Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Job Description:
Youth Advantage UK is seeking a volunteer Director of National Impact to develop and lead its National Impact Directorate in identifying and delivering on opportunities for the organisation to grow its impact. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring the Directorate’s two Departments (Research and Project) produce high-quality research and related projects and events able to influence decision-making and policy on a national scale in line with the organisation’s strategic priorities. Working closely with the COO and the Policy and Ethics teams, the ideal candidate will use their prior experience to effectively guide and strengthen the organisation’s ability to enable evidence-based, national change. They should have excellent writing and speaking skills, IT literacy, and the ability to work well independently and in a team.
This role reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer.
Responsibilities:
● In line with the organisation’s strategic priorities, to lead the National Impact Directorate in designing, developing and implementing impactful research and project objectives.
● To line manage the Head of the National Impact Research Department and the Head of the National Impact Project Department, supporting them to effectively manage their own teams and to develop and implement the frameworks necessary for producing top quality research output (including academic articles) and subsequent events, campaigns and project relating to research findings and organisational strategy respectively.
● To work with HR in creating a strong National Impact Directorate composed of individuals with the appropriate skills and expertise. To ensure these volunteers are appropriately supported and trained during their period of service.
● To work alongside the Policy team to source potential commissions and influencing opportunities, shaping research and project focus and output accordingly.
● To develop short- and long-term strategies in relation to both aspects of the Directorate’s activity, ensuring that these align with the wider strategies of the organisation.
● To liaise with the Policy and Ethics teams on an ongoing basis, ensuring that their advice is incorporated into Directorate decisions and output.
● To take responsibility for relationships with key external stakeholders, at all times representing the organisation positively and professionally.
● To work on an on-going basis with the other members of the organisation’s Senior Leadership Team in determining its strategic priorities and incorporating these into the Directorate.
● To monitor, analyse and respond to external trends which impact on the organisation’s strategies and the National Impact Directorate’s activities.
● To work closely with the organisation’s Communications team in developing and implementing effective strategies to raise the organisation’s profile and impact.
● To create blogs and articles on related issues and to find and distribute information on related topics which may be of interest to the other organisation members.
● To support the Chief Executive Officer in presenting national impact strategies to Youth Advantage’s Trustees.
Requirements:
● Experience in research and planning, as well as leading key campaigns or programmes.
● High-level understanding of carrying out quality research, ideally in an area related to the organisation’s priorities.
● Excellent knowledge of a range of methods and approaches to effectively disseminating research results.
● Excellent leadership and organisational skills, with proven experience of setting priorities and motivating team members.
● Excellent writing and speaking skills.
● IT literacy, including proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Suite.
● Ability to work well independently and in a team.
● Strong attention to detail and organisational skills.
● Ability to prioritise tasks and manage time effectively.
Benefits
● Gain valuable experience in leading a research and project team.
● Opportunity to work with a dedicated and passionate team.
● Flexible working hours.
Skills and Education Group is seeking an experienced board leader with strong governance expertise and a track record in complex organisations, ideally within education; to join us as our new Chair. If you're ready to provide strategic oversight and guide us through our next phase, this is a unique opportunity to shape the future of a respected organisation.
Location: Homebased with occasional in person meetings
Time commitment: 4 board meetings per year plus any additional meetings
Closing date: 9 a.m. Tuesday 12th August
About Skills and Education Group
The Skills and Education Group is a purpose-driven organisation dedicated to improving lives through further education, assessment, and social impact. With a portfolio that spans regulated awarding organisations, access to HE qualifications, and a membership body, CPD offer & charitable foundation, Skills and Education Group operates as a federated group committed to supporting individuals, providers, and communities across the UK.
Comprising Skills and Education Group Awards, BIIAB, and Skills and Education Group Access, our qualifications support lifelong learning and workforce readiness across a wide range of sectors. Our membership body represents the further education & skills sector bringing together professionals to access relevant & credible CPD and accessing the charitable foundation which provides grants and professional development to frontline educators and learners, ensuring we contribute meaningfully to social mobility and educational equity.
About the role
Following a period of significant leadership changes and organisational review, Skills and Education Group has stabilised under successful interim leadership and is now focused on building a sustainable future.
We are seeking a new Chair who will bring strategic vision and confident leadership to support the Board in consolidating recent progress and driving the organisation’s next phase of development.
