Supporter services team jobs in ealing, greater london

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Associate Project Manager – Apprentice to join the Estates team. Your role is to contribute to the successful delivery of a number of projects and small works, ensuring the scope and benefits are achieved as planned.

This role is not open to sponsorship.

Minimum age 18 and commitment to complete an 18 month apprenticeship with studying and theory along side work.

Role Requirements

• Collaborate with the Project Manager to precisely define project scope and objectives, eliciting technical requirements to formulate detailed specifications, cost assessments, and delivery schedules, while maintaining close coordination with stakeholders to ensure alignment on goals and key milestones.
• Contribute to the development and presentation of key project documents for stakeholder approval and governance.
• Assist the Project Manager in overseeing capital and operational projects and other minor works throughout the organisation, taking ownership of the successful delivery of assigned projects and tasks throughout the project lifecycle, raising any issues / risks and reporting on a regular basis.
• Work within agreed budget and available resource, reporting on forecast, spend and raising any variations to the Project Manager.
• Build and maintain good relationships with all project stakeholders using a variety of communication methods.
• Track and assess project performance and outcomes using relevant tools and methodologies to collate and analyse data to report on project performance.
• Identify and monitor project risks and issues; and plan and implement responses to them.
• Assist in planning and coordinating the resources – human, financial and material – required for effective project delivery, working with the Senior Engineer to advise on resources from in-house Maintenance Team for up-coming projects.
• Apply quality management systems and tools to ensure project outcomes meet all legislative, regulatory and local standards.
• Participate in post project evaluation to document lessons learned, contributing to continuous improvement initiatives.
• Assist the Project Manager with collation of all Estates compliance certificates and service report onto the compliance register.
• Provide input, as required, to monthly compliance reports.
• Provide updates on required remedial works, as necessary.

Interview Date: TBC

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY – ‘How to Apply’

Terms and Conditions

PLEASE NOTE: The Children's Trust Application Form MUST be completed and submitted, for your application to be considered. As part of the shortlisting process, gaps in employment will be examined and further explored during the interview process. 

Strictly no agencies, please.

As we often receive high levels of applicants for our roles, we regret that we will only be able to contact those applicants who are shortlisted for interviews. Therefore, if you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume you have not been shortlisted for an interview on this occasion.

About Us

The Children’s Trust is the UK’s leading charity for children with acquired brain injury, providing expert rehabilitation, education, therapy, and care at our national specialist centre in Tadworth, and to children and their families across the UK, via our Brain Injury Community Service.

Boasting a beautiful 24-acre site in Surrey, we are located just outside of London, close to the M25 (accessible via Junction 8, A217 to Tadworth) and easily accessible via National Rail, by way of: Clapham Junction, Sutton, and Epsom.

Staff Benefits

The work we do is highly rewarding, and in addition to an attractive salary, we offer a valuable range of benefits, including our staff flexible benefits platform, on-site nursery, free eye tests, enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay, time out days for those experiencing menopause symptoms and time off for gender reassignment.

We also offer additional annual leave days for those with long service, with entitlements ranging from 35 to 41 days (including bank holidays) depending on your length of service.

Other benefits include free on-site parking; a staff shuttle service from Epsom and Sutton train stations to Tadworth Court, subsidised cafeteria, on-site staff accommodation (subject to availability), the ability to retain your NHS pension (where applicable), Teacher’s pension (where applicable) or the opportunity to join an alternative scheme, and the opportunity to develop your career in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Rehabilitation of Offenders

Many roles at The Children’s Trust are exempt from the provisions of Section 4 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, by virtue of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013 and 2020) and as such, are subject to an Enhanced DBS check.  Successful applicants will be required to complete an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check, which will disclose all unspent convictions and adult cautions and any spent convictions or adult cautions that would not be protected.  The exceptions to this are our retail roles within The Children’s Trust shops, which are subject to Basic DBS checks which will disclose unspent convictions or adult cautions.

Equal Opportunity Employer

To help us achieve our ambition to give children and young people with brain injury and neurodisability the opportunity to live the best life possible, we want to accurately reflect the UK’s diverse population. We want equity, diversity, and inclusion to be at the heart of everything we do, and our people, services, and culture to reflect the diverse needs of all. Through our diversity and inclusion strategy, we have made a commitment to increase the diversity of our charity and create an inclusive culture. We have networks across the organisation working to ensure that these aims are met - including an LGBTQIA2S+ group, Ethnic Diversity Group, and Spark – our broad EDI group. Read more about our EDI work here. We welcome applications from all who share our ambition regardless of background. We will strive to ensure that any reasonable adjustments are made in respect of interview and working arrangements.

Online Searches

In accordance with statutory safeguarding and child protection guidance, online searches will be conducted for shortlisted candidates before interview. The online searches will be conducted by a person who is independent of the interview and selection process and will focus on relevant information returned via searches of the candidate’s name (and variations thereof). Social media searches will be limited to professional platforms such as LinkedIn. Any concerns relating to suitability for work with children and young people will be forwarded to the interview panel, for discussion during the interview.

Reporting to: Director of Fundraising and Development 

Location of work: Remote with ad hoc time in the office for team days, events, campaigns and organisation away days.

Contract type:  Ideally full-time, 35 hours per week, 28 hours / flexible hours will also be considered. The role may require occasional evening and weekend work.   

Contract Length: Permanent

Salary: £31,500

BACKGROUND

Our work has never been more needed. The latest research suggesting that the number of children and young people at risk of hunger has rocketed to 2.6 million* means that one in five children don't have enough to eat.When a child is too hungry to learn, when they’re aching for something to eat, they can’t concentrate. They can’t absorb information. Big feelings and worries can be impossible to control. They fall behind in their studies.

Magic Breakfast provide a nutritious and filling breakfast to over 300,000 children and young people every school day. We work with schools in areas of high disadvantage, helping staff target the children most in need without barrier or stigma.  Magic Breakfast are ambitious to grow our impact to remove hunger as a barrier to learning for all children and young people in the UK.

