Senior support worker team leader jobs

We’re looking for an organised and person centred leader who can join our leadership team to support the quality, growth and sustainability of Stomping Grounds North East CIO.

The Deputy CEO will support the CEO by planning, overseeing, monitoring, reporting and taking appropriate action to deliver the service, business and financial strategies ofStomping Grounds North East CIO, with a focus on developing people, business and safeguarding and ensuring management capability across the organisation. It is key that the successful candidate can work at least some of the school holidays. 

Reports to: CEO

Hours of work :35 hours per week (1 FTE)

Remuneration: TBD

Main responsibilities 

• To ensure projects and delivery adheres to the Company’s vision, mission and values. 

• To oversee the development and implementation of new projects and sessions to meet the Company’s aims and objectives. Specifically, to ensure that:

  • Appropriate risk assessments are undertaken and documented in line with Stomping Grounds Risk Assessment procedure

  • Appropriate communications to and involvement of communities, parents and schools are delivered effectively

  • High quality Forest School provision is delivered, in line with the Stomping Grounds NE vision

• To proactively manage the financial performance of projects and the business overall, including overseeing the planning and delivery of fundraising and donations

• To oversee, monitor and report on all aspects of business governance including health and safety, safeguarding and employee wellbeing.

• To work with line managers to develop their managerial capabilities and performance, with a focus on team development. As part of this, to ensure that:

  • Regular meetings of the team leaders are organised to share information on business performance, plans and issues and to create action plans as appropriate

  • Appropriate observations are conducted, documented and shared

  • PDRs are completed in line with company policy

  • To ensure training is up to date and relevant

  • To ensure that company policies are up to date and relevant and are reviewed as required

• To be proactive and maintain requirements for governing bodies, associations and memberships

• To develop and support the implementation of effective evaluation and impact monitoring processes, including annual reporting of the impact of Stomping Grounds work. 

• To attend meetings of the Board of Trustees and report progress against the business plan

• To carry out other duties compatible with the role purpose as reasonably required or as directed by the CEO.

Person Specification 

Essential 

• Proven exceptional leadership skills

• Experience of leading and developing a diverse staff team

• Excellent communication skills 

• Excellent organisational skills 

• Extensive project management experience

• Excellent understanding of neurodivergence 

• Excellent business management skills 

• Flexibility to work during school holidays 

• Ability to travel to our multi region sites including but not restricted to: Prudhoe, Haltwhistle, Chopwell, Leadgate, Benwell and Gateshead Riverside Park

• Commitment to Stomping Grounds Mission and Values

Desirable 

• Experience with Ofsted

• Experience of working in the charity sector

• Experience of working with children and young people, particularly those with neurodivergence and/or who are not currently thriving in mainstream schools

• Experience as a Designated Safeguarding Lead

• Experience of leading teams through change and growth

We abide by Safer Recruitment guidelines and therefore we only accept application forms.

Please note: this role carries a genuine occupational requirement that the postholder is Black or Minoritised Ethnic (African, Asian or Caribbean heritage). Please confirm this in writing in your application, and we will re-confirm this prior to finalising our shortlist for interview

This is a rare and exciting opportunity to join our sector-leading UK Voice and Influence Team, and work very closely with our brilliant SEEN Programme, as well as our Children's Services across the UK.

What this role will do

This role will have an important role in helping the charity deliver its strategic commitment to listening and responding to the voices and experiences of young people across the UK – and in particular the voices and experiences of Black or Minoritised Ethnic young people, who are often less-heard.

The role will promote a culture of inclusion and belonging by playing a leading role on delivering our ambition to:

build and support an engaged, diverse network of young people from across the UK who represent a broad range of identities and lived experiences, and who can speak out and work alongside Barnardo's.

Key tasks for this role

The role will:

• Lead on the recruitment, coordination and support of young people signed up to our B-Amplified Youth Network.
• Support our SEEN Young Ambassadors, and coordinate their engagement in the wider B-Amplified Network offer
• Act as a subject matter expert in voice and influence practice and anti-racism, working alongside our Children's Services as a critical friend to support the delivery of excellent and inclusive services.

More information is in the Additional Information Sheet attached to this advert.

Who we're looking for

We're looking for someone who has:

• At least five years' experience in a role working directly with children and/or young people in a health, social care, education or youth work setting – a youth and community work (or similar) qualification is desirable but not essential.
• Demonstrable knowledge experience of designing, delivering and evaluating strategic voice and influence activities with young people – particularly in online or virtual contexts.
• Knowledge and understanding of the practical application of anti-racist principles and practice.
• Experience of working across complex structures, hierarchies and partnerships, with experience of working with a range of stakeholders at different levels.
• Ability to plan, deliver and evaluate projects, collaboratively and effectively.
• Excellent collaboration, networking and partnership-working skills.

