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Martingale Postgraduate Foundation (Martingale) exists to fund and support the next generation of talented researchers. We believe that family income should not be a barrier to the pursuit of excellence, and our mission is to enable and nurture talented individuals from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to thrive within world-leading postgraduate research.
Martingale’s flagship programme is the Martingale Postgraduate Scholarship, which supports students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to pursue and excel in postgraduate degrees, by providing:
- A fully-funded Living Wage Scholarship to pursue a one-year Masters degree or a four-year PhD.
- All tuition fees and research expenses, including a tax-free stipend for living costs.
- Tailored support to apply for Martingale courses at our partner universities.
- Access to Martingale programmes, including leadership training and connections with top academic and industry professionals.
- Membership of a pioneering community of talented researchers.
In the three years since Martingale launched, we are now supporting over 100 Scholars to undertake postgraduate degrees across our ten partner universities and have committed over £7.7m in Scholarships. We are continuing to expand our offer, bringing on new partners each year.
We are seeking an experienced, strategic and collaborative Head of Programmes to join our Senior Leadership Team and play a pivotal role in shaping our fast-growing Martingale Scholarship Programme.
As Head of Programmes, you will join our senior management team, overseeing the growing programmes team. Working closely with the CEO, you will oversee all aspects of Martingale’s Scholarship Programme from application to alumni, ensuring that the programme maintains a strong reputation for being both supportive and prestigious.
You will set the strategic direction of Martingale’s Scholarship Programme, working closely with the CEO on a day-to-day basis to ensure that as we expand across STEM the programme remains of a high quality and meeting Martingale’s mission. You will ensure that Martingale’s programmes are impactful, data informed and meet the needs of the scholars we are supporting. You will also be responsible for managing relationships with various external stakeholders including universities, funders and evaluation partners.
We are looking for a strong strategic leader with extensive programme experience including line management, partnership management and external relations. You will bring excellent organisational skills, strong attention to detail, a proactive mindset, and a strong alignment with Martingale’s mission. We welcome applicants from a range of career paths who are excited to be part of a growing, fast-paced charity delivering meaningful impact.
Martingale Foundation is incubated by Purposeful Ventures who provide operational and strategic support. The Head of Programmes will be employed by Purposeful Ventures.
About Purposeful Ventures
Our vision is for a fairer society where all young people thrive. We work with social entrepreneurs, organisations and philanthropists that share our vision. Through our work with these partners, young people are given opportunities in education and beyond, helping them reach their true potential.
Purposeful Ventures offers philanthropists and funders bespoke advice, using an evidence-based approach to help them to identify high-impact opportunities to fund. We then partner with visionary individuals and mission-driven organisations with strong theories of change. We help them turn great ideas into sustainable and successful ventures by offering fully individualised and very hands-on support, access to funding and a ‘high-challenge, high-support’ home. We do the minimum necessary and whatever it takes to succeed.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership of the Scholarship Programme
- Provide strategic oversight of the end-to-end Martingale Scholarship lifecycle, from selection and admissions through to scholar progression and alumni outcomes.
- Develop and deliver a multi-year operational strategy for Martingale’s Development Programme (MDP), ensuring scalability, academic excellence, and alignment with organisational growth plans.
- Continuously refine the scholar journey to ensure it is sector-leading, prestigious, and tailored to the needs of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Build deep expertise in postgraduate education, research culture, and enabling access to inform programme evolution and innovation.
Admissions & Selection Strategy
- Lead the design, governance, and continuous improvement of a rigorous, fair, and high-quality admissions and assessment process across subject areas.
- Oversee shortlisting, interview frameworks, assessment centres, and final scholarship recommendations to the Selection Committee.
- Ensure alignment between Martingale’s selection processes and university partner requirements.
- Maintain oversight of scholar allocation, including place management, deferrals, intermissions, withdrawals, and reallocations.
Scholar Experience & Case Management
- Ensure effective advocacy for Scholars including maximising progression and retention across cohorts.
- Oversee complex scholar casework, including deferrals, intermissions, safeguarding concerns, funding queries, disciplinary action and university liaison.
- Ensure consistent, professional, and high-touch support across the scholar lifecycle.
- Strengthen cohort cohesion and long-term alumni engagement.
Safeguarding & Compliance
- Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Martingale, ensuring safeguarding policy implementation and record keeping in line with best practice in relation to vulnerable adults.
- Oversee data protection compliance relating to scholar and applicant data, in partnership with the organisation’s Data Protection Officer.
- Ensure programme delivery complies with charity, funding, and regulatory requirements.
Budget, Contracting & Financial Oversight
- Hold responsibility for programme budgets, ensuring effective resource allocation, cost control, and value for money.
- Oversee scholarship programme financial management, and work with Head of Strategy and Operations on onwards grants including deferrals, funding adjustments, and invoicing.
- Work with the Head of Strategy and Operations on university contracting, scholarship agreements, and financial reconciliation with partners.
