Strategic programmes director jobs

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People – Head of Acquisition
Location: Hybrid working with some travel to Hearing Dogs offices in either Buckinghamshire or East Yorkshire.
Salary: Circa £56,000 per annum.
Contract: Permanent, full-time hours. 

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, whose mission is to build confidence, companionship and connection for people with hearing loss, is seeking a Head of Acquisition to lead and grow recruitment across individual giving, legacy and regular giving channels, as well as attracting new volunteers and service users.

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People has been creating life-changing partnerships between hearing dogs and deaf recipients since 1982. As well as acting as an ear to their partners and alerting them to sounds, the charity’s clever and expertly trained dogs help deaf people to live life with confidence and independence, whilst providing love, companionship and emotional support. This is coupled with the provision of emotional and practical support services for anyone with hearing loss.

Following a strategic review, the charity is now entering an exciting period of growth and expanding their Individual Giving programme within the Performance Marketing and Communications Directorate, to enable them to transform many more lives across the UK.

Playing a pivotal role in this transformation, the Head of Acquisition will drive sustainable income growth through innovative, data-driven acquisition campaigns targeting new supporters, donors, lottery players and legacy pledgers that deepen engagement and bring the charity’s brand story to life. The role will ensure that every acquisition activity clearly communicates the impact of Hearing Dogs’ work, connecting supporter action to life-changing outcomes for people who are deaf or have hearing loss. At the same time, the post-holder will be responsible for championing strategies to reach more people who can volunteer for, and benefit from, the charity’s vital services.

The ideal candidate will be a leader in supporter or customer acquisition in a not for profit or commercial environment, with a strong track record in delivering successful campaigns across multiple channels, including digital, face-to-face, direct marketing and fundraising products (eg lottery, legacy and regular giving). You will have experience in developing strategic investment cases and multi-year acquisition strategies, grounded in data insight and performance engagement. You will have also have a background in brand-led campaigns and communicating organisational impact to engage and convert audiences. Finally, you will have excellent communication and relationship management skills.

This is an exciting opportunity to help Hearing Dogs shape their future with the flexibility of hybrid working remotely and spending time at Hearing Dogs’ stunning offices, with friendly and passionate staff and their four-legged friends.

If you want to lead the pack and help deaf people live well with hearing loss Please download our Candidate Pack for further information [PDF], which includes details on how to apply.

Closing date: Monday 16th February, 9.00 am. 

Job Profile

Reporting to the Managing Director, you will lead on the recruitment, retention, and value growth of Afghanaid’s supporter base by directing and implementing communications, fundraising and engagement strategies, aligned with broader organisation goals. Designing and managing a tight budget, you will direct the Communication and Giving unit to maximise their success.

You will provide strategic and supervisory oversight of fundraising income from individual giving, regular giving, major donors, trusts and foundations, corporates, community and student fundraising and events, managing annual fundraising appeals and driving organisational unrestricted income growth. 

You will lead on communications for Afghanaid, overseeing print, digital, and paid marketing activities and the growth of communications channels. You will execute Afghanaid’s organisational brand strategy which ensures the integrity of the brand and maximises awareness. You will manage all public relations including crisis communications, as well as the growth of strategic media placements and high profile relationships. You will drive the success of organisational impact storytelling and communications for both internal and external stakeholders. As a member of the executive department, you will collaborate and synergise with other departments to promote organisational success.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drive organisational strategy, culture and cross-department collaboration to advance Afghanaid’s mission and objectives.

• Lead development and delivery of Communications, Engagement and Fundraising strategies and work plans.

• Line manage and develop a high-performing team, including staff, volunteers and interns.

• Build and maintain relationships with consultants, agencies and pro bono partners.

• Oversee budgets, reporting and data-driven performance management to ensure efficiency and impact.

• Promote a positive and cohesive London team environment, coordinating hybrid working, inductions and HR support.

• Oversee public fundraising strategy across multiple income streams.

• Lead design and delivery of internal and external appeals, campaigns and donor stewardship.

• Identify new funding opportunities, partnerships and innovation in engagement.

• Oversee the full range of Afghanaid’s event portfolio, and attend relevant events to represent Afghanaid;

• Ensure effective CRM management, data integrity and financial reconciliation.

• Serve as brand guardian, ensuring consistency and evolution of Afghanaid’s identity.

• Oversee creation and execution of integrated communications and marketing plans.

• Direct production of engaging digital and print content, including newsletters, social media, and fundraising collateral.

• Manage website optimisation, SEO and analytics to drive engagement and conversions.

• Lead innovation in digital marketing, email campaigns and supporter journeys.

• Advise leadership on reputation management and crisis communications.

• Develop media policies and act as spokesperson when required.

• Manage proactive and reactive media relations, building relationships with journalists, influencers and advocates.

• Promote Afghanaid’s thought leadership through strategic storytelling and public commentary.

• Commission and direct multimedia content to strengthen organisational storytelling.

• Lead content planning, production and performance analysis.

• Champion participatory storytelling approaches and creative innovation.

Undertake any other duties as and when required by the line director.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

You will be an experienced and dynamic communicator with significant demonstrable experience in fundraising and/or communications at a senior level, coupled with an awareness and up to date knowledge and experience of the tools that would maximise the success of our communications and fundraising activities. In addition, you will have excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to confidently build and maintain strong relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders. Possessing strong management skills, you will have experience of managing small multi-disciplinary teams, providing direction and leadership to enable development and high performance, and the ability to role-model a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion.

Education/ Training

Master’s Degree in communications, marketing, public fundraising or another relevant field (or at least 5-years’ experience).

Work Experience

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, supporter engagement or communications, with at least 2 years’ experience directly managing staff.

• Experience developing and leading integrated multi-channel and multi-stakeholder communications, engagement and/or fundraising strategies.

• Experience in growing audiences, engagement and/or income streams.

• Experience communicating about and/or fundraising for and/or maintaining engagement with Afghanistan or a similar context.

• Experience using KPIs and data to make data-driven decisions to improve efficacy and efficiency.

• Experience managing and monitoring a tight budget.

• Experience conceptualising, producing and commissioning multimedia content, from marketing and fundraising collateral to audiovisual content.

• Experience running full-funnel, multi-channel marketing strategies including paid advertising.

• Understanding of risks associated with communications, public fundraising, and NGO operating contexts, and experience in mitigating those risks.

• Experience supervising, organising, motivating and developing staff.

• In depth knowledge of trends in storytelling, brand, PR, marketing and fundraising.

Professional Skills, Competencies, Values and Attitudes

Afghanaid’s core values are creativity, fairness and honesty. Our staff is passionate about and proud of Afghanaid. Teamwork is fundamental to our standards and demonstrated by taking initiative, assisting others and taking on additional responsibilities and tasks if necessary. We are results driven, committed and motivated to achieve targets and take accountability for our own actions.

Specifically, the holder of this position should also demonstrate the following:

Essential

• Fluent in spoken and written English. 

• Track record of increasing audiences, fundraising totals and engagement metrics from multiple different sources, with a strong business development mindset.

• Experience securing five or six figure gifts from funders;

• Solutions and results orientated; energised by thinking outside the box, and by finding and pursuing novel or innovative approaches and solutions.

• Experience using Salesforce CRM and Marketing Cloud

• Skilled at spotting and prioritising opportunities and synergies, and effective in securing wide-ranging forms of engagement and partnership.

• Excellent listening, speaking and writing skills; strong capabilities of persuasion and a proven track record of uniting people around a common goal.

• Multimedia skills, with knowledge, experience and enthusiasm in driving digital innovation.

• Highly organised with strong leadership and project management skills, able to collaboratively manage competing priorities with senior and junior colleagues.

• Demonstrably skilled brand custodian, able to mitigate risks, anticipate and capitalise upon opportunities, and strengthen reputation.

• Capable of working independently as well as collaboratively, both in leading a team and as part of the team.

