Visionary chief executive officer jobs

We’re an award-winning charity running local learning centres in the heart of the communities where the young people we support live. Our centres provide a high-impact education programme which includes practical learning support, pastoral care, and motivational and confidence-building activities for young people aged 7-18. Our aim is to enable students from the least advantaged neighbourhoods to realise their ambitions and achieve their wonderful potential.

As the UK’s leading university access organisation, our staff team is helping over 50,000 young people each year at its 44 learning centres and extension projects across England and Scotland, and we plan to scale-up our provision to 50 centres over the coming years.

We are looking for someone who will enjoy working each day with young people and who will thrive in a frontline, community-based, fast-paced and rewarding role. You will be taking up a fixed-term contract as an Education Worker at our
centre in Southampton.

Location: IntoUniversity Southampton
Contract: Full-time, fixed-term until July 2026
Applications close: 9am Tuesday 31st March 2026
Start date: As soon as possible, to be agreed directly with the successful candidate

Salary

£28,250 per annum

What could my day look like?

The Education Worker role is a frontline, fast-paced and rewarding role where no two weeks will look the same. A typical day will have different activities, possibly spread between the IntoUniversity centre, partner schools and the offices of a corporate partner.

In the morning, you might be setting off with resources to run a workshop for sixth-form students in their secondary school. In the afternoon you may be setting up the classroom ahead of running Primary Academic Support for young people in your IntoUniversity centre. On other days, you may be travelling to a corporate partner to run a business simulation workshop for 15 year-olds or leading a group of final year primary school students on a campus visit for their graduation.

As an Education Worker, you’ll always be delivering the programme as part of your centre team, which means that any delivery is always a team effort. 

Neotree: The Digital Learning Health System

Neotree is an award-winning digital learning health system co-designed with frontline clinicians to end preventable newborn deaths in low-resource settings. Our open-source platform integrates real-time, knowledge-based clinical decision support (CDS), structured data capture, and visual dashboards into routine neonatal care. Currently active in 18 healthcare facilities, Neotree has supported care for 60,000 newborns and trained over 3,000 health workers to date. Neotree is the only platform of its kind with a defined pathway to embed AI-enabled decision support into routine neonatal care in sub-Saharan Africa.

Neotree: The Charity

The UK charity was established by core members of the University College London (UCL) Neotree research project to maximise the impact of their research on the quality of newborn care and newborn mortality. After five years of rapid growth and proven clinical impact, Neotree is seeking a visionary Executive Director to lead our next chapter. Having evolved from an innovative research pilot into a multi-country digital health intervention, integrated into routine neonatal care in Malawi and Zimbabwe, Neotree is poised for national-scale rollout and scale up, alongside rigorous ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

The Opportunity: Impact at Scale

By 2030 the ambition is for Neotree to be a fully integrated, sustainable standard of care across Malawi and Zimbabwe, having been handed over to, and owned by, their respective Ministries of Health. The incoming Executive Director will lead this transition, shifting the organisation from a research-led implementation partner to one able to scale up a digital public good (currently a DPGA Nominee with a full submission for DPG designation under review).

While the technological landscape, and specific delivery modules, will evolve, the Executive Director will ensure Neotree remains a safe, cost-effective, equitable, and evidence-based system that is successfully embedded within national digital health infrastructures.

The Executive Director's success will be measured collaboratively, focusing on KPIs related to impact and sustainability, and they will work alongside experienced clinical, technical, and academic leads.

Location: Remote within 2-3 hours of Central Africa Time (CAT), with approximately quarterly travel (including to Malawi, Zimbabwe and the UK).

Reports to: Board of Trustees

Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week)

Key Responsibilities

1. Operations, Clinical Safety & Quality Assurance

1.1. Senior Operational Oversight: Provide high-level oversight of Neotree’s operations across 18 healthcare facilities in Malawi and Zimbabwe, ensuring that the "baby-first" mission is consistently delivered on the ground.

1.2. Clinical Safety & Ethical Governance: Lead the overarching strategy for clinical safety and ethical compliance. Ensure the platform remains a safe and effective clinical tool, and that all operations comply with international data protection and health governance best practices.

1.3. Quality & Effectiveness: Oversee the continuous improvement and optimisation of the Neotree platform based on real-world feedback from frontline clinical staff, ensuring the system remains highly acceptable and trusted by healthcare professionals.

2. Management: People, Grants & Finance

2.1. International Team Leadership: Lead, oversee and inspire a multi-disciplinary, multi-country team (UK, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa), fostering a culture of agility, collaboration, and excellence.

2.2. Develop local leadership and support the growth of country-based teams, ensuring long-term sustainability through in-country capacity building.

2.3. Financial & Grant Management:

2.3.1. Provide robust oversight of the charity’s finances, including budget setting and cash flow.

2.3.2. Lead the management of complex institutional grants (e.g. FCDO, Gates Foundation), ensuring all milestones and reporting requirements are met.

