Thrive jobs in bloomsbury, greater london

Job Title Business Development Manager

Reports to Director of Improvement and Practice

Direct reports Membership, Development and Partnership Officer

Duration Permanent

Salary £39,000 - £55,000 Full Time Equivalent

Hours 28 hours per week. Our preference would be for this to be spread across Monday – Friday but we offer flexible working and are open to hearing what would work best for you. Please note, our core team days are Tuesday AM and Thursdays.

Location Hybrid work between home and our Vauxhall office – please read more about our approach to hybrid working in the relevant section below. Please note that our offices are fully wheelchair accessible and that we are committed to making our workplace fully inclusive.

National Voices

Making what matters to people matter in health and care

National Voices is the leading coalition of health and social care charities in England. We have more than 200 members covering a diverse range of health conditions and communities, connecting us with the experiences of millions of people. We work together to strengthen the voice of people: patients, service users, people accessing services, their families, and the voluntary organisations that work for them.

Our Vision:

People shaping their health and care.

Our Mission:

We advocate for more equitable and person-centred health and care, shaped by the people who use and need it the most.

We do this by:

· Understanding and advocating for what matters to people especially those living with health conditions and groups who experience inequalities

· Finding common cause across communities and conditions by working with member charities and those they support

· Connecting and convening charities, decision makers and citizens to work together to change health and care for good.

The role

We are looking for an entrepreneurial and ambitious Business Development Manager to lead our organisational efforts around income generation. The role is ideal for someone with experience in fundraising and/or business development interested in leading the work of a small but impactful and highly respected charity in the health and social care space.

At National Voices, fundraising responsibilities are shared across the organisation, so it is important that the successful candidate is able to work in a collaborative way with others and is just as happy with rolling up their sleeves and writing bids and supporting others to.

National Voices’ is a unique organisation and so we are keen to bring on board a Business Development Manager who understands what our niche offer is and can work creatively to find funders and clients who are interested in that. We’re proud to be an organisation:

- Which brings together 200+ health and care charities, connecting us with the experiences of millions of people.

- With an impactful policy and public affairs function, which is able to get into the room with top policy and political figures to make the case for a more person-centred and equitable health and care system.

- With a strong research function, which is able to credibly and impactfully bring together the insights of people who experience health inequalities and people with long-term conditions in a way that informs and improves the practice of decision makers in the NHS and social care.

- With a skilled lived experience team, that works to develop the skills and knowledge of decision makers in health and care around co-production and co-design, and invests in the skills and agency of people with lived experience of health and care.

- With a strong focus on reducing health inequalities and a commitment to anti-racist and anti-oppressive approaches to our work.

While your primary role will be raising funds for National Voices, you will need to be confident in acting as an ambassador for the organisation and in conveying who we are, what we do and the key priorities of our members and people who use health and care.

Responsibilities

Maintain and grow a strong pipeline of funders and clients

· Overseeing the work of our Membership, Development and Partnership Officer in bringing together weekly information on publicly advertised funding opportunities, periodically testing new search words in line with our strategic and commercial interests.

· Ensuring we have access to relevant tendering frameworks.

· Maintaining a pipeline of charitable Trusts and Foundations.

Write and submit bids, and support others to

· In some instances, leading on bid writing – drafting, costing and submitting high quality bids for both project and core funding.

· In other instances, buddying with staff members on bids – carrying out initial call with funders to check fit of projects, supporting with budget development, sharing previous relevant tender responses to support bid writing, supporting submission, leading on the social value response and more.

Support and co-ordinate fundraising efforts of the staff team

· Co-ordinating the triaging and prioritisation of funding bids within the team, in line with our strategic priorities.

· Matching project ideas from across the team with funding opportunities.

· Organising fundraising meetings and ensuring the organisational income generation tracker is up to date.

· Supporting members of the staff team to develop their business development and fundraising skills.

· Providing advice and support to the wider team on compliance with our organisational ethical fundraising policy, the ABPI code, the ABHI code and the Code of Fundraising Practice.

· Maintaining our rate card.

Maintain and develop relationships with prospective funders, clients and organisations we may wish to partner with on funded projects

· Maintaining and developing relationships with grant funding teams at pharmaceutical companies – keeping them updated on our priorities and pitching potential projects for grant funding.

· Alongside other managers and the Senior Management Team, maintaining and developing relationships with development teams at organisations we may want to partner with – consultancy firms, think tanks, research agencies and more.

Manage our partnership scheme

· Take lead responsibility for client management and renewals for organisations on our partnership scheme.

· Coordinate responses to partnership requests within our staff team. Co-ordinate, develop and oversee the delivery of our partnership offer.

General

· Line-manage staff, in the first instance our Membership, Development and Partnership Officer, to include appraisals, setting objectives, monitoring performance and supporting development.

· Review our income generation approach regularly and making suggestions for improvements, using insights from both successful and unsuccessful bids.

· Report progress on our income generation to the board on a quarterly basis.

· Take a pro-active approach to including our members and people with lived experience in all areas of our work.

· Follow processes set out to measure, monitor and communicate the impact of our work.

· Support good project, financial and data management.

· Contribute to the team’s planning activities and undertake other relevant duties as appropriate.

· Deputise for other members of the team when needed.

· Be prepared to take part in full day events, including providing planning and support.

· Be prepared to take part in events outside of core hours, when sufficient notice has been given

Person specification

Values, attitudes and behaviours

· Passionate about National Voices’ mission and work.