• Passionate about driving change, and inspiring individuals and groups to support a cause to deliver that change.

Desirable

• Experience working within an international development or humanitarian context, particularly with causes related to Afghanistan

• Strategic understanding of UK and global fundraising landscapes and emerging giving trends.

• Proven ability to represent an organisation publicly with confidence, professionalism and credibility.

• Experience guiding senior leaders or trustees on media, communications and reputational matters.

• Skilled in crisis communications and reputation management.

• Understanding of inclusive and ethical storytelling practices, with sensitivity to safeguarding considerations.

• Experience developing high-value corporate or media partnerships.

• Comfortable working in a fast-moving, resource-limited environment and adapting to changing external circumstances.

The Organisation

Afghanaid is a British humanitarian and development organisation. For over forty years, our dedicated personnel have worked with millions of families in some of the poorest and most remote communities in Afghanistan. We build basic services, improve livelihoods, strengthen the rights of women and children, help communities protect against natural disasters and adapt to climate change, and respond to humanitarian emergencies. We are headquartered in Kabul, and operate provincial and district offices across Afghanistan, as well as a Marketing and Fundraising office in London. We employ around 500 personnel, 97% of whom are Afghans.

Other Information

Afghanaid’s core values are creativity, fairness and honesty. Our staff are passionate about and proud to work at Afghanaid. Teamwork is fundamental to our standards and demonstrated by taking initiative, assisting others and taking on additional responsibilities and tasks if necessary. We are results driven, committed and motivated to achieve targets and take accountability for our own actions.

Our remuneration and benefits package is competitive with other similar organisations. 

This position presents an excellent opportunity for someone who has the ambition and determination to move up in their career.

Citizens UK 

Citizens UK is the UK’s biggest, most diverse and most effective people-powered alliance. We bring communities and local organisations together to work on issues that matter; from campaigning for zebra crossings on dangerous roads, to reforming the immigration system, to the Living Wage campaign. We have a track record of winning change through hundreds of local and national campaigns. We know everyday people have the ability to shape the world around them. We believe that through developing local leaders, we can drive nationwide change and create community-led solutions to big and small problems.

Citizens UK has played a pioneering role in introducing and developing community sponsorship of refugees in the UK. In response to the Syrian refugee crisis in 2015, we campaigned successfully for the introduction of community sponsorship in the UK. Citizens UK was then instrumental in proving the model can work in the UK and through training, advocacy, and coordination, we have helped hundreds of local groups welcome thousands of refugee families. In 2022, Citizens UK expanded its work by launching the Communities for Ukraine programme, matching Ukrainian refugees with UK hosts and most recently has run Communities for Afghans, resettling dozens of refugees. Throughout, it has combined grassroots organising with national advocacy to build a sustainable, community-led model of refugee resettlement. In 2025, we campaigned successfully to persuade the Government to introduce ‘named sponsorship’, giving communities greater choice in who they would sponsor. This creates a huge opportunity to grow community sponsorship and to enable UK civil society to step up and honour our proud tradition of offering sanctuary.

Head of Community Sponsorship Role 

This is a rare opportunity to lead Citizens UK’s community sponsorship campaign and help build the movement that will be at the heart of a community-led welcome.

This new role comes at an exciting and crucial time, as we seek to build and embed this new form of named community sponsorship in the UK. As Head of Community Sponsorship you will lead on our strategy to develop named sponsorship as a transformative part of the UK’s approach to refugee resettlement and community power. This will involve building a broad-base of civil society partners ready to sponsor refugees and to add their voice to the campaign. You will lead on the campaigning and advocacy strategy as we ensure quality in the Government policy and cross-Party political support. Citizens UK acts as the Lead Sponsor for local community sponsorship groups and you will oversee their ongoing support and further engagement.

The role foster collaboration with Citizens UK Organisers and alliances, develop sustainable funding strategies, and ensure alignment with Citizens UK’s broader migration and transformation goals. The role will work alongside Citizens UK’s Migrant and Refugee Organising Team and will contribute to the efforts to build the power to create a more welcoming country. You will lead on relationships with senior stakeholders, policy makers, and funders, and support the creation of campaigns and resources to expand public awareness and support for community sponsorship. With responsibilities spanning communications, and external representation, the role is key to shaping Citizens UK’s refugee resettlement strategy and building its national impact as a driver of cohesion. 

Working as the Head of Community Sponsorship for Citizens UK, reporting to the Assistant Director for Migrant and Refugee Organising (MARO), your main responsibilities will include: 

Career Pathway Headings 

Objectives 

Contribute to Citizens UK and Project Strategic Objectives 

• Build a broad and deep engagement across civil society in named sponsorship, demonstrating the potential for scale and the big tent of support.

• Develop and implement campaign approaches that secure policy goals and build cross-Party political support.

• Develop strategy that develops the leadership of local Citizens members and refugees, strengthens civic institutions and builds trust across difference.

Build and Manage Projects & Achieve Work Targets Effectively 

• Oversee multiple work strands, working in partnership. 

• Develop and manage project workplans, KPIs and budgets, ensuring delivery to time, standard, and impact goals. 

• Establish systems for performance tracking, evaluation, and continuous improvement across project streams. 

Learning, Expertise, Wellbeing & Inclusion 

• Act as a senior expert in sponsorship strategy; coach and mentor staff and partners, and facilitate learning across departments and projects. 

• Influence and lead the integration of equity, wellbeing and refugee voice into strategic decisions and delivery frameworks. 

Develop and Manage External Relationships 

• Lead high-level relationships with national and senior stakeholders, including government departments (e.g. Home Office), civil society institutions and funders. 

• Build and manage partnerships that advance sponsorship reform and position Citizens UK as a sector leader. 

• Ensure stakeholder experience is consistently excellent and take the lead on resolving reputational risks or tensions. 

Communications 

• Act as a senior spokesperson for Citizens UK’s sponsorship work in the media, at public events, and in government or civil society forums. 

• Lead the design and implementation of a high-profile communications strategy to influence narratives on refugee welcome and community leadership. 

• Ensure communications align with ethical storytelling principles and amplify sponsor and refugee voices responsibly. 

Develop and Manage Internal Relationships 

• Lead and develop high-performing cross-functional teams, with clear expectations, direction, and collaboration structures. 

• Effectively line manage senior staff and foster shared leadership culture across sponsorship and Citizens UK team 

• Ensure that the community sponsorship strategy is aligned with Citizens UK’s other campaigns and work closely with other members of Migrant and Refugee Organising team. 

• Contribute to senior leadership structures, including strategic planning processes and transformation initiatives. 

Generate Income and Resources 

• Initiate and grow significant and sustainable income streams to fund Citizens UK’s sponsorship work. 

• Develop and lead high-value funding partnerships with trusts, foundations and strategic donors. 

• Demonstrate strong budget oversight and ensure effective use of financial and human resources in sponsorship delivery. 

