Volunteer employability coach jobs

Senior Programme Manager (maternity cover)

Hours:  35 hours per week

Contract: 9 to 12 months maternity cover

Salary: £37,800 + 7% pension contribution

Location: mainly remote, with in-person working from a central London location as required

Reports to:  Interim CEO 

Direct report: line managing a small team of 2 to 3

Is this you? If so, this job may be for you…

• Do you want to make a mark in the first year of a brand new programme?

• Do you have a passion for supporting young people to access professional careers?

• Do you have experience leading learning sessions and events for young people, both online and in person?

• Are you adaptable, capable of transitioning between direct engagement with young people, and focusing on the project management and administrative aspects of the role?

About The Brokerage

The Brokerage is an award-winning, social mobility charity. For 30 years, we have supported over 87k less-advantaged young people to fulfil their potential through improved awareness and access to professional career opportunities.  Together with our talented young people and top UK companies, we are breaking down barriers to a more diverse and talented workforce.

Our mission is twofold - to empower working-class and ethnically diverse young people (16-25) to recognise their strengths, gain skills, and access opportunities to reach their career potential. We are also building a dynamic alliance with forward-thinking employers to support them in accessing and retaining this talent. Together, we develop an inclusive and equitable workforce, one that authentically mirrors the rich diversity of our society.

The Team

The Brokerage is starting a new chapter with our Next Gen Talent Career Programme, embarking on a renewed journey that will see us work with our young people and partners in a deeper and more impactful way.

We are an interconnected, diverse, mission-led team that truly lives our values. As such, we are bold and dynamic in our approach to our work whilst fostering a trust-based environment that provides freedom, flexibility and autonomy. We take a people-centred approach when it comes to our team, young people and corporate partners and we make decisions and develop programmes that are insight-led. 

Our Programme

This is an exciting time to join The Brokerage and play a vital role in rolling out our brand new Next Gen Talent Programme. The programme is a two-stage career progression initiative designed to equip working-class young people with the employability skills and guidance necessary for success in the corporate world, with the ultimate aim of supporting our young people to secure and sustain a professional career. 

Role purpose and main responsibilities

To lead our work on the Next Gen Talent Career Programme and support our other programmes helping young people (aged 16 to 25) access careers in professional services, banking, insurance and property. 

Through our programmes, we help to develop young people so that they are equipped with the professional insights and skills needed for the workplace. We do this via a high-quality curriculum of events, including masterclasses, bootcamps, career coaching  and mentoring that involve our corporate volunteers.

The Senior Programme Manager will take the lead on delivering the programme and outcomes across the Next Gen Talent Career Programme; whilst working in a highly collaborative and flexible way alongside our other senior programme managers, career coach and the volunteering and events manager.

Main Responsibilities

• Project manage the Next Gen Talent Career Programme to ensure that participants develop the skills and knowledge needed to access professional careers in Engineering.

• Manage the recruitment process for the Next Gen Talent Career Programme, including advertising the programme to our existing pool of students and wider stakeholders, managing the application and interview process. 

• Work with young people, corporates, funders and consortium delivery partners to develop and enhance programme delivery.

• Manage the promotion and delivery of high-quality in-person and online events; facilitating sessions where necessary, working with the career coach, volunteering and events manager and freelance staff.

• Develop engaging programme collateral to maintain relevance and quality, working alongside the communications team and incorporating participant feedback and sector insights

• Manage relationships, communications and briefings for funders, corporate partners and volunteers.

• Oversee and deliver one-to-one guidance for candidates, working with the career coach to ensure their engagement with the programme and to support placement applications. 

• Contribute to the retention of all corporate partners by overseeing the creation of engaging, responsive and cost–effective project plans, working alongside the partnerships team

• Set, track and monitor targets and KPIs, working with the interim CEO to ensure programme deliverables are monitored and achieved. 

• Provide regular information reports and updates for The Brokerage Senior Management Team, Board of Trustees, funders and consortium delivery partners.

• Play an active role in the planning and delivery of The Brokerage’s strategic objectives and participate in events and activities for The Brokerage as required.

• Maintain up-to-date records on our CRM system (Salesforce).

