Referral centre advocate jobs in Birmingham
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Are you an experienced and compassionate leader with a passion for empowering young people and making a difference?
At NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service), we are dedicated to making a lasting impact on the lives of children, young people, and adults at risk. We believe no child or young person should ever be alone or voiceless in the care system, in family court, or when decisions are being made about their future.
We are seeking an experienced and motivated Project Coordinator, working 28 hours per week, to lead the delivery of Project Unity across England. Project Unity provides high-quality, rights-based advocacy and intensive support to care-experienced young mothers who are pregnant or have recently given birth, helping to empower young mothers, strengthen outcomes and prevent children from entering care.
About Project Unity England
Project Unity England improves outcomes for care-experienced young mothers and their children through collaborative, multi-agency working, delivered through cluster-based areas bringing together local stakeholders for coordinated, community-focused support. Cluster one is based around London and cluster two around Yorkshire, with a third cluster area to be identified in year three. Travel between cluster areas is expected, particularly from year two onwards.
As Project Coordinator, you will support delivery and development of Project Unity within your assigned cluster areas, working closely with partners and internal teams. Key responsibilities include:
- Coordinating project activities and line managing senior practitioners
- Supporting planning, implementation and monitoring of local initiatives
- Facilitating communication between partners and stakeholders
- Organising professional meetings, workshops and events
- Tracking progress and sharing best practice across clusters
This role offers the chance to work across diverse cluster areas, influence at both local and Parliamentary level, and make a direct impact on services for care-experienced young mothers and their children.
About the role
You will provide day-to-day leadership of Project Unity, supporting a team of Project Workers and volunteers to deliver high-quality, advocacy-led, trauma-informed support that empowers young mothers to understand their rights and have their voices heard.
Working with local authorities, health partners, safeguarding networks and community organisations, you will build relationships and referral pathways, monitor outcomes, and identify opportunities to strengthen and grow the service – leading meaningful work within a values-led organisation.
About you
You are passionate about supporting vulnerable young people and families, confident leading teams within a trauma-informed environment, and able to balance operational oversight with a person-centred approach.
You will have experience working with vulnerable young people or families in a social care, advocacy or support setting, alongside experience managing or supervising staff and/or volunteers, plus a strong understanding of safeguarding frameworks and relevant legislation. Excellent communication and organisational skills are essential, with the ability to manage competing priorities and make sound professional decisions, demonstrating NYAS’s values of Collaboration, Accountability, Respect and Empowerment.
How to Apply
Please apply via the the NYAS website. In your application, evidence using specific examples how your skills and experience meet the criteria in the person specification within the attached job description, including:
- Experience with vulnerable young people or families in a social care, advocacy or support setting
- Experience managing or supervising staff and/or volunteers
- Knowledge of legislation and policy relating to advocacy, safeguarding and children’s social care
- Excellent communication, organisational and report-writing skills, with sound professional judgement
Employee Benefits
We offer the following employee benefits:
- 26 days, increasing to 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time)
- Occupational sick pay (subject to completion of qualifying period)
- Enhanced pay for family friendly leave
- Free parking at some of our offices
- Employee assistance programme
- Group stakeholder pension scheme
- Access to BHSF health cash plan
- Cycle to work scheme
- Support and supervision from your line manager
- Learning and Development opportunities
Safeguarding and Compliance
NYAS operates robust safeguarding procedures, and internal candidates will be subject to references in line with our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. In accordance with UK immigration law, proof of eligibility to work in the United Kingdom will be required as part of the recruitment process. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications.
About NYAS
NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) is an established rights-based charity ensuring that children, young people, and adults across England and Wales are respected, represented and supported in expressing their views. We work with care-experienced people who are often reliant on statutory services, and our combination of social care and legal services places us in a unique position to ensure their voices are heard.
We are an equal opportunities employer and a Disability Confident Employer, guaranteeing an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria. We welcome applications from all individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or belief, or any other protected characteristic.
