Senior community events fundraising manager jobs

This is an exciting role leading our committed policy team leading the fight to end child poverty in the UK. The development and implementation of a UK-wide cross-government child poverty strategy means this is a great time to join CPAG as we look to influence policy makers to adopt our evidence-based policy solutions to child poverty.

We are looking for someone to take a lead role in developing evidence-based policy positions to support CPAG’s influencing and campaigns work. You will have knowledge of political processes and how external organisations can effect change. You will have a track record of producing high quality research and analysis, including policy briefings, on social policy issues. You will have experience of managing a small team and working collaboratively to identify policy issues and develop solutions with colleagues across the organisation, as well as externally.

The postholder will be working in a fast moving, high profile and complex policy environment and will need to balance short term priorities with long term objectives. Current priorities include influencing the implementation of the forthcoming child poverty strategy, gathering and sharing analysis and expertise with the DWP as part of their review of universal credit, and monitoring the development of forthcoming changes to disability benefits.

We welcome applications from individuals with the skills and experience outlined and we can be flexible about working arrangements. We operate a hybrid working system and would be happy to discuss any flexibilities required. CPAG is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion which you can read more about in the job pack.

We welcome applications on a secondment basis.

For more information about this post and to apply download the Head of Policy job pack.

If you have questions or need specific arrangements or reasonable adjustments to take part in the selection process, please contact us.

Closing date for applications: Sunday 4th January 2026 (midnight)

Interviews will take place: Tuesday 13th January 2026

This is a new role within our client following functional changes over a number of years. The Head of Supported Living is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing and developing supported living services for adults with learning disabilities within the charity including our client's Shared Lives schemes and their residential home.

The role ensures that services are person-centred, high-quality, and compliant with regulatory and organisational standards, while empowering individuals to live independently and achieve their goals.

Leading culture and change with experience, integrity, collaboration and transparency sits at the heart of the role. 

The role responsibilities will ensure that our client is able to support more people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health problems to lead healthy, active and equal lives. Their ambition is to become a leader in social and green care integration through the alignment of the personalisation agenda, technological enhancement and advancement and holistic health and wellbeing. 

To achieve this ambition, they will transform their services to ensure that they are effective, efficient and impact and outcomes focused. There will be clarity of the offer, understanding of the financial modelling in a very challenging political environment and respect of the unique culture and history of the Charity whilst innovating through the power of accessible technology.

The post will be responsible for ensuring that services are targeted at people who will gain the most benefit from the Trust’s community (campus) offer within rural and urban contexts. The role will create an “expert driven” provision which is evidence based and provides independent living and a life of opportunity through an ethos of co-production, health and wellbeing.

The role will implement agreed strategy, developing delivery plans that are executed with high quality communication and engagement ensuring that the voices of both staff, people supported and families are heard.

The role will be responsible for continuous value for money service enhancement and will deliver significant growth ensuring close and meaningful relationships with authorities, commissions and private markets resulting in increased funding and healthy waiting lists for the homes and services provided. The post will be responsible for a significant budget and will require the financial acumen to manage this effectively. 

As a direct report to a member of the Executive Management Team (EMT) the role becomes a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and will be pivotal in delivering an ambitious transformation agenda and delivering the charity’s Brilliant Future Strategy.

Location & Travel
West Midlands, Gloucestershire and Hertfordshire

The role will cover our communities at Stourbridge (West Midlands), Grange Village & Oaklands Park (Gloucestershire) and St Albans & Delrow, Watford (Hertfordshire). 

You will be based at one of the communities within the region, with regular travel between communities.

You will be required to attend quarterly leadership away days and other meetings which will require overnight stays.

