Senior development jobs

Partnership Experience Manager (Maternity Cover)

Salary: £38,814 - £44,581 pro-rata (depending on experience and FTE)

Contract: 12 months fixed-term contract (Maternity Cover- might be potentially extended)

Start Date: Date to be agreed (potentially August)

Location: This is currently a blended-working role with two in-office days (Tuesday-Thursday) during term time and the flexibility to work from home during school holidays. Occasional travel to schools and events will be required. 

We will consider reduced office days for a successful candidate based in one of our target regions across the North and Midlands. If this might be relevant for you we are happy to explore in a conversation with you before or during the recruitment process. 

We are currently based at Resource for London near Holloway Road station, however, our office will be moving to another location in London in the coming months. 

Working Pattern: 37.5 hours per week. Our core hours are 09:30 - 16:00 from Monday to Friday. This role can be either full-time or part-time (0.8 FTE minimum) and we are open to flexible working requests. 

Benefits of working for Challenge Partners

• Work-life balance

• Annual leave

• Employer pension contributions

• Health and wellbeing support

• Training and development

• Family-friendly policies

• Connection and celebration

About the role

You will play a key role in driving the continuous improvement and growth of our national partnership through deepening the quality and impact of our local collaboration hubs. You will also oversee the day-to-day running of hubs of our schools and trusts, which includes holding responsibility for the operations of the Partnerships Team and working closely with the Partnership Lead to ensure that all hubs, schools and trusts have an excellent experience with Challenge Partners. 

You will also oversee the implementation of the organisation’s Account Management strategy, working closely with members of the Leadership Team  to implement our strategy for effective partnership experience (our term for account management and customer service) for our partner schools and trusts. This includes holding some key strategic relationships, representing the organisation at external meetings and overseeing partner experience operations.

Key Responsibilities

The Partnership Experience Manager will have the following key areas of responsibility and will be expected to undertake other responsibilities commensurate with the role as requested:

Strategic Leadership and Management  - Hub Quality and Impact

• Develop and lead our strategy to improve the quality and impact of Challenge Partners’ Hubs, continuing to develop high performing hubs and supporting rapid improvement in new and emerging hubs

• Deliver, grow and evaluate the impact of our hub-led programmes: Middle Leaders’ Quality Assurance Review and Leadership Residency Programme

• Oversee the continuous improvement of national Knowledge Exchange and Areas of Excellence

• Lead a Hub Quality and Impact team, including all central team hub owners and executive hub links, through providing clarity on the Hub Quality and Impact strategy and operations.

Strategic Leadership and Management - Partnership Experience and Communications

• Develop and lead the implementation of our Account Management strategy ensuring that accounts are given the attention needed to ensure a smooth experience and high satisfaction rates

• Oversee Customer Care processes across the organisation, guaranteeing that any issues are resolved in a professional and timely manner 

• Oversee whole partnership communications, including half termly partnership newsletters

• Develop and maintain effective stakeholder relationships (Senior Partners, Hub Managers, trust CEOs) with your allocated key accounts to ensure that regular dialogue with them informs the strategy and continuous improvement in our support of hub quality and partner experience

• Act as an ambassador for Challenge Partners, representing the organisation externally where required

• Lead an Account Management approach through providing clarity on the account management strategy and operations.

Oversight of partner experience and hub management operations 

• Line management of the Partnership Lead and one or two Partnership Co-ordinators

• Team leadership of the Hub Quality and Impact and Account Management teams, delegating tasks appropriately 

• Work closely with the Partnership Lead to ensure the smooth day-to-day running of all hubs 

• Act as a point of escalation for any issues across hubs

• Identify hubs at risk, and lead on creating sustainable solutions with team members

• Work closely with the Finance Team to facilitate our invoicing processes for each academic year 

• Oversee hub funding processes across all hubs, proactively considering any changes needed in line with Hub Quality work

• Oversee Pricing Governance processes

Leadership Responsibilities for all Managers

• Foster a collaborative, high-performance team culture.

• Provide coaching and mentorship to develop team members’ potential.

• Drive innovation and professional development, aligning with Challenge Partners’ vision and growth strategy.

• Collaborate with Managers across teams to align efforts, ensuring a seamless experience for our school and trust partners.

• Contribute to organisational strategy, future planning, and priorities as part of the middle leadership team.

General Responsibilities

• Champion Challenge Partners’ vision, values, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• Take ownership of personal development and actively contribute to team learning.

• Work flexibly, undertaking additional duties as required.

• Maintain high standards of health, safety, and welfare for yourself and others.

• Attend events and external meetings, which may require travel and occasional overnight stays.

Person Specification

• Strong commitment to Challenge Partners vision and mission.

• Proven track record in strategic leadership and managing key external relationships.

• Knowledge and experience of the education sector.

• Excellent interpersonal skills used to build positive relationships with diverse stakeholders.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Experience in leading teams and developing others (formal line management experience is not required if transferable people management skills can be demonstrated).

• Proactive in improving processes, identifying risks and solving problems.

• Exceptional organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise and adapt to changing needs

How to apply

Please submit your application on Applied by 10am on Monday 19th May 2025. You will be asked to upload your CV and answer five competency and scenario-based application questions.

• First round of interviews (remote)- wlc 26th May 2025 (Specific dates TBC)

• Second round of interviews (face-to-face)- wlc 2nd June 2025 (Specific dates TBC)

A note on AI 

At Challenge Partners, we are committed to a fair and inclusive recruitment process. We don’t use Artificial Intelligence (AI) for recruitment - applications are reviewed by members of the team and we use blind shortlisting to mitigate potential bias and ensure all candidates are considered on merit.

Whilst we recognise that AI can be a useful tool for tasks like proofreading, we encourage you to share genuine examples from your own experience so we can better understand your unique skills and perspective. Authenticity is important to us and we want to hear your voice throughout the application process.

DEI Statement

Challenge Partners is committed to further enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion within our team and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, gender, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age. 

Safeguarding Statement

Challenge Partners is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, beneficiaries and staff. We expect all employees, consultants and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment or contracts with us are subject to a satisfactory DBS check and references. 

