395 Quality and practice development lead jobs

Independent Age is the national charity working towards ending financial hardship in later life. 

Our Helpline and expert advisers offer free information and advice to older people without enough money to live on, while our external training equips professionals with the information they need to support older people on low incomes. Through our grants programme, we fund and support hundreds of local charities 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 believe no one should face financial hardship in later life. We would love to find individuals from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds to join us on this journey.

Responsibilities and Person Specification:

As Head of Services Development, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Independent Age’s services and maximising our impact for older people facing financial hardship. Reporting to the Director of Services, you will lead service development, innovation, quality, evaluation and strategic change across our service provision (information, advice and external training) ensuring they remain effective, evidence-led and responsive to changing needs. Working closely with colleagues across the charity and external partners, you will translate strategy into practical improvements, develop new opportunities for impact and collaboration, and embed a culture of continuous learning, improvement and innovation.

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're looking for a strategic and collaborative leader with experience of leading complex projects, organisational change and service improvement programmes. 

You will be skilled at turning strategy into delivery, bringing together people from different teams and disciplines to develop practical solutions that improve outcomes. You will be comfortable using data, insight and evidence to drive decision-making and have a track record of stakeholder engagement and identifying opportunities for innovation and growth. 

You will also bring experience of impact measurement, evaluation, quality assurance or performance frameworks, with the ability to use evidence to demonstrate value and improve services. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are essential, alongside the confidence to influence senior stakeholders and work across organisational boundaries. An understanding of the needs of older people, the wider ageing sector and the role that data, learning and collaboration play in delivering social impact would be advantageous.

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. 

With an employee engagement score of 98%, colleagues say Independent Age is a great place to work. 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.

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you require any specific arrangements or adjustments to enable you to fully participate in the recruitment process, such as having the job description in a larger text format or to apply in an alternative format, please get in touch with us via the email address on the ‘Contact Us’ page on our jobs site. 

To support our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion our hiring managers use anonymous shortlisting. Please don’t include your name, photo, or any information that could indicate your gender or age in your CV and supporting statement, and don’t include your name in the title of any documents that you upload. However, please do include all dates of employment.  

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 a minimum of two employment references including your current or most recent employer. A BASIC DBS check will be carried out for the successful candidate.

Closing Date: Friday 25 September at 11:59pm

Interview Dates: Monday 12 October at our London office, 18 Avonmore Road W14 8RR

BeSpace is seeking an innovative and faith-filled leader to pioneer a new national initiative that reimagines Christian pilgrimage for children and young people in schools.

As our Pilgrimage Development Lead, you will design, test and grow creative pilgrimage models that help children explore faith, encounter God and develop spiritually through contemplative Christian practice. Working with churches, schools, dioceses and Christian organisations, you will develop resources, create training, build partnerships and identify opportunities to scale successful models across the UK.

This is a unique opportunity to shape an emerging area of ministry from the ground up. We are looking for someone with experience in children's spirituality, Christian faith development and project leadership who is excited by innovation and motivated by impact. You will be comfortable developing new ideas, building strong relationships and creating practical tools that equip others to deliver high-quality experiences.

BeSpace is a growing Christian charity with a vision to see every child joyful, resilient and growing spiritually for life. Having supported over 69,000 children through prayer and reflection spaces in schools, we are now expanding our work nationally and developing new ways for churches to engage children through contemplative Christian practices.

If you're passionate about helping children encounter God, equipping churches and developing innovative approaches to spiritual formation, we'd love to hear from you.

Do you believe that all children should receive consistently high-quality care in environments that strive to improve outcomes for each child?  Do you have experience in social work, education, inspection, advocacy or residential childcare management?

Then we have an exciting opportunity for a professional like you.

The Vacancy

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Independent Visitor & Quality Assurance Officer to join NYAS Independent Monitoring Service.

This is a full-time permanent role, working 35 hours in the North West and/or North East region. 

As an Independent Visitor & Quality Assurance Officer you will be required to complete statutory and non-statutory independent allocated visits within prescribed timescales and to quality assure reports submitted by other members of the team.

The purpose of this role is to ensure that judgements are consistent with evidence provided and that the feedback given is an element of continuous improvement.

While the role is home-based, there will be occasions where travel is required, including working on public transport.

About You

We are looking for a self-starter who prides themselves in professionalism and accuracy. You must have a relevant professional qualification and proven extensive experience in working with children and young people or adults at risk in a social care setting.

For more information, please view the attached job description.

In your application, you will need to evidence, using specific examples, how your skills and experience meet the criteria laid out in the person specification, within the job description attached. Requirements include:

• Professional qualification in a relevant field.
• Proven extensive experience in working with children and young people or adults at risk in a social care setting.
• Experience and an understanding of child and adult safeguarding procedures.
• Experience of quality assuring reports for regulatory bodies.
• Ability to analyse a range of information to assess effective evidence-based judgements of reports.
• Proven experience of using QA to improve report writing.
• Ability to communicate effectively and to a high standard both orally and in writing to a wide range of people.