Personal Specification 

(D) Desirable, (E) Essential 

Qualifications 

• Degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field such as migration, social policy, international development, or community organising (D) 

• Management or leadership qualification, or relevant CPD in project or programme management, public policy, or team leadership (D) 

Experience 

• Proven experience in leading complex, multi-stakeholder programmes related to refugee resettlement, community organising, or social impact (E) 

• Demonstrable track record of strategic leadership in a charity or community-focused setting (E) 

• Experience of managing cross-functional teams to deliver against ambitious organisational goals (E) 

• Experience of developing and sustaining strategic partnerships with civil society organisations, local authorities, or government departments (E) 

• Experience in leading campaigning and influencing strategies to secure changes in Government policy (E) 

• Experience of designing and implementing systems for monitoring, evaluation, and learning to track progress and report to funders and or government stakeholders (D) 

• Demonstrable experience of driving collaborative campaigns or outreach efforts that engage diverse communities (E) 

Key skills and knowledge 

• Strong leadership and team coordination skills – able to motivate, direct, and support multidisciplinary teams across multiple workstreams (E) 

• Excellent project and performance management skills – able to set strategic priorities, delegate effectively, and ensure accountability (E) 

• In-depth knowledge of refugee resettlement systems, community sponsorship models, and UK migration policy, including recent developments affecting Afghan and Ukrainian pathways (E) 

• Knowledge and skills in community organising and an understanding of how community sponsorship and campaigning connect with and support the method and aims of organising (E) 

• Outstanding written and verbal communication – confident in producing compelling cases for support, policy communications, and public messaging (E) 

• Ability to design and deliver stakeholder engagement strategies, with a clear understanding of influencing policy and public opinion (E) 

• Skilled in developing and managing strategic partnerships with funders, policy-makers, and community groups (E) 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills – able to assess complex challenges, identify risks, and implement effective solutions (E) 

Personal qualities & values 

• A mission-driven leader with a passion for refugee rights, community empowerment, and social justice (E) 

• Politically astute and able to navigate relationships with stakeholders from civil society, government, and grassroots communities (E) 

• Collaborative and people-centred, able to work constructively across teams and with volunteers, refugees, and community leaders (E) 

• Committed to embedding refugee leadership and lived experience into programme design and delivery (E) 

• Resilient, adaptable, and able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced and evolving policy environment (E) 

• Comfortable working within an accountable team culture – open to feedback, reflective practice, and continuous improvement (E) 

• Willingness to work occasional evenings or weekends, and to travel when necessary to support programme delivery (E) 

Note: 

At Citizens UK, we work with communities to develop leaders, strengthen organisations, campaign for change and organise across difference. This work is rewarding and can be challenging; it requires a personal commitment to inclusion, a willingness to listen and disagree respectfully, and an interest in working in an organisation where our staff, member institutions and leaders will come from a diversity of backgrounds and often hold views that may be very different from our own. More information about how we operate within this context and build trusted relationships across difference can be found on our website and is covered in induction. Onboarding and navigating this relational culture, and type of work, is supported by line managers and further training. 

*This post is open to female applicants only as being female is deemed to be a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010. 

Stop Domestic Abuse is a trauma informed organisation; the work we do to support those effected by domestic abuse may be triggering for those with past trauma. Please only apply if you are living free from abuse. If you’d like to talk to us about this, please get in touch.

Location: Havant

Salary: £36,547 - £39,372

Hours per week: 37

Contract Type: Full Time/Permanent 

Reference Number: STOPDA847

Main Purpose and Scope of the Job:

Prepare compelling responses to grant applications, support the Business Development Director and wider leadership team with responses to complex tenders and high-value funding applications.

Ensure all policies, procedures and practice are reviewed in line with designated timescales and meet the quality assurance requirements of the national outcomes framework and service standards for VAWG, SafeLives, Women’s Aid NQS, RESPECT accreditation principles and any additional frameworks agreed by the CEO.

Lead, monitor and evaluate projects as designated by the Business Development Director e.g. project management of website redevelopment, collaborating with external contractors and our IT Manager to convey our organisational vision.

Support operational activities which inform whole-organisation improvement e.g. gather and analyse staff survey feedback data, possess a natural curiosity for data analysis and identification of trends which draw meaningful conclusions from qualitative and quantitative data.

Manage (and delegate where appropriate) and quality assure all subject access requests, complaints and data queries in line with Data Protection and GDPR legislation, working with, and supported by the Business Development Director (DPO) on complex cases.

What We Offer:

Time off and Flexibility:

- 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (Increasing with service)

- Birthday day off

- Child’s first day of school off

- Option to purchase up to 10 additional days’ leave per year

- Flexible and hybrid working

- Protected time of up to one hour each month

Family-Friendly Benefits:

- Enhanced Maternity, Paternity, Shared Parental and Adoption leave

- IVF Leave

Health and Wellbeing:

- Westfield Health Healthcare Cashback Plan (after probation)

- Westfield Health Personal Health Insurance (after 2 years’ service)

- Employee Assistance Programme

- Eye care vouchers

- Cycle to Work Scheme

About Stop Domestic Abuse:

Stop Domestic Abuse is a proud women-led organisation supporting victims and survivors of domestic violence and abuse across Portsmouth and Hampshire. Our vision is a world without domestic abuse, and we work to ensure that it’s ‘everyone’s business.’

We provide refuge and community-based support, delivering in a trauma-informed way for adults, children and young people, tailored to individual needs. Our 19 refuges offer safe, welcoming homes, and across our services we provide one-to-one support and group activities to help improve their safety and to meet others with similar experiences. We support children process their experiences and help regain a sense of safety.

Our UP2U programmes support those seeking to change abusive behaviours, and we also offer specialist support for victims of stalking. We also deliver training to professionals, including the hair and beauty industry, to recognise domestic abuse and connect people to specialist support services.

Our Values:

Equality, Openness, Honesty, Respect for individual dignity and diversity, Empowering women and children, and Care and Compassion – are at the heart of everything we do. By committing to these values, we aim to significantly improve the lives of those we support and work towards our vision of a world without domestic abuse.

Citizens UK

Citizens UK is the UK’s biggest, most diverse and most effective people-powered alliance. We bring communities and local organisations together to work on issues that matter; from campaigning for zebra crossings on dangerous roads, to reforming the immigration system, to the Living Wage campaign. We have a track record of winning change through hundreds of local and national campaigns. We know everyday people have the ability to shape the world around them. We believe that through developing local leaders, we can drive nationwide change and create community-led solutions to big and small problems.

Purpose

The Head of People & Culture ensures that Citizens UK has the people, organisational capacity and enabling culture required to deliver its mission of building people power and strengthening civil society. The role plays a central part in securing a workforce that is capable, motivated and aligned with Citizens UK’s values, enabling the organisation to build strong alliances, support local leadership and achieve lasting social change.

Working as part of the senior leadership team, and under the direction of the Executive Director, Finance & Operations, the role strengthens organisational effectiveness by embedding fair, inclusive and well-governed people practices. Through sound employment frameworks, statutory compliance and a culture that supports engagement, performance and wellbeing, the Head of People & Culture safeguards Citizens UK’s resilience, reputation and ability to deliver impact at scale.

Main Responsibilities

Working as the Head of People & Culture for Citizens UK, reporting to the Executive Director, Finance & Operations, your main responsibilities will include:

People & Culture Strategy

Ensure Citizens UK has the people, capability and organisational shape required to deliver its mission and sustain impact over time.

· Analyse organisational strategy, change priorities and external context to identify their implications for people, capability, structure and ways of working.

· Carry out workforce planning to assess current and future capacity and capability, identifying gaps, risks and realistic options to address them.

· Develop, maintain and refresh the People & Culture strategy so it responds directly to organisational needs and provides clear priorities for action.

· Provide expert people and culture advice to the Executive Leadership Team and Board, informing strategic discussions, trade-offs and decisions.

Talent Management

Develop and implement talent management processes that ensure Citizens UK attracts, retains and sustains the people needed to deliver its work.

· Lead recruitment, selection and onboarding to bring in people who can perform effectively in their roles and are aligned with Citizens UK’s values.

· Develop and maintain retention approaches focused on the key drivers of retention, including meaningful work, effective management, development opportunities, wellbeing, inclusion and fair treatment.

· Identify critical roles and critical talent and put in place practical succession and risk-mitigation plans, including knowledge transfer, handover planning and interim cover where needed.

· Monitor employee experience across the employment lifecycle, using insight from feedback and people data to improve people practices and ways of working.

Performance, Leadership & Capability

Strengthen organisational effectiveness by enabling teams to perform well, grow in capability and contribute consistently to shared goals.

· Maintain and operate performance management processes, including objective setting, regular feedback and reviews, ensuring that staff are clear on expectations and accountable for results.

· Support managers to address performance issues constructively by clarifying expectations, strengthening feedback, building capability and resolving barriers to effective performance.

