Volunteer services officer jobs

Respond is seeking an experienced and values-driven Psychotherapy Service Manager to lead our specialist psychotherapy service for autistic people, people with learning disabilities, and their families. 

This is a senior clinical leadership role for an experienced psychotherapist with strong service management skills and a commitment to psychodynamic, systemic and trauma-informed practice. 

About the Role 

You will: 

• Provide clinical leadership and day-to-day management of Respond’s psychotherapy service 

• Ensure high-quality, safe and effective therapeutic provision across London, schools and online 

• Lead on clinical governance, safeguarding, supervision and reflective practice 

• Support and develop the therapy team through coaching and compassionate leadership 

• Contribute to organisational strategy, service planning and partnership development 

You will hold a small caseload alongside management responsibilities and work closely with the Senior Leadership Team. 

About You 

You will be: 

• A qualified psychotherapist, counsellor or arts therapist with postgraduate training 

• Registered with a relevant professional body (e.g. HCPC, BACP, BPS, UKCP) 

• Experienced in psychodynamic and/or systemic practice 

• Experienced in working with autistic people and/or people with learning disabilities 

• Confident in leading teams and managing services 

• Knowledgeable about trauma, abuse and safeguarding 

Experience of clinical supervision, reflective practice or organisational safeguarding leadership is desirable. 

Why Join Respond? 

• A respected specialist organisation with a strong trauma-informed ethos 

• A collaborative, reflective and supportive working culture 

• Opportunities to shape and develop a growing service 

• Flexible working arrangements and ongoing CPD 

If you’d like to find out more about this role, please read through the job description and person specification.

When you apply, please send a CV and Supporting statement of no more than 2 sides of A4. In your supporting statement ensure that you address the key competencies in the person specification.  

Project Trust is an education charity with over fifty years’ experience in international volunteering for young people.  We organise challenging, long-term placements for 17–25-year-olds with partnership organisations in Africa, Asia and the Americas.

We annually select up to 200 young people from across the UK for sustainable teaching and youth development projects around the world.  Our Volunteers are provided with training and support before, during and after their international placements, and return home with broadened horizons and an impressive range of transferable skills, true Global Citizens.

We are looking for a talented and versatile Volunteer & Schools Engagement Coordinator to recruit and support Volunteers for our immersive and focused international placements.  This is an exciting role for a motivated self-starter with excellent communication skills to work with inspirational young people from across the UK, enabling them to achieve their dream of an international volunteering placement.

The successful candidate will be a highly organised individual with the ability to build and maintain relationships with schools and with young people.  We are looking for an inspiring public speaker who is able to engage with and motivate young people to support the recruitment, retention and fundraising efforts of our future Volunteers.

The role is home-based and will involve travel throughout England, including overnight stays, plus some travel to meetings elsewhere in the UK. There will be the occasional requirement to work evenings and weekends.

Main areas of responsibility include:

• Recruit Volunteer candidates through delivery of inspiring presentations within schools, youth organisations and careers fairs
• Develop relationships with partner organisations within the education and youth sectors
• Support and co-ordinate Returned Volunteers in the delivery of school talks
• Be a point of contact and support for young people at application, selection and throughout fundraising activities

Responsibilities & duties

• Recruit Volunteer candidates through the delivery of inspiring presentations in schools and youth organisations, in-person and online
• Engage and support fundraising Volunteers, offering practical advice, guidance and monitoring of fundraising progress
• Represent Project Trust at career and recruitment fairs
• Develop and maintain relationships with partnership organisations within the education and youth sectors
• Support and co-ordinate Returned Volunteers in the delivery of school talks
• Be a point of contact and support for young people throughout the application, selection and fundraising process
• Maintain accurate and up to date records on our CRM database
• Participate in the selection, training and debriefing of Volunteers