 This is an exciting time to join Magic Breakfast if you wish to make a difference to the lives of children as we work to influence both policy implementation, with the national rollout of primary-aged universal school breakfast, and legislative change, through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. There has also been commitment from the Scottish Government for a national breakfast scheme and we are seeking to expand our advocacy work into Wales. Magic Breakfast’s influence will be instrumental to ensuring school breakfasts are implemented in a way that is hunger-focused and barrier free.

 In addition, thousands of secondary school children are at risk of losing their free school breakfasts from September next year. For many of these students, this is their only opportunity to have a nutritious meal before facing a demanding school day, including taking exams.  And for the very youngest, we know that the disadvantage gap begins before they even reach reception. With the Government commitment to another 100,000 places in school-based nurseries, early years is also a critical part of our advocacy work.

 Being part of the work of Magic Breakfast is your chance, together with parents, teachers and people across the UK, to demonstrate the power of school breakfasts and to shape the way forward to end morning hunger for good.

*Food Foundation Insecurity Tracker Jan 2025

JOB PURPOSE  

The Fundraising and Development department is responsible for ensuring Magic Breakfast’s on-going sustainability through the generation of income and other critical non-financial support. The Department Coordinator will work closely with the Director of Fundraising and Development and other members of the Fundraising Leadership to facilitate closer alignment across the department, help unlock and enable income growth, whilst also providing administrative and coordination support to the team more broadly. The successful candidate will also play a critical role in developing and delivering the department-wide calendar of stewardship events, working with colleagues from across the major gifts team to identify opportunities to connect our supporters even further with the impact of our work 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:  

Department Coordination  

• Work closely with the Director of Fundraising to coordinate effective planning and management of the Fundraising & Development (F&D) strategy by coordinating quarterly review and monthly Core Management Group (CMG) meetings and managing all aspects of the monthly F&D team meetings ensuring they have maximum impact for all individuals and the organisation. This includes managing actions, minutes and agendas

• Support with the planning, coordination and diary management for any department away days, planning or reflection sessions  

• Lead efforts to enhance synergies within and across the F&D and other departments, identifying and enabling opportunities to add value, enhance efficiencies and reduce siloed working, for example through reviewing current systems and facilitating opportunities for collaboration and support  

• Provide project management support for significant team level projects, including developing project timelines and plans using Asana (e.g., for the Magic Morning webinars process and the department’s involvement in giving campaigns or annual reports) 

• Work across the department to identify any gaps or updates required for process/ ‘how-to’ documents  

• Act as the department representative for Asana, systems and process champion, providing training to colleagues where necessary  

• Act as the department lead for other key internal groups such as the all staff away day.

Supporter Care  

• Support the Fundraising Officer where necessary to act as the key welcome point to people reaching out to support Magic Breakfast, responding to enquiries received on the phone, escalating and triaging queries where necessary.   

• With support from across the Department, develop and deliver a calendar of department wide engagement events, including group school visits, stakeholder events, thought leadership dinners, and our online ‘Magic Mornings’ - a speaker series where we invite funders to hear more about our work. 

• Lead on the planning, review and learning capture/ sharing for all events, and more broadly the stewardship calendar across the department.

• Work across the department to review cross-departmental stewardship and identify opportunities for improvement, collaboration and alignment to key objectives, either through events or other activities.  

• Ensure that all confidential donor data is stored and handled in accordance with data protection regulations and all records retained on Salesforce where required.  

Fundraising Administration  

• Provide general administration support to the Fundraising & Development department, working in collaboration with the admin network across the organisation. Potential tasks may include but are not limited to meeting logistics, booking venues for away days and accommodation/travel bookings 

• Develop and maintain accurate and efficient administration systems and tools to support the department, for example our intranet section  

• Manage the Department’s resources and order supplies  

• Assist the Gifts Officer with gift processing when required, including the processing of cheques, sending acknowledgements, and adding gifts to our CRM, Salesforce  

• Administrative support to the Director of Fundraising and Development as required, including pulling reports and occasional diary management   

• Ad-hoc support to other team members.   

• Support the department with scoping and research for new fundraising products or initiatives  

• Make purchases on behalf of the Fundraising and Development department in adherence with internal budget approval processes and delegation of authority  

General:   

• Support the Fundraising & Development team by attending events and working on collaborative initiatives  

• Attend meetings and cross-team working groups to represent the Fundraising and Development Department and its interests  

• As requested, provide regular updates to key stakeholders  

• Ensure compliance with data protection regulations  

• Occasional work outside of regular office hours and at weekends  

• Exemplifying through behaviour our values-led culture that encourages curiosity, engagement, positivity and continuous improvement underpinned by a commitment to social impact, ensuring that children and young people are at the heart of everything we do.   

• Working collaboratively across the organisation to build good working relationships.    

• Actively contributing to team meetings and supporting team members where necessary.   

• Participating in occasional work-related events at external venues.   

• Undertaking any other duties commensurate with the role.   

• Adhering to all Magic Breakfast policies and procedures.   

  

PERSON SPECIFICATION  

Skills and abilities   

• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and work to deadlines.  

• Strong interpersonal skills to build effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders, a collaborative team player.   

• High level of competency in the use of Microsoft.  

• Confidence in using Microsoft Word IT packages.   

Knowledge and experience   

• Experience planning and organising online and in person events.  

• Experience of working for a charity desirable but not essential.  

• Experience or knowledge of administration within fundraising desirable but not essential.   

• Experience using Salesforce / similar CRM or an aptitude for learning new software quickly.    

• Experience using Asana or an aptitude for learning new software quickly.    

• High level of competency in the use of Microsoft.  

• Experience of working in an administrative role.   

• Share Magic Breakfast’s commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion within the workplace.  

• Experience of working well collaboratively within a team.  

