Retail support administrator jobs in Manchester

Are you passionate about making a real impact through safer, high‑quality environments? Do you want to use your estates, health & safety and compliance expertise to help drive meaningful change across a national charity? If so, Life Charity would love to hear from you.

We are looking for an experienced, proactive, and values‑driven Estates Manager to lead our Estates function and ensure our services, properties, and environments consistently meet the highest standards.

The Role:

As Estates Manager, you will be the driving force behind the quality, compliance and safety of Life’s estate. This role combines strategic oversight with hands‑on management of our property portfolio, ensuring all sites are safe, secure and operating to required standards.

You will:

• Lead Health & Safety and Premises/Facilities Management across the charity
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, regulatory requirements and internal standards
• Oversee risk management, audits, inspections and safety monitoring
• Manage the Estates Coordinator and foster a culture of continuous improvement
• Work with external partners to ensure checks are carried out (Gas, Fire Safety, Legionella, Asbestos, etc.)
• Manage property acquisition, disposal, leases, maintenance and contracts
• Develop and maintain estates policies and reporting systems
• Drive a positive, proactive health & safety culture across Life

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone wanting to lead meaningful change within an organisation that truly makes a difference.

What You’ll Bring:

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Highly organised, proactive, and able to take initiative
• A strong communicator with excellent written and verbal skills
• Confident managing estates compliance, risk, safety and property-related functions
• Experienced in managing a portfolio of properties (minimum 3 years)
• Able to lead others and support their development
• Skilled in identifying improvements and driving change

Qualifications/Experience:
✔ NEBOSH (or equivalent) in Occupational Health & Safety
✔ Evidence of continuous professional development
✔ Experience in data analysis or financial management (desirable)
✔ HND or equivalent in business/charity administration (desirable)

Information about the role: 

For further information, please see the attached job description. 

Please note, there is a requirement to drive for this role.

Salary: £38,000 per annum

Hours: 35 hours per week

Location: Home Based with travel to Leamington Spa and sites around the UK

Benefits:  

At Life we are passionate about providing our employees with a supportive and engaging environment. As well as ongoing development and training, we offer our:  

• Generous holiday allowance, starting at 25 days per year, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time hours) 
• Birthday Leave  (applicable after 1 years service)
• Additional annual leave for long term service  
• Company Pension Scheme  
• Signed member of the Menopause Workplace Pledge 

Safeguarding and Equality: 

Life is committed to protecting all staff, volunteers and service users from harm of any kind. Life expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct.   

We are committed to ensuring diversity and equality within our organisation by encouraging applications from all backgrounds.  

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks. Life takes its obligation to protect the rights of children and vulnerable people very seriously; therefore, the successful candidate for this post will be also subject to extensive background checking, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) which is paid for by the Charity.  

Project Trust is an education charity with over fifty years’ experience in international volunteering for young people.  We organise challenging, long-term placements for 17–25-year-olds with partnership organisations in Africa, Asia and the Americas.

We annually select up to 200 young people from across the UK for sustainable teaching and youth development projects around the world.  Our Volunteers are provided with training and support before, during and after their international placements, and return home with broadened horizons and an impressive range of transferable skills, true Global Citizens.

We are looking for a talented and versatile Volunteer & Schools Engagement Coordinator to recruit and support Volunteers for our immersive and focused international placements.  This is an exciting role for a motivated self-starter with excellent communication skills to work with inspirational young people from across the UK, enabling them to achieve their dream of an international volunteering placement.

The successful candidate will be a highly organised individual with the ability to build and maintain relationships with schools and with young people.  We are looking for an inspiring public speaker who is able to engage with and motivate young people to support the recruitment, retention and fundraising efforts of our future Volunteers.

The role is home-based and will involve travel throughout England, including overnight stays, plus some travel to meetings elsewhere in the UK. There will be the occasional requirement to work evenings and weekends.

