Volunteer fundraising and communications assistant jobs

The purpose of this role is to develop incredible relationships with new and existing fundraising supporters within your region helping them to network, influence and fundraise to have a significant impact on the work of the charity. Through your network and creating new opportunities you will increase income in your region across multiple income streams including Education, Individuals, In Memory Supporters and Community Organisations.

To be successful in this role you will: 

• Have previous experience in income generation – leading and inspiring networks in order to generate long term income and partnerships 

• Be self-motivated, independent, and target-driven 

• Possess a natural confidence in talking to people and encouraging their support.

• Have excellent communication and relationship building skills - be friendly, approachable, inspiring and engaging 

• Full clean driving license, with access to a car 

Principle Responsibilities  

• Proactively recruit high-calibre supporters, volunteers, and community groups, inspiring and leading these networks to generate sustainable income

• Manage a portfolio of regional donors, ensuring excellent stewardship and long-term engagement. Enabling supporters to maximise their fundraising potential 

• Monitor and report on income, expenditure, and key performance indicators, including volunteer recruitment and event registrations, managing an income budget of approximately £600k PA.

• Deliver presentations and pitches to schools, community organisations, and businesses. 

• Act as “the face of BWCHC” within your region, developing and acquiring meaningful, long-term relationships

• Grow and strengthen volunteer and ambassador programmes in line with charity processes and procedures. Enhance fundraising volunteers’ skills to act on behalf of the Charity 

• Spend at least 50% of your time working within your region. Plan effectively, develop fundraising products, and collaborate with colleagues across departments to ensure excellent donor stewardship. 

• Maintain strong communication and collaboration across the fundraising department and hospital, balancing relationships effectively while working remotely. 

• Drive the regional fundraising strategy with energy and creativity, identifying and nurturing long-term supporter relationships to secure sustainable fundraising and volunteering opportunities. 

• To be part of a project or appeal working group, such as Christmas, In Memory Fundraising or Facebook Challenges ensuring all information is shared across the team

What we offer: 

• Flexible and hybrid working to support work-life balance 

• Generous annual leave entitlement with additional leave for long service  

• Enhanced sick pay 

• Enhanced Maternity Pay 
• Employee Assistance Program and Lifestyle Savings

• Free flu jabs 

• Cycle to work scheme 

• Charity events throughout the year 

• Employer enhanced auto-enrolment pension scheme with 8% employer contribution 

• Ongoing commitment to education and professional development 

The Charity is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.  

Successful candidates will have access to vulnerable beneficiaries therefore the role is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance.  

If you think you have the qualities we are looking for and the desire to contribute, please download the Job Vacancy Pack and then send us a CV and covering letter explaining how you meet the criteria for the role and making clear why you would like to be considered for it. 

JOB TITLE:

Fundraising & Partnerships Manager 

RESPONSIBLE TO: 

Director of Fundraising

LOCATION: 

Home based 

DURATION: 

30-35 Hours Per Week - Permanent 

SALARY/GRADE: 

Grade 6.4 (£36,043) PA FTE 

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Fundraising Team 

• Nation Directors 

• Public Affairs and Communications Team 

• Membership Team 

• Donors, Volunteers and families

ABOUT YOU 

You will have proven experience in fundraising, business development, or partnership management, with a track record of generating income and building strong external relationships. Ideally, you will have experience developing fundraising plans, pipelines, or income streams from an early stage, and will be comfortable working in an environment where processes, opportunities, and supporter journeys are still evolving. 

You will be confident identifying and pursuing new opportunities, developing compelling proposals and cases for support, and managing relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including corporate partners, community fundraisers, volunteers, and individual supporters. 

We are looking for someone who is proactive, self-motivated, and creative, with strong communication and relationship-building skills. You should be comfortable working independently while also collaborating effectively with colleagues across fundraising, marketing, and operational teams. 

Most importantly, you will be motivated by the opportunity to help grow sustainable income that supports children, young people, and families across the UK. 

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE 

We are looking for a confident, ambitious, and entrepreneurial Fundraising Manager to help grow sustainable income for Adoption UK by building and developing strong relationships with corporate partners, supporters, volunteers, and local communities. 

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys creating fundraising plans from the ground up, developing new partnerships, and turning ideas into sustainable income. The role is ideally suited to someone who thrives in a developing fundraising environment and is motivated by the opportunity to shape and grow underdeveloped income streams into long-term success. 

This is an opportunity to help shape the development of a strategic and sustainable approach to fundraising, while continuing to deliver hands-on income across a diverse portfolio. 

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supported by the Director of Fundraising, take ownership of developing, delivering and monitoring fundraising events and activities in line with our fundraising strategy. 

• Lead on key income streams to maximise net income and develop sustainable income streams for short, medium and long-term growth. 

• Monitor and evaluate progress against plans using management information and budgets to produce reports and forecasts as required 

• Deliver effective supporter journeys to improve supporter experience, retention, and long-term engagement. 