Other : 

• Passion for Magic Breakfast’s mission of ensuring that no child is too hungry to learn.  

• Enthusiasm for delivery a high standard of supporter care.  

• Shared commitment to our values and active contributor to our enabled and empowered culture 

• Experience of working for a charity desirable but not essential.  

• Experience or knowledge of administration within fundraising desirable but not essential.  

WHAT WE OFFER

At Magic Breakfast we value our employees and work hard to develop offer a supportive, respectful culture which enables everyone to bring their whole self to work.

Please find attached our job pack. 

APPLICATION PROCCESS

Should you wish to discuss the role before applying please email our People and Culture Team, recruitment @magicbreakfast. com

Shortlisting - 19th - 20th May

Interview 1 - 26th and 27th May

Interview 2 and informal interview - 2nd and 3rd June

Job Title:  Head of Operations

Location: Head Office Camden and different project locations - London

Salary: £48,847 - £55,165 

Hours: 37.5 per week  (Participation in on call rota - currently once every 7 weeks)

Contract: Permanent

Closing Date: 23 May 2025

Interview Dates: 3 June 2025 (online) and 2nd round 10th June (at the Head Office)

(Please note successful candidates are usually appointed at bottom of relevant band)

Are you looking for a rewarding role working for an intersectional feminist organisation? If so, we have an incredible opportunity for you to join our team as Head of Operations at Solace.

We exist to end the harm done through gender-based violence. Our aim is to work to prevent violence and abuse, as well as providing services to meet the individual needs of survivors, particularly women and children. Our work is holistic and empowering, working alongside survivors to achieve independent lives, free from abuse.

Our core values reflect our history and were developed in consultation with staff and service users. Feminism and intersectionality are key to our work and we are committed to the principles of being survivor-led, trauma-informed, empowering, diverse, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory.

About the Role

This role is part of the operational senior leadership team.  You will lead on a portfolio of services, providing effective leadership and support to service managers who report into you.  You will have a key role in ensuring quality of service, contractual and financial compliance.  As well as operational leadership you will have input into organisation wide strategic planning, service development and decision making.

About You

We are looking for an experienced leader with an excellent track record of quality service provision.  You will have an in depth understanding of the impact and causes of different forms of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).  Our ideal candidate will be someone who can effectively hold and manage complex issues, is comfortable with assessment and management of risk.  You will be an adaptable and effective team player who is able to switch tasks and lead on areas of work they may not always have prior experience of.  Key to Solace’s success are being able to build effective relationships with others including those who fund and commission our work and partners whom we work with to deliver high quality services. 

We understand that you may not have all the knowledge, experience, and skills mentioned in the Job Profile Document. However, your interpersonal skills, passion to have a positive impact, commitment to our purpose, and ability to learn quickly and collaborate effectively will be equally important. .

What we can offer you

We provide a comprehensive benefits package to all our employees, including:

· Flexible working

· Focus on learning and development (internal career progression and training)

· Generous holiday entitlement

· Employer pension contribution

· Family-friendly leave and enhanced maternity pay

· Access to Inclusion Networks

· Daily clinical debriefing

· Employee Assistance Programme providing free 24/7 support and advice

· Employee Benefits Platform offering staff discounts, benefits and savings

· Flow & Restore yoga classes

· Meditation sessions

· Cycle to Work Scheme

How to apply

Please submit your CV and Supporting Statement through the recruitment portal. When applying for this role, kindly highlight in your Supporting Statement how your values, knowledge, transferrable skills, and experience align with each point within the following sections of the Job Profile Document:

· Values, Behaviours & Competencies

· Knowledge, Experience and Skills

Solace Women's Aid values diversity, promotes equity, and challenges discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, abilities, perspectives, and lived experiences. We have policies and processes in place to ensure that all employees are offered an equal opportunity in recruitment and selection, promotion, training, pay, and benefits. Our Inclusion Networks support staff with protected characteristics and offer inclusive spaces to connect.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments as needed and support employees who acquire a disability or long-term health condition, enabling them to stay in work.

This service is run by women for women and is therefore restricted to female applicants under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, and Part 1. Section 7(2) e of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 apply. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

As part of safer recruitment practices, we carry out pre-employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and right to work in the UK checks.

No agencies.

Job title: Interim Finance Support Officer

Location: A short walk from Oxford Circus

Hours: Full time – 35 hours

Pattern of work: 3 days office based, 2 days from home

Pay: £16 - £19 an hour holiday pay

Contract type – Temporary

Are you passionate about working for the charity sector? If so the working for this unique charity who are growing rapidly could be a really exciting opportunity for you.

Reporting to the Finance Manager, you will have a variety of duties to ensure the finance team delivers timely and effective service.

Your duties as Finance Support Officer will include;
- Processing accounts payable invoices
- Setting up payment runs
- Processing income
- Completing bank and supplier reconciliation
- Looking after the finance inbox to ensure all queries are handled in a timely manner

The skills you will bring to your role as interim Finance Support Officer will include;
- Prior experience in a similar ideally in the charity/not for profit sector
- Working knowledge of Sage Line 50/Raisers Edge
- Understanding of accounting principles such as debits VS credits
- Proven track record of working towards various deadlines

This is a critical and urgent hire and if you are interested in applying for this role through TPP Recruitment then please do so by sending your CV [email protected]

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential; please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustment so that we can help with making the application process work for you.

Community Based/Home Working – West Midlands

Permanent, Full Time

Circa £30,000 plus competitive benefits

Do you want to make a difference?

The RAF Benevolent Fund is the leading welfare charity for the RAF. Every year we make a real difference to over 40,000 people who benefit from our services. Working at the Fund is more than sitting at your desk ad in this role you will have the opportunity to be part of our RAF Family.  Alongside helping our beneficiaries, we also get to hang out with Spitfires and Typhoons, take part in a Dambusters bike ride, attend events like Royal Ascot, the Chelsea Flower Show, and the Bomber Command Memorial Service. Every day you will make a difference and play your part in changing the lives of others and helping people in the RAF Family get through the toughest of times.