Main areas of responsibility include:

• Recruit Volunteer candidates through delivery of inspiring presentations within schools, youth organisations and careers fairs
• Develop relationships with partner organisations within the education and youth sectors
• Support and co-ordinate Returned Volunteers in the delivery of school talks
• Be a point of contact and support for young people at application, selection and throughout fundraising activities

Responsibilities & duties

• Recruit Volunteer candidates through the delivery of inspiring presentations in schools and youth organisations, in-person and online
• Engage and support fundraising Volunteers, offering practical advice, guidance and monitoring of fundraising progress
• Represent Project Trust at career and recruitment fairs
• Develop and maintain relationships with partnership organisations within the education and youth sectors
• Support and co-ordinate Returned Volunteers in the delivery of school talks
• Be a point of contact and support for young people throughout the application, selection and fundraising process
• Maintain accurate and up to date records on our CRM database
• Participate in the selection, training and debriefing of Volunteers

Qualifications & skills

Essential

• Commitment to Project Trust’s purpose, approach, ethos
• Excellent planning and organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise workload and manage time effectively
• Proven ability to deliver presentations to a range of stakeholders, including young people, with an ability to motivate and inspire others
• Experience of working effectively with and developing young people in a variety of settings, eg schools, youth and community groups
• Ability to work autonomously on own initiative and as part of a remote, multi-disciplinary team
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, written and verbal, and ability to communicate with a range of audiences
• Excellent customer service skills, with a commitment to providing an outstanding service to Volunteers and third parties
• Excellent administrative skills, able to keep accurate and up to date records and produce reports
• Good judgement and decision-making skills with the ability to work under pressure
• Working knowledge of Microsoft packages and a variety of social media platforms
• Ability to travel within a designated region of the UK and to other parts of the UK as required
• Ability to work remotely from an appropriate home base
• Willingness to undertake work outside standard office hours
• A full clean driving licence and use of a vehicle

Desirable

• Experience of working and/or living in an international environment
• Qualification in working with young people, or demonstrable equivalent experience
• Knowledge and understanding of the voluntary and charitable sector
• Experience in marketing or sales
• Experience of running small projects
• Experience in using a CRM database

Conditions of Service

The appointment will be made subject to Project Trust’s detailed terms and conditions of employment. Candidates should be aware that:

• The post holder will be required to obtain an enhanced Disclosure Scotland check (PVG)
• Any offer of appointment will be made subject to the receipt of satisfactory references
• The post holder must have the right to work in the UK

If you are passionate about youth development and want to use your skills, knowledge and experience to change the world, apply now.

About the eoa (Employee Ownership Association)

Employee ownership in the UK is at a critical moment. The sector has more than doubled since 2020. Awareness is rising. Evidence is compelling. Businesses, communities, and policymakers are increasingly recognising that a people-powered approach can unlock fairness, resilience, and productivity.

We believe the UK can reach 10,000 employee owned businesses within the decade, transforming succession, broadening ownership, and reshaping the economic landscape. But achieving this relies on bold, strategic, values-led leadership across our community.

The eoa exists to build and connect that community: a network of more than 850 member businesses, thousands of employee owners, specialist advisors, policymakers, and partners committed to powering fairer livelihoods and stronger businesses through employee ownership.

Purpose of the Role

The Finance Manager leads the eoa’s finances to ensure the businesses resources are used effectively, efficiently, and sustainably.

You will develop robust financial systems, reporting, and analysis to provide insight and assurance to the SLT and Board, playing a central role in safeguarding the eoa’s financial health and enabling its strategic goals to be achieved.

