Senior legal counsel jobs in Manchester

Full Time – 35 hours per week

The Diocese of Chester is seeking to recruit a Diocesan Secretary who will be:

1) A senior member of the Bishop of Chester's core staff team,

2) The chief officer of the charitable business that undergirds the Diocese of Chester, and

3) The most senior, 'lay' officer of the Diocese of Chester.

The role is complex as well as important. You will need an open heart and deep courage, patience, kindness, humility, determination, and constantly reflective practice. We value competence founded on transparent good character, grounded deeply in Christian faith. You will need to be able to see over the horizon without missing the personal needs of team members, enabling both with persistent grace and strategic focus.

The successful candidate will be inspirational, humble, skilled and experienced in leadership in both ‘first-’ and ‘second-chairs’, a change manager, relational and the technical ability to fulfil the role.

This role is based in Church House, Daresbury, Warrington which is a key operational centre for the life of the Diocese.

For informal conversation, contact the Bishop of Chester - contact details in the attached documents or via the apply/redirect to recruiter button. 

The recruitment pack, including job description, person specification and application form can be downloaded from the Diocesan website: Please see website address in the attached documents or via the apply/redirect to recruiter button.

Completed application forms should be returned by email - contact details in the attached documents or via the apply/redirect to recruiter button 

Closing date:  Sunday 23rd August 2026

Interviews: Tuesday 8th September 2026

The Diocese of Chester is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

An Enhanced DBS Disclosure will be required for the successful candidate.

An Occupational Requirement exists for the postholder to be a practising Christian, in accordance with the Equality Act, 2010.

Lead the operations, governance and compliance that enable Solving Kids' Cancer UK to deliver its mission and impact for children and families affected by neuroblastoma. Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will play a critical role in ensuring the charity operates effectively, compliantly and sustainably.

This broad and varied leadership role spans governance, risk, HR, IT, data protection and organisational operations, supporting delivery of the charity's strategy through robust systems, policies and processes. Acting as Company Secretary, you will work closely with the CEO and Board of Trustees, providing advice on governance, regulatory requirements and best practice. As a member of the Leadership Team, you will oversee key operational functions, lead cross-organisational projects and deputise for the CEO where required.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a strategic, highly organised and values-driven leader with strong experience in charity operations, governance and compliance. You will have a track record of ensuring organisations are well run, compliant and effectively managed, with the ability to oversee multiple operational areas and support strong governance and decision-making at Board level.

You will be comfortable working across a broad remit, including governance, risk, HR, IT and data protection, and confident providing clear, practical advice to senior leaders and trustees.

Person specification

Key requirements include:

• Significant senior-level experience in operations, governance or compliance within a charity or similar environment. 
• Strong understanding of charity governance and regulation, with experience supporting boards and senior leadership. 
• Experience overseeing organisational functions such as HR, IT, data protection or risk. 
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and lead cross-organisational work effectively. 
• Strong judgement, integrity and the ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion. 

See our Recruitment Pack for the full role description and specification and for information about Solving Kids' Cancer UK. 

This is an opportunity to make a significant contribution at the heart of a small, ambitious charity where strong operations are a vital enabler of impact for children and families.

Location: Home-based, within easy reach of London, with regular travel to the London office and occasional UK-wide travel.

First-stage interview: Thursday 6 August 

Second-stage interview: Thursday 13 August

This is an exciting opportunity for a values-led and dynamic leader to become CEO of Rochdale and District Mind and guide us in our mission to make a positive impact on the mental health and well-being of our communities.

About us

Rochdale and District Mind is an independent mental health charity that supports people facing mental health and wellbeing challenges. A part of the national Mind Federation and the Mind in Greater Manchester partnership, our goal is to ensure that individuals do not face mental health issues alone and can live free from stigma and discrimination.

About the role

This role offers an excellent opportunity for an empathetic leader to shape our strategy and cultivate a culture of continuous learning, inclusion, and support, fostering a spirit of celebration for achievements across all teams.

