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Permanent | Full-time
Salary: £58,560 – £71,480 per annum
Hours: 35 per week
Location: Home-based with regular national travel
Job reference number: 1766
Help shape the future of Cranstoun’s services
Cranstoun is a social justice and harm reduction charity supporting and empowering people to live healthier and safer lives. Each year, we support more than 45,000 people through services including substance use, criminal justice, domestic abuse, housing and services for children and young people.
Following a successful five-year strategy and significant growth, we remain ambitious about the difference we can make. As we enter our next phase, we are investing in the leadership and operational capability needed to support our continued development. We are now recruiting an Assistant Directors of Service to join our senior management team.
This is a significant senior leadership role offering the opportunity to lead substantial service portfolios while helping shape how Cranstoun’s services are led and delivered across the organisation.
The role
Reporting to the Director of Operations, you will lead a substantial portfolio of complex commissioned services and senior operational managers.
You will lead eight services with nine direct reports, spanning substance use and services for children and young people. You will have clear accountability for ensuring services are safe, effective and well-led, with strong contractual performance, financial sustainability and positive outcomes for the people and communities we support.
You will provide operational grip and evidence-based assurance, strengthen safeguarding and management accountability, build effective relationships with commissioners and partners, and ensure risks and underperformance are identified, escalated and addressed early.
You will also work collectively with fellow senior operational leaders to embed a One Cranstoun approach, strengthening common standards, sharing learning, developing leadership capability and improving quality and resilience across our services.
What you will be accountable for
As an Assistant Director, you will take senior operational accountability for:
You will lead and develop senior operational managers, set clear expectations and create a culture in which support and accountability operate together.
You will also lead and contribute to service mobilisation, transformation, workforce planning and continuous improvement.
Who we are looking for
We are looking for established senior operational leaders with substantial experience leading complex commissioned services and geographically dispersed teams.
You will bring a strong track record of:
You will need to combine strategic leadership with operational pragmatism, understanding the detail when necessary while maintaining oversight of performance, risk, quality and sustainability across a complex portfolio.
Above all, we are looking for collaborative, credible and values-led leaders who can support and challenge in equal measure, build leadership capability and bring people together around common standards and organisational priorities.
Specialist experience
For this role, significant senior leadership experience within substance use services is essential, including experience of leading CQC-regulated provision and maintaining high standards of quality, safety and regulatory compliance.
You will also need a strong understanding of safeguarding and the governance required to deliver safe and effective services for children and young people. Direct operational experience of Children & Young People services would be valuable, but we are equally interested in candidates who can demonstrate strong safeguarding and CYP governance experience alongside substantial substance use leadership.
This permanent appointment offers the opportunity to provide long-term leadership to a significant portfolio and help shape the future development of Cranstoun’s services.
Be part of Cranstoun’s next chapter
Our successful five-year strategy has seen Cranstoun grow considerably, extending our reach and the range of services we provide. We remain ambitious and innovative, committed to developing services that respond to the changing needs of people and communities.
As we look to the future, we are investing in the leadership, operational capability and organisational infrastructure needed to support our continued development, strengthening operational governance, consistency and assurance across our services.
This role offers the opportunity to do more than manage established portfolios. You will help shape the future of our services and build an Operations Directorate characterised by high standards, clear accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
Find out more
Please refer to the accompanying recruitment pack for the full Job Description, Person Specification and details of the application process.
Please note: All posts are subject to an Enhanced DBS check.
How to Apply:
For more details and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button. Please quote the appropriate Job Ref in all correspondence.
Applicants must be able to provide satisfactory evidence of their right to work in the UK at the application stage.
Sponsorship is not available for this post. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK that does not require employer sponsorship for the duration of the appointment.
Closing date: Sunday 20 September 2026.
We are an inclusive employer, committed to promoting equality and diversity in all areas of our work.
Registered Charity No: 1061582
12-month fixed-term contract | Full-time
Salary: £58,560 – £71,480 per annum
Hours: 35 per week
Location: Home-based with regular national travel
Job reference number: 1766
Help shape the future of Cranstoun’s services
Cranstoun is a social justice and harm reduction charity supporting and empowering people to live healthier and safer lives. Each year, we support more than 45,000 people through services including substance use, criminal justice, domestic abuse, housing and services for children and young people.
Following a successful five-year strategy and significant growth, we remain ambitious about the difference we can make. As we enter our next phase, we are investing in the leadership and operational capability needed to support our continued development. We are now recruiting an Assistant Directors of Services to join our senior management team.