It doesn’t matter how long someone served or when. If they were part of the RAF, they and their family are part of our RAF Family. We will always be here to support them when they need it most.

Join the RAF Family and play your part in making a difference.

Do you want to play a part in what we do?

People are at the heart of what we do. Together we:

· Help reduce social isolation and loneliness among veterans. 

· We support ill or injured men and women to have a safe place to call home, a home that meets their specific needs.

· We fund youth services on stations to provide clubs and activities for the children of serving personnel who move every few years.

· We provide grants to help with the cost of living. But this is just a few of the ways we help.

We are seeking an individual to raise awareness of the Fund’s welfare offer amongst social welfare agencies across the West Midlands but also, crucially, to help address the issue of social isolation and feelings of loneliness experienced by some members of the RAF Family.

The post holder will be working with socially isolated individuals to identify meaningfully enriching opportunities to reduce feelings of loneliness, some of whom may have complex and challenging welfare needs, to develop actions plans and coordinate support to overcome any barriers preventing successful connection into these enriching opportunities, assisting them by identifying appropriate support from within the RAF Benevolent Fund and the wider statutory and military charity sector.

The successful candidate will have experience of working in a social welfare role supporting individuals, have strong people and relationship-building skills, as well as empathy with or understanding of the issues affecting the Armed Forces community.  Individuals with a social prescribing or working aged veteran support background are encouraged to apply.

This is a community-based position working from home covering the West Midlands, delivering both remote and face to face support, ideally you will be based in Staffordshire or Shropshire.  The candidate must have their own vehicle to use to travel around these regions.  Occasional travel to London will be required.  The successful candidate for this role will need to be Enhanced DBS checked and prove they have the right to work in the UK.

To apply, please click on this link and send your CV, together with a cover letter detailing why you believe you are suitable for this role, providing examples of how you meet the job profile when you apply through our recruitment portal.

The closing date for applications is Friday 23rd May 2025, 5.00pm.  Interviews will be held on 9th – 10th June 2025.

A copy of the Fund’s Candidate Privacy Notice can be found on our website. As an equal opportunities employer, the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership. The Fund takes safeguarding seriously, and appropriate background checks will be completed. You can find out more about our commitment to safeguarding on our website. This role requires an Enhanced DBS check. We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join the Fund.

 

The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is a Registered Charity (No. 1081009).

Job Coach
Salary: £15 p/h
Place of work: Various London locations
Reports to: Project Lead – Employment Development & Access Support
Contract period: Various hours as needed – zero hours contract

The Organisation

Action on Disability (AoD), founded in 1979, is one of London’s leading Disabled People’s Organisations. As we believe in the Social Model of Disability, our values and principles embrace inclusive and accessible ways of working both internally and in all our activities, seek the participation and contribution of our members, and encourage and respect diversity.

The organisation is a medium sized charity with a Board of Trustees, 24 staff and a strong ad hoc staff and volunteer base including many with direct experience of disability – all of whom are passionate about removing the barriers that disabled people face.

AoD provides five key services. These are: Youth, Employment, Welfare Benefits, Independent Living and Direct Payments.

AoD’s Employment Service

The Action on Disability Employment Service is setting the agenda for disability employment across London with great results. We have carved out a role, and reputation, for setting up and delivering supported internships for people with learning disabilities. We provide management, job coaching and employer engagement for over 50 young people with learning disabilities each year across our 6 internship sites.

We are looking to recruit a number of job coaches to support interns and graduates of these programs in their jobs.

Background

Action on Disability is the supported employment service partner on a number of supported internships for young people with learning disabilities around West and South London. They are looking to recruit a number of job coaches to support interns and graduates of these programs in their jobs.

The Post

The purpose of the job is to provide coaching, support and guidance to young people with learning disabilities (17+) within their workplaces. You will support interns/graduates to become independent in their roles and provide the necessary coaching, training and encouragement to enable them to succeed. You will work closely with the employer to ensure they are supported and can confidently manage and train their intern/employee once your support has been withdrawn.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• To carry out a detailed job analysis of potential jobs / work placements
• To carry out detailed job matching of service users and jobs
• To comprehensively learn jobs across different sectors – not restricted to but potentially including – Catering, Customer Service, Administration, IT and Retail
• To implement training/coaching plans which will enable the candidates to fulfil their roles to employer standards
• To conduct regular reviews to ensure candidates are progressing within their roles and to identify and meet new support needs
• To build up natural support within employers and taper off one 1:1 job coaching over time
• To negotiate and implement disability-related reasonable adjustments on an individual basis
• To identify client’s skills, strengths, interests and aspirations to inform an ongoing vocational profile
• To liaise with managers to discuss progress and respond to issues

Organisational responsibilities

• To work in accordance with Action on Disability’s Aims, Objectives and Values
• To comply with all organisational and departmental policies and procedures, and in particular to ensure safe, fair and responsible working practices through the implementation of AoD’s Health & Safety, Equal Opportunities, Safeguarding and Confidentiality policies
• To promote the work of AoD and promote and implement the social model of disability
• To keep accurate records and provide monitoring statistics and evaluation information as required for internal and external purposes
• To participate in and actively contribute to individual supervision, training, team and organisational meetings
• To work flexibly, being prepared to perform other duties commensurate with the role, which may include new areas of operation following consultation
• Any other task appropriate to the role.