Qualifications & skills

Essential

• Commitment to Project Trust’s purpose, approach, ethos
• Excellent planning and organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise workload and manage time effectively
• Proven ability to deliver presentations to a range of stakeholders, including young people, with an ability to motivate and inspire others
• Experience of working effectively with and developing young people in a variety of settings, eg schools, youth and community groups
• Ability to work autonomously on own initiative and as part of a remote, multi-disciplinary team
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, written and verbal, and ability to communicate with a range of audiences
• Excellent customer service skills, with a commitment to providing an outstanding service to Volunteers and third parties
• Excellent administrative skills, able to keep accurate and up to date records and produce reports
• Good judgement and decision-making skills with the ability to work under pressure
• Working knowledge of Microsoft packages and a variety of social media platforms
• Ability to travel within a designated region of the UK and to other parts of the UK as required
• Ability to work remotely from an appropriate home base
• Willingness to undertake work outside standard office hours
• A full clean driving licence and use of a vehicle

Desirable

• Experience of working and/or living in an international environment
• Qualification in working with young people, or demonstrable equivalent experience
• Knowledge and understanding of the voluntary and charitable sector
• Experience in marketing or sales
• Experience of running small projects
• Experience in using a CRM database

Conditions of Service

The appointment will be made subject to Project Trust’s detailed terms and conditions of employment. Candidates should be aware that:

• The post holder will be required to obtain an enhanced Disclosure Scotland check (PVG)
• Any offer of appointment will be made subject to the receipt of satisfactory references
• The post holder must have the right to work in the UK

If you are passionate about youth development and want to use your skills, knowledge and experience to change the world, apply now.

Cardiomyopathy UK is the only UK charity dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by cardiomyopathy. We provide clinical information, emotional support, and work to influence policy and practice so that everyone affected by cardiomyopathy receives timely diagnosis, high-quality care, and support.

Our established Change Maker volunteer network brings together people with lived experience of cardiomyopathy who share their stories and the expertise it provides to advocate for meaningful policy and practice change. Change Makers contribute in a range of ways, from running awareness raising activities and supporting social media campaigns to engaging with MPs. Their work helps drive improvements in care pathways, raise public understanding of cardiomyopathy and provide valuable input into Cardiomyopathy UK’s policy development.

As the network enters its next phase, we are seeking a skilled and passionate Freelance Senior Advocacy Officer to help take it forward.

Role Purpose

The Freelance Senior Advocacy Officer will lead the growth and development of our Change Maker network, ensuring volunteers are supported, empowered, and equipped to influence change at local, regional, and national levels. In this role, you will work closely with the Policy Manager to design and implement a strategic plan for the network, and provide the training, tools and resources our volunteers need to advocate effectively. The ideal candidate will bring expertise in advocacy, campaigns or volunteer engagement, along with strong project management skills.

As a 0.4 FTE freelance role, responsibilities will be phased and prioritised over the course of the contract. 

Please see the job description and person specification for further details.

Volunteer officer – North Middlesex Hospital

Salary £30,000 - £33,000 per annum - subject to skills and experience 

Hours of work 37.5 hours a week over five days

Base North Middlesex University Hospital, Sterling Way, London N18 1QX, UK.

Upon successful completion of probation, employees would be in a hybrid role, with four days in the office and one day remote.

The role

The volunteer officer will report to the volunteer manager.

The purpose of this role is to deliver the coordination of the operations of the charity’s volunteers ensuring that they have the best experience possible.

The objectives of the post are:

· To support the day-to-day smooth running of the service

· To be the first point of contact for the service and provide excellent customer service to ‘walk-in’ and face-to-face enquiries

· To deliver new projects to assist in the delivery of the service

· Support the launch and growth of the service, working closely with the volunteer manager to ensure sustainability.

· Work independently as the sole charity representative on-site, ensuring effective coordination while adhering to lone working policies.

The team

Volunteer team

• The volunteer team is responsible for managing and coordinating volunteering roles across the 4 main hospital sites and satellite sites for the Royal Free London Trust.
• The volunteer team work closely with Trust staff to ensure patients have the best possible experience whilst they are in the hospital, they also support the volunteers with anything they may need to carry out their roles and make a significant contribution to the operational and strategic aims of the charity and trust.

Organisation

The Royal Free Charity stands at the threshold of its most important period of development.

Our vision is for everyone served by the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust (RFL) to have access to world-leading healthcare, delivered by a thriving workforce, and driven by medical research that has a global impact. We support the 17,000 staff of the RFL and their two million patients across Barnet, Chase Farm, North Mid and Royal Free hospitals and more than 30 NHS services.

