Senior hr advisor jobs in islington, greater london

Legal Counsel

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Legal Counsel to join the Chief Executive's Office. Your role is to provide general legal advice; to act as commercial counsel, assisting in reviewing and drafting commercial contracts, ensuring these are fit for purpose and to manage any potential commercial disputes.

This role is not open to sponsorship.

Role Requirements

• Providing accurate, relevant and timely advice to the organisation on a wide range of legal topics that relate to the organisation.
• Managing and mitigating legal risks by designing and implementing organisational policies and procedures as well as providing in-house legal templates.
• Ensuring compliance with all laws, rules, regulations and statutory guidance that apply to the business including any changes that may arise from time to time
• Drafting, reviewing, and supporting with the negotiation of various commercial contracts and agreements including retail shop leases.
• Providing timely, accurate and commercially responsive advice to CEO, SLT, senior managers and trustees on both a formal and informal basis.
• Communicating with and managing third-party bodies such as regulators, external counsel or auditors.
• Promoting legal, compliance and risk management best practice throughout the organisation.
• Designing and delivering legal training to the organisation.
• Providing advice on the effective management and protection of The Children’s Trust intellectual property.
• Providing advice on the effective management and protection of The Children’s Trusts employees.
• Providing support with coroner’s inquests including instructing external counsel, liaising with the Coroner’s Office and conveying legally privileged advice to the SLT and trustees as appropriate.
• Supporting colleagues with the development and implementation of a contracts management process, contracts playbook (set of standard templates) and central contracts database.
• Managing the legal services budget.
• Undertaking other or additional duties that are within your skills and abilities, as the organisation may reasonably require from time to time.

Interview Date: 1st stage Interviews held 4th – 7th August

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY – ‘How to Apply’

Strictly no agencies, please.

As we often receive high levels of applicants for our roles, we regret that we will only be able to contact those applicants who are shortlisted for interviews. Therefore, if you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume you have not been shortlisted for an interview on this occasion.

About Us

The Children’s Trust is the UK’s leading charity for children with acquired brain injury, providing expert rehabilitation, education, therapy, and care at our national specialist centre in Tadworth, and to children and their families across the UK, via our Brain Injury Community Service.

Boasting a beautiful 24-acre site in Surrey, we are located just outside of London, close to the M25 (accessible via Junction 8, A217 to Tadworth) and easily accessible via National Rail, by way of: Clapham Junction, Sutton, and Epsom.

Staff Benefits

The work we do is highly rewarding, and in addition to an attractive salary, we offer a valuable range of benefits, including our staff flexible benefits platform, on-site nursery, free eye tests, enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay, time out days for those experiencing menopause symptoms and time off for gender reassignment.

We also offer additional annual leave days for those with long service, with entitlements ranging from 35 to 41 days (including bank holidays) depending on your length of service.

Other benefits include free on-site parking; a staff shuttle service from Epsom and Sutton train stations to Tadworth Court, subsidised cafeteria, on-site staff accommodation (subject to availability), the ability to retain your NHS pension (where applicable), Teacher’s pension (where applicable) or the opportunity to join an alternative scheme, and the opportunity to develop your career in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Rehabilitation of Offenders

Many roles at The Children’s Trust are exempt from the provisions of Section 4 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, by virtue of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013 and 2020) and as such, are subject to an Enhanced DBS check.  Successful applicants will be required to complete an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check, which will disclose all unspent convictions and adult cautions and any spent convictions or adult cautions that would not be protected.  The exceptions to this are our retail roles within The Children’s Trust shops, which are subject to Basic DBS checks which will disclose unspent convictions or adult cautions.

Equal Opportunity Employer

To help us achieve our ambition to give children and young people with brain injury and neurodisability the opportunity to live the best life possible, we want to accurately reflect the UK’s diverse population. We want equity, diversity, and inclusion to be at the heart of everything we do, and our people, services, and culture to reflect the diverse needs of all. Through our diversity and inclusion strategy, we have made a commitment to increase the diversity of our charity and create an inclusive culture. We have networks across the organisation working to ensure that these aims are met - including an LGBTQIA2S+ group, Ethnic Diversity Group, and Spark – our broad EDI group. Read more about our EDI work here. We welcome applications from all who share our ambition regardless of background. We will strive to ensure that any reasonable adjustments are made in respect of interview and working arrangements.

Online Searches

In accordance with statutory safeguarding and child protection guidance, online searches will be conducted for shortlisted candidates before interview. The online searches will be conducted by a person who is independent of the interview and selection process and will focus on relevant information returned via searches of the candidate’s name (and variations thereof). Social media searches will be limited to professional platforms such as LinkedIn. Any concerns relating to suitability for work with children and young people will be forwarded to the interview panel, for discussion during the interview.

WORKING WITH US

The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.

We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.

Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.

To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the page.

ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY

We’re looking for a passionate and driven HR professional to play a pivotal role in delivering our ambitious HR strategy and supporting the growth of our Federation.

In this high-impact, operational role, you’ll work closely with senior leaders to drive forward key business and HR initiatives.

From resourcing and employee relations to learning and development, you’ll provide expert guidance and hands-on support that empowers our management teams to thrive. You’ll be at the heart of our people strategy, leading on complex casework, championing best practices and ensuring our academies are supported with regular on-site visits.

If you're a proactive, solutions-focused HR professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about education, we’d love to hear from you.

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing professional and customer-focussed HR leadership, advice and support to academies to enable leaders to improve and support staff engagement, tackle workforce priorities, maximise workforce efficiency and achieve academy people objectives
• Influencing and supporting the strategic direction of academies by providing and analysing workforce information and developing HR initiatives to respond to needs or example, developing effective retention plans, improving sickness absence and reducing agency expenditure
• Coaching, supporting and mentoring senior leaders on people management practices, issues and priorities, through development of close working relationships and understanding of business challenges and opportunities
• Providing expert advice to managers in highly complex employee relations cases on the interpretation and implementation of the Federation employment procedures within the context of the legal framework
• Retaining oversight of casework, and line managing an HR advisor in the management of specific ER cases

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• Experience in a HR Business Partner or senior HR advisor role within a large complex organisation
• Experience of developing and delivery of strategic HR plans and initiatives
• Previous experience of managing complex Employee relations issues, change management, and restructuring
• Experience of supervising staff
• Educated to masters level in HR Management or equivalent level of experience of working in an HR role
• A CIPD qualification to Associate level or above

For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.

APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION

If you would like to discuss the opportunity further, or if you have any questions, please contact us via email to arrange a conversation.

Before applying please ensure you download the job pack from our careers website, this will help with completing your application. Please note that we only accept applications submitted online before the closing date.

When applying, you will have the option to import your CV or use a LinkedIn profile which will auto populate the online application. 

