Research evaluation manager jobs in edinburgh
WE ARE LOOKING FOR A PROGRAMME LEAD (AYLA)
The National Society for Education (NSE) is both an NCI and a Royal-charter charity. It's aims are to support Church schools and the wider education sector by developing leaders, shaping policy and growing faith.
The NSE leads the Church of England's national work in education in partnership with 41 Diocesan Boards of Education and approximately 4,700 Church of England schools. We also support the national education work of the Church in Wales, which includes around 150 schools. Our presence extends to work with community schools and academy trusts, as well as higher and further education through numerous chaplaincies, providing spiritual support and guidance to children and young people, and to adults.
The Church of England's Vision and Strategy for the 2020s has three priorities, one of which is to be a church which is younger and more diverse. As part of this, the House of Bishops want to ensure that a flourishing child, youth and families ministry is within reach of every young person in England.
The NSE is working with the Vision and Strategy team to help deliver this vision through a range of projects in our 'growing faith' pillar which focus on the intersection between church, home and school; aiming to develop the faith life of children and young people, whilst also growing young leaders.
We are a dynamic team, working remotely from our homes around the country. We gather regularly online and also have in-person team days through the year.
What you'll be doing
The purpose of this role is to design, develop and implement the Archbishops' Young Leaders Award (AYLA). The AYLA is an existing programme that is offered across all key stages 1 to 4 to participating schools. The Award is completed by pupils and learners across England and Wales and is aimed at developing their leadership skills. The role is expected to lead and manage the effective delivery of this programme including design, quality assurance, engagement of strategic stakeholders and support the financial sustainability of the programme.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Providing strategic oversight of the Archbishops' Young Leaders Award.
- Developing effective curriculum models, resources and learning experiences.
- Ensuring high quality learning and development through robust design and evaluation.
- Engaging stakeholders and deepening partnership commitments.
Key role requirements
- An Enhanced DBS check will be required as part of our pre-employment checks.
- This role is a fully remote role
About You
The Church of England is for everyone and we want to reflect the diversity of the community the Church serves across the whole country. Therefore, while of course we welcome all applications from interested and suitably experienced people, we would particularly welcome applicants from UK Minoritised Ethnicities (UKME)/Global Majority Heritage (GMH) and other under-represented groups. As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to recruiting disabled people. We offer interviews to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the role.
Essential
Knowledge/Experience
- Successful leadership experience within the education sector.
- Experience of designing and delivering effective professional development course content.
- Clear understanding of educational landscape, and the relationship between education institutions, churches and households.
- Excellent understanding of good safeguarding practices.
- Secure understanding of the Church of England Vision for Education, and its outworking in schools and colleges.
- Personally committed to and passionate about changing the culture of the Church of England.
- Systematic and strong evidence of successful project implementation.
- Experience of enabling the agency and voice of children and young people.
Skills & Abilities:
- Design effective research-led approaches to programme design, with particular reference to faith development.
- Communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Firmly committed to equity, diversity and inclusion.
- Ability to work independently, a motivated 'self starter'.
Please refer to the Job Description for more information about the role and person specification.
What we offer
Your Salary
- A salary of £59,248 per annum, plus age-related pension contributions between 8-15% of salary. We will also match any pension contributions you make up to an additional 3% of your salary.
Your Benefits
- 25 days annual leave (increasing to 30 days within 5 years) plus eight bank holidays and three additional days (pro-rated if working part-time).
- We welcome all flexible working arrangement requests. This is looked at in a case-by-case scenario and if this fits within the department's needs. We try to be as flexible as we can in your work pattern to support you with other commitments, and to give a good work-life balance.
- We offer many services and initiatives under our Family Friendly Programme, some of these include enhanced Maternity Leave initiative, Adoption Leave, Paternity Leave, & Shared Parental Leave. Structured induction programme and access to a range of development opportunities including apprenticeships.
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Automatic enrolment and access to Medicash (one of the UK's leading health cash plan providers), providing you with many services including reimbursements of routine dental treatment, optical, specialist consultations, and therapy treatments. Unlimited access to virtual GP & Private prescription service and health & Stress related helplines.
- Access to Occupational Health, and an Employee Assistance Programme
- Access to the Department of Education Restaurant and Westminster Abbey with a plus-one guest.
- Apply for eligibility for an Eyecare voucher.