2.3.3. Manage relationships with multiple downstream partners.

3. Governance & Accountability

3.1. Statutory Compliance: Lead Neotree’s reporting and compliance with the Charity Commission, HMRC, Companies House, donors and other relevant legislation. Oversee internal and external audits.

3.2. Board Development & Relations: Act as the primary link to the Board of Trustees, providing transparent reporting on risks, financial performance, and strategic progress. Work proactively with the Chair to strengthen the board, supporting its growth and ensuring its membership is representative of the diverse international contexts and communities Neotree serves.

3.3. Risk Management: Serve as the ultimate lead for organisational risk, identifying and mitigating risks to protect the charity’s reputation, clinical safety, and financial health.

3.4. Organisational & Innovation Governance: Responsible for the continuous review and implementation of all policies (HR, due diligence, safeguarding, clinical and data governance etc.). Ensure policies are legally compliant across international operations.

4. Strategy & Impact Scaling

4.1. Overall Strategy: Lead the development and execution of Neotree’s business model and strategy to scale impact globally, ensuring the sustainable growth and wider adoption of Neotree as a digital public good.

4.2. Evidence base: Work closely with Neotree’s academic team at University College London to identify and address evidence gaps, to support on Neotree research grants (e.g. NIHR, Gates Foundation), and to ensure academic insights are translated directly into clinical impact and national policy.

4.3. Tech Strategy & Interoperability: Lead the development and execution of Neotree's digital strategy. A key focus will be driving the roadmap for system interoperability to ensure Neotree is a future-proofed platform. This includes FHIR compatibility and integration with national systems, such as DHIS2 and national EHRs, to support seamless data exchange.

4.4. Fundraising Strategy: Design and deliver a diverse fundraising strategy that further moves the organisation toward financial resilience and reduced dependence on major academic grants.

4.5. Partnerships & External Relations: Serve as one of the primary ambassadors for Neotree, alongside our Principal Investigators and co-founder Professor Michelle Heys. Define priority stakeholders, and build and maintain relationships with those high-level strategic partners to drive adoption and raise Neotree’s profile.

Key Priorities for the First 12-18 Months

The new Executive Director will focus on the following key priorities during their initial 12-18 months:

1. Successful Project Delivery & Ministry of Health Partnerships. Ensure successful delivery of the projects currently in flight, in both Malawi and Zimbabwe. This includes partnerships with the Ministries of Health in both countries to build and hand over neonatal modules in their EHR systems based on Neotree, and support their successful rollout.

2. Strategic Plan Development. Develop a 3-5 year plan with the Board, academic partners, and wider project team to build on our existing foundation to expand Neotree – including addressing research gaps, using AI to improve clinical decision support, and finding ways to expand the adoption of the technology in Zimbabwe, Malawi, and beyond. Sustainability is a core part of that strategy.

3. Strategic Plan Execution. Execute on that plan, including securing funding, building partnerships, and further developing the Neotree team.

Person Specification

Personal attributes and skillset

• Overall: Values-driven, mission alignment, humility, and commitment to equitable partnership.
• Visionary Leadership: An inspiring leader who can balance day-to-day operations with a long-term strategic focus. You can articulate a clear future for Neotree that motivates an international team and aligns global partners toward making Neotree a national standard of care, ensuring every innovation remains underpinned by our "baby-first" mission.
• Adaptability & Flexibility: You must thrive in a landscape that is constantly shifting. You can pivot strategies as national digital health priorities evolve or as new technological partners emerge. You are comfortable with ambiguity and can steer the organisation through the "unknowns" of the next five+ years.
• Communication & Collaborative Mindset: You are a bridge-builder. You have a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across international borders and multidisciplinary partners, linking academic research, technical development, and frontline clinical delivery.

Experience

1. Education: Master’s degree (MSc, MPH, MBA) in a relevant field (e.g. Global Health, International Development, Digital Health).

2. Proven track record of overseeing delivery of health services and/or health interventions (ideally in low-resource settings).

3. Experience of working in partnership with Ministries of Health strengthening health systems.

4. Proven experience in scaling an organisation or a digital product / health intervention from a pilot phase to a national or regional standard.

5. Experience of leading multidisciplinary, multi-cultural teams, both in person and remotely.

6. Experience of monitoring and evaluating health programmes.

7. Experience managing complex grants, and diverse revenue streams (grants, philanthropy, or social enterprise models).

Desirable

• AI & Innovation: Understanding of the ethical and practical implications of integrating AI/Machine Learning into healthcare.
• Governance: Familiarity with UK charity governance, including reporting to the Charity Commission and Companies House.

Equal opportunities

Neotree values diversity and is committed to equal opportunities. All applicants for employment will receive equal treatment without discrimination on grounds of gender, race, ethnic or national origins, disability, gender identity or sexual orientation, or any other grounds. We are particularly interested in receiving applications from candidates from minority ethnic backgrounds, and the low-resource settings in which we work, to ensure we have a well-balanced and widely representative staff base.