• Work alongside the Director of Fundraising to develop and implement processes and policies. 

• Grow and diversify income across corporate partnerships, community fundraising, events, individual giving and digital activity. 

• Develop compelling proposals and pitches for corporate partners, clearly articulating social value, impact and return on investment. 

• Build and manage a strong corporate prospect pipeline using research, data and structured follow-up to convert opportunities. Identify opportunities to sponsor projects and activities. 

• Collaborate with marketing colleagues to develop assets and digital campaigns to support fundraising appeals and events. 

• Work with all Adoption UK teams to support local fundraising activities in each of the four nations including membership and community teams. 

• To ensure good working practices in line with Equality and Diversity policies and a pro-active approach is taken to equality, diversity and inclusion issues. 

• In compliance with the Code of Conduct, demonstrate high standards of personal conduct, courtesy and integrity. 

• Ensure full compliance with Adoption UK’s Safeguarding policies and procedures, reporting concerns in line with internal policies.

• Any other duty as required by the line manager commensurate with the post. 

Person Specification criteria

Knowledge  And  Experience 

• Experience of a fundraising, marketing, or event management role (E) 
• Experience of delivering multiple projects on time and to budget (E) 
• Ability to devise operational plans and deliver them effectively, and proven experience of planning and managing income generating activities and events    (E) 

Qualificationsand  Education

• Professional fundraising qualifications (D) 
• Marketing qualifications (D) 
• Event Management qualifications (D) 
• CIOF Diploma in Fundraising Management/equivalent professional experience/membership of CIOF (D) 

Skills and Abilities 

• Delivers high quality work with minimal supervision and direction (E) 
• Able to demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills, be competent with Microsoft Office (E) 
• Ability to assimilate and analyze financial and statistical information, including budget monitoring, management, and financial control (E) 
• An exceptional administrator and coordinator with excellent organisation and writing skills (E) 
• Communicate, engage and secure positive external relationships with stakeholders and supporters (E) 
• Has the capacity to deal with complex issues and is good at problem solving (D) 
• Self-starter, used to working to deadlines and delivering against KPIs (E) 
• Able to work communicate and engage with internal senior stakeholders effectively (E) 

Accountability

• Developing fundraising opportunities (E)  
• Event administration (D) 
• Stewardship and relationship management (E) 
• Contribute to departmental strategic goals, in liaison with the Director of Fundraising (E) 

Behaviours 

• Takes pride in Adoption UK and promotes its values and mission in all interactions with external stakeholders. 
• Demonstrates commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of role at all times. 
• Contributes to an open and honest culture 
• Encourages challenge and creativity, transparency and consistency. 
• Leads by example. 
• Offers outstanding service to members. 
• Promotes cross functional team working, sharing skills and knowledge 
• Communicates clearly, seeking clarity when unclear and valuing the opinion of others. 
• Valuing the opinion of other. Treating colleagues and other stakeholders with respect. 
• Takes pride in own development, committed to achieving high standards and agreed objectives. 

Community Fundraising Assistant - North 

Are you ready to take on a new challenge with a leading charity making a real difference in brain tumour research?

Brain Tumour Research is an exciting, innovative, and ambitious charity. We are passionate about finding a cure for brain tumours through the establishment of dedicated Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence around the UK.​

After a successful 2025, we’re building on our momentum and looking ahead with ambition. As our work continues to expand, so does our impact. We are now looking for passionate people to join us on the next stage of our journey!

It is a fantastic time to be joining us and we are keen to share this with likeminded and talented individuals. We currently have an opening for a Community Fundraising Assistant - North, to join our Community and Digital Fundraising team.

• Do you want to make a difference in one of the most innovative and exciting medical research fundraising charities in the UK?
• Are you able to provide friendly and professional support to fundraisers and supporters?   
• Do you have experience in supporting events or community activities?
• Do you live in either Scotland, North East England, North West England or the East Midlands? 

​

Have you answered Yes to these questions?

Does this sound like the opportunity to really take the next step in your career?

Excited to learn more about this position? Then please take a read through our recruitment pack which is included within this advert.​​​

If you have the skills and ambition that we are looking for we are excited to receive your application.  We are really looking forward to welcoming a new member to our team!​

We are asking for a CV as the first step but applicants may be asked to provide a targeted covering letter as part of the selection process.  Interviews will be conducted during the application window as appropriate, and will consist of a first interview via MS Teams, progressing, if successful to a face to face second interview, held at our offices in Milton Keynes.

​

We reserve the right to close the application window early and advise candidates to apply in good time to avoid disappointment.​

We are looking for people who share our passion for finding a cure for brain tumours and who have the skills and experience to make a difference. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages. We believe that diversity enriches our organisation and helps us achieve our mission. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can be themselves and contribute to our vision.