A reminder to check your junk mail for our email communications and add us to your safe senders list to ensure all future email communication is received.

OUR VISION & VALUES

Our vision, from the start, has been to provide the structure and services needed for our schools to amount to more than the sum of their parts, and to free-up our teachers and leaders to focus on one thing and one thing only: the outstanding education of all their pupils. Our young people and communities are at the heart of everything we do. Our core mission has always been to close the educational gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Our ambition is one where every child in London, no matter their background, has equal access to high quality education, giving them the same opportunities and potential to succeed.

We know there are many challenges facing our young people and the communities we serve, and that’s why we need determined people like you to help us tackle those inequalities. Whilst each of our academies has their own unique cultures and values; as a whole Federation, we have four core values which are central to successfully achieving our vision: Excellence, Collaboration, Support, and Innovation. We are proud of our values because they guide us in how we work allowing us to achieve the best possible outcomes for our young people, communities, and colleagues.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

Harris has a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

You will also have access to a variety of benefits, support programmes and initiatives including:

• Excellent opportunities for continuous professional development and career progression
• Annual performance and loyalty bonus
• Pension scheme (Teachers' Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contribution
• 26 days' annual leave (inclusive of our Christmas Eve closure day) plus bank holidays, rising to 27 days after 2 years' service, or equivalent for staff on term time contracts
• Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan including cover for routine and specialist healthcare
• Employee Assistance Programme for free and confidential advice
• Cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme
• Wide range of shopping, leisure, and travel discounts
• 20% off at Tapi Carpets, exclusive to Harris employees
• Interest-free ICT and season ticket loans

For most non-teaching staff based at our Head Office in East Croydon, we also offer lifestyle friendly working arrangements including flexible start and end times, and hybrid working with two days from home and three days on site.

IIED Director of People
Hybrid (within the UK) with regular travel to the London or Edinburgh office

About Us

The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is a not-for-profit policy research and influence organisation, and a globally recognised force for social and environmental justice. Our mission is to build a fairer, more sustainable world, using evidence, action and influence in partnership with others. We work with an unparalleled global network to reshape policies, funding mechanisms and governance at all levels. For more than 50 years, IIED has acted alongside marginalised communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America to bring lived experience, expertise and evidence from those regions to global attention. Our people are central to this purpose, and we currently have almost 200 people across more than 16 countries, with office bases in London and Edinburgh.

As IIED navigates challenges common across the sector, the Director of People will play a pivotal role in delivering and embedding our new organisational model as well as a programme of work designed to enhance efficiency and achieve essential savings.

Shaping and leading an ambitious, people focused agenda that champions justice, equity, anti-racism, inclusion, and wellbeing, you will deliver meaningful impact across our globally connected organisation.

This is a full time (35 hours per week), permanent role, with flexibility to support work life balance. It’s an unmissable opportunity for a senior people-centred leader with a strong track record in inclusive, values–led strategy to join our mission driven organisation.

The Role

As a key member of IIED’s Strategy and Leadership Council (SLC), the Director of People will play a critical role in driving organisational transformation, embedding our values and supporting a collaborative, high performing culture across our globally distributed team. Working in partnership with leaders and teams across the Institute, the role will lead a team of dedicated Human Resources and Organisational Development professionals supporting the organisation to make progress against our ambitious strategy - Manifesto for a Thriving World.

This senior leadership position combines strategic vision with HR operational excellence. You will lead the development of people-centred strategies, workforce planning and change management initiatives that drive organisational performance and promote inclusion and wellbeing.

Other responsibilities include

-Providing strategic leadership across all areas of people and culture, aligned with IIED’s values and Manifesto
-Being a trusted advisor on all people matters
-Delivering KPIs related to people, culture, equity and wellbeing using evidence and analytics to drive continuous improvement
-Ensuring legal compliance and excellence across all People operations, including recruitment, employee relations, and reward management
-Working in partnership with the union on strategic organisational change and development

About You

To be considered as our Director of People, you will need:

-Demonstrable senior level HR leadership experience with outstanding leadership, coaching and relationship building capabilities
-A strong track record of delivering inclusive and values-led HR practices
-Proven experience leading and embedding wellbeing and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
-Experience supporting and embedding cultural and behavioural change within complex, ideally international, organisations
-In depth knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practices, ideally combined with knowledge of international legislative frameworks
-Successful experience of translating strategy into practice, led by people-centred design and grounded in the experience of diverse stakeholders
-A sound understanding of HR Information Systems and the use of people data/analytics

The Benefits

-Salary of £78,715-£91,102 per annum
-25 days' annual leave per year plus bank holidays and additional leave over Christmas
-7.5% employer pension contributions
-Flexible hybrid working options
-Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption pay
-Cycle-to-work scheme
-Employee protection scheme (life, critical illness, income protection)

Please note you are likely to be working from home most of the time. As such, you will need a suitable place to work and a reliable, fast internet connection.

Interview Process – Key Dates

Applicants are advised that the selection process for this role is expected to follow the timeline below:

-Initial discussion with the Executive Director: 21 July 2025
-First formal interviews: between 23 and 30 July 2025
-Informal meeting with the People Team: 31 July 2025
-Final stage interviews: 7 August 2025

(All interviews will be held virtually via Microsoft Teams. Please let us know if you are unavailable for any of these dates)

Closing date for applications 13th July 2025.

This role is subject to a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, in line with our safeguarding and safer recruitment commitments. A criminal record will not automatically bar you from employment; any disclosed information will be considered fairly and confidentially, in accordance with our recruitment procedures and the nature of the role.

IIED is a Global organisation that serves the Global Majority. We are committed to equity of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in IIED’s workforce including members of minority groups and those with lived experience of the work we do. Even if you don't satisfy all the criteria, we still encourage you to apply, as we will offer training and development to upskill the right candidate for the role.

If you're ready to lead meaningful people-focused change in a dynamic, complex environment and take the next step in your career as our Director of People, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now!

Diversity and inclusion matter to us.

Our vision is of a future where both people and the planet thrive. Diversity is one of our core values and we strive to build a workplace where everyone feels a sense of belonging. All new staff who join us learn about the importance of diversity and inclusion to the Museum and how to contribute to creating an inclusive environment.
We know we have more to do, but we are committed to ensuring that everyone who works at the Museum feels they can thrive and feel valued and respected.

Job Summary

To manage talent acquisition for the Museum, working with hiring managers to plan and deliver effective campaigns to fill each role with the best possible candidate.  To manage and develop a range of materials and systems to support talent acquisition activity.
 