- Opportunity to join the Civil Service Sports & Social Club, and get involved in a range of staff networks, groups and societies.
WE ARE SEEKING THE HEAD OF GROWING FAITH AND FLOURISH
About the Department/Role
The National Society for Education (NSE) is a royal-chartered charity and National Church Institution at the forefront of Church and community schools across England and Wales. We champion leadership, influence policy, and foster spiritual growth in young people and adults alike.
As part of the Church of England's commitment to a younger, more diverse future, we're working with diocesan partners, academy trusts, and chaplaincies to grow faith and nurture the next generation of leaders. We're also driving national initiatives like Growing Faith, focused on the vital link between church, home and school.
The NSE is working with the Vision and Strategy team to help deliver this vision through a range of projects in our 'Growing Faith' pillar which focus on the intersection between church, home and school; aiming to develop the faith life of children and young people, whilst also growing young leaders.
We are a dynamic team, working remotely from our homes around the country. We gather regularly online and also have in-person team days throughout the year.
What you'll be doing
The National Society for Education is seeking an inspiring and visionary leader to head its Growing Faith and Young Leaders workstream - a strategic post within our Senior Leadership Team (SLT). This dynamic role will shape and deliver key national initiatives including the Growing Faith Foundation, FLOURISH Network of Worshipping Communities, and a suite of leadership programmes such as the Archbishops' Young Leaders Award, Flourishing Young Leaders, and Young Voices at General Synod.
Summary of main responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership across our core Growing Faith workstream, managing senior team leads and national programme heads
- Strategically overseeing the implementation of leadership development programmes for adult and young leaders of mission and ministry with children and young people within the FLOURISH movement
- Develop long-term strategic partnerships with diocese, school trust, school/college and church leaders to enable the effective embedding of FLOURISH, Growing Faith Foundation, and Young Leaders programmes at all levels
- Champion safeguarding excellence and spiritual leadership through inclusive practices and worship
- Drive innovation in leadership development for children (4-18) and young adults (18-25)
- Embed a culture of faith-led partnership between church, school and household
- Oversee the national rollout of FLOURISH communities - aiming for 450 sites by 2030
- Shape research, resource planning and evaluation strategies across the team
- Collaborate with diocesan, NCI and national stakeholders on transformative church revitalisation
Key role requirements
- An enhanced DBS check will be required as part of our pre-employment checks.
- This post is subject to an occupational requirement that the holder be a communicant Anglican under Part 1 of Schedule 9 to the Equality Act 2010.
About You
The Church of England is for everyone and we want to reflect the diversity of the community the Church serves across the whole country. Therefore, while of course we welcome all applications from interested and suitably experienced people, we would particularly welcome applicants from UK Minoritised Ethnicities (UKME)/Global Majority Heritage (GMH) and other under-represented groups. As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to recruiting disabled people. We offer interviews to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the role.
You will need to be/have:
- Of Christian faith and a communicant member of the Church of England
- Experience leading high-performing teams and influencing senior stakeholders
- Knowledge of educational and diocesan landscapes
- Strong safeguarding awareness and budgetary insight
- Inspirational public speaking and writing skills
- Commitment to diversity, collaboration and spiritual formation
- Ability to analyse qualitative and quantitative data
- A qualification in theology, education, youth work or leadership
- Experience in CRM/LMS systems, remote team management, GDPR and Health & Safety oversight
- A clear understanding of/commitment to the Church of England's Education network and its current and future needs
Please refer to the Job Description for more information about the role and person specification.
What we offer
Your Salary
- A salary of £82,157 per annum, plus age-related pension contributions between 8-15% of salary. We will also match any pension contributions you make up to an additional 3% of your salary.
Your Benefits
- 30 days annual leave plus eight bank holidays, three additional days (pro-rated if working part-time).
- We welcome all flexible working arrangement requests. This is looked at in a case-by-case scenario and if this fits within the department's needs. We try to be as flexible as we can in your work pattern to support you with other commitments, and to give a good work-life balance.
- We offer many services and initiatives under our Family Friendly Programme, some of these include enhanced Maternity Leave initiative, Adoption Leave, Paternity Leave, & Shared Parental Leave. Structured induction programme and access to a range of development opportunities including apprenticeships.