Duties & Responsibilities

Leadership

• Lead, manage, inspire and develop high performing, highly respected and skilled supported living teams across three communities, supporting and line-managing direct reports to achieve agreed objectives, which will in turn support the delivery of the wider strategic objectives of the Trust.
• Foster a culture of excellence, inclusion, and respect.
• Actively contribute to the Senior Leadership Team, sharing collective responsibility for the development, delivery and evaluation of cross-departmental projects and activities.
• Implement the operational delivery plan that delivers the strategy for supported living services, aligning with the charity’s mission and values.
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation in service delivery to meet the evolving needs of service users with a particular focus on an ageing population and integration of younger people’s services.
• Monitor and respond to sector trends, legislation, and best practices to maintain a leading-edge in-service provision.
• Lead evidence based, high quality communication and engagement opportunities at community level that support the Trust to become an irresistible employer, measured through agreed annual and pulse survey results, positive feedback and clear understanding of the Trust’s direction of travel and objectives.
• Understand, contribute and support the fundraising needs of the charity to ensure added value for those that we support.
• Working with peers, people supported and practitioners; develop digital innovation and technology solutions to create a modern, flexible service and opportunities to support and evidence healthy lifestyle choices that align to the Trust’s Green Care goals.
• Support the development of a Theory of Change for Supported Living and Housing Management across the region and be responsible for implementation of agreed outcomes.
• Ensure effective recruitment, training, and professional development of staff.

Supported Living Operations

• Ensure the delivery of measurable and high performing supported living services. Manage and drive improvements in the performance and quality of all services by setting clear objectives, targets and KPIs, evidence regular monitoring and implementation of actions to address under performance.
• Ensure all supported living services meet or exceed regulatory standards (e.g. CQC or equivalent) and internal quality benchmarks.
• Develop and implement systems to measure and report on service outcomes and impact.
• Lead on contract negotiations with funding bodies and across the region to maximise income for the delivery of supported living services.
• Ensure services are co-produced and that co-production is central to the work of the supported living teams and services are delivered in line with the ‘I-statements’.
• Through the Theory of Change, develop a clear model of active support that enables independence and clarity of needs led provision.

People We Support Advocacy

• Promote a person-centred approach, ensuring that people we support have choice, control, and opportunities to achieve their Life of Opportunity aspirations.
• Establish systems for gathering and responding to feedback from those supported and their families.
• Embed the Family Charter and support a culture of transparency.
• Ensure safeguarding policies and procedures are rigorously implemented and adhered to.

Housing Management

• Ensure properties are fully let to minimise void loss to the target groups identified in the approved strategy.
• Work with colleagues in the Property and Land Services to secure alternative use for unlettable properties to maximises income aligned to agreed plans, tenure and opportunity.

Strategy Implementation, planning, budgeting, and reporting

• Contribution to and implementation of the approved strategies and tactical plans that support the delivery of a Brilliant Future (e.g. Older People, Community Development, Stakeholder Engagement) . 
• Develop and manage a significant and comprehensive operational annual budget and set of KPIs in line with income constraints and create evaluation & monitoring systems that drive value for money and agreed delivery objectives.
• Develop and manage budgets for supported living services, ensuring financial sustainability recognising that the Charity does not fundraise for statutory provision.
• Monitor and control expenditure, ensuring cost-effectiveness without compromising quality.
• Provide monthly insights, performance reports and analysis using proportionate systems appropriate to different audiences and including Executive, Board of Trustees and Trust strategic documents (such as Annual Report and Impact Reporting).
• Ensure contracts are approved and in place for the delivery of all commissioned services.
• Ensure the service procures goods and services in line with the established governance frameworks in place at the Charity.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead on the development and maintenance of purposeful operational relationships with key stakeholders within the region including funders, commissioners, health services and other partners.
• Work with stakeholders to develop and transform services to meet evolving needs of the local community.
• Support fundraising activity by providing impact reporting as required by the fundraising team and our supporters and local development of volunteering programmes that add value to the unique services of the trust.
• Build meaningful relationships with families in a way that is transparent and aligned to good practise and safeguarding/MCA principles.
• Advocate for the needs and rights of adults with learning disabilities within local and national forums.
• Represent the charity at key events, meetings, and networks.
• Identify and pursue relevant funding opportunities including grants, contracts and partnerships ensuring that key stakeholders are informed and aware of relevant opportunities.