The successful candidate must also:

• Be of African, Asian, Caribbean heritage – this is a genuine occupational requirement, and an essential requirement, as noted above.
• Be able to travel across the UK on a regular basis, including overnight stays – living close to a national rail station and/or airport will be a significant benefit.
• Be able to work flexibly to accommodate direct work with young people outside of 'normal' hour (i.e. evenings and weekends) – for which TOIL can be claimed, or overtime hours in extraordinary circumstances.

Important to note:

We recognise the inherent power dynamics at play, and that the occupational requirement does not imply that the responsibility to ‘solve' the issue of diversity rests solely with a minoritised individual (or team). Instead, this role forms part of a wider, intentional commitment across the organisation to embed anti-racist and inclusive practice at every level and is why we have proposed a matrix management approach - to ensure the role is not siloed, but meaningfully supported and connected across teams.

A key focus will be to understand and address the structural and cultural barriers that children's services and internal teams may face when engaging with Black or Minoritised Ethnic young people.

When completing your application please refer to your skills knowledge and experience in relation to the Person Specification, Job Description and Additional Information document (if applicable). This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described

Premises Officer/Maintenance Person – Oasis St Martin’s Village

Fixed Term 1 Year Contract, full-time post, 40 hours per week (1 FTE), inclusive of breaks 

Working Pattern: Some shift work may be required (across 7.30am until 9pm)

Salary:  £30,766 per annum (including London Weighting)

 

Premises Officer/Maintenance Person – Oasis St Martin’s Village

Oasis’ mission is to build stronger communities. Oasis St Martins Village is a new and exciting project, working in partnership with other organisations in an integrated way, to provide opportunity and pathways for children and young people.

Our vision is to transform the life-chances of children, who are struggling in or not coping with mainstream education, by offering them and their families support and opportunity.

Our work is based around the principle that “it takes a village to raise a child”.

This role will help deliver the Oasis St Martins Village aims and mission by ensuring the provision of an efficient and effective site and facilities service, aligned with the ethos and values of Oasis St Martin’s Village.

What will you do?

This newly formed role will be embedded within the site management team. To be successful in this role, applicants will be required to:

• Assist the Senior Premises Officer with maintenance tasks as required to ensure a safe and effective working environment. Must be able perform basic repairs (plumbing, carpentry, painting, changing locks etc.)
• Assist with water testing, testing of alarms and other routine tasks as directed.
• Set and un-set the site alarm systems when required.
• Assist with the opening and closing, unlocking and locking of the site gates and buildings, including evening and weekend use.
• Be responsible for the security of the site when on duty including the locking of all doors and windows.
• Assist the events manager with delivery of events, particularly during evenings and weekends.
• Assist with the cleaning of the site as and when needed.
• Assist with room setup and moving of furniture safely. This includes preparing spaces to host events and functions, packing down and cleaning afterwards. And to service ongoing regular lettings.

 

What will you get in return?

• A network of peers and partners all sharing the same vision and an environment set up to ensure everyone is supported and included.
• A package of reward that includes a 7% employer contribution pension scheme, annual leave allowance starting at 25 days (plus Bank Holidays) increasing over time, eligibility to join the Green Commute cycle to work scheme and cash benefit health plan.
• Be part of an international network of Oasis charities offering opportunities to develop your career in new directions and locations.

To apply, please send your CV and a Supporting Statement (no more than two A4 pages) to the email address provided on our website or via Charity Jobs.

Please expand on your CV to tell us about relevant skills, experience and qualifications you have that relate to the job description and person specification.

Completed applications should be returned by 12 noon on Friday 23rd January 2026.

We actively encourage applications from people of all ethnic backgrounds and underrepresented groups. If you require any assistance to overcome potential barriers during the recruitment process, please let us know. 

Oasis is committed to making a difference to the lives of the communities it works in, and as such you must show a willingness to demonstrate commitment to the values and behaviours which flow from the Oasis ethos.  We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment and to undergo appropriate checks, including enhanced DBS checks. 

The successful candidates must have the right to work in the UK.  Oasis cannot assist with sponsorship or visas.

Oasis supports Equal Opportunities.  Registered Charity No. 1026487

Location (UK): Office Hybrid* - London
Hours: Full-time, 35 Hours per week
Salary: £55,155 per annum (London)
Benefits: Read more about the excellent benefits we offer on our website
Contract type: Fixed-term - 2 years
Travel: Occasional travel across the UK including Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Closing date: 23:59 hours, Sunday 4 January 2026

Join us and use your skills, knowledge, passion and energy to help us achieve a future free from arthritis.
You will join the UK Advocacy and Health Intelligence Department within the Chief Executive's Directorate. The team is responsible for leading UK strategy development and delivery across advocacy (policy, public affairs, campaigning) and health intelligence, working closely with colleagues across the UK to ensure effective delivery of the strategy in each nation. The department sits in the Chief Executive's Directorate to ensure driving positive change with and for people with arthritis is at the heart of the organisation.