Main responsibilities

• Be responsible for the end-to-end recruitment pipeline across the Museum (around 150 campaigns per year)
• Work with the HR Business Partners to understand and predict resourcing needs and plan future hiring needs
• Be responsible for the Museum’s candidate marketing materials including the careers site, developing content and working with the Digital team to ensure content is updated regularly
• Work with hiring managers to plan and deliver tailored recruitment campaigns for each role
• Undertake focused research and campaign planning for hard-to-fill and specialist roles to ensure they are filled with appropriately qualified candidates
• Keep abreast of best practice and new developments in talent acquisition, testing and learning new ideas and methodologies to improve our approach
• Liaise with the HR Administrators to ensure vacancies are posted as needed and candidates are moved through the recruitment pipeline.  Administer an allocation of campaigns where required during peak periods
• Plan and manage volume recruitment events for front of house roles in conjunction with hiring managers and the HR Advisor
• Develop and deliver a range of selection assessment tools and methodologies to ensure we select the right hires for each role.  Sit on interview/assessment panels as required
•  Work with the Volunteering Co-ordinator and HR Operations Manager to develop and deliver an effective recruitment service for volunteers
• Manage the recruitment advertising budget ensuring it is deployed where it will deliver the best returns in terms of candidate quality
• Liaise with recruitment and agencies as needed, selecting the best value partners, negotiating rates and managing their service delivery
• Support on Executive Search campaigns where required for senior hires
• Manage the day-to-day functioning of the Applicant Tracking System, liaising with the HR Operations Manager on system developments and improvements
• Work with the managers of proposed externally funded projects to understand potential hiring needs and advise on timing/strategy
• Work with the Head of Inclusion & Organisational Development on strategies to ensure inclusive recruitment and to meet our targets for increasing representation at every level of our workforce
• Work with the HR Operations Manager to develop a suite of management information reports for hiring managers, senior leaders and HR that give insight into campaign performance and candidate diversity.  Make recommendations for changes and developments based on insights from this data.

Person Specification

• Significant experience as an in-house recruiter with a successful track record of hiring into key roles
• Experience of a broad range of assessment methodologies and deploying these to select the best candidates for each role
• Experience of developing and implementing assessments against behaviour frameworks
• Experience of coaching hiring managers to deliver effective recruitment campaigns
• Experience with developing candidate attraction materials and communications
• Experience of developing and delivering training for hiring managers
• Experience of developing targeted campaigns for hard-to-fill/niche roles
• Significant experience using digital tools such as LinkedIn Recruiter to identify and approach potential candidates
• Experience of working with Applicant Tracking Systems, developing their use to maximise their effectiveness
• Highly numerate with proven ability of taking a data-driven approach and making recommendations based on insight
• Highly organised with the ability to manage and prioritise a range of campaigns
• Flexible and proactive approach
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience of managing budgets and supplier relationships

Desirable

• Accreditation in one or more psychometric testing methodologies e.g. BPS RQTU certification
• Experience of hiring in the academic/scientific sectors

Key Information

This is a hybrid working role so you will be expected to divide your time between home working and working on-site at South Kensington.

All positions at the Natural History Museum are conditional subject to
receipt of:

• Proof that you are legally entitled to work in the UK
• A Basic Disclosure Check from the Disclosures and Barring Service (DBS) 
• Satisfactory references covering the last 3 years of your employment or education 
• Health clearance 

The Museum supports flexible working.

BACKGROUND

Ashiana is a ‘by and for’ women's led BME VAWG service with 30 years’ experience in delivering a holistic range of specialist services to South Asian, Turkish and Middle Eastern women affected by VAWG.

OUR SERVICES

Ashiana runs three refuges with a total of 29 bedspaces; specifically for women aged 16-35 fleeing forced marriage. This multi award winning project is the only service of its kind in the UK and is highly innovative in terms of addressing an area of significant need not met in other refuge provision. Within these refuges we designate a number of bedspaces for women with no recourse to public funds. We offer an advice and support service to women and girls who are experiencing VAWG, enabling them to make informed decisions and exit violent relationships. We provide a legal service supporting women with no recourse to public funds to help resolve their immigration status.

Counselling is offered for women and girls affected by VAWG. The counselling service works from an integrative stance, with the focus of providing a holistic service whereby we also work alongside other services and provide specialist domestic violence group work. The emphasis of therapeutic work with our clients is from a trauma informed model.

We also deliver an education programme for young people in secondary schools in East London aimed at preventing domestic violence and enabling young people experiencing domestic violence to access appropriate services. The prevention service includes delivering a whole school approach in schools to young people as well as group work to women and girls across North East London boroughs as well as community engagement activities and delivery. We deliver a range of awareness raising workshops for young people in the community and training on domestic violence for professionals in the voluntary and statutory sector.

PRIMARY TASK

The post is instrumental in overseeing the delivery of a comprehensive package of services and care for women in our refuges. To provide a safe environment and a service that is appropriate to the needs of young BME women particularly those from South Asian, Turkish and Middle Eastern communities and to support ex-clients following resettlement.

The post holder will have a caseload of clients and be responsible for providing advice, advocacy, casework and support to women and girls, advocating on behalf of these women and making others aware of their particular needs. The post-holder is required to demonstrate sensitivity and an awareness of the culture and needs of  minoritised communities in all aspects of their duties and responsibilities.

Please see the attached the full job description

Our partner is seeking an evolved Finance Director, who is able to be both hands-on leading an international finance function, as well as a strategic advisor as a member of the senior leadership team.

Responsibilities

• Lead the organisation’s international finance function, with operations in the UK and overseas. Responsible for preparation of the annual accounts in the overseas country offices, and consolidated accounts in the UK; and the statutory filings.
• As a strategic advisor and member of the senior leadership team, support in the development of the organisational and financial strategies and the annual and quarterly planning processes; develop cost models, and offer advice on key decisions.
• Lead the annual budgeting & forecasting processes, and the preparation of the reporting packs.
• Provide oversight on developing donor budgets on a full cost recovery basis, monitor financial compliance, and meet donor reporting requirements.
• Responsible for managing the tax, treasury and forex affairs of the organisation.
• Provide oversight on the organisation’s operations – covering inventory, procurement, IT, HR and facilities.

Requirements

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACMA, ACCA, or equivalent) with senior level experience working in an international organisation with complex operations and funding sources.
• A balanced leader, willing to be hands-on, leading a diverse finance and operations team, and being a thought partner to the senior leadership team.
• Experienced in leading on all aspects of finance – financial accounting & compliance, audit preparation, budgeting, financial planning & analysis, forecasting and reporting.
• Experience in leading the operations of an international organisation.
• Demonstrable knowledge of charity & tax regulations and compliance.
• Strong analytical & business modelling skills, commercial acumen and the ability to interpret complex financial information.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills – able to work with colleagues from finance and non-finance backgrounds, and influence senior leadership team and board.

