wellbeing: Joining our team means you'll be a big part of tackling environmental and climate issues. We take good care of our staff, offering support and training opportunities. We also offer:
•    Enhanced Employer Pension
•    Life Assurance
•    Flexible & Hybrid Working Options
•    Travel expenses
•    Generous Annual Leave - 25 days + bank holidays (pro rata for part time) 
•    Buy and Sell Annual Leave
•    Enhanced Parental Pay
•    Employee Assistance Programme

About Us: The Woodland Trust is the UK's leading woodland conservation charity and is dedicated to creating a world where trees and woods thrive for both people and nature. Our mission involves engaging and inspiring individuals to contribute toward tackling the nature and climate crisis through the protection, restoration, and creation of essential woodland habitats.
Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: To achieve our vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature, we need to better reflect society and the communities we work in. All people, no matter their background, identity, ability, or circumstance, should benefit from trees. 
People of colour and disabled people are currently under-represented across the environment and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we particularly encourage you to apply.
Please contact us to discuss any additional support or adjustments you may need to complete your application. 

Application Advice: For fairness we keep our candidates’ personal details hidden from the hiring managers, so they do not see your CV until shortlisting is completed. Make sure that your Personal Statement clearly shows how your skills and knowledge link to the specifications in the job description and you share with us your passion for the role. 

Acceptable Use Policy - Artificial Intelligence (AI): We understand that candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their job applications-for example, to help structure or edit written responses. We welcome the use of AI in this way, particularly where it helps improve accessibility, such as for neurodivergent applicants. However, we ask that any information submitted reflects your own experience, skills and understanding. During interviews, candidates are expected to respond independently without the use of AI tools.

Apply Now: If you're ready to make a difference and grow with us, send in your application today. We might close the job opening early if we get a lot of applications, so it's a good idea to apply soon. If we do close the advert early, and you have an application in process, we will email you prior to closing to give you time to complete.

Interviews will be held via Microsoft Teams on Thursday 2nd October and Friday 3rd October.
 

Family Support Manager - Greater Manchester

£29,000 + Company Car and benefits

This post will cover the Greater Manchester region

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is going through an exciting time where we are growing, with the aim of reaching more families in need.

About the role:

This Best Companies Top 100 mid-sized organisation and Top 20 Charity is looking to appoint a Family Support Manager to deliver a high-quality family support service as part of our Greater Manchester Care Team.

Reporting to the Family Support Manager of the Manchester Care Team and working in partnership with health, education and social care professionals, you will take responsibility for providing needs-led emotional, social and practical support to families where a child/young person has a life threatening or terminal illness.

Having worked in a stressful and emotional environment you have a genuine interest in building supportive relationships and helping people; and having provided bereavement support to families, you understand processes of grief, loss and change - and how best to help others deal with its impact.

What we’re looking for:

· An experienced child health, education or social care professional - applications will be particularly welcome from those who have worked in a community environment and those with a recognised qualification in education, health or social care

· A warm, inclusive approach to achieving goals quickly and correctly

· Practiced in child protection, information sharing and the rules around data protection - you lead by example, drawing on your own professional experience and working within established guidelines

· Practical and people-oriented - you will thrive working at a fast pace whilst maintaining accuracy and be a confident user of IT (including MSOffice)

· A persuasive and open communicator - you will work collaboratively with your team and volunteers to ensure delivery of a high-quality service and support fundraising colleagues by writing case studies and family updates

· A practical knowledge of diversity issues affecting children, young people and their families – aware that being responsive to others needs and concerns, is essential.

What we offer:

We have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees, including:

· Flexible working hours to balance home and working life

· Employee Assistance Programme with access to remote GP, counselling, physiotherapy, resources to support your mental health and financial wellbeing, as well as a 24/7 helpline via Help@Hand

· Company car for front line care posts

· 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays – rising to 26 days after 1 year, 27 days after 5 years and 30 days after 11 years, with an additional 5 years to use in your 10th or 20th year of service (pro rata for part time)

· Time off in Lieu

· Access to the Blue Light Card Scheme, and other rewards and discounts

· Bike to work, season ticket loan and payroll giving schemes

· A recommend a friend recruitment bonus scheme

· Family friendly policies, focused on employee wellbeing, and an active cross-organisational wellbeing group running a number of initiatives throughout the year