• Contribute to the development and implementation of our employer products working closely with the Interim CEO,  and relevant team members.

• Line Management of a small team of 2 to 3.

• Lead on discrete tasks outside of day to day job as appropriate. 

We are looking for someone with:

• Experience working with young people and building relationships with a range of stakeholders. 

• A strong understanding of early careers recruitment/application processes.

• A dynamic personality with strong written and verbal communication, combined with empathy and patience, to effectively engage with diverse individuals.

• Highly organised, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities, including administrative aspects. 

• The ability to balance firmness with sensitivity when necessary, particularly in managing relationships and safeguarding the well-being of young people.

• Relevant lived and/or professional experience (i.e. experience of the challenges faced by those from less-advantaged backgrounds)

• A growth mindset, open to feedback, learning and development 

• Excellent IT skills, including demonstrable usage of  CRM databases (e.g. Salesforce or equivalent) and other tech tools.

If you think that you are the right candidate for this role but don’t quite meet 100% of the criteria, be bold, apply anyway!

Other benefits: 

• 28 days’ paid annual leave (3 to be taken at Christmas) plus Bank Holidays plus one day birthday leave

• Employee Assistance Programme

• A collaborative, diverse, mission-led team that works within a flexible,  trust-based environment

How to apply: 

Please complete the application form along with an upload of your CV.

Closing date: Friday 13th February 2026 at 12 noon. 

Please note that interviews will be taking place on a rolling basis, and vacancies may be filled prior to the closing date if we find the right candidate.

Interview process: We will conduct a two-stage interview process that will include competency and scenario-based questions, alongside practical skills-based assessments. 

If you would like to find out more about this role, please get in touch!

The Brokerage is committed to providing equal opportunities to prospective and current employees. It is the policy of The Brokerage to ensure that access to employment, training and career progression is determined solely by the application of objective and legitimate criteria and individual merit. If you require specific adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know, and we will do our best to support you. 

Would you like to join a unique, high-impact, award-winning national charity transforming women's lives? 

Working Chance is the UK’s only employment charity exclusively supporting women with criminal convictions. We help women build confidence and self-worth, develop employability skills, and ultimately secure employment, education or training.

Every day we change women's lives, helping them to flourish and fulfil their potential. We work with employers across England and Wales, persuading them of the benefits of hiring people with convictions and we work with government to advocate for policy changes that will help women who experience the criminal justice system.

We’re entering an exciting period of growth and ambition, with a new three-year strategy in development. To help us reach more women and deepen our impact, we are expanding our fundraising team and diversifying our income streams. 

You can find out lots more about the role and the charity - including the job description and person specification - in the downloadable recruitment pack below. 

If you think this might be the opportunity you've been looking for, we'd love to hear from you! 

​How to apply

After reading the recruitment pack, please apply via CharityJob by submitting an up-to-date CV and a supporting statement of no more than two sides of A4 which should include how you meet the criteria in the person specification, and demonstrate why you would be a great fit for this role.

• Closing date: 9am, Monday 23 February 2026

• Interviews: Monday 9 March 2026   

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for an Employment Specialist to play a pivotal role in our Employability Services in Merton.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

You will support a caseload of 20 – 25 clients to find competitive and sustained employment. Around 20% of referrals will be to assist clients to remain in work if struggling, or return to work, if off sick. Employment Specialists will follow the 8 principles of IPS, adhere to the IPS Fidelity Scale and achieve monthly targets and KPIs with the required administration and compliance.

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

You will bring experience delivering or managing employment services, ideally within mental health or primary care settings, alongside IPS training or a willingness to complete it. You will have proven experience managing teams, including supervision, coaching, mentoring, and performance management, with a strong track record of achieving service targets and quality standards. With excellent stakeholder engagement and partnership-building skills, you will be confident improving systems and processes to enhance service delivery. You will demonstrate strong IT capability across Microsoft Office and database systems, alongside excellent written and verbal communication skills, with confidence presenting to a range of stakeholders. A person-centred approach, strong customer service ethos, and a solid understanding of employment and mental health barriers are essential, along with knowledge of safeguarding, equality and diversity, data protection, health and safety, the Equality Act 2010, employment law, and a commitment to continuous professional development.

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.