· Coordinate and deliver learning and development activity that supports managers and staff to build skills, leadership capability and confidence in their roles.

Organisational Culture, Engagement & Wellbeing

Foster a working environment where people feel engaged, supported and able to do their best work together.

· Promote Citizens UK’s values in everyday people practices, supporting managers to translate values into consistent behaviours, decision-making and ways of working.

· Design and operate staff engagement and feedback mechanisms, ensuring staff voice is heard, themes are analysed, and practical actions are taken in response.

· Develop and maintain wellbeing approaches that support psychological safety, healthy workload management, early resolution of concerns and sustainable working practices.

· Support constructive relationships with the Trade Union and enable effective consultation and dialogue on people-related matters. 

EDI & Safeguarding

Ensure Citizens UK is equitable, inclusive and safe for all by embedding fairness, care and accountability into how the organisation operates.

· Develop and implement Equity, Diversity and Inclusion priorities, using clear measures to monitor progress, identify gaps and support accountability across the organisation.

· Embed EDI considerations into recruitment, progression, policy development and everyday people decisions, working closely with relevant colleagues to ensure consistency in practice.

· Act as the People & Culture lead for safeguarding, ensuring responsibilities are clear, processes are understood, and concerns are handled appropriately, sensitively and in line with agreed procedures.

· Support managers and leaders to recognise and address inclusion or safeguarding issues early, escalating concerns where required and ensuring appropriate follow-up.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

Ensure Citizens UK has a clear, effective and trusted people governance framework that supports lawful decision-making, fair treatment and organisational confidence.

· Develop, review and maintain People & Culture policies and procedures, ensuring they are legally compliant, values-aligned and understood by managers and staff.

· Provide day-to-day advice and guidance on people-related risk and compliance, identifying emerging issues early and supporting proportionate, lawful responses.

· Manage disciplinary, grievance and other formal employment processes, ensuring fairness, consistency, appropriate documentation and timely resolution.

Systems & HR Operations

Ensure the efficient, reliable and compliant administration of people processes and systems.

· Operate and maintain HR systems, payroll processes and core people administration, ensuring accuracy, confidentiality and compliance with organisational and legal requirements.

· Review and improve people processes to reduce duplication, minimise manual work and improve efficiency, making best use of available technology and automation.

· Maintain accurate and up-to-date people records and data, ensuring information is accessible, secure and fit for reporting, audit and operational needs.

Functional Leadership & Resource Management

Build and manage CUK’s People & Culture function, ensuring that staff and resources contribute effectively to achievement of CUK’s mission.

· Plan, prioritise and sequence People & Culture work to ensure available capacity is focused on the organisation’s most important people risks and priorities.

· Manage the People & Culture budget, including payroll, monitoring spend and applying value-for-money principles in line with organisational policies.

· Manage People & Culture staff and outsourced service providers utilising an engaging leadership style to support effective delivery of expectations.

Personal Specification

(D) Desirable, (E) Essential

Qualifications

· (E) CIPD qualification (Level 7) or equivalent senior-level professional experience in People / HR leadership

· (D) Degree or equivalent qualification in human resources, organisational development, management or a related field

Experience

· (E) Significant experience in a senior People / HR role, ideally within a charity, not-for-profit or values-driven organisation

· (E) Experience of leading and delivering people and culture priorities in complex, mission-led organisations

· (E) Experience of advising Executive and Board-level stakeholders on people, culture, governance and risk matters

· (E) Experience of operating as a senior, hands-on HR generalist, covering strategy, policy, employee relations and operational delivery

· (E) Experience of workforce planning, recruitment, performance management and organisational change

· (D) Experience of working with trade unions or staff representative bodies

Key skills and knowledge

· (E) Strong generalist HR expertise across employment law, compliance, safeguarding, performance management and people governance

· (E) Proven ability to design and implement practical people processes that support performance, inclusion and wellbeing

· (E) Strong coaching capability, with the ability to support managers to address performance, capability and behavioural issues constructively

· (E) Ability to manage complex employee relations matters with judgement, fairness and confidence

· (E) Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present clear advice and recommendations to senior leaders and boards

· (D) Knowledge of HR systems, people data and process improvement to support efficient delivery

Personal qualities & values

· (E) Strong commitment to social justice, inclusion and the values and mission of Citizens UK

· (E) Values-led and relational leadership style, combining empathy, integrity and pragmatism

· (E) Resilient and adaptable, able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced and evolving environment

· (E) Comfortable working within an accountable team culture, open to feedback, reflective practice and continuous improvement

· (D) Willingness to work occasional evenings or weekends, and to travel when required to support organisational priorities

The Royal Ballet and Opera continues to lead the way in opera, ballet, music and dance both live on stage and through multiple digital platforms, from live streaming to worldwide cinema screenings. Our Covent Garden theatre has been at the heart of London and British cultural life for three centuries. We are home to two world-class Companies: The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera.

This role sits within the highly committed and successful Development and Advocacy Department, which generates over £41m revenue annually, plus additional capital funds, and secures the annual Arts Council England grant (currently £22.9m). The Department’s revenue generation and advocacy to Government of the value of our creative sector ensures the RBO can retain the best artists and crafts people, deliver our thriving National Schools’ Programme, maintain our beautiful grade I listed building, deliver on our charitable mission, and continue to produce world class performances.

The Membership Team, responsible for Friends and Patrons, are responsible for circa £10m annually. Friends and Patrons also make up 30% of ticket income, 55% of other donations and 88% of legacies, emphasising the importance of community building, good processes and customer service. The Patrons of the Royal Ballet and Opera are a core loyal audience who provide vital philanthropic support to the RBO. As a thank-you for their support, they enjoy premium benefits including a concierge Box Office and special events. 

The Patrons Manager will be responsible for both Individual and Corporate Patron relationships from prospecting to renewal, managing recruitment, stewardship and overseeing excellence in customer service via the Patrons Box Office. This is a strategic role, with responsibility for managing and growing the Patrons Scheme, ensuring members make the most of their Patron membership to achieve maximum renewal and upgrade rates.

Our ideal candidate will be results driven, with a pro-active, can-do attitude that is role modelled in the small team of reports and more widely across the Department. You will be solutions focused with experience of taking accountability for improvements and resolutions. You will be able to lead and develop a small team, manage a busy workload with high output and productivity and demonstrate highly effective influencing skills. 

You will have:

• Experience of working in a membership organisation and/or with high-net-worth individuals in a philanthropic environment. Experience in a box office/ticketing environment is also highly desirable.
• Experience of working in revenue growth environments, with an aptitude for working toward KPIs.
• A firm understanding of Gift Aid and other charitable legislation and laws.
• Demonstrable experience leading on relationship management (including face to face) within a Patrons or Philanthropy scheme or similar
• Experience identifying new initiatives and ways to enhance Patron experience, with experience delivering in a culture of continuous improvement and customer service excellence. 
• Developed communication and rapport building skills; able to tailor communications effectively and quicky forge strong relationships, both internally and externally 

An understanding and knowledge of the art forms is not essential but the ability to learn and communicate effectively and persuasively about opera, ballet, music and dance to Patrons is critical for this role. 

The Royal Ballet and Opera is one of the UK’s leading arts organisations and our aim is to inspire imagination, ignite emotion and make the extraordinary for everyone. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion underpin all that we do. We want our people to be representative of the diversity in the UK. We understand the creativity and innovation that diversity can bring and strive to create an inclusive environment in which everyone can thrive.

We encourage applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and skills to join our teams. We particularly welcome applications from those who are from a global majority background and/or those who are disabled, as they are under-represented within our organisation.

We are a Disability Confident Employer, which means that we are actively working to ensure that candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions feel supported, engaged and able to fulfil their potential in the workplace. We will endeavour to offer an interview to candidates who tell us they wish to participate in the scheme and who demonstrate in their application that they meet the essential criteria for the role, though sometimes due to the volume of qualified candidates with declarations this is not possible.