This is a significant senior leadership role offering the opportunity to lead substantial service portfolios while helping shape how Cranstoun’s services are led and delivered across the organisation.
The role
Reporting to the Director of Operations, you will lead a substantial portfolio of complex commissioned services and senior operational managers.
You will lead nine services with nine direct reports, spanning criminal justice and housing/homelessness provision. You will have clear accountability for ensuring services are safe, effective and well-led, with strong contractual performance, financial sustainability and positive outcomes for the people and communities we support.
You will provide operational grip and evidence-based assurance, strengthen safeguarding and management accountability, build effective relationships with commissioners and partners, and ensure risks and underperformance are identified, escalated and addressed early.
You will also work collectively with fellow senior operational leaders to embed a One Cranstoun approach, strengthening common standards, sharing learning, developing leadership capability and improving quality and resilience across our services.
What you will be accountable for
As an Assistant Director, you will take senior operational accountability for:
You will lead and develop senior operational managers, set clear expectations and create a culture in which support and accountability operate together.
You will also lead and contribute to service mobilisation, transformation, workforce planning and continuous improvement.
Who we are looking for
We are looking for established senior operational leaders with substantial experience leading complex commissioned services and geographically dispersed teams.
You will bring a strong track record of:
You will need to combine strategic leadership with operational pragmatism, understanding the detail when necessary while maintaining oversight of performance, risk, quality and sustainability across a complex portfolio.
Above all, we are looking for collaborative, credible and values-led leaders who can support and challenge in equal measure, build leadership capability and bring people together around common standards and organisational priorities.
Specialist experience
For this role, you will need significant leadership experience across both Criminal Justice and Housing/Homelessness services, including housing or accommodation-based provision.
You will understand the complexity of working across criminal justice, housing, local government and other statutory systems and be experienced in building effective relationships with commissioners and partners while maintaining strong operational and contractual oversight.
This is a 12-month fixed-term appointment at an important stage in Cranstoun’s transformation, offering the opportunity to lead a significant portfolio, strengthen operational performance and help shape the future development of our operating model.
Be part of Cranstoun’s next chapter
Our successful five-year strategy has seen Cranstoun grow considerably, extending our reach and the range of services we provide. We remain ambitious and innovative, committed to developing services that respond to the changing needs of people and communities.
As we look to the future, we are investing in the leadership, operational capability and organisational infrastructure needed to support our continued development, strengthening operational governance, consistency and assurance across our services.
This role offers the opportunity to do more than manage established portfolios. You will help shape the future of our services and build an Operations Directorate characterised by high standards, clear accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
Find out more
Please refer to the accompanying recruitment pack for the full Job Description, Person Specification and details of the application process.
Please note: All posts are subject to an Enhanced DBS check.
How to Apply:
For more details and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button. Please quote the appropriate Job Ref in all correspondence.
Applicants must be able to provide satisfactory evidence of their right to work in the UK at the application stage.
Sponsorship is not available for this post. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK that does not require employer sponsorship for the duration of the appointment.
Closing date: Sunday 20 September 2026.
We are an inclusive employer, committed to promoting equality and diversity in all areas of our work.
Registered Charity No: 1061582
Fixed Term 9-12 months 35 hours/week
£60,000 per annum
Location: Homeworking (with occasional travel to London office)
Benefits include but not limited to:
About us:
The Children's Society has been helping children and young people in this country for over 140 years. We deliver essential local services that provide safe, trusted support to children and young people during times of significant need.
Our Social Impact domain is built on shared values, diverse perspectives, and a flexible, people-first approach. We work as one team, building strong relationships across the organisation to drive meaningful change for children and young people. With trust, wellbeing, and collaboration at the heart of how we work, you'll join a culture that supports you to make a real and lasting difference, helping us move closer to our mission of improving the lives of children and young people.
About the role:
As this role sits within our Social Impact Domain, you'll play a key part in our National Mobilisation programme, ensuring the team delivers on our supporter recruitment and retention campaigns, with the recruitment of new regular givers, cash givers and legacy pledgers, as well as weekly lottery and other successful products alongside our retention activities and warm appeals programme.
This is a great opportunity for someone who is a strong team leader, with experience of applying audience insight to planning and strategy and knows how to empower and support their team to deliver on our growth plans. The successful candidate will bring good, solid individual giving experience, and substantial experience of digital and data-driven marketing to increase engagement and income.