This role is open to candidates with the right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship. This role offers hybrid working with the candidate expected to be in the office 2 days/week, more during busy periods

About Impetus

Impetus transforms the lives of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds by ensuring they get the right support to succeed in school, in work and in life.

We find, fund and build the most promising organisations working with these young people, providing core funding and working shoulder-to-shoulder with their leaders over the long term to help them become stronger.

At Impetus we focus on the critical factors that influence the education and employment outcomes for disadvantaged young people in the UK, working with organisations that have the potential for impact at scale, helping their leaders to deliver lifechanging, benchmark beating, sustained outcomes.

We provide them with the funding and the tools to grow and deliver on their promises to the young people they serve. We also seek to influence government and the wider sector to back effective support for young people and invest with other like-minded organisations to tackle the most difficult and under-supported challenges.

We are resolutely focused on outcomes and impact, driven by quality evidence.

You would be joining a team that is passionate, rigorous, determined, creative and warm. We care deeply for our colleagues, our charity partners and the young people we serve.

Impetus is a registered charity and our charity number is 1152262.

About the team

This is an important role based in a busy Operations team which covers office management, information technology, finance and human resources. The team play a key role in supporting the organisation to achieve its mission of supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to succeed.

The Operations team comprises the Director of Finance and Operations, HR and Learning Manager, Head of Finance, HR Officer, Finance and Operations Assistant and a part time Administrator. Payroll and IT support are outsourced.

About this role

The Executive Assistant (EA) to the Chief Executive at Impetus plays a vital role in providing high-level administrative and project management support to the Chief Executive and ensuring the smooth operating of the Senior Management Team (SMT). The EA acts as a key liaison between the Chief Executive and internal/external stakeholders, managing sensitive information and handling a wide range of administrative and executive support tasks.

This dynamic position requires the ability to anticipate needs, think critically, and offer creative solutions to problems with a high level of professionalism and confidentiality.

Key responsibilities

Executive Support:

• Provide sophisticated calendar management for the Chief Executive.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders on all matters pertaining to the Chief Executive, including those of a highly confidential or critical nature.
• Prioritise and determine the appropriate course of action, referral, or response, exercising judgement to reflect the Chief Executive’s style and organisational policy.
• Prioritise inquiries and requests while troubleshooting conflicts; make judgements and recommendations to ensure smooth day-to-day engagements.
• Anticipate the Chief Executive’s needs (e.g. travel bookings, briefings, preparation time) in advance of meetings, conferences, etc.
• Coordinate all SMT meetings and offsites and assist with staff meetings and events as needed.
• Work closely with the Chief Executive to keep them well informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up appropriately.
• Act as a "barometer," having a sense for the issues taking place in the environment and keeping the Chief Executive updated.
• Provide a "gatekeeper" and "gateway" role, providing a bridge for smooth communication between the Chief Executive and staff, demonstrating leadership to maintain credibility, trust and support with the senior management team.
• Complete a broad variety of administrative tasks that facilitate the CEO’s ability to effectively lead the organisation including: assisting with special projects; designing and producing complex documents, reports, and presentations; collecting and preparing information for meetings with staff and outside parties; composing and preparing correspondence; maintaining contact lists; making travel arrangements; and completing expenses.

Governance:

• Act as a liaison and provide support to the Board of Directors.
• Arrange and handle all logistics for Board meetings, sub committees and events: schedule meetings; draft agendas; develop, compile, and distribute presentation materials and record meeting minutes.

Operations Support:

• Support a professional and effective office/remote working environment for Impetus staff.
• Assist the Director of Finance and Operations (DFO) with any ad hoc Operations duties and projects, such as an office move, health and safety reviews, optimising remote and agile working.
• Assist the HR and Learning Manager with HR administration, including straightforward queries, recruitment support and ad hoc projects where needed.

Person specification

Essential:

Qualifications and Experience

• Significant executive support experience, acting as a trusted advisor and support to senior colleague/s (ideally within the charity or not for profit sector).
• Good business acumen and a keen interest and understanding of operations support.
• Excellent technical skills. Experience utilising CRM systems effectively; expert proficiency with Microsoft Office; ability to design and edit graphic presentations and materials.
• Exceptional organisational skills and impeccable attention to detail.
• Ability to react with appropriate levels of urgency to situations and events that require quick response or turnaround.
• Ability to complete a high volume of tasks and projects with little or no guidance.
• Excellent judgement and problem solving; with the ability to make appropriate, informed decisions regarding priorities and available time.
• Excellent project management and planning skills, including effective contingency planning and responsibility for managing actions, people and priorities.

People and Communication skills

• High degree of proactive professionalism in dealing with diverse groups of people, including Board members, senior executives, staff, charity partners, donors, and other external stakeholders.
• Work flexibly, collaboratively and creatively, with the ability to adapt to change, and work effectively as part of a team, remain calm under pressure and support others where required.
• Commitment to a continual focus on improving service to stakeholders, both internal and external.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with experience of writing in a variety of formats and communicating complex and sensitive information in a clear, correct, coherent and professional manner.
• Ability to influence and negotiate, presenting arguments or proposals with skill and confidence.
• Ability to maintain a high level of integrity and discretion when handling confidential information, dealing with sensitive issues and managing conflict.

Commitment to Impetus’ mission and values

• Ability to act as an ambassador for the organisation.
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion with the ability to execute work with a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens.

Desirable

• Experience working in the charity or not for profit sector.
• Experience working with a not for profit Board.
• A keen interest in youth and/or education sector.

Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

We want our team at Impetus to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our team to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop.

We want to reach a diverse pool of candidates. We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful.

We recognise the importance of a good work/life balance. We do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, working part-time job shares and other arrangements.

Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.

Impetus is an equal opportunity employer and is determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We value diversity and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

How to apply

You will need to:

• Complete the online form (including the equal opportunities monitoring form).
• Upload a comprehensive CV and supporting statement. 

The supporting statement should be no more than two sides of A4 and should address the criteria in the person specification.

You should also include the contact details of two referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be approached with your express permission.

As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at interview stage.

The deadline for applications is 9am Monday 14th July 2025.

Interviews

First round interviews will take place: 21st July 2025.

Second round interviews will take place: 28th July 2025.

You will also be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

Personal Data

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.

Westway Trust is seeking a dedicated Head of Operations with a minimum of 5 years’ senior leadership or operational management experience in a multi-disciplinary organisation, ideally within a community, charitable, social enterprise or values-led setting.

In this newly created role, you will act as a key advisor, reporting directly into the CEO, and will have responsibility of key areas of the Trust’s operational functions, ensuring the smooth and effective running and delivery of services. You will directly manage the leads of HR, Learning, Communications & Marketing, and Community Engagement, supporting them to deliver high-quality work and develop professionally.