The RBO is also committed to safeguarding and protecting all children, young people, and adults and we implement robust safer recruitment practices. Due to our safeguarding promise, certain roles will be subject to a DBS check before commencing employment with us, which will be indicated in the advertising.

Closing date for applications: 11:59pm, Sunday 15th February 2026. 

Interviews will be held over two stages. The 1st stage will be online via Microsoft Teams w/c 23rd February 2026. The 2nd stage will be in person at ROH Covent Garden w/c 2nd March 2026. 

To ensure a fair process, late applications will not be considered under any circumstances.

Applicants must have work authorisation for the UK.  No agencies.

Reporting to, and working closely with, the Head of Fundraising and Engagement, the Senior Philanthropy and Partnerships Lead will shape and implement innovative strategies, driving growth in philanthropic giving, secure corporate partnerships and obtain critical funding. With a focus on cultivating mutually beneficial, long-term relationships, you’ll craft compelling proposals, develop tailored stewardship plans, and create sponsorship opportunities that inspire ongoing support.

You’ll lead the way in securing multi-year corporate partnerships and nurturing donor relationships to meet ambitious income targets. As a key player in the senior fundraising team, you’ll contribute to strategic planning, represent the charity at events, and champion new approaches to fundraising.

With our newly formed Development Board, the Senior Philanthropy and Partnerships Lead will identify and utilise key networks to grow our philanthropic supporter base across corporate and major donor income streams. With strong writing skills, this person will also craft tailored and compelling corporate proposals and trust and foundation applications.

Who are we looking for?

To support our vision and ensure the achievement of ambitious income targets to support children and families affected by neuroblastoma, we are looking for a strategic and results-driven high-value fundraiser to join our team.

We are particularly keen to speak with interested candidates who enjoy cultivating high-value relationships from scratch and stewarding five- and six-figure corporate partnerships, and/or major donor relationships.

Person specification:

• Demonstrable significant experience working in corporate fundraising (experience in major donor and trusts & foundations fundraising would also be of benefit).
• Strategic thinker with significant experience at a managerial level, developing strategic plans to grow and optimise high-value fundraising.
• A proven record of being results-driven and working to achieve income targets, KPIs and outcomes.
• Proven ability to proactively identify, cultivate and secure new corporate relationships, demonstrate strong new business development acumen and confidence opening new opportunities.

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

Location: Home-based within England with regular travel to London and elsewhere in the UK as required
First stage interviews: Thursday 26th February
Second stage interviews:  Wednesday 4th March

As a safeguarding charity whose work and practice are underpinned by safeguarding principles to protect children and young people and enhance their welfare, we always work in accordance with legislation, statutory guidance, and best safeguarding practices. All our roles require a basic criminal record check.

Location:  London 

Location type:Hybrid

Reporting to:  Director of People and Operations

Annual salary:  £50,000 to £55,000 GBP per annum, depending on experience

Contract type:  Permanent

Working hours:  Full-time, 35 hours a week

Candidate level: Manager

Closing date: Monday 23rd  February, 9:00 am CET

Background

Lumos Foundation works to realise every child’s right to a family by transforming care systems around the world. Our vision is a world in which all children grow up in safe and loving families within supported communities. Founded in 2005 by author J.K. Rowling, Lumos partners with governments, civil society, and young people with lived experience to transform care systems globally and advocate for family-based solutions that help children thrive.

We ensure that families receive the support they need to stay together or reunite, and that children grow up in family-based settings such as foster or kinship care, not institutions. Despite clear evidence of the harms of institutionalisation, more than 5 million children worldwide continue to live in institutions. And a much larger number of children are at risk of family breakdown and separation – those living in poverty, experiencing domestic violence and abuse, and living in countries affected by conflict. We are ambitious for children. In the next 10 years, Lumos will enable 500,000 children in care to return to family-based care and prevent 10 million children from experiencing family breakdown and separation – so that they can thrive in their own families. Working with local, national, and global partners, Lumos supports government-led transformation of childcare systems across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America- driving systemic and sustainable change.

Lumos’ ambition for children is significant and will require the organisation and its partners to work in new ways, with a pace, drive, and urgency that this moment demands, and that children everywhere deserve. Lumos’ success will continue to be based not just on what we do, but on how we do it – our values. We embrace collaboration. We strive for excellence. We show respect. We always care. And we are passionate. We are Lumos.

Purpose of role

Lumos is entering an exciting period of strategic transformation to strengthen our operational foundations, refine our systems, and enhance our capacity to deliver on our mission to realise every child’s right to a family. The Senior Operations Manager plays a pivotal role in building the operational foundations and risk-aware culture needed for success both now and as the organisation prepares for the future.

As a delivery partner to the Director of People & Operations, the Senior Operations Manager leads the implementation of agreed operational priorities, strengthens country office and partner capability, and ensures that operational standards, policies, and practices are consistently embedded across existing and new geographies. The role provides independent oversight and assurance across operational risk, safety, security, and safeguarding, working closely with delivery teams while retaining the authority to challenge, escalate, and inform senior decision-making.

This is a senior, hands-on role for someone who thrives on systems thinking, coordination, and execution, and who is motivated by turning risk awareness, data, and lessons learned into practical organisational improvement that strengthens organisational resilience and impact.

Primary responsibilities

Operational leadership & delivery

• Act as a senior delivery partner to the Director of People & Operations, leading the implementation of agreed operational priorities.
• Coordinate cross-functional operational delivery across Operations, Safeguarding, and Security.
• Deputise for the Director of People & Operations in internal and external forums as appropriate, with delegated authority.

Global safety, security & incident management (focal point)

• Act as Lumos’ organisational focal point for safety, security, and travel risk, coordinating risk management frameworks, systems, and oversight across the organisation.
• Work closely with, and oversee the delivery of, Lumos’ global safety and security consultant(s), ensuring clear scope, quality outputs, and effective follow-through.
• Monitor safety and security incidents across the organisation, ensuring appropriate recording, escalation, follow-up, and learning.
• Coordinate incident response in line with agreed protocols, working closely with country teams and external security specialists.
• Lead lessons-learned processes following incidents and ensure recommendations are embedded into systems, guidance, and practice.
• Support the implementation and monitoring of safety and security standards across country offices and partners.

Safeguarding & PSEA (operational oversight)

• Provide operational oversight and coordination of safeguarding and PSEA frameworks, working closely with specialist safeguarding focal points, leads, and consultants while the recruitment and scoping of a Global Safeguarding Lead is planned across 2026.
• Monitor implementation of safeguarding and PSEA standards, policies, and training across country offices and partners.
• Support incident tracking, information management, and follow-up actions, ensuring confidentiality, proportionality, and appropriate escalation.
• Contribute to organisational learning and continuous improvement in safeguarding practice.

Risk management, contingency & assurance frameworks

• Lead the development, implementation, and refinement of operational risk management and risk assessment frameworks across Lumos.
• Ensure consistent approaches to risk identification, mitigation, escalation, and assurance across countries, partners, and programmes.
• Maintain and monitor operational risk registers, ensuring risks are actively reviewed and managed.
• Coordinate comprehensive contingency planning, crisis protocols, and organisational preparedness.
• Support due diligence and risk assessment processes for partners, vendors, programmes, and new geographies.

Programme, MEAL & risk integration

• Work closely with Programme and MEAL teams to embed operational risk, safety, security, and safeguarding considerations into programme design, delivery, and monitoring.
• Support the development of proportionate, decision-useful KPIs related to operational risk, duty of care, safety, security, and safeguarding.
• Strengthen alignment between operational risk management and programme assurance and learning processes.