The Department works closely with colleagues across the charity, including Services, Research and Income and Engagement to ensure we are joined up in our approach to arthritis.

About the role
The Researcher is a new, important post at Arthritis UK. Working within our Health Intelligence team, you will lead on providing expertise on the latest relevant research evidence, providing a responsive, robust and balanced assessment of the available evidence and any key gaps to shape the charity's UK advocacy agenda, and drive organisational priorities. Working across a range of issues you will play a crucial role in ensuring that the experiences and needs of people living with arthritis are understood and acted upon, and that arthritis is taken seriously across the UK.

About you
If your knowledge, skills and experience include the following then we'd love to hear from you:

• In-depth knowledge and experience in working in health-related, research.
• Experience in the synthesis and evaluation of research evidence across a range of sources (including grey literature), including in the design and delivery of rapid reviews.
• Experience in communicating clearly and succinctly to non-technical and non-expert audiences, through both written formats (e.g. briefing papers) and verbally (e.g. via presentations and meetings with senior stakeholders), with a robust approach to accessibility throughout communication.
• Demonstrable understanding of how research can be used to shape policy and practice.
• Experience of consistently applying a range of techniques and research methods applicable to framing research questions, evidence review and research evaluation.
• Able to communicate findings and conclusions clearly to non-specialist and specialist audiences.
• Educated to at least master's degree level or equivalent.

*As a hybrid worker the expectation is that you will spend around 40% of your working time in our office spaces or working in community settings. As an inclusive employer we will consider home-based working for anyone where office-based hybrid working would be a barrier to being able to work for us, for example for someone living with a long-term health condition or disability.

Benefits
Your excellent benefits include:

• Flexible hours, environments and working practices to promote a healthy work/life balance.
• Health and wellbeing support - including the Employee Assistance Programme (free confidential 24/7 support with mental health, legal and financial queries).
• Simplyhealth cash plan.
• Supportive and inclusive culture, with a wide range of employee networks and support groups available to join.
• Learning and personal development opportunities.
• Competitive annual leave, with the option to buy/sell up to five days per year.
• Generous pension plan, with employer contribution of up to 10%.
• Life Assurance plan (4 x salary).

Application deadline and shortlisting 
We advise candidates to apply early as we reserve the right to close applications ahead of this date.  
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 
We do not wish to receive contact from agencies or media sales. 

Please note that we do not use Artificial Intelligence (AI) during our recruitment and selection processes, and we would respectfully ask that you also refrain from using AI during the selection process. Whilst we do recognise that AI may be a beneficial tool for some when aiding research and preparation for an application or interview, we want to maintain a fair, inclusive and positive recruitment experience at Arthritis UK where candidates can feel supported to demonstrate their experience, knowledge, and skills without the use of AI generated answers.

Interview
Interviews are expected be held Thursday 15 January 2026, Arthritis UK London office

As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee you will be offered an interview if you disclose a disability and demonstrate sufficient evidence within your application that you meet the essential criteria for this role. We will also make any reasonable adjustments you may require for your interview.

About us
We have made a commitment in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy to increase the diversity of our charity and we welcome candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We want our employees, volunteers and trustees to represent the broad diversity of the communities of which we are a part.

There are over 10 million people living with arthritis. That's one in six, with over half of those living in pain every single day. The impact is huge as the condition slowly intrudes on everyday life - affecting the ability to work, care for a family, to move free from pain and to live independently. Yet arthritis is often dismissed as an inevitable part of ageing or shrugged off as 'just a bit of arthritis'. We don't think that this is OK. Arthritis UK is here to change that.

Arthritis UK is committed to keeping children, young people and vulnerable adults safe from harm. During the recruitment process we will undertake safer recruitment practices and relevant checks to ensure applicants are suitable to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Arthritis UK is a Registered Charity No: 207711 and in Scotland No. SC041156.

Can you lead a diverse programme of work?
Do you inspire confidence in colleagues across organisations?
Do you want a new challenge?

The Diocese of Carlisle is looking for a Programme Manager (Maternity Cover) who will:

• Be the Programme Manager for The Cumbrian Way programme including:

o Working closely with the Programme Director to ensure all aspects of programme management are undertaken

o Accountability for the adherence to the Programme Management Office’s programme management systems to assess and ensure budget, risks, issues, progress and impact are reported and escalated in a timely and appropriate manner

o Coordinating the project managers across the programme

o Oversee the management of the Projects and Programme Board and annual reporting

o Have oversight of all aspects of the programme in order to make connections and insights into the work as it progresses.

o Reporting on agreed outcomes by collecting, collating and presenting information as part of programme reporting and monitoring & evaluation

o Support the Programme Director as a point of contact for the national team and in quarterly reporting to the Projects and Programmes Board and other governance group updates