Transformation and Change

• Contribute to, and support, the Theory of Change development of the current model for delivery of supported living 
• Lead the services across the region through transformational leadership and collaborative implementation of the new model for supported living

Governance, Regulation and EDIB

• Ensure that all supported living activities adhere to charity and housing legislation and meet contractual obligations
• Ensure supported living services comply with the regulatory requirements of the Care Quality Commission.
• Represent the charity internally and externally, including Trustee meetings, as required.
• Observe and comply with all Camphill Village Trust policies, including the key policies and procedures on Confidentiality, Data Protection, Health & Safety, Safeguarding and Information Technology Policies and Procedures.
• Own, develop and review the suite of policies and procedures and delivery frameworks for Green Care and Education and Skills.
• Ensure the development, implementation and review of risk registers and business continuity plans for communities and services in the region.
• You will champion a culture of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging ensuring all team members feel valued, respected and empowered to carry out their role successfully and support the delivery of our strategy.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Leadership in Health and Social Care level 5 or equivalent.

Desirable

• Safeguarding Adults level 5 or equivalent.
• Professional Housing Qualification level 5 or above.

Knowledge & Experience

Essential: 

• Experience of working and leading teams in not for profit and voluntary sector organisations which deliver services for adults with learning disabilities and autism.
• Can demonstrate a strong understanding of the needs and rights of adults with learning disabilities.
• Experience in coaching and mentoring for success.
• Experience in significant budget management responsibilities.
• Experience in seeking new growth opportunities that are aligned to business strategy.
• Significant experience of managing change, successful service redesign and transformation, in particular lean thinking and other typical models.
• Experience of successfully leading teams to affect and embed change through powerful communications and engagement.
• Knowledge of housing management and housing legislation.
• Experience of leading housing management services within a context of delivering supported living.
• Experience in the development and implementation of policy and procedure.
• Knowledge of Care Quality Commission regulations as they relate to supported living, residential care and shared lives.
• Experience of leading teams over a wide geographical location combining hybrid working styles.
• Know what constitutes excellent safeguarding practice.
• Track record of successful contract negotiation.
• Experience in developing and implementing systems that evidence performance, outcomes and impacts.

Desirable: 

• Experience of developing digital transformation opportunities and the implementation of innovation and digital systems.
• Experience in the development and implementation of Theory of Change methodology.

Personal Attributes

• Excellent communicator – who can communicate with a wide range of people and using a variety of methods.
• Excellent interpersonal, rapport building and active listening skills.
• Good organisational and project management skills.
• Strong leadership skills.
• Able to support and coach others.
• Good team player - able to lead teams and be part of a team.
• Be an ambassador for the Trust and represent the Trust at events and meetings.
• Ability to manage complex information and present it in a coherent manner.
• Ability to travel between communities and stay overnight as required.

Our client is an equal opportunity employer.

Our client is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all adults who use their services and as such expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to complete the relevant pre-employment checks including a DBS check

They reserve the right to close this advert early if they receive a sufficient number of applications.

Please note: this role carries a genuine occupational requirement that the postholder is Black or Minoritised Ethnic (African, Asian or Caribbean heritage). Please confirm this in writing in your application, and we will re-confirm this prior to finalising our shortlist for interview

This is a rare and exciting opportunity to join our sector-leading UK Voice and Influence Team, and work very closely with our brilliant SEEN Programme, as well as our Children's Services across the UK.

What this role will do

This role will have an important role in helping the charity deliver its strategic commitment to listening and responding to the voices and experiences of young people across the UK – and in particular the voices and experiences of Black or Minoritised Ethnic young people, who are often less-heard.