Operational systems, policy tracking & insurance

• Lead the development and improvement of operational systems, trackers, workflow,s and dashboards to strengthen consistency, quality assurance, and organisational insight.
• Maintain and oversee policy trackers across Operations, Safeguarding, and Security, ensuring review cycles, ownership, and implementation are monitored.
• Develop operational reporting, audit, and monitoring mechanisms that complement existing MEAL, programme, and governance systems.
• Support audits and internal reviews by maintaining clear documentation and evidence.
• Ensure strong information management and data protection practices are embedded.
• Oversee coordination of Lumos’ global insurance arrangements (e.g., travel, medical, liability), including renewals, compliance tracking, and liaison with brokers and insurers, under the direction of the Director of People & Operations.

Country office & partner capability building

• Work closely with Country Directors, operational focal points, and partners to embed global operational, safeguarding, and safety/security frameworks locally.
• Support capacity building through guidance, tools, training coordination, and structured follow-up.
• Provide practical support and constructive challenge to strengthen compliance, confidence, and consistency.
• Balance global standards with appropriate local adaptation.

Performance insight, reporting & organisational learning

• Develop and maintain dashboards and reporting that provide visibility on operational risk, safety, security, safeguarding, and organisational readiness.
• Provide clear insight to the Director of People & Operations and Executive Team on trends, incidents, risks, and areas for improvement.
• Support organisational learning through analysis of data, incidents, audits, and reviews.

 Project management & continuous improvement

• Lead or coordinate project management for time-bound operational initiatives
• Identify capacity gaps, monitor progress, and escalate risks.
• Translate lessons learned into updated frameworks, tools, and guidance to support continuous improvement.

Profile

The postholder will:

• Build effective, trusted relationships across Lumos, using strong relational skills to influence, support, and challenge constructively without becoming adversarial.
• Steward a strong, proportionate and risk-aware culture, where operational, safety, security and safeguarding risks are understood, named and managed well.
• Strengthen operational systems and frameworks for monitoring, assurance, and learning across risk, safety, security, and safeguarding.
• Develop clear, decision-useful dashboards and reporting that improve visibility of risk, incidents, readiness, and organisational resilience.
• Build confidence and capability across country offices and partners through guidance, coaching, constructive challenge, and follow-up.
• Advise and guide senior leaders and teams with sound judgement, evidence, and insight, supporting timely and well-informed decision-making.
• Embed operational risk, safety, security, and safeguarding considerations into programme design, delivery, and monitoring, while retaining appropriate independence and assurance
• Translate data, incidents, and lessons learned into practical improvements that strengthen systems, readiness, and organisational impact.

Essential experience

• Demonstrable experience operating at a senior level within operations, risk, safeguarding, security, or organisational assurance functions
• Experience coordinating complex, cross-functional workstreams across multiple teams or locations
• Experience providing oversight, assurance, or quality control
• Experience incident response, escalation, and lessons-learned processes
• Experience building or strengthening systems, frameworks, or organisational infrastructure

Desirable experience

• Experience working within or alongside programme delivery teams.
• Experience in international, multi-country or partnership-based organisations.
• Experience overseeing consultants or specialist providers.

Personal characteristics

• Strong alignment with Lumos’ mission, values, and commitment to duty of care.
• Emotionally and relationally confident, able to build trust and rapport across diverse stakeholders.
• Able to influence, support, and challenge constructively.
• Calm, pragmatic, and thoughtful when dealing with risk, incidents, or sensitive issues.
• Sound judgement in identifying, naming, and escalating risk appropriately.
• Collaborative and credible working with senior leaders, country teams, and partners
• Comfortable operating with independence.
• Resilient and adaptable in evolving or ambiguous organisational contexts.
• Curious and committed to learning and continuous improvement.

Safeguarding statement

Lumos recognises that the rights of safety and security are aligned with its core mission for children, families, and communities. Effective and robust safeguarding sits at the heart of our mission and values, and accordingly, Lumos is committed to ensuring the safety and protection of children and adults at risk in all of its work. We expect all staff, associates, and volunteers to share this commitment. Lumos has a zero-tolerance approach towards all forms of abuse, bullying, harassment, and sexual exploitation. Lumos is a member of The Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and will carefully screen all applicants. Offers of employment are subject to checks and suitable references.

All staff and associates must:

• Carry out all duties with an awareness and understanding of Lumos safeguarding and PSEA requirements
• Ensure work complies with all safeguarding and PSEA policies and procedures
• Ensure that their behaviours and actions support the safeguarding of children, young people, and adults at risk as appropriate.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion statement

Lumos is wholly committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion and against all forms of discrimination.

We are committed to creating and sustaining a positive working environment that encourages, supports, and gives a voice to all, so that we can best support the children we serve.

We must ensure that all staff are equally valued, included, empowered, and respected across the organisation and in everything we do. Lumos is fundamentally built on diverse, multi-national and multicultural teams.

This is something we cherish as a key strength and an integral part of our identity. Our organisation values and celebrates the diversity, culture, and experience of each member of staff, provides equality of care, and support to everyone.

We pledge to listen carefully, to educate ourselves continually, to promote open dialogue, and to seek out and deal with discrimination and prejudice wherever it occurs in Lumos.

· The deadline for applications is Monday 23rd February, 9:00 am CET ·

Upsall International actively promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion. In recruiting candidates, we seek candidates with the proven skills required, irrespective of race, gender, religion or belief, age, disability, or sexual orientation.

At Outside the Box we make a real difference, positively changing the lives of the people with learning disabilities/autism. To build on our success, we are now looking for someone special to lead our ‘day’ services (OTB Choices).

OTB Choices provides a dynamic portfolio of education, skills, creative and work experience opportunities, from cooking, art and craft to printing, computing, music and customer service, and much more. We are at an exciting stage in our delivery and development and are seeking an exceptional person to lead and manage our services, ensuring consistently high quality provision that really does make a difference.

You will play a pivotal role in our work, proactively leading a diverse team and multi-site operations to achieve targets and outcomes. You will be solution-focused, have the strength, vision and evidenced track record of an experienced manager and shared passion for enabling and empowering people with learning disabilities and/or autism to have their best lives.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced leader to join our organisation as Chief Executive Officer to play a pivotal role in delivering the strategic aims of the organisation and making a lasting impact on the community we support.
 
Position: Chief Executive Officer
Salary: £55,000 - £57,000 dependent on experience
Hours: 35 hours per week
Location hybrid: Nottingham City office base (Dryden Enterprise Centre) and community-based across the City, with flexible home working options.
 
Are you a dynamic and experienced leader passionate about strengthening the voluntary and community sector? Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service (NCVS) is seeking a visionary Chief Executive Officer to lead our dedicated team and drive our mission forward.
 
Established in 1875, our fundamental aim is to enhance the quality of life for people in Nottingham by bolstering the voluntary and community sector.
 
NCVS provides crucial support in three key areas:
• Volunteering: We strive to improve the quality and diversity of volunteering opportunities throughout the city.
• Voluntary Sector Development: We strengthen the capacity of the voluntary sector through promoting best practices, offering funding advice, and providing essential training.
• Voices: We champion the voluntary sector on critical issues, ensuring its access to and influence upon key decision-makers.
 
About the role
 
As Chief Executive Officer, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for NCVS, working closely with the Board of Trustees to deliver the organisation’s vision, ensure long-term sustainability and maximise our impact across the city.
 
You will lead a committed team, oversee the development of our programmes and services, and act as NCVS’ principal ambassador – building strong relationships with partners, funders and networks locally, regionally and nationally. A key part of the role will be securing income, championing the VCSE sector, and ensuring NCVS continues to respond effectively to the changing needs of communities and organisations in Nottingham.
 
This is a broad, influential role suited to a leader who is equally comfortable setting strategy, representing the organisation at senior levels, and rolling up their sleeves when needed.
 