• Support the Church Planting Consultant with project management of the Church Plant workstream, including:

o maintaining & updating project plans/timelines

o monitoring, reporting and reviewing the effectiveness of the project work

o accounting for risk mitigation and issue resolution

o advising and collaborating on project communications

o reporting on agreed outcomes and impact by collecting, collating and presenting information as part of project/programme reporting and monitoring & evaluation

o meeting with the church plant consultant on a regular (at least monthly) basis.

o actively managing the project budget

o supporting local church planting teams with budget claims and outcome reporting

• Oversee the programme management of all areas of the Reaching Deeper SDF funded programme
• Be principal point of contact and manage the relationship with the diocesan research partner, including managing payment drawn downs, agreed pieces of work/briefs and outputs to be delivered.
• Lead and oversee the data collection and impact for diocesan Parish Returns data collection
• Line manage the God for All Programme Management Office team

This is a part time position for 24hrs per week (0.69FTE), fixed term until December 2026.

Financial Controller (a charity committed to community transformation) 

Permanent, full-time post, 40 hours per week (1 FTE), inclusive of breaks 

Salary:  £51,960 (National) or £55,184 per annum (including London Weighting)

Hybrid: Some travel around the UK will also be required.

Financial Controller – Oasis Group

Oasis exists to transform communities, so they are healthy, inclusive, and thriving. Through our network of global Hubs, we work holistically to tackle inequality and build strong local ecosystems that serve everyone. To support this vital mission, we are now seeking a Financial Controller to join our national leadership team. Based in our London Waterloo office, the Financial Controller will oversee the finance function for our UK operations, ensuring excellence in financial planning, reporting, compliance, and controls.

Why might you consider Oasis?

We are proud of why we exist and what we bring to the communities in which we operate. Our story is told through a multi-faceted organisation that extends across support for homelessness and housing (Oasis Community Housing), secure education for young people (Oasis Restore), community hubs (Oasis Community Partnerships) and disrupting human trafficking (STOP THE TRAFFIK) and of course our network of 55 Oasis Academies (Oasis Community Learning). We are proud that we don’t just talk a good game – we actively engage and change lives for the better.

What will you do?

This newly formed leadership role will manage the financial operations across specific subsidiaries of Oasis. It will ensure financial accuracy, sustainability, regulatory compliance, and the delivery of timely financial information to support decision-making across the group.

To be successful in this role, applicants will require:

· A recognised professional accounting qualification or part-qualification, together with a thorough practical understanding of financial and management accounting principles and techniques.

· Advanced working knowledge/experience of Excel and computerised accounting systems (preferably PS Financials) with the ability to interpret and extract relevant financial information.

· Ability to communicate complex financial information to a wide audience with varying financial backgrounds, both internally and externally

· Excellent inter-personal and people management experience

What will you get in return?

· A network of peers and partners all sharing the same vision and an environment set up to ensure everyone is supported and included.

· A package of reward that includes a 7% employer contribution pension scheme, annual leave allowance starting at 25 days (plus Bank Holidays) increasing over time, eligibility to join the Green Commute cycle to work scheme and cash benefit health plan.

· Be part of an international network of Oasis charities offering opportunities to develop your career in new directions and locations.

· A competitive salary and workplace flexibility.

As this is a newly created role, expect an evolving position that requires your insightful input, leadership and at the same time, provides incredible opportunities for the right person.

To apply, please send your CV and a Supporting Statement (no more than two A4 pages).

Please expand on your CV to tell us about relevant skills, experience and qualifications you have that relate to the job description and person specification.

We will review applications on a rolling basis and reserve the right to close the advert if we identify suitable candidates. To avoid disappointment, please submit your application as soon as possible.

If successful you will be invited to formal and practical interviews We actively encourage applications from people of all ethnic backgrounds and underrepresented groups. If you require any assistance to overcome potential barriers during the recruitment process, please let us know. 

Oasis is committed to making a difference to the lives of the communities it works in, and as such you must show a willingness to demonstrate commitment to the values and behaviours which flow from the Oasis ethos.  We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment and to undergo appropriate checks, including enhanced DBS checks. 

The successful candidates must have the right to work in the UK.  Oasis cannot assist with sponsorship or visas.

Oasis supports Equal Opportunities.  Registered Charity No. 1026487

• Provide inspirational leadership and clear strategic direction for the Freshly Greated CPP programme.
• Lead the implementation of the programme with creativity and a strong commitment to its aims and objectives.
• Develop and nurture the key partnerships in Great Yarmouth and beyond that support the programme’s sustainability and growth.

The Executive Director leads the Freshly Greated programme, working closely with the Freshly Greated Consortium, Arts Council England (ACE), freelancers, volunteer Community Producers and the wider local community. The Director manages a small, multi-disciplinary team and is responsible for the programme’s creative direction, partnership development, financial sustainability, evaluation,  compliance and will also develop and lead an ambitious, co-created community-led arts and culture programme that has action research and evaluation at its core. 