​

Grade: 6

Salary: £16,221 (£27,036 FTE)

Hours: 22.5 hours per week (days TBC)

Position type: Part-time, Permanent

Responsible to: Book Club Manager

Direct reports: None

Location: ShelterBox HQ, Truro, Cornwall (hybrid, mix of office and home)

ROLE PURPOSE:

This role is focused on supporting the growth of the ShelterBox Book Club. You'll help create engaging content and foster a community of passionate Book Club members. With a love of books and excellent customer service you'll create meaningful connections with members and steward them to becoming life-long Book Club members and ShelterBox supporters.

The successful candidate will join a friendly and ambitious team and play a key role in helping to make ShelterBox Book Club a household name. The role will seek to build awareness of ShelterBox Book Club, increase social engagement and build communities across our social channels.

This is an exciting role, full of variety and the chance to work on one of the charity sectors most innovative and unique products.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

We are looking for an enthusiastic book lover who cares about connecting with people and making a real difference in the world. They should be able to manage a busy and varied workload and work with a wide variety of people.

This is a perfect opportunity for someone wishing to develop their experience in the cross-section of fundraising and publishing. They will play a vital supportive role in delivering the ShelterBox Book Club to a growing audience of over 3,000 members.

DUTIES WILL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:

• Read the book during each six week cycle and support the Book Club Manager to host and run the social media debates, video discussion and author Q&A's.

• Respond to member enquiries and comments on social media and through our shared mailbox.

• Lead on the research and compiling of book shortlists for each voting cycle.

• Proof Book Club communications across digital and print.

• Support the Book Club Manager with the supporter journey review.

• Work alongside the Book Club Manager and the Insight Team to create, deliver and evaluate the annual Book Club supporter survey.

• Research new book publishers to work with. Work with the Procurement team to keep details on all publishers up to date.

• Lead on the day to day running of the online Book Club community, by creating, scheduling and publishing engaging content (images, videos, carousels, gifs, copy etc.) across relevant channels to increase engagement and nurture advocacy.

• Ensuring a consistent tone of voice is delivered throughout all communications.

• Keep track of Book Club data and KPI's including discussion week feedback, author engagement, book topics and others.

• Support the Book Club Manager in the continual development of member journeys for both direct-debit members and gifted memberships across social media, email and face-to-face.

• Support the book club volunteers to assist with member communication, discussion week activities, stock management and in-person events.

• Work closely with Supporter Engagement team to implement member feedback.

• Represent Book Club at in-person events to grow the membership base.

• Support with supplier relationships including publishers, printers, designers and authors.

• Work closely with key internal teams to promote Book Club through a range of channels including digital, PR, celebrity endorsements, volunteer networks and corporate partnerships.

Other responsibilities

• Any other duties as required which are deemed appropriate to the level and grade of the post.

You’ll carry out key administrative tasks, growing the support and development function of the Charity. This is an exciting opportunity to help Cambridge City Foodbank realise its vision of ending the need for foodbanks, through an ambitious strategy operating through networks of affordable food clubs, foodbank welcome centres, holistic support projects, and campaigning to change current systems which contribute to food insecurity.

Your tasks will include stewardship communications with individual donors and creating assets for community supporters to generate food and financial resources. You will assist the securing of income from grant giving trusts and foundations, and will undertake key executive assistant duties on behalf of the Development Director and CEO.

Main Duties:

● Develop strong individual donor relations through regular stewardship communications and powerful fundraising appeals, alongside establishing the associated data and systems;

● Create community development assets, which enables community groups to engage with and provide resources for the Charity, such as for charitable fundraising / food donation events.

● Together with the Development Director and CEO, secure income from, and maintain relations with grant giving trusts and foundations.

● Together with the Development Director and CEO, develop a team of volunteers who can support the work of the Charity’s development function.

● Support the Development Director and CEO, in their communication with supporters and corporate partners, to build good relations, gain and maintain corporate partner support.

● Liaise with colleagues across the Trussell Trust network; sharing best practice and participating in learning opportunities, to further the work of Cambridge City Foodbank.

● Other administrative activities may be requested from time to time by the CEO and Development Director, consistent with the needs of the Charity and role of Executive Assistant.

Personal Specification:

Technical skills and minimum knowledge:

● Strong administrative experience, highly organised, and able to effectively juggle multiple administrative tasks at the same time!

● Competent in the use of Zoom/Teams and MS Office software. Training will be provided to upskill in the use of Canva, Mailchimp, donor databases and social media (such as LinkedIn and Instagram).

● Excellent written and verbal communication and relationship management skills, you will inspire and motivate existing and prospective supporters, providing excellent stewardship and crafting compelling donor updates, applications and appeals.

NB. Experience of charitable fundraising is not essential when demonstrating the strong transferable skills above. Training will be provided.

Behaviours and competencies:

● Friendly, trustworthy and able to maintain confidentiality.

● Able to demonstrate empathy for people from disadvantaged, marginalised or socially-excluded backgrounds.

● Be committed to the vision, respect the ethos and uphold the values of Cambridge City Foodbank and Trussell Trust.