If you are a values-led operational leader who is committed to community transformation and organisational excellence, and thrives on steering strategic decisions, this role is for you! 

Key responsibilities of the role include but not limited to:

• Oversight and line management of the HR, Learning, Communications & Marketing, and Community Engagement functions of the Trust.
• Oversight of key projects essential to the delivery of the Horizon (strategic) Plan 2025-2028 as agreed with the CEO.
• Be a key part of the Executive Team, chaired by the CEO.
• Maintain an overview of all projects and programmes of activity, outputs and outcomes within the role and ensure reports are written and submitted on time.
• Provide day-to-day operational leadership across teams, driving high performance, alignment with values, and maintaining individual, personal & team wellbeing.
• Develop and implement planning processes and performance management tools to ensure effective delivery of goals.
• Develop, drive and maintain the data gathering and analysis for the Westway Trust, that enables the Social Impact Framework and to play a key role in the organisation’s progress towards creating a strong narrative in respect of achievement. 
• Attend People Committee Meetings and the Board as requested, and contribute to the preparation of meeting papers as necessary in line with agenda requirements. 
• Provide upward reporting and insight to the CEO including written briefings, performance dashboards, and recommendations.
• Attend internal and external meetings, including those that require representing the Trust publicly, in line with agreed strategies and perspectives.
• Monitor, update and ensure compliance with organisational policies and legal requirements (e.g. safeguarding, employment, health & safety, data protection) to build a positive work culture.
• Champion collaboration and integration across departments, ensuring consistent implementation of work priorities that align with community needs and objectives.
• Support a values-based culture that centres equity, sustainability, openness, courage, and integrity.
• Contribute to organisational development and support the process of communicating and managing change effectively at the Trust in line with agreed policies and frameworks.

Essential Experience, Skills and Attributes:

• Minimum 5 years’ senior leadership or operational management experience in a multi-disciplinary organisation, ideally within a community, charitable, social enterprise or values-led setting.
• Proven ability to lead, guide and motivate diverse teams and to support the professional growth of those who report to you as a line manager.
• Demonstrable experience of good practice approaches to conflict resolution, working in collaboration with others and encouraging honesty, transparency and open ways of working across teams that benefit the organisation’s effectiveness and efficiency.
• Excellent planning, organisation and performance management skills.
• Excellent writing and reporting skills, including the ability to summarise complex data and issues for decision-makers.
• Experience in researching, developing and managing departmental budgets.
• Ability to analyse information, and formulate practical and reasoned operational plans that can be easily understood and monitored.
• Strong interpersonal and emotional intelligence skills – able to offer both moral and professional support to teams.
• Experience of supporting organisational change, transition, or transformation programmes.
• Experience of embedding inclusive and equitable practices across teams.
• Demonstrable alignment with the Trust’s values and commitment to anti-racism and community power.

Desirable Experience, Skills and Attributes:

• Previous experience overseeing HR or education/community programmes is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with communications/marketing functions is a plus but not essential.
• Degree-level education together with a recognised professional qualification in any of the fields this role covers - or equivalent lived/professional experience – is highly desirable.

Benefits of working with us:

• Great location in the heart of Portobello, North Kensington
• Generous holiday entitlement of 25 days per year + statutory bank holidays
• Sick pay scheme
• Investor in People (IiP) employer
• Free gym membership at health club one minute walk from the office
• Pension scheme
• Life Assurance
• Season ticket / bicycle loan
• Free eye test voucher

The application deadline is  Sunday 13 July when applications will be reviewed and shortlisted for interview.  However, we reserve the right to close the application early.  An early application is strongly recommended.

Job Summary

Location : Requirement to attend our sites in Basildon, Harlow and Thurrock if required and to team meetings quarterly.

Type: Remote

Salary: £48,000.00 per annum

Hours :  37.5 hours per week

Term: Permanent

Main Responsibilities:

Leadership

1. As a member of the Operational Leadership Team and wider Senior Leadership Team, work collaboratively and take collective responsibility for the strategic management and leadership of the organisation.

2. Work closely with the CEO, Treasurer and Board of Trustees to facilitate good governance and risk management.

3. Manage, maintain and develop all financial systems and control; increasing their impact and quality, and implementing best practices in financial management.

4. To supervise finance assistants and ensure that they are adhering to financial code of practices.

Financial Management

1. Lead and manage all aspects of the financial cycle, including budgeting, forecasting, fixed asset management, reserves & designated fund management and financial reporting.

2. Work with HR & Payroll Officer to manage and retain oversight of the day to day financial operations, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, banking and general ledger maintenance, including the reconciliation of petty cash, credit cards and all bank accounts on a monthly basis reviewing and approving payment runs and payroll.

3. Work with the CEO and Senior Leadership Team to prepare the annual budgets and forecasts.

4. Lead and manage the provision of regular budget monitoring and reports to budget holders.

5. Assist with the budget preparation for funding bids. Manage, monitor and keep track of any grants, funding or commissioned income, working with relevant managers to provide relevant financial information for inclusion in monitoring reports.

6. Lead and manage the provision of quarterly financial reports to the Board and advise them on financial issues as appropriate

7. Provide insightful financial analysis and reporting to inform and support organisational management, development and decision[1]making, and funding applications across the organisation.

8. Work with the CEO to prepare medium term financial forecasts for the organisation to support strategic decision-making and delivery of strategic priorities.

9. Lead on the audit process and the preparation of year end accounts to trial balance including preparation of the audit file and the closing down of the accounts on our accounting management system to ensure that the organisation is compliant with legal requirements and good practice.

10. To work closely with the CEO, Senior Leadership Team and designated Trustees to advise, review and cost the annual pay award.

11. To provide back-up and holiday cover for the processing of monthly payroll.

12. To work with and support the HR & Payroll Officer in providing payroll information and reconciling payroll monthly.

Governance and compliance

1. Ensure compliance with all relevant financial regulations and reporting requirements (e.g. Companies House, HMRC and the Charity Commission).

2. Attend Trustee Board meetings to report on financial matters, including the identification and management of financial risk, and provide any relevant reports.

3. To support the Trustees, SLT and line managers in managing our finances carefully and within our financial means, through provision of advice, guidance, support and training.

4. To be the main point of contact with external auditors.

5. To ensure that robust financial controls are in place, underpinned by appropriate financial policies and procedures and to ensure that they are adhered to and that the organisation is protected from fraud and error.

Closing date for applications : 21st July 2025

OPERATIONS AND FINANCE OFFICER, POLITICAL STUDIES ASSOCIATION (PSA)

Contract type: Fixed-Term (initial 12-months, potential for extension)

Hours: Part-time, up to 30 hours per week (0.8 FTE). We are open to these being flexibly worked over the week.