The role will promote a culture of inclusion and belonging by playing a leading role on delivering our ambition to:

build and support an engaged, diverse network of young people from across the UK who represent a broad range of identities and lived experiences, and who can speak out and work alongside Barnardo's.

Key tasks for this role

The role will:

• Lead on the recruitment, coordination and support of young people signed up to our B-Amplified Youth Network.
• Support our SEEN Young Ambassadors, and coordinate their engagement in the wider B-Amplified Network offer
• Act as a subject matter expert in voice and influence practice and anti-racism, working alongside our Children's Services as a critical friend to support the delivery of excellent and inclusive services.

More information is in the Additional Information Sheet attached to this advert.

Who we're looking for

We're looking for someone who has:

• At least five years' experience in a role working directly with children and/or young people in a health, social care, education or youth work setting – a youth and community work (or similar) qualification is desirable but not essential.
• Demonstrable knowledge experience of designing, delivering and evaluating strategic voice and influence activities with young people – particularly in online or virtual contexts.
• Knowledge and understanding of the practical application of anti-racist principles and practice.
• Experience of working across complex structures, hierarchies and partnerships, with experience of working with a range of stakeholders at different levels.
• Ability to plan, deliver and evaluate projects, collaboratively and effectively.
• Excellent collaboration, networking and partnership-working skills.

The successful candidate must also:

• Be of African, Asian, Caribbean heritage – this is a genuine occupational requirement, and an essential requirement, as noted above.
• Be able to travel across the UK on a regular basis, including overnight stays – living close to a national rail station and/or airport will be a significant benefit.
• Be able to work flexibly to accommodate direct work with young people outside of 'normal' hour (i.e. evenings and weekends) – for which TOIL can be claimed, or overtime hours in extraordinary circumstances.

Important to note:

We recognise the inherent power dynamics at play, and that the occupational requirement does not imply that the responsibility to ‘solve' the issue of diversity rests solely with a minoritised individual (or team). Instead, this role forms part of a wider, intentional commitment across the organisation to embed anti-racist and inclusive practice at every level and is why we have proposed a matrix management approach - to ensure the role is not siloed, but meaningfully supported and connected across teams.

A key focus will be to understand and address the structural and cultural barriers that children's services and internal teams may face when engaging with Black or Minoritised Ethnic young people.

When completing your application please refer to your skills knowledge and experience in relation to the Person Specification, Job Description and Additional Information document (if applicable). This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described

Chief Campaigns and Creative Officer (£25,000)

Central London | 32 Hours Per Week | Reports to Executive Director

Why this role exists

The Trans Legal Clinic turns frontline legal work into change people can feel. We need a senior creative lead to set the look, sound and pace of our public work, run audience-led campaigns and make complex issues clear and actionable.

What you will lead

· Creative direction: Own visual identity, tone of voice and message architecture across print, digital and events.

· Campaigns that move people: Plan and deliver campaigns across our pillars: client rights, systems change, fundraising and recruitment. Turn data and casework insights into creative that lands.

· Social media and content: Own the calendar. Ship platform-specific posts, threads, carousels, short video and email. Moderate comments with care for community safety.

· Rapid response: Prepare toolkits and holding lines for breaking stories. Coordinate with legal and policy colleagues.

· Production: Brief, storyboard, shoot or commission. Edit to deadline. Manage freelancers and suppliers. Keep files, rights and releases in order.

· Accessibility and inclusion: Bake accessibility into everything: captions, alt text, readable layouts and plain language.

· Measurement and learning: Set goals, define KPIs, track performance and share honest learnings. Improve what works, stop what does not.

· Internal enablement: Build a tidy brand kit, templates and guidance so the team can self-serve without diluting quality. Train staff and volunteers.

· Workflow: Keep projects moving with clear briefs, timelines and approvals.

You’ll thrive here if you show

· Entrepreneurial drive: you turn strategy into finished creative and campaigns.

· Ownership and follow-through: you run work end to end and land it.