NYAS operates robust safe procedures to ensure the protection of the children, young people and adults at risk we work with. To comply with NYAS’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, references, Digital Risk Assessment and Right to Work check.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early once we receive a high number of applications.

In accordance with UK immigration law, NYAS is required to ensure that all prospective candidates have the legal right to work in the United Kingdom. Therefore, proof of eligibility to work in the UK will be required as part of the recruitment process.

About NYAS

As an established leading rights-based charity, NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) is well positioned to ensure that children, young people, and adults across England and Wales are fully respected, represented, and supported in expressing their views and having their rights upheld.

We work with care-experienced children, young people, and adults who are often reliant on statutory services suffering the negative impact of the cuts in public expenditure. Our combination of social care and legal services places us in a unique position to ensure that they receive the services they need and that their voices are heard.

We are an equal opportunities employer and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment which means NYAS welcomes applications from all individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or belief, or any other protected characteristic.

 NYAS is proud to share that we are a Disability Confident Employer and we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies.

Work with us to help change young lives.

YEF Detached Youth Work Area Lead

Relationships change lives.

At M13 Youth Project, we believe every young person deserves trusted adults who believe in them, walk alongside them and help them discover who they are, what they have to offer and the difference they can make. For over 30 years, we've built those relationships through detached youth work - meeting young people where they choose to be, listening deeply and creating opportunities for belonging, belief and hope.

We're now looking for an experienced Detached Youth Work Area Lead to join our team and play a key role in one of the UK's most ambitious detached youth work research pilots.

M13 is leading the Greater Manchester consortium delivering the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) Detached Youth Work Pilot. The Pilot aims to build a strong evidence base for detached youth work, combining outstanding frontline practice with rigorous evaluation to shape the future of youth work nationally.

Reporting to the YEF Detached Youth Work Project Lead, you'll work across three neighbourhoods and lead detached youth work in at least two of these, within M13's delivery of the pilot. You'll be responsible for delivering high-quality detached youth work outdoors in public spaces (on streets, in parks and other community spaces), modelling excellent relational detached youth work practice, supporting less experienced colleagues through day-to-day practice, contributing to monitoring and evaluation, and building positive relationships with young people, local residents, community organisations and partner agencies.

This is first and foremost a frontline detached youth work role. You'll spend much of your week in outdoors in parks, streets and neighbourhoods, building trusted relationships with young people through conversation, consistency and purposeful informal education. Alongside this, you'll help ensure high-quality implementation of the YEF Shared Practice Model within your neighbourhood patches, contribute to monitoring and reporting and work closely with the Project Lead and wider team to support the successful delivery of the pilot.

We're looking for someone who is a qualified (NVQ L2 in Youth Work) and experienced (2 years) detached youth worker, confident leading excellent practice and passionate about relational detached youth work. You'll be organised, reflective and proactive, with experience of taking responsibility for detached youth work within a neighbourhood, maintaining high-quality records, building effective local partnerships and supporting colleagues through encouragement, reflection and shared learning. Most importantly, you'll share our belief that relationships are the foundation for meaningful change.

This is a 22.5- 25 hour per week, community and office-based role (M13's full-time week is 37.5 hours). Your week will include six detached youth work sessions (three afternoons and three evenings), alongside planning, monitoring, partnership working and reflective practice. Some flexibility can be offered around when office-based work is undertaken, where operationally possible.

In return, we offer a supportive, reflective and values-led working environment, regular supervision, ongoing professional development, a generous employer pension contribution, TOIL for out-of-hours working, additional Christmas gift leave and the opportunity to contribute to nationally significant research that could shape the future of detached youth work.

If you're an experienced detached youth worker, confident in leading work in ourdoor community public spaces, ready to combine outstanding frontline practice with leadership of detached youth work across neighbourhoods, learning and innovation, we'd love to hear from you.

Contract: 12-month FTC with potential for a permanent contract

Sebastian’s Action Trust (SAT) supports children with life-limiting conditions and their families. We help those families navigate the emotional and practical difficulties that come with caring for a child with complex needs and provide a place where they can connect, relax and make precious memories together. 

With the planned retirement of the current CEO, we are looking for an experienced charity leader with a background in fundraising, to take the organisation forward into the next phase of its strategic development. This could be an opportunity for a senior fundraising professional to take the next step into a CEO role. 

This role combines overall leadership of the charity with responsibility for income diversification and growth, with a focus on fundraising to drive stability and sustainability. The successful candidate will oversee the delivery of high-quality services, events and support provision, ensuring that the highest standards of health, safety and safeguarding are maintained. They will also nurture relationships with partner organisations and other local charities to explore opportunities for collaboration and efficiency. 

This role will lead a small but committed team of staff and volunteers who are passionate about the work we do, so you will be comfortable combining strategic thinking with pragmatism and creativity. 

The successful candidate will have experience of charity governance and financial management, and be confident working with a committed board and with partners and stakeholders to maximise impact for service users. They will also need to demonstrate hands-on experience of fundraising, with a track record of securing significant income from trusts, corporates and major donors.