Chief Executive

We are now seeking an exceptional new leader to guide City Year UK into its next phase.

Position: Chief Executive

Location: London, with regular travel to Birmingham, Manchester and other UK locations as required

Hours: Full-time

Salary: £80-90k dependent on experience

Duration: Permanent

Closing Date: 10.00am on Monday 23th March 2026.

Interviews: March 2026.

Who we are

For over 15 years, City Year UK has stood alongside children and young people across the UK, helping them to discover their potential and believe in what they can achieve. As a leading youth and education charity, we inspire and empower young people to dedicate a year of service, volunteering with us to support children in schools, reduce youth unemployment, and strengthen communities.

Our City Year mentors work in schools serving children who are often furthest from opportunity. They provide consistent and caring support that helps pupils feel valued, motivated, and capable of success. By building trusted relationships, boosting confidence, and encouraging a love of learning, our mentors make a meaningful and lasting difference in the lives of the children they serve.

The Role

We are now seeking an exceptional new leader to guide City Year UK into its next phase. This is an important moment for the organisation and an opportunity to shape the future of a movement that is changing lives. Building on strong foundations, the next Chief Executive will lead the organisation as we strengthen and expand our programmes, deepen our impact, and play a leading role in the development of a UK Year of Service that supports children and young people across the country.

This is a pivotal moment for the organisation. With the full support of the Board, the next Chief Executive will lead City Year UK into a focused next phase, securing financial resilience, strengthening delivery, and ensuring sustainable long term impact.

Main responsibilities include:

• Fundraising and Development
• Strategy and Leadership
• Governance
• External Engagement
• Programme Delivery
• Finance and People

About You

We are looking for an inspiring leader who is passionate about unlocking the potential of young people, championing educational equality, and driving lasting change. You’ll bring a strong track record of strategic leadership and fundraising in the charity sector, along with the vision and energy to lead City Year UK into an ambitious new chapter. Skilled at building powerful partnerships, navigating complex stakeholder environments, and championing an inclusive, purpose-driven culture, you’ll also be a dynamic fundraiser, ready to support the growth and diversification of our income so we can expand our impact even further.

Experience, Knowledge and Skills:

• A proven track record of senior leadership and management at a Chief Executive or Director level, likely in the charity or mission-driven sector
• Experience leading a complex organisation, with strong financial oversight, including managing a budget of comparable scale
• Demonstrated success in securing £1.5m+ a year of funding aligned with programme delivery; strong understanding of the connection between mission and sustainability
• Excellent leadership, management and team-building skills with a collaborative working style
• Strong political and organisational awareness, with the ability to navigate diverse stakeholder environments
• Exceptional relationship-building skills and experience working with senior stakeholders across sectors
• Outstanding communication skills—written, verbal, listening, and presenting

Please apply by uploading your CV and a supporting statement responding to the two questions set out in the Recruitment Pack. Your statement should clearly demonstrate your relevant experience, leadership capability and track record in relation to this role. Due to the high volume of CVs received, we can only respond back to the successful candidates.

Employee Benefits

• Annual leave: 25 days per annum, rising to 28 days, plus 3 Christmas Grace days
• A matched pension scheme with 4% standard employer contributions and matched up to 5%.
• An organisational culture that values its employees and places particular emphasis on fairness and transparency.
• Sector-leading training, with qualifications up to master's degree level funded under the apprenticeship levy.
• 2 Volunteering days per year - pursue a project you’re passionate about
• 2 Wellbeing days per year
• A comprehensive wellbeing service designed to support the overall wellness of employees
• Interest-free travel season ticket loans, bike loans under the “Cycle to Work Scheme” and loans to assist employees with welfare or financial hardship
• Enhanced sick pay for up to 6 weeks

Other areas of experience may include CEO, COO, Chief Exec, Chief Executive, Director, Managing Director, HR, Finance, Operations.

Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client – Not For Profit People.

Are you a visionary leader who can help shape the next stage of our work to protect, create and restore Scotland’s woodlands?

We are looking for our next Chief Executive, someone who can lead the charity into an exciting period of growth and change.

FWS is a Scottish charity working to create a Scotland where trees and native woodlands are thriving for our wildlife, communities and climate.  Our mission is to protect, create and restore these vital habitats through knowledge, partnership and practical action.

Founded in 2012 to support innovative thinking for trees and native woodlands, we have grown into an organisation delivering practical action at scale. Today, our work stretches from city spaces to wild places — supporting farmers and landowners to create or restore native woodlands, strengthening local nurseries, building sector skills, and bringing trees into everyday landscapes across Scotland.

The organisation has grown rapidly over the past three years, and now operates as a team of seven delivering national programmes across Scotland.

About the role

This is a rare opportunity to shape a small, ambitious and high‑performing charity at a time of growth and increasing national influence.

