Schools and communities manager jobs

Farm School Manager – Farms for City Children

Location – Wick Court, Gloucestershire

Salary - £47,000 per annum

Contract – Full time, Permanent

An exciting new opportunity has arisen for a full-time Farm School Manger to join our amazing children’s charity. 

Farms for City Children works to ensure children and young people are happy, healthy, resilient and achieving their potential; and to be nature’s champions and to care about where their food comes from – today and tomorrow.

We achieve all this by giving children with limited access to nature the life-changing opportunity to live and work as farmers for a week, deep in the countryside. We have hosted well over 100,000 children on our farms so far, and we believe that these experiences should be a normal part of every childhood.

About the Role

This is a highly rewarding opportunity to make a meaningful impact to the visiting children and contribute to the continued success of Farms for City Children.

The Farm School Manager has overall responsibility for the success of our operations at Wick Court, a small mixed farm of high environmental value, including a large historic house and farm buildings, all nestled in a beautiful and peaceful location close to the River Severn. This is very much a hands-on role, acting as the key host for our visiting schools and groups and leader of a programme which ensures that our visiting children and young people enjoy a purposeful and engaging countryside, food and farming residential stay.

For full details about the role, please see the:

• Job description
• Job information pack

What we Offer

In return you will receive a starting salary of £47,000 per annum and a range of benefits, which include:

· 25 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays

· 6% employer contribution to NEST pension scheme

· Employee Assistance Programme

This is a key leadership role responsible for the safe, high-quality delivery of our respite breaks, wellbeing programmes and outreach services, alongside building strong relationships that help grow our reach and referral base.

You’ll lead a flexible workforce and oversee day-to-day operations, while also working externally with schools, local authorities and partner agencies to strengthen referral pathways and increase access to our services, particularly across Glasgow, Edinburgh and North/East Ayrshire.

Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, you’ll make sure services are deliverable, sustainable and aligned with future growth. A big part of the role is understanding local need and helping shape how and where our services are delivered.

Employability Events and Partnerships Manager

London, Greater London (Hybrid)

£35,000 per year

Full-time

Permanent

Job description

If you share our vision that ‘every young person should be supported to gain the confidence, independence and skills they need for a better and brighter future’ we might have the perfect role for you!

ThinkForward is recruiting an Employability Events and Partnerships Manager to aid our team in delivering our unique programme supporting young people into further education and employment. If you….

• Have a keen enthusiasm for working with young people

• Experience facilitating engaging and inclusive employability activities to equip young people for further education and sustained employment​

• Are process driven and organised, with experience in planning and delivery across multiple programmes and projects ​

• Possess the ability to develop new and maintain our strong external business partnerships that support the delivery ​of employability programmes

• Can influence ThinkForward’s careers advice through expertise and insight around the local educational and employment landscape​

• Have the skills to use data to plan, analyse and evaluate employability and progression activities ​

• Can lead on cultivating and onboarding new business partnerships in the London area

…then please click on the attached job pack for our role description and information pack for more details about ThinkForward and the role you could play, then apply via CharityJob with your CV and cover letter. Your cover letter should answer the following questions: 

1. Can you share an example of where you have project managed and delivered employability events or programmes, such as ‘ready for work’ activities?

2. Describe your experience of building and maintaining relationships with external partners, such as employers or corporate organisations, to support employability outcomes.

3. How have you used data, local labour market insight, or feedback to plan, deliver, and improve employability activities or progression programmes?

4. Can you give an example of how you have worked collaboratively with internal teams and external partners to deliver successful employability initiatives?

First Give

First Give is a national charity that partners with secondary schools to inspire and equip young people with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to drive change. Through our structured programmes, students explore social issues, connect with charities, and take tangible steps to improve their community.

Empowering and equipping young people to meaningfully contribute to their community is a first step to addressing many of the challenges we face at this time of social disconnection and division. Our vision is of a more generous society where everyone is willing and able to give their time, money and skills to the causes they care about.

Trusts and Foundations Manager

We are seeking a dynamic, strategic and relationship-driven Trusts and Foundations Manager to lead on growing and stewarding First Give’s portfolio of high-value funders. This role will focus on securing income from Trusts and Foundations from first engagement to account management, delivery and reporting. 

First Give is a small charity, with a growing fundraising team and big ambitions. You will therefore be someone who thrives in a start-up environment, willing to try new things. We are looking for an exceptional writer, someone who can translate the impact of our work into proposals that inspire and motivate the reader to give.

You will play a pivotal role in shaping First Give’s income growth, working closely with our Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships and the Director to manage relationships with existing donors, and leading on the development of high value bids to expand our work. This role will also support key engagement activities, including hosting donors at student-led Final events and facilitating employee volunteering at schools.

This is an exciting opportunity for a confident communicator and grant fundraiser with experience managing and deepening relationships with high value trusts and foundations gifts – someone who thrives on storytelling and social impact. We currently have a strong pipeline of trusts and foundations and are looking for someone eager to write applications and secure funding.

Contract: Full-time, 35 hours per week; core hours - 10am till 4pm

Location: We have office space at the Pears Hub in West Hampstead, where some people come in one or two times a week, we're very flexible. 

Application process:

- Application form

- Task and interview (interviews will be conducted on MS Teams)

Please also fill out this equality & diversity monitoring form (this will not be linked to your application).