Our Vision, Ethos & Values:

Our Vision is to end the need for UK food banks. Each day we meet the need for emergency and affordable food, and tackle the causes of poverty, by harnessing the power of the community. We are an independent local charity and member of the Trussell Trust network.

We value dignity, justice, compassion, community and impact, in all that we do. We serve local people regardless of background, inspired by our Christian ethos and values.

As part of our commitment to inclusion, diversity and equity actively encourage applications from under-represented groups such as returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people who are LGBT+, from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, with a disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition, with caring responsibilities, from different nations and regions and those with a lived experience of poverty as well as any other under-represented group in our workforce. We are committed to ensuring the safety and protection of our employees from all forms of harm.

In 2026: our team of over 200 volunteers, will provide 250,000 meals to people across Cambridge through our network of Foodbank Welcome Centres and Fairbite Food Clubs.

We are seeking an Assistant Director – Digital and Innovation to play a central role in shaping how Villiers Park delivers and develops its programmes at a pivotal point in the implementation of our 2025-30 strategy. This role represents an exciting opportunity to lead on the development of our digital education offer and innovation work, ensuring it enhances both the reach and depth of our programmes for young people across the UK.

Villiers Park is a national social mobility charity with a strong track record of delivering impactful programmes that support young people from under-represented backgrounds to fulfil their potential. As we continue to grow, digital provision and innovation are increasingly important in enabling us to reach more students, and to do so in engaging and inclusive ways.

Digital learning and programme innovation will be critical to the next phase in our strategy, building on the foundations we have already established, including the development of our learning platform and programme model. Alongside this, Leadership Challenge continues to expand as a key national outreach and social action programme, and this role will be instrumental in ensuring its quality and impact.

Our work is possible because of a brilliant team of staff, trustees and volunteers and committed funders and partners who believe in what we do and want to make the greatest possible difference. The Assistant Director – Digital and Innovation will work closely with colleagues across programmes, partnerships, communications and fundraising, as well as external partners, to ensure our digital and programme offer is coherent, forward-thinking and aligned with our mission.

This is a unique opportunity to combine strategic leadership with practical delivery, helping to translate ambition into impact for the young people we serve.

Sarah Chick

Head of Programmes 

Job purpose

The Assistant Director - Digital and Innovation leads the development, implementation and ongoing improvement of Villiers Park’s digital education provision. This includes the design and delivery of online learning experiences, the development of digital and physical resources for use across programmes, and ensuring that digital delivery is accessible, safeguarded and aligned with the organisation’s mission.

The role also provides strategic and operational leadership for Leadership Challenge, Villiers Park’s national student outreach and social action programme. This includes programme design, partner engagement, monitoring and evaluation, and ensuring the programme is effectively resourced and financially sustainable.

Working closely with the Head of Programmes, Senior Leadership Team (SLT), Communications and Fundraising teams, and external partners, the postholder supports the development of digital innovation, programme resourcing and Leadership Challenge activity to enhance reach, impact and quality. 

Key responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership for the development, implementation and continuous improvement of Villiers Park’s digital education provision, ensuring alignment with our Theory of Change, priorities and values
• Lead the design and evolution of high-quality digital learning experiences, content and pathways for students, schools, parents/carers and volunteers
• Oversee the adoption and integration of digital platforms and tools, ensuring accessibility, safeguarding, GDPR compliance and scalability
• Drive innovation in digital delivery by monitoring sector trends and embedding relevant approaches to enhance reach and impact
• Ensure digital provision complements and strengthens face-to-face delivery across programmes, working closely with the Head of Programmes and Assistant Directors
• Provide strategic oversight of the use of AI within programmes, ensuring its application enhances learning experiences while maintaining safeguarding and ethical standards
• Provide strategic oversight of the development and ongoing review of physical resources, ensuring consistency, quality and alignment across programmes
• Ensure all resources are inclusive, engaging, curriculum-aligned and reflect organisational standards and brand expectations
• Maintain a coherent approach to resource development, ensuring materials support programme delivery and learning outcomes effectively
• Lead the strategic and operational development of the Leadership Challenge programme, ensuring it is high-quality, sustainable and aligned with organisational priorities
• In collaboration with the Senior Leadership Team, develop and strengthen partnerships with charities, corporates and universities to support programme growth and delivery
• Oversee the development of an appropriate recognition or award framework for participants
• Establish and oversee robust quality assurance and evaluation processes for digital and physical content and delivery
• As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, contribute to strategic planning, budgeting and risk management, and provide quarterly updates to the Board of Trustees.
• Work collaboratively with Fundraising and Communications teams to support income generation, bid development and programme promotion

This list is not exhaustive, and the post-holder will be required to undertake other tasks relevant to the role and within their capability.

