Assistant Director of Network Development and Impact
Reporting To: Director of Network Development and Impact
Manages: Head of Volunteering, Head of Practice and Learning (vacant role, managing Learning and Development Manager and 2x Practice Leads in interim) and Head of Design and Impact (new role, managing Data Analyst in interim)
Location: Remote (occasional travel to Leicester office & other UK locations as necessary)
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £58,000 per annum
Hours: Full time (36 hours per week)
About Home-Start UK
Home-Start is a federated charity consisting of a central national office – Home-Start UK - and over 170 geographically dispersed local Home-Start organisations, all working together under the same identity.
We recognise that being a parent has never been easy. Every Home-Start volunteer is trained to work alongside parents to overcome the challenges they are facing. We work with parents to build on their strengths and give them the support that they tell us they need. We offer no judgement – just compassionate, confidential help and expert support. This peer-to-peer support is key to the difference Home-Start makes and often our volunteers have lived experience of the challenges their families are facing themselves.
About The Role
The Assistant Director of Network Development and Impact leads our strategic programme of work to enable sustainability, growth, inclusion and impact across the Home-Start federation. With a deep understanding of programme and service development, and a commitment to insight-led decision-making, the postholder will lead a more strategic, data-informed approach to how we grow and strengthen our network’s collective impact.
As a member of our senior leadership team, they will provide inspiring, strong and supportive leadership to teams delivering ongoing activities and planned projects, and to foster cohesion and alignment across Home-Start UK and the Home-Start network. They will work across the organisation and with partners to ensure our programmes of work evolve to meet emerging needs and to deliver meaningful, measurable change over time.
This senior leadership role has oversight of teams who are leading work to:
- Harness the brilliant leadership, expertise and innovation that exists across our network so that we are working collaboratively to grow our reach and impact nationally.
- Enable strong leadership, governance and relationships across the network, so that we can make the most of the strengths and opportunities of our federated model.
- Build a culture of inclusion, strengthen diversity and representation across our teams, ensure accessibility and equity throughout our work, and grow our voice for equity, equality and anti-racism.
- Designing and driving forward major programmes and initiatives to deliver our strategic ambitions for growth, voice, inclusion and impact.
- Deliver evidence-led and policy-informed portfolio of practice development and quality improvement, which is responsive to the needs of local Home-Starts and the children, families and communities they are supporting.
- Support and enable accessible, inclusive, high quality and rewarding volunteering experiences across the network, to grow volunteering numbers as part of wider supporter engagement.
- Establish a high-quality, federation-wide learning and development offer, embedding a culture where individuals and organisations can learn and grow.
- Better understand and demonstrate our impact for children and families, and ensure our programme of network and practice development is informed by evidence, data and insights.
This is a new role leading a growing team, and there will be a strong focus on working collaboratively with colleagues across Home-Start UK and the Home-Start network to develop the programmes and partnerships needed to achieve our vision for children and families.
Closing date for applications is Wednesday 11th June at 4pm.
Interviews will take place virtually on Tuesday 24th June.
Second interviews will be held in-person on Wednesday 2nd July (location: Leicester).
Interested?
If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.
Home-Start UK is committed to Equality of Opportunity and Diversity. We wish to encourage applications from all parts of the community irrespective of gender, race, colour, age, sexual orientation or disability. Appointments will be based on merit, following an open and clear selection process.
No agencies please.
Do you have a proven track record of leading high-performing, multi-disciplinary teams and a strong commitment to tackling housing injustice in Scotland? Then join Shelter Scotland as our new Head of Community and you could soon be at the forefront of driving transformational change across our Community and Training Teams. Our new strategic plan offers a unique opportunity to shape and deliver strategic initiatives that empower local communities, improve service delivery, and ensure that the voices of those impacted by the housing emergency are heard and acted upon.
About the role
This post is responsible for the management and development of the Community Function, comprising of three Community Teams (North, East and West) and the Training Team. The post shares joint responsibility with the Head of Services for the wider leadership and development of all functions and teams across Community & Services.