This is a challenging but rewarding opportunity to make a real and lasting difference to families facing unimaginable difficulties. If this sounds like your next step, send your CV and covering letter or email to arrange an informal chat. 

Support, Guide and Lead Services That Change Lives

This is your opportunity to provide leadership to services that make a real difference to people, families and communities across Lancashire. Join a values-led organisation where your leadership will help shape services, support talented teams, and create positive, lasting change.

At New Era North West, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive. For over 40 years, we have worked alongside children, young people, adults and families to reduce inequality, improve wellbeing, increase opportunities and build stronger communities. Through our work in employment, skills and education, health and wellbeing, and family and community services, we help people overcome challenges, build resilience and achieve their potential. 

As our Charitable Service Lead, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across our charitable services, ensuring they remain high quality, responsive and focused on delivering meaningful outcomes. Working closely with the CEO, Operations Manager and Leadership Team, you will provide direction, guidance and support to service managers and practitioners, enabling them to deliver high-quality services that achieve positive outcomes for the people and communities we serve. You'll play a key role in developing confident, capable teams, fostering a positive and supportive culture, and ensuring our services continue to make a lasting difference across Lancashire. 

This role offers the opportunity to influence the future direction of a respected and growing organisation. You'll lead and support passionate teams, develop strong partnerships, and help create a positive workplace culture where people feel valued, supported and empowered to do their best work. We're looking for someone who can inspire others, bring people together, and balance strategic thinking with a practical approach to leadership.

What We Offer

• Salary: £38,428.46 per annum 
• Contract: Permanent, full-time (37 hours per week)
• Location: Burnley, Lancashire, with travel across service areas required (essential car user) 
• Annual Leave: 32 days per year 
• The opportunity to shape and influence services that improve lives and strengthen communities.
• A supportive, values-driven culture built on Care, Support and Belief.
• The chance to work alongside committed colleagues who are passionate about making a difference.
• A senior leadership role where your ideas, experience and vision can have a genuine impact.

If you are passionate about creating opportunities, supporting communities and leading services that deliver real social impact, we'd love to hear from you. Join us and help challenge inequality, strengthen communities and transform lives.

Job purpose: We are looking for a Clinical Lead to provide visible clinical leadership and assurance across Brake’s National Road Victim Service and wider organisational clinical practice, ensuring that services are safe, evidence-led, trauma-informed and consistently delivered.

The role will lead clinical governance and safeguarding development, strengthen quality assurance and risk management, provide specialist clinical and safeguarding guidance, and build workforce confidence through learning, reflective practice and professional development.

Working closely with leaders, managers and practitioners, the Clinical Lead will promote accountability for clinical standards, support consistent quality across regional teams and ensure learning from incidents, complaints, reviews and audits translates into service development.

The postholder will act as the lead for trauma-informed practice within NRVS and support the embedding of trauma-informed approaches across the wider organisation, ensuring practice reflects current evidence, professional standards and changes in the external landscape.

The role will support service resilience and operational improvement from a clinical perspective, including monitoring risks to safe service delivery, identifying opportunities to improve impact and efficiency, and helping ensure client outcomes are achieved before case closure.

The Clinical Lead will model continuous learning, professional curiosity, constructive challenge and evidence-led decision-making, supporting leaders and managers to lead their teams confidently through change.

Who we are: Brake is the national, acclaimed charity delivering the National Road Victim Service, a specialist, accredited, UK-wide support service for road victims, delivering case-managed care for anyone who has been bereaved or seriously injured in a road crash or who is supporting a road crash victim.

What we offer:

- A generous 35 days of annual leave (including bank holidays and 3-day shutdown period between Christmas and New Year, pro-rata for part-time working patterns)

- Birthday day off (taken any time)

- Enhanced sick pay and compassionate leave

- Death in service benefit

- Pension

- Employee Assistance Programme

- Flexible working

- A rewarding role with purpose

- Be part of a skilled, friendly team with an engaged Board of Trustees 

Who you are: You will be a credible, compassionate and accountable clinical leader with the professional confidence to provide visible assurance on clinical safety, safeguarding, quality and risk across NRVS.

You will combine strong clinical judgement, analytical thinking and constructive challenge with the ability to translate evidence, quality intelligence and learning from incidents, complaints, reviews and audits into practical service improvement.

You will be collaborative, values-driven and able to build confidence in others, supporting Regional Managers, caseworkers and senior leaders to apply safe, consistent, evidence-led and trauma-informed practice.

Specifically seeking candidates with:

· Credible clinical leadership, with the ability to provide assurance to senior leaders and the Board, promote accountability and influence safe, consistent practice across teams.

· Clear communication, influencing and relationship-building skills with practitioners, managers, executives, trustees and external stakeholders.

· Ability to provide specialist clinical and safeguarding advice on complex cases, while supporting others to make safe, proportionate and evidence-led decisions.

· Strong facilitation, training and reflective practice skills, with the ability to design and contribute to professional development for caseworkers and managers.