Person Specification

Essential

• High expectations for the employment potential of young people with learning disabilities
• Experience of training, education or employment support delivery for marginalised groups
• Significant and demonstrable experience of supporting people facing complex barriers to achieve their goals
• An understanding of the needs of employers and the benefits to business of having a diverse workforce
• An understanding of the Social Model of Disability and its practical application
• Ability and willingness to learn and carry out all tasks within a variety of jobs, in order to be able to coach the client
• Demonstrable experience of success in building strong and positive relationships and rapport with a wide variety of people and organisations
• Demonstrable problem-solving skills and experience
• Excellent negotiation skills
• Demonstrable ability to communicate with a wide range of people
• Good organisational skills and ability to keep accurate records and case notes
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint and the internet and a good level of computer literacy.
• Being willing and able to travel easily within the boroughs of London relevant to the role
• To be available for work during some unsocial hours according to the demands of the work

Desirable

• Qualification in Advice and Guidance/Supported Employment/Youth Work or Training
• An understanding of the factors to be considered in supporting people with learning disabilities into employment
• Experience of working with disabled young people

Finally, Action on Disability positively welcomes applications from disabled people. Please identify any specific requirements you may have, or wish to bring, to ensure full access at your interview if you are shortlisted.

Deadline: Ongoing. We recruit for this role on a rolling basis with regular interview days

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website where you can complete your application for this position.

Action on Disability prides itself on being an accessible and equal opportunity employer.

No agencies please.

Position: Senior Philanthropy Officer
Type: Full-time (35 hours a week), permanent
Location: Office-based in London with flexibility to work remotely
Salary: £33,044* per annum plus excellent benefits
Salary Band and Job Family: Band 2, Charity 

*You will start at our entry point salary of £33,044 per annum, increasing to £35,109 after 6 months service and satisfactory performance and to £37,174 after a further 6 months.

About us

We make sure people living with MS are at the centre of everything we do. And it’s this commitment that unites us across the UK.

Our strategy is based on what people affected by MS have told us is important to them. It gives us a clear and determined focus.

Our work is based on the hopes and aspirations of our MS community. Together we campaign at all levels, fund ground-breaking research and provide award winning support and information.

Our people are our greatest asset and the key to our success. We offer a vibrant, progressive working environment where you'll be able to make a difference.

About this job

The Philanthropy team is part of the Philanthropy and Partnerships department, whose primary goal is to engage high value supporters and fundraise for the Stop MS Appeal.

As Philanthropy Officer, you will work closely with the Philanthropy manager, raising income for the MS Society from philanthropy fundraising activities as per the agreed objectives and targets.

You will identify, engage and steward philanthropy prospects through events and other appropriate fundraising activities, generating income to achieve ambitious targets and delivering a first class supporter experience.

You will ensure the provision of excellent individual care to ensure long term commitment, contributing to the overall implementation of our Philanthropy team’s objectives.

Closing date for applications: 9:00 am Friday 23rd May 2025

Interested?

PLEASE PRESS THE 'HOW TO APPLY' BUTTON FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Equal Opportunities 
We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and or from ethnic minority backgrounds.

We’d be grateful if you downloaded and completed the equality and diversity monitoring form and submit it with your application. 

Disability Confident Employer 
We’re a Disability Confident Employer and we’re committed to promoting equality and diversity.

You can ask for reasonable adjustments as part of both our recruitment and new starter on-boarding processes.

If you need any help or adjustments to apply for this role, please contact us. You can also ask for the application materials to be sent to you in a different format. Such as for them to be sent to you by email or in a larger word format.

More about our employee benefits:
We have a wide range of employee benefits including (but not limited to): 

Encouraging work life balance

• 38 days paid annual leave (including bank holidays), pro-rata for part-time
• More annual leave entitlement, based on length of employment
• Smart working options (with the opportunity to work remotely and find a smart working pattern that suits both you and us) 
• Flexible working options 

Caring for you and your family 

• Generous sick pay entitlement
• More sick pay entitlement, based on length of employment 
• Opportunity to buy and sell annual leave in each calendar year 
• Free access to a GP virtually 24 hours a day/7 days a week allowing you unlimited advice, reassurance and where appropriate diagnosis 
• Enhanced leave for new parents 
• Free access to a confidential 24 hours a day/7 days a week helpline service for both you and your family with a specialist range of support and information
• Special leave options (such as up to 5 days paid leave for domestic or personal emergencies a year)
• 10 days paid disability leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• 10 days paid carers’ leave a year, pro-rata for part-time 
• Cycle to work scheme 
• Death in service scheme
• New family-friendly benefits, including paid leave:
  • In the event of miscarriage or still birth 
  • To support fertility treatments
  • For antenatal appointments for both parents

Thinking about your finances 

• Enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Discounted season ticket loan and interest-free emergency loans
• Give as you earn to support other charities of your choice before tax
• New employee portal including lifestyle savings vouchers and personal wellbeing

Enriching your life at work

• Personalised development plans with a wide range of training courses and opportunities to source additional training options with your line manager
• Yearly internal apprenticeship opportunities
• New, modern offices that embrace working together both in-person and remotely 
• Various opportunities to influence how we internally operate (including surveys, and focus and committee groups) 
• Active and supportive internal employee networking groups for collaboration and peer support 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering for MS Society activities during normal working hours (such as fundraising events, or campaigning in the local community) 
• 2 days paid leave a year for volunteering with other charities during normal

Safeguarding 
We’re committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone who uses our services and we come into contact with.

This is regardless of Gender, Race, Disability, Sexual orientation, Religion or belief, Pregnancy, Gender reassignment.

We recognise our particular responsibility to make sure vulnerable adults and children are protected.

We have measures in place to protect everyone we come into contact with from abuse and maltreatment of all kinds.

Your right to work in the UK 
You must have the right to work in the UK to work in paid employment with us. You’ll need to share documents showing you’re eligible to work in the UK if we offer you employment.

You can find the UK visas and permits granting you the right to work in the UK on the UK Government website. We currently don’t have a Sponsor Licence agreement with the Home Office and aren’t able to support you with your visa applications.

No agencies please.

Project Background

Come and join our award-winning place-based volunteering programme that works with residents living across Hackney and the City of London.