No agencies please.

SEND Lecturer (1020)

Are you passionate about building meaningful relationships with autistic young people? Do you have the skills to inspire and support learners through challenges?
St John's College is seeking a dedicated and dynamic Lecturer to join our team and help our learners thrive.

Key Responsibilities

Build Strong Relationships
Foster meaningful connections with learners, focusing on their individual needs and challenges. Reflect and adapt your approach to ensure all students feel valued and understood.

Facilitate Challenging Conversations
Engage with students through tough conversations, maintaining respect and a positive relationship, ensuring their voice is heard.

Community Building
Advocate for mental health and prioritise building a supportive, inclusive community that encourages growth, emotional well-being, and mutual respect.

Goal-Oriented Approach
Work closely with learners to identify their personal and educational goals, creating tailored plans and providing the necessary guidance and support.

Staff Leadership

Lead by Example
Guide and inspire staff to effectively support learners, especially when addressing mental health challenges, ensuring the team is aligned and motivated.

Strong Management Skills
Oversee and direct staff to deliver the best outcomes for learners, creating a team environment that fosters growth and development.

Organisational Expertise

Highly Organised
Manage individualised schedules for learners with exceptional attention to detail, while ensuring all safeguarding and reporting responsibilities are met with urgency.

Collaborative Partnerships
Work with stakeholders (including OT, SaLT, and work experience partners) to address the diverse needs of learners, ensuring smooth transitions and full support.

Forward-Thinking and Flexible

Adaptability
Demonstrate a flexible approach to lesson planning, individualised targets, and learner schedules. Regularly assess what's working and adjust strategies accordingly.

Innovative Solutions
Think creatively to motivate and engage learners, ensuring their progress aligns with their long-term goals and aspirations.

Preparing for Life After College
Focus on preparing learners for the next steps in their journey, whether it be further education, employment, or transitioning back to their homes and communities.

At St John's College, we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where every learner is empowered to reach their full potential. If you are a compassionate, innovative, and organised individual with a passion for working with young people, we want to hear from you.

Apply Now

Join us in shaping the future of our learners. Help them build strong relationships, overcome challenges, and achieve their aspirations.

Closing date for applications: Wednesday 14th May 2025
Candidates informed of outcome: Thursday 15th May 2025
Interview date (via Microsoft Teams): Friday 16th May 2025

Ambitious about Autism is committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion at every level of our organisation. We warmly welcome applications from all qualified candidates, valuing the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives they bring. We encourage applications from individuals regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or parental status, disability, or age.

Our recruitment process promotes equal opportunities, and we are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities or additional needs throughout the recruitment process. Please contact our Recruitment Team for accommodations. We recognise disability as a physical or mental impairment that significantly and long-term affects a person's ability to perform day-to-day activities, as defined by the UK Equality Act 2010. All applications will be considered solely on merit, aligned with our mission to support autistic children and young people.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. As part of our Safer Recruitment checks, an online search maybe carried out in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

The Safeguarding responsibilities of the post as per the job description and personal specification.
Whether the post is exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendment to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2021. This means that when applying for certain jobs and activities certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS Filter Guidance.

Documents

• SJC - Lecturer - JD - 2025.pdf (374.12 KB)

The Countess of Brecknock Hospice provides expert, compassionate palliative care to people with life-limiting illnesses in Andover and the surrounding areas. Care is delivered both within the hospice’s beautiful new premises and out in the local community — and made possible by the generosity of local people and the work of our dedicated charity team.

The Countess of Brecknock Hospice Charity is now seeking an experienced and inspirational Deputy Charity Director & Fundraiser to help shape and grow our future. This is a pivotal new role, created at an exciting moment of expansion, and offers the opportunity to significantly increase our fundraising capacity, strengthen our impact and deepen our reach across the community.

If you are a strategic, hands-on fundraising leader with a strong track record of income growth across a variety of streams, we would love to hear from you. You will bring fresh thinking and proven experience in engaging individual supporters, trusts, corporates and the wider community — along with the drive and resilience to grow income from £800k to over £1m in the next few years.

This is a varied, rewarding role in a small, passionate team, where your ideas will be welcomed, and your impact will be clear.

Role: Deputy Charity Director & Fundraiser
Location: Offices based at the Countess of Brecknock Hospice in Andover, with some flexibility for hybrid working
Salary: circa £50,000 per annum depending on experience
Contract: Full-time, permanent (35 hours per week)

Amongst other criteria, the successful candidate will have:

• A proven track record of successful income generation across multiple fundraising streams, ideally including major donors, events, trusts and foundations, legacies, corporate partnerships and community fundraising.
• A proactive and strategic mindset, with the ability to spot opportunities, shape compelling cases for support, and deliver results.
• The confidence to operate at a senior level and deputise for the Charity Director when needed.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to build meaningful, lasting relationships with supporters, donors and volunteers.
• A deep connection to the mission of hospice care, and a commitment to our values of compassion, dignity and respect.

If you would like to receive a full candidate information pack for this role with details on how to apply, please contact Faye Marshall at Harris Hill via the apply button.Tthe Information Pack can also be found as an attachment to this advert.

Closing date for applications: 9am, Tuesday 27th May 2025

Interview Date (in person): Tuesday 3rd June 2025

Harris Hill is a certified B Corp™ and a leading charity recruitment agency, committed to equitable and inclusive recruitment practices. Applications from all sections of the community are actively welcomed, regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality or other protected characteristics.

We are looking for an exceptional Grants Commissioning Manager (Scotland), with a focus on Faslane. This is a senior management role working as part of the Grants team within the RNRMC at a time when the Charity’s strategy has a real focus on beneficiary need and impact, managing RNRMC commissioned grants in Scotland, ensuring that the funds are awarded in accordance with the Charities Values and Outcomes Framework.    

The role will work strategically with The Director of Relationships and Funding to support and deliver the charities funding plans for Scotland and support the Head of Commissioned Grants with all elements of the commissioning cycle including understanding need, designing projects, performance management of delivery and reporting of impact.  Working with internal and external stakeholders, the role will involve the oversight and good governance of grants programmes to ensure quality, evidenced outputs, and value for money of projects.      