· Ability to analyse evidence, risk, quality intelligence, service outcomes and client journey information, and translate insight into improvements in impact, efficiency and service delivery.

· Strong organisational, analytical and report-writing skills, with the ability to manage complexity, maintain confidentiality and provide clear assurance on clinical safety and quality.

· Ability to support Regional Managers and senior leaders to lead teams confidently through change while maintaining safe, evidence-led and trauma-informed practice.

About us: At Brake, we are committed to creating a truly inclusive workplace where all colleagues feel valued, respected, and supported. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and life experiences, and particularly encourage candidates from the global majority, LGBTQIA+ community, and people with disabilities to apply.

We believe that diverse perspectives strengthen our work and enable us to deliver the best possible support to individuals and families affected by road trauma. As a proud Disability Confident employer, we don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it

If you are passionate about making a difference and share our vision for a world where no one is killed on our roads, we want to hear from you.

Not for traffic offenders: Due to the nature of our work we can't accept applications from traffic offenders. Candidates will be asked to disclose whether they have any unspent points on their licence at interview.

An enhanced DBS check is required due to the sensitive nature of our service.

Join us today and be part of the solution! 

Job purpose: We are looking for a Deputy Service Delivery Lead to support the leadership and operational delivery of the National Road Victim Service, helping to ensure strong people management, consistent service delivery, quality standards, safeguarding, governance and contract performance across teams and processes.

Working closely with the National Service Delivery Lead and wider leadership team, the postholder will support operational smoothness, resilience planning, quality assurance, safeguarding and clinical governance practice.

The role will support service resilience and operational, including monitoring risks to safe service delivery, identifying opportunities to improve impact and efficiency, and helping ensure client outcomes are achieved before case closure.

The role will lead day-to-day management of Regional Managers, including check-ins, performance review, workforce support and capacity oversight, while enabling Regional Managers to line manage caseworkers effectively.

Line management responsibility for Regional Managers will be shared with the National Service Delivery Lead.

The role will contribute to workforce development by supporting new programmes such as peer support activity and the development of a champions programme to strengthen confidence, consistency and service improvement.

The role will contribute to workforce development by supporting new programmes such as peer support activity and the development of a champions programme to strengthen confidence, consistency and service improvement.

The Deputy Service Delivery Lead will model continuous learning, professional curiosity, constructive challenge and evidence-led decision-making, supporting leaders and managers to lead their teams confidently through change

Who we are: Brake is the national, acclaimed charity delivering the National Road Victim Service, a specialist, accredited, UK-wide support service for road victims, delivering case-managed care for anyone who has been bereaved or seriously injured in a road crash or who is supporting a road crash victim.

What we offer:

A generous 35 days of annual leave (including bank holidays and 3-day shutdown period between Christmas and New Year, pro-rata for part-time working patterns)

Birthday day off (taken any time)

Enhanced sick pay and compassionate leave

Death in service benefit

Pension

Employee Assistance Programme

Flexible working

A rewarding role with purpose

Be part of a skilled, friendly team with an engaged Board of Trustees 

Who you are: You will be a credible, compassionate and accountable operational leader with the confidence to support service delivery, people management, quality assurance, safeguarding, governance and contract performance across NRVS.

You will combine strong judgement, organisation and constructive challenge with the ability to support Regional Managers, strengthen consistent practice and turn quality assurance, service date and learning activity into practical improvement.

You will be collaborative, values-driven and able to build confidence in others, supporting Regional Managers and caseworkers through effective line management, training, peer support and service improvement activity.

Specifically seeking candidates with:

· Strong leadership, operational judgement and people management skills, with the ability to support Regional Managers to lead their teams confidently and consistently.

· Clear communication, influencing and relationship-building skills with practitioners, managers, senior leaders, commissioners and external stakeholders.

· Ability to support safe, proportionate decision-making and escalate safeguarding, governance, risk or quality issues appropriately.

· Knowledge and understanding of trauma-informed working and trauma-informed organisations, with the ability to support managers and teams across Brake to apply these principles consistently.

· Strong facilitation, training, coaching and peer support skills, with the ability to contribute to professional development for managers and caseworkers.

· Ability to analyse service data, quality assurance findings, risks, KPIs and client journey information, and translate insight into practical improvement.

· Strong organisational, analytical and report-writing skills, with the ability to manage complexity, maintain confidentiality and support contract and service assurance.

About us: At Brake, we are committed to creating a truly inclusive workplace where all colleagues feel valued, respected, and supported. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and life experiences, and particularly encourage candidates from the global majority, LGBTQIA+ community, and people with disabilities to apply.

We believe that diverse perspectives strengthen our work and enable us to deliver the best possible support to individuals and families affected by road trauma. As a proud Disability Confident employer, we don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it

If you are passionate about making a difference and share our vision for a world where no one is killed on our roads, we want to hear from you.

Not for traffic offenders: Due to the nature of our work we can't accept applications from traffic offenders. Candidates will be asked to disclose whether they have any unspent points on their licence at interview.