· Proactive, flexible and responsive

· Comfortable working in a team, as well as under own initiative

· Entrepreneurial and commercially savvy.

· Calm under pressure and able to work to tight deadlines while maintaining accuracy.

· Committed to reducing inequality and embracing diversity.

· Comfortable with a range of views and perspectives and keen to make connections and build relationships.

· Willing and confident to assert views, constructively challenge others and receive constructive feedback.

Skills and abilities

· Excellent bid writing skills.

· Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

· Strong organisational and project management skills, including demonstrable ability to prioritise workload and maintain quality.

· Excellent people skills, able to work collaboratively and flexibly in a small, friendly team, and communicate and collaborate with a wide range of external stakeholders at all levels

· Ability to embed clear and reliable processes amongst a team of creative and busy people.

· Strong IT skills including Microsoft Office programmes, CRM systems, online conference/meeting software and other programmes where required.

· Able to work well under pressure and to tight deadlines while maintaining attention to detail.

Experience, knowledge and understanding

· A proven track record in securing funding in the health and care space – with regular experience of securing five and six figure funding.

· A strong understanding of health and social care.

· Experience in strategy development and delivery around income generation, fundraising or sales.

· Experience of winning work through competitive tendering (desirable).

· Experience of securing funding from Trusts and Foundations (desirable).

· Experience of client / account management (desirable).

Our approach to hybrid working

We recognise the importance of coming together regularly, in-person, as a team, so we can share learnings and spend social time with each other. We also recognise that people need flexibility, and that homeworking enables focused work and can fit well in people’s lives.

We ask all staff to take part in pre-arranged team meetings which take place every six weeks in our office space. We also might ask you to meet in-person with members of your team from time to time, or to be available for face-to-face meetings with clients and partners where this enhances the work.

We assume that this would usually not amount to more than one day per fortnight for people who work full time.

We are happy to discuss how this sits in your life. This can be agreed by your line manager.

Equality and inclusion

As reflected in our Equality Action Plan, we are committed to being a truly diverse organisation. We want to ensure that our trustees, staff members, lived experience partners and volunteers come from a wide range of backgrounds, each bringing their own unique perspectives and experiences. We want to ensure that everyone feels heard and is fully able to participate and thrive.

We currently have an under-representation of people from racial and ethnic minority groups in managerial roles in our organisation and so would particularly welcome applications from people from these groups.

We welcome applications from people who have been in contact with the criminal justice system. For some roles, you may be asked to undergo a basic or enhanced DBS check, but you will only be deemed ineligible for roles which relate to any offences on your criminal record.

We have a range of benefits in place to ensure everyone can thrive, for example:

· We are a Disability Confident employer

· We offer enhanced parental and sickness leave

· We offer flexible working wherever possible

· We provide our employees with an annual wellbeing allowance

· And much more

Find out more: Our Benefits and Workplace Policies.

How to apply

Please apply by 5pm on 3rd July. Interviews and assessments will be held online on the afternoon of 15th July. Please note, we will be blind shortlisting all applications, so we ask you not to include your name in your application. If you are invited to interview, we will ask you about any reasonable adjustments you will need to be able to participate. We will share interview questions in advance of the interview, and you will be asked to prepare a presentation. If you require any adjustments at any stage of your application, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Director of Operations and Finance, Matthew Haslehurst.

Fundraising Manager

Salary: Manager Level 1 – £38,316

Contract type: Permanent

Hours: Full Time (typically 09:30-17:30, with flexibility)

Location: Elephant & Castle, London / remote

Responsible to: Director of Fundraising, Marketing, and Communications

Application Deadline: 5pm 27 June

Interview Dates:  1st round interviews: 8 & 9 July

Our Commitment to Equity

We believe everyone has potential. We are committed to increasing equity among business owners, and we want to do the same for our team. Research shows that some underrepresented groups tend to only apply for roles if they meet every single requirement. At Hatch we are interested in your future potential just as much as your past experience. So if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t tick every box on the job description, we’d love it if you went ahead and applied anyway.

We want to ensure that our team represents a wide cross-section of society, and we know that means we have to make an effort to understand and accommodate different people’s needs. If you would require any reasonable adjustments to be made to support you to apply, interview or join the Hatch team please contact us.

Role Purpose

Hatch is on a mission to build a more equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem, one where underrepresented founders have the resources, support, and funding to thrive. We are looking for a relationship-driven Fundraising Manager to secure, steward, and grow funding partnerships across trusts and foundations, corporates, and high-net-worth individuals (HNWI).

You will play a key role in unlocking income growth through strong relationship management, compelling bid and proposal writing, and strategic prospect research. While managing your own portfolio of funders, you will also support senior fundraisers to progress high-value partnerships, developing your skills and confidence as you grow your own partnerships.

At Hatch, we are not limited by opportunities but by capacity. Demand for our programmes is greater than ever, from beneficiaries as well as from funders.  Over the past four years, we have made significant strides in fundraising, growing our income from £500k per year in 2019 to over £2m in 2024. We have built a strong pipeline, developed innovative funding models, and positioned ourselves as leaders in enterprise support for underrepresented founders, earning recognition as  finalists for the Third Sector Fundraising Team of the Year in 2022.

Your role will focus on:

• Developing and managing partnerships across corporate, trust and foundation, and individual giving audiences.

• Securing new funding opportunities and supporting income growth, working closely with the fundraising and marcoms team.

• Leading engagement activities including funder and prospecting events and  funder experiences.

• Ensuring strong reporting and impact measurement for our funders.