Skills and experience:

• Significant leadership experience in education, youth or social mobility sectors
• Knowledge of school and college curricula and the needs of learners aged 13–19
• Proven experience in designing and/or delivering digital learning
• Strong understanding of safeguarding, digital accessibility standards and inclusive design
• Experience developing high‑quality educational resources (digital and physical)
• Ability to lead programmes, manage projects and deliver to deadlines
• Ability to build relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders to further organisational aims and fundraising objectives

Personal attributes:

• A genuine commitment to and care for social mobility and young people’s futures
• Organised and proactive, effectively, prioritising workload and delivering outcomes independently
• Strategic and forward-thinking, with an ability to see the bigger picture
• Collaborative and able to work effectively with colleagues, partners and stakeholders across different functions
• Willingness to learn and develop your own practice and experience

Additional Information:

• The postholder will be required to travel regularly to schools, events and partner organisations
• An enhanced DBS check will be required
• The postholder will hold responsibility to be one of the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads
• The postholder will require a full UK driving licence
• Evening work and overnight stays may be required
• Hybrid – location local to our Cambridge office or near to one of our Regional Hubs

Employee Benefits

• 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rated) and additional leave over Christmas.
• A dedicated wellbeing day for you to take at any time and three days (pro-rated) paid leave for volunteering or study each year.
• Training and professional development, including termly staff development days.
• Support from our wellbeing working group and access to an employee assistance programme.
• Opportunity to join working groups with other colleagues from across the organisation as well as wider networks such as the Fair Education Alliance.
• Flexibility in working hours.
• Additional sick pay and compassionate leave policies. 

Safeguarding

Villiers Park Educational Trust is committed to safeguarding and to providing a safe and supportive environment, which secures the well-being and best outcomes for the young people with whom we work.

Safeguarding is embedded in all aspects of Villiers Park's work and integral to the commitment we make to our schools, partners and the young people and communities we serve and work with. All employees and volunteers are expected to share this commitment by adhering to our organisational safeguarding procedures, attending regular in-house training and keeping up to date with developments in policies and legislation.

All employees and volunteers will also agree to undergo an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Services check and successfully complete our mandatory online training courses including NSPCC Safeguarding in Schools and PREVENT training.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead our approach to monitoring and evaluation at a key moment, ensuring that high-quality evidence underpins our programmes and future growth.

Villiers Park is a national social mobility charity with a strong track record of delivering impactful programmes that support young people from under-represented backgrounds to fulfil their potential. The ability to demonstrate impact clearly and credibly, both to inform our own learning and to evidence our effectiveness externally, will be critical to achieving our strategic ambitions.

As a core part of our 2025-30 strategy, the Data and Insights Manager will work to embed consistent and robust evaluation across the organisation. This will be achieved by approaches such as Stories of Change, which combines quantitative data with rich qualitative insight to build a compelling and nuanced understanding of the difference our programmes make.

Our work is possible because of a brilliant team of staff, trustees and volunteers and committed funders and partners who believe in what we do and want to make the greatest possible difference. The Data and Insights Manager will work closely with colleagues across programmes, communications, fundraising and leadership, you will ensure that data and evidence are actively used to inform decision-making, improve delivery and demonstrate impact to funders, partners and the wider sector.

This is a highly collaborative role with organisation-wide impact, offering the opportunity to shape how Villiers Park learns delivers on its long-term strategic ambitions.

Alex Grant

Assistant Director

Job purpose

The Data and Insights Manager will play a key role in supporting Villiers Park through the collection, analysis and reporting of robust evaluation and monitoring. Working across teams and hubs, the postholder will support consistent data collection, lead analysis and synthesis, and help ensure evidence informs learning, decision-making and external communication. The role will focus on coordinating mixed-methods evaluation, with qualitative approaches, including Stories of Change, as a key way of understanding young people’s experiences of change, or clarity, and the impact of our programmes.

Key responsibilities:

• Working closely with the Assistant Director, develop, implement and review monitoring and evaluation approaches for all programmes, ensuring that the data outputs can be used in a range of ways.
• Collaborate with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and wider staff team to develop, implement and review Theories of Change.
• Work with the Programmes team to design and deploy monitoring and evaluation methods to capture and store relevant quantitative and qualitative data from a range of sources, including individuals and via schools/colleges and partner organisations.
• Undertake data analysis and write reports for internal and external audiences on process and impact evaluations for all programmes, including annual school impact reports.
• Support the Communications and Fundraising Teams by providing regularly updated data and evaluation, regional contextual demographic data and comparative national datasets.
• Manage programmes and impact data storage to ensure relevant access is delivered for SLT, Programmes, Fundraising and Communications teams and compliance with GDPR.
• Keep up to date with changes in regulation and best practice in data management and data protection/consent, especially when data subjects are under 18.
• Ensure that all data management and evaluation practices are compliant with statutory safeguarding and GDPR regulations and Villiers Park’s safeguarding, data protection and privacy policies.
• Deliver evaluation training and evaluation review meetings to inform and engage the wider organisation with evaluation practices and the implementation of data and insights.
• Undertake other duties as required to support the mission and work of Villiers Park.