Through the services we provide, and the programmes and equipment we fund, we make a profound and immediate difference to patients’ experiences of care.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• CSE/GCSE in maths and English or equivalent.

Experience - essential

• Demonstrated experience in coordinating activities or projects involving multiple stakeholders
• Strong interpersonal skills to work collaboratively across diverse teams
• Experience of databases (CRM) for the management and monitoring of volunteers/service delivery
• Intermediate level of MS Office (outlook, word, excel and PowerPoint) and use of cloud-based systems

The recruitment process

To apply for this post, send your:

• CV (please include your last employer and dates of employment)
• Cover letter addressing how you meet the criteria set out in the job description and person specification,

Please note, that applications submitted without a cover letter may not be considered for this role.

Closing date for application: Friday, 13 February 2026, 9 am

Interview date: Monday 23 February 2026

Please kindly note that we may close the job advert before the closing date if we receive a large volume of applications.

• You must be eligible to work in the UK

We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may require during the recruitment process. 

As an equal opportunities’ employer, the Royal Free Charity is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join the Royal Free Charity and act in line with our values of dedication, innovation, partnership, energy and respect.

Chief Executive Officer (Part-time, 3 days/week)

Veterans With Dogs (VWD) is seeking a dynamic and compassionate Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead our charity into its next chapter. This rare and exciting opportunity offers the chance to guide a small, high-impact team at a pivotal stage in the charity’s growth.

Location: Exeter (hybrid with regular office presence required)
Salary: £45,000–£55,000 pro-rata (equivalent to £27,000 - £33,000 for 3 days/week) + 3% pension contribution
Contract: Initial 1 year role with opportunity to extend

Hours: 21 hours / 3 days per week

Holiday: 38 days per annum (FTE), plus bank holidays
Reports to: Chair of Trustees
Direct reports: 4

About Veterans With Dogs

Veterans With Dogs is a UK charity that transforms the lives of Armed Forces veterans living with mental health challenges. Through the provision of highly trained assistance dogs and trauma-informed support, we help restore purpose, independence, and dignity to those who have served.

Founded in 2012, our work addresses a vital gap for veterans living with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and complex trauma. Through our award-winning PALS™ (Partner Animal Life Skills) programme, we help veterans re-engage with life, with the support of a trusted companion by their side.

Following a period of governance transition and renewal, we are entering a new and exciting phase. We are strengthening leadership, systems, and strategy to ensure long-term sustainability and greater reach. As we begin this next chapter, we are seeking an experienced, values-driven CEO to lead us confidently into this next phase.

The Role

The CEO will provide strategic direction, operational oversight, and cultural leadership for Veterans With Dogs. Working closely with the Board of Trustees, the CEO will oversee the delivery of the charity’s mission, ensure operational excellence, develop our long-term strategy, and foster a values-led and high-performing team.

This is a hands-on, multi-dimensional leadership role, ideal for a calm, pragmatic, and inspiring individual with experience of organisational stabilisation, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable growth. You will be a visible leader at our base in Exeter, while building strong relationships across the veteran, assistance dog, and wider charity sectors.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

· Lead the development and delivery of an interim plan and longer-term organisational strategy

· Translate strategic goals into clear operational priorities and plans

· Foster a compassionate, inclusive, and mission-aligned organisational culture

· Act as a credible and inspiring ambassador for Veterans With Dogs with stakeholders, funders, partners, and the public

• Guide the charity through stabilisation and values-led, sustainable growth

Governance & Compliance

· Ensure compliance with all relevant charity law, regulation, and best practice

· Work in partnership with the Board of Trustees, supporting effective governance and reporting

· Implement and embed improvements in HR, finance, safeguarding, IT, and operational systems

• Lead on organisational risk management, ensuring policies and procedures are in place and regularly reviewed

Operations & Programme Delivery

· Oversee day-to-day operations to ensure safe, ethical, and effective service delivery

· Ensure safeguarding standards are upheld for both veterans and dogs

· Drive continuous improvement in programme quality, delivery, and impact measurement

• Ensure operational systems and data processes are robust, compliant, and fit for purpose

