Refuge manager jobs

Job Role: Head of People

Salary: £55,080 per year

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Contract type: Permanent

Location: Bath

Additional information:

• The role will involve occasional evening working, including attending board meetings from time to time.
• Some travel across our South West area of operations will be required as part of the role.

This vacancy will close on 18th May 2026, and shortlisted candidates will be invited to first‑stage interviews on 26th May 2026.

About Julian House:

Julian House is a charity dedicated to making a difference to the lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in society. We run several projects and every year we help thousands of people out of homelessness, into employment, away from domestic abuse, and more.

If you’d like a real sense of job satisfaction, great career prospects and a competitive benefits package, you could be who we’re looking for!

About the Role:

The Head of People is a pivotal role at the heart of Julian House, shaping the organisation through its most important asset, its people. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, reporting to the Chief Executive, you’ll lead our people strategy, culture, and workforce development, ensuring we have the capability, capacity, and values‑led culture needed to deliver our mission.

This is an exciting opportunity for a strategic and compassionate leader who understands how great people practices drive social impact. You’ll provide senior leadership across HR, recruitment, volunteering, organisational development, and culture, helping to build a high‑performing, inclusive organisation where people feel supported, empowered, and able to thrive in a demanding environment.

You’ll play a critical role in embedding Julian House’s values, strengthening leadership capability, and creating a positive workplace where staff and volunteers feel engaged, valued, and proud of the difference they make. This is a rare opportunity to lead meaningful change and help a mission‑driven charity continue to grow and succeed through its people.

Please refer to our application pack and job description for full details around the role.

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead and shape our People Strategy, ensuring it aligns with our organisational goals, values, and long‑term ambitions, and that our people are fully supported to deliver meaningful impact.
• Build leadership capability at every level, designing and embedding leadership and management development programmes that support confident, values‑led leadership across the organisation.
• Oversee recruitment, HR operations, volunteering, and people processes, working closely with the HR Manager and wider People Team to deliver high‑quality, responsive support.
• Champion robust, modern employment policies, ensuring they remain legally compliant, up to date with best practice, and reflective of Julian House’s values and culture.
• Coach and advise leaders, providing trusted guidance that builds confidence, strengthens people‑management skills, and supports teams to thrive in a demanding environment.

Please note: Job descriptions are not exhaustive, and the successful candidate may occasionally be asked to take on other duties that align with the key responsibilities outlined.

What we’re looking for:

• Significant senior‑level experience in People / HR leadership, with a proven track record of overseeing employee relations, people operations, and leading cultural and organisational change.
• Strong knowledge of HR best practice and employment law, alongside experience in organisational development, workforce wellbeing, and using people data and insights to inform decision‑making.
• Strategic and forward‑thinking, with the ability to translate vision into practical, impactful actions that support teams and strengthen organisational performance.

There are many great reasons to join our team!

• Access to our Rewards Platform, which includes an Employee Assistance Programme and Health Cash Plan
• 27 days annual leave, including an extra day off for your birthday, plus bank holidays - increasing up to 30 days after 4 years of continuous employment (pro rata for part-time staff)
• 30% staff discount at Julian House charity shop
• A generous and competitive pension scheme
• A supportive culture where staff feedback is highly valued and regular supervisions with line managers are conducted
• Great opportunities for career development and free monthly training sessions from experienced facilitators
• For all the fantastic and valuable work, you’ll be doing, you’ll be eligible for the Blue Light Card which offers amazing discounts on thousands of brands

Our Ethos

As an Equal Opportunities employer, we have an Equality and Diversity Action plan in place showing our commitment in ensuring continuous improvement in creating an inclusive culture. We also have a committed group of Inclusion & Diversity champions who meet monthly to ensure progress is being made. We invite applications from people from all backgrounds and cultures, especially minority groups that are underrepresented in the workplace. We also welcome applications from those with lived experience. We embrace flexibility and are proud to be a Disability Confident and Mindful employer, as well as an Armed Forces Covenant Supporter.

If you have any special access requirements or other support needs throughout the application process (including interview), please contact us so that we can let you know how we can support you. We accept CVs and applications in all formats.

DBS Checks

We welcome applications from people with lived experience. All applicants working with our clients will be expected to undertake an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. A criminal conviction will not necessarily prevent you from becoming an employee, the decision will depend on the type of offence and its relevance to the role. If you would like to discuss any convictions you may have, please contact the person named in the advert. All information will be dealt with according to our Data Protection Policy.

Please note: We reserve the right to close our vacancies once the perfect candidate has been found. We recommend submitting your application as soon as possible so that you don’t miss out!

Stop Domestic Abuse is a trauma informed organisation; the work we do to support those effected by domestic abuse may be triggering for those with past trauma. Please only apply if you are living free from abuse. If you’d like to talk to us about this, please get in touch.

