Specialist support workers jobs in central london, greater london

You will be joining us at a time that holds the greatest potential for fundraising in our history, following the launch of the UK Government’s Delivery Plan for ME and initial findings of the DecodeME genetics study (co-led by Action for ME) in Summer 2025. 

Building on our charity’s already established level of support from major donors, you will provide exceptional relationship management to existing donors alongside growing our network of high value supporters.

Working closely with the CEO, alongside managing a portfolio of donors and prospects ensuring excellent stewardship, you will support our Breakthrough-ME Group (a group of high net worth and highly networked individuals). There is an established level of support from major donors at Action for ME so this is a role that will require exceptional relationship management to retain our current valued supporters while growing this crucial area of fundraising. 

This would be an ideal role for an experienced philanthropy professional seeking to work for a small but ambitious charity, helping us to achieve our mission to improve the lives of all people affected by ME – better meeting their needs today while taking action to secure change for tomorrow.

Key duties

Major Donor Fundraising

• Successfully develop and implement the philanthropy strategy to secure and maximise funds from high value individuals for Action for ME achieving annual income of £250k+

• Set plans and budgets which will deliver income through major gift fundraising and philanthropic giving through family trusts and foundations, including quarterly forecasting.

• Manage a portfolio of prospects and donors at the £5k to £100k level, to develop and maintain strong and long-standing partnerships

• Work closely with the Director of Fundraising and Development and other colleagues to ensure that plans and activities for fundraising from high value individuals are integrated into the overall fundraising strategy and plan for significant growth.

• Be responsible for our Breakthrough-ME Group with high quality proposition development.  Contribution to Group fundraising activities with a specific focus on ensuring their networks support pipeline growth for future fundraising.

• Lead the delivery of our biennial fundraising gala dinner, maximising income and new opportunities from attendees.

• Develop engaging and inspiring opportunities to steward and cultivate support creating a calendar of activities including events, presentations, approaches, networking and meetings.

• Utilise the CRM database (Raisers Edge) to provide the data required to strategise your approach to philanthropy, monitor progress and provide a high-quality donor experience.

• Ensure utilisation of insight & data, producing management information data to inform planning and strategy development.

• With the Director of Fundraising & Development, create inspiring cases for support and resulting propositions with clear budgets and outcomes.

• Create adequate systems and processes to support the major donor programme.

• Undertake and manage research into prospects and major donors, preparing for approaches and presentations and briefing senior leadership and trustees for donor meetings and events.

• Develop and maintain relationships with donors, a wide range of staff and volunteers from trustee level down.

• Provide regular feedback and internal reporting to line management.

• Work with other fundraisers to ensure that all fundraising opportunities and leads are followed up – particularly in corporate, community and trust fundraising.

• Work with Trustees, the Chief Executive and members of the Leadership Team to develop relationships with major donors.

• Self-administrate including managing your own diary and meetings, keeping accurate and up to date records of activity

• Occasional travel to London, Bristol & events

Other duties

• To positively promote the work and activities of Action for M.E. at all times.

• To contribute to the team’s overall, ongoing and annual planning and budgeting.

• To undertake any other reasonable activity in line with the responsibilities of the post as requested by the Director of Fundraising and Development, Chief Executive or any other senior Action for ME management.

• Act as an advocate for the Charity and its work.

• To work in accordance with Action for ME’s values of collaboration, equity and empathy.

London South Bank University are partnering exclusively with Robertson Bell to recruit to a Finance Business Partner position on a permanent basis. London South Bank University (LSBU) is a modern, dynamic university with a long history of leading the way in applied education and practice-led earning. With over 17000 students and 2000 staff from over 130 countries, we work together to foster the development of graduates, ready to address business and societal challenges.

Are you ready to play a pivotal role in shaping financial decisions? As a Finance Business Partner, you will support key stakeholders through detailed reporting, insightful analysis, and actionable financial insights. In this role, you’ll provide strategic recommendations on critical financial decisions, ensuring that finance is central to decision-making at LSBU.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Following the agreed process, conduct the annual budget setting process for the partnered units.
• Deliver finance business partnering services, including: budget setting, business case review, aiding comprehension of financial reports, financial approver maintenance, monthly forecasting, and providing advice and insight to budget holders.
• Provide ad hoc analysis to stakeholders in the partnered units.  This will often include a combination of financial and non-financial data to deliver information that improves decision making and planning.
• Following the agreed timetable, produce accurate monthly forecasts for the partnered units.  Follow consistent processes and templates, and engage constructively with efforts to improve the efficiency of those processes.
• For the partnered units, maintain an accurate record of financial approvers on the finance system.  This includes making any necessary changes, and regularly monitoring the financial approvers to ensure they are correct.
• Review, and seek regular feedback from stakeholders on, the usefulness of the suite of financial reports available to budget holders.  Pass feedback to the Head of Financial Planning & Business Partnering and the Head of Financial Reporting & Analysis.
• Using the suite of training materials developed by senior members of the team, deliver regular training to budget holders in the partnered units.

