National schools programme manager volunteer roles in Edinburgh

As we approach our 30th anniversary in 2028, we are looking for committed new trustees with energy, passion and time who will continue to drive us forward.

Musical talent is everywhere but opportunity isn't: family finances and other obstacles too often get in the way. Young Sounds is here to change this.

For nearly 30 years we've supported talented young people from low-income families, helping them to overcome financial and social barriers. Whether they're making or creating music our programmes help young musicians from across the UK to fulfil their musical potential.

Trustees are expected to engage with and support all aspects of the charity, helping to foster stakeholder relationships, representing the organisation regionally and nationally and ensuring compliance and safeguarding. 

Principal responsibilities are:

• Strategy - contributing actively to the formation of strategy, the Young Sounds business plan, and evaluating the performance of the organisation against the plan.
• Oversight - ensuring that the charity is well run, efficient and compliant with the charity's Articles of Association, its policies, including safeguarding and EDI, governance codes of practice, legal responsibilities and upholding the organisation's reputation and values.
• Advocacy - advocating for the charity at all times, supporting fundraising efforts and promoting the work of the charity in the trustee's daily life.

Requirements:

Previous trustee experience is not necessary, and we welcome trustees who can bring a diversity of life experiences, cultural knowledge and expertise.

As a national charity we are keen to attract trustees from all parts of the UK, and particularly those who are based outside London and the South East.

For this round, we particularly welcome expertise in the following areas:

• EDI and CSR programmes in the creative industries
• Youth culture and content creation
• Music Hub and/or National Curriculum expertise
• Fundraising
• Contemporary music performance and production

Above all we are looking for trustees who are passionate about, and willing to advocate strongly for, giving all young people the opportunity to have a musical life, particularly those facing the most barriers. We also expect trustees to have an overarching commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Please see the Role Information Pack for full details including how to apply.

Make a difference every week. Help shape a kinder future. Become a Trustee.

Are you thoughtful, curious, and motivated by kindness and social change? Would you like to help guide a charity that supports people in need every week of the year while inspiring kindness across the UK?

The 52 Lives charity is looking for a new trustee to join our friendly, values-driven board and bring fresh perspectives to our work. We are especially keen to hear from emerging leaders...people early in their career journey who want to develop governance, leadership and strategic skills and make a meaningful contribution.

Who are we?

52 Lives is a kindness charity that helps change the lives of people in need every single week, while inspiring people everywhere to be kind.

Alongside this, we run a fast-growing education programme in primary schools,
reaching over 280,000 children each year, helping to build empathy, wellbeing and kindness from an early age.

We are a small charity with a big reach, supported by a community of nearly 100,000 people.

The role

Trustees help guide the charity and ensure we are well run, accountable, and fulfilling our aims. As a trustee, you will:

• Contribute your ideas and perspectives at board meetings

• Help shape our strategy and priorities

• Support good governance, oversight and decision-making

  As a trustee, you will have genuine influence over the charity’s strategic direction, major decisions and priorities. Your voice will directly shape how 52 Lives grows and develops.
  
  Who are we looking for?

• We are keen to hear from people who:

• Care deeply about kindness, fairness and community

• Are motivated to learn and contribute, even if new to governance

• Bring perspectives or experiences that are under-represented on charity boards

  We are especially interested in hearing from people with lived experience of the challenges we address, or who work closely with affected communities.

You do not need previous trustee experience. We actively welcome applications from people who may not have considered a trustee role before.

You must be aged 18 or over to apply.

Support and development

You will receive:

• A full trustee induction and training

• A mentor from our board, if helpful.

• A welcoming, inclusive environment where learning is encouraged

  Time commitment

• Three trustee meetings per year (around 2 hours each, online)

• One annual strategy day (usually online, occasionally in person in London)

• Occasional email consultations between meetings

• Reasonable travel expenses covered, and we are happy to discuss additional support to

  help remove barriers to participation

  Why become a trustee?