In addition, you will lead and manage the Grants Administrator (Scotland, taking responsibility for actively and proactively supporting them to achieve in their post.   

About the RNRMC 

RNRMC is the Navy’s principal charity which exists to support every sailor, marine and their families, for life. We do this by offering grants to and working with, other organisations to deliver programmes that meet the needs of our beneficiaries. We work hard, engaging with supporters to help raise awareness and funds to deliver the outcomes required for today and tomorrow.  

Experience and Background 

You will have previous skills and experience in working with a wide range of stakeholders across the statutory and third sector and possess the ability to inspire confidence, provide credible leadership, build and maintain relationships plus motivate and drive towards delivery of change at pace.  In addition, you will have excellent interpersonal skills, be diplomatic and approachable with a strong ability to communicate verbally and in writing.     

You will be a confident manager able to adapt to a changing environment with strong problem-solving skills and excellent judgement alongside a meticulous, accurate and disciplined approach to work. You will also possess good organisational skills and be able to prioritise a varied and busy workload and deliver to deadlines.  You will be self-motivated and enthusiastic, be able to think strategically to resolve problems and make recommendations and present options for approval.  

Please see the job description for full details on the duties and responsibilities. 

Benefits 

30 days holiday plus Bank Holidays 

Hybrid working – 60% in office and 40% home working 

Employee Assistance Programme to give you confidential support 24 hours a day 

Life Assurance (after one year’s qualifying service)  

Private Healthcare Scheme (after one year’s qualifying period)  

A generous non-contributory Pension Scheme (7% contribution after 3 months qualifying period)  

Enhanced Maternity Leave Package (after 2 year’s qualifying period) 

Hours of Work 

Hours of work are 35 hours per week, 09:00 – 17:00 Monday to Friday. 

We have a friendly, supportive, and inclusive environment with a hybrid working approach of 60% in office and 40% home-working. 

Salary  

The salary range for the post is between £ 43,500 to £ 51,100 per annum, according to skills and experience. 

Pre-appointment Checks 

The successful candidate will be asked to provide evidence they are eligible to work in the UK and undergo a Disclosure Check and additional security checks as required. 

Are you an experienced and inspirational manager ready to lead a team supporting young people facing challenging life circumstances?

At Peabody, we’re committed to helping people flourish. We provide specialist housing and support for those who’ve experienced trauma, homelessness, or other complex life situations. Right now, we’re looking for a Team Manager to lead from the front — someone who can nurture and develop a team of Housing Support Workers and ensure we deliver high-quality, person-centred services every day.

What you’ll be doing
You’ll be the kind of manager who rolls up their sleeves to inspire, guide, and support — but knows your role is to lead, not just “do.” You’ll:

• Provide strong leadership, with regular supervisions, team meetings, coaching and ongoing development.
• Oversee the day-to-day running of the service, ensuring staff have the tools and support to succeed.
• Take the lead on high-risk or complex cases, modelling good practice and championing safeguarding.
• Build strong partnerships with statutory and community services, acting as a key contact for external stakeholders.
• Ensure quality standards, support plans, risk assessments, and records are consistently up to scratch.
• Manage budgets, reporting, and service performance — keeping things running smoothly, transparently, and compliantly.

What we’re looking for

• Experience in the care and support sector, ideally with vulnerable young people or those facing homelessness.
• A proven track record of line managing and motivating staff, bringing the best out of your team with compassion and clarity.
• Strong knowledge of statutory and community-based services and how to connect people with the support they need.
• Confidence in assessing and managing risk in a sensitive, strengths-based way.
• Fantastic people skills, great time management, and the ability to keep calm and focused under pressure.

This role will suit someone who has worked as a senior support worker or team manager, is ready to take the next step, and believes in doing the right thing – always.

Why join us?
We live by our values – Be kind. Do the right thing. Celebrate diversity. Love new ideas. Pull together. Keep our promises. If those resonate with you, you’ll fit right in.

You’ll have the chance to shape and lead a passionate team and make a real difference in young people’s lives. We also offer excellent training, development opportunities, and the chance to be part of a supportive organisation that puts people first.

We also offer:

• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Flexible benefits package (healthcare, dental, discounts).
• 4x Life Assurance.
• Professional development opportunities (apprenticeships & qualifications).
• Two additional paid volunteering days.
• Family-friendly policies & up to 10% pension contribution (matched 1:1).

Closing date: 10th May 2025.

PLEASE NOTE: As an employer, Peabody does not provide sponsorship as a licenced UK employer

The Forest of Avon is one of England’s Community Forests and a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. The Forest of Avon was established in 1992 as one of the first England’s Community Forests and became a charity in 2008. The Forest of Avon hosts several programmes including the multi-million pound Trees for Climate and the Western Forest, delivering woodland creation and restoration across the region as well as our expert-led Nature and Health work. The charity has a growing team and an actively engaged Board of Trustees.

The Head of Finance (HoF) is responsible for overseeing all financial operations of the Forest of Avon Trust which now includes Western Forest, England’s first new national forest in 30 years covering Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and the West of England (including North Somerset).

Our new HoF will manage the charity’s financial systems, preparing accounts, supporting audits, reporting to the Board of Trustees and overseeing and reporting on the financial elements of key programmes such as the Trees for Climate grant scheme and the Western Forest. The HoF also works closely with the team and external stakeholders to expand the charity’s financial capacity, ensuring transparency and effectiveness in all financial activities.

Role Description

Post: Head of Finance, Forest of Avon (including Western Forest)
Salary: £46,305-51,146, with annual pay review  
Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week, flexible work hours

Line manager: CEO, Forest of Avon / reporting to Finance Sub-Group of Board.

Contract: Permanent

(Forest of Avon are also open to considering an Interim contract whilst recruitment for a permanent role is underway – please contact Solutions for HR as soon as possible)
Location: Central Bristol. Mainly office based with the option for some home working, as agreed.

Benefits include: Staff pension, Employee Assistance package, 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, volunteering days and staff training and social events.