1. Application closes: 20th July 9am

2. Interviews: 23rd and 24th July

3. Start date: 1st September

The students we work with come from a diverse range of backgrounds, and so do we. We want to ensure that we are recruiting, retaining and promoting a diverse mix of colleagues. We want to foster a diverse and inclusive culture, to empower our teams to achieve our vision drawing on the broadest possible range of experiences. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates from minoritised groups currently underrepresented on our executive team, particularly black and minority ethnic and disabled candidates.

Please get in touch with Carmen O’Loughlin if you would like to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process or have any queries about the role.

Are you passionate about building relationships, inspiring others, and making a real impact? This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in growing support for our charity by connecting with local communities, businesses, volunteers, and supporters. You will be at the heart of developing meaningful partnerships, identifying new fundraising opportunities, and increasing awareness of the vital work we do. Through your energy, creativity, and relationship-building skills, you will help generate income, maximise community engagement, and strengthen our presence across the region. Every conversation, event, and partnership you create will contribute to making a positive difference in the lives of those we support. If you thrive on meeting people, creating opportunities, and being part of a passionate and purpose-driven team, this rewarding role offers the chance to make a lasting impact while helping our charity grow and succeed.

This role is a unique and exciting opportunity for a passionate, hands-on Chef and Trainer to join our rapidly growing charity and support our mission to transform kids’ health through food in schools in a new region. This role will be critical in delivering our flagship programme Transformations and work directly with school kitchen teams across the North West and North East of England.

Who we are
Chefs in Schools is a young, ambitious charity that’s rapidly growing. Our mission is to improve kids’ health, through improving school food & food education. We focus our efforts in areas of high socio-economic deprivation, where more than a third of children are entitled to free school meals, and diet-related disease is driving further inequality. We support and train school kitchen teams to serve the best, freshest and tastiest food possible, alongside meaningful food education. We share learning and resources, aiming  to inspire and enable others to follow our lead. We’re backed by some of the biggest names in food and have ambitious targets to ensure every child has access to incredible school food and food education, setting them up for life with the skills and knowledge to feed themselves well.

 About you and the role

This role is responsible for the delivery and continuous improvement of the Chefs in Schools Transformation Programme across the North West and North East of England. The Transformation Programme is our flagship year-long initiative, designed to support school kitchen teams and senior leadership teams in serving the best, freshest, and most nutritious food possible. Through this programme, we transform school lunches, upskill kitchen staff, and integrate food education into the heart of the school culture, ensuring that high-quality, scratch-cooked meals become the standard for every pupil.

As a Chef Trainer, you will act as a pivotal, hands-on ambassador for this mission, supporting kitchen teams, school leadership and the wider school community to embed a high quality, sustainable school food culture in schools. You will support development of the programme’s pipeline and join a brilliant, passionate and experienced team of Chef Trainers, with the opportunity to connect, share and learn from one another.

A key component of this role involves being based in schools for 2–3 weeks at a time, working directly on-site to implement the programme. You will travel to different locations across the North West and North East, supporting schools to build high-quality, sustainable food cultures. During your first year, the focus will be specifically on the North West region,  ranging from Manchester to the Wirral, where you will help establish Chefs in Schools’ reputation for positive change.

The responsibilities, skills and experience listed below are intended to give you an idea of what we need for this role. If you don’t meet every requirement but feel you would be able to work with us to deliver the majority of them, we urge you to apply anyway. We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, and for us the most important ‘experience’ is passion for our mission.

We want to get to know you at the interview and understand we can do this best if you’re at ease. We’re an inclusive employer and work hard to create a welcoming working environment for everyone, including appointing a neurodiversity champion to help us  identify how we can make our work environment work for everyone. If you need adjustments to the interview process please let us know.

As we work with children and young people, an offer of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and DBS clearance, in line with our safeguarding policy.

Key responsibilities:

Programme Delivery & Training:

● Inspire, train and cook with chefs, cooks and kitchen teams in the preparation of fresh, nutritious food to meet specified standards, imparting your passion for fresh, quality food and building capability across client schools in line with the Chefs in Schools model.

● Deliver and oversee Transformation Programme delivery in schools within the region, ensuring high quality outcomes aligned to programme objectives and proposals, including check-ins to support proposal and pipeline development.

● Work closely with Head Chefs, Headteachers and School Business Managers to provide fair assessment of culinary ability for existing and new Head Chefs including skills tests.

● Support with recommended kitchen structures at Transformation schools using the Kitchen Brigade system.

● Advise and guide Head Chefs, Kitchen Teams and School Business Managers to improve uptake, menu development and School Food Standards compliance.

● Advise on reputable, quality and cost-effective suppliers to support schools to reduce cost per meal per child without sacrificing food quality. Including light-touch auditing and development of procurement suppliers in the region.

● Encourage schools to monitor, control and reduce kitchen, service and food waste.

● Train kitchen staff to follow up-to-date Health and Safety and hygiene policies and procedures, alongside latest EHO, Food Standards Agency and Allergen guidance.

● Work with the Senior Programme Manager to develop training materials that support the charity’s wider work, ensuring training plans reflect the latest relevant guidance including EHO, Food Standards Agency and Allergen guidance.

● Support schools to develop a whole-school food culture through food education with pupils, aligned to School Food Standards, and the creation of scratch-cooked, delicious and nutritious school food.