Freshly Greated is a year round programme which includes award winning youth participation and intergenerational projects across three neighbourhoods. In partnership with Out There Arts, Freshly Greated create vibrant public celebrations across parks, beaches, and town spaces, inspired by local stories. Last year, 61,942 residents took part in workshops, events, and festivals that are free, inclusive, and locally led. All Community Producers agree Freshly Greated proves everyone is creative, builds skills, and strengthens community spirit - 94% say it increases local pride, and 91% believe it makes Great Yarmouth a better place to live. 

Our debating, public speaking and cultural exchange programmes aim to embed sustainable cultures of oracy in schools, and empower young people to engage with the world, to speak more confidently and to listen to and understand different points of view.  With the new Ofsted Framework and the Curriculum and Assessment Review confirming the importance of great oracy education, the need has never been greater for the ESU’s educational offers. 

Purpose of this role. 

This role is central to driving our work forward. You will play a key part in ensuring the next generation gains essential oracy skills by managing and delivering the sales of the English-Speaking Union’s educational products. These include our signature ‘Discover Your Voice’ student oracy workshops and our Teacher Oracy CPD sessions for schools and other educational settings in England and Wales, with potential to expand to international schools. 

You will lead the full sales process from start to finish. This includes generating leads, responding to enquiries, securing bookings and overseeing the delivery of workshops and training. You will be proactive, motivated and confident working with a high degree of initiative. Working closely with the Director of Education, you will help build an effective sales operation that ensures thousands of young people and teachers benefit from high-quality oracy opportunities. 

About the role and responsibilities 

We are looking for someone who can: 

• Own the lifecycle of sales of our education products, building positive relationships to ensure repeat business 

• Collaborate with the ESU Marketing Team and Director of Education to develop the messaging and assets needed to promote our offers 

• Respond to and follow-up on leads and warm conversations to move prospects through the sales pipeline

• Implement plans designed to generate leads of sales to schools (secondary and primary), Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs), and other partners

• Manage the delivery of the workshops by being point of contact for Lead Teachers, appointing freelance Oracy Leaders to deliver the work and providing communication, support and resources as necessary 

• Build the ESU network, connecting with teachers and MAT contacts to generate sales. This includes proactive outreach to new schools and MATs for new business, as well as working with existing clients.

• Use Salesforce to manage all programme delivery including tracking all account communication, reporting on sales pipelines including new business and renewals

• Devise the sales strategies and execute the plans to generate leads and interest from international schools 

• Collect data for monitoring (student surveys; case studies; teacher surveys) 

• Work with our pool of delivery staff (Oracy Leaders). This would include clear communications before and after workshop delivery, booking staff onto workshops, liaising with finance and HR when necessary.

• Execute plans to generate leads and interest from international schools 

​This job description gives an outline of key duties and is not intended to be an exhaustive list. The post holder may be asked to take on other relevant responsibilities as reasonably requested by their line manager. Examples of additional responsibility areas include communications, administration and resource design. 

Person Specification 

• Passionate about improving oracy skills in young people from all backgrounds 

• Experience managing end to end sales, especially to schools 

• Experience of hitting and even exceeding sales targetsExperience developing strong relationships across a range of stakeholders, including senior leaders and in schools

• Experience with CRM systems to manage and report on sales performance 

• Strong understanding of the education sector, schools and the realities of teaching 

• Strong organisation and prioritisation skills 

• Excellent communication skills (both written and verbal) 

• Excellent attention to detail and high standards 

• Proactive, independent worker able to work well alone and as part of a team 

• Flexible and adaptable to the needs of a scaling organisation 

Desirable: 

• Experience of working with Salesforce 

• Experience coordinating freelance staff 

• Experience planning and delivering lessons 

• Experience of resource creation 

Human Resources Manager (Scotland), L'Arche Edinburgh & L'Arche Highland
 
ABOUT THE ROLE
 
Hours of work: 30 hours per week
Salary: £35,759.57 FTE (£28,607.66 pro rata for 30 hours), rising to £37,378.35 FTE (£30,357.60 per year pro rata) from year two
Reports to: Community Leaders of L’Arche Edinburgh & Highland
Place of work: Hybrid, with a base in the Edinburgh or Inverness community, and regular monthly travel to the other community
Contract type: Permanent, Part-time
Closing date: Monday, 5th January 2026 at 9:30
 
Notes: This position does not offer visa sponsorship.
 
Main purpose of the role

The Human Resources Manager provides effective HR support to all employees and in the two L’Arche Communities located in Scotland, in line with L’Arche’s identity, mission and values.
 
The HR Manager will:

• Support the Community Leaders and Coordinating Teams, provide advice and guidance to all leaders on best practice in HR matters, and ensure that the two Communities meet all of their regulatory obligations with regard to the employee life cycle. 
• Ensure implementation of employment legislation, and compliance with Safer Recruitment, national policies and initiatives, and SSSC requirements.
• Address employee relations issues through direct involvement, advice to operational leaders, facilitating mediation, fostering a positive work environment, and managing conflict and performance.
• Supervise two training co-ordinators and have dotted line management of HR admin, providing coaching and training to managers and employees on HR-related topics. 