As Chief Executive, you will report to and work closely with our Board of Trustees, providing strategic leadership and acting as the organisation’s senior representative. You will:

• Lead the delivery of our strategic plan and future direction
• Strengthen partnerships across the woodland, environmental, community and land‑use sectors
• Oversee programme delivery and organisational performance
• Support, motivate and develop our small and committed team of seven, working across programmes, fundraising and communications
• Represent Future Woodlands Scotland at senior levels across Scotland

You will bring strategic clarity, a collaborative leadership style, and the ability to build strong, trusted relationships across sectors and with funders.

Location

This role is Scotland-based, working from home with travel across Scotland to meetings. Our current team is spread across Dumfries & Galloway, Lothian, Central Scotland and Aberdeenshire.

Contract and salary

• 8% employer pension contribution
• Permanent, part‑time (3 days per week)
• £65,000–£75,000 FTE, depending on experience
• 25 days annual leave + 10 public holidays (pro rata)
• Additional annual leave increasing with length of service, up to a maximum of 10 additional days.

How to apply

Before applying, please read the Candidate Pack for full details of the role, responsibilities and the application process. You can find it on our website. 

Invitations are invited from suitably qualified people and applications should consist of a CV and covering letter. The covering letter should explain how you meet the essential skills set out in the Candidate Pack and what you would bring to Future Woodlands Scotland.

If you would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Shireen Chambers to arrange a call (details in Candidate Pack).

Key dates:

• Application deadline: Midday, Monday 16 March 2026
• Interviews: Monday, 30 March 2026, in Edinburgh in person

Location: Hybrid – flexible mix of homeworking, attendance at London and Horsham offices, with regular travel across England and Wales.

Salary: c£130,000

Contract: Permanent, full-time

For more than 200 years, the RSPCA has stood at the forefront of the fight against animal cruelty – shaping landmark legislation, rescuing and rehabilitating countless animals, and inspiring generations of people to take action.

As the organisation enters its third century, the challenges animals face today are among the most complex and urgent in our history - from climate change and intensive farming to economic and social change. With a refreshed strategy and strong foundations in place, the charity is ready to meet the challenges ahead – and to do so with ambition, courage, clarity of purpose and with one voice.

The role

The RSPCA is seeking a collaborative, imaginative and visionary Executive Director of Engagement and Income Generation who can inspire colleagues and champion a fully integrated, audience-led engagement culture, and grow impact, influence and income for animals.

This is a rare opportunity to help shape the future of one of the UK’s most trusted charities – driving bold and innovative income generation and engagement strategies, embracing technology, strengthening brand and reach, and deepening the connection with supporters across the diverse communities they serve.

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, you will drive sustainable growth in audience engagement, supporter generosity and fundraising income through the development and delivery of compelling, integrated engagement and income generation strategies. You will help bring the RSPCA’s 2030 strategy to life by placing supporter commitment across time, money and voice at the heart of their approach, ensuring that every interaction with the RSPCA is meaningful, high-quality and trusted – helping to strengthen their reach, reputation, and ability to make a lasting difference for animals.

About you

You are a collaborative, emotionally intelligent leader with extensive, in-depth experience in income generation, marketing and communications. You bring a strong track record of inspiring high-performing teams and a proven ability to develop strategy and implement large-scale transformational change that drives sustainable growth in audience engagement. An outstanding communicator, you influence with clarity and credibility and thrive in complex, fast-changing environments.

Above all, you are motivated by a sense of purpose and driven by the opportunity to create meaningful, lasting change for animals.

Click through to view our full Candidate Pack for everything you need to know, including how to apply.

Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 9 March.

PLEASE NOTE: We will be longlisting applications as soon as we receive them, so please apply early to register your interest.

Lead an organisation that transforms lives through literacy
Executive Director - Adult Literacy Trust
Time Commitment: 3-4 days per week
Location: Primarily home based, with regular meetings across London
Salary: £75,000 FTE (pro rata), plus pension and holiday entitlement

About Adult Literacy Trust
The Adult Literacy Trust (ALT) believes that reading is a right, not a privilege. Today, more than 8 million adults in the UK struggle with functional literacy, limiting their access to education, employment, independence and opportunity. ALT exists to change that.

Founded in 2021, ALT provides personalised, one to one reading support for disadvantaged adults across some of London's most deprived communities. Volunteer Reading Coaches help learners build confidence, unlock opportunities, and rewrite the narrative of their lives. Retention among learners and volunteers is exceptionally high, and demand for the programme continues to grow.

Why This Role Matters
As Executive Director, you will shape a charity with the potential to change many lives.

You will:
- Drive strategic growth by leading an exciting expansion that will see ALT scale its programme across London and beyond.
- Champion the cause nationally, raising ALT's profile and influencing the policy landscape around adult literacy.
- Strengthen organisational foundations to ensure robust governance, financial sustainability, and operational excellence.
- Build powerful partnerships with funders, adult learning providers, policymakers, and community organisations.
- Lead and empower a small, talented team - cultivating a culture of collaboration, commitment and learner centred impact.
- Amplify learner and volunteer voices by ensuring that those directly affected help shape our work.