Knowledge, experience and abilities (essential)

• Experience of, and strong interest in, high quality evaluation methodologies, including programme theory, process evaluation, mixed-methods approaches.
• Strong experience of critically appraising data and evidence, and staying abreast of developments within evaluation of youth-based charities and university widening participation, using this to support proportionate, well-evidenced conclusions.
• A strong track record in planning, coordinating and delivering successful evaluation activity across programmes, sites or stakeholder groups, including managing complex workloads, setting priorities and working to agreed timelines and standards.
• Experience of effectively communicating evaluation findings, both written and verbal, to different audiences.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making ability, including using evidence, judgement and stakeholder input to resolve challenges in evaluation delivery.

Skills and competencies (essential)

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships and influence stakeholders, articulating evaluation concepts and findings clearly and concisely.
• Skilled in planning, prioritising and managing multiple strands of work to deliver high quality evaluation outputs.
• Analytical and methodical, with the ability to interpret evidence carefully and proportionately.
• An effective manager of evaluation activity across teams, hubs and programme cycles.
• Strong qualitative and mixed-methods analysis skills, including interpretation and reporting.
• Ability to anticipate and identify challenges in evaluation delivery, and work with colleagues to resolve these productively.
• Demonstrate a curiosity about other evaluation methodologies and research from the wider evaluation sector.
• Strong IT and digital skills including Microsoft suite and data management systems.
• A collaborative team member who can also take initiative, work proactively and operate independently where needed, and who has excellent interpersonal skills to facilitate learning conversations and support and advise colleagues to use evidence confidently in practice.

Desirable

• Familiarity with longitudinal or progression tracking and/or data-sharing partnerships.
• Experience of contributing to fundraising proposals with ready evidence and an understanding of fundraising audiences.
• Proficiency in qualitative analysis software, such as NVivo, to support coding, thematic analysis and synthesis.
• Confidence using data management tools such as Dataverse, MS Forms and PowerAutomate, and Power BI for reporting or visualisation.
• Understanding of value-for-money or ROI-related analysis in a social context.

Additional Information:

• The postholder will have some travel to schools, events and partner organisations.
• An enhanced DBS check will be required.
• On occasion, evening work and overnight stays may be required. 
• Hybrid – location local to our Cambridge office or near to one of our Regional Hubs

Employee Benefits

• 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rated) and additional leave over Christmas.
• A dedicated wellbeing day for you to take at any time and three days (pro-rated) paid leave for volunteering or study each year.
• Training and professional development, including termly staff development days.
• Support from our wellbeing working group and access to an employee assistance programme.
• Opportunity to join working groups with other colleagues from across the organisation as well as wider networks such as the Fair Education Alliance.
• Flexibility in working hours.
• Additional sick pay and compassionate leave policies. 

Safeguarding

Villiers Park Educational Trust is committed to safeguarding and to providing a safe and supportive environment, which secures the well-being and best outcomes for the young people with whom we work.

Safeguarding is embedded in all aspects of Villiers Park's work and integral to the commitment we make to our schools, partners and the young people and communities we serve and work with. All employees and volunteers are expected to share this commitment by adhering to our organisational safeguarding procedures, attending regular in-house training and keeping up to date with developments in policies and legislation.

All employees and volunteers will also agree to undergo an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Services check and successfully complete our mandatory online training courses including NSPCC Safeguarding in Schools and PREVENT training.

JOB TITLE: Retail Manager

LOCATION: Alderley Edge

DATE WRITTEN: May 2026

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Retail Area Manager

PRIMARY PURPOSE:

To manage an Age UK Cheshire Charity Shop located in the Cheshire area, ensuring efficient and effective management of colleagues, volunteers, premises, sales, and stock to provide a high-quality retail service in relation to agreed performance targets. 

To achieve the maximum potential of funds for Age UK Cheshire by achieving charity retail standards and community engagement.

To ensure all appropriate standards of security and health and safety are met. To organise and manage the day-to-day operations of the store including effective communication with the Head of Retail and reporting of relevant data.

Main Duties:

1. To ensure that the Age UK Cheshire Charity Shop achieves required standards of performance and agreed sales targets:

§  Maximisation of sales through stock rotation, correct pricing, brand awareness and merchandising, to use the full potential of the stock available to you.

§  To gain Gift Aid on eligible donations to Age UK Cheshire to maximise funds for the charity in line with HMRC guidelines. This includes signing up new donors to the scheme and selling stock accordingly.

§  Responsible for managing, training, and developing the Assistant Retail Manager to achieve pre-set objectives.

§  Support, train, and coordinate the work of volunteers in the shop as required.

§  Working with the Assistant Retail Manager to ensure that the shop complies with all the relevant legislation, trading standards and health and safety.

§  Ensuring stock from donors is correctly received and stored within the shop. Working with the Area Retail Manager to make certain of timely collections and suitable deliveries to merchandise appropriately and safely.

§  Administrative systems and working practices to include daily and weekly sales reports, charity log and financial information.

§  Identify stock which can maximise income when sold via e-commerce, auctions, or other sales opportunities.