People & Culture

· Lead, support, and nurture a small, dedicated staff team and wider network of volunteers

· Promote staff wellbeing, clear communication, and professional development

• Work with trustees to assess future staffing needs and build leadership capacity

Finance & Sustainability

· Work with trustees and advisors to ensure sound financial management and reporting

· Contribute to financial planning, budgeting, and development of a sustainable reserves policy

• Help diversify income streams, supporting fundraising efforts, corporate partnerships, and individual giving

Fundraising & External Relations

· Build and maintain relationships with funders, donors, corporate partners, and sector allies

· Collaborate with the fundraising trustee to develop new funding opportunities

· Represent the charity externally with credibility, transparency, and professionalism

• Strengthen partnerships with ADUK, ADI, Cobseo, and other key membership bodies

Person Specification

Essential

· Senior leadership experience within a charity, social enterprise, or values-led organisation

· Strong knowledge of charity governance, regulation, and trustee relationships

· Experience leading teams through organisational change or stabilisation

· Financial literacy with experience of budgeting, reporting, and planning

· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills across diverse stakeholders

• A calm, values-based, and ethical leadership approach

Desirable

· Experience in health, mental health, veterans’ services, or trauma-informed work

· Experience working with boards during periods of strategic or leadership transition

· Fundraising and/or income generation experience

· Understanding of safeguarding best practice (for people and/or animals)

• Lived experience of the military or charity sectors (not essential)

Our Commitment

Veterans With Dogs is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We actively welcome applicants from all backgrounds and strive to create a supportive, respectful, and empowering workplace. We recognise the value of lived experience and are committed to continuous learning as an organisation.

How to Apply

Apply with your CV and a brief cover letter outlining your interest and suitability.

If you would like a confidential conversation before applying, we would be happy to speak with you.

Closing date to apply: Friday 13 March 2026

· First interviews (online): week commencing 16 March 2026

· Second interviews (in our Exeter office): week commencing 23 March 2026 TBC

Icon, the Institute of Conservation, is looking for an experienced and collaborative Groups and Public Programmes Lead to help us empower our volunteer community and bring the value of heritage conservation to wider audiences.

Thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, this new role will support Icon’s volunteer-led specialist Groups, helping deliver inspiring events, talks, training and activities that celebrate and share widely the importance of conservation.

You’ll develop and lead Icon’s public engagement programme – creating partnerships with charities, schools and community organisations, coordinating studio visits and workshops, and championing opportunities for conservators to connect with new audiences. You’ll also design and deliver volunteer training, support Group committees, and line‑manage our Groups & Public Programmes Administrator.

We’re looking for someone with experience delivering creative or cultural programmes, supporting volunteers, and managing partnerships. Strong communication, organisational skills and a passion for heritage are essential.

Icon is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

We’re looking for an Operations Officer to play a central role in keeping our organisation running safely, smoothly and effectively across our central office, refuges and dispersed accommodation.

This is a varied, hands-on role combining operations, facilities management, reception, health & safety, admin coordination and service-user access support. You’ll help ensure our buildings, systems and processes enable high-quality, trauma-informed services for Black and minoritised (Global Majority) women and children.

You’ll be a key first point of contact for the organisation — welcoming, calm and professional — while helping to maintain safe, well-managed environments and strong operational systems.

You’ll:

• Support the day-to-day operation of the central office, refuges and dispersed accommodation

• Coordinate facilities, repairs, access and health & safety requirements

• Act as a first point of contact for enquiries, referrals and visitors

• Support safe service-user access and reception processes

• Provide administrative and operational support across teams

You’ll bring:

• Experience in operations, facilities, admin or office coordination

• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail

• A calm, professional approach in a fast-paced, sensitive environment

• Commitment to trauma-informed, anti-racist and survivor-centred practice

Due to the nature of work and focus of LBWP, the organisation considers the candidate’s race and gender, to be an occupational requirement in accordance with Parag. 1, Schedule 9, of the Equality Act 2010. This post is open only to Black and minoritised, i.e. Global Majority, women.

We are not able to sponsor any work permit or visa. 

At ELHAP, we provide adventure play to hundreds of children and young people with disabilities from across East London and Essex. 