Transformation Programme Development:

● Support growing regional brand awareness, in partnership and alignment with the Senior Programme Manager.

● Visit potential new school clients to assess kitchens and kitchen teams (check-ins) within the region, working with the Senior Programme Manager to support proposal and pipeline development as required.

● Support the onboarding of new schools based on the outcome of check-ins conducted and proposals.

● Support in maintaining, improving and running the programme, and Innovations, School Chef Educator and Membership programme needs as required.

Administration & Measurement:

● Support with monitoring and capturing of programme KPIs of Transformation schools, measuring success against Chefs in Schools benchmarking and keeping the Senior Programme Manager updated on any variances.

● Support with case study development working in partnership with the Comms and Fundraising team.

● Report any complaints or serious incidents to the Senior Programme Manager and follow relevant actions related to Chefs in Schools Escalation and Tracking processes.

Essential Skills & Experience:

● You have interest and belief in our mission to improve kids’ health through improving food and food education in schools.

● You have significant professional experience as a chef (minimum of 5 years), ideally with a background in schools, high-volume catering or institutional cooking.

● You have experience training or mentoring kitchen staff, including building culinary capability and culture change.

● You are confident in assessing culinary skills and advising on kitchen structure, menus and supplier choices.

● You are organised, methodical and able to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously.

● You are a strong communicator able to build trusting relationships with different types of stakeholders.

● You have a sound understanding of Health and Safety, Food Hygiene, Allergen regulations and School Food Standards.

Desirable skills & experience:

● Experience working in a school or educational setting.

● Comfortable with data capture, reporting and keeping accurate records.

● Familiarity with the Kitchen Brigade system or equivalent kitchen management structures.

● Experience working with or for a charity or social enterprise.

● A full UK driving licence.

Benefits

You would be joining a friendly, supportive team who works hard but believe in a healthy work/life balance. We were voted one of CODE Hospitality’s happiest places to work in 2024. We seek a diverse range of perspectives, skills, experience and knowledge. Joining a small, collaborative team means you’ll be able to contribute to and draw on various projects and strategic insights.

We offer 33 days of holiday per year including bank holidays, 3 additional office closure days over the Christmas period as well as wellbeing days over the summer school holidays.  We also have a Cycle to Work scheme, hybrid working, enhanced parental leave, and free access to the CODE app for discounted restaurants & hospitality venues. We are committed to developing our team and will support you with relevant training opportunities including £250 towards elective training and development of your choice.

We also offer Bupa Dental Insurance, Income Protection Insurance, as well as access to the Aviva Smart Health Platform which offers health benefits including free rapid access online GP appointments, free counselling and wellbeing support.

Schools North East is approaching its 20th year as the region’s dedicated, independent voice for schools. We are a successful, dynamic and influential charity, representing over 1,150 schools in the North East and specialist schools nationally through the National Network of Special Schools for School Business Professionals (NNoSS).

We are entering an exciting next phase of our development. Our marketing and communications work is central to that: it helps us reach schools, grow engagement, tell the story of North East education, support our events and memberships, and strengthen our influence with policymakers, partners and the wider education sector.

Due to internal promotion, we are now recruiting a Marketing and Communications Officer to work closely with our Marketing Manager and the wider team. This is a varied, creative and delivery-focused role, suited to someone with marketing or communications experience or an early-career or graduate applicant with strong writing, digital and creative skills and the desire to develop quickly.

You will help produce content, campaigns and communications across Schools North East, NNoSS, Jobs in Schools | North East, our events programme, memberships and policy activity. You will be joining a small, ambitious and high-performing team where people take ownership, work at pace and care deeply about the difference we make.

If you are organised, curious, creative, confident with words and digital tools, and motivated by work with a clear social purpose, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Why join us

This is an exceptionally varied and hands-on role where you will see the direct results of your efforts; from producing high-impact content like the Weekly Update to promoting flagship events that bring the region’s education community together. You won't just be executing tasks; you will be helping to shape a positive narrative for our region's schools, working within a small, ambitious team where your ideas are valued and your contribution is visible.

Beyond the meaningful mission, you will develop a broad and practical marketing skillset across digital communications, social media, and CRM management, all while receiving dedicated mentorship from our Marketing Manager. Schools North East offers a supportive and collaborative culture that truly cares about its people, providing a package designed for work-life balance, including 30 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, a contributory pension, and a modern office in central Newcastle with the flexibility to work from home on Fridays.

For a creative professional looking for real responsibility and a future-focused career, we provide an environment where you can grow professionally while doing work that truly matters for our region, as part of a small but highly impactful team.