§  To plan and prioritise special promotions, seasonal adjustments, and sale events.

§  Ensuring professional signage throughout the shop; to be clear and on brand.

§  Engage with the Retail Operations Manager regularly to create a cohesive working relationship with the wider retail team in order to gain support and advice

2. Maintain a high level of commercial awareness by staying informed of sales trends, stock position and local competition.

3. To work as a member of the wider retail team to ensure that all shops across the region are covered appropriately. Have a flexible approach to days worked and location, to provide support to other colleagues and providing holiday cover for the Assistant Retail Manager.

4. To participate in recruitment, induction, training and deployment of colleagues and volunteers. To work with other organisations when necessary to ensure compliance with all legislation and good practice.

5. To develop and manage “designated volunteers” through appropriate training and development, to ensure that they can take responsibility for the running of the shop in the absence of paid colleagues, including holiday cover if necessary.

6. Implement the highest standards of customer care and service.

7. To maximise income by participating in fundraising and trading opportunities.

8. To take responsibility for the shop to implement shop procedures, as follows: -

§  To act as a key holder at an assigned location

§  To prepare the shop for opening by the correct time

§  To close the shop at the correct time and ensuring the shop is secure before leaving

§  To assist in the acquisition of donations including furniture and to liaise with the Area Retail Manager on collection and delivery procedures

§  To sort, prepare and price stock to in line with charity retail processes.

§  To present stock in the sales area to the agreed standard

§  To recruit, train, organise, supervise, and care for the welfare of colleagues and volunteer helpers

§  To reconcile the cash register, banking and to work to Age UK Cheshire’s financial policies and procedures

§  To complete paperwork as necessary, to include use of information technology on computerised systems

§  To carry out Age UK Cheshire’s policy on Health and Safety of colleagues and customers, including all manual handling policies and procedures for goods and furniture, emergency and accident procedures, trading standard policy, refunds and exchange policy.

9. To use initiative to ensure any issues in the shop are resolved quickly and effectively. To follow the correct reporting procedure to inform the Health & Safety Manager of any problems or concerns.

10. To understand and achieve daily/weekly/monthly/annual targets which will be reviewed regularly with the job holder. To undertake performance related reviews with Assistant Retail Managers as required.

11. To be a role model for Age UK’s mission statement and values and to understand how the role of a Retail Manager complements this.

12. To undertake such duties as may from time to time be reasonably requested by management within the flexible definition of the post.

AGE UK CHESHIRE

RETAIL MANAGER - PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential Criteria:

- strong communicator with the ability to deliver team messages, deal with customer issues and resolve problems with firmness and fairness.

- ability to understand and interpret financial information in order to manage shop performance outcomes.

- good administrative and organisational skills with the ability to undertake banking tasks, keep basic records and organise resources in a busy environment.

- the ability to recognise stock potential in order to generate income and the importance of attractive presentation.

- supervisory experience with the ability to motivate, inspire and lead a team.

- IT literate

- ability to travel freely between shops (ideally full driving licence and use of a properly insured vehicle during work hours).

Desirable Criteria:

- basic knowledge of Health & Safety and Fire regulations and ability to identify potential risks to include items that sold under Health & Safety regulations.

- proven retail experience

- experience of working with volunteers.

- general understanding/empathy with the aims of the organisation.

Processing stock deliveries will regularly involve carrying and moving heavy stock.  You will also be on your feet for long periods of time.  On occasions you may be required to work on your own within the shop.

AGE UK CHESHIRE

RETAIL MANAGER - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The organisation currently operates 9 charity shops and has ambitious plans to open more charity shops which all help to provide funds for the charity to deliver its services for older people in Cheshire, as well as being a location to promote Age UK Cheshire services.

All Age UK Cheshire shops sell unwanted household and personal goods donated by the public and other commercial companies. The success of the shops is dependent upon achieving a regular adequate supply of donations.  Age UK Cheshire shops have established a reputation for selling good quality items, well presented and at reasonable prices. 

The shop staffing structure is supported by volunteer helpers.  They do not receive any payment other than the reimbursement of their exact travel costs from their home to the shop. 

The shops are all expected to trade profitably. Their function is to provide income to the organisation. Each shop is given a weekly sales target to achieve to produce a targeted net profit once rents and other costs have been deducted.

Each shop has a mixture of staff and volunteers covering a 6- or 7-day working period.  The Retail Manager will be supported by an Assistant Retail Manager working flexibly to provide cover at the shop. At times you might be asked to cover other shops depending on staffing issues, so flexibility is a must. Volunteer support is key to the success of the operation and development of “designated volunteers” who can take responsibility for the shop, during some periods of staff absence. 

Location: Shop Base – Alderley Edge. You may be required to cover other shops on an ad hoc basis.

Hours: 36.25 hours per week, worked over 5 days Monday to Sunday.  Hours are required to be flexible to ensure that the shop is staffed appropriately.  There may be a requirement to travel between shops.  In exceptional circumstances you may be required to work 6 days per week. The role will require working over the Christmas period and potentially all bank holidays.