· Pension scheme where we contribute 5% of your salary and you contribute at least 3%

· The option to buy/sell annual leave, as well as additional leave for your birthday, wedding/civil ceremony and an extra half day off for Christmas shopping

· Robust training and development programmes to support your learning and growth

As part of our learning and development Anne Harris skills development programme, we aim to provide a high level of training and development opportunities for all staff, so you are able to perform to the best of your ability, achieve individual and team objectives aligned to Rainbow Trusts strategic plan, supporting staff to be their best and feel a valued member of a high performing organisation.

Our Family Support Teams are given the opportunity to complete a number of diverse training courses in their first 12 months, including but not limited to: Mental Health First Aid, Makaton, counselling skills, introduction to play.

The programme aims to provide a building block for you to individually tailor your own learning and development needs.

About us:

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

How to apply:

Please visit our website via the link and apply online.

Close date: 25th August 2025

Please disclose on your application form if you have used AI for any part of your job application.

Interviews will take place at our Manchester Care Team office with the dates to be confirmed. We will only contact those applicants who have been successful.

There will be a requirement for flexible working and a full current driver’s licence to accommodate team and family need. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this post.

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

Rainbow Trust is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are a Best Companies One-Star rated organisation.

Family Support Worker

 (1-year Maternity Cover)

£24,000 pa + benefits (including 25 days annual leave, company car and pension)

South West Care Team (Swindon and Wiltshire areas)

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is going through an exciting time where we are growing, with the aim of reaching more families in need.

About the role:

This Best Companies Top 100 mid-sized organisation and Top 20 Charity is looking to appoint a Family Support Worker to deliver a high-quality family support service as part of our South West Care Team.

Reporting to the Family Support Manager of the South West Care Team and working in partnership with health, education and social care professionals, you will take responsibility for providing needs-led emotional, social and practical support to families where a child/young person has a life threatening or terminal illness.

Having worked in a stressful and emotional environment you have a genuine interest in building supportive relationships and helping people; and having provided bereavement support to families, you understand processes of grief, loss and change - and how best to help others deal with its impact.

Location:

This post will cover the South West of England, with this position focusing on Swindon and Wiltshire area.

What we’re looking for:

· An experienced child health, education or social care professional - applications will be particularly welcome from those who have worked in a community environment and those with a recognised qualification in education, health or social care.

· A warm, inclusive approach to achieving goals quickly and correctly.

· Practiced in child protection, information sharing and the rules around data protection - you lead by example, drawing on your own professional experience and working within established guidelines.

· Practical and people-oriented - you will thrive working at a fast pace whilst maintaining accuracy and be a confident user of IT (including MSOffice)

· A persuasive and open communicator, you will work collaboratively with your team and volunteers to ensure delivery of a high-quality service and support fundraising colleagues by writing case studies and family updates

· A practical knowledge of diversity issues affecting children, young people, and their families – aware that being responsive to others needs and concerns, is essential.

What we offer:

We have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees, including:

• Flexible working hours to balance home and working life
• Employee Assistance Programme with access to remote GP, counselling, physiotherapy, resources to support your mental health and financial wellbeing, as well as a 24/7 helpline via Help@Hand
• Company car for front line care posts

• 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays – rising to 26 days after 1 year, 27 days after 5 years and 30 days after 11 years, with an additional 5 years to use in your 10th or 20th year of service (pro rata for part time)
• Time off in Lieu
• Access to the Blue Light Card Scheme, and other rewards and discounts

• Bike to work, season ticket loan and payroll giving schemes
• A recommend a friend recruitment bonus scheme
• Family friendly policies, focused on employee wellbeing, and an active cross-organisational wellbeing group running a number of initiatives throughout the year
• Pension scheme where we contribute 5% of your salary and you contribute at least 3%
• The option to buy/sell annual leave, as well as additional leave for your birthday, wedding/civil ceremony and an extra half day off for Christmas shopping
• Robust training and development programmes to support your learning and growth.