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Automatic enrolment and access to Medicash (one of the UK's leading health cash plan providers), providing you with many services including reimbursements of routine dental treatment, optical, specialist consultations, and therapy treatments. Unlimited access to virtual GP & Private prescription service and health & Stress related helplines.
- Access to Occupational Health, and an Employee Assistance Programme
- Access to the Department of Education Restaurant and Westminster Abbey with a plus-one guest.
- Apply for eligibility for an Eyecare voucher.
- Opportunity to join the Civil Service Sports & Social Club, and get involved in a range of staff networks, groups and societies.
Banana Link is a UK based NGO established in 1996. We have been advocating for a fair and sustainable banana industry for thirty years, based on environmental, social and economic sustainability. Our approach is underpinned by a firm commitment to defending workers’ rights, at the core of these rights is the right to a fair and decent income that affords a dignified life for men and women banana plantation workers. We work at a strategic level and through research, advocacy and dialogue with all actors along the chain to bring about change.
This role will support the management and delivery our current work stream on Living Wages in the African Banana Export Industry. Initial activities will be delivered in Ghana and Cameroon, in collaboration with our local and international trade union partners, local producing companies, and European retailers. Key project activities include:
- Facilitation of capacity building activities on Living Wages and Decent Work in Cameroon and Ghana, with company staff and trade union representatives.
- Communication and dialogue between all project partners and other industry stakeholders towards fair remuneration and decent work in the banana industry.
- Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on all project activities to funders Ghana, with company staff and trade union representatives.
- Communication and dialogue between all project partners and other industry stakeholders towards fair remuneration and decent work in the banana industry
- Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on all project activities to funders
The role will provide an important opportunity to work alongside Banana Link’s International Coordinator, and in collaboration with other key staff and partner organisations, on the important issues of Living Wages, Decent Work, Social Dialogue and Sustainability.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Join Our Mission to Protect Wild Fish and Their Waters!
Are you passionate about making a real difference for aquatic wildlife? We'd love to hear from you!
WildFish is a charity committed to conserving wild fish and their precious aquatic habitats. We're excited to offer an opportunity for someone eager to develop their campaigning skills while creating meaningful change for water-dependent wildlife.
We're Looking For: Off the table Campaigns Assistant.
We're searching for an enthusiastic and well-organised Off the table Campaigns Assistant to join our dynamic campaigns team. This is a fantastic opportunity for a motivated individual to contribute to our high-impact campaigns as we enter an exciting new chapter in our work to address the environmental challenges posed by salmon farming. Off the table is a campaign asking chefs, diners and food lovers to stop serving and eating farmed salmon.
What We're Looking For:
- Someone with a genuine passion for protecting wild fish populations and aquatic environments, preferably living in Scotland!
- Strong organisational skills and a proactive approach
- Enthusiasm for learning and growing in the campaigning field
- Eager to amplify important environmental messages
- Experience in the hospitality sector (desirable)
- Experience in social media community management (desirable)
What You'll Be Doing:
- Supporting Our Community Outreach:
- Helping with the day-to-day admin that comes from our Off the table stakeholder outreach and community mobilisation efforts
- Support with planning, organising and running engaging events that bring people together to progress our campaigns
Your Daily Tasks Will Include:
- Campaign Administration: Managing email inquiries with care and maintaining our OTT directory and CRM systems
- Event Support: Handling the planning and logistics for both online and in-person events
- Community Connection: Reaching out to hospitality sector partners and community activists; social media community management,
- Desk-based research to identify chefs and restaurants to join the campaign
- Supporting WildFish with its broader campaigns and goals
What We'd Love You to Bring:
- Experience with project and time management
- Strong communication skills - whether you're writing, speaking, or listening
- A background in customer service, supporter relations, or volunteer coordination
- Comfortable with updating websites and digital databases (don't worry, we'll support you!)
What You'll Gain:
You'll be supporting vital work that connects communities with conservation efforts, helping build a movement of people who care about protecting wild fish and their habitats.
We Celebrate You - Whoever You Are!
At WildFish, diverse perspectives make our conservation work stronger and more effective. We warmly welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, particularly those from underrepresented communities in the conservation sector.
Here's the thing: If you're reading this and thinking "I don't tick every box, but I care about this work" - we want to hear from you! Your unique experiences, fresh ideas, and genuine passion for protecting aquatic environments matter more to us than a perfect match on paper. We're committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive and contribute their best work to protecting wild fish and their waters.