We have an exciting opportunity to join our growing fundraising team as we look toward the charity's 50th anniversary in 2026.

The ELHAP Volunteer and Community Events Officer will play a pivotal role in enabling ELHAP to achieve its goals - helping us to reach more supporters and raise vital funds through volunteering partnerships and community fundraising events. You’ll be at the heart of building relationships, creating impact, and driving income that directly transforms the support available for children and young people with disabilities.

Reporting to the Fundraising Manager, the Volunteer and Community Events Officer will be the driving force behind volunteer recruitment, ensuring ELHAP has a thriving network of passionate, well-supported volunteers who feel valued and are making meaningful contributions to our mission. You'll manage the complete volunteer journey - from attraction and onboarding through to retention and recognition - creating rewarding experiences that keep volunteers engaged and motivated.

Alongside volunteer management, you'll take the lead in planning and executing fundraising events that bring our community together, raise vital funds, and celebrate ELHAP's work. You'll also support individuals, groups, schools, and businesses undertaking their own fundraising challenges on our behalf.

This is a hands-on role perfect for someone who thrives on building relationships, loves bringing people together, and can juggle multiple projects with creativity, energy, and excellent organisational skills. You'll work collaboratively across the team to ensure every volunteer interaction and event strengthens ELHAP's presence and impact in the community.

This is a highly rewarding position for a creative and dynamic individual to make a genuine difference to families of children and young people with disabilities from across East London and Essex. 

Ideally, you will bring the following to the role:

• Experience in event planning and delivery, ideally within a charity or community setting
• Experience in fundraising activities or supporting fundraising campaigns
• Experience of volunteer recruitment, management, or community engagement
• Knowledge of safeguarding practices in a youth or community setting.
• Exceptionally well organised with strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Warm, personable, and approachable and able to build strong relationships with volunteers, supporters, and community partners.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences
• Warm, personable, and approachable with a genuine passion for community engagement and volunteering
• Proactive, solution-focused approach with a "can-do" attitude and ability to work independently.
• Confident and adaptable, comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities
• Collaborative team player committed to building positive working relationships and supporting colleagues
• High level of integrity and commitment to ELHAP's values and mission
  
   

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974; the successful applicants will be expected to undertake satisfactory DBS Enhanced Disclosures. ELHAP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment.

ELHAP Charity Registration No: 1077508. ELHAP is an equal opportunities employer.

You will lead, with support, on the development and delivery of an exciting new Women at Risk (WaR) project seeking to support women at risk of rough sleeping, homelessness and exploitation. Working across key areas of Enfield and Haringey you will, through a combination of nighttime outreach and daytime service development, support a coordinated response across multiple agencies already engaged in this work.

You will coordinate and lead a minimum twice weekly nighttime outreach, support additional services and existing outreach provision and develop a daytime offer that meets the needs of women engaged through outreach and identified as at high risk of harm and homelessness.   

You will have management responsibility of a small staff team, take overall lead on case management, coordinate outreach and maintain relationships with key stakeholders to support women to access and engage with a range of services to meet their needs through effective and professional communication.

This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of a passionate, high performing team and develop a service which is meeting identified gaps in local provision.

PMRGCAuk is a small national charity dedicated to supporting people affected by polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA). We have a big impact, supporting patients with our small staff team and with the help of a proactive team of volunteers and working closely with leading rheumatologists and researchers to improve diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. As we continue to grow, we are looking for a passionate and dynamic Fundraising Officer.

Key focus of the role

This is a newly created role designed to develop and support our fundraising activities, particularly in the areas of legacy fundraising and grants and trusts, as well as increasing our membership, working alongside our small team. We are a small charity with big ambitions and this role is designed to help us grow and become sustainable in the future.

Key Responsibilities

Legacies:

· To develop a comprehensive legacy fundraising strategy and workflow, in collaboration with the Director and the Fundraising Committee.

· To work with colleagues to raise the profile of legacy fundraising, including production of materials, social media content, website development, etc.