You will be based out in the community - the programme is based at GP practices - to engage, support and enable local residents and patients to deliver local services for themselves, to meet local needs. We support residents to come together, to share their skills and experience for the benefit of each other, to deliver local groups and activities such as a book group, film club, exercise classes or cooking group. Residents from diverse backgrounds and demographics attend these activities together and make new connections, building strong local communities, all working together to make their area a better place to live. People, many of whom are isolated across all ages, and who have difficult life circumstances, are brought together, providing each other with mutual support and encouragement to develop new skills and pursue life goals, and to feel better able to voice their concerns to services.

You will be joining a nationally recognised project - having won an award from the Royal Society of Public Health in November 2024 - to support residents to fulfil their personal goals, make connections with others, and design activities and services that meet local needs. You will also be supporting people to improve their mental and physical health through signposting them to appropriate services and encouraging them to talk to their GP if they have concerns; and will be working in partnership with GP practice staff to co-create volunteer roles to make the practice more efficient and a better place to visit.

Who are we?

Volunteer Centre Hackney is a medium sized charity (currently 30 staff) based in the London borough of Hackney, working to support local residents to realise their skills and passions through volunteering and social action, and to share these for the benefit of others.

Our mission is to build and strengthen communities across Hackney through supporting residents of all ages and backgrounds to volunteer and build projects together.

In 2021, we were awarded the Freedom of the Borough Award by Hackney Council for our efforts to support residents during COVID, which included mobilising over 2000 volunteers to deliver food, prescriptions and essential items, provide emotional support to isolated residents and support the vaccine rollout. 

We work with hundreds of diverse community organisations and deliver various programmes to help residents share their skills and deliver their own social action projects to improve people’s lives. These include a befriending programme, volunteering brokerage matching local people to volunteer roles based on their skills, interests and goals, a specialist mental health programme, peer research and multiple resident engagement programmes at GP surgeries and estates across Hackney.

Post holders need to be enthusiastic and engaging, bringing energy to the role, be self-motivating and confident to work primarily alone, albeit with some support from the team members based at other sites.

Criminal Justice Team Leader Salary: £30,350 - £43,675 per annum Full Time, Permanent  Located: Claverings Centre N9 0AH (On-site, with no option for hybrid working) Working Pattern: Monday to Friday 9am until 5pm  Who are we? Waythrough is a vibrant and growing charity with over 30 years' experience working with individuals, families and communities affected by health and social inequalities across the country with a focus on improving people’s wellbeing. Waythrough is one of England’s most successful home-grown charities. We have over 1,100 staff and around 100 volunteers providing services for over 20,000 people. Our specialist services include substance use, clinical, employment training and education, housing services, housing support and health, young people, and families’ services. About the role As a Criminal Justice Team Leader you will lead and develop a team of criminal justice recovery workers, fostering a positive working environment and ensuring the delivery of a high-quality service. In this role, you will play a crucial part in the management of the day-to-day functioning and performance of the Criminal Justice Team, ensuring a positive working environment and the delivery of quality service. You will also support the Criminal Justice Manager in developing, delivering, monitoring, and improving processes, control systems, and work environments to meet quality requirements and contractual needs, including key performance indicators (KPIs). Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to line-manage a small team and provide support for their development. There will be a requirement, at interview, for the candidate to deliver a 10 minute presentation around 'Continuity of Care’. About you We are looking for the following. Level 3 Health & Social Care Diploma. Experience in managing a team is preferable but not essential. Previous experience working in drug and alcohol services is highly desirable. Demonstrated experience in supervising staff and providing effective support and guidance. Familiarity with the criminal justice system is advantageous, although not essential. **Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive excess applications for the position** The salary demonstrated shows the potential salary earnings within the role What can Waythrough offer you? Generous annual leave entitlement (27 days, plus bank holidays, increasing to 32 after 1 years’ service) Annual leave purchase scheme Enhanced occupational sick pay Enhanced employer contribution to your workplace pension Death in service benefit Free Will writing Eyecare vouchers Blue light card discount Fantastic learning and development opportunities, including free training courses Work-life balance- flexible working and family friendly policies Happy, Healthy You! – our wellbeing offers for our workforce Employee Assist Programme and Waythrough Support Networks To Apply If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Waythrough, please click apply to be redirected to their website to complete your application. Waythrough is an equal-opportunity employer. If you feel that you would fit with our values & ethos, are passionate about supporting people, but maybe don’t feel you have the experience required, talk to us about your transferrable skills. For the right people, we can provide development to help you to realise your potential.

We’re seeking a Philanthropy Lead to join our fantastic Philanthropy and Partnerships team. You will provide leadership to a team of fundraisers and secure transformational funding from philanthropic supporters to ensure Pancreatic Cancer UK can deliver its strategy to double survival rates of pancreatic cancer. In this role you will:

• Lead the growth of a robust pipeline of prospects with capacity to give significantly, working with key stakeholders to solicit and close asks as necessary.
• Work collaboratively with senior leadership to maximise high value fundraising opportunities and further a culture of philanthropy within the organisation.
• Be responsible for leading the development and delivery of the philanthropy fundraising strategy.

About You 

• Proven experience as a philanthropy fundraiser, with a strong track record of securing 6-figure gifts from philanthropic supporters.
• Proven experience of developing the skills of a fundraising team.
• Proven experience of building and delivering a major donor fundraising growth strategy.
• Highly skilled at influencing and negotiating with a variety of senior stakeholders.

If this sounds like you – we’d love to hear from you!

About Working for Us 

This is a fast-paced organisation that is really committed to making a difference. Being a part of our team is being part of a thriving, positive, dynamic, successful, and welcoming community that is making an impact. We will support you and develop you should you wish this, and you get the opportunity to be involved in activities outside the scope of your immediate role. We care about your health and well-being and your work-life balance, and you will feel that your contribution is valued and matters. 