- Ensure timely and accurate invoicing and reporting processes across programme operations.
University & Sector Partnerships (Programme-Focused)
- Lead programme-level relationships with university partners, including Heads of Departments, Graduate Tutors, CDT leads, and admissions teams.
- Ensure universities meet partnership commitments and that Scholars are appropriately supported institutionally.
- Contribute to partnership negotiations where programme design or operational delivery is concerned.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen university research culture and scholar support mechanisms.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Impact
- Lead development and oversight of Martingale’s Theory of Change and evaluation framework, working with our external independent evaluators.
- Develop robust systems to track scholar progression, outcomes, and programme effectiveness.
- Provide high-quality reporting to the CEO, Board, funders, and partners, evidencing impact and continuous improvement.
New Programme Development & Innovation
- Work with the CEO to design new subject expansions, pilots, or initiatives aligned to Martingale’s mission.
- Assess operational, financial, and reputational implications of programme growth.
- Develop business cases, delivery models, and implementation plans for expansion.
Team Leadership & Culture
- Provide senior leadership to the Programmes team, including line management of programme staff.
- Build a high-performing, mission-driven team with clear accountability and ownership.
- Develop succession planning and team capability as Martingale scales.
- Model Martingale’s values of excellence, professionalism, and thoughtful support.
Organisational Leadership
- Serve as a member of the Senior Management Team, contributing to organisational strategy and governance.
- Represent Martingale externally in academic, sector, and policy contexts where appropriate.
- Support Board and Committee reporting related to programme performance and scholar outcomes.
Key Requirements:
Essential Criteria
-
Right to work in the UK
Experience and skills
Essential
- Significant experience leading and delivering high-quality programmes, ideally in higher education, research, scholarships, or a mission-driven organisation.
- Strong stakeholder management experience, with evidence of working effectively with universities, academics, funders, or equivalent partners.
- Proven line management experience, with the ability to develop and lead a high-performing team.
- Experience managing complex operational delivery, including planning, timelines, and coordinating multiple moving parts.
- Strong experience handling sensitive casework and providing professional support to individuals.
- Budget management experience, including planning and overseeing programme delivery costs.
- Excellent written communication skills, including producing clear reports and briefings for senior audiences.
- Commitment to safeguarding, wellbeing and compliance, with willingness to act as safeguarding lead.
Desirable
- Experience working directly with postgraduate research, PhD programmes, or doctoral training environments.
- Experience designing or overseeing selection and assessment processes (e.g. interviews, admissions, recruitment pipelines).
- Experience managing programme evaluation frameworks, including Theory of Change and external evaluators.
- Familiarity with contracting, invoicing, and operational finance processes.
- Knowledge of UK higher education systems and research culture.
- Experience working in a start-up, scale-up, or fast-growing charity.
Personal Characteristics
- Highly organised, proactive, and able to prioritise effectively in a fast-paced environment.
- Excellent interpersonal skills: able to build rapport and trusting relationships, able to work co-operatively in a multidisciplinary setting.
- Strong judgement, discretion and professionalism, including ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
- A commitment to Martingale’s mission to support postgraduate students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Comfortable working in a rapidly growing and changing organisation with a degree of ambiguity – confident to create processes and ways forward where they might not yet exist.
- Creative and innovative: willing to think outside the box to maximise reach.
- Resourceful, able to act on initiative, hardworking, detail-oriented, and systematic.
Registered Charity
6 - 10
Our mission is to enable and nurture talented individuals from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to become a new generation of STEM leaders.
Thank you!
This is an exceptional opportunity at one of the world's most prestigious universities at a time of extraordinary ambition and philanthropic momentum.
Associate Director of Development – Principal Gifts
Employer: University of Oxford
Salary: £65,336 - £82,255 with scope to go beyond for a leading professional with outstanding experience and track record
Location: Oxford (Hybrid)
Here at the University of Oxford, we are recruiting three Associate Directors of Development – Principal Gifts to join our incredible team. These are new positions, part of an expansion of our friendly, collaborative and successful Principal Gifts team.
As Associate Director of Development – Principal Gifts, you will operate at the highest levels of the University to secure transformational gifts at the eight-figure-plus level, advancing Oxford’s mission and global impact. Your work will help ensure that Oxford continues to attract the brightest minds, pursue world-leading research, and address the most urgent challenges facing humanity.
You will work closely with the Vice-Chancellor, Chief Development and Alumni Engagement Officer, Director of Development – Principal Gifts, and other senior leaders to align principal gift opportunities with institutional priorities and articulate a compelling case for support to some of the world’s most significant philanthropists.
Your impact will be enduring – enabling breakthrough discoveries, expanding opportunity for students, and strengthening Oxford’s position as a global leader in education and research. The Associate Director of Development role offers the chance not only to secure transformational gifts, but also to shape the future of Oxford’s philanthropic culture and leave a legacy at an institution that has been changing the world for over nine centuries.