Some key duties of the role include (but are not limited to):

• Prepare the annual accounts and financial statements in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Work with the charity’s auditors to ensure the successful completion of the annual audit process.
• Provide monthly and quarterly financial reporting, including budget setting, forecasts, and projections to ensure the Trust’s financial health is consistently monitored, including projects such as Trees for Climate and Western Forest.
• Present financial reports to the Board of Trustees and Western Forest Boards, providing insight and recommendations on financial strategies and growth opportunities. 
• Ensure accurate recording of grant agreements, claims processing, and reconciliation of funds in line with grant terms.
• Oversee end-of-year financial reconciliation and reporting for all funding programmes, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and financial policies.
• Provide financial input and support for the management of restricted funds, ensuring all are appropriately allocated and tracked.

The successful candidate will have/be:

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent) with extensive experience in financial management within a charity or non-profit sector.
• Strong experience in preparing accounts, managing audits, and financial reporting.
• Experience with grant management, including financial administration, claims processing, and reporting in relation to large-scale funding programmes.
• Strong financial analysis and reporting skills, with the ability to interpret complex financial data and provide clear insights to the Board and other stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and advise both internal teams and external partners on financial matters.
• Strong organisational skills, with an ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Proficient in financial software and IT systems, including bookkeeping and accounting platforms.

Forest of Avon are an equal opportunity employer and applications will be considered without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, veteran status or age. The Forest of Avon is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable people and expects all members of staff to share this commitment. We seek to challenge the status quo with the power of diversity, inclusion, and collaboration. We encourage different perspectives and seek to support our team and partners to share and implement new ideas, to continue improving and to realise our full potential. 

To apply for this role please submit your CV detailing your relevant experience together with a covering letter (cover letter to be no more than 2 A4 pages) to the recruitment team.

The closing date for this role is 5pm on Monday 2nd June 2025. Interviews are likely to be held w/c 9th June 2025.

Role:  Direct Marketing Executive (acquisition)

Salary: £29,697 - £32,683 (England) £33,533 - £36,767 (including London weighting)

Closing date:04/06/2025

Hybrid/Working from home, with London based candidates expected to work in the London office 8 days a month

Note: The position is also available for an immediate start 

Our offer to you

We pride ourselves in being a great place to work, providing a supportive culture with opportunities to grow and develop your career, achieve a healthy work life balance and to be recognised for the great work you do. You will receive:

• Competitive salary and pension scheme
• 33 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays) - increasing to 38 days over 5 years
• Hybrid, Flexible working
• Cycle to work scheme Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Health and Wellbeing portal – access to financial, health and wellbeing support and an Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounts – you will have access to Blue Light and NHS Discounts as well as discounts on mobile phones, gym membership, cinema tickets, restaurants, holidays and shopping

About Us

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a team of over 1,416 employees and over 31,000 volunteers, united by our goal of saving lives through essential first aid services, training and campaigning.  As a charity with rich heritage and a long history of serving humanity, we are proud of our past and excited about creating a healthier, safer, more resilient future. 

St John Ambulance works at the heart of communities, supporting and enabling them to access and receive physical and mental health first aid. We do this through developing and providing effective community response and outreach services (e.g. Ambulance response & Nighttime Economy) and using our longstanding expertise to empower people with vital clinical skills and the confidence to use them (e.g. our Volunteers and Community Advocates, NHS Cadets and Young Responders programmes). There is also a buoyant social enterprise network which delivers first aid training and supplies medical consumables to businesses and consumers.

Job Summary

Supporting the Direct Marketing Manager, you’ll play a key role in delivering growth in voluntary income through our direct marketing acquisition programme utilising a range of campaigns and products, both online and offline. Products include one-off donations, regular giving (including value-exchange/ sponsorship products) and lottery. You’ll also be responsible for the development, implementation, day to day management, evaluation, and delivery of our acquisition portfolio. 

About You

• You will have experience of running effective national campaigns using a variety of fundraising channels
• Demonstrable, relevant experience including digital, email, social media, direct mail, and telemarketing
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to effectively manage conflicting priorities
• Knowledge of google analytics as well as an understanding of fundraising regulator guidance, gambling commission compliance and GDPR. 

About the Role

• Manage the delivery of acquisition campaigns from concept through to evaluation, using data and insight to drive creative and production, drawing up schedules, and managing the approval processes.
• Work alongside the Content team to research and develop acquisition products, journeys and communications, gathering information, case studies and photos for use in all direct marketing campaigns.
• Manage relationships with external agencies including media houses, designers and printers; to negotiate costs and monitor performance
• Working collaboratively with a number of internal teams to ensure effective use of supporter profiling for delivery across a range of annual acquisition campaigns. 

Please see the job description for more detail (this can be viewed on our website or once you click apply)

If you are a current St John Ambulance employee, please apply here: Click here

For all other candidates, or St John Ambulance volunteers wishing to apply: please apply below

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive high volume of applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

St John Ambulance are committed to increasing the diversity of our team and making sure we best reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.At St John, everyone is valued and supported to thrive, we have several networks including Multi Culture, Disability and Accessibility, Pride, Family and Carers and Women’s groups.  We do not tolerate any form of discrimination and engender a sense of belonging for all, by creating an environment of mutual respect, where we value unique differences and demonstrate authentic allyship. We believe passionately in equality, diversity and inclusion.

St John Ambulance is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice. Therefore, all successful applicants will undergo pre-employment checks, including DBS Clearance, as part of the onboarding process, if applicable to the nature of the role

Please note: St John does not accept speculative CVs and will only review CVs sent in application for an advertised vacancy.

Strategic Volunteer Lead

We are seeking someone brilliant to be our Strategic Volunteer Lead and work collaboratively to support Youth Zones with their volunteering strategies, recognising and rewarding the huge benefits a volunteer workforce brings.

The organisation is an equal opportunities’ employer and welcomes applications from under-represented groups; in particular from Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse individuals, people with disabilities, and members of LGBTQ+ communities. The dedicated Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Group, with support from the Senior Leadership Team, is actively promoting and advancing diversity and inclusion, ensuring a culture where everyone can be themselves and thrive.