Key Responsibilities:

Marketing and Engagement

• Contribute to lobbying and policy work through campaign activity
• Deliver and coordinate campaign activity within agreed plans to grow event attendance, memberships, sponsorship, partnerships and engagement across Schools North East programmes
• Promote programmes through email, website, social media and marketing materials
• Help maintain audience data and segmentation to ensure communications are relevant, timely and effective
• Identify and share member stories, case studies and examples that demonstrate the value of Schools North East
• Contribute ideas to improve the effectiveness of campaigns, content and audience engagement

Content & Brand

• Create, edit and proofread engaging content for newsletters, websites, blogs, social media, email campaigns and stakeholder communications
• Support production of the Weekly Update and translate complex information into clear, accessible content for schools and partners
• Produce marketing materials and maintain a consistent Schools North East brand across all channels and outputs
• Use storytelling and creative content, including video and photography, to strengthen audience connection and engagement

Digital & Marketing

• Use digital platforms including CMS, email marketing tools, CRM systems and social media channels to deliver day-to-day activity
• Update website content and apply basic SEO good practice to support clear user journeys and accurate information
• Monitor campaign performance and use data and insight to support improvements in communications activity
• Work collaboratively across the organisation and support events through content capture, delegate communications and promotion
• Maintain organised records and ensure communications meet data protection, accessibility and quality standards
• Support paid digital advertising campaigns (e.g. Meta, LinkedIn or Google Ads)

Essential Requirements

• Background in marketing, communications, journalism, media, PR, digital marketing, design or a related field (including through study, work, volunteering or personal projects)
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to create clear, accurate and engaging content for different audiences
• Good verbal communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to work effectively with colleagues, members, partners and stakeholders
• Creativity, audience awareness and the ability to contribute ideas for campaigns, content and engagement
• Experience using digital communications tools such as CMS platforms (e.g. WordPress), email marketing tools (e.g. Mailchimp), design tools (e.g. Canva or Adobe), social media scheduling tools, Google Workspace, CRM systems and analytics platforms
• The confidence and willingness to learn new systems as required
• Excellent attention to detail, including proofreading and editing to a high standard.
• Strong organisation skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines and work at pace
• Understanding of how communications support engagement and audience growth, with an interest in developing knowledge of campaign performance and impact
• A collaborative, proactive approach, with the ability to take direction and work on initiative
• An interest in education, schools and the role of Schools North East as the Voice, Glue and Bridge for North East schools

Desirable

• Experience creating content across digital and print channels, including social media, websites, newsletters, blogs, video, photography or graphics.
• Understanding of SEO, email marketing, audience segmentation, accessibility or user journeys
• Experience in an education, charity, membership, public sector, events or partnership environment
• Experience supporting or managing paid digital advertising campaigns (e.g. Meta, LinkedIn or Google Ads)

To apply: Please submit your full CV, clarifying any gaps in employment, along with a cover letter clearly linking your skills and experience to the job description and person specification FAO Lindsay Gerencser.

This is a hands-on role that moves between two registers: structured qualitative research with proper analytical underpinning, and fast-turnaround reactive policy work. You will need to be genuinely comfortable in both able to run a multi-month thematic publication and turn around a tight briefing or consultation response within 48-72 hours when a policy window opens.

The role will lead The Difference's qualitative research and insight function, including research workstreams tied to the Difference Schools Partnership's annual thematic priorities, and our Harmful and Abusive Behaviours (HaB) workstream convening a sector council to build a shared framework for how schools understand and respond to peer-on-peer harm. You will produce briefings, evidence submissions and publications, manage external research partners, and work with the CEO, Head of Policy and Communications team to launch research with real impact. The role reports to the Head of Policy and works closely with colleagues across Strategy, Research and Programmes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead The Difference's qualitative research and insight function, running research workstreams tied to annual DSP thematic priorities and emerging strands on MAT inclusion and LA working
• Design and deliver qualitative research with schools, MATs and local authorities interviews, focus groups, school visits and thematic analysis  translating findings into evidence and policy recommendations
• Lead the Harmful and Abusive Behaviours research workstream, convening a sector council, producing briefing material and managing the route from convening to publication
• Produce timely, citable evidence for policy influence  including drafting briefings, consultation responses and evidence submissions on fast turnaround
• Project manage publication cycles from scoping through to launch, working with coalition and media partners to maximise reach and tracking policy traction post-launch
• Brief, manage and integrate the outputs of external research partners where commissioned (e.g. FFT Datalab, Pro Bono Economics)
• Capture and develop case studies from DSP schools and the wider Difference network

About The Difference

• Every day, the equivalent of 5,500 children are suspended from England's schools, doubling their likelihood of being NEET by 24. The Difference is a young education charity founded to change this story through whole school inclusion. We train school leaders, carry out our own research, and turn frontline insights into policy recommendations lobbying Ofsted and the Department for Education to improve funding and support for inclusion. Our vision is to see lost learning falling nationally by 2030.

About You

Essential

• Dual capability across reactive and structured research : comfortable producing tight briefings on a 48–72 hour turnaround and running multi-month qualitative publications
• Experience in education research, policy research or applied social research, with examples of published, commissioned or internally-influential work
• Strong qualitative research skills : interview and focus group design, thematic coding, framework development, synthesis across multiple sources
• Persuasive writing for mixed audiences : able to write clearly and concisely for policymakers, school leaders, the press and the sector, and comfortable ghost-writing for senior colleagues
• Project management discipline : able to run multiple workstreams in parallel, manage your own deadlines, and keep colleagues and external partners on track
• Comfortable working at pace in a fast-moving environment where priorities shift as policy windows open and close : self-directed, flexible and able to make good judgement calls under pressure
• Shared values with The Difference and personal commitment to improving life outcomes for young people

Desired

• Strong working understanding of UK education policy, particularly around inclusion, exclusion, SEND, accountability and school improvement
• Confident data literacy and basic quantitative analysis : comfortable interrogating population-level datasets and translating findings into accessible policy language
• Understanding of why language matters when writing about behaviour, exclusion and vulnerability, and the ability to frame behaviour as a signal of unmet need consistently across all work
• Lived experience or insight into the school experiences of marginalised young people
• Experience of working in or with schools, multi-academy trusts or local authorities
• Existing relationships in education research, policy or sector organisations

Please see the attached Job Description for full role details and person specification.