What Makes This Opportunity Inspiring
- Improving literacy delivers life changing outcomes: employment, wellbeing, independence, confidence and community connection. Every adult who learns to read improves their own life chances and that of their family.
- ALT has a proven model, a solid funding base, excellent evaluation, a committed volunteer base, and a highly engaged Board (including trustees with lived experience).
- ALT is poised to expand rapidly and influence systemic change within the adult learning ecosystem.
- This role combines strategic leadership with hands on delivery. Perfect for someone who thrives in mission driven, entrepreneurial environments.

Ideal Candidate Profile
Skills and Experience
- Strategic leader with experience spanning operations, external affairs, and organisational growth.
- Proven fundraising track record, especially securing multi year grants; experience with major donors beneficial.
- Skilled relationship builder able to represent an organisation with credibility and warmth.
- Experience of financial management, governance, and compliance within a charity setting.
- Understanding of adult learning, literacy or education is desirable, but not essential.

Personal Attributes
- Visionary and adaptable, with strong strategic insight.
- Empathetic, collaborative and grounded in purpose.
- Excellent communicator, comfortable representing ALT publicly.
- Practical, hands on leader with a positive, solutions focused mindset.
- Deeply committed to equity, inclusion and community empowerment.

Recruitment Timeline
To ensure equitable access to information and uphold ALT's commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, the charity will be hosting a Q&A webinar in place of individual informal calls with the Chair. We encourage all interested candidates to submit questions in advance, which will be addressed during the session. Please register your interest in attending this webinar on Wednesday 4th March 2026 and we will send you a link.

Application Deadline: 5pm Wednesday 18th March 2026
First Interviews: w/c 6th April 2026
Final Interviews: w/c 13th April 2026

How to Apply
Charity People Ltd is acting as a recruitment agency advisor to ALT on this appointment. Interested candidates are invited to submit a CV to Senior Appointments at Charity People and request a candidate pack in the first instance.

For an informal conversation about the role or if you have further questions prior to applying, please contact Fabrice Yala at Charity People

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 we can help make the application process work for you.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.

Join us and lead the growth of a thriving, mission driven charity. As our Commercial Services Director, you will shape and drive the sustainable income that powers life changing services for older people across Lincolnshire.

Working at both a strategic and operational level, you will provide visionary leadership across Age UK Lincolnshire’s commercial portfolio. Partnering closely with the Chief Executive, Board of Trustees, Executive Team, staff, volunteers and the older people we serve, you will help set organisational direction, identify future opportunities, and ensure strong oversight of performance, policies and priorities.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, this commercially focused role is responsible for generating income and overseeing all income producing services within the charity. You will balance ambition with purpose—ensuring that our charitable aims are upheld and that older people remain at the heart of every service and development.

As a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, you will play a central role in shaping, developing and delivering the future of our commercial activities. You will lead the growth of existing services and pioneer new income streams across the region, expanding our reach so that more older people can benefit from high quality support. This position combines strategic innovation with hands on delivery, offering the opportunity to make a significant and lasting impact on the lives of older people in Lincolnshire.

The post-holder needs to be a confident communicator who is self-driven, proactive and dedicated, with an enthusiastic and positive approach to delivering and developing services for older people. Knowledge and experience in the charity sector and business development is desirable. The post-holder would also ideally have knowledge of the Health and Social Care Sector.

Please go to our Age UK Lincolnshire website to view the full recruitment pack.

MERSEYSIDE YOUTH ASSOCIATION LTD

Is seeking to recruit the following:

OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTRE MANAGER THE DAM

Hours:

 35 hours per week

(Will Include Some Evening and Weekend Work)

Salary:

£34,594 p.a. - £37,624 p.a. - MYA Grade 7 Point 25-28

Fixed Term Funded to 31st January 2030

(With the Potential to be Extended to 31st January 2032)

Merseyside Youth Association is seeking an energetic and visionary Outdoor Education Centre Manager to lead our lakeside Outdoor Education Centre (based on the Lord Derby Estate in Knowsley) into its next exciting chapter.

You’ll be the driving force behind the Centre’s direction, designing imaginative outdoor programmes for children and young people including those who may never have experienced the outdoors before.

Alongside the outdoor delivery, you’ll bring strong commercial flair: developing and delivering a robust income generation strategy, managing budgets, securing grants, expanding school and corporate bookings, and positioning MYA as the provider of choice for outdoor education locally and beyond.

You’ll build meaningful partnerships, drive targeted marketing, track both impact and financial KPIs, and ensure our programmes not only change lives but also sustain the long-term future of the Centre.

If you’re driven, innovative, and passionate about shaping inclusive outdoor experiences that help young people grow in confidence and joy, this is your opportunity to lead something remarkable.

Note: As part of your application please make sure you highlight how you meet both the Essential and Desirable elements of the job specification.