Position: Strategic Volunteer Lead

Location: Home-based with travel (across North-West England & London) (home location within reasonable commutable distance of Youth Zones in North-West or London). Bolton and London offices can also be used as a working base, if preferred.

Salary: £32,500 to £37,000 0.8 FTE (dependent upon experience)

Contract: 18-month Fixed Term contract

Hours: Part-time, 30 hours per week (Hours can be worked flexibly – working pattern to be agreed at point of role offer)

Benefits: Agile working with flexibility in working hours; 25 days annual leave (calculated pro-rata) rising to a maximum of 30 days; birthday leave, additional annual leave purchase scheme; company matched pension; company sick, maternity, paternity & adoption pay; Employee Assistance Programme, active and engaged networks to join (including Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) and access to Charity Worker discounts.

Closing Date: 12noon Wednesday 14 May

First stage interviews (virtual): Friday 23 May 2025

Second stage interviews (in-person in Wigan): Tuesday 3 June 2025

There will also be a short, values-based phone interview between Stage 1 and 2.

About the Role

As a pioneering and growing Network of youth charities, it is paramount we have clear and robust volunteer strategies, maximising the value of volunteers.

You will promote a positive culture of volunteering across the Network, working collaboratively with Youth Zone senior leadership teams. This will include support and delivery of workshops, proactively focusing discussions to result in strategic commitment to volunteering. You will also support the Youth Zone Network with general volunteering advice and guidance, promoting best practice so our volunteers shine in their roles.

About You

You will have experience of volunteer recruitment and management, implementing volunteering strategies and thrive on working collaboratively. And you will be excited to work for an innovative, young person-centred organisation.

To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter (of not more than two pages), explaining clearly why you are interested in the role, and answering as many points as you can from the role profile. We’d also love to hear about your transferrable skills.

About the Organisation

A national charity that believes all young people should have the opportunity to discover their passion and their purpose that fund and build state-of-the-art, multimillion-pound youth centres called Youth Zones in the country’s most economically disadvantaged areas. We train the amazing people that run them and offer continuing support to Youth Zones nationwide through a national network of independent youth charities.

You are actively encouraged to submit anonymous applications; in practice this means removing your name and email address from your CV and cover letter. The HR Lead will have these details from your submission, but they will not be available to the selection panel when they are considering your application.

The charity is committed to the safeguarding of young people. In accordance with its Child Protection and Safeguarding procedures, this position requires a basic DBS check.

Other roles you may have experience of could include Volunteer Engagement, Volunteer Recruitment, Volunteer Manager, Volunteer Coordinator, Volunteer Engagement Lead, Volunteer Recruitment Lead. #INDNFP

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation

We're looking for a talented Individual Giving Manager to join our small team. The role will be responsibile for the delivery of our excellent supporter stewardship, care and retention programmes, whilst driving fundraising growth. 

The Individual Giving Manager will be responsible for the development and delivery of Women for Refugee Women’s (WRW) individual giving fundraising strategy, including through a variety of income streams such as regular gifts, High Net Worth giving, corporate support, events, and legacies; to develop and deliver WRW’s support engagement journey in order to generate income from individual donors and to develop strong and long-lasting supporter relationships; to oversee and develop our stewardship retention programme; and to contribute to WRW’s overall fundraising strategy and income generation.

Are you a fundraising team leader, experienced across a range of funding sources with a passion for wildlife? Have you inspired support for a cause from a wide range of people and able to help our organisation grow in delivering our strategy to 2030?

Avon Wildlife Trust has exciting plans for nature’s recovery in the former Avon region. We want to create and restore habitats, enable people to take action for wildlife, and secure more land for nature in our local area.

We are looking for a Head of Fundraising to cover maternity leave, who can galvanise support for our work from funders, members, corporates and donors, help with continuing to develop a high-performing fundraising team, and support colleagues in developing fundable projects towards nature’s recovery  engaging people and bringing wildlife back. If this is you, we want to hear from you.

Avon Wildlife Trust is a charity dedicated to working with local people for local wildlife, covering the West of England region (former county of Avon). It is supported by more than 17,500 members, manages over 30 nature reserves and is one of 46 Wildlife Trusts in the UK. We want to see nature restored on a grand scale across the Avon region, with one in four people taking action for wildlife.

The Wildlife Trusts value diversity. We are committed to creating a movement that recognises and truly values individual differences and identities. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures. We also have robust child safeguarding policies, and this role requires two work references.

We are recruiting a General Advice Officer to support with the delivery of advice and welfare support to vulnerable guests who access the Community Wellbeing Service, a local support hub offering relief from the rising cost of living for local families. The General Advice Officer will support our guests on a range of areas including benefits, immigration, housing, money management and access to training and employment services. The postholder will provide high quality welfare advice and guidance through weekly one-to-one advice sessions, undertake case work, work with partners to facilitate referrals, and provide support to advice volunteers. 

The successful candidate must have at least two years’ experience delivering effective advice or in a similar capacity, demonstrate empathy, an understanding of the issues facing vulnerable people, and have in-depth and up-to-date knowledge of welfare benefits and housing policies/legislations, with a strong focus on achieving tangible outcomes for our guests.