We are committed to building a diverse team and strongly encourage applications from under-represented groups in the charity sector. As part of our commitment to fairer recruitment, all applications will be assessed with names and protected characteristics redacted.

Schools’ Project Officer
The Mark Evison Foundation aims to promote the personal development of young people through challenge. We work directly with London partner state schools, encouraging non-academic proposals for challenge from 17-year olds (Y12s). It is fascinating work, bringing out the best in young people. Students must create their own applications and challenges, decide what they want to do, research and plan the projects and present them: we help with plans (sending comments by email), careful risk assessment and funding.

Due to expansion, we are seeking a gifted schools’ project officer for a key role within a busy team based in Dulwich SE21, Southwark. The work is varied and fulfilling.  

You should be a graduate from a good university, enthusiastic and very well-organised, with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, able to work independently, manage priorities, work to deadlines, and take initiative. The post involves presenting at school assemblies as outreach, working with students to help them prepare costed applications, handling draft applications by email, and accurate data collection and input. You will need to deal efficiently and accurately with our administrative requirements, and have excellent PC skills – Word, Excel and Outlook. We would train you to deal with the work and our systems.

Salary is in line with experience, range £30k- £35k pro rata, depending on experience. 

Applications by 15 July 2026. Please see attached Job Description, and send CV and cover letter. 

What if your next role could help people step forward and make a difference when it matters most?

At LIVES, we believe that saving lives starts long before an emergency happens. Through prevention, education and community engagement, we help people develop the skills, confidence and willingness to step forward and help when it matters most.

We're looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Community Prevention and Programmes Manager to lead and develop this important area of our work. This is an exciting opportunity to shape a growing portfolio of community programmes that help create safer, healthier and more resilient communities across Lincolnshire.

Working with volunteers, community groups, partners and funders, you will lead programmes that deliver lifesaving skills training, support community resilience and help prevent illness and injury. You will play a key role in turning ideas into practical action and ensuring our programmes deliver meaningful and measurable impact.

What you'll be doing

You will lead the day-to-day delivery and development of our community education and prevention programmes, including initiatives focused on lifesaving skills, public safety, health improvement and early intervention.

A significant part of the role will involve recruiting, supporting and developing our network of Community Champion volunteers, helping them deliver high-quality community education and engagement activities with confidence and consistency.

You will build strong relationships with schools, workplaces, community groups, local organisations and other partners to expand the reach and impact of our programmes. You'll also lead funded projects, ensuring they are delivered effectively, achieve agreed outcomes and provide clear evidence of impact for funders and stakeholders.

Alongside programme delivery, you will identify opportunities for growth, contribute to funding applications, support the development of new initiatives and help shape the future direction of community prevention work within LIVES.

About you

We're looking for someone who combines excellent organisational and project management skills with a genuine passion for working with communities.

You will have experience of coordinating, delivering or managing community-based projects, programmes or services, along with experience of engaging communities, building partnerships and supporting volunteers. You'll be comfortable managing multiple priorities, monitoring outcomes and demonstrating impact, while maintaining a practical and solutions-focused approach.

You will be an excellent communicator, able to build positive relationships with a wide range of people, and motivated by the opportunity to help communities become safer, healthier and more confident.

Experience within the charity, healthcare, public health, education, emergency response or community development sectors would be advantageous, but we are equally interested in people who can demonstrate transferable skills and a commitment to our mission.

Why join LIVES?

LIVES is a charity dedicated to saving lives in Lincolnshire. Every day, our volunteers, clinicians and staff work together to help people in their moment of need, equip communities with the skills and confidence to act when it matters most, and provide support before, during and after health emergencies.

This is a rare opportunity to lead a growing area of work where you can see the direct impact of your efforts on individuals, communities and the future direction of the charity. If you're passionate about empowering people, developing volunteers and creating programmes that make a real difference, we'd love to hear from you.

Help build a network where every child can succeed.

At Ark, we believe that every child deserves access to an excellent education, regardless of their background. For over two decades, we've been transforming lives through education, creating schools where children thrive, teachers flourish and communities grow stronger.

As we expand from 39 to 48 academies, we're looking for an exceptional Financial Controller to help provide the financial leadership that underpins our mission. This is an opportunity to join one of the UK's largest and most ambitious multi-academy trusts at a pivotal point in our journey.

Behind every outstanding school is a finance team that enables great decisions, protects public funds and gives school leaders the confidence to focus on what matters most: delivering exceptional outcomes for young people.

The opportunity

Reporting to the Director of Finance and Procurement, you will lead our financial control and reporting function across the Ark Schools network. You'll oversee a high-performing team of eight and ensure that our financial reporting, statutory compliance, treasury management and internal controls are robust, forward-looking and fit for a growing organisation.

This is far more than a technical accounting role. You'll be a trusted adviser to senior leaders, driving continuous improvement, strengthening financial governance and ensuring we remain an exemplary steward of the public and charitable funding entrusted to us.