We also have a fantastic learning and development programme - the Anne Harris skills development programme - in which we aim to provide a high level of training and development opportunities for all staff, so you are able to perform to the best of your ability, achieve individual and team objectives aligned to Rainbow Trusts strategic plan, supporting staff to be the best they can be, and feel a valued member of a high performing organisation.

Our Family Support Workers are given the opportunity to complete a number of diverse training courses in their first 12 months, including but not limited to: Mental Health First Aid, Makaton, counselling skills, and Introduction to Play.

The programme aims to provide a building block for you to individually tailor your own learning and development needs, with all family support workers having a foundation level of skills within their first year.

About us:

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

How to apply:

Please visit our website via the link and apply online. Please disclose on your application form if you have used AI for any part of your job application.

Interview dates: Interview Date to be confirmed

Interviews will take place at our South West Care Team office with the dates to be confirmed. We will only contact those applicants who have been successful.

There will be a requirement for flexible working and a full current driver’s licence to accommodate the team and family need. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this post.

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

Rainbow Trust is an equal opportunities employer and a Best Companies One-Star rated organisation. Registered Charity No: 1070532

Job Title: Housing Support Worker

Location: Warwickshire, Dispersed Accommodation (mainly based in South Warwickshire)
Salary: £25,857.12 per annum
Contract type: Full Time, Permanent 

Hours: 37.5 hours per week. As part of this role, you will be required to participate in an out-of-hours on call rota.

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as a Housing Support Worker to provide high quality practical and emotional support to survivors of domestic abuse and their children living in our dispersed refuge accommodation in Warwickshire.

You will be joining the Warwickshire Dispersed Safe Accommodation service. This service will provide emergency safe accommodation across Warwickshire with high-quality domestic abuse support, ‘by-and-for’ services for survivors of domestic abuse and their children. Housing Support Workers will work closely with the Floating Support Workers and Child Support Workers (who provide the personal support to survivors of domestic abuse and their children) to ensure that the emergency accommodation and support meets the whole range of survivors’ needs.

The post holder will be responsible for the Health and Safety and maintenance of emergency safe accommodation units in multiple 1–3-bedroom properties across Warwickshire. This will include the practical set up and maintenance of home furnishings and utilities in each property and the management of the cleaning and replacements required between each use of the accommodation unit.

The post holder will provide support to survivors fleeing domestic abuse around accessing housing benefit for the dispersed accommodation and support survivors with exploring and accessing move on accommodation.

The Housing Support Worker (HSW) will be responsible for ensuring that the properties will maintain Refuge’s accommodation standards and comply with all Health and Safety legislation and requirements. 

As part of this role, you will be required to participate in an out-of-hours on call rota.

This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

Closing Date: 09:00am 26 September 2025

Interview Date: 9 October 2025

We are looking for an experienced Finance Director to join our team of nearly 100 staff, ideally before the end of 2025.

This is a full-time, home-based, permanent position. You can be based anywhere in mainland UK or Ireland, with some travel and occasional overnight stays to meeting and conferences mainly in England and Wales.

We offer flexibility around working hours, including the option of a 9 day fortnight - time off in lieu is also available. We offer 25 days holiday pro rata (rising to 28 days) plus statutory public holidays. We are happy to make adjustments for people with disabilities and/or caring responsibilities, and we welcome applications from all communities.

The role is a grade 7 position with a starting salary circa £75,000 plus benefits including 9% employer pension contribution.

The Finance Director (“FD”) works alongside the Chief Executive and Operations Director to manage the finances and governance of The Rivers Trust, a leading conservation charity with three associated trading subsidiaries operating across the UK and Ireland, with a collective annual income approaching £10m.

Given the prospective retirement of the current postholder at the end of 2025, we are seeking a well-qualified and experienced individual to take on this senior leadership role as soon as possible to enable handover to occur.

The role is very varied and wide-ranging, including presenting financial information to the Trustees and senior management on a quarterly basis, reviewing monthly management accounts, leading on annual budgeting, appraising internal project concepts and contracts, statutory compliance administration and liaising with auditors.

The postholder will lead a team of eight in the Finance department and join a very welcoming team of 95 highly engaged and passionate staff at The Rivers Trust.