Advice Work

• Carry out assessments to identify urgent needs and appropriate support pathways for members at the Community Wellbeing Service.
• Support outreach or community engagement activities as needed.
• Provide holistic and person-centred advice and casework on the main enquiry areas, particularly welfare benefits, housing, employment, health and wellbeing, immigration and money management.
• Maintain Sufra’s Advice Quality Standards and meeting tangible outcomes.
• Produce detailed case records on our case management system for the purpose of continuity, statistical monitoring and report preparation
• Apply for funds from trusts and foundations to support individuals and families with essential costs such as housing deposits or white-goods and/or cancellation of debts;
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with external stakeholders for joined up working, including statutory and voluntary service providers, making referrals for guests where appropriate.
• Enable and support guests to act for themselves, wherever appropriate.
• Monitor the progression of all cases to the point of resolution.
• Conduct follow-up calls with guests where needed and track outcomes
• Support volunteers who are working on delivering Advice Services e.g triage volunteers and pathways volunteers
• Provide advice to the General Advice Service as and when required

Case Management

• Manage own caseload and work independently to support guests
• Use of Case Management System (AdvicePro) as well as Microsoft Office for communication and document production.
• Support with developing case studies and gathering guest feedback
• Collect statistical information as requested for reporting purposes.
• Feed into the development of monitoring reports for funders and other stakeholders

Other Responsibilities

• Maintain and update the charity’s record of referral and signposting agencies;
• Ensure data protection regulations are adhered to, and that sensitive data is handled in accordance with relevant legislation and organisational procedures.
• Keep informed of new and changing legislation relevant to the post, and of local issues and policies
• Be committed to the aims, procedures and policies of Sufra’s advice service in every aspect of service delivery.
• Take part in supervisions, personal development training, team meetings and appraisals
• Undertake any other reasonable duties to support the operations of the charity.

Closing date:  19 May 2025

Location: Hybrid working with multi-site working
across both sites, Selly Park and Erdington

Hours: 37.5

Duration:  Permanent

Salary: Corporate Band F - £29,887 – £34,893 per year

DBS: Basic

“Happy to talk about flexible working”

Birmingham Hospice provides expert palliative and end of life care for people and their families living with life-limiting illnesses. We believe that all people in Birmingham should have access to the best specialist care and support - when, where and how they need it.  Birmingham Hospice has exciting plans for the future, while investing in income generation, our events and our retail offerings over the next few years.

We are looking for a dedicated, enthusiastic Community Fundraiser to join our Income Generation Team.

Are you an experienced fundraiser who enjoys building long lasting relationships with charity supporters and wanting to make a difference through multiple activities?

If so, then we have a fantastic opportunity for you to join the fundraising team as our Community Fundraiser.

Working to support the Birmingham Hospice brand, this varied role will support on the delivery of a diverse portfolio of Community Campaigns and events. The successful candidate will have a friendly and engaging personality and enjoy speaking to charity supporters face to face, over the phone and via email. 

Reporting directly to the Senior Community and Corporate Manager this role will grow our Community Impact by recruiting and managing community supporters and volunteers to drive our fundraising efforts across our key areas, lead and motivate individuals to take part in fundraising activities, turning conversations into lasting relationships that support our mission. Work closely with our community fundraising team to build new opportunities and continue to develop existing fundraising products.

Every donation you help bring in directly contributes to the care we provide to those in need. Your efforts will shape the future of Birmingham Hospice.

Ready to make an impact? Apply now and help us create a community of passionate supporters that will shape the future of Birmingham Hospice. Your efforts will help us provide comfort and care for those who need it most.

Together, we can make every moment count. 

To view the full job description for this role and to apply for this vacancy please visit our jobs portal on our website.

The Community Engagement Officer is an essential role in fostering strong relationships with current and prospective members of the School Library Association community. The postholder will provide frontline support, drive online and in person engagement through outreach initiatives, and contribute to the growth and sustainability of the membership base. This is an exciting opportunity for someone passionate about school libraries, education, and community-building.

With a particular focus on coordinating and supporting our Branch network, you will collaborate on initiatives for development, delivery and new projects as they come online. You will be the first port of call for advice and expertise relating to school libraries and enabling our members to more effectively support their school communities. Supporting the delivery of online and in-person networking events and workshops for members, you will work with your SLA colleagues, in particular the Training and Events Officer, to deliver a high-quality member offer and to ensure member needs are reflected in all offerings. The ability to travel to training and events across the UK is essential. Duties include:

Branch network and member support

• Work with the CEO to develop the SLA Branch Network and accompanying strategies
• Identify opportunities for developing initiatives to grow and develop the Branch network community, that will deliver on the SLA mission
• Develop strong relationships with local, regional and national stakeholders to support network growth and enable members to take full advantage of all relevant opportunities available to them
• Provide advice for SLA members on all aspects of school libraries, ensuring they are supported and can be as effective as possible in their school communities 
• Drive engagement and development of online communities as part of the branch network

 Training and events

• Work with the Training and Events Coordinator to support and deliver a calendar of exciting, engaging and informative events
• Support the delivery of online and in-person networking events and workshops with a focus on the Branch network community
• Represent the association at relevant events and for programmes (e.g., conferences, webinars, book awards) to promote membership and services
• Support training and event delivery (online and in-person), engaging and inspiring audiences as needed
• Support development of training programmes, toolkits and resources using member insight to inform

Outreach and communications

• Coordinate the mentoring scheme and ensure it is promoted effectively, with necessary support and development available to mentees and training for mentors
• Use your sector insight to identify opportunities for development of research and other initiatives, maintaining links and horizon scanning
• Provide SLA consultancy aligned with strategic approaches, supporting schools with development of their libraries, reading and information literacy provision to help children and young people reach their full potential
• Contribute to SLA communications such as TSL, newsletters, updates, and promotional materials
• Oversee the book review process in support of TSL, our quarterly journal
• Supporting management of the SLA resource library, working with colleagues to ensure alignment
• Support outreach to new audiences

Building relationships and an ability to foster collaboration and community engagement will be an important part of this role. All team members contribute to office admin, maintaining member data and general office support.

To be successful in this role you should ideally be able to demonstrate:

· experience of working in school libraries, the education sector and a strong understanding of the education landscape

· clear understanding of the curriculum and teaching and learning outcomes

· knowledge of children and young people’s literature

· experience developing and delivering inspirational training, to small and large groups, both online and in person

· experience creating training resources, toolkits and teaching and learning resources

· ability to galvanise and inspire others with flair and creativity

· the ability to manage own workload, prioritise and meet competing deadlines

· the ability to work hours flexibly around event and training delivery

An expert communicator, you will be experienced in developing relationships with a variety of stakeholders at all levels. Experience of consultancy, schools’ engagement and outreach would be advantage.

The salary for this position is £19, 594.59 (FTE £29,000) for 25 hours per week, and comes with a 6% employer pension contribution.