Ready to dive in and make waves for wildlife conservation? We can't wait to meet you - exactly as you are!
Our mission is to reverse the decline of wild fish populations and their habitats, ensuring clean, healthy, fresh and coastal waters.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
About us and our ecological work
We are a small but growing UK-registered charity which undertakes projects that protect and restore wild landscapes, helping to provide a future for all life on earth. We use the skills and expertise of our multi-disciplinary team (spanning science, law, economics, technology and culture) to develop projects that protect and restore wild, natural landscapes.
Our ecological work spans two exciting fronts: restoring missing species through projects like The Missing Lynx, Pine Marten and White-Tailed Eagle reintroductions in Northern England; and securing the protection of ecological restoration sites as a Responsible Body for conservation covenants through which we aim to set the gold standard, supporting ambitious, mission-aligned projects such as Nattergal’s High Fen site.
About the role
We are seeking to hire a dynamic and passionate Senior Ecologist to join The Lifescape Project, to play an integral role in the restoration of charismatic species to the UK and in landscape scale habitat restoration.
As a Senior Ecologist, your work will cover two distinct areas which are broadly: BNG-associated site assessments; and practical planning and feasibility aspects of species reintroductions.
Salary: £40,000 - £42,000 per annum, depending on experience + benefits.
Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week.
Contract: Fixed-term contract for 12 months initially.
Location: Remote working with site survey work and some UK and international travel.
Please refer to the job description for further information about the role.
To apply, please email a CV and covering letter (each no longer than 2 pages of text) outlining how you meet the person specification and why you should be considered for this role.
Closing date: 9.00am on Monday 20 October 2025.
The role will commence as soon as possible.
To apply, please email a CV and covering letter (each no longer than 2 pages of text) outlining how you meet the person specification and why you should be considered for this role.
Location: Working remotely from home across the four nations of the UK, occasionally co-working spaces, with occasional travel
Start date: As soon as possible (Autumn/Winter 2025)
Salary: £46,725 (F/T pro-rated for 0.8 FTE to £37,380)
Benefits: 38 days annual holiday FTE including bank holidays so that you can choose when to take them (30.4 days pro rata). Pension Scheme. Flexible working arrangements. Access to co-working budget
Hours of work: Part Time at 0.8 FTE worked flexibly around business needs at 28 hours per week
Contract type: Permanent contract
Do you want to play a vital role in supporting a charity who are reshaping the systems that support children and young people across the UK? Are you excited to drive growth of the charity’s research and design consultancy by identifying and securing new opportunities for funding and impact? Do you have the skill and experience to lead our responses to six figure competitive bidding processes?
Dartington Service Design Lab is a national charity that harnesses experience, cutting edge evidence and design to tackle the challenges children and young people face today, securing thriving futures for tomorrow. As we move forward with our refreshed strategy, we are looking for a new Bid Writing & Business Development Lead to join our dynamic team.
We are seeking an individual experienced in developing bids in response to tenders, research and consulting opportunities. The role will lead the end-to-end bidding process, from identifying and nurturing suitable applied research, evaluation, service and systemic design and consultancy opportunities. The role involves reaching out to and fostering relationships with potential bid partners, developing compelling proposals (involving the wider team as required), managing bid submissions, adherence to compliance requirements and deadlines, and supporting the team with preparation for interviews.
This role is instrumental in expanding the organisation’s client base, enhancing our visibility, and fostering sustainable growth through effective business development strategies.
As a team, we operate remotely across the UK with regular project-related travel. Our staff work from home or when appropriate, together in local co-working spaces, and normally, a few times a year we meet as a whole team for a few days to develop and connect.
Don’t meet every single requirement outlined in the Job Description? Studies have shown that women and racially minoritised groups are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single requirement. Dartington Service Design Lab is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone. So, if you’re excited about this role but your experience or qualifications don’t match the job description exactly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might just be the right person to help us achieve our impact for children and young people.
Candidates should be aware that, in line with our commitment to equity, we have made the decision not to negotiate regarding salary on appointment or progression. The evidence shows that negotiation of salary is an inherently inequitable process that marginalises women and those from racially minoritised communities. We do, however, have a transparent grade and scale structure for all those in the Lab which, based on organisational affordability and satisfactory performance in role, will result in an increase to salaries every two years up until the ceiling of that particular role’s banding.