Merseyside Youth Association Limited Actively Promotes the Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults, Young People and Children. 

The above post will be subject to Enhanced Disclosure,

Please note, CV’s will not be accepted and should not be part of your supporting information.

Closing Date for Completed Applications:  Midnight Monday 23rd March 2026

 Merseyside Youth Association Limited is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to maintaining a non-abusive environment

Martingale Postgraduate Foundation (Martingale) exists to fund and support the next generation of talented researchers. We believe that family income should not be a barrier to the pursuit of excellence, and our mission is to enable and nurture talented individuals from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to thrive within world-leading postgraduate research.

Martingale’s flagship programme is the Martingale Postgraduate Scholarship, which supports students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to pursue and excel in postgraduate degrees, by providing:

• A fully-funded Living Wage Scholarship to pursue a one-year Masters degree or a four-year PhD.
• All tuition fees and research expenses, including a tax-free stipend for living costs.
• Tailored support to apply for Martingale courses at our partner universities.
• Access to Martingale programmes, including leadership training and connections with top academic and industry professionals.
• Membership of a pioneering community of talented researchers.

In the three years since Martingale launched, we are now supporting over 100 Scholars to undertake postgraduate degrees across our ten partner universities and have committed over £7.7m in Scholarships. We are continuing to expand our offer, bringing on new partners each year.

We are seeking an experienced, strategic and collaborative Head of Programmes to join our Senior Leadership Team and play a pivotal role in shaping our fast-growing Martingale Scholarship Programme.

As Head of Programmes, you will join our senior management team, overseeing the growing programmes team. Working closely with the CEO, you will oversee all aspects of Martingale’s Scholarship Programme from application to alumni, ensuring that the programme maintains a strong reputation for being both supportive and prestigious.

You will set the strategic direction of Martingale’s Scholarship Programme, working closely with the CEO on a day-to-day basis to ensure that as we expand across STEM the programme remains of a high quality and meeting Martingale’s mission. You will ensure that Martingale’s programmes are impactful, data informed and meet the needs of the scholars we are supporting. You will also be responsible for managing relationships with various external stakeholders including universities, funders and evaluation partners.

We are looking for a strong strategic leader with extensive programme experience including line management, partnership management and external relations. You will bring excellent organisational skills, strong attention to detail, a proactive mindset, and a strong alignment with Martingale’s mission. We welcome applicants from a range of career paths who are excited to be part of a growing, fast-paced charity delivering meaningful impact.

Martingale Foundation is incubated by Purposeful Ventures who provide operational and strategic support. The Head of Programmes will be employed by Purposeful Ventures.

About Purposeful Ventures

Our vision is for a fairer society where all young people thrive. We work with social entrepreneurs, organisations and philanthropists that share our vision. Through our work with these partners, young people are given opportunities in education and beyond, helping them reach their true potential.

Purposeful Ventures offers philanthropists and funders bespoke advice, using an evidence-based approach to help them to identify high-impact opportunities to fund. We then partner with visionary individuals and mission-driven organisations with strong theories of change. We help them turn great ideas into sustainable and successful ventures by offering fully individualised and very hands-on support, access to funding and a ‘high-challenge, high-support’ home. We do the minimum necessary and whatever it takes to succeed.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership of the Scholarship Programme

• Provide strategic oversight of the end-to-end Martingale Scholarship lifecycle, from selection and admissions through to scholar progression and alumni outcomes.
• Develop and deliver a multi-year operational strategy for Martingale’s Development Programme (MDP), ensuring scalability, academic excellence, and alignment with organisational growth plans.
• Continuously refine the scholar journey to ensure it is sector-leading, prestigious, and tailored to the needs of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Build deep expertise in postgraduate education, research culture, and enabling access to inform programme evolution and innovation.

Admissions & Selection Strategy

• Lead the design, governance, and continuous improvement of a rigorous, fair, and high-quality admissions and assessment process across subject areas.
• Oversee shortlisting, interview frameworks, assessment centres, and final scholarship recommendations to the Selection Committee.
• Ensure alignment between Martingale’s selection processes and university partner requirements.
• Maintain oversight of scholar allocation, including place management, deferrals, intermissions, withdrawals, and reallocations.

Scholar Experience & Case Management

• Ensure effective advocacy for Scholars including maximising progression and retention across cohorts.
• Oversee complex scholar casework, including deferrals, intermissions, safeguarding concerns, funding queries, disciplinary action and university liaison.
• Ensure consistent, professional, and high-touch support across the scholar lifecycle.
• Strengthen cohort cohesion and long-term alumni engagement.

Safeguarding & Compliance

• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Martingale, ensuring safeguarding policy implementation and record keeping in line with best practice in relation to vulnerable adults.
• Oversee data protection compliance relating to scholar and applicant data, in partnership with the organisation’s Data Protection Officer.
• Ensure programme delivery complies with charity, funding, and regulatory requirements.