Our fantastic campus in central London is based around the historic, vibrant, and unique Elephant and Castle in the best student city in the world (QS World University Rankings, 2023). We also have specialist health campuses in Croydon and Havering.

We are highly commended as an Outstanding Entrepreneurial University (Times Higher Awards, 2022) and ranked third in the world for Reducing Inequality (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, 2024). We are proud that our graduates are the highest paid amongst all London modern universities one year after completing their course (LEO, 2022).

The successful candidate will:

• In the final stages of becoming qualified with a professional accountancy body (ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent).
• Finance business partnering to non-finance professionals.
• Working in close partnership with other professional functions (e.g. HR, IT), with a supportive and collegiate style.
• Closely following defined processes, including complex processes, requiring a keen eye for detail.

• Ability to conduct basic financial modelling, combining data from multiple sources to provide useful information for decision making purposes.
• Interpersonal skills, and the ability to put across financial information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Strong IT skills, including MS Excel.
• Good technical accounting knowledge and the ability to apply it to practical scenarios.
• Good time management skills.

The successful candidate will be based in their central London office and benefit from a hybrid working pattern.

Applications will be under constant review before the closing date so please submit your application to our exclusive agent Robertson Bell. Apply now to be considered!

Seeking a purposeful career change? Start on your transformative journey with the On Purpose Associate Programme, offering a unique opportunity for mid-career professionals to transition into impactful work. This paid, year-long leadership programme is designed for those ready to pivot their professional journey towards creating a regenerative, equitable and just future.

Key info:

• Based in London, UK

• Full-time (4.5 days at placement & one half day training weekly)

• £27,010 per annum salary (pro rata)

• Programme dates: April 2026 - March 2027 (49 weeks)

• Apply by Monday 20th October, 9:00 am (BST).

About On Purpose:

On Purpose is tackling the greatest challenge of our time: transforming our economy from profit to purpose. Our leadership programmes develop people who will play their part in this transformation.

Together, we learn to see a different future and take action towards realising it in the organisations we work in. Our programmes seed a vibrant community who care, inspire, challenge and support one another as we make this transformation a reality.

Programme structure:

Two 6 month placements 

• Through work placements with organisations driving impactful change, you'll gain hands-on experience tackling pressing social and environmental issues 4.5 days of the week. Some of our current partners include Better Society Capital, Save the Children, BAFTA and VISA.

Expert-led learning 

• Our intensive Learning & Development programme involves weekly in-person sessions led by experts from across sectors. This blend of professional training and academic rigour equips you with the skills, knowledge and mindset to lead organisational and systemic change. 

1:1 mentoring & coaching

• Receive support through fortnightly mentoring sessions and quarterly executive coaching, fostering both your personal and professional growth.

Join a supportive, impactful community

• You’ll be part of a tight-knit cohort of 20 Associates, participating in training sessions every Friday afternoon together. You’ll also join the wider On Purpose community, connecting with a global, influential network of impact-driven professionals offering life-long inspiration, collaboration and opportunities.

Benefits:

• Earn a £27.01 k (pro rata) salary - On Purpose stands out by offering a paid learning and training opportunity, saving you significant costs compared to paying for other leadership programmes or MBAs, all the while offering extensive learning and development.

• Develop your ability to make an impact - Equip yourself with the skills and insights needed to drive meaningful change. You’ll join nearly 1000 purpose-driven alumni who are leading transformative change worldwide in all parts of the system, with 92% currently working in the impact sector.

• Unlock purpose-driven career opportunities - Our Associates have moved into a range of sustainability and social impact roles, ranging from CEOs of social enterprises to leadership positions within traditional companies driving change from within. We have a former music label business owner now the CEO of Hubbub, a former Consultant now Director of Impact at B Lab UK and a former civil servant now Climate Lead at Ellen MacArthur Foundation. 