About Us  

Pancreatic cancer is a tough one but we're taking it on. It is tough to diagnose, tough to treat, and tough to research. For too long this disease has been side-lined. We want to make sure that everyone affected by it gets all the help they need. Together we are taking on pancreatic cancer. Underpinning this vision are our three values:

• Courage
• Community
• Compassion

We cannot achieve our vision without employing people who are committed to our vision, strategy, and values.

At Pancreatic Cancer UK (PCUK) our ambition is to create an inclusive working environment that reflects the communities and audiences that we engage with and where everyone can be their true selves, where they feel respected, championed, heard, and supported. We want our workforce to achieve their potential, understand their contribution and feel proud of their impact by creating a culture and organisation that is genuinely inclusive by advancing equality, diversity, inclusion, and belonging through our policies and practices.

We believe diversity drives great outcomes by encouraging the different points of view that come from a diverse workforce. We want to hear from and engage with people whose experience of dealing with this disease may be very different depending on their individual circumstances and background. We can think of no better way to do this than by making sure this role fully represents our intent; therefore, we are especially keen to consider applications from suitable applicants who consider themselves to be in areas that appear underrepresented within the charity sector.

Safeguarding

PCUK is committed to safe and fair recruitment processes that safeguard and protect those we work with, support and serve. We make sure all our staff are selected, vetted (DBS/Criminal record checks where appropriate), trained, and supervised fairly and to a high standard so that they can provide safe, effective and compassionate care. Where we work with volunteers, we extend the same support in order to ensure that they are working within our ethos and standards.

How to apply

• Download the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of the role. If you have any questions, please get in touch with Laura Howard-Jones, Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships.
• To apply, please complete the online application form, setting out why you are interested in the role and how you meet the person specification criteria. This information will be used to select candidates for interviews.
• You will need to have the right to work in the UK as we are not able to provide sponsorship for this role.
• Please note that interviews will be held remotely on 28/29 May 2025

No agencies/sales call please – as a charity we work hard to keep our costs down and therefore will not be engaging agencies to support this recruitment

We are looking for an experienced and passionate Membership Officer to work as part of our Fundraising Team, in our Office in London.

Imagine being part of an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity – and that’s why equity is one of our core values. We draw on the expertise, unique perspectives and lived experience of our people – regardless of who they are or their background – to help us become inclusive and anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider that reflect the diverse communities we support as a mental health charity.

The objectives of the fundraising team are to generate additional income for the charity so that they can continue to provide and develop services to those severely affected by mental illness. We operate under the guidelines from the Fundraising Regulator and abide by the Fundraising Code of Practice.

How you will make a difference

Our members are central to our past and our future. Formed by carers of people living with a diagnosis of schizophrenia in 1972, our first members laid the foundations for the Charity that exists today, which now helps thousands of people severely affected by mental illness.

Our many thousands of campaigners, supporters and donors, along with our members, give Rethink Mental Illness its mandate. Members are an important source of volunteers for our governance and peer support groups. They help shape the direction of our work through our Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the work of the Board of Trustees and other committees. Membership also provides people with a sense of community and belonging to our organisation that helps them to cope with the demands of living with severe mental illness, whether they have direct experience, or are a carer, relative or friend.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion 

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer.  We recognise and support staff networks and support groups for our ethnically diverse and LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. 

We aim for our workforce to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve; for those who work for us to feel heard, valued and feel they belong; and for our work to help tackle wider mental health inequalities. We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience of mental illness, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and any other gender identity not expressed here (LGBTQIA+); people who are neurodiverse, have a health condition, or a disability or hidden disability and people from an ethnically diverse background - regardless of your age, religious or spiritual belief, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, political view or socio-economic status.

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation 

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrates our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation. You can read more about our progress here. 

Community Based/Home Working – South & Central Scotland

Permanent, Full Time

Circa £30,000 plus competitive benefits

Do you want to make a difference?

The RAF Benevolent Fund is the leading welfare charity for the RAF. Every year we make a real difference to over 40,000 people who benefit from our services. Working at the Fund is more than sitting at your desk ad in this role you will have the opportunity to be part of our RAF Family.  Alongside helping our beneficiaries, we also get to hang out with Spitfires and Typhoons, take part in a Dambusters bike ride, attend events like Royal Ascot, the Chelsea Flower Show, and the Bomber Command Memorial Service. Every day you will make a difference and play your part in changing the lives of others and helping people in the RAF Family get through the toughest of times.

It doesn’t matter how long someone served or when. If they were part of the RAF, they and their family are part of our RAF Family. We will always be here to support them when they need it most.

Join the RAF Family and play your part in making a difference.

Do you want to play a part in what we do?

People are at the heart of what we do. Together we:

· Help reduce social isolation and loneliness among veterans. 

· We support ill or injured men and women to have a safe place to call home, a home that meets their specific needs.

· We fund youth services on stations to provide clubs and activities for the children of serving personnel who move every few years.

· We provide grants to help with the cost of living. But this is just a few of the ways we help.

We are seeking an individual to raise awareness of the Fund’s welfare offer amongst social welfare agencies across South and Central Scotland but also, crucially, to help address the issue of social isolation and feelings of loneliness experienced by some members of the RAF Family.

The post holder will be working with socially isolated individuals to identify meaningfully enriching opportunities to reduce feelings of loneliness, some of whom may have complex and challenging welfare needs, to develop actions plans and coordinate support to overcome any barriers preventing successful connection into these enriching opportunities, assisting them by identifying appropriate support from within the RAF Benevolent Fund and the wider statutory and military charity sector.

The successful candidate will have experience of working in a social welfare role supporting individuals, have strong people and relationship-building skills, as well as empathy with or understanding of the issues affecting the Armed Forces community.  Individuals with a social prescribing or working aged veteran support background are encouraged to apply.

This is a community-based position working from home but covering South and Central Scotland, delivering both remote and face to face support.  The candidate must have their own vehicle to use to travel around these regions.  Occasional travel to Edinburgh and London will be required.  The successful candidate for this role will need to be Enhanced DBS checked and prove they have the right to work in the UK.