· Bold, informed judgement: you try new formats and back choices with evidence.

· Clear communication: you write clean copy and match tone to audience.

· Inclusive practice: you build accessibility and safety into content as standard.

· Planning under pressure: you manage live moments without losing quality.

· Team-building and collaboration: you lead creatives and volunteers well.

· Constant learning: you test, measure and iterate.

What you will bring

· A strong portfolio showing strategy-led creative across static, motion and copy.

· Confident in canva or similar. Comfortable with short-form video editing and basic motion.

· Platform literacy across Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube. Working knowledge of analytics and paid promotion.

· Clear writing and an ear for tone.

· Calm leadership and useable feedback.

· Sound judgement on reputation, privacy, GDPR and consent.

· Commitment to trans-led practice and the communities we serve.

Helpful extras

• not-for-profit experience
• Familiarity with gender recognition, healthcare advocacy, discrimination, housing and employment
• Basic SEO and email automation.

Practicalities

· Hours: 32 Hours per week

· Location: Central London

· Salary: £25,000.

What We Look For

The Co-founders Mindset

At the Trans Legal Clinic we are building a Trans+ rights revolution; our mission is Trans Liberation. That means access to justice for Trans & Non-binary people everywhere. We deliver work that changes outcomes for people, case by case and system by system. That calls for a particular mindset. We call it the co-founder mindset. Co-founders take the mission personally, set the pace, turn ideas into working services and campaigns, bring others with them, and make change you can point to. Co-founders are entrepreneurial: they spot openings others miss, move decisively, and create momentum. Co-founders build teams, drawing in volunteers who believe in our mission, care deeply about our clients, enjoy working with us, and keep one another going. Co-founders are bold: they are willing to innovate, to be first, and to change the status quo; they check the source, avoid assumptions, solve problems, make firm, collaborative, evidence-based decisions, and take responsibility for results. Co-founders are pioneers. If you want responsibility, pace, and the chance to trailblazer new routes to justice and public impact, this is the place to build your career.

We select candidates based on their performance in 8 areas;

1. Ownership and follow-through

You are a self-starter who owns tasks and takes responsibility without waiting to be asked. You carry your work through to a tangible result. You define the problem, set a course, keep the right people informed, and deliver what you said you would.

2. Bold, informed judgement

You are willing to change accepted practice when the evidence supports it. You check primary sources rather than rely on assumptions, weigh real options and risks, make a clear, evidence-based, collaborative decision, and stand behind it.

3. Entrepreneurial drive

You spot openings other people miss and turn ideas into useful services, processes or campaigns. You move decisively and get others working on the plan alongside you with clear roles and timelines.

4. Planning under pressure

You keep priorities straight when time is tight. You organise people and tasks, set simple checkpoints, communicate early when plans shift and always deliver.

5. Inclusive practice

You strive to make everything you create accessible to others, designing work that is easier for others to take part in, with people who face barriers always in mind. You identify what is getting in the way, make practical changes that remove those barriers, and check the effect with the people involved.

6. Clear communication

You write and speak in plain terms and adjust tone and detail to suit clients, volunteers, partners and the public. You choose the right format for the moment and make it easy for people to act on what you say. You like feedback, don’t get offended and see it as a chance to improve.

7. Team-building and collaboration

You bring people with you and help groups perform well together. You draw in volunteers who believe in the mission and care about our clients, set shared expectations, handle disagreements well, and leave relationships stronger.

8. Constant learning

You improve your own practice and the system around you. You reflect honestly on what worked and what did not, learn quickly, and turn that learning into simple tools or habits that make future work better.

These eight criteria are what we look for. Use them to decide whether this is the right place for you and to shape the examples you share in your application.