Key Skills and Competencies:
The required skills and competencies for this role are:
It would also be an advantage if you have any of the following skills and competencies:
Closing date: Monday 7th September
Interviews: yet to be confirmed
The Children's Society is committed to safeguarding and protection of the children and young people we work with. As such, our safer recruitment process includes a Basic or Enhanced DBS check, 2 years of references, and additional vetting checks relevant to the role. We have a comprehensive range of policies and procedures in place to promote safeguarding and safer working practices across all areas of our organisation.In support of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, shortlisting is carried out on an anonymised basis. Personal details are hidden from the shortlisting panel, and candidates are referenced by a candidate number only. As part of this process, we ask that your CV is anonymised before submission - this means removing personal information such as your name, contact details, age, and any other identifying details.
AI tools can support your application but only when used appropriately. You're welcome to use them to improve clarity, structure, and research. However, overuse or misuse (e.g. inventing experience or using AI during assessments) may lead to rejection at any stage. We want to hear the real you - authenticity matters.
Hours: 30–35 hours per week
Location: Home-based*
Reporting to: CEO
*This is a home-based role. However, the successful candidate will need to be based within reasonable travelling distance of London and our programme activity, with the ability to travel to meetings and visits within a day where required. We therefore anticipate that applicants based in Scotland, Ireland, West Wales or the far South West may find the role impractical.
This position is being re-advertised; previous candidates need not apply.
Be part of a mission that's transforming children's futures through food, farming and the countryside
For more than 45 years, The Country Trust has been connecting children from the UK's most disadvantaged communities with the land that sustains us all. Through inspiring farm visits, food education and countryside experiences, we've already reached more than 600,000 children, and we're just getting started.
We're entering an exciting new chapter as we develop our next organisational strategy, and we're looking for an experienced fundraising leader to help shape our future.
This is an outstanding opportunity for an ambitious and strategic fundraiser to join our Senior Leadership Team and lead the next phase of our income growth, enabling even more children to benefit from our life-changing programmes.
About the role
As Head of Fundraising, you'll provide strategic leadership across all fundraising activity while remaining hands-on in securing major income and developing key relationships.
You'll lead a dedicated fundraising team, drive innovation, strengthen fundraising systems and processes, and develop a sustainable fundraising strategy that diversifies income across:
Working closely with the CEO, Senior Leadership Team, Digital and IT colleagues, you'll help embed new fundraising systems, champion data-driven decision making and ensure fundraising excellence across the organisation.
About you
We're looking for an inspiring fundraising leader who combines strategic thinking with practical delivery.
You'll bring:
Experience developing new income streams, digital fundraising and CRM systems would be particularly valuable.
Why join us?
At The Country Trust, you'll be joining an ambitious charity where collaboration, learning and innovation are at the heart of everything we do.
We offer:
We're committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the communities we serve and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds.
Key dates
Closing date: 11:59pm, Sunday 13th September
Interviews from: Monday 21st September
The Country Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful candidate will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check.
We are a small, dynamic national education charity dedicated to bringing alive the working countryside for children least able to access it.



The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
For nearly 20 years, Lively Minds has been proving that parents are the sleeping giants of early childhood development. With strong evidence and a national scale proof point in Ghana, we have shown that parent powered approaches delivered through government systems can transform children's lives at scale.
We are now at a pivotal moment. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum, and we need the funding, profile and influence to match our ambition. This is a rare opportunity to lead income generation and external voice for an award winning NGO entering an exciting new phase of growth. You will lead our fundraising strategy and direct engagement with Funders ensuring that we maximise all funding opportunities as we continue our strategic evolution. You will also shape a compelling external narrative that will help position Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments strengthening their early childhood development systems.
If you are an exceptional fundraiser and communicator who is equally comfortable in a strategic conversation and writing a winning proposal, we would love to hear from you.
Read the full advert and apply below. Closing date: 3rd September 2026.
About Lively Minds
Lively Minds is an award-winning NGO with nearly 20 years of experience designing, testing and scaling early childhood development (ECD) solutions across the Global South. Our core idea is simple but radical: parents are the sleeping giants of ECD. Governments and donors have long overlooked parents, assuming that poverty and low literacy make them unable or unwilling to support their childrenʼs development. We have spent two decades proving otherwise. With RCT-backed evidence and a national-scale proof point in Ghana, we have demonstrated that parent-powered approaches, delivered through government systems, can achieve meaningful child development outcomes at scale.