An enhanced DBS check is required due to the sensitive nature of our service.

Join us today and be part of the solution! 

We are looking for an experienced Project Lead to lead the delivery of Thriving Change Makers, an exciting new programme supporting young people in Barnet to develop leadership skills, lead social action and influence the services and communities around them.

You will lead the mobilisation and delivery of the programme, supporting approximately 60 young people in Year 1 across two cohorts. You will provide leadership to programme staff, build strong partnerships with schools and community organisations, oversee safeguarding and risk, manage the delegated budget, and ensure the programme delivers against its outcomes.

A key focus will be ensuring that young people have a genuine voice in shaping the programme, with opportunities to develop their skills and progress into youth ambassador, advisory and governance roles.

We are looking for someone with substantial experience of leading youth, community or social-action programmes, with strong skills in project management, safeguarding, partnership working, monitoring and evaluation. You will be organised, collaborative and committed to inclusive, accessible and youth-led practice.

This is a fantastic opportunity to shape a new programme from the ground up, support young people to lead change and help build a model that will expand into Enfield and Brent in future years.

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details about the role and requirements.

What we offer:

• Generous annual leave entitlement - 28 days annual leave PLUS bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff)
• Flexible and hybrid working (dependent on role) to ensure you enjoy a good work-life balance.
• Christmas office closure
• Enhanced Sick Pay
• Pension scheme – 5% employee contribution, 3% employer contribution
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme

Promoting a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace

At CB Plus, we promote a diverse and inclusive workplace where we can all be ourselves. Everyone is treated fairly, individual differences are celebrated, and all employees are valued and respected. We actively encourage applications from disabled applicants, including those with mental health conditions, people from Global Majority and minoritised communities, and those with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

We guarantee an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria as outlined in the Disability Confident Scheme. However, in the event of a high number of applicants, it may not be possible to interview all candidates who meet these criteria, and we reserve the right to limit interviews to a manageable number.

We also have experience supporting Access to Work applications to ensure that employees who need adjustments have the support they need to feel confident and do their best in their roles.

If you need adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know and we will be happy to assist you.

REPORTING TO: Director of Front-line Services

PURPOSE OF POSITION

The Quality Assurance Manager is a blended leadership role combining strategic quality assurance, performance oversight, service management and practice development.

The role is split broadly between focused on quality assurance, data-led improvement and performance oversight, and two days focused on service management, practice leadership and frontline improvement activity.

The postholder will lead the development and delivery of a strong quality assurance framework across support services, ensuring that practice, performance and service delivery are safe, effective, person-centred and aligned with contractual, regulatory and organisational standards.

Alongside this, the postholder will remain closely connected to frontline delivery through service management responsibilities and practice development leadership, particularly within Housing First and complex-needs services. This makes the role ideal for someone who enjoys combining strategic oversight, data insight, operational leadership and the development of high-quality, trauma-informed support practice.

What makes this role different

A distinctive role for someone who wants strategic influence while staying close to frontline practice. You will help shape quality, use evidence, support staff, strengthen resident outcomes and join an organisation committed to compassion, collaboration, inclusion, growth, learning and resident voice.

• Make a visible impact: use quality assurance, data and learning to drive practical improvements that strengthen services for residents and staff.

• Enjoy variety and influence work across performance oversight, service management and practice development, with scope to shape systems, standards and ways of working.

• Stay close to practice: remain connected to frontline delivery while helping embed trauma-informed, person-centred and psychologically informed approaches.

RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES

Key Responsibilities

• Quality assurance and improvement: Lead the quality assurance function across support services, coordinating audits, quality checks, case file reviews, service reviews and improvement plans. Turn findings into practical actions that strengthen safety, consistency, resident experience, safeguarding, support planning and trauma-informed practice. Work with managers to embed learning, monitor progress and evidence improvement against internal and external standards.

• Performance oversight and reporting: Monitor performance against contractual, regulatory and organisational standards, including service outcomes, compliance requirements, safeguarding expectations and commissioner reporting. Identify risks, gaps, trends and good practice, escalating concerns and supporting corrective action where needed. Produce clear, evidence-based reports and briefings for senior leaders, governance meetings, commissioners and external stakeholders.

• Data, insight and systems: Use performance, safeguarding, complaints, incidents, resident feedback, outcomes and quality data to identify service strengths, pressures and improvement priorities. Maintain and improve reporting systems, including InForm, so information is accurate, consistent and useful. Analyse patterns, support decision-making and make practical recommendations that improve quality, accountability and resident outcomes.

• Information retrieval and STAIRs requests: Act as QA Manager lead for information retrieval relating to STAIRs requests, including triaging scope, gathering internal and contractor records, coordinating redaction and drafting responses within regulatory timeframes.

• Service and support management: Provide hands-on support management across frontline services, including Housing First improvement activity, Hope Street and St Mungo’s contracts, team rota management and the Support Manager on-call rota. Support managers and teams to manage risk, strengthen case accountability and recording, and deliver consistent, high-quality support to residents with complex needs.