• Drafting compelling applications that forge an emotional connection and securing financial support to transform the lives of our beneficiaries.

• Representing Hatch externally to deepen relationships with funding and strategic partners, securing long-term commitments and increasing brand awareness.

This is a fantastic opportunity to work with experienced fundraisers, build game-changing partnerships, and contribute to a highly impactful team. If you thrive in an environment that combines relationship management, strategic fundraising, and social impact, we’d love to hear from you.

Key responsibilities

• Manage partnerships - Steward a portfolio of trusts, corporates, and individual donors, ensuring consistent communication, timely reporting,  and strong funder retention.

• Lead on bid and application writing - Write tailored and compelling funding applications, proposals, and case materials for grant-giving bodies, corporates, and HNWIs.

• Support senior fundraisers across the team - Assist colleagues working on major partnerships by providing background research, preparing proposals and meeting materials, and helping to coordinate follow-up actions.

• Provide regular updates and comms to funders - Ensure all funders receive timely, engaging updates on programme delivery, impact and outcomes, maintaining trust and strengthening long-term relationships.

• Identify and qualify new prospects - Proactively research and assess new funding opportunities. Bring warm leads into the pipeline and contribute insight to support strategic alignment.

• Respond to inbound funding enquiries - Manage and convert lower-level inbound opportunities, ensuring prompt and appropriate responses that align with Hatch’s offer and impact areas.

• Maintain accurate CRM records and support reporting - Keep the fundraising pipeline up to date in Salesforce and Monday. Track deadlines, ensure data accuracy, and support internal reporting and team coordination.

• Coordinate cross-team collaboration - Work with Programmes and Marcoms teams to gather inputs for applications and reports, prepare for funder meetings, and ensure aligned messaging.

• Use data and storytelling to showcase impact - Contribute to the development of reports, updates, and communications that clearly demonstrate Hatch’s value and the impact of our work with funders.

Person specification

We are looking for a relationship-driven fundraiser who can grow and manage a funder portfolio, write compelling funding bids, deliver employee engagement and volunteering opportunities, and support wider team success. You’ll need to be confident working across income streams and motivated by social impact.

Essential skills and experience:

• Excellent relationship management skills, with experience stewarding funders or clients

• Strong bid and proposal writing skills, with the ability to produce clear, compelling content

• Proven ability to research, assess, and qualify new prospects

• Ability to provide timely, well-crafted funder communications and updates

• Experience in creating and delivering funder volunteering and engagement activities.

• Highly organised and comfortable managing multiple projects and deadlines

• Strong attention to detail, particularly in maintaining records and reporting

• Confident communicator with strong written and verbal skills

• A collaborative approach and willingness to work cross-functionally

• Proactive, self-motivated, and solutions-oriented

Desirable skills and experience:

• A background that reflects the lived experiences of underrepresented communities Hatch exists to support, including but not limited to those marginalised by race, gender, disability, or socio-economic background

• Experience working in fundraising across multiple income streams

• Familiarity with funder reporting requirements and impact measurement

• Experience with high-net-worth individual giving or corporate partnerships

• Understanding of Hatch’s mission and commitment to equity

• Experience using CRM systems and project management tools (e.g. Salesforce, Monday)

This role offers an exciting opportunity to shape and grow strategic partnerships, contribute to a dynamic team, and make a real difference in creating a more equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem. If you thrive on building relationships, securing funding, and driving impact through emotionally compelling storytelling, we’d love to hear from you.

Benefits

We care about our people and giving them the things they need to succeed, and we are passionate about Hatch being a great place to work.

We are a hybrid working organisation, and our head office in Elephant and Castle is available for anyone to work from as much or as little as they’d like. Although we offer the flexibility to work from home,  there are times when it is useful for us to get together in person for collaboration,  meetings and team days.

Our benefits include:

• Flexible working - work from home or in the office and at the times that work best for you 

• 38 fully flexible holiday days (including the 8 UK bank holidays) in 2025

• Paid time off for dedicated learning and development opportunities

• Access to Hatch programmes and events free of charge

• L&D Learning Platform - Access Learning

• Employee Assistance Programme - Health Assured

• Team Days/get togethers

• Four days per year paid time off to volunteer

• Four Wellbeing days per year

• Employee pension scheme - Salary Sacrifice Scheme 

• Enhanced parental leave

• Cycle to Work Scheme

• Eye care scheme

• Enhanced sick pay leave

• Interest free loans to purchase season tickets for travel to work

To Apply

In order to apply for this role, we ask all candidates to provide a CV, a cover letter and a response to the following bullet points:

• What excites you about Hatch as an organisation and about this role in particular?

• Give an example of an organisation we should approach for a mutually beneficial partnership and explain why.

• What would you do in this role that would really make an impact?

Please note we are only able to accept applications from candidates who have the right to work in the UK.  In addition, we only accept applications via the portal which is accessible on our website. 

If you have any questions or need any help with your application, please drop us a line (recruiters will be politely turned away).

If you apply, we will process your personal data for recruitment purposes only and in accordance with our Data Privacy Policy.  

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Service Manager to join our Mental Health service in Slough.

£41,000.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.

Want to feel like you're making a difference? You'll feel at home here.

Our benefits include:

Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
Free DBS
Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
Fully paid induction programme and further training
ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
Healthcare Cashplan through our partner Healthshield
Cycle to work scheme
Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
Online wellbeing resources
A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Contract Manager to oversee the successful delivery of our mental health services within the Slough area. This pivotal role is responsible for the operational and strategic management of all contracts in your designated patch, ensuring high-quality service delivery and positive outcomes for individuals with mental health and complex needs.