 
Key essential criteria

• Understanding and identification with the aims, mission and values of L'Arche;
• Experience of working in HR, especially employee relations casework;
• Experience of the full employee life cycle including recruitment, training, performance management;
• Experience of a similar role with lead responsibility for employment matters;
• CIPD level 5 (Associate) or equivalent; 
• Able to act as Lead Countersignatory with the Scottish Social Services Council.

 
This role is subject to an enhanced PVG criminal record check. 
 
You can find more details about L'Arche Edinburgh and L'Arche Highland on our website.
 
Additional details about L'Arche can be found on our website.
 
Discover what makes L’Arche a rewarding place to work—explore our employee benefits on our website.
 
A full job description and person specification can be found in the Recruitment Pack.
 
To apply, please submit your CV and answer the questions from our online application form.
The closing date is: Monday 5th January 2026 at 9:30
 
We encourage you not to wait until the closing date to submit your application, as we may begin interviewing strong candidates before then.

We also reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive enough suitable applications.
 
Please also read our privacy notice for job applicants.
 
REF-225 480

Benefits: 39 days annual leave (including bank holidays), company pension

Lead. Inspire. Serve. Transform Lives.

Are you a Christian leader with a heart for young people and a passion for community transformation?

Do you believe in the God-given value and potential of every person?

Are you ready to guide one of the country’s oldest and most trusted Christian youth movements into its next chapter?

YMCA North Staffordshire is seeking an exceptional Christian Chief Executive Officer to lead our mission, embody our values, and continue shaping a movement that is transforming the lives of thousands of young people and families.

With a proud 160-year history and an award-winning campus at the heart of Stoke-on-Trent, this is a rare opportunity to lead a charity that is deeply rooted in Christian faith, committed to radical inclusion, and driven by a vision where all young people can belong, contribute and thrive.

 

Our Christian Vision and Values

YMCA North Staffordshire is an inclusive Christian movement.

Our mission flows directly from our faith and is grounded in four core values:

PROTECT

We provide sanctuary and safety, ensuring every young person feels seen, valued, and respected.

HOPE

We see young people not through the lens of their past, but their God-given potential.

PERSEVERE

We walk with young people through challenges, setbacks, and breakthroughs.

TRUST

We act with integrity, accountability, and belief in the dignity of every human being.

Because these values are Christian in origin and practice, and because the CEO is the guardian of our mission, this role has a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) for the postholder to be a practising Christian.

 About the Role

Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the CEO will lead an organisation of 130 staff, a £5m+ budget, and a £35m estate, helping strengthen community through youth development, education, housing, healthy living, and social responsibility.

The next CEO will:

• Provide strategic leadership to deliver the 2026–2029 Business Plan
• Champion youth voice and empowerment in all areas of work
• Sustain and grow financial strength, partnerships, and social enterprise
• Uphold and deepen our Christian identity, ensuring values-led practice
• Drive innovation, digital transformation, and organisational development
• Represent YMCA NS locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally
• Be a visible advocate for young people in Stoke-on-Trent
• Strengthen our “village” culture: welcoming, relational, rooted in Ubuntu and Asset-Based Community Development principles (ABCD).

Purpose of the Role

To lead YMCA North Staffordshire in fulfilling its Christian mission, as described in the Associations charitable objectives 

We develop young people; they develop their world.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic leadership in alignment with Board governance
• Upholding Christian ethos, values, and culture across the organisation
• Financial stewardship, compliance, and sustainability
• Community development and partnership building
• Youth advocacy and empowerment
• Oversight of housing, programmes, and impact measurement
• Staff leadership, pastoral care, and organisational culture
• External representation and communications

 Person Specification – Summary

Knowledge

• Housing, youth services, and community development
• Charity law, governance, safeguarding
• Understanding of Christian ministry, mission, and values
• Organisational development and change leadership

Experience

• Senior leadership in values-led or Christian settings
• Track record of strategic development and organisational growth
• Experience working with young people, housing, or community sectors
• Experience nurturing Christian ethos across a diverse organisation

Skills & Abilities

• Inspirational leadership and people development
• Strategic planning and delivery
• Excellent communicator and ambassador
• Partnership building and stakeholder engagement
• Ability to articulate and embody Christian faith
• Deep commitment to Christian values and the Aims & Purposes of the YMCA

 The Leader We Are Looking For

The landscape for young people is changing — and so must we.

We need a CEO who is:

• Faith-filled and prayerful
• Values-driven and courageous
• Relational, compassionate, and community-minded
• A champion of excellence, innovation, and good governance
• Grounded in Christian mission and committed to radical inclusion
• Able to inspire hope, build trust, and persevere through challenge

As George Williams, YMCA’s founder, said:

“You are not alone, and you can be more.”