· Work across the charity to ensure legacies are integrated across relevant channels to reach key audiences

· Build a portfolio of case studies in conjunction with the Deputy Director to showcase how legacy giving has impacted the community

Trust and Grants

· Identify and research a pipeline of potential Trust and Grant funders to secure financial support for the charity

· Work with the Director, trustees and other colleagues to develop fundraising applications for new and existing projects

· Develop compelling funding applications with service-user insight to Trust and Grant funders

· Manage and track existing funding received and complete appropriate reporting protocols to the relevant funders

· Produce timely and engaging project reports to inspire future funders and clearly measure impact of any funding received.

Membership

· To develop a strategy to increase membership, including professional membership

· To increase membership, including professional membership in conjunction with the wider PMRGCA team of staff and volunteers

General

· To lead on the development and establishment of a ‘shop’ on our website to generate additional funds.

· Support with other fundraising initiatives within the organisation, for example, Marathon in a Month, Big Give.

· Achieve agreed income targets, with a focus on securing funding from Trusts and Grants, as well as an increase in legacy donations and increased membership

Who We're Looking For:

• A proactive self-starter with experience of legacy and trusts and grants fundraising
• Someone with experience of working in a small voluntary organisation who recognises the needs to be flexible and adaptable
• Someone with knowledge of the UK voluntary sector and a passion for improving health outcomes.
• A strong communicator with excellent writing, project management, and financial skills.
• Someone who is confident with IT systems

Part time – 22.5 hours per week (equivalent to 3 days)

Salary range £27,000-£30,000 FTE (pro-rata 0.6 £16,200- £18,000)

Fixed term contract – 2 years

Location: Home based with occasional travel to meetings in London

This is a fixed-term contract for a period of two years. The fixed-term nature of the post reflects the charity’s current operational and financial planning cycle. Any extension beyond this date will be at the charity’s discretion based on organisational need and affordability.

Closing date: 5th March 2026

Please apply by sending a copy of your CV and a cover letter (no more than 2 sides) outlining why you feel you would be the perfect fit for this role and what you could bring to the organization.

Potential applicants are sometimes put off if they don’t meet 100% of the requirements. We think individual experience, skills and passion make all the difference, so if you meet the majority of the criteria, we’d love to hear from you.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy earlier if we receive sufficient applications so, please submit your application as soon as possible.

Job Title: Deputy Service Manager 

Location: Derby City (on-site role)
Salary: £35,674.05 per annum
Contract type: Full Time, Permanent 

Hours: 37.5 hours per week 

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as a Deputy Service Manager to support survivors who have been impacted by domestic abuse. We are recruiting for a Deputy Service Manager who is passionate about supporting survivors who are impacted by domestic abuse. In this role you will provide line management and support to community-based staff who support survivors of domestic abuse across Derby City.  This will include providing supervision on complex casework, overseeing operational emergencies and ensuring high standards of casework.

The Deputy service manager will join our management team to assist the service manager in the delivery and development of high-quality support to survivors accessing our community-based services in Derby City. In this role you will ensure the smooth running of high-quality service to support survivors of domestic abuse. This will include managing staff teams to ensure effective advocacy is provided to survivors who are at medium/standard risk and their children. 

A key requirement is to provide personal welfare support and to ensure that survivors are provided with a safe, supportive outreach service

Suitable candidates must have proven experience of providing direct emotional and practical support, and of managing case work. In addition, you must have experience of managing and motivating staff, knowledge of domestic abuse issues, experience of providing support to survivors, and experience of working in community-based services

As a member of the management team, you will be required to participate in an out-of-hours on call service, on a rota basis, responding to out of hours emergencies.

This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

Closing Date: 09:00am 2 February 2026

Interview Date: 11 ansd 12 March 2026

We are seeking an experienced and highly organised Business Manager to provide strategic and operational leadership across finance, HR, property management, compliance, and administration.

This is a pivotal role within ORL, working closely with the Chief Executive Officer to ensure the organisation is financially sustainable, compliant, and well-run, and that our properties and systems support the delivery of safe, high-quality services for residents, staff, volunteers, and visitors. 

Your responsibilities will include overseeing financial operations such as payroll, pensions, Gift Aid claims, and bank reconciliations, as well as supporting the preparation of financial reports and budgets. You will manage HR administration, including recruitment, onboarding, policy development, and employee wellbeing. In addition, you will ensure compliance with health and safety legislation, carry out risk assessments, and oversee property management, lease agreements, and insurance.