• Practice development: Embed person-centred, trauma-informed and psychologically informed practice across support services. Develop practical tools, guidance, quality forums, workshops and reflective learning that help staff apply policy, improve support planning, strengthen safeguarding and promote consistent resident-centred practice.

• Resident voice and accountability: Strengthen resident engagement, feedback and involvement so resident experience informs service design, quality assurance, learning and improvement.

• People management and collaboration: Line manage agreed roles, including the Impact Specialist and Resident Engagement Specialist, supporting clear objectives, accountability, development and collaborative working across services.

• General duties: Attend key directorate, management, planning, quality and performance meetings; work flexibly across organisational priorities; and undertake other reasonable duties within the scope of the role.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Assessment will be through application, interview and, where relevant, a practical assessment

Quality assurance: Experience delivering quality frameworks, audits, case file reviews, standards and improvement plans that strengthen safe, consistent, person-centred and trauma-informed practice. Able to lead improvement activity, influence managers and turn findings into sustained service change.

Performance and reporting: Able to monitor contractual, regulatory and organisational standards; identify risks, gaps, trends and good practice; and produce clear reports for leaders, governance forums and commissioners.

Data, insight and systems: Strong analytical skills and confidence using performance, safeguarding, complaints, incidents, outcomes and resident feedback data to identify patterns, support decisions and improve services. Experience using resident feedback, consultation or involvement activity to inform quality assurance, service design and improvement, including through InForm or similar systems.

Information governance: Understands confidentiality, record handling and information governance. Able to triage STAIRs requests, gather internal/contractor records, support redaction and draft timely responses.

Support management and practice: Experience supporting people experiencing homelessness or rough sleeping with complex needs. Able to support managers, manage risk, strengthen recording and embed person-centred, trauma-informed, psychologically informed and anti-discriminatory practice.

Safeguarding and risk: Sound knowledge of adult safeguarding, risk assessment, MARAC processes and safe information sharing with vulnerable adults.

Communication and values: Strong written, verbal and facilitation skills; collaborative, organised, accurate and resilient, with commitment to compassion, collaboration, inclusion and growth.

Appointment is subject to DBS check and right to work in the UK

Active Essex Foundation is a successful and growing charity dedicated to creating the conditions for young people and communities across Essex to thrive. Our work focuses on three core areas: improving young people’s mental health, reducing vulnerabilities to youth crime and exploitation, and strengthening communities through trusted relationships and positive engagement.

A defining feature of our approach is our network of more than 100 Locally Trusted Organisations (LTOs) across Essex. These community-based organisations are at the heart of our delivery model, providing trusted relationships, local insight and direct support within the communities they serve. Working closely with our LTO network enables us to reach those who may be least likely to engage with traditional services and ensure support is tailored to local needs.

Through partnerships with our LTOs, we deliver programmes that use physical activity, mentoring and community support to build resilience, improve wellbeing and reduce inequalities. This role will play a key part in developing and strengthening these relationships, helping our LTO network to maximise its impact and deliver positive outcomes for young people and communities across Essex.

Everything we do is shaped by the real experiences of the people we serve, ensuring our interventions are meaningful, accessible and rooted in what communities tell us they need.

Active Essex Foundation works to improve life chances for young people and communities across Essex by focusing on three core areas: mental health, youth crime prevention, and strengthening communities. Through our programme structure, we co-design community-led initiatives that use physical activity and positive engagement as tools to build resilience, improve wellbeing and reduce inequalities.

The Sport for Development Officer will play a key role in supporting the delivery and growth of these programmes. Working closely with our programme leads, locally trusted organisations (LTOs), and community stakeholders, the postholder will help strengthen organisational capability, and ensure high-quality delivery across our mental health, youth crime prevention and community strengthening work. The role will also contribute to the leadership of workstreams aligned with our strategic Outcomes, supporting the Foundation’s mission.

The ideal candidate will bring strong relationship-building skills and experience of working collaboratively with a diverse range of stakeholders. They should demonstrate a track record of delivering impactful projects or initiatives at local or county level, applying a systems approach to complex community issues, and using strengths-based methods to build resilience and capacity within local organisations.

The post holder will work with AEF staff across the business to deliver the duties and responsibilities set out below.

Job description:

Reporting to: Bradford Team Leader 
Hours: 17.5 - 21 hours (negotiable) 
Salary: SCP 7 £27,910 per annum pro-rata 

Leave: 28 days plus 14 Bank Holidays pro rata 
Pension and benefits: 5% employer contribution pension, with an additional 5% employee contribution. 

Closing date: Monday 12th October 12pm 

Interview date: Tuesday 20th October 2026 
 
Contact details for recruiting manager for applicant: Linda Barker, Bradford Team Leader

 This candidate will be joining a vibrant and brave grassroots organisation led by Gypsy and Traveller people in West Yorkshire. Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange (Leeds GATE) is an established and award-winning civil societyorganisationwith a national profile. We arerecognisedas being innovative, brave and creative.Our overall aim is to improve the quality of life for Gypsies andTravellersthrough addressing inequalities in homes, health, education, and employment, financial and social inclusion. We run a number ofa communityfacing and strategic projects to achieve our aims including advocacy, community development and youth work.Those who access our services and activities are members of Leeds GATE.