Your leadership will both shape our strategic vision and deliver our operational plans, ensuring robust governance and championing diversity and inclusivity. You will also spearhead the efficient, effective, and safe management of our organisation, in line with our mission, strategy and values.

Committed to mental health advocacy, you will elevate our impact for service users through meaningful co-production of services and by your ability to build effective relationships with partners and commissioners.

Collaborating closely with our dedicated Board of Trustees and experienced Senior Leadership team, you will oversee resource management, finances, and operations, upholding the highest standards throughout and ensuring our growth and long term sustainability.

About you

• Experienced as a CEO/senior leader in a similar sized (or larger) voluntary organisation or an organisation delivering services into the sector or working closely with the voluntary sector.
• Passionate about our mission of ensuring that people do not face mental health and emotional wellbeing issues alone and are free from stigma and discrimination.
• Demonstrable experience as a values-led, resilient and people-centred leader.
• Experience of supporting teams through change.
• Strong financial acumen, able to develop and monitor/evaluate financial plans, budgets management accounts etc.
• Experience of building a culture that promotes continuous learning, inclusion, collaboration, and accountability.
• Proven track record of successful business development/fundraising.
• Able to balance strategic oversight with operational grip.
• Experience of the demands of governance and compliance, including working with Boards of Trustees/NEDs.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills.

Understanding of challenges affecting the voluntary sector.

Benefits:

• Auto-enrolment Pension scheme with 3% contribution from the organisation
• Opportunities for hybrid working after an initial embedding period
• Training and development opportunities
• Our commitment to providing wellbeing opportunities in support of staff, including an Employee Assistance Programme

How to apply

Eastside People is supporting Rochdale and District Mind in the recruitment for this role. Please apply by submitting your CV and a cover letter. You are welcome to send your cover letter in writing, or as a video or audio clip, alongside your CV.

Please respond to the following areas in your cover letter:

• Your familiarity with mental health and wellbeing challenges and how this resonates for you
• Your experience/knowledge in relation to the Person Specification.

Please note that we will focus on your demonstrable experience and potential in the areas listed under the Person Specification and do not expect candidates to have experience in all responsibilities outlined in the Job Description.

We would discourage you from deselecting yourself if you are in doubt about meeting all the criteria.

The closing date for applications is noon on Wednesday, 29th July 2026, and our candidate assessment schedule is anticipated as follows:

• Eastside People longlisting interviews will be held throughout the advertising phase up to and immediately after the above closing date – online
• First Interviews with Rochdale and District Mind will be held on Friday August 7 or August 14 in-person at their offices
• Final interviews with the Board are planned for Friday August 14 or, week commencing August 24 2026 - online

We would like to encourage candidates to apply early for the role where possible.

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential. If you have a disability or require reasonable adjustments during the application/interview process, please contact us so we can support you appropriately.

REF-229 627

About Us

NCT is the national charity for pregnancy, birth, infant feeding and early parenthood. 

Our vision is simple: a society where everyone who becomes a parent feels confident, connected and safe. 

Through our For Every Parent strategy, we're working to make that vision a reality. We support parents with trusted information, practical help, local communities and a stronger voice in the issues that matter to families. 

For 70 years, we've been by parents' sides through the excitement, uncertainty, wonder and challenges of becoming a parent. Today, our volunteers contribute more than 70,000 hours of community service each year, helping parents build friendships, find support and feel less alone. 

We educate and empower parents with evidence-based information and support. We advocate and act by listening to parents' experiences, raising their voices and campaigning for change. No judgement. No exceptions. 

About the role 

This is an exciting opportunity to lead NCT’s marketing through an important period of growth, change and brand development, joining us for a 12 month fixed-term contract to cover maternity leave. 

As Head of Marketing, you’ll lead our integrated marketing function, with a clear focus on driving income growth, particularly through course bookings, strengthening how parents see and experience NCT, and supporting wider revenue generation through partnerships. 