• Make a genuine difference by helping guide a national charity

• Have real influence over direction, priorities and growth

• Develop leadership, strategic thinking and governance skills

• Be part of a supportive, values-led team

  Interested?

  Selection will be based on the value you can bring to our board, your commitment to our mission, and how your perspective complements our existing trustees.

We are looking for a Treasurer with an accountancy background and Board level experience to join our Board to support our small but mighty charity to bring the joy of reading to primary school children across the country.

Location: Online
Salary: Voluntary with reasonable expenses reimbursed
Deadline for applications: 31st January 2026

About Us:

The Children’s Bookshow is a national charity that inspires children with a love of books and reading through an annual programme of inspiring theatre and digital performances and engaging creative workshops. We showcase some of the best authors and illustrators of children’s books from around the world, and celebrate children’s literature in translation. 

We are an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation that has been running successfully for 23 years. Each year, we deliver 15 events in venues ranging from iconic theatres such as The Old Vic in London to community spaces and smaller scale theatres such as the New Wolsey in Ipswich, plus a programme of 60 creative workshops in primary schools. We target areas of high socio-economic deprivation, support environmental sustainability through our programme, and partner with local authorities, libraries and education providers. Every child who attends our theatre performances receives a free copy of the author’s book to take home and keep. This is integral to our offer - putting excellent books directly into the hands of children.

“Having Frank Cottrell-Boyce in for a free workshop really did make such a difference to our school and to our children. Frank was able to inspire every single child to write, no matter their need or ability, and children who would normally be reluctant to share their ideas in front of the class were confident to do so. Every single one of them went home talking non-stop about the amazing author they had met - with many now inspired to become authors. I can't put into words how grateful we are or how much of an impact those couple of hours have had on both the children and staff.” 
Teacher, Winyates Primary, Peterborough 2024

The opportunities:

If you think you have the expertise and passion to support our work and help us to deliver the kind of impact and change experienced by Winyates Primary, then we would love to hear from you!

Thanks to successful fundraising The Children’s Bookshow is financially stable for the next two years. Iterative growth and continued financial sustainability are crucial for us to fulfill our aspirations for the future: 

• Give more primary school children the invaluable experience of a live author event at a local theatre
• Enable children to work creatively with a world class artist in their own classroom 
• Increase book ownership by putting a free book into the hands of every child who attends one of our performances

We are recruiting a Treasurer to join our Board of highly-skilled, committed and friendly Trustees to guide and support us in achieving these aims.

The Role:
Trustees share oversight of The Children’s Bookshow’s artistic programming, operations, fundraising and finances, to ensure good governance in compliance with our governing document and with UK charity and company law.

Time commitment: around 4-6 days per year.

Treasurer:
We are seeking a new Treasurer to ensure high standards of financial governance and decision-making, and to act as a key sounding board for the Co-Directors in the financial planning, management and reporting of our charity. This will include overseeing our annual budget and cashflow and quarterly management accounts, and advising on how best to invest our reserve fund. 

We are looking for a qualified accountant with Board level experience with a UK charity and an interest in our work.

A background in children’s literature, publishing or theatre would be an advantage, but not essential.

The Children’s Bookshow is committed to creating a collaborative Board of Trustees that is inclusive and representative of our society. We actively encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and from all sections of society to apply. 

Meetings:
There are typically four Board meetings a year lasting around an hour. Three of these meetings take place online and we endeavour to meet in person once a year in central London for a meeting followed by lunch. We welcome Trustees to attend our theatre performances and online events wherever possible to directly experience our work. 

We also have a Finance and Operations Committee that occasionally meets online and reports to the Board, which Trustees are invited to opt into to share their expertise in specific areas such as Finance, Fundraising and Development. 

How to apply

Please email your CV and a covering letter (each a maximum of 2 sides of A4) detailing your relevant expertise and experience for the role of Treasurer, and why you would like to be part of The Children’s Bookshow. We look forward to hearing from you. 