Location: Southampton

Salary: £25,750 - £26,383

Hours per week: 37.5

Contract Type: Permanent 

Reference Number: STOPDA837

Main Purpose and Scope of the Job:

 Co-Ordinate an individual package of target hardening for clients using Stop Domestic Abuse services which is informed by a full risk assessment, the type and condition of the property and the needs and circumstances of the individual household. 

Working collaboratively with existing target hardening schemes within the city including Southampton City Council’s Dove scheme and similar offers from other social landlords and The Blue Lamp Trust.

Participating and contributing in awareness-raising campaigns of domestic abuse issues locally in liaison with local multi agency partnerships, and to participate in training events.

Remaining up-to-date and compliant with all organisational procedures policies and professional codes of conduct and uphold standards of best practice.

Maintaining accurate and confidential records using our secure web-based case management database and contribute to monitoring information for the service by ensuring that evaluation information is properly recorded

What We Offer:

Time off and Flexibility:

-25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (Increasing with service)

-Birthday day off

-Child’s first day of school off

-Option to purchase up to 10 additional days’ leave per year

-Flexible and hybrid working

-Protected time of up to one hour each month

Family-Friendly Benefits:

-Enhanced Maternity, Paternity, Shared Parental and Adoption leave

-IVF Leave

Health and Wellbeing:

-Westfield Health Healthcare Cashback Plan (after probation)

-Westfield Health Personal Health Insurance (after 2 years’ service)

-Employee Assistance Programme

-Eye care vouchers

-Cycle to Work Scheme

About Stop Domestic Abuse:

Stop Domestic Abuse is a proud women-led organisation supporting victims and survivors of domestic violence and abuse across Portsmouth and Hampshire. Our vision is a world without domestic abuse, and we work to ensure that it’s ‘everyone’s business.’

We provide refuge and community-based support, delivering in a trauma-informed way for adults, children and young people, tailored to individual needs. Our 19 refuges offer safe, welcoming homes, and across our services we provide one-to-one support and group activities to help improve their safety and to meet others with similar experiences. We support children process their experiences and help regain a sense of safety.

Our UP2U programmes support those seeking to change abusive behaviours, and we also offer specialist support for victims of stalking. We also deliver training to professionals, including the hair and beauty industry, to recognise domestic abuse and connect people to specialist support services.

Our Values:

Equality, Openness, Honesty, Respect for individual dignity and diversity, Empowering women and children, and Care and Compassion – are at the heart of everything we do. By committing to these values, we aim to significantly improve the lives of those we support and work towards our vision of a world without domestic abuse.

Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid have for over 45 years supported women and children with services around domestic violence and abuse. Could you be a part of our team as we continue our mission to end domestic violence and abuse? 

The region’s leading charity in tackling violence against women and girls, BSWA offers a helpline, webchat, drop in and and community support as well as emergency accommodation in six refuges across the area.

Projects supports women in the criminal justice system, in healthcare settings, and throughout the community, offering support to women and children experiencing domestic violence. Alongside this, we also have staff offering training and consultancy to businesses and health and social care professionals alike, raising awareness on gender based violence issues.

We seek like-minded women to join our enthusiastic team of workers, all of us passionate about the vital and valuable work we do to support women and children who have experienced domestic abuse, and tackling the wider issues of violence against women and girls. 
 

This role will work very closely with Birmingham Children’s Trust Multi-Disciplinary Family Drug and Alcohol team, ensuring domestic abuse is recognised and managed safely while women and children work through the Trial For Change programme.

Experience required: 

- Providing emotional and practical support to families with diverse and complex needs including domestic violence, substance misuse and mental health issues

- Undertaking family assessments using a variety of assessment tools

- Working within safeguarding guidelines to protect and promote the well-being of children and vulnerable adults

- Planning and delivering appropriate programmes of direct work and evaluating their effectiveness
 

Benefits

• 31 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays) 

• Up to 6% matched pension contribution 

• Free access to Employee Assistance Programme 

• Life Assurance scheme while in employment (a lump sum of 4 times salary) 

• Cycle to Work scheme 

• Health Cash Plan scheme available to all employees from day one 

• Successful candidates may have the opportunity to work under hybrid working arrangements, subject to the role and to the terms of our Hybrid Working Policy 

BSWA is a Disability Confident Employer. We want everyone to have equal chance at being considered for our jobs. Should you be unable to submit your application online and would prefer an alternative method, or you are experiencing another barrier to completing your application, please contact our recruitment team.

These posts are covered by a Genuine Occupational Requirement (Schedule 9; Equality Act 2010) and women only need apply.

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is at 12 noon on Friday 22nd May.