The ideal candidate will have strong experience in finance and HR management, excellent organisational skills, and the ability to lead and motivate staff. You’ll be confident in handling budgets, compliance requirements, and operational systems, with a proactive approach to problem-solving. Experience working in the charity or not-for-profit sector would be an advantage.

This role offers the opportunity to make a real impact by ensuring our organisation runs efficiently and sustainably, supporting the delivery of our mission and services.

The vacancy

The Housing Officer role is 37.5 hours a week, working shifts between 8am and 8pm Monday-Friday which you will share with two other staff members on an 8-4, 10-6 or 12-8 rota pattern.

The role is based in Colchester.

Your time will be spent working with residents towards independent living by assisting them to claim and maintain benefits, move into work, education or volunteering, learn about successful budgeting, to eat healthily and keep themselves safe and healthy both physically and mentally. You will also interview prospective residents, carry out room checks, fire checks, assist with our food distribution scheme, collect payments and arrears, attend appointments with the young people as and when necessary, take an active role in resident engagement and support the management team.

Who we are and what we do

YMCA Essex has a 44 room, supported housing unit on Magdalen Street in Colchester. We house young people aged 16-25, supporting them towards independent living and a well rounded life. We encourage and support them into work, education or training and to be able to maintain a tenancy and look after themselves when they leave YMCA. Residents can live at the YMCA for a two-year period after which time we assist them in moving onto independent living.

You

Have an active care and concern for the community, work in an inclusive way, welcoming the diverse needs of our young residents. You are tolerant, understanding and non-judgemental. You have an interest in the needs of young people and a thirst to support them towards being the best they can possibly be.

You have experience of working in supported or general needs housing, wellbeing planning, risk assessments, working with young people and a great knowledge of welfare benefits, grants and other sources of income available. You have housing management, rent accounting and tenancy sustainment expertise as well as experience of dealing with anti-social behaviour and resident engagement.

Your IT skills are current with a good understanding of Microsoft packages and Sharepoint and you have an excellent level of education. You are experienced in working in and handling stressful situations. You are flexible and adaptable in regard to working hours and are able to take part in an on-call rota evening and weekend rota. You have a driving licence or can get to Magdalen Street at any time of day or night (if on call) within 30 minutes.

As a great communicator you are able to demonstrate an empathetic and person centred approach, problem solve on a daily basis, work with minimal supervision and with discretion and integrity whilst respecting confidentiality.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT A CARER ROLE. THERE IS NO PERSONAL CARE INVOLVED AND RESIDENTS ARE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY ABLE. CARE WORK EXPERIENCE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED AS HOUSING EXPERIENCE.

YOU MUST HAVE RELEVANT EXPERIENCE TO BE CONSIDERED AND LIVE WITHIN 30 MINUTES TRAVEL OF COLCHESTER.

Are you looking for a dynamic and rewarding role working for an organisation with the feminist agenda at the core of its ethos? Do you believe in our values; to listen and support, to empower and respect, collaborate, innovate, and take accountability? 

Then working at Advance Charity could be the career choice for you!

We are looking for a Bid Officer (Bid Writer)

Salary: £34,000 - £39,000 per annum

Location: Hammersmith Head Office

Hours: 35 hours (full time)

Contract: Permanent

We recognise that many working women have commitments outside of work, so we’re open to discuss flexible working options and solutions that suit you, and still suit the needs of the business. Please indicate in your supporting statement if you’d like to discuss flexible working options with the Hiring Manager, should they contact you regarding your application.

About us:

Advance Charity is a well-respected, award-winning, and innovative women-only organisation, established in 1998, providing emotional and practical support to women experiencing domestic abuse, and supporting women with short-term sentences to reduce offending.

About the role:
As the Bid Officer, you will support statutory and non-statutory funding across Advance’s services, with oversight by the Development Manager and support from the Development and Fundraising Co-ordinator. They will also provide assistance to the Head of Fundraising. The role will ensure a high standard of professional bids are created, showing strong attention to detail, an ability to work under pressure and to demanding deadlines.

