Recruitment specialist jobs in barnard castle, county durham

Oak is a fully remote, mission-driven organisation offering high levels of flexibility, autonomy, and purpose. We’re a national not-for-profit working in partnership with teachers to create the highest-quality, sequenced curriculum and lesson resources for pupils across all subjects and age groups.

Our culture has been independently recognised through:

• Flexa verified (93% overall score, including 95% for working hours and 97% for role modelling)

• Escape the City's Top 1% Employers – based on anonymous colleague reviews of culture, development, and impact

�� About the Role

You’ll join our cross-functional Product & Engineering team to build and improve the digital platforms that teachers and pupils rely on every day. Working closely with product managers, designers, researchers, and curriculum specialists you will develop user-facing applications using technologies like TypeScript and Next.js. You’ll also interact with our backend systems using PostgreSQL databases and GraphQL APIs. In addition, you’ll help design, build, and maintain serverless functions on Google Cloud Platform to support our data ingestion pipelines.

This is a hands-on role with plenty of scope for technical leadership and mentoring, alongside the opportunity to shape our engineering practices and culture. You'll be part of a supportive, collaborative team that cares deeply about accessibility, usability, and delivering tools that genuinely improve learning.

�� What You’ll Be Doing

• Building responsive, accessible web interfaces using TypeScript and Next.js

• Designing and writing clean, well-tested code that’s easy to maintain and scale

• Acting as a go-to person for key areas of our codebase, while supporting continuous improvement

• Championing new tools or practices that improve the developer experience

• Supporting and mentoring colleagues across the team

• Taking part in our on-call rota to help keep our products reliable and available

• Collaborating with others across the organisation in multi-disciplinary squads

• Contributing to planning, retros, and the wider culture of Oak

�� What We’re Looking For

• Solid experience building production-level web applications with TypeScript and React/Next.js

• Experience working on cross-functional product teams in agile environments

• Understanding of automated testing and how different types (unit, integration, etc.) add value

• A thoughtful approach to accessibility and user experience

• Strong collaboration and communication skills

• Comfortable working independently in a remote setup, managing your time and relationships effectively

• A proactive, growth-oriented mindset and a desire to help others thrive

�� Our Benefits

• 25 days annual leave, plus one extra day for each year of service (up to 28)

• Additional Oak closure days over Christmas/New Year

• 11% employer pension contribution (with no minimum employee contribution)

• A 36-hour working week, with half-days on Fridays or every other Friday off

• Fully remote working — we’ll support your home set-up and offer coworking options if preferred

• Twice-yearly in-person offsites to collaborate, connect, and have fun

• A culture that genuinely supports flexibility, autonomy, and trust

�� Inclusion and Belonging

We believe diverse teams build better products. We warmly welcome applicants from all backgrounds, particularly those who are underrepresented in the tech and education sectors.

We use the Applied recruitment platform to help reduce bias in our hiring process. 

�� Key Info

• Location: Remote, but you must be based in the UK with the legal right to work here

• Sponsorship: Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer visa sponsorship at this time

• Closing date: We’ll be reviewing applications as they come in and may close the role early

If this sounds like the kind of role and team where you could do your life’s best work, we’d love to hear from you.

Next steps

You’ll answer some questions related to your day-to-day job. After the advert closes, your answers will go through our sift process: all answers will be anonymised, randomised, and then reviewed by a panel of reviewers (real humans).

If you are shortlisted, we’ll invite you to the next stage, which will consist of a remote technical interview and a technical pairing session conducted over Zoom. This will last approximately two hours.

We love giving feedback, so at the end of the application process we'll share how well you performed.

We are aiming to start interviews in August 2025.

We are experiencing really good responses to our job adverts. This may lead us to close the role early, so if you are considering applying then please get your application in early to avoid missing out.

We are an equal opportunities employer.

We are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

Legal Casework Manager (Helpline)

Are you aware of the significant health inequalities that people with a learning disability face in the UK and levels of avoidable deaths? Are you passionate about access to justice for the families of people with a learning disability who have died avoidably in acute healthcare settings?

We’re looking for a dedicated Legal Casework Manager (Helpline) to join our committed information and advice team covering England at Mencap on a full time (37.5 hours per week) fixed term contract for 2 years.

Here at Mencap we are a leading charity providing advice, support and opportunities to people with a learning disability across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The role will lead on supporting families to get answers about how their loved ones died and change across the healthcare system to prevent future deaths. 

The role is flexible in terms of location, which can include home working, using Mencap’s office bases, such as in London and Peterborough, and will include some national travel, for example to inquest hearings or to meet families when needed. 

About the Role

As Legal Casework Manager (Helpline), you’ll provide advice, support, and casework assistance to families facing complex legal issues, specifically relating to people with a learning disability who have died in avoidable circumstances across England, mainly within the healthcare system. Working within a small, supportive team, you’ll manage your own caseload, contribute to the body of knowledge about avoidable deaths and help empower families to understand and exercise their rights and get answers through the inquest and other investigations processes. 

Key Responsibilities

· Provide clear, accurate, and timely legal advice and casework support for families.

· Work closely with clients, many of whom will be distressed, ensuring a sensitive, trauma informed and professional approach

· Maintain up-to-date case records and comply with quality and regulatory standards

· Support strategic litigation and advocacy efforts where appropriate

· Liaise with other charities, coroners, legal professionals, and agencies to support families to get answers

· Work towards a world where people with a learning disability are no more at risk of death in hospitals, than any other person

· Manage a team of caseworkers working across different areas of advice.

About You

We’re looking for someone:

· Legally qualified in the UK or similar jurisdiction with at least 3 years post qualification, working in either clinical negligence, inquests or inquiries. Or similar number of years working as a senior case worker in an inquest/clinical negligence/inquiries advice role.

· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a non-judgemental and empathetic approach

· Ability to manage a varied workload, prioritise effectively, and work independently

· Ability to travel effectively to support families at inquests, and to attend meetings

· A clear understanding of the importance of professional boundaries and in maintaining their emotional wellbeing in distressing situations

· Strong management skills and ability to supervise, coach and mentor colleagues. 

· Experience of accurately recording client case records and use of CRM/client database system

What We Offer

· A meaningful role supporting families and delivering change in a values-driven organisation

· Supportive and collaborative team environment

· Professional supervision

· Flexible working arrangements

Please see attached the full job description for further information on the role.

 Closing date: Monday 18th August 2025

Interview date: Thursday 4th September 2025

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace. 

Benefits

Here at Mencap, we offer an impressive range of benefits designed to support and reward our employees to ensure that our teams feel valued and appreciated.

Our benefits package offers 32 days of paid holiday (including bank holidays, pro rata), along with a range of perks such as discounts at leading high-street retailers, access to health cash plans, interest-free loans, and many more exciting offerings.

For more details on what we have to offer, please see the attached document outlining all the fantastic benefits available to you as a member of our team!

About Mencap

Our vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives. We're here to support people with a learning disability, their families and their carers. We fight for a kinder, fairer and more inclusive society for people with a learning disability to live in.

At Mencap, everyone works with people with a learning disability either providing support or advice, or alongside one another as colleagues. Belonging at Mencap is for everyone, every day, everywhere.

· Everyone is expected to treat people well and make Mencap an inclusive organisation.

· Every day we grow and learn. It’s okay to make mistakes but we learn from them and make changes

· Everywhere people will feel respected, valued, and safe to be themselves.

We have Belonging network groups that meet online and are open to all colleagues. The groups include people who identify as Black and Asian, LGBTQIA+, disabled or with a long- term health condition, women, parents and carers, and their allies. We want to encourage everyone to apply to work at Mencap and we offer a variety of different contract types and working patterns. We’re not looking for specific experience. It is your personality and values that will make you a great colleague. We will train and develop you to succeed in the role you’re applying for.

Job Title: Policy and Influencing Manager
Organisation: Kids
Location: Remote (with travel to London up to once a week for meetings)
Salary: £33,000–£35,000
Contract: Full-time or 4 days/week (Flexible working available)

Make change happen – for every child.

At Kids, we believe every child should have the opportunity to thrive – regardless of disability or circumstance. As our Policy and Influencing Manager, you’ll play a vital role in making this a reality. You’ll help shape policies that amplify the voices and experiences of disabled children and young people, turning insight into influence and ideas into action.

This is a unique opportunity to lead bold, evidence-based policy work that reflects the lived experiences of the families we support. Working closely with colleagues across the organisation and sector, you’ll inform decision-makers, respond to developments in the SEND landscape, and ensure that young people’s voices are at the heart of the change we seek.

We’re looking for a passionate and proactive policy professional who’s ready to help build something powerful – and lasting – at a critical time for SEND reform in the UK.

What you'll do

Policy & Influencing

• Develop accessible and compelling policy briefings, consultation responses, reports, speeches, and presentations for a range of stakeholders, including MPs, government officials, and sector partners.
• Translate complex ideas into clear, persuasive communications that support positive change.
• Collaborate with our Youth Voice Manager to ensure our policy positions reflect the real experiences of the young people and families we support.
• Help deliver and monitor our policy and influencing strategy in collaboration with the Head of Policy, Voice and Influencing.

Research & Evidence

• Carry out high-quality research and analysis from both internal and external sources.
•  Centre the experiences and insights of disabled children, young people, and their families in policy solutions
• Monitor policy developments across the SEND landscape and lead on timely, evidence-led responses.
• Track progress against our influencing goals and ensure our actions remain targeted and impactful.

Engagement & Relationship Building

• Build strong relationships with decision-makers across government and the public sector.
• Support the Head of Policy, Voice and Influencing to plan and deliver our strategic external engagement plan in order to focus and drive our wider influencing work
• Represent Kids at meetings and events, including engaging MPs, civil servants, and other key influencers.
• Work closely with internal teams and front-line colleagues to ensure our influencing work is grounded in practice and informed by those delivering services.

Collaboration & Strategic Partnerships

• Work alongside the Head of Policy, Voice and Influencing and Youth Voice Manager to deliver our external engagement strategy including deputising at meetings when required.
• Support collaboration across teams to bring in parent, carer, and young person voices.
• Contribute to external coalitions and alliances – attending meetings, aligning with others’ work, and championing Kids' policy priorities.

What you'll bring

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in a policy role and demonstrable experience of using policy and evidence to influence outcomes– ideally within the disability sector.
• Strong understanding of the SEND system and related policies and legislation (through lived or professional experience).
• Excellent writing skills – able to craft persuasive policy briefings, consultation responses, and reports with clarity and purpose.
• Confident communicator, able to engage a range of audiences in person and in writing.
• Strong research and analytical skills – able to sift through evidence and develop insight-driven policy recommendations.
• Ability to build and manage relationships with senior stakeholders and external partners.
• Highly organised, adaptable, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Passionate about inclusion, equity, and social justice – with a strong motivation to elevate the voices of disabled children and young people.

Why work at Kids?

We’re a mission-driven organisation, building a fairer world where all children have the opportunity to flourish. You’ll join a growing team in a pivotal role, helping to shape the future of policy and advocacy at Kids.

We’re committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and we welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We’re especially keen to hear from people with lived experience of disability or SEND, either personally or within your family or community.

Ready to create change that counts?
Apply now and help us influence a better, more inclusive future for disabled children and young people.

Note: We may close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. Please apply promptly