To apply, please click on this link and send your CV, together with a cover letter detailing why you believe you are suitable for this role, providing examples of how you meet the job profile when you apply through our recruitment portal.

The closing date for applications is Friday 23rd May 2025, 5.00pm.  Interviews will be held on 24th - 26th June 2025.

A copy of the Fund’s Candidate Privacy Notice can be found on our website. As an equal opportunities employer, the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership. The Fund takes safeguarding seriously, and appropriate background checks will be completed. You can find out more about our commitment to safeguarding on our website. This role requires an Enhanced DBS check. We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join the Fund.

 

The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is a Registered Charity (No. 1081009).

*Please note - interviews for this role will be held on Thursday 5th and Friday 6th June

Job specification

Team: Fundraising

Location: Hybrid – at our office (Argon House, Argon Mews, London SW6 1BJ) and remotely at home. Required to be in the office at least 2 days per week, including Wednesdays (all-staff office day)

Duration: Permanent (with six months’ probation)

Reporting to: Senior Fundraising Manager

Hours of work: 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Salary: £29,060 - £32,700 depending on experience

 

Overview of the role

As the Fundraising Officer, you will play a key role in delivering a range of fundraising appeals and our individual and regular giving programmes. This position also provides plenty of variety and the opportunity to support and develop skills across several income streams. The Fundraising Officer will work collaboratively with the Fundraising and Communications teams and closely with the Senior Fundraising Managers.

 What you will do as part of our team

Fundraising activities

Individual Giving

· Manage the regular giving programme by implementing a rolling 12-month plan of meaningful touchpoints to deepen relationships

· Develop and implement a plan to encourage increased giving and recruit new regular donors with personalised cultivation and stewardship

· Maximise engagement and retention of individual supporters (giving at a lower to mid level) by prompt thanking, excellent stewardship and building effective donor journeys

Fundraising Appeals

· Manage Glass Door’s direct marketing appeals including our flagship annual Christmas appeal – taking the lead on the direct mail and email campaign

· Lead on content development, and implementation of donor segmentation based on giving history, preferences, and engagement levels

· Work closely with the Communications Team to deliver a robust communication plan – actively taking part in the case studies, content creation and digital campaign plans (social media and website)

· Create and implement a follow-up communication plan to thank donors and provide updates on the impact of their contributions

· Undertake evaluations of each appeal’s performance metrics and donor responses to refine future appeals

Fundraising support

· Monitor the Fundraising inbox and respond promptly to ad-hoc queries from individual donors or prospects

· Support the Senior Fundraising Managers with research into current and prospective donors, and compile information to support funding applications and reports

· Thank and steward in-memoriam gifts

· Support the wider team at events e.g. Sleep Out, Christmas Carols and other supporter events

· Opportunity in due course to work towards managing a small portfolio of trusts, foundations and other grant-making bodies which would involve drafting applications and meeting reporting requirements (depending on interest and aptitude)

Fundraising Administration

· Create and update donor records as required on Access Charity CRM database , ensuring relevant records are kept up to date, accurate and consistent at all times.

· Work with Finance and the Income Processing Assistant to ensure accurate and timely processing of donations, including scanning cheques, coding bank transfers and web donations, entering details in the CRM database, banking cash, setting up Direct Debits and acknowledging/thanking donors via email or post.

· Ensure all fundraising activity is compliant with relevant charity and statutory legislation, and the Fundraising Code of Practice

Person specification

Essential

Knowledge and Experience

· Demonstrable experience in a fundraising role

· Understanding and experience of developing and stewarding supporter relationships

· Experience of project management

· Experience of using a fundraising database to segment and select data, produce reports and analyse information

· Experience of copywriting to produce fundraising letters and other materials

Skills and aptitudes

· Strong research, analysis and numeracy skills

· Excellent attention to detail, taking pride in work at all times

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a professional telephone manner and the ability to adapt style appropriately

· Ability to work under pressure, manage time effectively and prioritise a varied workload

· Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with a wide range of people from a variety of different backgrounds

· Competent IT skills in standard Microsoft packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) and CRM/supporter databases

Personal attributes

· A confident self-starter with a positive approach who takes the initiative to get things done

· Highly organised with an ability to prioritise and work independently through a calendar of deadlines and goals

· Able to work collaboratively within a team, as well as with different colleagues from across an organisation

· Being compassionate, insightful and sympathetic to the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness with a passion to help improve their lives

· Willingness to work flexible hours occasionally, for example at evenings and weekends

Desirable

· Experience of project managing direct marketing activities and campaigns.

· Experience of working with Mailchimp and Access Charity CRM

· An interest in developing skills and securing income from trusts and foundations

Are you a fundraiser looking for your next career move?

Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH) are hiring for two Senior Fundraising Executives to join our direct dialogue team. One is a brand-new position and the other has come up following an internal move.

Our dialogue team work with a range of different agencies to deliver our face to face fundraising campaigns. These campaigns help fundraise to change children’s lives every single day. 

These roles are known internally as Senior Individual Giving Executive – Direct Dialogue.

Salary

The salary for this position is £36,654 per annum and we operate a hybrid working model of a minimum of 2 days per week in the office.

In line with our EDI strategy and Total Reward policy, we calculate our salaries based on benchmarking data across the charity sector. To ensure fairness for existing staff and new joiners, we do not offer salaries above the advertised rate.

Key Responsibilities

This is a varied role encompassing:

• Campaign management for rolling fundraising activities. 
• Defining campaign briefs and working closely with the Senior Management to deliver campaigns across door to door, private site, and street 
• Managing relationships with third party agencies. 
• Utilising data analytics to create reports and insights across all dialogue activity. 

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Previous project management experience, ideally within fundraising. 
• Advanced Excel skills with the ability to do v-lookups, pivot tables and manipulate data. 
• Relationship management experience. 
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously. 

Exrerience working within the charity sector is beneficial for this role, but not essential.