As a Contract Manager, you will lead and support a team of front-line staff, providing clear direction, performance oversight, and ongoing professional development. A key aspect of the role is fostering strong leadership and cultivating competence within your team to drive continuous improvement.

What you'll do:

Drive business planning activities within your contract, ensuring relevant and challenging objective setting and ongoing performance tracking, developing turn around action plans as may be necessary
Using sound financial and accounting principles, manage contract budgets to deliver on corporate and local contract financial targets
Successfully lead and motivate your team to ensure the championing of and maintenance of a positive local culture within your service
Work to continuously improve staff competence, ensure ownership of all staff issues and speedy and effective conflict resolution
Responsible for reporting all staff changes to HR and Payroll departments, as appropriate e.g. starters, leavers, additional hours etc.
Responsible for maintaining quarterly staff succession plans
Deliver effective, professional and commercially focused briefings and supervision meetings with staff and ensure that information, reporting & communications flow up/down is effective
Responsible for managing and allocating customers to support staff (casework management)

For the full list, please see our website.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:

Ability to lead and motivate staff to deliver excellent services
Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
Has a practical and logical mind
Excellent organisation skills
Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments

For the full list, please see our website.

What you'll bring:

Essential:

Educated to degree level or equivalent
Experience of managing contracts and resources and delivering to budget and performance targets
Experience of delivering to housing management performance targets
Experience of effectively managing and developing staff to ensure delivery of services performance targets within contract
Experience of successfully managing external partnerships to ensure successful delivery of services
Holds relevant CMI/NVQ Level 4 or other Business/Management Qualification

Desirable:

Other relevant professional memberships and/or specialist qualifications
About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

We focus on Excellence and innovation.
We are Caring and Compassionate.
We are Inclusive and Trusted.
We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

HR Advisor
Third Sector (Not-for-Profit)
Location: City of London (Hybrid - 2-3 days in office)
Salary: £40,000 Contract: £26 per hour
Temporary to Permanent
About the Organisation.

A well-respected not-for-profit organisation within the third sector, committed to making a meaningful impact. This is a hybrid role based in the City of London, offering flexibility and the opportunity to contribute to a unionised environment within a creative or charitable setting.
The RoleWe are seeking a HR Advisor who thrives in a dynamic and unionised background, with experience ideally from the creative industries or charity sector. You will be a critical thinker who provides generalised HR support across a wide range of areas, ensuring best practices while fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert HR advice on capability management, sickness absence, and grievance procedures.
• Support and implement family-friendly policies, ensuring compliance with relevant employment laws.
• Lead on reward and recognition schemes to promote employee engagement.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to uphold positive employee relations in a unionised environment.
• Offer HR guidance across the organisation, ensuring processes align with strategic objectives.
• Provide insights into best HR practices while adapting to the needs of a not-for-profit setting.
  Candidate Profile
• Proven HR advisory experience within the creative industries, charity, or unionised environments.
• Strong understanding of employment law and best practices.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a proactive approach.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a critical-thinking mindset.
• Comfortable working in a hybrid environment with 2-3 days in the office.
• Not necessarily looking for public sector experience, but third-sector familiarity is desirable.

Why Join?

• Opportunity to transition from a temporary to permanent contract.
• Work within an organisation that values creativity, collaboration, and inclusivity.
• Competitive salary with flexible hybrid working.

If you're looking to make a positive impact within a dynamic HR role, this could be the perfect opportunity!
What you need to do now
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion on your career.

Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at hays.co.uk

We are looking for a Branch Manager with a passion for animal welfare, who will contribute to our mission of rescuing, rehabilitating, and re-homing animals in need. Our new Branch Manager will want to actively promote kindness and the prevention of cruelty to animals, and be driven by a desire to give those in our care a second chance in finding their forever home.

They will expand our profile across the North West London and South Hertfordshire area, working closely with the trustees to create a sustainable business plan, and have overall responsibility for the Branch, our shops and the day to day running of the charity. 

Role Responsibilities

People

Be responsible for all branch employees, including recruitment, employee development and performance assessment.

Health and Safety

Ensure the Branch fulfils its duty of care and legal obligations for the health and safety of employees, volunteers and others on site.

Have overall responsibility to ensure that the buildings and equipment belonging to the Branch are maintained and operated in a safe and secure manner. 

Financial Performance, Governance and Administration

Together with the Branch Treasurer, develop and implement robust policies, procedures and controls in line with guidelines, and produce annual budgets and reports for the Branch.

Income Generation and Fundraising

Lead income generation, innovate new fundraising activities.

Have overall responsibility for the Branch retail operation, working closely with the Retail Operations Manager to ensure that individual shops meet annual sales targets.

Work with the trustees in developing retail strategy and growth opportunities. 

Digital Media and Marketing

Be responsible for developing the use of digital media to deliver the charity's vision, mission and strategy.

Work with the trustees to develop a marketing strategy, helping our Branch reach more people and generate additional income.

Animal Welfare

In collaboration with the Animal Operations Manager, ensure the Branch delivers on its commitment to care for and ensure the welfare of animals, overseeing compliance with RSPCA standards and policies, relevant legislation and best practice in the provision of animal welfare services. Develop the Branch’s ability to accommodate the changing animal welfare needs in our community.