Registered Charity
101 - 500
At NYAS, we listen to what children, young people and vulnerable adults want. We empower them to have their voices heard.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Job Title: Navigator (Birmingham)
Location: Home- and community-based with local travel (must be located within 1 hour’s commute of Birmingham)
Salary: £33,174
Hours: Full time 37.5 hours per week (part time or flexible working options considered)
Contract: 2 years fixed term with possibility of extension
At The Poppy Factory, we believe that everyone who has served our country deserves the opportunity to build a fulfilling life beyond the armed forces. For over a century, we have stood alongside veterans and their families, evolving our services to support veterans and adult family members to overcome barriers to employment and transform their lives.
We are now seeking a passionate and person-centred Navigator to join our team. This is a role for someone who believes in potential, not limitations – someone who can walk alongside clients with empathy and determination, empowering them to take ownership of their employment journey.
As a Navigator, you will support veterans furthest from employment to engage in meaningful activity and take gradual steps towards work. This non-clinical role focuses on helping veterans with mental or physical health challenges overcome barriers affecting their lives, improve wellbeing and reduce social isolation.
Clients of the service may present with issues around housing, accessing relevant health care services, substance misuse, education and training, financial concerns, and benefits, amongst others. Using coaching, mentoring and strengths-based approaches, you will help individuals identify their goals, build resilience and move confidently towards lasting employment outcomes.
Collaboration is at the heart of this role. You will develop strong partnerships with regional organisations to generate referrals and address wider barriers such as mental health, housing or addiction, and share best practice with your colleagues in the team.
With a strong understanding of local labour markets and safeguarding practices, you’ll maintain high-quality case records, contribute to continuous improvement, and actively participate in team development. Adaptability, initiative and resilience are key, as we respond to the evolving needs of our clients and the communities we serve.
For more insight into the role, view our video highlighting how the Navigator service works and read our colleague Paul’s account of a day in the life of a Navigator on our website.
For further information, including the full job description for the role, please refer to the candidate pack
How to apply
To apply for this position please prepare your CV and a covering letter clearly outlining how you meet the essential criteria in the person specification as set out above and submit via the online application process. Please address your covering letter to Keiron Coombs, Services Manager.
For an informal conversation to find out more about this role, please contact Keiron Coombs.
The closing date for this vacancy will be 12 July 2026. Please note, we cannot accept late or incomplete applications. Only applications submitted through the online process will be considered.
First stage interviews are expected to take place on 17 July, with second stage interviews scheduled for 23-24 July.
No agencies please.
Equality & Diversity
We are committed to equality, valuing diversity, and promoting inclusion within our workforce, including the volunteers who give their time to us. We work to maintain an environment where the needs and aspirations of all employees are met, irrespective of characteristics protected under the legislative framework of the Equality Act 2010. We expect everyone to understand and accept their personal responsibility to recognise and value differences and the unique contributions that people make to the way we deliver our work.
As an equal opportunities employer our commitment is to take positive measures to recruit people from underrepresented groups, and we actively encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds. As a Disability Confident employer, we offer a guaranteed interview for any job applicant with a disability who meets the essential criteria for the role. Please indicate in your covering letter if you wish to be considered under this scheme. We are also happy to discuss reasonable adjustments to the application or interview process to accommodate disabled candidates.
We are a family friendly employer and happy to discuss flexible working arrangements. We encourage applicants to contact us to discuss if they have any questions before applying.
About The Poppy Factory
The Poppy Factory aims to be an exemplar employer. We recognise the impact that working with a challenging cohort can have on our staff, which is why we prioritise work/life balance and support mechanisms including training, supervision and EAP provision.
The Poppy Factory provides competitive terms and conditions of employment, including:
- Opportunity for home-based/hybrid and flexible working
- 28 days’ basic annual leave per year (including a day in lieu of Armistice Day, and 3 days’ closure between Christmas and New Year), rising to 32 days with long service, plus bank holidays
- Double-matched pension contributions up to 10% employer contribution, rising to 14% after 5 years.
- Variety in the role, a mix of travelling in your area, home working and occasional visits to the historic Poppy Factory in Richmond, London
- The opportunity to develop your region and build relationships with employers and other support services that best meet the needs of the people you’re supporting.
Registered Charity
51 - 100
The Poppy Factory supports veterans with health conditions and their families into employment, helping them overcome any barriers.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.