The Africa Health Organisation (AHO) seeks to engage in bidding and tendering to deliver health and social care services effectively.  Our goal is to ensure sustainability and positively impact the lives of more people.  We want assistance in developing an ambitious strategy.

What will you be doing?

We are excited to announce an incredible opportunity for a talented Head of Bids and tenders to join our passionate team at the Africa Health Organisation (AHO)!  Since 1999, we've been dedicated to delivering health and social care to millions across Africa and the Diaspora, and now we're ready to further elevate our impact.

This year, we're embarking on a mission to broaden our funding strategy by incorporating bid and tender submissions.  Our goal is to engage with governments in Africa and the UK, the public sector, and the public, providing essential, practical, and emotional support to those facing chronic conditions.  We need a visionary like you to help us achieve our goals.

We're seeking a dynamic, experienced Head of Bids to develop and execute a winning strategy to secure the necessary financial backing.  There are numerous exciting possibilities ahead, including central government tenders, local and statutory opportunities.  We're eager to explore them all.

In this pivotal role, you'll plan and execute our bids and tender writing efforts, ensuring that our bid proposals not only shine but also come to life in meaningful ways.  If you're a bid writer who thrives on creativity and collaboration, we want to hear from you!  Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to inspire and mentor volunteers within our bid and tender team, making a positive impact together.  Join us on this exciting journey!

Key Duties and Responsibilities will include:

• Overall responsibility for delivering high-quality, accurate, compliant and commercially sound proposals on time, to budget, with inputs from key stakeholders.
• Responsible for the coordination and management of all Bid activities, for ensuring that Bid Plans are put in place and that all internal inputs are received promptly to meet Bid submission timescales.
• Responsible for the receipt, management, control and coordination of all external and internal information and documentation with respect to the enquiry and for the team acting as custodian for Bid documents, including all approved internal documentation signed by the Organisation.
• Responsible for compliance with all internal Bid policies and procedures and for passing internal and external audits.
• Contribute to the overall Bid strategy alongside other stakeholders.
• Responsible for the overall leadership of the team and ensuring that individuals within the team are given appropriate opportunities to grow and develop, and that the team maximises performance by creating and fostering a positive, can-do attitude and outlook on an ongoing basis.
• Responsibility to ensure that improvements are identified and those agreed upon are implemented continuously to support the growth and development of the team and those within it.
• There is a need to keep good records and to create and measure metrics on bidding performance to both review performance and drive continuous improvement in a key area of the business.
• Responsible for mentoring and training Bid Managers and Bid Writers to ensure they are up to date with bid requirements and improve their competence.

What are we looking for?

Education, Skills and Experience: Requirements

Essential:

• At least three years of experience in successfully leading teams within a bid environment.
• Proven track record of improvement and achievement - processes and people
• Keen understanding of numbers, spreadsheets, VOP/invoices, rates, cash flow, milestones, negotiations, and pricing audits.
• Ability to write strong proposals and experience as an estimator
• Excellent communicator (written and verbal) with local and international customers, and with an appreciation of cultural differences
• Ability to persuade and influence others
• Ability to lead team by example, with the ability to foster and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to work to deadlines
• Strong business/commercial acumen
• Keen attention to detail
• Commercially sound judgement
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Strong financial skills

Desirable:

• Leadership qualification (CMI or ILM)
• Experience with an integrated project management / ERP system (Enterprise Resource Planning)
• Experience in bidding roles in the Medical, Biochemistry, Biomedical, Public Services, Global Health, Humanitarian, NGOs, Public Health and Social Care industry
• MBA, Professional Qualification or formal leadership Qualification (CMI, ILM)

What difference will you make?

In this exciting role, you will lead the strategic process for winning new business through competitive bids, tenders, and proposals, ultimately elevating AHO's success. Your specialised knowledge of bids will enhance our win rates and maximise revenue by bringing clarity, quality, and coordination to what can be a complex, high-stakes journey.