Person Specification

You have:

• A proven track record of leading and motivating people to deliver the strategic aims of a business or charity
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and also the ability to listen to the opinions of others
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to multi-task
• A desire to design and implement systems and processes, enabling delivery of our overall strategic aims
• A passion for the care and welfare of animals
• A full UK driving licence

You have expertise and experience in:

• Operating at a senior leadership level
• Project management and business planning
• Business development and growth
• Income generation and budget management
• Business and financial reporting
• The use of technology and digital media

You are:

• Flexible, with an ability to adapt to different situations 
• A people person who is approachable and enjoys working with others, communicating effectively to build strong relationships
• Proactive and forward-thinking with an ability to plan ahead 
• Able to prioritise conflicting demands and thrive under pressure
• Committed to the highest levels of integrity and effort

At Trees for Cities, we believe access to trees and nature is essential for the health and well-being of communities. We focus our work where it’s needed most — in areas facing environmental, social, and economic disadvantage — putting us at the forefront of climate and community justice across the UK.

Trees for Cities is the only national charity dedicated to improve lives by planting, protecting and promoting urban trees. We do this by working closely with communities, landowners, partners and funders to deliver transformational change in towns and cities across the UK. We plant trees in schools, streets, estates, parks and open spaces to create nature-rich urban woodland, hedgerows, orchards, avenues and playgrounds.

As we approach the final year of our strategic plan, The Turn of Trees (2022–2025), we’ve seen inspiring growth and diversification in funding from major supporters like the National Lottery Community Fund and The People’s Postcode Lottery. Now, as we prepare to launch our 2025–2030 strategy, our goal is clear: build a national movement for tree equity that places communities, cities, and biodiversity at the heart of everything we do.

Your role:

We’re seeking a passionate and experienced Senior Grant Fundraising Manager to lead our grant fundraising efforts — managing and growing a portfolio of major funders, generating around £1.2m annually from central government, lotteries, trusts, and foundations. You will:

• Develop compelling, tailored grant applications

• Build strong, lasting relationships with funders

• Work collaboratively across teams to bring our projects and vision to life

• Innovate and diversify income streams to ensure a sustainable future

Why Trees for Cities?

This is a unique opportunity to contribute directly to urban climate action through the power of trees. You’ll join a warm, vibrant, and inclusive organisation where your work has visible, tangible impact in communities across the UK. From community planting events to daily table tennis, you’ll quickly become part of a motivated and collaborative team driven by a shared mission.

Who we’re looking for:

An outstanding grant fundraiser with a proven track record of securing large, multi-year grants and navigating the competitive funding landscape. You thrive in collaborative environments and are skilled at communicating and influencing across teams to achieve shared goals. Most importantly, you are deeply committed to driving positive social and environmental change.

If you are ready to grow your career while helping shape a greener, fairer future, we want to hear from you. To learn more about the role and organisation, please download the full appointbrief below, where you will find details of who to speak to with questions about the role and details of how to apply.

Closing Date: 22 June 2025

People Beyond Profit conversations: 23-25 June 2025

Panel Interview Dates: 2 & 9 July 2025

About The Role

Are you a creative storyteller with a passion for producing standout video content that makes a real impact? We’re on the lookout for a talented Videographer who can bring stories to life through high-quality, engaging video that connects with a wide range of audiences. From planning and scripting to filming and editing, you’ll be hands-on throughout the entire production process, helping shape the way the Royal British Legion shares its message across multiple platforms.

Come and be part of the leading Armed Forces charity, making a difference to the lives of those who have served to keep us safe and protect our way of life.

In this role, you'll play a key part in creating compelling digital content that aligns with our brand and supports our marketing goals. You’ll work closely with a brilliant team of creatives and content experts, using your expertise to produce powerful video across YouTube, social media, and our wider campaigns. If you’re confident with camera work, comfortable managing multiple projects, and thrive in a collaborative environment where your ideas are valued – we’d love to hear from you.

You’ll be the go-to person for all things video – from managing our YouTube channel and archiving footage, to ensuring every piece of content is legally sound and on brand. You'll also help shape best practices for video production across the organisation, offering guidance to colleagues and working with external suppliers to maintain high standards. This is a brilliant opportunity for someone who’s confident both behind the camera and in the editing suite, and who’s excited to use their skills to support a meaningful cause and help tell the stories that matter.

You will be contracted to our London Hub, Haig House. Under our Future Working framework, there will be some flexibility for working remotely/at home, using our collaboration tools to work with colleagues, but with a minimum expectation of two days/week connecting directly face-to-face with colleagues at the hub.

Employee benefits include -

- 28 day’s paid holiday (plus bank holidays) increasing with service, with optional annual leave purchase scheme of up to 5 working days
- Generous pension contributions, with Employer contributions ranging from 6% to 14%
- Range of flexible working options may be available, depending on your role
- Employee Assistance Programme providing confidential counselling, financial and legal advice
- Range of courses delivered by learning specialists to support your development goals and objectives
- Opportunities to volunteer
- Travel loans, Cycle to Work, and more!

For more detailed information about the role, please see our Vacancy Information Pack attached to our direct advert.

RBL is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive organisation, reflecting the diversity of the armed forces community and of wider society. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and personal characteristics.

We may close this vacancy early if we believe we have enough strong applications to be able to successfully fill the role(s). Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Support Worker at Plus Services

Are you a positive, engaging and caring person that wants to make a real difference to the world?

Do you think the greatest gift you can give is to make other people’s lives better?

Do you believe that people living with Learning Disabilities and Autism should have happy fulfilling lives, with access to the Community and enjoy the same things the rest of us take for granted?