We are open to discussing flexible working patterns, condensed hours or other arrangements we may not yet have thought of. This is a remote working role, with monthly all team meetings which you will be required to attend, in addition to training and events across the UK. Working patterns can be negotiated. We strongly encourage candidates of all different backgrounds and identities to apply. Each new role provides us with an opportunity for us to bring in a different perspective and  we are always eager to diversify our team. The SLA is committed to building an inclusive, supportive place, where you can do brilliant and rewarding work.

Why work for the School Library Association?

We are in an exciting period of growth in the history of the SLA, with a new CEO, coinciding with the opportunity to influence a new government. Plans to redevelop our offer are in progress and you will have the opportunity to influence new approaches and ways of working. We are a small, friendly team who support each other to deliver an excellent service to our members and passionately believe in the power of school libraries to transform children and young people’s personal, social and educational outcomes.

Annual Leave is 25 days plus bank holidays. We offer free mental health support and counselling sessions and brilliant discounts with a variety of retailers including up to 40% off Vue cinema tickets through our HR partner.

About the School Library Association

The School Library Association (SLA) is an independent charity and membership organisation that believes every pupil is entitled to effective school library provision. The SLA supports all those working in school libraries. We have been representing the school library sector for more than eighty-five years, with membership to the Association thought of as essential to all those who work in and around school libraries. Membership to the SLA provides training, support in advocating with senior leadership teams, incredible discounts and collegiate networking opportunities for everybody working in and with school libraries.

How to apply

To apply please send your CV and a covering letter (no more than one page) detailing the experience you have in relation to the job description, that you can bring to this role, and how your skills align with what we are looking for. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. We truly appreciate all applications, but due to the volume we receive, we will not be able to provide individual feedback. No agencies please

Deadline: Monday 2nd June, 9am. Please note we will be actively interviewing for this role; if you are interested apply as soon as possible as we may close recruitment early if the right candidate is found.

Location: Home-based in the UK, with regular national and international travel

Contract: 2 years with the possibility of extension dependent on continuation of funding.

Reporting to: Chief Operating Officer

Salary: £65,000 to £70,000.

Additional benefits: 25 days annual leave plus public holidays (annual leave increasing by 1 extra day for every year’s service up to 30 days total), life assurance and access to an employee assistance programme.

WeProtect Global Alliance will not be responding to expressions of interest or applications sent by third parties (agencies, brokers or recruitment specialists).

We require a highly skilled and motivated individual who has strong ethical standards and demonstrable commitment to the values of WeProtect Global Alliance to help plan, coordinate, implement and track our existing and new global strategy to ensure that our members collectively work together to create a world where children and young people can access and participate in the digital world free from harm, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation.

The successful candidate will demonstrate considerable professional experience in a comparable role and a genuine passion for child protection. They will have a strong track record in developing, harnessing and deploying policy and research outputs to support and collaborate with the WeProtect Global Alliance community to develop real world solutions to make the digital world safer for children and young people across the globe.

Politically, commercially and financially astute, you will have a broad range of skills. You will be able to build relationships and work effectively with a broad range of global partners (who often hold competing views and opinions). You will confidently and comfortably support often ambiguous and sensitive negotiations with diverse stakeholders as we develop and implement the organisation’s new global strategy.

You will be able to focus on both the detail and the bigger picture in a complex policy and legislative landscape and be an inspirational and supportive team player who will live our values, shine confidently as a key member of the senior management team, be a role model to our brilliant research manager and policy manager and ambassador when engaging with members and external partners.

If working on strategy, research and policy, combined with our mission of making the digital world free of harm for children and young people, motivate you to come to work and give your best every day, then this is the place for you and we cannot wait to welcome you!

About WeProtect Global Alliance 

The online world was not created with children in mind and can be unsafe for children and young people to explore. Every phone and computer is a potential gateway for offenders seeking to sexually exploit children. Our Alliance generates political commitment and practical approaches to make the digital world safe and positive for children, preventing sexual abuse and long-term harm.

Our Alliance’s geographical reach is unprecedented: 103 governments are members along with 82 private sector companies, 126 civil society organisations and 10 intergovernmental organisations. This diverse membership is key to our ability to deliver real change. Together, we break down complex problems and develop policies and solutions to protect children from sexual abuse online. More information on who we are and what we do can be found on the WeProtect Global Alliance website.

WeProtect Global Alliance is supported by a high-performing secretariat of eleven staff based in the UK and Belgium and is overseen by an influential Global Policy Board that the Head of Strategy will work collaboratively with to ensure the Alliance members remain impact and child centred.

Job description

Overall purpose of role

As the WeProtect Global Alliance Head of Strategy, you will lead a small team to build a global network, evidence base and policy portfolio to guide and drive the implementation of our Strategy and mission targets. Your team will provide high level analysis and ask critical questions, supporting the Alliance to identify immediate and emerging issues which may require investigation or exploration, support the Policy Board, Executive Team, Head of Members and Head of Development to navigate key strategic decisions.

You will also work closely with the Head of Members and Head of Development to support the development of new ways of working to harness Alliance members and broader community of practice to understand our collective impact and ensure our secretariat, members and broader organization actively remain relevant and focused on delivering our mission and strategic objectives. 

You will lead the WeProtect Global Alliance Research and Policy work, with key accountability for the following outcomes:

· Work with the Executive Team and Policy Board to implement the existing WeProtect Global Alliance strategy and ensure the forthcoming strategy remains targeted and focused on achieving the Alliance’s global ambition.

· Work with the Executive Team and Policy Board to develop and implement the WeProtect Global Alliance approach, strategy and operational targets on participation and engagement.

· Collaborate with the Head of Members, the Head of Development and MEL lead to collectively build, maintain and oversee our theory of change and operational model to ensure our Strategy remains impactful and has real world impact on the lives of children and young people.

· Provide inspirational leadership and empower our Policy Manager and Research Manager to pro-actively deliver a portfolio of work that will raise the profile of our mission and shift the needle on governmental, public and private sector agencies approaches to child protection and safety in the digital world. This includes overseeing the production of the WeProtect Global Alliance biennial Global Threat Assessment, Model National Response and Global Strategic Response.