You’ll bring together brand, content, campaigns and performance marketing so that our activity is more coordinated, audience-led and commercially focused. Working closely with colleagues across Parent Services, Fundraising, Digital Product and the wider organisation, you’ll make sure marketing plans are clearly connected to the outcomes that matter - from first awareness through to booking a course and beyond. 

You’ll also play a key role leading NCT’s Content Studio: a central in-house function designed to deliver high-quality, consistent and effective content across our website, social media, email, campaigns and other channels.

This is a senior leadership role for someone who can balance strategic thinking with practical delivery, brand building with commercial performance, and creativity with clear measurement and accountability. 

Your role will include: 

• Leading a commercially focused marketing strategy that drives course bookings, supports partnership income and strengthens NCT’s visibility with parents. 
• Setting clear campaign cycles and making sure paid, owned and earned channels work together as a coordinated system. 
• Acting as guardian of NCT’s brand, ensuring clarity, consistency and integrity across marketing, communications and wider organisational activity. 
• Leading NCT’s Content Studio, making sure content is high quality, accessible, audience-led and aligned with our brand, messaging and tone of voice.
• Overseeing marketing performance, including paid media, agency relationships, campaign KPIs, budget management and reporting. 
• Using insight, performance data, brand tracking and parent feedback to improve marketing activity and support better decisions. 
• Building strong relationships across NCT, helping teams work together effectively and reducing silos around shared priorities.
• Leading and developing your team with clarity, trust and clear expectations, creating the conditions for people to do their best work. 
• Supporting a culture of inclusive, values-led leadership where fairness, accessibility, collaboration and trust are reflected in how decisions are made and work is delivered. 

About you 

You’ll be a strategic, commercially minded marketing leader who understands how to turn insight into action and activity into measurable results. 

You’ll be confident leading integrated campaigns, managing budgets and using performance data to make decisions. You’ll understand how brand, content, audience insight, digital channels and commercial outcomes connect, and you’ll be able to bring those elements together in a clear, focused and practical way. 

You’ll also be someone who can create pace without creating confusion. You’ll set direction clearly, help people prioritise, and give teams the confidence to move forward. You won’t wait for everything to be perfect before making progress, but you’ll have the judgement to know where quality, consistency and risk need careful attention. 

Alongside this, you’ll be a collaborative and inclusive leader who enjoys working across an organisation, building strong relationships and helping others see how marketing can support shared goals. 

You’ll bring: 

• Experience of leading integrated marketing activity that supports income growth, customer acquisition or commercial performance. 
• Strong understanding of brand, content, campaigns and channel planning, including how different channels work together. 
• Confidence using data, insight and performance reporting to shape strategy and improve activity. 
• Experience managing budgets, forecasting spend, and making decisions about return on investment. 
• Strong judgement, with the ability to balance brand building, income performance, audience needs and organisational priorities. 
• The ability to lead teams through delegation, coaching and clear decision-making.
• A proactive, improvement-focused approach, with confidence introducing new ways of working and helping teams become more forward-looking.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement skills and the ability to work well across boundaries.
• Strong emotional intelligence, resilience and judgement, particularly when working through change or ambiguity.
• A commitment to NCT’s purpose, values and ambition to be there for every parent. 

Our Benefits – What we offer you 

We value our team and offer fantastic benefits to support your well-being and professional growth: 

• 30 days annual leave (excluding Bank Holidays) 
• Pension matched up to 5% 
• Flexible working options to suite your lifestyle
• Employee Assistance Programme, including 24/7 GP access, personalised counselling, legal advice and more 
• Cycle to work scheme to support sustainable commuting 
• Life Assurance for peace of mind 
• Free eye test for all staff, with further discounts 
• Blue Light discount card

At NCT, we’re committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process or within your role, please let us know—we’re here to support you.Ready to make a difference? Apply now and be part of something truly special.