Salary:  £25452.03 per annum (£13.50 per hour).  Overtime payments can be paid for exceptional circumstances where additional days have been worked.

Pension: Age UK Cheshire has an automatic enrolment workplace pension scheme in place for eligible employees.

Leave: 25 days’ leave per annum (plus Bank Holidays) rising after 5 years’ continuous service by one day per year (pro rata) to a maximum of 30 days’ leave after 10 years.

Contract: All new staff are subject to a three-month probationary period. 4 weeks’ notice is required to terminate employment by either side i.e., the employee or Age UK Cheshire. During the probationary period, one week’s notice is required by either side.

Health Care: All staff will automatically join the Age UK Cheshire’s Health Care Cash Plan and will be entitled to receive healthcare benefits.

Criminal Disclosure:  Basic DBS Check applicable for this post.

Age UK Cheshire is a Mindful Employer and positive actions will be taken to ensure that people will not be excluded from working for Age UK Cheshire because of their age, race, ethnicity, faith, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, physical or mental health.

Registered charity no. 1091608

• Location: Oxfam House - Oxford
• Workplace Type: Hybrid
• Hours: 36 hours per week
• Salary: £28,057- £30,337per annum
• Job Family: Retail
• Division: Engagement
• Grade: D
• Job Type: Open ended
• Closing Date: 23 June 2026
• Country: United Kingdom

Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty.

Do you have merchandising experience at merchandiser, junior merchandiser or experienced assistant level?

Do you have a passion for fair trade products and wanting to make a difference?

Are you curious and always looking for continuous improvement?

The Role:

Sourced By Oxfam, our ethically sourced product range, is looking for a talented new merchandiser to partner with the buying team, to help plan, develop and deliver an ethical, commercial, and profitable range suitable for our shops, wholesale & online channels.

You will need to be able to take ownership and accountability for your area, analysing trading patterns across different channels and taking actions to optimise sales and maximise the generation of unrestricted funds for Oxfam.  

You will need to control your department stock levels effectively against plan, whilst challenging what correct stock levels should be in relation to current trade performance. Balancing this with, managing the department open-to-buy budget - continually identifying risks/ opportunities to maintain flexibility and optimise performance.

Working with a worldwide, ethical, fair trade supply base, and multiple internal stakeholders, it’s important you can build relationships quickly, work collaboratively and communicate effectively.

You will need to be a self-starter. Able to work well on your own as well as in a team. It’s important that you have an eye for detail and accuracy, with a love of excel spreadsheets & systems and a passion for using data and analytics to drive decision making.

What we are looking for:

We’re looking for a candidate who cares about Oxfam's mission to end poverty and is personally aligned to our feminist principles and values of empowerment, accountability, and inclusion in all you do.

An ideal candidate for the role will also be / have:

• Previous merchandising experience
• Analytical and problem-solving skills and experience
• Team player
• Drive to achieve results
• Adaptable and flexible
• Ability to prioritise workload and manage conflicting priorities
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including presentation skills
• High level of numeracy and computer literacy, with high level of excel skills
• Decisiveness

We offer:

We offer a competitive salary and a range of additional benefits to staff including flexible working options, generous pension scheme, annual leave, additional leave allowances, company sick pay, life assurance and a range of other benefits.

From the day you join Oxfam we invite you to stretch and learn in your role. Our wide range of Learning & Development opportunities includes in-house courses, e-learning modules, on-the job learning opportunities, coaching and mentoring, and much more. 

You can read more about all Oxfam has to offer 

Flexfam:

We believe flexible working is key to building the Oxfam of the future, so we’re open to talking through the type of flexible arrangements which might work for you. We think this role would work particularly well as a hybrid role.

How to apply:

As part of your online application, please upload your up to date CV and Cover Letter explaining your suitability against the essential criteria in the job profile.  

Our values and commitment to safeguarding

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom Oxfam GB engages. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our  are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Oxfam GB also participates in the .  In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

About us

Oxfam is a global community who believe poverty isn’t inevitable. It’s an injustice that can be overcome. We are shop volunteers, women’s right activists, marathon runners, aid workers, coffee farmers, street fundraisers, goat herders, policy experts, campaigners, water engineers and more. And we won’t stop until everyone can live life without poverty for good.

 is a member of  of 21 organisations working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development and campaigning, in more than 90 countries. 

A thriving diverse Oxfam:

It’s people power that brings about change. To play our part as a global organisation working to overcome poverty and inequality, we need equality, diversity and inclusion across our community of staff, partners and volunteers. Together, we’re committed to becoming a more diverse workforce, better able to tackle the global challenges that face our world today.

To do that:

• We need to dismantle the unequal power structures that exist everywhere, this including Oxfam and the wider development and charity sectors.
• We need an inclusive Oxfam where everyone can bring who they are to our work and feels celebrated for the differences they bring.
• We want and need everyone, and that means we need you.