Budget, Contracting & Financial Oversight

• Hold responsibility for programme budgets, ensuring effective resource allocation, cost control, and value for money.
• Oversee scholarship programme financial management, and work with Head of Strategy and Operations on onwards grants including deferrals, funding adjustments, and invoicing.
• Work with the Head of Strategy and Operations on university contracting, scholarship agreements, and financial reconciliation with partners.
• Ensure timely and accurate invoicing and reporting processes across programme operations.

University & Sector Partnerships (Programme-Focused)

• Lead programme-level relationships with university partners, including Heads of Departments, Graduate Tutors, CDT leads, and admissions teams.
• Ensure universities meet partnership commitments and that Scholars are appropriately supported institutionally.
• Contribute to partnership negotiations where programme design or operational delivery is concerned.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen university research culture and scholar support mechanisms.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Impact

• Lead development and oversight of Martingale’s Theory of Change and evaluation framework, working with our external independent evaluators.
• Develop robust systems to track scholar progression, outcomes, and programme effectiveness.
• Provide high-quality reporting to the CEO, Board, funders, and partners, evidencing impact and continuous improvement.

New Programme Development & Innovation

• Work with the CEO to design new subject expansions, pilots, or initiatives aligned to Martingale’s mission.
• Assess operational, financial, and reputational implications of programme growth.
• Develop business cases, delivery models, and implementation plans for expansion.

Team Leadership & Culture

• Provide senior leadership to the Programmes team, including line management of programme staff.
• Build a high-performing, mission-driven team with clear accountability and ownership.
• Develop succession planning and team capability as Martingale scales.
• Model Martingale’s values of excellence, professionalism, and thoughtful support.

Organisational Leadership

• Serve as a member of the Senior Management Team, contributing to organisational strategy and governance.
• Represent Martingale externally in academic, sector, and policy contexts where appropriate.
• Support Board and Committee reporting related to programme performance and scholar outcomes.

Key Requirements:

Essential Criteria

• Right to work in the UK

Experience and skills

Essential

• Significant experience leading and delivering high-quality programmes, ideally in higher education, research, scholarships, or a mission-driven organisation.
• Strong stakeholder management experience, with evidence of working effectively with universities, academics, funders, or equivalent partners.
• Proven line management experience, with the ability to develop and lead a high-performing team.
• Experience managing complex operational delivery, including planning, timelines, and coordinating multiple moving parts.
• Strong experience handling sensitive casework and providing professional support to individuals.
• Budget management experience, including planning and overseeing programme delivery costs.
• Excellent written communication skills, including producing clear reports and briefings for senior audiences.
• Commitment to safeguarding, wellbeing and compliance, with willingness to act as safeguarding lead.

Desirable

• Experience working directly with postgraduate research, PhD programmes, or doctoral training environments.
• Experience designing or overseeing selection and assessment processes (e.g. interviews, admissions, recruitment pipelines).
• Experience managing programme evaluation frameworks, including Theory of Change and external evaluators.
• Familiarity with contracting, invoicing, and operational finance processes.
• Knowledge of UK higher education systems and research culture.
• Experience working in a start-up, scale-up, or fast-growing charity.

Personal Characteristics

• Highly organised, proactive, and able to prioritise effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills: able to build rapport and trusting relationships, able to work co-operatively in a multidisciplinary setting.
• Strong judgement, discretion and professionalism, including ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
• A commitment to Martingale’s mission to support postgraduate students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Comfortable working in a rapidly growing and changing organisation with a degree of ambiguity – confident to create processes and ways forward where they might not yet exist.
• Creative and innovative: willing to think outside the box to maximise reach.
• Resourceful, able to act on initiative, hardworking, detail-oriented, and systematic.

Terms and Conditions:

1. Support Women in Prison to influence policy makers to reduce the unnecessary criminalisation of women and improving the rights of women in the criminal justice system
2. Ensuring women with Lived Experience are at the heart Women in Prison’s policy and public affairs work
3. Political analysis and monitoring
4. Supporting the wider work of the Policy and Public Affairs Team

• Is restricted to women only as a genuine occupational requirement
• Requires the right to work in the UK
• Is subject to a basic DBS check

We’re an award-winning charity running local learning centres in the heart of the communities where the young people we support live. Our centres provide a high-impact education programme which includes practical learning support, pastoral care, and motivational and confidence-building activities for young people aged 7-18. Our aim is to enable students from the least advantaged neighbourhoods to realise their ambitions and achieve their wonderful potential.

As the UK’s leading university access organisation, our staff team is helping over 50,000 young people each year at its 44 learning centres and extension projects across England and Scotland, and we plan to scale-up our provision to 50 centres over the coming years.

We are looking for someone who will enjoy working each day with young people and who will thrive in a frontline, community-based, fast-paced and rewarding role. You will be taking up a fixed-term contract as an Education Worker at our
centre in Birmingham.