• Standard UK holiday allowance

• A 3-day residential (all expenses paid)

Who we’re looking for:

This programme is ideal for:

• Individuals seeking a career change into the environment and social impact sector.

• Individuals already in the impact sector who want to develop new skills, have the opportunity to work in more commercial organisations, or to join an engaged network of people who share your values and are working toward the same goal. 

Specific sector or industry experience is not important. We’re looking for talented people from diverse industries who have a determination to bring their skills and experience to purpose-driven projects and to driving systemic change. We seek ambitious individuals with:

• A minimum of three years full-time professional experience

• The right to work in the UK for the full duration of the programme

• Fluency in English 

• Office environment experience 

• Skills in project management, stakeholder engagement, adaptability, interpersonal communication, problem-solving, quantitative analysis and strategic thinking.

• Excitement and commitment towards building a career that helps transform our economy from profit to purpose.

Diversity and Inclusion:

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences and those who are often under-represented in the impact sector, including but not limited to individuals with disabilities and those from diverse ethnic, gender identities, sexualities, religions, and socio-economic backgrounds.

How to apply:

• Register your interest via our website to receive a link to your online application form.

• Closing date for applications: Monday 20th October, 9:00 am (BST).

• Interviews will be held in mid-late November.

Womankind Worldwide are exclusively partnering with Robertson Bell in their search for a new Director of Finance, People & Culture to join their team on a permanent basis. Womankind Worldwide is a global women's rights organisation working in partnership with women's rights movements and organisations to transform the lives of women and girls.

Reporting into one of the Co-CEOs, the Director of Finance, People & Culture will lead Womankind’s finance, HR, and Resources functions while ensuring regulatory compliance across jurisdictions (UK and Kenya). You'll work closely with their Finance & Resources Committee and serve as Company Secretary, supporting their ambitious Strategy to 2030.You will also lead the people strategy that strengthens Womankind’s culture, enhances employee wellbeing, drives engagement, and aligns talent with their strategic goals.

The organisation:

Womankind Worldwide strengthen and support women’s movements in their focus countries in Africa and Asia, and take collective action at regional and global levels, to ensure women’s voices are heard, their rights are realised, and their lives are free from violence. Currently, Womankind has staff based in Kenya and the UK. They’re undertaking a strategic transformation to strengthen their impact through a grantmaking and partnership review, an updated business model and a strategic alignment process. Staff wellbeing - one of their core feminist principles - will remain central as they navigate this journey. These changes reflect their deep commitment towards a feminist future and will position them to provide more strategic support where it is most needed across their focus countries during these unprecedented times in the development sector.

The key duties of the Director of Finance, People & Culture are as follows:

• Lead strategic financial and HR planning in collaboration with Co-CEOs and Finance & Resources Committee
• Drive implementation of Strategy 2030 particularly those strategies pertaining to Womankind’s goals to value our team and decolonise our practice
• Support assessment of funding landscape and sustainable financing strategies
• Ensure effective 3-year rolling budgeting and planning cycles
• Line manage Finance, People & Culture team, provide coaching, supervision, and development support, whilst building team capacity through process improvement
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and reporting processes
• Lead annual audit and statutory accounts production in the UK and Kenya
• Act as Company Secretary to Board of Trustees
• Ensure consistent quality and delivery of all finance processes (internal and external)
• Strategic development and review of Human Resource management, policies and processes
• Shape and model a feminist, inclusive, and high-performing organisational culture that aligns with Womankind’s values
• Oversee design and implementation of a wellbeing strategy
• Lead on information technology, ensuring systems meet needs of the organisation
• Provide oversight of facilities in the UK and Kenya

The successful candidate will have:

• Qualification: A full, recognised accounting qualification
• Leadership: Proven track record delivering strategic plans as part of senior leadership team
• Experience: Significant experience leading Finance and HR functions
• International: Experience working across multiple jurisdictions
• Charity Sector: Understanding of charity governance, SORP accounting, and charity financing
• Management: Strong staff management and development experience
• Communication: Ability to explain complex financial matters to non-financial
• Governance: Experience working with and being accountable to Board of Trustees
• Values: Strong commitment to feminism, anti-racism, and social justice

This role can be based in either the UK or Kenya, with flexible hybrid working policies in place. The team are also open to considering candidates with strong experience on a 0.8 FTE basis.

Applications are open until Sunday 28^th September, with first stage interviews due to take place the week commencing 6^th October. CVs will be under continuous review in advance of this date and we reserve the right to close the advert early, so please submit your application today to make sure you don’t miss out!