Our next CEO must believe this not only for themselves — but for every young person we serve.

How to apply

An application pack can be found at the YMCA North Staffordshire website. This role is subject to enhanced DBS and reference checks.

Key Recruitment Dates

• Closing Date: 18th January 2026
• Interviews: Week commencing 9th February 2026

We are a safe recruitment Organisation and an Equal Opportunities Employer, we run the disability confident guaranteed interview scheme.

We are an organisation with Christian values, committed to Equality and Diversity in the Workplace. YMCA is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

ShareAction is an independent charity and an expert on responsible investment. We work to build a world where the financial system serves our planet and its people. We set ambitious standards for how financial institutions, through their investment decisions, can protect our planet and its people and campaign for this approach to become the norm. We convene shareholders to collectively push companies to tackle the climate crisis, protect nature, improve workers’ rights and shape healthier societies. In the UK and EU, we advocate for financial regulation that has society’s best interests at its core. 

Position

The Head of Fundraising is responsible for leading our fundraising strategy and delivery. This role is key to securing resources that enable us to drive system change in the financial sector.

A typical week will see you:

• Leading fundraising across ShareAction, ensuring conversations are being had by the right colleagues, with the right funders, at the right times.
• Guiding prospecting and leading the creation of compelling funding bids for multi-year, high-value projects.
• Delivering exceptional donor relationship management, including timely reports and strategic engagement.
• Overseeing the growth of our major donors programme, building a committed donor base of Ultra High and High Net Worth individuals.
• Supporting and developing a high-performing fundraising team.

You’ll regularly engage with senior leaders, trustees and external stakeholders, forming strong relationships and using your expertise to secure funding that drives impact across our campaigns and projects.

What you’ll bring to the team

We want to hear from you if you:

• Have experience devising and delivering fundraising strategies across multiple geographies (UK, EU, US) from trusts and foundations.
• Can develop powerful cases for support and significant bid/application-writing experience for multi-year, six- and seven-figure projects and programmes.
• Are skilled at managing donor relationships and supporting a high-performing fundraising team.
• Possess strong communication skills and thrive under pressure.
• Understand charity law and best practice in fundraising.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of statutory fundraising in the UK/EU and US philanthropy.
• Experience fundraising for systems-change charities.
• Familiarity with capital markets or legacy fundraising.

We have a formal hybrid working policy in place. As this role involves meetings with London-based stakeholders, you’ll need to attend the office or meetings on average six times a month or more.

If this role sounds like something that would build on your current skill set and engage you, we’d love to hear from you!

What we will do for you

We are a fast-paced organisation that has grown substantially over the past few years. We recognise that our people work hard to advocate for responsible investment and drive meaningful engagement with those who have the power to create a brighter future. Every day, they bring their expertise, passion and persistence to build a world where the financial system serves our people and planet. We want to ensure we provide the right environment for our colleagues to thrive, and we are committed to improving our employee offer where possible.

Currently, we are pleased to offer:

• A commitment to flexible working: over 60% of our employees have some sort of flexible working arrangement in place.
• Hybrid working: we are committed to supporting our staff to work in a way that suits their lifestyle and meets the requirements of their role.
• Internal promotion and development opportunities: we offer a range of ways to improve your skills and focus on what you love, including promotion, secondment, or sideways development opportunities. For some levels of roles, we also offer direct progression.
• The opportunity to help make a difference: we tackle some of the world’s biggest social and environmental challenges. We offer opportunities for you to develop your skills and experience in a friendly, flexible and supportive working environment.
• A unionised work environment: our staff have the opportunity to join the union and are supported by our recognised union, Unite. We regularly consult and negotiate with our employees on workplace matters ranging from working conditions to pay.
• Regular in-person meetings, including all-staff away days, retreats and directorate strategy days to create connected teams.
• 8% non-contributory pension invested with NEST and their green funds.
• A health care plan with Bupa.
• An employee assistance programme: advice and support, lifestyle discounts and short-term counselling.
• Death in service cover of 3x salary.
• 25 days’ annual leave (increasing with length of service) plus office closure at the end of the year, ensuring everyone gets time to switch off together.
• Enhanced family leave pay: up to 18 weeks paid at 90% for either parent.
• Enhanced sick pay starting at 5 weeks’ full pay from day 1.
• Season ticket loan and cycle-to-work scheme.

ShareAction values and respects all differences in people (seen and unseen) and welcomes applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities, and we are working hard to provide an environment where all can bring their authentic selves to work. We know that some people won’t apply for a role unless they meet all the requirements listed in the job description. If this is the case for you, but you think you would excel in this role, we want to hear from you!

For further information and to apply, please visit our website via the Apply button.