If you answered “Yes” to these 3 Questions then Plus has an amazing role for you!!!!!
 
Who are Plus Services?

Plus is one of the most respected Learning Disability and Autism Charities in London with a proud history stretching back more than 30 years.  We have an amazing team that is dedicated to supporting people to live their best possible lives and we have literally changed people’s worlds with the support we have provided.

Our Client Group is quite varied and during the recruitment process you would be specifically recruited to work with those that your personality, skills and experience would fit best with.  Some have really challenging behaviour, but unless you had the capability to best serve those people you would be assigned to a different group.  So, there is no need to worry about being out of your depth.

We also provide industry leading training and on-going support, so rest assured you will be ready for anything the job throws at you.  I cannot promise you it will be easy, but I can promise you it will be worth it.  And when you go home you will know you have made a massive difference and the world is a slightly better place as a result of your efforts.

Who are you?

You are a caring, compassionate and capable individual?  You could be either already working within Social Care or are thinking about joining the sector.  We recognise everyone, regardless of their personal history, talents, abilities and unique personal qualities

What does matter is you must care and you must want to enhance the lives of the people who we support and rely on us.

You will need to be comfortable spending large amounts of your day one-to-one with the Service Users, there is no leaping from client to client here with 15 minute blocks.  You will need to be happy supporting people to learn new skills and become independent.  And you will need to thrive on taking people out into the big wide world, expanding their horizons, bringing a smile to their faces and adding a spring in to their step.

To be considered for the role you will need to be able to:

•  Do your share of weekend shifts, sleep-ins, waking nights and bank holidays.
•  Be physically fit and able to move freely and physically and to support service users who may be physically dependent.
•  Have a supportive attitude and want to help individuals to maximise their lives.
•  You must be able to support people with Learning Disabilities who have different ways of expressing themselves
•  Be eligible to work in the UK

In return we offer opportunities for professional development and real job satisfaction.  We can help you to develop your professional skills and knowledge and progress toward recognised qualifications such as Diploma in Adult & Social Care levels 3/4/5.

Available positions: 

Bank Support Worker (zero hours contact)
Location: Sutton
Salary:  £13.85 per hour.
Holidays: Based on hours accrued 

Our benefits package includes: 
• Pension contribution scheme
• Fully funded Learning and Development
• Company employee assistance programme service
•  Sleep in’s allowance

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Support Worker to join our Assessment Centre service in Kensington and Chelsea.

£28,808.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.

Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.
Our benefits include:
* Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
* Free DBS (take this out if BSW advert)
* Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
* Fully paid induction programme and further training
* A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
* Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.
132 Assessment Centre is for single homeless men and women that have links within the borough. The accommodation provides 6 separate self-contained units with on suite bedrooms, and 1 bedroomed flat. The scheme is staffed 24 hours, with Night Support Workers and Concierge cover during the evenings.

The aim of the project is to assess the individual over a 12-week period with the aim of identifying their support and housing needs. In that period, we will provide a bed for the customer to assist staff to carry out a detailed assessment to ensure that the recommendation for move on into alternative housing is captured correctly to assist move on for the individual into more suitable accommodation which is correct reflective of their needs based on our assessment/recommendation.

The role will be on a shift basis: 7.30am to 3.30pm and 2.00pm to 10pm.The team comprises of: Move on coordinator,Therapist, Housing Officer, 16 Support workers, Team Leaders x 2 and Project Manager.

What you'll do:
- Undertake initial and continuous assessment of needs including support needs and daily living skills. This would include potential risks and an assessment of the customers independent living skills as a whole.
- The initial and co-produced assessment will incorporate models of co-production, observation, and person-centred planning. This is with a view that it is solution focused as to provide a framework for progression towards independent living.
- Liaise with partner agencies regarding the assessment process seeking advice and guidance as to specialist input and clinical input as part of multi-disciplinary assessment process.
- Create support/ action plans for providing appropriate services based on the assessment and reflecting the services and resources available.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:
- Exudes a warm friendly presence and open behaviour.
- Prefers working as part of a group or team.
- Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement.
Flexible.
- Open to feedback and self development.

What you'll bring:

Essential:
NVQ Level 2 or equivalent or experience within charity/social care sector

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:
* We focus on Excellence and innovation.
* We are Caring and Compassionate.
* We are Inclusive and Trusted.
* We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Please see our website for full job description

Turn2us is a national charity tackling financial insecurity and its structural causes. We work with co-producers and partners to provide people in financial crisis with the means and agency to get back on their feet, build resilience, move forward with their lives and thrive.

As an equal opportunities employer, we are committed to equity, inclusion and diversity and the value people from different backgrounds bring to a team. If, like us, you believe everyone has the right to have enough to live on, and you are ambitious about eradicating financial insecurity, join us and build your career with a charity dedicated to ensuring dignity and equity for all.

This role is a fantastic development opportunity for anyone passionate about corporate and charity collaborations looking to take their career to the next level.

As a Corporate Partnerships Officer, you will focus on supporting our current corporate partnerships as well as helping us secure new business. You will spend the majority of your time (70%) supporting the account management of our existing partners, providing excellent stewardship, relationship management, and identifying areas for growth. The other 30% will be spent supporting our Corporate Partnerships Manager (New Business) to identify and secure new opportunities, for example with prospecting and pitches.

You will help Turn2us influence how businesses support their customers, and help co-create meaningful and impactful corporate partnerships that centre the needs and experiences of people facing financial insecurity.