 Location: Camden, London (Hybrid working - 1 or 2 days in the office per week) 

Salary: £32,000 pro rata, £25,600 per annum

 Are you ready to play a vital role at the heart of the Political Studies Association (PSA)?

We’re looking for a proactive and organised Operations and Finance Officer to join our small but dynamic team. This is a varied, hands-on role providing day-to-day support across finance, operations, HR, and governance. You’ll work closely with our Head of Operations & Finance and CEO to help keep everything running smoothly.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with experience in, or a strong interest in developing finance and digital administration skills. We welcome applicants with a solid background in operations or administration who are keen to grow their knowledge of finance systems, bookkeeping, and compliance in a supportive, mission-driven environment.

In this vital post, you’ll take the lead on day-to-day operational administration, including office management, managing payments and maintaining accurate records in systems like Xero.

 You’ll also:

• Support HR administration and payroll processes
• Manage office contractors and supplies
• Provide excellent service to our tenants and shared workspace users
• Ensure good data management and GDPR compliance
• Assist the CEO and Head of Operations & Finance with admin and logistics
• Contribute to PSA operations and adapt flexibly to changing priorities

We support flexible working arrangements, but the ability to work from our Camden office when required, including on our regular team day (Wednesday) is essential.

For full details of the role, please see the job description available here.

Please send your CV and covering letter, explaining how you meet our criteria and why you wish to join the team by 14th July at 10am. We look forward to hearing from you. We would be grateful if you could also complete our equal opportunities monitoring from when you apply which can be found here. 

Studies indicate that women and people from other historically marginalised are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single criteria.  If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t perfectly fit our essential criteria, please do not be discouraged from applying.  We are keen to recruit the right person for the role and welcome applications from those who have transferable skills.

Interview will be held on 18th July

To apply for the role, you must be eligible to work in the UK - the Political Studies Association is not a sponsoring Organisation.

Are you a master orchestrator passionate about making a real difference?
You Make It is an award-winning East London charity empowering working-class, racialised women. We’re looking for a part-time Operations Manager to power our daily operations and help us thrive!

In this role, you’ll:

• Lead talent recruitment and development.

• Enhance our inclusive team culture.

• Streamline processes, ensure compliance, and track impact.

• Collaborate on budgeting and board reporting.

What we offer:

• Hybrid, part-time working with flexible hours.

• Accelerated pay progression after 6 months.

• A therapy and wellness allowance, annual bonus, and pension.

• A small, joyful team culture built on equity and authenticity.

Contract: 1 year (with potential to extend)
Salary: £30,400 (£38k FTE) 
Deadline: Interviews are rolling - apply as soon as possible
Start date: Ideally early September (or sooner)

Job Title: Employment Adviser

Line Reports: Client Services Manager

Location: London

Salary:  £29,000 - £32,000

Hours: Full-time 37.5 hours per week, with occasional evening or weekend work (TOIL provided)

Contract: Permanent

Overall purpose

The Employment Adviser (EA) plays a key role in supporting refugees and people from refugee backgrounds to progress towards and secure sustainable employment. The EA provides tailored employment advice and guidance, helping clients build the knowledge, confidence, and skills needed to navigate the UK job market. This role will work with clients at various stages of their employment journey, with a particular focus on those in the earlier stages of understanding career options, developing employability skills, and exploring education, training, and volunteering opportunities.

The EA will deliver one-to-one and group-based employability support, collaborate with employers and volunteers to source opportunities for clients, and maintain strong relationships with referral and support partners to ensure a holistic approach to employment support.

To view the full job description and person specification, as well as details on our accessible recruitment process, please view the attached recruitment pack.

Other considerations

• As part of our safeguarding commitment to our clients, we carry out preemployment checks to ensure that successful applicants are suitable to work with adults at risk. These include basic DBS checks, obtaining references and verifying a candidate’s identity and right to work in the UK.
• Some travel between our different areas of operation (including London, Birmingham and Manchester) will be required. Occasional evening or weekend work may be required. Time off in lieu would be provided in this case.
• We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity status, race, religion or belief.

How to apply

If you are looking for a role where you can make a real difference, we want to hear from you. To apply, please submit a CV and statement (up to approximately 500 words/1 A4 page) outlining:

• Why you are interested in the role
• What skills you would bring to be successful in this role
• Any experience you would like to highlight
• Any reasonable adjustments you require for the interview process
• Disclosure of disabilities if you wish to do so (as a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role)

Please note that applications without a covering letter will not be considered.

Closing date for applications is 11:30pm on Tuesday 22 July. Interviews will be held on a rolling basis so please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

We belong to the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative, which advocates and supports organisations to employ more people from a refugee background. With this in mind, we particularly welcome applicants with experience of seeking asylum and/or a refugee background. 

If you are an expert by experience (a refugee or a migrant with direct, first-hand experience of issues and challenges of the UK asylum or immigration system), you can ask for an independent and confidential support for your job application from the Experts by Experience Employment Network. Please reach out to HR Manager Rebecca Hughes for further details (we are unable to include email addresses in this advert, but you can find contact details on the final page of the attached recruitment pack).

The Youth Endowment Fund  

Programme Manager

Reports to: Programme and Impact Lead 

Salary: £44,200 

Contract: 18-month fixed term (Full-Time)

Location: Central London, Hybrid*  

Closes: Monday 14th July 2025 at 12pm

About the Youth Endowment Fund

We’re here to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence. We do this by finding out what works and building a movement to put this knowledge into practice. 

Last year, 244 people in England and Wales tragically died after being assaulted with a knife. Of these, 32 were children. Every child captured in these numbers is an important member of our community and society has a duty to protect them. Even when violence doesn’t strike directly, we know that the fear of violence has a terrible effect on children’s lives.

The Youth Endowment Fund exists to try and permanently change things. To succeed, we must build an exceptional body of knowledge about violence affecting young people and how we reduce it. This knowledge has to be both rigorous and highly relevant to those making decisions about how to support vulnerable young people. We need to find out what works and what doesn’t through evidence synthesis, data analysis and qualitative research into children’s lives. We need to convert this into highly accessible content on what works, how delivery organisations need to change their practice and how the systems they operate in need to be reformed. We then need to work with the right people that can make change happen, across systems, policies and practice, to have a real impact on reducing violence affecting children’s lives.

Key Responsibilities

Deciding which projects, we should fund and evaluate is key, as is making sure we deliver our funding and evaluations to the highest standards. Our Programme Managers are responsible for identifying, assessing, funding and supporting programmes designed to prevent youth violence.

Programme Managers at YEF come from all walks of life. We look for individuals who may have experience in the youth sector, children’s social care, policing, criminal justice, education or how to involve local residents in making decisions about their own neighbourhoods.

As a Programme Manager at YEF, you will work very closely with our evaluation team to make sure we learn from what’s being implemented and that the organisations we fund are prepared and excited to work with us to find what works.