Main duties and responsibilities:

Working alongside the CEO, the Finance Director will provide commercial, financial and governance management and leadership for The Rivers Trust ("the Charity") and its associated subsidiaries (“The Companies”). The FD will not only be an exceptional accountant, with executive oversight of the finance function, but will be commercially astute and have the confidence to represent robustly the best interests of The Companies. The FD will also be an experienced manager of people.

Key Accountabilities:

1. Act as a business partner to support and constructively challenge the CEO in the general management of the Charity and the Companies, reporting to the board.
2. Lead all aspects of the finance function (including maintaining and developing the financial control environment; robust financial accounting; cashflow management; incisive management information; clear and concise reporting to Board) to ensure that the Charity and the Companies’ assets are secured, risks are managed, and the Board of Trustees, subsidiary boards and committees can make well-informed decisions.
3. Manage relationships with auditors, funders, IT specialists, banks, investment platforms and other external organisations.
4. Provide support to project bids and the development of other commercial opportunities to ensure that bids/opportunities are optimised for the Charity and the Companies as a whole.
5. Provide input to project and programme delivery from time to time, to ensure that performance is maximised for the Charity and the Companies.
6. Attend Board meetings and Business Audit and Risk Committee meetings to guide the Board and the Senior Management Team on financial, commercial and governance issues.
7. Ensure compliance with the requirements of the Charity Commission and Companies House and, from time to time, provide guidance to members of the Rivers Trust movement on good governance practice.
8. Maintain the finance department operational manual for business continuity.
9. Serve as the Company Secretary for the Charity and Companies.

Staff Management:

1. Lead, manage and develop the finance team (who work remotely) and ensure the team understands their respective and collective contribution to achieving the Charity's and the Companies’ objectives.
2. Support the team in their professional development.
3. Ensure the team delivers a high-quality service focused on internal and external customers and funders.

Knowledge, skills, experience, and personal qualities:

Essential

• Significant experience in financial management and senior leadership roles, ideally gained in a range of organisations.
• A strategic thinker, able to see the big-picture, shape long-term direction and balance this with attention to detail.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills combined with creativity and openness to innovate.
• Strong IT and digital skills, with experience of using technology to improve efficiency and automate processes.
• Proven people leadership experience, with a track record of managing, developing, and inspiring teams and creating a supportive, inclusive, and collaborative culture.
• Excellent relationship builder, with the interpersonal skills to influence, collaborate, and provide constructive challenge while maintaining positive relationships across the organisation, including with trustees and senior stakeholders.
• Experience reporting to boards of trustees and/or directors, with the confidence to contribute to board-level discussions as a trusted adviser.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills, able to distil complexity into pertinent, concise and understandable messages tailored to diverse audiences.
• The courage to make and communicate tough decisions and be open about risks and setbacks.
• Resilient and calm under pressure, with the ability to maintain focus and steady leadership in challenging circumstances.
• Impeccable standards of integrity and personal ethics, acting as a role model for the organisation values.
• Knowledge of Sage financial software packages.
• Work to a good standard in Microsoft 365, especially Excel, Word, Outlook and Teams.

Desirable

• Experience of working in the charitable sector.
• Experience of being a Company Secretary.
• Understanding of the environmental sector or a passion for making a positive impact.
• Familiarity in using Sharepoint, Sage and Slack.
• Knowledge of Partial Exemption VAT rules.
• A basic understanding of Irish tax law, Irish and UK payroll taxes and corporate governance.

Qualifications/ Education

• Qualified Accountant, preferably ICAEW or ACCA.

Additional information

Everyone who works for us is expected to contribute to a respectful and inclusive working culture and follow our policies and procedures including Health & Safety, EDI, Cybersecurity and GDPR.

Please note we can only accept applications made through this site, and not sent by email or other methods.

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible. We warmly welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. If you would benefit from any adjustments to support you through the process, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

To apply please send your CV and a covering letter.

Closing date: Wednesday 24th September 2025

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a strong pool of applications, so we encourage early submission

Job Title: Domestic Abuse Trainer

Location: Homeworking with a requirement to occasionally work at Head Office (Vauxhall, London)

Salary: £30,108 per annum Inclusive of London Weighting, which may not be applicable depending on your home location and any agreed permanent homeworking arrangement.