You'll lead on:

• Delivering statutory accounts and year-end reporting across a complex group structure
• Leading external audit and regulatory reporting, ensuring full compliance with academy and charity requirements
• Overseeing treasury, cash flow forecasting and capital expenditure across the Trust
• Maintaining a robust financial control environment that supports a growing network
• Developing and mentoring a talented central finance team
• Improving financial systems, processes and reporting to support better decision-making
• Supporting the successful integration of new schools into the Ark network

About you

You're a technically outstanding qualified accountant who combines strong financial control expertise with a collaborative leadership style.

You'll bring:

• A recognised CCAB qualification with significant post-qualified experience
• Strong statutory reporting and external audit experience
• Experience leading and developing finance teams
• Excellent knowledge of financial controls, treasury and balance sheet management
• The confidence to influence senior stakeholders and communicate complex financial information clearly
• A continuous improvement mindset and the ability to thrive in a fast-moving environment

Experience within education, charities or the wider public sector would be welcomed but isn't essential. We're equally interested in candidates from complex commercial organisations who are excited by the opportunity to apply their expertise to a purpose-driven organisation.

Why Ark?

This is a chance to use your professional expertise to create lasting social impact.

Every improvement you make to our financial systems, every risk you help manage and every decision you support enables our schools to focus on delivering an outstanding education for thousands of children.

You'll join an organisation that combines the pace and ambition of a growing organisation with a clear social purpose, working alongside colleagues who are deeply committed to transforming children's life chances.

If you're looking for a leadership role where your technical expertise will have a meaningful impact far beyond the finance function, we'd love to hear from you.

To apply

Please apply via the link. We are proud to partner exclusively with Bryony Thomas from Allen Lane. For an informal conversation please contact Bryony directly through the agency website. 

This is a fast moving process and an early application is highly recommended.

This role covers our Senior Social Media Officer’s maternity leave and takes full ownership of our social media strategy and execution across all platforms. This is a highly autonomous role requiring strategic thinking, creative leadership and strong analytical skills.

You’ll thrive in a fast-paced, varied working environment and be full of creative ideas. You’ll be as happy filming and editing engaging videos, as you are leading content planning or campaign delivery. You’ll be adept at making short, snappy videos for Instagram and longer form content for LinkedIn. You’ll have an eye for design and be confident on Canva.

You’ll be confident making independent decisions, managing multiple projects simultaneously and know how to unearth stories that bring our mission to life. A collaborative approach will be at the heart of how you work as you help position Chefs in Schools as an innovative changemaker in school food.

What else do you need to know?

The responsibilities, skills and experience listed below are intended to give you an idea of what we need for this role. If you don’t meet every requirement but feel you would be able to work with us to deliver the majority of them, we urge you to apply anyway.

We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, and for us the most important ‘experience’ is passion for our mission. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds, especially those from underrepresented communities, to apply.

We want to get to know you at the interview and understand we can do this best if you’re at ease. We’re an inclusive employer and work hard to create a welcoming working environment for everyone. If you need adjustments to the interview process please let us know.

As we work with children & young people, an offer of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and DBS clearance, in line with our safeguarding policy.

Key responsibilities:

● Develop and implement quarterly social media content planning aligned to organisational priorities, ensuring strategic forward-planning across all platforms

● Lead audience and sector-wide research to reach a diverse follower base through targeted content and share best practice across the charity

● Develop platform-specific strategies for underutilised channels, making data-driven recommendations about platform investment

● Create exciting, constantly evolving content across videos, graphics and copy that drives specific actions and conversions

● Maintain and develop brand consistency standards and content frameworks across all organisational social media channels

● Manage regular creative brainstorms to build a bank of content ideas and champion creative innovation

● Plan, pitch and deliver social media campaigns and organisational content programmes end-to-end, from concept through to launch and beyond — including production coordination, communications planning and stakeholder management

● Lead photoshoot planning and content production end-to-end, managing external agencies and professional photographers where required

● Plan and manage school visits strategically to maximise content output, coordinating permissions, logistics and team involvement and building ongoing relationships with school kitchen teams

● Develop briefs and guidance to empower wider team members to gather suitable content when needed

● Lead conversations on social channels, proactively sharing sector news with organisational commentary to position us as a thought leader, and build and maintain strategic relationships with relevant networks, schools, chefs, partners and influencers

● Plan, pitch and create strategic content to maximise partnerships, patrons and ambassadors, proactively identifying opportunities and ensuring prominent placement on our platforms

● Deliver analytics with strategic insights and recommendations, tracking meaningful KPIs including conversions, target audience growth and actions taken

● Use data to optimise strategy and prove return on investment, setting targets and deadlines for performance improvement based on insights

● Champion diversity, equality and inclusion in all social media content, and work collaboratively with the wider communications team sharing expertise on brand standards and best practice

Essential skills & experience:

• Demonstrable experience leading social media strategy and delivery across multiple platforms

• Proven ability to plan and deliver campaigns end-to-end with minimal oversight

• Strong creative skills with ability to produce engaging content across formats (video, graphics, copy)

• Strategic thinker who links social media activity to organisational goals

• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to quality standards

• Confident working autonomously and making independent judgements

• Experience using analytics to drive strategy and demonstrate impact

• Solutions-focused approach with proactive problem-solving skills

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders

• Commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion

• Belief in our mission to improve children’s health through better food and food education in schools

Desirable skills & experience:

• Experience in the charity or public sector

• Knowledge of school food, education or public health sectors

• Experience managing relationships with external agencies or freelancers

• Understanding of brand development and consistency frameworks

• Experience using social media scheduling and management tools

Benefits

You would be joining a friendly, supportive team who work hard but believe in a healthy work/life balance. We were voted one of CODE Hospitality’s happiest places to work in 2024. We seek a diverse range of perspectives, skills, experience and knowledge. Joining a small, collaborative team means you’ll be able to contribute to and draw on various projects and strategic insights.