To achieve this, you will:

· Make sure we choose the best organisations to work with by assessing funding applications, critically appraising delivery plans and budgets, getting to know potential grantees and conducting site visits. These assessments will help you form recommendations to our senior leadership team about which opportunities to pursue.

· Work closely with grantees, external evaluators and our own evaluation team to ensure that the activity we are funding will be evaluable. This requires you to support and advise grantees on how to work in the context of an evaluation – usually, a randomised trial (you don’t have to have experience working on a randomised trial in the past, but it helps!).

· Build strong relationships with our grantees and provide them with ongoing management and support through the life of their funding. You will also be responsible for monitoring the performance of grantees and ensuring targets are met and any project risks are effectively mitigated.

· Think carefully about how we find the best projects to fund and evaluate, ensuring we can best find what works to keep children safe. To do this you might need to work with colleagues to spot where there has previously been a lack of evidence about what works (we will help you with this!). You would project manage these projects so they are excellently delivered – on time, within budget, and to a high standard. You will help to determine what our commissioning processes aim to achieve and design grant application processes to achieve it.

· You’ll manage our engagement with potential grantees to make sure we are attracting a diverse and promising portfolio of organisations to apply.

· Report to our team and external stakeholders regularly on how well the projects we are funding are going, spotting where grantees need support and coming up with how we can best provide that support.

· Represent the Youth Endowment Fund at external events, including reporting and presenting to our Grants and Evaluation Committee, who approve all our funding decisions.

About You

You are this sort of person:

• You don't want your days to pass without making a difference. You want to play a significant part in a charity that is making a difference.
• You want to work in a job that makes young people safer. This issue matters to you. You don’t need extensive experience in grant making, you just have to be committed to learning it. You should be keen to learn about the sectors we work with, the challenges facing young people and what organisations face when implementing programmes.
• You have experience in one or more of the following areas: policing, education, criminal justice, social care or the youth sector.
• You have a strong understanding of challenges that organisations face in delivering projects. You must also be a really good project manager, great at managing and developing people and external stakeholders, energised by tackling complex problems and really care about the YEF’s mission to build evidence of what works. 
• You have incredible judgement. You are able to reach sound and considered judgements about the viability and suitability of applicants based upon our given criteria, often using detailed written and financial information, and are able to deliver constructive feedback to organisations. You can also identify when things aren’t going to plan and be proactive with sharing observations and recommendations.
• You are an optimiser. You look for solutions and think creatively to overcome challenges. You are curious, hungry to learn and always looking for ways to improve processes and increase efficiency and impact.
• You love well-designed systems. You are committed to designing and maintaining the best systems to make sure we manage our commissioning processes well. You know this is critical to effectively managing multiple, large-scale funding programmes and competing priorities.
• You are an excellent communicator. You have the ability to convey information clearly and effectively—both in writing and verbally. You understand the importance of strong communication in fast-paced decision-making and thrive in a busy, collaborative team environment.
• You win people over. People tend to warm to you and respect you. You have built good relationships with people at every level inside and outside the organisation and have managed large networks of stakeholders with different interests and priorities. You are excellent at customer service and can professionally handle issues that come up within your grant portfolio.
• You work very well in a team. You are not motivated by being the individual winner. You want the team as a whole to succeed. You don’t care who gets the credit as long as things get done.
• You are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. You believe and act in a way that celebrates and encourages a range of experiences, backgrounds and values.
  
  

While it’s not a criteria, we are especially interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of youth violence.

We’re also keen to hear from applicants with a strong understanding of evaluation methodologies—particularly Randomised Control Trials (RCTs)—and experience either directly supporting or overseeing programme delivery within an evaluation context.

It’s important to us that the people we hire do not discriminate. We believe in being inclusive and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation, transgender status or social economic background.

All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process. In line with the Equality Act 2010, however, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.

This position will require a DBS check to be performed, but a record is not a block to performing this role.

Hybrid Working Details 

The office is based in Central London, but you don’t have to be. Those living in and around London are expected to be in the office a minimum of 2 days per week. If you live outside of London and work remotely, you’ll be expected to work from the London office 2 days per month. As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at the interview stage. 

To Apply 

To apply, please send a CV, and a cover letter answering the specific questions below, please also complete the monitoring form by clicking the "Apply for this" button by 12pm, Monday 14th July 2025.

 If you have specific expertise in any of our sectors, we want to hear about it in your cover letter.  Applicants must answer the following questions as part of their application to be considered.

Application Questions

1. The Programme Manager role involves overseeing several projects at once and juggling many different tasks simultaneously. Can you give us an example of where you’ve had several competing priorities, what project management techniques you used to stay on top of your tasks, and what the outcome was?

2. Can you give an example of when you have had to manage multiple partners in a project and resolve conflicting positions? Can you explain how you went about this and what the outcome was?

  Interview Process

This will be a one stage panel interview process. Interviews will take place in the week commencing 21st July 2025.

PLEASE NOTE: We do not sponsor work permits and you will be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK. 

 Benefits Include

· £1,000 professional development budget annually

· 28 days holiday plus Bank Holidays

· Employee Assistance Programme – 24hr phone line for free confidential support

· Volunteering days - 4 half days per year

· Death in service - 4 times annual salary

· Flexible hours. Core office hours 10am – 4pm

· Financial support including travel and hardship loans

· Employer contributed pension of 5%.

Personal Data

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful, and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.

The Youth Endowment Fund 

Research Lead –Local Violence Prevention

Reports to: Head of Guidance and Reporting

Salary: £55,000

Contract: 2 years fixed term 

Location: Central London, Hybrid* 

Closing date: Tuesday 15th July at 12pm

Interviews: Week commencing 28th July 2025

About the Youth Endowment Fund 

We exist to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence. We do this by finding out what works and building a movement to put this knowledge into practice.

Last year, 244 people in England and Wales tragically died after being assaulted with a knife. Of these, 32 were children. Every child captured in these numbers is an important member of our community and society has a duty to protect them. Even when violence doesn’t strike directly, we know that the fear of violence has a terrible effect on children’s lives.

At the Youth Endowment Fund, we are working to create lasting change. To succeed, we must build a world-leading body of knowledge on the violence that affects young people and how it can be stopped. This means producing rigorous, relevant evidence — through synthesis, data analysis and in-depth research into young people’s lives. But knowledge alone isn’t enough. We must make it accessible and actionable: showing what works, how services need to change, and how the systems around them must adapt. And we must partner with the people who can make change happen — across policy, practice and local systems — to turn evidence into impact.

About the role

The Research Lead will lead the development of YEF’s research, resources and recommendations in our neighbourhood focus sector.