Role Summary

• Contract: Permanent
• Hours: 22.5 hours per week, working pattern to be agreed with successful candidate
• Location: Manchester (hybrid). You will be expected to attend the office at least twice per month, and more often where needed
• Salary: £45,000 (£27,000 pro rata) p/a
• Pension: Up to 7% employer pension match (from year 1 anniversary)
• Annual Leave: 30 days leave + bank holidays
• Reports to: Membership & Operations Director
• Management of: Finance and Business Support Administrator

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of the organisation’s financial strategy, ensuring it underpins and enables operational delivery.
• Manage the annual budget-setting process, working closely with colleagues to align budgets with strategic priorities.
• Manage day-to-day financial operations, including financial accounting, membership renewals, bank account management, cash flow monitoring, credit control, payments, and function oversight.
• Take responsibility for accurate and timely payroll and pension delivery, working in partnership with an external provider.
• Prepare and reconcile monthly, and year-end accounts, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and robust controls.
• Produce accurate, timely financial forecasts, management accounts and financial analysis to support operational and strategic decisions.
• Ensure compliance with statutory requirements including tax (VAT, PAYE, Corporation Tax) and financial reporting obligations.
• Maintain strong internal controls and risk management processes, safeguarding the organisation’s financial health.
• Act as a signatory on company bank accounts, ensuring appropriate authorisation and governance arrangements are in place.
• Lead the ongoing development and improvement of finance processes and systems, and automations to drive efficiency and effectiveness.

Knowledge, Experience, and Attributes

• Degree-level education and either ACCA, CIMA, or ACA qualification.
• Proven track record in budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, and delivering accurate management accounts and financial analysis.
• Experience of working for or preparing SME accounts, managing audits, risk, and internal controls, with a focus on continuous improvement of systems and processes.
• Strategic thinker who can translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insight for senior leaders and the Board.
• Highly organised, proactive, and solution-focused, with excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Collaborative, adaptable, and professional, demonstrating integrity and sound judgment in all financial matters.

What Constitutes Success in This Role?

Success in this role means the eoa has reliable, efficient, and well-governed financial operations that underpin all aspects of the business. You will ensure day-to-day finance processes are accurate and timely, cash flow and budgets are effectively managed, and statutory obligations are met with confidence. By providing clear analysis and insight, you will support the SLT and Board in making informed decisions, drive improvements in systems and reporting, and enable the eoa to achieve its strategic priorities.

Key outcomes for the role Measures

1. Outcome: The eoa maintains accurate, timely, and insightful financial reporting and analysis to support decision-making.
   Measure: Accurate monthly management accounts and forecasts delivered on time. Rolling forecasts and scenario analyses updated regularly.
2. Outcome: Budgets are aligned with strategic priorities and financial resources are optimally managed.
   Measure: Budgets prepared and approved within agreed timelines. Variance between budgeted and actual expenditure monitored and reported. Cash flow maintained within agreed thresholds.
3. Outcome: Statutory, regulatory, and internal governance requirements are met and risks are effectively managed.
   Measure: All statutory filings (tax, Companies House, pensions) submitted accurately and on time. External audit completed with no significant issues. Internal controls and risk management processes maintained and reviewed annually.
4. Outcome: Financial systems and processes support operational efficiency and organisational growth.
   Measure: Transaction processing, reconciliations, and payroll delivered accurately and on schedule. Improvements in process efficiency implemented.
5. Outcome: Finance contributes proactively to strategic decision-making and organisational development.
   Measure: Financial insight and recommendations consistently inform senior leadership decisions. Evidence of finance-led initiatives driving cost efficiency or strategic impact.
6. Outcome: Finance function evolves to meet organisational needs and supports a culture of improvement.
   Measure: New or updated systems, processes, or reporting tools implemented successfully. Finance function demonstrates improved efficiency, effectiveness, or scalability over time.

How to apply

To apply, please submit:

• A two-page CV
• And ane of either:
  • Cover letter setting out your motivation, approach, and what you will bring to the role
  • Video (maximum 10 minutes) setting out your motivation, approach, and what you will bring to the role

Applications should be submitted before 9:00am 2 March 2026. We will close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. If you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Interviews will be in Manchester w.c. 9 March 2026.

The eoa welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those who are under-represented. We recruit based on values, skills, and contribution to our purpose.