We offer 33 days of holiday per year including bank holidays, 3 additional office closure days over the Christmas period as well as wellbeing days over the summer school holidays. We also have a Cycle to Work scheme, hybrid working, enhanced parental leave, and free access to the CODE app for discounted restaurants & hospitality venues. We are committed to developing our team and will support you with relevant training opportunities including £250 towards elective training and development of your choice.

We also offer Bupa Dental Insurance, Income Protection Insurance, as well as access to the Aviva Smart Health Platform which offers health benefits including free rapid access online GP appointments, free counselling and wellbeing support.

Contract: Full-time, permanent
Hours: Full-time
Reports to: Chair; Board of Directors 
Location: Hackney
Salary: £50,000-60,000 depending on experience.
Pension: HSoF participates in the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) pension scheme and contributes 3%.
Benefits: 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, free onsite lunches .
Probation period: Six months.

About Hackney School of Food

Hackney School of Food is an award-winning food education hub based in the grounds of Mandeville Primary School in Clapton, East London. Through our teaching kitchen and educational garden, we help children, families and communities build the skills, confidence and knowledge to grow, cook and eat good food.

Each year, we welcome more than 10,000 visits to our kitchen and garden, delivering curriculum programmes for schools alongside community cooking courses, gardening projects, holiday clubs, corporate volunteering and public events. Since becoming a Community Interest Company (CIC) in 2023, we have expanded our facilities, strengthened our governance and built a strong reputation as a leader in food education.

We're now looking for an exceptional Managing Director to build on these strong foundations and lead Hackney School of Food through its next phase of growth and impact.

About the role

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Managing Director (MD) will provide both strategic and operational leadership, ensuring the organisation delivers its mission while remaining financially resilient, well-governed and responsive to the needs of the communities it serves.

The Managing Director is responsible for all aspects of the organisation, including strategy, income generation, finance, governance, partnerships, programme delivery and people leadership. Working closely with a small, committed team and an engaged Board, they will build on strong foundations to grow Hackney School of Food's impact, reach and long-term sustainability.

This is a varied, hands-on leadership role for someone who enjoys balancing big-picture thinking with practical delivery. One day you may be developing a new partnership, meeting a prospective funder or working with the Board on future strategy; the next you could be supporting the team, welcoming visitors to the garden or solving day-to-day operational challenges.

Key priorities

In your first 12 months you will:

• Build on Hackney School of Food's strong foundations to deliver the next phase of our strategy and growth.

• Increase and diversify income through fundraising, partnerships and commercial opportunities to strengthen long-term sustainability.

• Lead, support and develop a small, ambitious team, fostering a positive and inclusive culture where people can thrive.

• Strengthen relationships with funders, partners and local businesses, helping Hackney School of Food deepen its impact.

• Work closely with the Board to embed strong governance, organisational systems and long-term planning for the future.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership 

• Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for Hackney School of Food, ensuring delivery of its mission, vision and long-term objectives. 

• Lead the development and implementation of Hackney School of Food's annual business plan and organisational priorities.

• Work with the Board to evolve organisational strategy, identify opportunities, manage risks and support sustainable growth.

• Monitor, report on and respond to organisational performance against agreed objectives and impact measures. 

• Champion Hackney School of Food externally, strengthening its profile and influence.
   

Financial sustainability and income generation 

• Oversee organisational budgeting, financial planning, forecasting and cashflow management, working closely with the Treasurer and accountant.

• Lead income generation across the organisation, including trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, sponsorship and earned income.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with funders, sponsors and strategic partners.

• Ensure all funding commitments are met, including grant reporting, monitoring and evaluation requirements.

• Identify new opportunities to diversify income and strengthen long-term financial sustainability.

Partnerships & External Relations

• Act as the main point of contact for HSoF’s key partners, LEAP Federation and Chefs in Schools to ensure the partnerships are effective and positive.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with other key stakeholders, including local authorities, funders and sponsors.

• Represent Hackney School of Food at meetings, events, and public forums.

• Champion the value of food education and contribute to wider local and national conversations. 

• Ensure programmes remain responsive to community needs through ongoing engagement and consultation. 

Governance and public benefit 

• Ensure the organisation operates in line with its CIC objectives and delivers clear public benefit. 

• Support the Board of Directors to fulfil its governance responsibilities through high-quality reporting, planning and decision-making.

• Prepare Board papers, reports and agendas, ensuring timely and accurate information is available to support effective governance.

• Oversee and report on organisational performance to the Board of Directors quarterly.

• Act as the primary link between the Board and the operational team.

• Maintain effective governance, delegated authority and accountability frameworks. 