Your primary mission is to boost AHO's tender win rates and strengthen our strategic advantage.  By diligently overseeing each step of the bidding process—from initial evaluation to final submission—you will significantly improve the quality and persuasion of our proposals, directly increasing our chances of securing valuable contracts.

You'll provide key insights to help AHO target the most promising opportunities by implementing a thoughtful "bid/no-bid" process.  This approach will ensure we focus only on lucrative and winnable contracts that closely align with our strategic goals, ultimately saving time and resources and allowing us to prioritise high-potential projects.

In this role, you will orchestrate a well-coordinated process that drives operational efficiency.  As the central point of contact, you will gather input from diverse internal teams—sales, finance, legal, and technical—ensuring everyone collaborates smoothly to meet critical deadlines.

As a leader, you'll elevate the quality of our bid content.  By overseeing the creation of compelling, polished materials, you'll ensure our final submissions are professional, cohesive, and error-free.  You will utilise a centralised content library containing valuable resources, such as case studies and CVs, to streamline efforts and enhance our proposals.

You will keep projects on track by developing detailed project plans and timelines, ensuring all tasks are completed on time—especially critical in the fast-paced environment of tender submissions.  Your effective management will ease colleagues' workloads, allowing the entire team to shine.

To foster long-term business growth, you'll create a wealth of knowledge around our tenders and bids. By conducting insightful post-submission debriefs and analysing feedback, you will capture invaluable lessons from both successes and setbacks.  This ongoing improvement process will enhance our bidding capabilities for future opportunities.

You also have the opportunity to enhance AHO's brand reputation by submitting well-organised, accurate, and compliant bids.  By doing so, you'll showcase our professionalism and reliability to clients, building trust and solidifying our credible standing in the market.

Strategic alignment is vital for sustaining consistent, stable business growth.  Together, we can make a remarkable impact on development.

Do you have experience in digital and social media? Can you help us improve our communications and raise the profile of the work we do?

We are seeking an expert, creative Volunteer Digital and Social Media Lead. You will help us promote our programmes supporting people in prison and young people at risk of entering the justice system, as well as our Community Bike Shop, which funds and strengthens this work.

What you’ll do:

• Design and schedule engaging posts, stories, and reels across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and more to grow our audience.

• Develop strategies for viral campaigns and collaborations to boost awareness and donations and share your expertise with our team.

• Analyse metrics (engagement, reach, growth) and refine tactics based on what resonates.

• Create eye-catching visuals using tools like Canva.

• Update our website as required and make suggestions for improvements.

• Work with our expert Trustee to consider how we can use online retail platforms to sell our refurbished bikes.

What we’ll provide:

· Creative freedom within agreed priorities and tone of voice.

· Access to the right tools plus shared photos, stories and impact stats.

· A named contact, light-touch sign-off, and occasional check-ins to remove blockers.

Time commitment: we’ll agree a realistic scope with the right volunteer based on their availability.

Reasonable agreed expenses will be paid.

Thank you

Mark Flannagan
Chief Executive

About us

UpCycle, works with individuals in prisons and young people at risk in marginalised communities.  We use bicycle maintenance workshops to help build life skills, enhance employability, prevent offending and reoffending, and foster social reintegration.  We also offer lead rides, bike fit-it sessions and other ways to engage with vulnerable people.

In prisons

· We delivered 956 un-refurbished bikes and received back 768 refurbished bikes across eight prisons and one Young Offenders Institution, training over 238 individuals.

In the Community

· Over 1034 bikes were donated to our Community Bike Shop, of those we refurbished and distributed more than 612 to underserved communities locally and overseas.

· Workshops in Bradford engaged 361 participants in diverse cycling-related activities across the area.

· "Bike to the Future" and other initiatives reached 220 young people with more complex needs.