You will plan and produce compliant proposal documents, bringing together expertise, best practice, research and data to develop compelling tender responses. Your role will be responsible for shaping service delivery models in collaboration with internal subject matter experts, bid writing and editing, coordinating the final document review and document governance. 

Please note: In this role we are always exploring new technology and tools to support better ways of working, however the sector we work in means that we are often required to submit bids that are written without AI involvement. We need someone with great writing skills in this role and will be testing this with an in-person assessment as part of our recruitment process.

Key responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Plan and write compliant, professionally produced proposals within defined timeframes and coordinate supplementary documents required

• Foster collaboration and coordinate proposal input from a variety of stakeholders including Services, Evidence and Insights, People team, Finance and Governance team, Safeguarding

• Undertake editing of proposals, including spelling and grammar checks, and share with internal stakeholders for final approval in advance

• Project manage the writing of smaller tenders/grant applications including responsible for agreeing budget with Finance team

• Ensure all supplementary documents, including approval documents, are produced in a timely fashion and accompanying governance processes are completed

• Follow team processes for filing and version control

• Work alongside external partners to inform competitive bid submissions

• Support preparation for tender handover following contract award with Implementation Manager

• Monitor statutory and non-statutory funding opportunities (local authority, central government, trusts) via portals and support existing services to prepare for retender

• Brief leadership on go/no go decisions

• Conduct post-proposal reviews and support continuous improvement of the department

About You:

To be successful as the Bid Officer you’ll need the below experience and skills:

• Experience of writing successful tenders, proposals or grant submissions, with excellent written and verbal skills that support coordination of clear, compelling and concise bid responses

• Excellent attention-to-detail and accuracy with strong editing and proof-reading skills

• A pro-active approach to developing strong working relationships with staff at all levels of the organisation and with external stakeholders

• Be highly organised and solutions-focused, able to plan, prioritise and meet deadlines under pressure

• Be committed to Advance’s values and ethos, with a clear understanding of safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion in the delivery of statutory services.

This post is open to female applicants only as being female is deemed to be a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010.  

Please note: Any offer of employment will be made subject to references and confirmation of the right to work in the UK, and satisfactory enhanced DBS check.

How to apply:

Please submit your up-to-date CV with a supporting statement. Please note that only applications made via the job advert will be considered. 

Please see the end of the advert for the downloadable Job Specification

Closing Date for Applications: 26th February 2026 *Advance reserves the right to extend the advert and/or close the advertisement early, or on the appointment of a candidate

Interviews are taking place: Between 3rd to 9th March 2026 (this may be subject to change),

We recognise that women often only apply to roles if they meet 100% of the criteria (whereas men apply if they meet only 60% of the requirements). We encourage you to demonstrate how your skills and experience would make you an asset to the role, and if you don’t have the exact skills/experience, tell us in your cover letter how you think you might grow and develop in the role.

Under the Equality Act 2010, we are required to make any reasonable adjustments. If you have a disability as defined under this act and/or have additional needs, please email the Talent Acquisition Team will aim to make the necessary arrangements to accommodate your needs.

What we can offer you - Employee Benefits: 

• An exceptional 30 days of paid holiday per year (pro rata for part time), PLUS public holidays on top (that's nearly 40 days paid holiday per year!) 

• Additional days off to celebrate International Women’s Day, and for religious observance and moving home

• Perkbox - an employee discount platform where you can receive free rewards as well as take advantage of savings on clothes, groceries, travel, leisure and more

• Pension scheme

• Enhanced maternity/adoption provision

• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme

• Access to Yoga/Meditation and many more activities on our wellbeing online platform

• Employee eye-care scheme

• Clinical supervision for front line staff and first line management roles

• Refer a Friend Scheme - £250 for each referral who passes probation

• Organisation wide away days-

• Thorough induction and training

• Career development pathways 

Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

We value diversity and believe the variety of ideas, perspectives and experiences it brings creates an effective environment in which talents can be fully utilised to achieve our goals.

We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and actively seek to recruit people from groups underrepresented in our current team. We have policies and processes in place to ensure that all employees are offered an equal opportunity in recruitment and selection, promotion, training, pay and benefits.