Location: Onsite at 47 Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AJ (Thursday & Friday), and online (majority of Mondays)

Reports to: Luminary Senior Programme Manager

Hours: 20 hours per week- Monday (1pm-5pm), Thursday (9am-5pm) and Friday (9am-5pm) with 30-minute paid lunch. There will be occasions where evenings or weekends are required, but these are not often

Contract: Permanent. Term-time only contract (working 39 weeks per year)

Who we are
We are a women-led charity offering a bold, innovative response to the needs of women in London who face multiple disadvantage, including gender-based violence. We use baking as a tool to guide women on a journey towards empowerment, employability and independence.

Who we are looking for

***The training and supervision elements of this role include a Genuine Occupational Requirement that the post holder is female, as permitted under Schedule 9, Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010. This requirement reflects the needs of the women we serve, many of whom are survivors of gender-based violence and disadvantage.

We’re looking for a professional baker with experience teaching cake, bread, and pastry classes to join our team. The role will involve teaching two cohorts of 7 trainees each week, facilitating their learning in baking, food hygiene standards, and professionalism for the working world as part of Luminary’s Employability and Independence Programme.

The programme sets high standards of professionalism and expectation alongside holistic support in a trauma-informed environment. It is essential that you are personable, approachable and able to adapt your teaching style to each individual's needs. We are looking for someone who shares our vision of supporting women, and experience working with this demographic is helpful.

Key Job Responsibilities:

Teaching

● Teaching the baking and food hygiene elements of the Luminary training curriculum to a high standard
● Taking responsibility for trainee learning and skill development – in collaboration with the Training Coordinator and Teaching Assistant
● Managing expectations, behaviour and dynamics of the training cohort in a trauma- informed way.
● Maintaining a professional & focused learning environment at all times, with an end goal of employability
● Facilitating community amongst women on the programme, investing in each woman as a whole individual and supporting them to build confidence
● Running interventions for women who are struggling in the group or with the learning
● Tracking & documenting trainee progress in order to evaluate services and support fundraising proposals
● Delegating appropriate jobs to the Teaching Assistant and upskilling them to cover teaching sessions when needed 
● Responsible for facilitating the learning of Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene course and supporting trainees to complete their online qualification

● Keeping the training kitchen clean to a professional standard and having high
expectations of cleanliness and food hygiene practices from the trainees to prepare
them for a real working environment
● Ensuring a trauma-informed approach to training and championing our trainees at all times.

Programme and Training Management
● Liaising with the second Baking Teacher to coordinate and arrange external masterclass teachers and extra curricular opportunities
● Coordinating with the second Baking Teacher to ensure that all baking ingredients, lunch and equipment are ordered for the week according to the set budget
● Ensuring all recipes are documented according to set guidelines
● Responsible for ensuring Health & Safety standards are followed at all times within the training kitchen
● Following & implementing Luminary Safeguarding Procedures
● Working closely with the Training and Progression Support Team to ensure targets are met, and implementing reflective practice to ensure trainees are receiving the best support and opportunities possible

Other
● Taking part in the appropriate training for the role as suggested by your line manager
● Supporting with coordinating Bake Along sessions for corporate and private clients to raise money for Luminary Ltd
● Support with graduation events (one evening once or twice per year)
● Fulfilling any appropriate roles assigned by your line manager, for example: assisting with trainee recruitment, monitoring and evaluation, and speaking publicly to raise awareness and secure funding.

Job Requirements and Abilities
Necessary:
● Highly skilled professional baker competent in bread, pastry and cakes
● Skilled and experienced in teaching others how to bake in a group setting
● Confident in managing a classroom setting and skilled at managing complex interpersonal dynamics whilst championing the principles of trauma-informed practice
● Copes well in a fast-paced environment with the ability to adapt well to changing priorities

● Excellent communication skills, both written and spoken
● Personable and patient
● Motivated and proactive with the ability to multitask and manage competing demands
● A champion of Luminary’s organisational values of hope, empowerment, collaboration and empathy, with the ability to embody these in the learning environment
● Supportive of the Luminary Faith Policy, championing the role that faith can play in women’s recovery
● It is a requirement of this job role that the applicant is female under the Equality Act 2010.
● Confident in using IT systems, including Google Suite, Slack, Airtable