With a proven track record of fundraising and partnership engagement (whether corporate or another route) you will use your strong communication and relationship management skills to develop our relationships with businesses. You’ll work closely with the corporate partnerships team and business partners to build and deliver partnerships that make a real difference. Your understanding of corporate charity partnerships and social impact, ability to influence people at a senior level, and curiosity will allow you to spot opportunities to help drive partnership working at Turn2us.

We offer flexible working patterns, both in terms of hours and remote working. Please note that all employees are required to work from the office a minimum 1 day a week.

Some roles may be required to be in the office more often than others and this will be agreed with the hiring manager upon starting at Turn2us.

Please note that all job offers are subject to 2 – 3 satisfactory references and a disclosure satisfactory to Turn2us from the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS).

Closing date: 29th June at 23:59

Interview date: 14/07/2025

To apply, please visit our website via the button below.

About Us

For 30 years, The Money Charity has been the UK’s Financial Capability charity. We proactively provide education, information, advice and guidance to people of all ages, helping them to manage their money well and increase their Financial Wellbeing. We believe that being on top of your money as a part of everyday life reduces stress and hardship, helps you achieve your goals and live a happier life as a result, so we empower people from all backgrounds across the UK to build the skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours to make the most of their money throughout their lives. We also aim to change the culture around Financial Wellbeing by working with the financial services industry to improve practices and outcomes for their consumers, and influencing policy-makers, media, industry and public attitudes.

We are a small, passionate team with a big reach and an open mind, committed to quality, accessibility and inclusiveness. We offer a flexible work environment that values creativity, personal growth and collaboration. For more information about us, please visit our website.

About the Role

A core strand of the charity’s offering works to help adults build the skills, knowledge, confidence and behaviours to manage their money well. We do this by delivering Financial Wellbeing Workshops, Webinars, Specialist Programmes, Consultancy projects and through distribution of our Money Manual. The charity works with both community (charities/social enterprises) and commercial organisations to reach adults in their context of need.

Reporting to the Director of Workplace & Community Programmes and working as part of a small team, the successful candidate for this role will support the organisation and administration of our fully-funded Financial Wellbeing Workshops, our Specialist Programme for adults with Learning Difficulties, and other ad-hoc Community-oriented projects. Our Community Workshops and Programmes are delivered in partnership with organisations in a range of settings up and down the UK, with the participants being their beneficiaries or service users. The Workshops themselves are delivered by our training consultants who also undertake local outreach work to find new organisations and groups to partner with, supporting our central marketing efforts. This is a brand new role on the team to help us grow our reach as part of our new 2025-2028 strategy.

This is a varied role which provides an exciting opportunity to learn about how a small, innovative charity works, make a huge positive impact through the Workshops and Programmes you will be responsible for administering, and build or enhance your professional network across a wide portfolio of charities and community organisations. The Workplace & Community team has a strong focus on personal and professional development and operates an empowering, learning culture so that individuals may learn and thrive in their roles and careers.

Closing Date – 11:59pm, Monday 16 June 2025

Interviews – 1st round week commencing 23 & 30 June 2025 (virtually). 2nd round week commencing 7 & 14 July 2025 (face-to-face in our offices).

Please visit our website for the full job description including the application details.

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a full time Estates & Maintenance Manager at SSAFA The Royal Homes Estate, based in Wimbledon.

About the role

We are seeking a dedicated Estates & Maintenance Manager to ensure The Royal Homes Estate is a safe, efficient and well-maintained environment for the benefit of residents at Queens Alexandra Court. The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining the buildings to the highest possible standards, effectively delivering key projects and managing all maintenance systems in-line with appropriate guidance, warranties and best practice.

This role also includes conducting routine inspections across the estate, handling plumbing, electrical, carpentry and other maintenance tasks.

Additionally, the successful candidate will oversee the ongoing Quinquennial works, collaborating with the Quinquennial inspector and external contractors to ensure all repair work is completed successfully.

About the team

You will be part of a small dedicated and compassionate team based at The Royal Homes Estate, with direct line management responsibility for three members of the maintenance team. You will have the opportunity to work closely with co-workers who are highly trained, experienced and supportive.

About you

To carry out this role successfully you will have recognised skills in the maintenance/building trade and have an understanding of Health & Safety requirements and regulations. Strong negotiating and communication skills are essential, along with the ability to understand and maintain communication with a wide range of contractors. You will have a practical and hands on approach, with the ability to manage maintenance issues around the site where appropriate.

You will be able to prioritise and plan your workload efficiently, with a thorough and meticulous approach.

Additionally experience of managing a small team is required.

About SSAFA

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity is a trusted source of support for the Armed Forces community in their time of need. In 2023 our trained teams of volunteers and employees helped more than 53,000 people, including veterans, serving personnel (regulars and reserves) and their families.

SSAFA understands that behind every uniform is a person. And we are here for that person and their family, any time they need us and in any way they need us.

Diversity and Inclusion at SSAFA

SSAFA exists to support a diverse range of beneficiaries within the armed forces community, and we believe diversity within our teams is key to ensuring we can deliver our services effectively. We thrive on differences and believe it is critical to our success as a worldwide charity. SSAFA is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace that seeks to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We therefore encourage applications from all genders, races, religions, ages and sexual orientations, as well as parents, veterans, people living with disabilities, and any other groups that could bring diverse perspectives to our business.

SSAFA is committed to using the Disclosure & Barring Service to ensure we, as an employer, safeguard those we serve.

No agencies please. Any unsolicited submissions from agencies will be accepted as a direct application from the candidate and no fees will be payable.