Contract type: Part Time, Fixed Term (Until May 2026)

Hours: 30 hours per week (across four days - Monday-Friday - days to be discussed)

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as a Domestic Abuse Trainer and Assessor on a part time, fixed term contract until May 2026. 

Refuge has recently been granted funding from the Ministry of Justice to develop training for Independent Domestic Violence Advocates (IDVAs). This role has been created as a fixed term post to support that project. This is a strategic project and the overall aim of the MoJ is to increase access to training for IDVA professionals.

As the Domestic Abuse Trainer, the post holder will be responsible for developing and delivering a high quality, accredited training programme, including workshops, assessments, and digital resources for professionals in the domestic abuse sector.

This role will work in partnership with our Service Delivery subject matter experts and our People & Organisational Development team to develop and deliver domestic abuse training for Independent Domestic Violence Advocates and other front-line specialists. You will also be leading on assessments for delegates attending the training which should demonstrate competence through on the job training.

The post holder will be able to demonstrate extensive experience in training delivery or education in the domestic abuse sector. They should also have an understanding of the dynamics of domestic abuse and the barriers many women face in seeking support.

Closing Date: 15 September 2025

Interview Date: 29 September 2025

The University of Essex in partnership with Mid and North Essex Mind offers an exciting opportunity to a graduate with the relevant skills and knowledge to co-produce and implement data-led impact evaluation tools and a community needs assessment framework based on the Theory of Change model for mental health services, leading to improved outcomes for individuals and the wider voluntary and community sector.

DUTIES OF THE POST

This is a full-time, fixed term for 30 months. The position is fixed term due to being part of a government funded innovation programme, however there may be potential to continue in employment with the company partner following the completion of the KTP.

The duties of the post will include:

• Co-producing and implementing data-led impact evaluation tools and a community needs assessment framework, grounded in the Theory of Change model, to support improved mental health outcomes.

• Developing and piloting tools for data collection, analysis, and reporting—such as Power BI dashboards, stakeholder feedback mechanisms, and longitudinal tracking systems.

• Leading the creation of a scalable follow-up review tool to track long-term service user outcomes and support strategic decision-making.

• Producing high-quality research outputs, including academic publications, conference presentations, and a final project report.

These duties are a guide to the work that the post holder will initially be required to undertake. They may be changed from time to time to meet changing circumstances.

Full duties of the post are available in the job pack.

KEY REQUIREMENTS (Essential Criteria)

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Management, Psychology, Social Psychology, Counselling, Mental Health Nursing, or a similar discipline

• An MBA or an MSc in Business and Management, Psychology, Social Psychology (or nearing completion) or a similar discipline, or equivalent level of experience

• Experience of balancing the needs and priorities of a range of stakeholders

• Knowledge of mental health service models and support pathways

• Strong understanding of evaluation methodologies

• Familiarity with ethical research practices

• Ability to work with vulnerable groups including a good understanding of managing boundaries

• Good research skills, including analysis of quantitative and qualitative data

• Proficient with data analysis tools and methodologies, including Power BI

• Ability to apply academic theories in a third-sector setting

BENEFITS

As a KTP Associate, the post will offer a personal development budget of £5,000 (exclusive of salary). Full benefits of the post are available in the job pack.

LOCATION

Mid and North Essex Mind

The Constantine Centre

272a Mersea Road

Colchester

Please see the attached job pack, which contains a full job description and person specification which outlines the full duties, skills, qualifications and experience needed for this role plus more information relating to the post. We recommend you read this information carefully before making an application. 

We are looking for a dynamic and driven Business Development Manager who can spearhead our fundraising initiatives, lead the development of new projects and support organisational change to facilitate the growth of our services.

You will be part of the Senior Leadership Team, playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of our organisation to maximise the positive impact that we have on our client’s lives.  Starting with a strong foundation to build upon, you will lead on fundraising activities and service development to support our exciting new strategy.

The role will include:

· Develop and implement fundraising strategies to enable us to diversify our funding and become more sustainable

· Identify and evaluate opportunities for new projects, leading on the development of proposals, timelines and budgets

· Work closely with the senior leadership team to identify areas for growth and increasing capacity

· Support the growth of the organisation and change required to deliver our strategy