Desirable:
● Educated to Patisserie Level 3 or higher
● Adult teaching qualification (College or Further Education)
● Experience in a charity or social enterprise
● Experienced in working with women and/or girls from disadvantaged backgrounds
● Experience of facilitating learning for those with additional learning needs or ESOL

Chief Executive Officer

Salary: £49, 282 - £54,495 per annum

Location: Gorse Hill Studios, Trafford, Manchester (Some remote working will be considered)

Contract Type: Full time, permanent

About Gorse Hill Studios

Gorse Hill Studios is a dynamic and ambitious youth and community arts charity. At the heart of our organisation is a belief that all young people deserve to feel valued, supported and inspired. We work with young people to build confidence, creativity and community connections, ensuring they have the opportunities and encouragement they need to thrive.

We believe that creativity can transform lives, and we are committed to placing young people at the centre of everything we do. Their voices, ideas and experiences help shape our programmes, partnerships and strategic direction.

We are entering an exciting phase of growth and development. Our team currently includes 20 core staff and a wider network of volunteers and creative practitioners, delivering a diverse portfolio of youth arts sessions, community engagement projects, creative wellbeing initiatives and partnership-led activity with local schools and organisations. The CEO will play a pivotal role in leading this portfolio, strengthening our impact, championing youth voice and ensuring young people continue to shape our future direction as we move into the next chapter of our development.

About the Role

As CEO, you will provide strategic, compassionate and visionary leadership, ensuring Gorse Hill Studios delivers its mission to empower and inspire young people. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, you will hold overall responsibility for the organisation’s performance, culture, operations and long-term sustainability. This role calls for someone who demonstrates strong strategic insight with the ability to influence and inspire others, using emotional intelligence and collaborative leadership to build positive internal and external relationships.

A fundamental part of this role is your commitment to embedding young people’s voice in decision making. You will champion their perspectives, ensuring programme development, strategy and organisational culture reflect the needs and aspirations of the young people we serve.

You will also be an ambassador for the charity, building trusted relationships with young people, partners, funders and the wider community. This role requires a leader who is values led, resilient and passionate about supporting young people through the arts and creative engagement.

Roles and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Governance

• Lead on the development and delivery of the charity’s long-term strategy, with young people meaningfully involved
• Ensure compliance with all statutory, regulatory and governance requirements, including Charity Commission expectations and safeguarding duties
• Provide clear, timely reporting to the Board
• Support the Board to operate effectively

Financial Management and Income Generation

• Oversee budgeting, financial planning and responsible management of all funds
• Lead a diverse income generation strategy
• Identify sustainable opportunities for organisational growth

Operational Management and Programme Delivery

• Oversee day to day operations and ensure systems are effective
• Ensure programmes are high quality, inclusive and reflective of young people’s needs and feedback
• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, or ensure robust safeguarding practices across the organisation

People Leadership and Culture

• Inspire, support and lead a dedicated staff and volunteer team
• Champion a positive, inclusive and collaborative working culture
• Oversee recruitment, wellbeing and performance management

External Relations and Advocacy

• Act as the primary spokesperson and ambassador for Gorse Hill Studios
• Build strong relationships with partners, funders and stakeholders
• Advocate for and with young people locally and nationally
• Represent the charity confidently at events and in the media

Skills and Experience

Essential:

• Senior leadership experience in the charity, youth, arts or wider non-profit sector
• Strong financial management skills
• Proven success in fundraising or income generation
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement
• Knowledge of safeguarding practices in youth settings
• Experience leading teams and developing positive organisational cultures
• Strategic leadership experience

Desirable

• Experience in the youth arts or creative community sector
• Understanding of the Trafford community landscape

Values and Commitment

We are committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from individuals who share these values and are passionate about empowering young people.

An enhanced DBS check will be required.