· Build and maintain meaningful engagement with a broad range of external stakeholders across the public, private and third sector (including government agencies, advocacy communities, specialist tech and civil society organisations) across the globe to deliver the WeProtect Global Alliance strategic mission.

· Play an active role in building the operational resilience, financial sustainability and compliance capability and capacity of the Secretariat to provide a world class service to our members and Board to ensure WeProtect Global Alliance remains focused on creating a world where children and young people can access and participate in the digital world free from harm, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation.

Key Responsibilities

1. To lead the Strategy team, ensuring the research and policy portfolios are informed by best practice to achieve our mission, vision and embody our values.  This includes working across the Secretariat to deliver the existing strategy and collaborate with Executive Team to develop and implement our new strategy.

2. To be a thought leader, keep abreast of external trends and developments and changing circumstances to ensure the WeProtect Global Alliance Strategy remains relevant, targeted and focused on improving outcomes for children and young people in a rapidly changing legislative, operational and technology landscape.

3. To be accountable for strategy, research, policy and cross organisational projects and work streams.  This includes planning and organising relevant performance and delivery areas, being mindful of cross-cutting impacts and priorities.

4. To be accountable for the commissioning, delivery and impact of strategic projects, ensuring they are led and informed by participatory and advocacy principles to reflect the diversity of our membership, embed lived experience, and deliver the WeProtect Global Alliance mission.

5. To ensure the continuous development and effective delivery of the WeProtect Global Alliance Strategy in a fast paced, politically sensitive and rapidly changing external environment, including participating in and leading (where relevant) annual business planning, forecasting, setting, monitoring, reviewing and reporting on budgets and relevant donor requirements to support effective decision making throughout the year.

6. To provide exemplary leadership and line management to staff, including appraisals, supervision, team meetings, delegating, managing, engaging, developing and supporting staff to be the best they can be and achieve our strategic objectives in accordance with our vision and values.

7. Lead and develop effective working relationships with external partners, stakeholders, members and staff to maximise the collective impact of WeProtect Global Alliance (governmental, public, private, civil society and advocacy communities).

8. To take accountability for preparing papers, reports and presentations for internal and external meetings including senior management meetings, executive team, trustee, board and reference groups meetings. To attend, chair, and contribute to meetings, briefings, reviews, due diligence and auditing and compliance activities.

9. Represent the Executive Director and the Chief Operating Officer at internal and external events, share peer responsibility for problem solving challenges, creating a ‘one team’ approach to delivery and deputising were appropriate.

10. To be an ambassador, spokesperson and representative of WeProtect Global Alliance Secretariat at external events.

Expectations

As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) you will also have a pivotal role to play in supporting and improving the organisations effectiveness as we develop the WeProtect Global Alliance new strategy, operating model and ways of working to ensure we remain effective, responsive and relevant in an increasingly polarized political landscape as we enter the fourth industrial revolution.

As a global, multi-sector alliance, ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is embedded in everything we do is a critical priority. We embrace diversity and understand that being an inclusive organisation, recognising different perspectives, will enable us to be impactful and effective.  We are committed to ensuring all our employees are treated fairly and equitably at work and promoting equality in physical and mental health for all.

1. To attend and contribute to meetings, training and other events as required.

2. To actively participate in our supervision and appraisal process.

3. To ensure that all responsibilities and activities within this post are delivered in accordance with WeProtect Global Alliance core values and relevant corporate, organisational, financial and compliance policies.

4. To travel to meetings and fora which may require the need to work unsociable hours e.g. attending evening or weekend meetings.

5. To adhere to relevant legal and statutory requirements including Data Protection Act and the Health and Safety at Work Act.

6. To use WeProtect Global Alliance resources responsibly.

Person Specification

Essential criteria

Experience

1. Significant senior experience and demonstrable record leading a Strategy Team to deliver an ambitious child centred mission on the global stage.

2. Outstanding leadership and team management experience, including experience coaching and line managing direct reports.

3. Demonstrable effective influencing and negotiation skills and political judgment with a proven track record building productive and impactful professional relationship and partnerships with a wide range of individuals and organisations.

4. Demonstrable experience leading change and transformation with demonstrable qualities as a change agent. 

5. Demonstrable senior management level experience in project management, financial, donor and budget management, monitoring, evaluation and lesson learning across the fields of strategy, research and policy.

6. Significant experience commissioning high quality, high value research and policy projects and able to demonstrate the use of insights in long term planning and impact frameworks.

Skills

1. Outstanding communication skills and ability to effectively engage and build meaningful relationships with internal and external staff and stakeholders at all levels.

2. Outstanding self-management skills to work independently, autonomously and as part of a team, using own initiative and being flexible and adaptable to deliver as ‘one team’.

3. Excellent IT, project management, financial management and donor engagement skills.

4. Demonstrable excellent planning and organisation skills to deliver work to agreed timescales and standards.

Knowledge

1. Knowledge and understanding of WeProtect Global Alliance mission, vision, values and ambition and how it applies to this post.

2. Knowledge and understanding of a child centred approach to participation, advocacy and EDI and how it applies to this post, with a focus on embedding effective policies and processes.

3. Awareness of global child protection policies and procedures within the digital arena and a genuine passion for child protection.

Other

1. A willingness to travel and work unsocial hours (time in lieu can be claimed)

2. Commitment to your own continuing professional and personal development

3. To uphold high standards of work, standards and conduct in line with WeProtect Global Alliance values.

Diversity, inclusion and equity

We welcome applicants from all sections of the community, regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability or sexual orientation. We particularly welcome applicants from ethnic minorities and other under-represented groups. 

Safeguarding and values

As a child-focused organisation, we have a strong commitment to child safeguarding and rigorous procedures. The successful candidate will be required to provide two referees and to undergo a criminal record check. 

All staff are expected to act at all times in a manner consistent with our values and in compliance with our policies and procedures, including our Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct.

Our values are: 

· Empowerment – collaboration, innovation, challenge

· Accountability – responsibility, delivery, safeguarding

· Respect – honesty, feedback, inclusion