Closing date: Midnight on Tuesday 17 June 2025. SSAFA reserves the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Interviews: TBC

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Specialist Behavioural Support Worker to join our Stratford Road service in Newham.

£14,555.00 per annum, working 20 hours per week.

Want to feel like you're making a difference? You'll feel at home here.

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

Our benefits include:

Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service

Free DBS

Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card

Fully paid induction programme and further training

ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes

Healthcare Cashplan through our partner Healthshield

Cycle to work scheme

Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support

Online wellbeing resources

A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)

Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

Specialist Support Workers provide information, social inclusion and vocational opportunities to support people to recover and stay well; exercise choice and control in their care and lives; and participate on an equal footing in the community. Support is also provided to develop a model of re-enablement towards self-advocacy, self-management and empowerment, incorporating the principles and practice of recovery, co-production and peer support.

This role is a male only role due to the customer's support needs.

For a full job description, please visit our website.

As co-production is at the heart of our work, we believe it is important to involve our customers when recruiting for their support staff. Our customer says:

"Hi, I'm A. and I am a 30-year-old man who lives in a supported living accommodation in Newham since 2018.

I am a happy young man who enjoys socialising with those around me. I mostly communicate through non-verbal language, touch, and vocalisations. I have a good relationship with my family and get excited when they visit me.

I enjoy spending time in nature and like going for walks in the local parks. I also enjoy car rides and would prefer that people who support me have a current UK driving licence (I have my own Motability car).

I have specific sensory needs, those around me must be mindful of those.

I like to be surrounded by people who can creatively engage me in tasks and activities and offer me choices and opportunities to develop my daily living skills.

I might experience difficulties understanding and managing my emotions and behaviours at times. People working with me must be able to support me in such challenging situations through Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) strategies as detailed in my support plan.

I am looking for a caring and passionate individual to support me with my daily living skills, building and maintaining relationships, keeping myself and my home safe but also to help me develop my skills to live more independently, to share my hobbies and interests and to explore new activities.

I am looking for someone who is a good and clear communicator, is assertive, has good IT skills and shares my enthusiasm for what interests me, like music, food and meaningful activities.

Look Ahead ensures I am treated with dignity and respect and only staff who can live up to the organisational values become part of my support team."

What you'll bring:

NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent with some or equivalent sector work experience

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

We focus on Excellence and innovation.
We are Caring and Compassionate.
We are Inclusive and Trusted.
We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role. We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date. We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

A fantastic opportunity has arisen to join Westway Trust as a Team Administrator, providing efficient and responsive administrative support to the Property Department, playing a key role in ensuring the annual cycle of organisational requirements in terms of administration are well planned, on track and delivered by the relevant part of the team. 

You will be a friendly, motivated, pro-active and experienced Administrator who will have the right blend and balance of people skills with the ability to drive work packages. You’ll be comfortable in connecting with wider colleagues and tenants on the Westway Trust 23 acres estate, with the ability to listen and gather a range of source material and feed these back into the work of the Property Team.

If you thrive in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, enjoy problem-solving, and committed to supporting the North Kensington community, this role is for you.

Key responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:

• Provide efficient and effective administrative support to the Head of Property and the Property Managers, including the scheduling of team meetings.
• Initial point of contact for enquiries to the Property team.
• Manage routine office duties such as invoice requests and expenses.
• Schedule in key team tasks within the peaks and troughs of the range of team activities.
• Schedule Committee Meetings and attend in the capacity of the minute taker. Work with the team to prepare and collate the papers. Follow-up on actions for timely reporting.
• You will ensure time is set aside by the whole team to meet organisational goals, such as performance reviews, work to achieve the organisation’s annual audit, service charge reconciliation, and contractor reviews.
• You may be asked to commission regular cyclical reports from external providers and ensure they are delivered on time ready for upward reporting.
• You may be asked to organise emails, create presentations, and work within the teams filing system.
• You will receive reports from key team members and ensure they are ready to present through the Governance.
• You will co-ordinate and collage high level data collection provided by others for upward reporting.
• You will ensure key project information regarding estate development is circulated to the lettings and leasing side of the Property Team’s operation. This may involve calling on others in the organisation to assist.
• You will nurture positive relationships and information flow within the team groupings.

Essential Experience, Skills and Attributes

• Minimum 5 years’ administration experience working in a busy office, with strong organisational and time management skills.
• Experience of designing and delivering high quality, proactive project administration.
• Experience of scheduling and dealing with Committees.
• Proficient IT skills, across Microsoft Office, and willing to learn new systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to create presentations and other communications.
• Experience of research.
• Experience of creating useful templates to support projects.
• Experience in prioritising competing demands and workloads.
• Experience of team-working and collaboration with an eye for detail.
• You will be assertive, able to use your own initiative and capable of managing upwards with tact.
• Understanding of Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion and commitment to working with and for diverse communities, equality of opportunity and anti-racism.

Desirable 

• Experience within any field of Property, Construction, or Estate Management
• A good understanding of the local area (North Kensington).

Benefits of working with us:

• Great location in the heart of Portobello, North Kensington
• Generous holiday entitlement of 25 days per year + statutory bank holidays
• Sick pay scheme
• Investor in People (IiP) employer
• Free gym membership at health club one minute walk from the office
• Pension scheme
• Life Assurance
• Season ticket / bicycle loan
• Free eye test voucher

The application deadline is  Wednesday 18 June when applications will be reviewed and shortlisted for interview.  However, we reserve the right to close the application early. An early application is strongly recommended.