We focus our efforts on seven essential sectors: education, policing, youth justice, youth sector, children’s services, health, and neighbourhood. “Neighbourhood” refers to our work supporting local partnerships – such as Violence Reduction Units (VRUs), community safety partnerships or the new Prevention Partnerships - and hyper-local approaches like our neighbourhood fund. 

Their primary responsibility will be to develop a series of actionable and evidence-informed guidance and resources for use by local violence prevention partnerships. This will include self-assessment tools for partnerships to assess their effectiveness, tools for understanding the nature of local violence problems and how they could be solved, and resources to support partnerships to identify and safeguard vulnerable children. Creating these resources will require the Research Lead to collect insights and evidence from across YEF’s work and develop YEF positions on fundamental questions about violence prevention. If successful, the Research Lead could have an outsized impact on YEF’s strategy and mission.  

These resources will support YEF colleagues to deliver our new ‘Area Leaders Programme’ (ALP). This is a new programme which you will help form. It helps local multi-agency partnerships to find and implement the best ways to prevent violence. YEF is working directly with partnerships, providing high-quality professional development, tailored advice and support, system mapping, and a national community of practice. The ALP focuses on strengthening five key elements of effective violence reduction:

1. Building strong and accountable partnerships
2. Understanding local patterns of violence
3. Identifying and supporting children most at risk
4. Improving safety in high-risk places
5. Sharing best practice across agencies

Following a pilot in four areas in 2024/25, the programme will expand to 20 more areas over the next two years. This will lay the groundwork for wider national initiatives, such as the Young Futures Prevention Partnerships, and support implementation of the Serious Violence Duty. The Research Lead will develop resources and guidance for the ALP. As the programme is delivered iteratively, they will work closely with YEF programme leads and local partnerships to test, refine, and improve materials before wider rollout.

The Research Lead will be part of YEF’s Research team. The Research team is at the heart of our efforts to learn what works and put it into practice. We do this by developing the YEF’s funding strategy and creating free, highly accessible research summaries and actionable recommendations for policy makers, commissioners and practitioners. We’re a high-performing team which values intellectual rigour and getting to the truth, compassion for children, ambition about what we can achieve and humility about what we know. We love to discuss the latest developments in research methods, but we’re not just interested in research for its own sake. We want research to lead to actual changes in outcomes for children.

Key responsibilities

The Research Lead will develop a portfolio of impactful projects.

· You’ll lead the research team’s work in our local neighbourhoods and partnerships priority sector. You’ll become the YEF’s expert in this area. You’ll make sure we understand the key issues, stay on top of the latest research and are connected to the right people.

· You’ll ensure we produce accessible, evidence-based resources and guidance that local partnerships can use to develop more effective strategies. You’ll work with YEF colleagues to test, refine, and improve materials before wider rollout

· You’ll set the YEF’s research agenda for your sector. You’ll make sure we invest in research that fills important gaps in knowledge and leads to important changes. You’ll ensure that our strategy and decision-making are informed by the best available research. This is a great opportunity to influence large amounts of funding and direct it towards the most impactful projects.

· You’ll develop great relationships with experts and represent YEF in external meetings and events. You’ll promote evidence-based policy and practice by speaking at conferences and events.

· You’ll lead the development of evidence-based recommendations in your focus area. You’ll draw on research and expert insight to identify potential changes to policy and practice. You’ll design and develop innovative and impactful resources which support the application of your recommendations.

· You’ll take on other responsibilities appropriate to your role. This could include leading the publication of YEF’s evaluation reports or writing ad hoc briefings and evidence summaries for the Government and other partners.

About You

You are this sort of person:

· You want to play a significant part in reducing the level of violence affecting young people. You care about having an impact. This might mean you’ve worked directly with young people at risk of becoming involved in crime, for organisations that fund or deliver relevant programmes, or have conducted research on this topic.

· You share our belief that an evidence-based approach is our best hope of preventing violence. You’re fascinated by research, but you’re not just interested in research for its own sake. You want to achieve actual changes in outcomes for children.

· You know a lot about violence prevention, especially local partnerships and structures like VRUs or Community Safety Partnerships. You know the key ideas and debates, recent policy developments and key people. You’re comfortable talking about this topic with experts.  There are many ways to acquire this knowledge. You might have worked in a local authority or local violence prevention organisation, conducted research on them or learnt about them during a degree.

· You’re a confident reader of research and have strong critical appraisal skills. You know when research can be trusted and when it can’t and can confidently articulate your views on the strength of research. You might have gained this expertise through your academic studies, research or professional experience.

· You have at least three years’ experience working in a role that required you to think about research. This could include a range of roles in policy, academia, funding or practice.

· You write in a way that people easily understand. You have that rare skill of writing in plain English. You have experience of translating complex research findings into plain writing that everyone can understand.

· You have excellent project and time management skills. You can work independently, quickly and to a high standard. You have experience of managing contractors or budgets.

· You are good with people. You’re comfortable working with a wide range of people, including senior academics and other research experts, children and their families, practitioners and policy makers. You’re able to provide constructive challenges when required.

· You learn fast but remain humble. You like learning. You’re very good at synthesising information. You know how much you don't know and that you can always learn more.

· You work well in a team. You care more that good things happen than who gets the credit. You support your colleagues to produce excellent work.

· You’re committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. You believe and act in a way that celebrates and encourages a range of experiences, views and values.

While it’s not a criterion, we’re especially interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of youth violence. 

It’s also important to us that the people we hire do not discriminate. We believe in being inclusive and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation, transgender status or social economic background. 

Hybrid Working Details  

The office is based in Central London. Those living in and around London are expected to be in the office a minimum of 2 days per week. If you live outside of London and work remotely, you’ll be expected to work from the London office 2 days per month.

As part of our commitment to flexible working, we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at interview stage.

To Apply 

To apply, please send a CV and cover letter, and complete the monitoring form click on "Apply for this" button by 12:00pm Tuesday 15th July 2025. 

When applying for this role, please ensure that your cover letter, within a maximum of 1000 words, covers the following questions below:

1. A clear example of a situation where you have translated research into actionable resources or recommendations.

2. A clear example of a situation where you’ve supported an external partner or colleague to apply research evidence to an important decision.

Interview Process 

Interviews will take place in the week commencing the 28th July 2025. 

There will be a task to prepare for in advance. 

PLEASE NOTE: We do not sponsor work permits and you will be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK. 

Benefits Include 

• £1,000 professional development budget annually 

• 28 days holiday plus Bank Holidays

• Four half days for volunteering activities

• Employee Assistance Programme – 24hr phone line for free confidential support • Volunteering days - 4 half days per year

• Death in service - 4 times annual salary

• Flexible hours. Core office hours 10am – 4pm

• Financial support including travel and hardship loans

• Employer contributed pension of 5% 

Personal Data   

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.