Application Details

To apply, please submit your CV and covering letter.

Closing date: 19 January

Interview date: 23 January at Gorse Hill Studios

Interviews will include a stakeholder panel and a formal interview.

REF-225 658

Purpose of the job

This role is responsible for the design of UK Youth’s support to young people, youth organisations and youth workers. This could include structured youth work programmes, funding and grants+ programmes, professional development programmes, and campaigns.

You will lead and oversee end-to-end design processes, ensuring that UK Youth develops fully packaged offers that respond to the evidence base and people’s needs, drive forward our strategy and achieve incredible impact. You will work across UK Youth teams, with external design partners, and meaningfully involving young people and the professionals who support them in the design process.

You will be experienced in developing high quality funding propositions (proactively and in response to new business opportunities). You will be confident in taking a human-centred design approach to tackle some of the youth sector’s knottiest problems.  You will design solutions to important problems, ensuring that they are feasible, equitable, impactful and scalable.

In 2026, our priority topics for youth work programmes and network development are: mental health and wellbeing, employability, social cohesion and community safety.

 As a leader, you will work closely with research, evaluation, policy, service delivery, network development, and fundraising teams. You will help to improve the skills and confidence of colleagues across UK Youth to apply design methods in their own work and collaborate effectively with the Design team.

Why work at UK Youth?

UK Youth wants all young people to be equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. Youth work can be life changing (and even life saving.) In 2026, we will be launching our new strategy, positioning UK Youth to unlock youth work so that every young person in the UK can benefit. We work with others to ensure that the youth sector is strengthened and that provision is youth-led, evidence-informed, and delivers high-quality outcomes.

 UK Youth plays a unique role in addressing the lack of investment in the youth sector, the lack of cross-sector understanding in how youth work makes a difference, and the limited opportunities to embed effective solutions. These factors lead to mass inequality of access to youth services for young people. Come and be part of this change in a driven and supportive team that puts evidence at the heart of our work.

Role Responsibilities

• Designing Solutions

• Developing new business and funding propositions

• Embedding Human Centred Design

• Building a strong external network to support the Design team’s work

• Operations

Experience we're after

• Significant experience of leading and overseeing the development of new business propositions and proposals to time-limited funding opportunities

• Significant experience of designing interventions (digital and/or physical) for young people and/or those who support them 

• Experience using human-centred-design methods and mindsets; managing projects across the end-to-end design process

• Proven track record of inspiring and motivating diverse teams and improving collaborative ways of working across teams and departments

• Experience of developing high quality programme content and curricula for young people, youth workers and/or outdoor learning instructors (desirable)

• Experience of commissioning and managing external design freelancers and consultants (desirable)

• Experience of designing and/or delivering professional development programmes (desirable)

What we can offer you

We offer a competitive range of benefits, good work/life balance, excellent learning and development opportunities and vibrant organisational culture:

• Flexible/Agile Working

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time employees)

• Funded training provided in; Safeguarding, GDPR, Information and Cyber Security & Equality & Diversity

• Other training available in support of your personal and professional development

• Pension scheme (currently UK Youth match employee contributions up to 5%)

• Membership of our life insurance scheme which would pay-out up to 4 times your salary

• Employee Assistance Programme to support employees both professionally and personally

• 20% discount off bookings at Avon Tyrrell, our New Forest Outdoor Centre, including camping, lodges and outdoor activities.

• IT equipment provided for the duration of contract

• CycleScheme and TechScheme

How to apply

If you would like to be considered for this fantastic opportunity, please complete an application via our completely anonymised recruitment system provided by Applied which looks to create a fair and unbiased application process for all. Scroll to the top of the page and start your application.

Closing date: Sunday 4th January 2026 at 23:59pm

Provisional Interview Dates: 12th and 13th January 2026

As this role involves working in a regulated environment with young people, any offer will be conditional to satisfactory background checks, which include criminal record check and employment reference.