Closing date: 9.00 am on Monday, 19th January 2026.
First interviews: On the mornings of Wednesday, 28th and Thursday, 29th January 2026 (online).
Second interviews: On the morning of Wednesday, 4th February 2026 (in person at our London office).

To be considered for this post, you must be legally eligible to work in the UK; unfortunately, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship.

Location (UK): Office Hybrid* - London
Hours: Full-time, 35 Hours per week
Salary: £55,155 per annum (London)
Benefits: Read more about the excellent benefits we offer on our website
Contract type: Fixed-term - 2 years
Travel: Occasional travel across the UK including Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Closing date: 23:59 hours, Sunday 4 January 2026

Join us and use your skills, knowledge, passion and energy to help us achieve a future free from arthritis.
You will join the UK Advocacy and Health Intelligence Department within the Chief Executive's Directorate. The team is responsible for leading UK strategy development and delivery across advocacy (policy, public affairs, campaigning) and health intelligence, working closely with colleagues across the UK to ensure effective delivery of the strategy in each nation. The department sits in the Chief Executive's Directorate to ensure driving positive change with and for people with arthritis is at the heart of the organisation.

The Department works closely with colleagues across the charity, including Services, Research and Income and Engagement to ensure we are joined up in our approach to arthritis.

About the role
The Researcher is a new, important post at Arthritis UK. Working within our Health Intelligence team, you will lead on providing expertise on the latest relevant research evidence, providing a responsive, robust and balanced assessment of the available evidence and any key gaps to shape the charity's UK advocacy agenda, and drive organisational priorities. Working across a range of issues you will play a crucial role in ensuring that the experiences and needs of people living with arthritis are understood and acted upon, and that arthritis is taken seriously across the UK.

About you
If your knowledge, skills and experience include the following then we'd love to hear from you:

• In-depth knowledge and experience in working in health-related, research.
• Experience in the synthesis and evaluation of research evidence across a range of sources (including grey literature), including in the design and delivery of rapid reviews.
• Experience in communicating clearly and succinctly to non-technical and non-expert audiences, through both written formats (e.g. briefing papers) and verbally (e.g. via presentations and meetings with senior stakeholders), with a robust approach to accessibility throughout communication.
• Demonstrable understanding of how research can be used to shape policy and practice.
• Experience of consistently applying a range of techniques and research methods applicable to framing research questions, evidence review and research evaluation.
• Able to communicate findings and conclusions clearly to non-specialist and specialist audiences.
• Educated to at least master's degree level or equivalent.

*As a hybrid worker the expectation is that you will spend around 40% of your working time in our office spaces or working in community settings. As an inclusive employer we will consider home-based working for anyone where office-based hybrid working would be a barrier to being able to work for us, for example for someone living with a long-term health condition or disability.

Benefits
Your excellent benefits include:

• Flexible hours, environments and working practices to promote a healthy work/life balance.
• Health and wellbeing support - including the Employee Assistance Programme (free confidential 24/7 support with mental health, legal and financial queries).
• Simplyhealth cash plan.
• Supportive and inclusive culture, with a wide range of employee networks and support groups available to join.
• Learning and personal development opportunities.
• Competitive annual leave, with the option to buy/sell up to five days per year.
• Generous pension plan, with employer contribution of up to 10%.
• Life Assurance plan (4 x salary).

Application deadline and shortlisting 
We advise candidates to apply early as we reserve the right to close applications ahead of this date.  
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 
We do not wish to receive contact from agencies or media sales. 

Please note that we do not use Artificial Intelligence (AI) during our recruitment and selection processes, and we would respectfully ask that you also refrain from using AI during the selection process. Whilst we do recognise that AI may be a beneficial tool for some when aiding research and preparation for an application or interview, we want to maintain a fair, inclusive and positive recruitment experience at Arthritis UK where candidates can feel supported to demonstrate their experience, knowledge, and skills without the use of AI generated answers.

Interview
Interviews are expected be held Thursday 15 January 2026, Arthritis UK London office

As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee you will be offered an interview if you disclose a disability and demonstrate sufficient evidence within your application that you meet the essential criteria for this role. We will also make any reasonable adjustments you may require for your interview.

About us
We have made a commitment in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy to increase the diversity of our charity and we welcome candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We want our employees, volunteers and trustees to represent the broad diversity of the communities of which we are a part.

There are over 10 million people living with arthritis. That's one in six, with over half of those living in pain every single day. The impact is huge as the condition slowly intrudes on everyday life - affecting the ability to work, care for a family, to move free from pain and to live independently. Yet arthritis is often dismissed as an inevitable part of ageing or shrugged off as 'just a bit of arthritis'. We don't think that this is OK. Arthritis UK is here to change that.

Arthritis UK is committed to keeping children, young people and vulnerable adults safe from harm. During the recruitment process we will undertake safer recruitment practices and relevant checks to ensure applicants are suitable to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Arthritis UK is a Registered Charity No: 207711 and in Scotland No. SC041156.