Flexibility is vital to effectively support the continuous development of our activities, aligned to the delivery of the Shelter Scotland Strategic Plan. This may necessitate changes to the teams or activities the role will manage.
Role specifics
We are seeking a strategic and collaborative leader to help drive the development and delivery of Shelter Scotland’s annual operational plan. This role plays a key part in managing internal projects, ensuring quality and compliance, and contributing to income generation through donor engagement and insight sharing. The successful candidate will manage teams and budgets, uphold high standards in service delivery, and support our campaigns by leveraging evidence and lived experience. A strong commitment to safeguarding, equality, and Shelter’s values is essential, as is the ability to lead by example.
Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.
Benefits
We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.
We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.
About the team
Shelter Scotland is a one of six Directorates of Shelter. Led by the Director of Shelter Scotland, the Directorate comprises two departments: Community & Services and Communications & Advocacy. Both of these departments are led by an Assistant Director (AD).
The services and community work we deliver responds to individuals and households directly affected by the housing emergency. We deliver these activities in pursuit of the changes we seek to practice, culture and policy.
About Shelter Scotland
Shelter Scotland is Scotland’s national housing and homelessness charity. Our vision is of a home for everyone in Scotland. For over 50 years, the way we drive change has remained the same. We advise and support people in housing need today and use the insight we gain to inform our campaigns to change tomorrow. We also raise professional standards for those working in Scotland’s housing and homelessness sector by offering a broad range of training courses.
Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet everyday thousands of people are being devastated by the housing emergency.
We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.
We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.
Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter Scotland. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist.
Safeguarding statement
Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter Scotland is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.
Shelter Scotland does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Community Project Lead
- Two-year fixed term, full-time (35 hours per week) or part-time (minimum 21 hours per week considered), £28,000 – £32,000 per annum depending on experience (pro rata if part-time)
- Remote or office-based. Occasional visits to IPSEA’s office in Takeley or a London venue required. This role will also include frequent travel to meet with community partners.
Do you have experience working with under-served communities and leading impactful outreach projects? Are you passionate about improving access to support for families of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)?
IPSEA is the leading charity in the field of SEND law in England, and we provide free and independent legal advice and support to families of children and young people with SEND. We also provide training on the SEND legal framework, and we influence policy at both a local and national level.
We are looking for an experienced and motivated Community Project Lead to join our team and lead the development of our advice services for under-served communities. This two-year, fixed-term role is a key part of our strategy to reach groups who may not traditionally engage with IPSEA’s support - including children and families with English as an additional language, cared-for children (children in care), migrant children, detained children, and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.
The project builds on a detailed scoping exercise we’ve recently completed, which involved working closely with a wide range of charities and organisations that support these communities. The resulting report outlines the barriers they face, and will form the foundation for this project and directly inform the work you will lead.
What you’ll do
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Design and develop pilot advice services that are tailored to the needs of under-served communities, using findings from IPSEA’s research
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Build and maintain strong relationships with community groups, charities and service providers to co-produce accessible services
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Collaborate with IPSEA’s advice, legal and policy teams to address the barriers these communities face in accessing SEND legal advice
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Contribute to and share outreach materials, training resources and toolkits to support families of under-served communities and empower local advocates
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Plan and lead workshops, focus groups and community events to raise awareness, gather feedback and enhance service delivery
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Monitor and report on project outcomes and impact, providing regular updates to IPSEA staff and stakeholders
You can work remotely or from IPSEA’s office in Takeley, with frequent travel required for essential meetings and community engagement.
If you share our commitment to protecting, promoting, and upholding the rights of children and young people with SEND, and would like to use your skills to improve access to vital advice and support, we would love to hear from you.
Visit our website to download a recruitment pack and application form.
Closing date for applications: 9am on Monday 16 June 2025
First-round interviews: Wednesday 25 June 2025 (London)
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.