The post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service certificate and pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed.
If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you. Find out more in the Candidate Briefing Pack.
Creating thriving futures with and for children and young people



The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Charity Support Officer
Location: Remote, with regular meetings in London, applicants must be based in or around London
Salary: £27,700 - £29,000 per year
Contract: Full-time with opportunities to work flexibly over 4 days
Reporting to: CEO
About AWN
All Ways Network (AWN) is a UK-registered charity dedicated to empowering non-profits that support diverse Muslim communities across the UK, particularly those with an annual income under £1 million towards becoming fundable.
We provide grassroots organisations with vital services from bid-writing and application reviews to webinars, training, and tailored charity support. This helps them access funding, strengthen governance, build capacity, and adopt best practices in a challenging funding landscape.
Committed to equitable grant-making and a stronger civil society, AWN champions the vision of: “Thriving non-profits empowering Muslim communities to enrich UK society.”
Role Overview: Knowledge in grant-funding, capacity building, organisational support
We are seeking a proactive and collaborative Charity Support Officer to help deliver AWN’s mission. You will be the first point of contact for grassroots charities, supporting them to strengthen their organisations and improve their chances of securing grant funding by offering practical guidance, signposting, and building trusted relationships that help them grow in confidence and resilience. The role includes helping organisations strengthen governance and compliance, sharing information on grant-funding opportunities, and supporting them to identify challenges and develop practical solutions.
The non-profits you will support work across a wide range of areas for example: women, health and wellbeing, youth, homelessness and poverty, family services, sports, faith groups, crime and gangs, prisoners and ex-offenders, refugees and asylum seekers, drug addiction, older people and rehabilitation, and many more.
Bringing a strong awareness of the barriers facing small charities particularly Muslim-led groups, will be key to helping them build long-term sustainability and impact.
Key Responsibilities:
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Act as the first point of contact for charities and community groups, managing a varied caseload and balancing priorities.
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Carry out needs assessments to understand organisations strengths, challenges, and funding needs, and develop clear action plans.
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Provide tailored support, including health checks on governance, compliance, finances, and funding readiness, offering recommendations and signposting to specialist services (e.g., Cranfield Trust, CVS, Charity Excellence etc).
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Advise on funding opportunities, strategy, and application readiness, with referrals to bid-writing support where needed.
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Deliver workshops, webinars, events, and one-to-one sessions to build skills, knowledge, and confidence of UK grassroots organisations.
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Work collaboratively with organisations and AWN colleagues (including via the triage and referral system) to identify challenges and develop practical, sustainable solutions.
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Build and maintain strong relationships with charities, funders, and sector partners across the voluntary, public, and charity sectors.
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Represent AWN at external events, conferences, and meetings, helping to organise and deliver events linked to your work.
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Keep accurate records on the CRM, gather feedback, write case studies, and contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and service development.
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Support AWN’s communications by contributing updates for the website and social media.
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for someone who is approachable, empathetic, and motivated to make a difference. You’ll have a natural ability to listen, build trust, and meet people where they are, while offering constructive and practical support. Patience, curiosity, and cultural awareness will help you understand the diverse realities of grassroots charities and the communities they serve.
Alongside these personal qualities, you’ll bring a good understanding of the charity sector and the challenges facing small non-profits across the UK, for UK Muslim-led organisations. You’ll have exceptional knowledge of governance, compliance, and funding pathways, and the confidence to guide organisations towards growth, resilience, and long-term impact.
Essential Criteria
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3+ years’ experience within the UK charity sector (domestic, not solely international).
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Strong understanding of charity governance, compliance, and the UK funding and grant-making landscape.
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Insight into the needs and challenges of small and grassroots non-profits, with awareness of the systemic barriers affecting Muslim-led organisations.
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Experience supporting or advising charities, community groups, or local networks to build capacity and resilience.
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Ability to work collaboratively with organisations, offering constructive and practical guidance.
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Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with confidence in public speaking and engaging a wide range of stakeholders.
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Strong organisational and administrative skills with attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
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Demonstrated ability to work independently, take initiative, and adapt in a fast-paced environment.
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Comfortable working autonomously and as part of a small team, with minimal supervision.