As a community development worker, you will play a key role in our organisation, building strong relationships with our communities. You will deliver outreach including activities, information, and support. You will plan community groups with our members, ensuring members have access to opportunities and promoting health and wellbeing. You will support families with their own goals and help people organize together when facing a collective issue – aiming to improve health, homes, education, and inclusion for our members. 

As a team player, you will communicate proactively with your team and line manager, and work with our members, staff and partners to build trusted relationships. You will listen to and identify members' issues and concerns, bringing a solution focused approach to the work. You will facilitate asset-based community development approaches in galvanizing people, by working together on projects that bring improved health, wellbeing and social inclusion to the Leeds GATE members in Bradford. Gaining and sharing insight of the barriers preventing their community development goals and working with key stakeholders to address these barriers. 

The role will be underpinned by Leeds GATE’s values including: 

Leeds GATE is Brave and Creative 

Leeds GATE believes that everyone is equal and can be included

You will have autonomy and will need to help guide the team, shape priorities, and will be working closely with Foundation colleagues delivery partners, funders and communities, the postholder will lead on the collection, analysis and communication of evidence to demonstrate impact, improve delivery and inform future investment decisions. This role will work closely with the Impact Manager and Sport for Development Officer. 

The role will support a range of programmes including: 

• Sport and Life Skills 

• Young People's Mental Health and Wellbeing 

• Youth Crime Prevention

• Community Development and Strengthening Communities 

• Other Foundation-funded programmes and initiatives 

The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring that learning and evidence are translated into action, helping Active Essex Foundation maximise its impact and continuously improve its programmes. You will be a self starter with strong motivation to drive the work.

Active Essex Foundation is a successful and growing charity dedicated to creating the conditions for young people and communities across Essex to thrive. Our work focuses on three core areas: improving young people’s mental health, reducing vulnerabilities to youth crime and exploitation, and strengthening communities through trusted relationships and positive engagement. We collaborate with a network of over 100 community organisations and local partners to design and deliver programmes that use physical activity, mentoring and community support as tools to build resilience, improve wellbeing and reduce inequalities. Everything we do is shaped by the real experiences of the people we serve, ensuring our interventions are meaningful, accessible and rooted in what communities tell us they need.

The AEF Impact Leadwill operate within a matrix management structure.Professional line management, technical supervision and quality assurance will be provided by the Impact Manager and Intelligence Manager within the Insight & Evaluation Team.

Operational direction and programme priorities will be provided by the AEF Operations & Development Manager and the 3 AEF Project Managers ensuring the role is fully embedded within Foundation activity. The post holder will require relationship building and negotiation skills to work with AEF team to scope the priorities and the work required whilst maintaining consistent research and evaluation standards across Active Essex.

Practice Consultant

We are seeking an experienced fostering professional to help improve fostering practice, support foster carers and influence positive change across Wales and the wider UK.

Position: Practice Consultant, Wales
Salary: £43,483 to £48,659 per annum
Location: Wales, home-based/hybrid with optional Cardiff office working and some UK travel
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Closing date: 23 September 2026
Interview date: 9 October 2026, Cardiff

About the role

As Practice Consultant, you will use your fostering expertise to improve practice and provide high-quality advice, advocacy, mediation, training and consultancy to foster carers, fostering services, social workers and other professionals.

Working as part of a UK-wide practice team, you will help ensure that fostering practice is trauma-informed, child-centred and solution-focused.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing specialist advice, advocacy and mediation
• Delivering training, webinars, forums and practice consultancy
• Supporting improvements in fostering policy and practice
• Developing and sharing evidence-based best practice
• Building strong relationships with foster carers, fostering services and other stakeholders
• Contributing to publications, guidance and learning resources
• Representing the organisation at regional and national events
• Using feedback and data to evaluate impact and support continuous improvement

About you

You will bring significant knowledge and experience of fostering, with a strong understanding of the legislation and regulatory framework governing foster care.

You will be a foster carer, or hold a relevant degree-level or social work qualification with fostering practitioner experience. You will have experience of providing consultancy and advice within fostering or related services, alongside experience of advocacy, mediation and delivering training.

You will also have excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work confidently with a wide range of stakeholders.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable but is not essential.

About the organisation

You will be joining a leading UK fostering charity and membership organisation dedicated to supporting the relationships at the heart of the fostering community.

The organisation offers flexible and hybrid working, 38 days' leave including bank holidays, enhanced family-friendly leave, enhanced sick pay, pension and life assurance, and access to an Employee Assistance Helpline.

Applications are particularly welcomed from people from under-represented and minoritised backgrounds and those with lived experience of care.