What you’ll be responsible for
 
• Providing clear strategic leadership and direction for NCVS, translating vision into delivery
• Ensuring the organisation’s long-term financial stability through income generation, grants and partnerships
• Leading and developing the senior team, fostering a collaborative, values-led culture
• Working with Trustees to maintain strong governance, performance management and accountability
• Representing NCVS externally and strengthening our profile with funders, partners and decision-makers
• Championing the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector through advocacy, collaboration and engagement
• Overseeing budgets, resources and organisational infrastructure to support effective delivery
 
What we’re looking for
 
You will be an experienced senior leader, ideally from the voluntary or community sector, with a strong understanding of how local infrastructure organisations support communities and volunteering in Nottingham/Nottinghamshire.
 
You’ll bring a track record of developing strategy, securing funding and building effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. You’ll be confident influencing at senior levels, while remaining approachable, hands-on and values driven.
 
You’ll also bring:
• Strong financial and organisational management capability
• Experience leading, coaching and motivating teams
• Insight into the policy, funding and partnership landscape affecting the VCSE sector
• A collaborative, solutions-focused mindset with the confidence to lead change
• Flexibility to work across Nottingham and occasionally outside standard office hours. The Chief Executive Officer is expected to attend in-person meetings in and around Nottingham 1 to 3 days a week, on average.
 
Why join NCVS?
 
This is a rare opportunity to lead a respected, long-established organisation at the heart of Nottingham’s voluntary and community sector. You’ll have the chance to shape strategy, influence decision-making, and make a tangible difference to communities across the city.
 
Application Process: Closing date: 8am Monday 16th February. Interviews will be held 11th and 12th March.
 
By clicking on the link to apply for this role you will be able to read the job description and person specification in full and view our CEO recruitment video.
 
Thank you for considering NCVS as your next professional home and we look forward to receiving your application.
 
You may also have experience in the following: Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Executive, Chief Executive – Charity / Non-Profit, Charity Chief Executive, Non-Executive Director / Chief Executive, Director of a Charity / Voluntary Organisation, Managing Director – Charity / Third Sector, Executive Director – Non-Profit, Voluntary Sector Chief Executive, VCSE Chief Executive, Third Sector Chief Executive, Director of Voluntary Services, Head of Charity / Head of Non-Profit, Social Impact Chief Executive, Community Services Chief Executive, etc
 
REF-226 014

Job Title: Chief Medical Advisor (SCS2)

Organisation: Department for Work & Pensions (DWP)

Salary: Circa £145,000

Locations: London, Leeds, Sheffield (hybrid, 60% in the office)

Key Benefits: Civil Service pension scheme (28.97% employer contribution), 25 days annual leave (+9 days of Bank Holiday leave)

Application Closing Date: Monday 2nd March, 10am

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is seeking a permanent Chief Medical Advisor. This is an SCS2 grade role and an outstanding opportunity to work in the largest Civil Service Department that touches the lives of citizens the length and breadth of the UK.

This is a unique opportunity for a senior medical professional to provide expert advice to inform policy, legislation, and delivery decisions at the UK’s biggest public service department, where we administer the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers.

This role will be the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for Clinical Governance and Clinical Profession. The postholder will build strong relationships with senior leaders, including the Permanent Secretary, ministers, and external stakeholders, ensuring clinical advice is accurate and of the highest quality. The role requires strong team leadership, promoting an inclusive environment for clinicians to encourage development and growth while ensuring compliance with legislative requirements.

As the Department’s most senior medical professional, you will provide expert advice on clinical policy and clinical governance matters to DWP Ministers and senior leaders across DWP including the DWP Executive team. The role will also work closely with other clinical teams across government as well as external organisations such as regulatory bodies, external providers and charities.

The Department has an ambitious reform agenda including priorities set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper and the Pathways to Work Green Paper and a focus on tackling rising youth inactivity.

As Chief Medical Advisor you will bring professional expertise to complex problems, influencing right at the heart of decision making. You will be a strong relationship builder, able to work effectively across a large and complex organisation, and operate as an inspiring leader.

This role has four major components:

1. Leading a team of approximately 50 colleagues providing clinical advice across DWP, you will act as the Department’s expert on clinical policy matters and work with officials across the Department to ensure Ministers receive the highest quality advice on clinical policy.
2. Provide the in-house clinical advice relating to disability, work, and health within DWP for Ministers and the Executive team.
3. Operate as Head of Clinical Profession, where you will be responsible for training, appraisal, and revalidation of c.200 clinicians in DWP, ensuring they are in good standing with their regulatory body. There is also a dotted line of professional responsibility to 5,500 healthcare professionals within contracted provider organisations.
4. As SRO for Clinical Governance, you will oversee the DWP Caldicott Guardian and Clinical Safeguarding Lead, providing final sign-off for sanctions and waivers on behalf of the Secretary of State.

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate their knowledge, experience and skills against the following essential criteria:

• Excellent strategic thinking skills, with the ability to understand both complex policy detail and high level, strategic connections across a broad portfolio and an outstanding eye for critical detail.
• Experience of delivering practical and innovative responses to complex issues and responding to unplanned circumstances.
• Strong technical skills relevant to clinical safeguarding with expertise in occupational health or functional medicine.
• Evidence of exceptional leadership and ability to lead multidisciplinary clinical education teams and / or programmes to ensure understanding of all roles across the 5,500 strong clinical profession, including the ability to motivate and inspire an experienced and diverse clinical team.
• Ability to demonstrate credibility to inspire the respect of both internal and external stakeholders at Director level and above.

Applicants must also meet the following qualification and membership requirements:

• A clinically active doctor with license to practise with GMC.
• Candidates must meet minimum ‘Continuing Professional Development’ (CPD) requirements (i.e. be up-to-date) in accordance with the requirements of the appropriate recognised professional body.
• Medical qualification MBChB or equivalent.

It is desirable that applicants hold a faculty of medical leadership recognition to ensure profession leadership is credible.

A detailed candidate pack is available for more information on the vacancy.

Prior Civil Service experience is not a pre-requisite, however, applicants must demonstrate the ability to operate at scale in a complex environment. DWP are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our organisation, we welcome applications to help us reflect the citizens we serve.

This role can be based in the following DWP Hub locations: London, Leeds, or Sheffield.

Hybrid working policy: The expectation is that that this role would require the successful candidate to be in the office more than 60% of the time. Travel to other DWP and official locations including London is required which may include overnight stays.

Alongside your salary, the Department for Work and Pensions contributes 28.97% towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Applicants will be required to provide an up-to-date CV and supporting statement (up to 1,250 words) detailing how you meet the role’s requirements. You will also provide a completed online diversity monitoring form.

The closing date for applications is Monday 2nd March 2026 at 10:00am.

In addition to Security Check (SC) level clearance, this role will also be subject to an Enhanced Check. Candidates who do not already have this level of clearance can have this undertaken post-appointment. In all cases the appointment remains conditional on this level of security clearance.

DWP is recognised as a Disability Confident Leader, demonstrating the departmental commitment to attracting, recruiting and retaining disabled people and supporting them in achieving their full potential. We run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria for the advertised role. This vacancy is also part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Description

Salary: £85k-£90K DOE

Hours: 37.5 per week

Reports to: Director of Policy and Oversight

Location: Harlow, Essex. Regular travel required to London and Scotland. Harlow is Easily commutable from London Liverpool Street or Tottenham Hale Station. We offer a free minibus service to/from Harlow Town Train Station as well as free parking and EV charging on site.

Extra Information: Open to conversation on hybrid, flexible and compressed working arrangements. Regular travel to London and Scotland is required including Government meetings.

About the role:

Lead the Scheme Oversight function to ensure the Motability Scheme consistently delivers choice, value for money and excellent customer service for disabled people. The role includes setting the Oversight strategy, developing the Scheme’s performance management framework, reporting on performance to internal/external parties and assisting/managing key stakeholder relationships across Motability Foundation, Motability Operations and Government departments. 

What you will be doing:

Policy and Planning: 

• Monitor UK Government policy and proposals with material impact on the Scheme; coordinate Motability’s position and implications for Oversight. 

• Lead annual Oversight strategy refresh and contribute to Motability’s Strategic Plan. 