Location: IntoUniversity Birmingham
Contract: Full-time, fixed-term until August 2026
Applications close: 9am Monday 23rd March 2026
Start date: May 2026

Salary

£28,250 per annum

What could my day look like?

The Education Worker role is a frontline, fast-paced and rewarding role where no two weeks will look the same. A typical day will have different activities, possibly spread between the IntoUniversity centre, partner schools and the offices of a corporate partner.

In the morning, you might be setting off with resources to run a workshop for sixth-form students in their secondary school. In the afternoon you may be setting up the classroom ahead of running Primary Academic Support for young people in your IntoUniversity centre. On other days, you may be travelling to a corporate partner to run a business simulation workshop for 15 year-olds or leading a group of final year primary school students on a campus visit for their graduation.

As an Education Worker, you’ll always be delivering the programme as part of your centre team, which means that any delivery is always a team effort. 

Harris Hill are delighted to be partnering with UWS, an award-winning global education organisation bringing community-led schooling to some of the world’s most remote populations. Following a record-breaking year and the launch of their ambitious 2025–2030 Programmes Strategy, UWS is entering a hugely exciting phase of growth — and they’re now seeking a strategic, relationship-driven Senior Philanthropy Manager to help shape the next chapter.

The Opportunity

As Senior Philanthropy Manager, you will lead and evolve UWS’ high-value giving strategy, driving transformational income and long-term supporter engagement.

This role blends strategic leadership with hands-on major donor fundraising. You will:

• Lead and deliver the Philanthropy Strategy in line with organisational priorities
• Personally manage and grow a portfolio generating c. £500k–£1m p.a.
• Secure six-figure and multi-year gifts
• Develop compelling, visionary cases for support aligned to UWS’ global education mission
• Work closely with trustees, senior leaders and global colleagues to unlock new high-value networks
• Line manage and develop the Events & Philanthropy Manager, ensuring events are strategically aligned cultivation tools

You’ll oversee forecasting, pipeline development, KPIs and budget management — ensuring philanthropy at UWS is both ambitious and operationally robust.

What UWS Are Looking For

UWS are seeking a philanthropy leader who brings:

• A proven track record of delivering at least £500k+ p.a. within major donor programmes
• Personal success securing six-figure gifts
• Experience building and managing strong donor pipelines
• Confidence working with trustees, senior stakeholders and high-net-worth individuals
• Strategic planning capability alongside strong delivery focus
• Line management experience or strong coaching capability

Experience within an international NGO or global development context would be advantageous, as would exposure to high-value events or development boards.

Above all, they are looking for someone who can cultivate transformational relationships and confidently lead a high-value programme through its next phase of growth.

Key Details

• Location: London (Hybrid – 2 days per week in office)
• Contract: Permanent
• Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week
• Salary: Competitive
• Reports to: Executive Director of Fundraising & Communications
• Line management: 1 direct report (Events & Philanthropy Manager)
• Closing date: 9am, Monday 16th March
• Interviews: w/c 23rd March (1st stage) and w/c 30th March (2nd stage)
• DBS required

As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp™, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics

Director of Public Engagement

Location: London (Hybrid)
Salary: £90,000 per annum
Contract: Permanent

Every child deserves to be safe, loved, and free from abuse. At the NSPCC, that belief drives everything they do.

The NSPCC is one of the UK’s oldest and largest children’s charities, and today their mission has never been more urgent. From tackling the challenges of online safety to delivering vital frontline services, the organisation is responding every day to the changing world children are growing up in.

This is a pivotal moment for the NSPCC as they establish an Engagement & Fundraising Directorate to modernise how they connect with supporters and unlock new opportunities for growth. Key to that team is a visionary, and collaborative leader to join the charity as their Director of Public Engagement, leading work to engage and motivate public audiences to support their work.

What You’ll Do

As the new Director, you will lead the development and delivery of public engagement and income‑generation strategies and drive an insight‑led understanding of NSPCC’s public audiences, shaping segmentation, motivations and long‑term value plans. You will also oversee an integrated, multi‑channel marketing that grows and retains supporters and boosts sustainable net income. As well as creating engaging propositions and products, you will be responsible for leading an integrated supporter-development approach across all audiences and fostering a high‑performing, collaborative culture.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of the charity’s public engagement, leading bold, audience-driven strategies that unlock significant and sustainable funding to help protect children for generations to come.

Who You Are

You will bring a proven record of driving income growth at scale, with deep expertise in consumer marketing, fundraising and supporter engagement, including digital. You’ll be an experienced fundraising and marketing leader of large, diverse teams, skilled at guiding transformation with clarity and resilience, and inspiring public audiences. Strategic and able to make high-impact decisions quickly under pressure, you are an outstanding communicator who can inspire trust and build strong relationships at every level.

Above all, you’ll be driven by the belief that together, we can end child abuse.

Ready to Learn More?

Click below to view our full Candidate Pack for everything you need to know including how to apply.

Closing date: Monday 9th March, 9am