This is a chance to join a dedicated, professional and ambitious team at a time when Oxford’s fundraising is at unprecedented levels. With strong support from the Vice-Chancellor, a proven track record of principal gift success, and an unparalleled global reputation, you will have every opportunity to make your mark, both at Oxford and in your career.
You will be passionate about what we do here, not phased by complexity and ambiguity, and comfortable orchestrating a myriad of stakeholders. We hope to hear from you!
The University of Oxford is partnering with Erin Hall-Westfall and Joanna Logan of Constellate Global Talent on this search.
Closing date: midnight on Monday, 6 April 2026.
Interested?
Please familiarise yourself with the attached Candidate Pack.
To apply, please submit a CV and covering letter.
Diversity and Inclusivity
The University of Oxford is committed to equal opportunity, and to being a place where everyone belongs and is supported to succeed. We recognise how the diversity of our community enriches our ability to deliver on our academic mission.
We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds, including those under-represented within higher education. No applicant or members of staff shall be unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
No agencies please
If you would like to have a confidential discussion about the role, please email info (at) weareconstellate (dot) com
Please see attached candidate pack. Applications are by CV and covering letter.
Thank you!
We are seeking an exceptional leader who can act as a credible spokesperson and ambassador for the Catholic Union, building trusted relationships across the Church, parliament and wider society and helping to grow the Catholic Union’s influence and engagement in the years ahead.
Founded in 1870, the Catholic Union of Great Britain brings Catholic laity and Catholic social teaching to the public square across England, Wales and Scotland. Working in partnership with dioceses, parishes, MPs, peers and Catholic organisations, our vision is of a society in which Catholic laity are informed, equipped and encouraged to engage in public life.
Our work is shaped by three key themes: engagement, education and encouragement. Through these we foster informed participation in public debate, help Catholics and the wider public understand contemporary social and political issues through a Catholic lens, and inspire greater confidence for Catholics to contribute to civic and community life.
In recent years the Catholic Union has developed from being largely volunteer-led into a more professional and strategically focused organisation, strengthening relationships across the Church and wider society. Our Weekly Briefing, now read by around 6,500 people each week, has become a key channel for parliamentary reporting, Catholic news and reflection.
As Director, you will lead the Catholic Union at an exciting moment in its development. You will represent the Catholic Union publicly, strengthening relationships with bishops, diocesan leaders, parliamentarians and Catholic organisations. You will act as a trusted ambassador for the Union, grow our channels of influence and engagement, and work with Trustees, Council and a small experienced team to support the organisation’s continued development.
If you are inspired by the opportunity to serve as a public voice for a respected Catholic organisation and help foster thoughtful dialogue and engagement in public life, we would love to hear from you.
For more information, please see the job pack attached. Closing date 10th April.
Thank you!
The Vacancies
We are seeking to appoint one registered medical practitioner and one business registrant (Companies Committee), one lay member (Education Committee) and one optometrist (Standards Committee) to our Advisory Panel Companies Committee.
About the GOC
We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance, and conduct. For more information about us please visit our website.
About the Advisory Panel
The Advisory Panel is a meeting of the four Council’s committees (Companies, Education, Registration, and Standards) in plenary session. They are established by statute for the purpose of giving advice and assistance to Council (whether or not in response to a request from them) on:
- matters relating to business registrants other than matters required by the Opticians Act to be referred to the Investigation Committee, the Registration Appeals, Committee or the Fitness to Practise Committee;
- matters relating to optical training, education, and assessment;
- matters relating to registration, other than matters required by the Opticians Act to be considered by the Registration Appeals Committee; and
- matters relating to the standards of conduct and performance expected of registrants or those seeking admission to the register.
Time Commitment and Remuneration
This role is part time with a commitment of approximately 2-3 days per year, including time spent preparing for meetings. Meetings will usually take place via MS Teams but may on occasion be held at the GOC Offices in London or other suitable venues.
Members are paid up to £185 per meeting. This is taxable and subject to National Insurance (NI) contributions. This is in line with our member fees policy and member fee schedule.
How to apply
Please apply with the following:
- your CV outlining your employment history, any relevant voluntary work, public service, or other experience; together with any relevant professional, academic, or vocational qualifications (please keep this to two sides of A4);
- the application form (attached), stating how your experience matches the essential criteria for the vacancy you are applying for; and
- an EDI monitoring form (linked in the candidate pack)
Please email your completed application quoting reference GOC01/26 to appointment@optical. org.
We would welcome applications from individuals who are disabled and from diverse ethnic backgrounds, as these are currently under-represented on our Council and committees.
For more information about these roles please download the candidate information pack attached.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: midnight Sunday 29 March 2026.
Online interviews will be held on 14,15,18 and 19 May 2026.
If you have any questions, please email them to appointment@optical. org and we will aim to respond to you within 48 hours.
We strive to be as diverse as the public we protect and welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, and geographical locations outside of London.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.