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Confident using technology to deliver support and manage work effectively, including CRM systems, Microsoft Teams, and other digital tools.
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Experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Community engagement and outreach
- Event or project coordination (online and in-person)
- Delivering presentations, workshops, or training sessions
- Monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities
Recruitment Process
Interviews will take place early October 2025.
The process will include two stages: one online and one in-person (to be held in the City of London).
Exact dates will be confirmed before the application deadline.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The National Youth Agency is looking for a new Chief Operating Officer to join our Executive Leadership Team.
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time - 37 hours per week
Salary: £85,000 per annum
Remote: This role is homebased (within the UK) with occasional to meetings, events and conferences.
What we do
As the national body for youth work, the NYA has a dual function. We are the professional statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) responsible for qualifications, quality standards, and safeguarding for youth work and services in England. In line with our charity mission and aims, we also champion youth work through research, advocacy, campaigns, and programmes.
We work in partnership and believe in collaborative leadership, listening to youth workers and the youth work sector so that we can understand their needs and respond to the challenges they face. We are ambitious for youth work and for young people and integrate youth voice and influence across our work
About the Role
Responsibilities will include:
- The COO leads the day-to-day functioning of the organisation to ensure smooth, efficient, and effective delivery of services. This is vital for maintaining operational stability and achieving strategic outcomes.
- They design and execute strategies that align with the organisation’s mission and long-term goals ensuring resources are used effectively and priorities are clear.
- They promote a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement through supporting employee engagement, productivity, and organisational success.
- The COO collaborates closely with the CEO/CFO and other senior leaders to drive strategic initiatives and business growth, ensuring unified leadership and coherent decision-making.
- They partner with the CFO to manage budgets, forecasts, and resource allocation. Financial oversight ensures sustainability and supports informed investment in strategic priorities.
- Strengthen governance and risk management frameworks, aligned to regulatory expectations and best practice while proactively managing reputational and operational risks.
- The COO cultivates strong relationships with partners, clients, and stakeholders to enhance service delivery and reputation. These relationships are key to influence, collaboration, and impact.
- They lead efforts to improve processes and adopt best practices across the charity to enhance efficiency and keeps the organisation competitive and responsive.
- They ensure that daily activities support the charities long-term objectives.
- The COO mentors other directors and departmental heads and fosters leadership capabilities across teams.
- They establish and track KPIs to identify inefficiencies and guide improvements through data-driven decision-making to enhance accountability and results.
- They evaluate and refine workflows to boost productivity developing efficient processes to reduce waste and improve service quality.
- They act as a bridge between departments and the CEO to ensure cohesive execution of strategic plans preventing silos and promoting organisational synergy.
- The COO serves as a senior figure in national and cross-sector forums, conferences, and strategic partnerships to strengthens the organisation’s voice and influence.
- They demonstrate commitment to Equality, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging in both internal culture and external programmes to foster a fair and inclusive organisation.
- They work with the CEO, CFO and Director of Growth to identify and pursue new revenue streams and strategic partnerships. This expands the organisation’s reach and sustainability.
- They engage in public speaking, media interactions, and external representation demonstrating clear communication, credibility, and stakeholder engagement.
- They develop and embed evaluation frameworks to assess progress against strategic goals. The measuring of our impact ensures accountability and informs future planning.
- They promote the organisation’s brand at events and through networking.
The COO takes on other responsibilities as needed to support the organisation’s mission.
About You
Essential competencies of the Chief Operating Officer:
- Extensive experience in senior leadership with a proven track record in operations, financial and risk management, and delivering high-performing teams, ideally in the charity sector.
- Strong understanding of business functions such as HR, Finance, Marketing, etc.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to think strategically and execute effectively.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities. Commercially astute, process-driven, and highly pragmatic in approach.
- Experience in driving performance and fostering a collaborative culture.
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field; MBA preferred
Why Work for NYA?
- NYA operates as a people-first organisation, prioritising the well-being and needs of its employees.
- NYA offers an exceptional flexible working approach which encourages our team to balance professional responsibilities with their personal life.
- A remote based team, spread across England, fostering inclusivity and diverse talent. Despite geographical distances between team members, NYA maintains a highly motivated and connected team through the optimisation of digital tools.
- NYA is committed to supporting the continual personal and professional development of our team and helping them achieve their ambitions.