Other roles you may have experience of could include: Fostering Social Worker, Fostering Practice Consultant, Fostering Advisor, Practice Development Consultant, Social Work Consultant, Fostering Training Consultant, Fostering Development Officer, Practice Development Manager, Fostering Support Manager, Fostering Services Manager.

Ymgynghorydd Ymarfer

Rydym yn chwilio am weithiwr proffesiynol profiadol ym maes maethu i helpu i wella ymarfer maethu, cefnogi gofalwyr maeth a dylanwadu ar newid cadarnhaol ledled Cymru a'r DU ehangach.

Swydd: Ymgynghorydd Ymarfer, Cymru
Cyflog: £43,483 i £48,659 y flwyddyn
Lleoliad: Cymru, gweithio gartref/hybrid gyda'r opsiwn o weithio o swyddfa Caerdydd a rhywfaint o deithio ledled y DU
Oriau: Llawn amser, 35 awr yr wythnos
Contract: Parhaol
Dyddiad cau: 23 Medi 2026
Dyddiad cyfweliad: 9 Hydref 2026, Caerdydd

Am y rôl

Fel Ymgynghorydd Ymarfer, byddwch yn defnyddio eich arbenigedd ym maes maethu i wella ymarfer a darparu cyngor, eiriolaeth, cyfryngu, hyfforddiant ac ymgynghoriaeth o ansawdd uchel i ofalwyr maeth, gwasanaethau maethu, gweithwyr cymdeithasol a gweithwyr proffesiynol eraill.

Gan weithio fel rhan o dîm ymarfer ledled y DU, byddwch yn helpu i sicrhau bod ymarfer maethu yn ystyriol o drawma, yn canolbwyntio ar y plentyn ac yn canolbwyntio ar ddatrysiadau. Mae'r egwyddorion hyn hefyd wedi'u nodi yn y proffil rôl Cymraeg a ddarparwyd.

Bydd y prif gyfrifoldebau'n cynnwys:

• Darparu cyngor arbenigol, eiriolaeth a chyfryngu
• Cyflwyno hyfforddiant, gweminarau, fforymau ac ymgynghoriaeth ymarfer
• Cefnogi gwelliannau mewn polisi ac ymarfer maethu
• Datblygu a rhannu arfer gorau sy'n seiliedig ar dystiolaeth
• Meithrin perthnasoedd cryf gyda gofalwyr maeth, gwasanaethau maethu a rhanddeiliaid eraill
• Cyfrannu at gyhoeddiadau, canllawiau ac adnoddau dysgu
• Cynrychioli'r sefydliad mewn digwyddiadau rhanbarthol a chenedlaethol
• Defnyddio adborth a data i werthuso effaith a chefnogi gwelliant parhaus

Amdanoch chi

Bydd gennych wybodaeth a phrofiad sylweddol o faethu, ynghyd â dealltwriaeth gref o'r fframwaith deddfwriaethol a rheoliadol sy'n llywodraethu gofal maeth.

Byddwch yn ofalwr maeth, neu bydd gennych gymhwyster perthnasol ar lefel gradd neu gymhwyster gwaith cymdeithasol gyda phrofiad fel ymarferydd maethu. Bydd gennych brofiad o ddarparu ymgynghoriaeth a chyngor o fewn gwasanaethau maethu neu wasanaethau cysylltiedig, ynghyd â phrofiad o eiriolaeth, cyfryngu a darparu hyfforddiant.

Bydd gennych hefyd sgiliau cyfathrebu a meithrin perthnasoedd rhagorol, gyda'r gallu i weithio'n hyderus gydag ystod eang o randdeiliaid.

Mae'r gallu i siarad Cymraeg yn ddymunol ond nid yw'n hanfodol ar gyfer y rôl.

Am y sefydliad

Byddwch yn ymuno ag elusen faethu a sefydliad aelodaeth blaenllaw yn y DU sy'n ymroddedig i gefnogi'r perthnasoedd sydd wrth wraidd y gymuned faethu.

Mae'r sefydliad yn cynnig gweithio hyblyg a hybrid, 38 diwrnod o wyliau gan gynnwys gwyliau banc, polisïau gwyliau gwell sy'n ystyriol o deuluoedd, tâl salwch gwell, pensiwn ac yswiriant bywyd, a mynediad at Linell Gymorth i Weithwyr.

Croesewir ceisiadau'n arbennig gan bobl o gefndiroedd sydd heb gynrychiolaeth ddigonol a chefndiroedd lleiafrifol, a chan bobl sydd â phrofiad personol o ofal.

Gallai rolau eraill y gallai fod gennych brofiad ohonynt gynnwys: Gweithiwr Cymdeithasol Maethu, Ymgynghorydd Ymarfer Maethu, Cynghorydd Maethu, Ymgynghorydd Datblygu Ymarfer, Ymgynghorydd Gwaith Cymdeithasol, Ymgynghorydd Hyfforddiant Maethu, Swyddog Datblygu Maethu, Rheolwr Datblygu Ymarfer, Rheolwr Cymorth Maethu, Rheolwr Gwasanaethau Maethu.