Your role will involve leading the Board to ensure robust governance and effective oversight, developing collaborative relationships with executive leadership and key stakeholders, and maintaining a clear focus on the organisation’s core purpose amid evolving challenges.
The Chair of the Group Board will work closely with the CE, guiding their strategic leadership and supporting them to drive forward the organisation’s ambition and deliver associated targets.
A key part of your role will be contributing to the continued development and reform of our governance structure, ensuring it is fit for purpose and aligned with the Group’s financial, commercial and social objectives, as well as the expectations of our regulators.
You will also have the opportunity to contribute to the recruitment process for the newly appointed Chief Executive(CE), as the organisation positions itself for sustainable growth and impact.
Who we are looking for
We are seeking a governance professional with proven experience as a Chair, Vice Chair, or chairing significant committees within complex or regulated organisations—preferably in the education sector. You will bring strategic insight, sound judgement, and the ability to support an organisation working its way through a period of significant change.
You will be confident leading a Board through transition, striking the right balance between encouraging open discussion, robust debate and thoughtful challenge, while ensuring that meetings remain focused, decisions are made, and consensus is achieved.
A collaborative and transparent leadership style will enable you to build trust across the Board, leadership team, and wider stakeholders, supporting high standards of governance and accountability.
A deep commitment to the public value of education, alongside a passion for upholding high standards of governance and accountability, is essential. You will bring clarity, focus, and resilience to the role, helping the Group navigate complexity while maintaining its core purpose and ambitions for growth.
Remuneration
The position of Chair of Skills and Education Group is unremunerated, but reasonable expenses are paid.
Time commitment
As Chair, you will be expected to dedicate sufficient time to effectively fulfil your duties, including attendance at Board meetings.
The Skills and Education Group Board comprises 10 Trustees, including the CE and Chairs of the Awards/BIIAB and Access Boards.
The Board has statutory and fiduciary responsibilities under Charity Law and the Companies Act. It is responsible for setting the organisation’s strategy and providing constructive challenge to the executive leadership, who manage day-to-day operations.
The Board meets at least four times a year, recently with additional combined meetings held regularly alongside the Awards/BIIAB and Access Boards to ensure coordinated governance across the Group. The majority of meetings are held remotely. It is expected that the Chair of the Group Board will regularly meet with the CE, ideally in-person at the company headquarters in Nottingham.
Please click 'Redirect to recruiter’ to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you can find full details of the candidate profile and register your interest to apply.
Applications for this role close at 9 a.m. Tuesday 12th August.
We’re an executive search firm working across third sector, education and membership sectors to transform leadership and inspire change.

Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Say Aphasia is seeking an enthusiastic and skilled volunteer grant writer to join our small but dedicated team. As a proactive member of our charity, you will help secure funding to support people living with Aphasia—a communication disability that affects over 360,000 people across the UK.
Job description:
As our Grant Writer you will be responsible for identifying appropriate grant opportunities, and managing the grant development and proposal process from research to submitting grant applications with any supporting documents.
As our grant writer, you will:
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Identify appropriate sources of funding where we fit their criteria.
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Write appropriately tailored grant/funding bids that meet funders’ interests and requirements and to write any additional documents in support of funding bids.
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Help develop a Trusts and Foundations strategy to help create and maintain strong and diverse income that meets Say Aphasia’s funding needs.
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Create a calendar of grant deadlines and track submitted funding proposals.
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Help us develop a case for support.
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The bid writer will receive a percentage from successful funding received from their submitted applications.
If you are an experienced grant writer or you just enjoy researching and persuasive writing then we would love to hear from you.
We are looking for a someone who has:
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Experience of being a grant writer, project proposal writer, marketing, or nonprofit development.
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Excellent writing, analytical, and research skills are essential.
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Creative and persuasive written and spoken communication skills.
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Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to inspire and engage diverse audiences.
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Self-motivated and highly-organised.
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Ability to work remotely.
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Ability to search online databases and other sources to identify appropriate funds.
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An understanding of how grant funding works, and the variety of requirements from different Trusts and Foundations.
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Ability to organise your own work, track and report back regularly.
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Ideally have a good network of people, organisations and charities which can help us to support our projects.
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Determination to get the job done.
You would be working closely with the charity’s Service Manager, with regular updates and remote meetings as needed. We have an induction process that will help successful applicants to understand how our charity operates. We would like to offer the volunteer a commission on successful grant applications.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.