- We provide 25 days leave plus 8 days, life assurance scheme, 5% employer pension contribution and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme via Spectrum.life with unlimited specialist support available to all NYA employees.
How to Apply:
To apply, please submit the following via our online application platform by 11:59pm on Monday 29th September 2025:
A detailed CV setting out your career history, with responsibilities and achievements in line with the person specification in the About You section.
A covering letter highlighting your suitability for the role and how you meet the requirements in the About You section.
We will request data for our EEDI monitoring purposes, providing this is optional.
Please note: The covering letter is an essential part of the application process and will be assessed as part of your full application. We use AI detector software, so cover letters or CV’s with over 80% AI generated content will be disregarded. We understand that AI tools can offer support to candidates who have learning differences, which is why we will accept applications with some AI assistance. CV’s will not be accepted without a cover letter.
The National Youth Agency is an equal opportunities employer.
At NYA our inclusive culture means that we embrace individual differences and understand that we need a diverse team to achieve our organisations mission.
We wish to recruit candidates from all backgrounds to ensure our team reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We encourage applications from anyone regardless of disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, sexuality, religion, socio-economic background and political beliefs but we particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates and those from other minoritised ethnic groups in the UK as they are currently underrepresented in our team.
Youth Work changes lives
Which is why we’re committed to ensuring that as many young people as possible get to benefit from it.As the national body for youth work in England, the National Youth Agency (NYA) exists to champion its transformative power. We believe all young people should have the opportunity to benefit from the life-changing impact of extraordinary youth workers and trained volunteers.
We help to grow youth work provision in ways that keep it effective, relevant, safe and engaging, to help millions of young people reach their potential and thrive. We do this by providing guidance, support, advice, training and staff development opportunities for youth workers and youth work organisations. At the heart of everything we do are young people themselves. We work hard to ensure their voices are integrated into all our work, to develop provision that truly meets their needs.
REF-223747
Position title: Health and Wellbeing Lead
Reports to: Head of Shed Development and Sustainability
Direct reports: None currently
Location: Remote (with regular travel)
Key stakeholders: UKMSA Volunteers, Sheds and Shedders, Head of Shed Development and Sustainability and team, Head of Volunteering
Salary: Level 3 – £30,000-£35,000
As Health and Wellbeing Lead, the purpose of your role will be to work with volunteers and colleagues to support Sheds and Shed Networks to improve men’s health and wellbeing across the UK. This work is within the context of informal, peer-led, self-determined spaces, where the emphasis is on activity not health prevention, which suits many men and works well for them.
This role involves engaging directly with Sheds and Shed Networks, supporting them to foster partnerships with local health and social care organisations, as well as supporting local health and social care organisations to understand and engage effectively with Men’s Sheds in their area.
You will work with volunteers, colleagues and external experts to gather and share accurate, accessible and relevant resources, information and case studies related to men’s health and wellbeing with Sheds and Shed Networks. This will include developing and engaging with digital health tools, information and training, as well as taking an empowering and capacity building ‘train the trainer’ approach to the design and delivery of all training and workshops related to men’s health and wellbeing.
You will work closely with the Head of Volunteering to support volunteers to promote the role of Men’s Sheds in preventative and community-based health locally and will work with colleagues to support volunteers to actively contribute to promoting the role of Men’s Sheds in preventative and community-based health at a national level.
You’ll be the main contact for volunteers, Sheds and Shed Networks for all things related to Sheds and men’s health and wellbeing.
Key responsibilities:
1. Sheds and Shed Networks
· Be the main point of contact for all Sheds and Shed Networks for all things related to Sheds and men’s health and wellbeing – ensuring you are approachable, responsive and consistent.
· Empower volunteers and colleagues to support Sheds and Shed Networks to foster partnerships with local health and social care organisations.
· Empower volunteers, colleagues and the wider Shed community to support local health and social care organisations to understand and engage effectively with Men’s Sheds in their area.
2. Information and resources
· Work with volunteers, colleagues and external experts as part of the UKMSA Advisory and Guidance Group to continuously gather, develop and update relevant resources, information and case studies related to men’s health and wellbeing. Regularly share clear and accessible information and resources with Sheds and Shed Networks.
· Work with volunteers, colleagues and external experts as part of the UKMSA Advisory and Guidance Group to build knowledge and understanding of relevant organisations and services related to men’s health and wellbeing. Regularly share clear and accessible information about organisations and services with Sheds and Shed Networks.