• Support the Board in meeting all statutory and regulatory obligations relating to the CIC.

People, Culture and safeguarding

• Provide leadership to a small core team (currently c.4 employees), directly managing staff and fostering a positive, inclusive culture. 

• Provide oversight and support for a wider network of approx. 15 freelance contractors to ensure consistently high-quality delivery.

• Lead recruitment, induction, performance management and professional development in line with safer recruitment and equality principles. 

• Ensure effective organisational structures, clear roles, and performance accountability.

• Oversee HR processes including appraisals, performance management, and professional development.

• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, embedding safeguarding throughout the organisation maintaining compliance with all relevant requirements. 

• Develop organisational systems, policies and practices that support an inclusive, high-performing workplace.

Risk Management & Compliance

• Maintain and regularly review the organisational Risk Register and report key risks and mitigations to the Board.

• Oversee organisational policies, procedures and continuous improvement, ensuring policies and legal requirements are up to date, clearly communicated and embedded across the organisation. 

• Ensure compliance with employment law, health and safety, safeguarding, GDPR and other relevant legislation. 

Personal specification

Essential experience 

• Senior leadership experience with responsibility for organisational performance and accountability. 

• Experience securing income through fundraising, partnerships and/or commercial activity.

• Experience of financial leadership, including budget setting, forecasting and cashflow oversight.

• Experience working closely with a Board, Trustees or governing body to translate strategic vision into operational delivery. 

• Experience building and managing successful partnerships with funders, businesses and community stakeholders. 

• Experience in managing and motivating a team, creating a positive and inclusive workplace culture. 

• Experience of governance, compliance and organisational risk management.

• Experience of safeguarding within an education, youth or community context.

• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands, make sound decisions and remain resilient in a resource-constrained environment.

Essential skills and attributes

• Passion for Hackney School of Food's mission and the role of food education in improving health, wellbeing and community connection. 

• Strategic thinker who is equally comfortable with hands-on operational leadership. 

• Entrepreneurial, resourceful and committed to building long-term financial sustainability and identifying growth opportunities.

• Ability to lead a team through change with sensitivity, clarity and kindness.

• Strong communicator with excellent relationship-building skills. 

• Confident decision-maker with a high level of personal accountability. 

• Committed to equity, inclusion and community-led practice.

Desirable 

• Experience working within a Community Interest Company (CIC), social enterprise or charity.

• Knowledge of Hackney, its communities and local stakeholder landscape.

• Experience of working in food education, community food, gardening, environmental education or a related field.

• Experience reviewing and managing contracts, service agreements or other legal documentation.

An inclusive workplace

We know that diverse teams make stronger organisations and are committed to building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment and will consider all qualified applicants regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

We particularly encourage applications from people who are under-represented in our sector and in leadership roles, including people from the global majority and those whose lived experience brings valuable perspectives from the communities we serve. We also welcome applications from people who live in Hackney or East London.

How to apply

The deadline to apply is Monday 20 July at 9am. Please apply by filling out this application form.

You'll find the link to the application form on our Recruitment Pack which provides more information. 

Stage 1: A one-hour online interview with the Senior Team and Board (24 July) 

Stage 2: On-site interview at Hackney School of Food (30 July), including a short presentation. 

We may also invite the preferred candidate to an informal meeting with the wider team and Board before making a final appointment. 

The successful applicant will need to pass an enhanced DBS check and provide two suitable references. 

We may close the application window earlier if we are inundated with applications, so please don't wait to apply.

If you have any questions about the role or your suitability, please feel free to get in touch with us. You will find a Recruitment pack and email address to contact via our website.

Senior Practitioner – Youth Coaching & Schools

Organisation: Allsorts Youth Project
Location: Sussex
Salary: £32,061 (NJC Grade 7)
Hours: 37 hours per week
Contract: Full time

About the Role

Allsorts Youth Project is looking for a Senior Practitioner to join our Youth and Education Service. This is an exciting opportunity to lead our youth coaching and schools programmes, supporting LGBTQ+ children and young people across Sussex.

You will lead a team delivering high quality coaching support, helping young people build confidence, achieve their goals and recognise their strengths. You will also oversee our schools programme, working with education settings to promote inclusion and improve outcomes for LGBTQ+ students.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage Allsorts' youth coaching service
• Support and develop a team of practitioners
• Deliver and grow the schools inclusion programme
• Build partnerships with schools, colleges and stakeholders
• Contribute to service development, quality and safeguarding
• Support income generation and maximise programme impact
• Work as part of the wider Youth and Education Service leadership team

About You

We are looking for someone who has:

• Significant experience working with children and young people (1:1 and group settings)
• Experience leading programmes, projects or teams
• Strong communication and partnership working skills
• A good understanding of issues affecting LGBTQ+ young people
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
• A proactive and collaborative approach

About Allsorts

Allsorts Youth Project supports LGBTQ+ children and young people in Sussex to make friends, build community and feel proud of who they are. We are passionate about creating safe, inclusive spaces where young people can thrive.

Benefits

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata)
• 8% employer pension contribution (Royal London)
• Opportunities for training and development
• Supportive and values-driven team environment

Safeguarding

This role is subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

Apply

If you are passionate about making a difference for LGBTQ+ young people and want to play a key role in a growing service, we would love to hear from you.