Our 2026–2028 strategy marks a pivotal shift. Having demonstrated what is possible, we are now helping pioneer an innovative model of country-led sustainable scale. Rather than delivering programmes ourselves, we provide lean, time-limited technical advisory support to governments to help them integrate parent-powered ECD into their own systems, budgets and institutions. We are currently working with the governments of Ghana, Uganda, Oromia state (Ethiopia) and The Gambia in 2026, growing to six or more country engagements by 2028. Our ambition is to catalyse a sector-wide shift, positioning Lively Minds as the definitive partner for governments seeking to strengthen their ECD systems.
Our scale strategy rests on three interdependent pillars: fixed-term Technical Advisory partnerships with governments; the development of a modular radio model simple and affordable enough for governments to adopt and fund independently; and an advocacy and sector influence agenda designed to make parent-powered ECD the norm globally.
Purpose of the Role
Lively Minds is at a critical inflection point. We have the evidence, the model and the momentum. We now need the funding, profile and sector influence to match our ambition. The Director of Fundraising and Communications is a priority hire, created to provide the dedicated, experienced leadership that this moment demands.
The Director will own and drive Lively Mindsʼ income generation, building new funder relationships, managing and deepening existing ones, and ensuring the organisation has the pipeline, discipline and quality of engagement to meet and exceed its fundraising targets. Working in close partnership with the Founding CEO, who retains ownership of a small number of long-standing strategic relationships, the Director will take primary responsibility for securing the funding that makes the 2026–2028 strategy deliverable, and that opens the door to greater scale beyond it. We need to raise approximately £3.4m over the next 3 years to deliver our strategy. But our ambition is to exceed that target so we can support additional governments.
Alongside fundraising, the Director will provide strategic leadership to Lively Mindsʼ communications and advocacy work, ensuring that the organisationʼs external voice is compelling and that we are building credibility in the spaces where funding decisions are made. The Director will lead and provide strategic coherence to a small but outward-facing team, including Head of Partnerships and Advocacy Lead who are active on the international stage. Lively Minds is committed to thought-leadership and active external engagement, but equally committed to ensuring that communications resource is deployed with discipline and rigour. The Director will set a clear strategic filter for where the organisation shows up, what it publishes and who it engages: prioritising focus and quality over volume, and always asking whether external activity is building the relationships and reputation that ultimately drive income and/or systems change.
Lively Minds is a dispersed, remote organisation. The Directorʼs team the Advocacy Lead, Development Manager and Communications Officer - are internationally distributed. The ability to lead, develop and maintain high standards across a dispersed team is essential. The role requires regular travel to international conferences and events.
Key Responsibilities
Fundraising Strategy & Income Generation
Communications, Brand & Advocacy
Organizational Leadership&TeamDevelopment
Person Specification
Essential Experience & Skills
Desirable Experience
Behaviours & Ways of Working
What We Offer
Application Instruction
Interested candidates are encouraged to read the Job Description carefully before applying to ensure they understand the role and meet the required criteria.
To apply, please complete the pre-screening questions and submit your updated CV
PLEASE NOTE - Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Timeline
Closing Date: 3rd September 2026
Our Stance
Lively Minds operates a strict Safeguarding Policy and is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children and vulnerable people. As part of our recruitment process, the suitability of successful candidates will be verified through appropriate background checks including professional references and police checks.
Lively Minds is fully committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and to providing equal opportunities throughout our recruitment process. We want this commitment to be reflected in the diversity of the people who work for us, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, experiences and perspectives.
We are committed to ensuring that recruitment decisions are based on merit, skills, experience and suitability for the role, and that all candidates are treated fairly and with respect throughout the recruitment process.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Fantastic opportunity for a Fundraising and Grants Manager
Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA) is a well-established and respected national charity offering specialist and expert advocacy and peer support to families bereaved by fatal domestic abuse. We have an exciting opportunity to build upon and grow our fundraising success to date, in the role ofFundraising and Grants Manager. We are seeking an experienced fundraising professional, with the drive and determination to manage all aspects of our fundraising function.