· Work with Sheds and volunteers to gather case studies and develop resources highlighting Sheds that demonstrate innovation and best practice in the field of health and wellbeing.
3. Training and workshops
· Work with volunteers, colleagues and external partners to develop an empowering train the trainer model to enable Shed Leaders and Shedders to plan, deliver and evaluate training and workshops related to men’s health and wellbeing.
· Work with volunteers, colleagues and external partners to co-design and deliver training and workshops related to men’s health and wellbeing at UKMSA events.
· Support peer-to-peer learning amongst Sheds and Shed Networks through regional events, online forums, and learning networks.
4. Digital health and wellbeing
· Work with volunteers and colleagues to test and empower Sheds and Shed Networks to use digital platforms for hybrid training, remote participation, or digital inclusion efforts.
- Work with volunteers and colleagues to utilise and adapt data tools (e.g. CRM, health analytics and dashboards) for monitoring health and wellbeing related outcomes and for reporting impact.
5. Monitoring and Reporting
· Work with volunteers, Sheds and Shed Networks to collect and report data in relation to men’s health and wellbeing to demonstrate the role and impact of Men’s Sheds in preventative and community-based health.
· Work with volunteers, colleagues, Sheds and Shed Networks to contribute to relevant evaluation and research projects relating to Sheds and men’s health and wellbeing.
6. Stakeholder Engagement
- Work with volunteers to build relationships with local and regional health, community, and voluntary sector organisations.
- Represent UKMSA at relevant networks, events, and conferences.
- Contribute to the planning and delivery of the annual Shedfest and other key events, coordinating and supporting volunteer involvement in relation to men’s health and wellbeing.
- Work with colleagues, including the CEO, to build effective working partnerships across the UK men’s health sector
Key expertise required:
- Knowledge, skills and experience in men’s health and wellbeing.
- Some knowledge of how to effectively improve men’s health and wellbeing in the Shedding context, and a willingness and interest in working with volunteers to develop and share expertise in this area.
- An understanding of the importance of taking an empowering train the trainer approach to planning, delivering and evaluating training and workshops related to men’s health and wellbeing.
- Ability to build relationships with local and regional health, community, and voluntary sector organisations, and to support others to do so.
- Skilled at actively collaborating with volunteers and subject matter experts.
- Confident communicator - able to build rapport, deliver training, and manage sensitive conversations.
· Strong relationship builder - able to connect with people, build trust and maintain long term engagement.
· Willing, able and confident to travel to meet volunteers and attend Shed events regularly.
· Confident working with data and systems - including CRM tools and digital tools.
· Proactive and creative - always looking for ways to improve how things are done.
· Self-motivated and able to manage your own workload without needing close supervision.
· An understanding of the nuances and limitations of how Sheds can support health and wellbeing
What success looks like:
- Strong, collaborative relationships established between Sheds, Shed Networks and local health and community partners.
- Demonstrable improvements in the health and wellbeing of Shedders through supported activities and case studies.
- Volunteers, Sheds and Shed Networks feel empowered and equipped to deliver activities that support mental and physical health.
- Health and care organisations view Men’s Sheds as trusted, valuable partners in preventative health and social prescribing pathways.
- Resources, training, and support materials are well-received, practical, and widely adopted in Sheds and across Shed Networks.
- Clear and impactful reporting informs and supports UKMSA’s work at a national level.
This job is not:
- An expert, clinical or therapeutic health role—you will not be expected to deliver personal care, therapy, or counselling.
- Solely office-based or desk-bound—this is a varied, outreach-focused role that involves relationship-building, travel, and hands-on support.
- Focused only on one region—this is a national role, requiring awareness of regional variations across the UK.
- A short-term fixer—you’ll be building capacity and confidence in communities for long-term sustainability, not quick fixes or prescriptive solutions.
This job description is intended to outline the general responsibilities and expectations of the role. It may be reviewed and updated as the organisation evolves, and from time to time you may be asked to take on other reasonable tasks that fall outside this scope - we’re a small team, and flexibility is part of how we work.
Closing date: 9th October 1200 hrs
Interview: 17th October
We are the support body for Men’s Sheds across the UK. We work hard to inspire and support the development of Men's Sheds.





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