• Chair (or deputise for Director at) Scheme Oversight governance forums and ensure well‑prepared agendas, papers and decisions flow to Governors and SOC. 

• Undertake ad hoc projects to develop Motability or Scheme services as required. 

Governance & Performance Monitoring: 

• Manage the contractual relationship between Motability Foundation and its service providers in a collaborative manner. 

• Own the Oversight performance framework (KPIs, targets, thresholds) and coordinate performance reporting activities to provide monthly updates to key stakeholders. 

• Lead operational reviews of Motability Operations’ delivery, commissioning deep dives where issues or opportunities are identified. 

• Sponsor customer satisfaction and experience measurement across Scheme services, ensuring findings inform improvements. 

Leadership: 

• Act as a liaison between Motability Foundation and Motability Operations, ensuring collaborative & effective oversight. 

• Own key relationships within the Motability Operations executive leadership, Motability Foundation 

• Board and key Government officials. 

• Build a high‑performing oversight team culture of openness, integrity, and collaborative challenge; set and monitor KPIs. 

Your experience:

Must haves:

• A successful track record at senior executive level. 

• Experienced in strategic planning and performance management within a customer focussed organisation. 

• Experience of working with Government departments or regulators. 

• Experience in negotiating and managing commercial contracts. 

• High level of financial and analytical skills. 

• Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative performance standards. 

• Experienced in preparation of complex reports. 

• Awareness of current government including European, economic and business issues. 

• Strong communication skills, written, verbal, presentation. 

• Inspirational individual, passionate about customer service. 

• Strong planning skills. Commercially astute. Thoughtful. 

• High level influencing skills, with excellent team skills and the ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders. 

• Understands the importance of personal mobility for disabled people. 

Nice to haves: 

• Experience within automotive or consumer finance businesses. ·

• Previous experience with consulting or advisory role. 

• Understanding of consumer credit and the economics of car financing (leasing and hire purchase). 

If you’re interested in applying and excited about working with us but are unsure if you have the right skills and experience, we'd still encourage you to apply.

Benefits

Who are we?

We are building a future where all disabled people have the transport options to make the journeys they choose.

We fund, support, research and innovate so that all disabled people can make the journeys they choose. We oversee the Motability Scheme and provide grants to help people use it, providing access to transport to hundreds of thousands of people a year. We award grants to charities and organisations who provide different types of transport, or work towards making transport accessible. We also carry out ongoing research, in partnership with disabled people and key stakeholders in the industry, to inspire innovations that continue to champion accessible transport for all.

Why choose us?

We want working for the Motability Foundation to be the best career move you’ve ever made. When you join the Motability Foundation you will join a group of people who are supportive, innovative and motivated to improve the lives of our beneficiaries.

We value everyone’s unique qualities and celebrate having a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture where everyone feels safe to be their authentic selves. This is embedded into our values, Collaborative, Respectful and Evolving.

We bring our people together through our People Forum, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Forum, Social Squad and our Wellbeing Champions and our employee Spotlight Awards help us recognise the excellence and dedication of our staff.

We are proud to be recognised as Disability Confident Leader, have attained Platinum Level Award for Investors in People and are members of the Business Disability Forum.

A career with Motability Foundation can offer you so much more than earning potential, we pride ourselves in offering some fantastic benefits. Some of these include:

• 26 days annual leave, plus the option to buy/ sell up to five days.
• One wellbeing day for extra flexibility.
• Pension scheme - Up to 20%, including a 10% non-contributory contribution and matched contributions up to 5%.
• Life Assurance of four times your salary.
• Private healthcare through BUPA for you and your family, along with a Medicash Health Plan.
• Employee assistance programme: GP appointments, eye tests, flu vaccinations, sick pay and free gym and yoga sessions.
• Enhanced Parental Leave, including Adoption Pay.
• Free parking, EV charge points and a minibus service to/from the town centre and train station.
• Fresh fruit, breakfast snacks, and a Dress for Your Day dress code.
• Learning and development opportunities to help you grow.

Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels like they belong, benefits from and participates in, the work we do. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, and we aim to be an employer of choice for candidates with disabilities.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we have committed to ensuring that disabled people and those with long term health conditions have the opportunities to fulfil their potential. We want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to perform their best when interviewing and when working with us, so if you require any reasonable adjustments that would make you more comfortable, please let us know so that we can do our best to support you.

To help us create an inclusive workplace we are committed to offering to interview every disabled applicant who meets the minimum criteria for the job. Some of our roles attract a high volume of applications and in some circumstances, we may need to limit the number of interviews offered to disabled and non-disabled candidates. 

Community Fundraiser – South East (Kent, Surrey or Sussex)​​

​​We are really excited to have welcomed our new Director of Income Generation and Development to Brain Tumour Research this month, a great new start for the new year!​

This is a fantastic time to be joining our ambitious and growing charity and we are keen to share this with likeminded and talented individuals. We currently have an opening for a Community Fundraiser, to be based in the South East region.​

As the Community Fundraiser covering the South East you will play a crucial role in helping the charity meet its strategic plans and objectives, which include campaigning to increase the national investment in brain tumour research to £35 million per year, while fundraising to create a network of seven sustainable Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence across the UK.  Your role will be to generate and grow our income through community fundraising activities, contributing to a regional team target of more than £1.5 million.

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• Do you want to make a difference in one of the most innovative and exciting medical research fundraising charities in the UK?
• Do you live in Kent, Surrey or Sussex?
• Do you have at least one years' experience of working in a professional Community Fundraising position?​

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Have you answered Yes to these questions?

Does this sound like the opportunity to really get 2026 off to an amazing start? ​​

If you have the skills and ambition that we are looking for we welcome your application.  We are really looking forward to welcoming a new member to our team!​

​​​We reserve the right to close the application window early and advise candidates to apply in good time to avoid disappointment.

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We are looking for people who share our passion for finding a cure for brain tumours and who have the skills and experience to make a difference. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages. We believe that diversity enriches our organisation and helps us achieve our mission. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can be themselves and contribute to our vision.

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Let’s Talk About Loss is delighted to be recruiting a part-time Charity Lead to guide us through an important transition period.

Founded in 2018, Let’s Talk About Loss supports young adults aged 18–35 who are bereaved, creating safe, supportive spaces to talk openly about grief. We are a small, values-led charity with a national reach, built on the power of community, peer support and shared experience.

This role has been created as maternity cover and will play a crucial part in delivering Year 1 of our new 2026–2029 strategy. We are looking for someone who can bring steadiness, organisation and care , ensuring our services continue safely and consistently, income generation is secure, and governance and safeguarding remain strong.

This is a delivery-focused leadership role, not a growth or expansion post. It would suit someone who enjoys rolling up their sleeves, working closely with trustees and volunteers, and taking responsibility in a small organisation — for example, someone looking to grow their leadership experience, or to step sideways into a values-led role with real responsibility.

Role snapshot

Salary: £14,352

Hours: 56 hours per month (2 days) 

Contract: 12 month fixed-term contract (Maternity Cover)

Location: Remote working (UK-based)

Reporting to: Board of Trustees 

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for someone who:

• Is motivated by our vision that no young griever grieves alone, and brings care, integrity and compassion to their work.

• Is highly organised and delivery-focused, with a strong ability to prioritise, follow through and manage competing demands in a part-time role.

• Has hands-on experience of income generation, particularly grant fundraising and reporting, and is confident overseeing budgets and cashflow.

• Is comfortable working closely with trustees and volunteers, providing clear information and support to enable good decision-making and safe delivery.

• Understands the importance of safeguarding, inclusion and accessibility in community-led or peer-support services.

• Brings a calm, reliable and practical approach, particularly during periods of change or transition.

Please consult the job description for further information on the role responsibilities, and the skills and experience you'll need. We have also created a Candidate Information Pack with more information about Let's Talk About Loss. 

We look forward to receiving your application!