AAFDA is currently funded by statutory bodies, trusts and foundations, corporates, events and individuals. Under your management, you will identify, cultivate and grow these existing and new fundraising streams.As AAFDA’s Fundraising and Grants Manager, you will be responsible for oversight and growth of voluntary and statutory funding income, including from individuals (regular and one-off gifts, major donors and legacy giving), community groups, trusts and foundations, corporates, the statutory sector (including Police and Crime Commissioners) and other benefactors. Starting from a strong foundation with multiple opportunities for growth, you will lead on the delivery of our ambitious, multi-year, multi-disciplinary fundraising strategy with an annual fundraising plan agreed with senior management. With keen funder and customer awareness, you will regularly monitor and review both the plan and the strategy, in addition to working closely with our Finance Manager to manage diverse income streams and achieve income targets to fund AAFDA’s unique support and advocacy work with families bereaved by fatal domestic abuse. Holding responsibility for maintaining and developing the website and building social media programmes, you will undertake an ambassadorial approach in all activity to assist our CEO and Director of Services to lead and manage the AAFDA brand and corporate identity, with a focus on generating earned income, by extending awareness of what AAFDA does and how successful we are.
This is a permanent role, subject to funding, but we will work hard (alongside you!) to secure this.
In return for joining us, we will offer you:
Application closing date: 11th September 2026 5pm
We review applications on a rolling basis. We reserve the right to close this posting early if we find the right candidate, so early submission is strongly advised.
To apply please submit a supporting statement along with your CV.
Applicants will be shortlisted according to how well they meet the criteria in the person specification. Please highlight and explain how you meet these in your supporting statement. If you have been shortlisted for interview, you will be informed by email. Regrettably, we are normally unable to acknowledge unsuccessful applicants.
We welcome applications from candidates with experience of domestic abuse. We are also committed to diversity and strongly encourage applications from those with Black or Minoritised backgrounds.
We are not currently able to accept applications if you do not hold permission to work in the UK.
Registered charity no: 1185078
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Who we are
IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice) is a national charity working to ensure that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the educational support they are legally entitled to. Since we were formed in 1983, we have helped to improve the education experience of thousands of children and young people across England. We do this by providing free and independent legal advice and casework support for families, undertaking policy work and delivering training on the SEND legal framework.
What you’ll do
Reports to: Chief Executive
Location: Home-based or Hybrid (with frequent travel for events and meeting with parliamentarians and other stakeholders)
We are seeking a Policy Manager to lead IPSEA's policy and influencing work to achieve positive change for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families. Working closely with the Chief Executive, Head of Legal and Training, trustees and colleagues across the organisation, you will set strategic policy priorities and develop evidence-based influencing plans that support IPSEA's mission and long-term objectives.
Drawing on insights from our advice and tribunal services, legal expertise and the experiences of families, you will identify systemic issues within the SEND system and develop policy solutions that improve children and young people's access to the support and education to which they are entitled. You will ensure that IPSEA's policy positions are credible, legally robust and informed by the lived experiences of those we support.
You will lead IPSEA's engagement with government, Parliament and other key decision-makers, identifying opportunities to influence legislation, policy and practice at both national and local level. This includes overseeing responses to consultations, parliamentary inquiries and calls for evidence, as well as preparing briefings and strategic advice to support senior-level engagement and advocacy.
Working collaboratively with colleagues across legal, communications, fundraising and training teams, you will ensure IPSEA's policy, campaigning and public affairs activities are aligned and maximise the organisation's impact. You will also monitor developments across the political, legal and policy landscape, helping IPSEA respond proactively to emerging opportunities and challenges affecting the rights of children and young people with SEND.
This role offers the opportunity to make a real difference as part of a small, friendly, and dedicated team. If you are passionate about helping children and young people with SEND and have the skills and experience needed, we would love to hear from you.
Who are we looking for?
You will have significant experience in a senior policy and campaigning/public affairs role and have good knowledge of local and national government structure including the legislative process.
You the ability to build and maintain relationships with a range of stakeholders including MPs, civil servants, campaigners and parents. You exhibit tact and diplomacy and can be impactful with people of varying levels and experience.
Your research and critical thinking skills enable you to analyse policy and data to produce relevant reports and position papers. You have experience of drafting organisation responses to government consultations and parliamentary calls for evidence.
IPSEA should also reflect the communities we support. We would particularly like to hear from candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ people, under-served communities and disabled people, as well as those with lived experience of the SEND system, either as a child or as a parent/carer.
What we can offer you
To apply
Visit our website to download a recruitment pack and application form.
Deadline for applications: 9am on 7 September 2026.
First-round interviews: on 15 September 2026 in our offices in Takeley, Essex, with second-round interviews (online) on 18 September 2026.
NO AGENCIES PLEASE.
We help children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) get the education they are entitled to by law


The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.