Volunteer support worker jobs
Job Title: Registered Area Manager
Salary: £60,780 per annum + £750 Homeworking Allowance per annum + £1,500 Out of Hours Allowance per annum
Hours: 35 Hours per week
Contract: Permanent Role
Location: Homebased with travel required around East Midlands regions (Derbyshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire & Peterborough)
As a ‘not for profit’ organisation, TACT puts the needs of our children and carers first and look to appoint individuals who are as passionate about fostering as we are. We are a homeworking organisation, and we pride ourselves on our flexible working opportunities, available from day one, an extensive wellbeing programme and our benefits package, all curated to nurture a healthy work life balance for all our employees so they can give an excellent service to our carers and the young people and children we care for.
As a foster care charity, TACT invests all surplus income into services, staff, carers, and child development. This means that we have been able to invest unique projects like TACT Connect, our unique and ground-breaking scheme for TACT care experienced young people and adults, as well as our expanding Education and Health services. All our activities are built on our commitment to becoming a fully trauma informed organisation, in line with our key values and ethos.
In 2024 TACT became one of the top 5 charities to work for in the UK, placing 5th in the UK Best Companies Work For survey results, and a top 25 mid-sized company to work with across the whole of the UK. 97% of our people feel proud to work with TACT and think that TACT cares about their wellbeing, while 92% of our people would say they “ love working for TACT”.
The East Midlands service has been rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted and the successful candidate will need to continue to prioritise trauma informed and therapeutic methodologies and actively support/encourage diversity and inclusion within all aspects of the role alongside contributing to the provision of services for to our families across the East Midlands region.
This role will report directly to the Operational Director of Children's Services and is non-case holding role, however, there may be the need to occasionally cover casework due to staff sickness or leave.
In this role you will be responsible for the smooth running of a staff team of Deputy Area Managers, Social Workers, Family Finders, Recruitment Managers & Officers, Consultants, Panel Members, Administration Team and Children’s and Young People's Resource Workers.
The main role requirements for the Registered Area Manager role includes:
- A Level 5 Management Qualification (or a willingness to enrol on such a course within 6 months of appointment and to complete within 3 years)
- A minimum of 3 - 5 years post qualifying experience in fostering or in other childcare settings
- A proven track record in working with and on behalf of children, respecting and maintaining their individuality and promoting their positive development
- Experience of managing a diverse and experienced team, ideally remotely
- Experience of group work and/or delivery of training
- Up to date knowledge of relevant legislation including the Fostering National Minimum Standards and Fostering regulations
- Ability to prioritise, plan and self-organise efficiently
- Excellent communication skills and ability to use IT effectively, including participating in virtual meetings and webinars.
- Ensuring regulatory compliance including service monitoring
- Responsible for the safeguarding of children and young people
- Taking part in the out-of-hours rota.
- Delivery of the Service Operational Plan which will include the management of budget and contracts
- Being a Panel Advisor
If you want to be valued as a professional, be appreciated at work and contribute to better outcomes for the children and young people connected with TACT apply now.
TACT offer an excellent employee benefits package including:
- 31 days paid holiday plus 8 annual bank holidays.
- Progression to salary target rate upon completion of 18 months service.
- 45p per mile for business travel.
- Flexible working arrangements (including compressed hours, flexibility around core hours, volunteer days policy).
- Family friendly policies.
- Homeworking ‘bundle’ including annual allowance, IT equipment and a loan for home office set up.
- Help@Hand Employee Assistance Programme (including CBT counselling, 24/7 remote GP appointments, physiotherapy, mental health support and second opinions on serious diagnosis).
- An hour a week of live, expert led activities through the Annual Employee wellbeing Programme.
- Menopause Policy and free Menopause Clinician Appointments.
- Stakeholder Pension Scheme (salary sacrifice).
- Fantastic learning and development opportunities for all roles.
An Enhanced DBS clearance is required for this role and will be processed by TACT on your behalf.
Closing Date: Monday, 5th January 2026
Interviews: Friday, 16th January 2026 via Teams
Safeguarding is everyone’s business and TACT believes that only the people with the right skills and values should work in social work. As part of TACT’s commitment to safeguarding, we properly examine the skills, experience, qualifications, and values of potential staff in relation to our work with vulnerable young children. We use rigorous and consistent recruitment approaches to help safeguard TACT’s young people. All our staff are expected to work in line with TACT’s safeguarding policies.
We reserve the right to close a vacancy earlier than advertised if the volume of applications is excessive, you are therefore advised to apply at your earliest convenience.
TACT does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies, nor the fees associated with them.
Senior Programme Manager
CARE International UK
Salary: £45,703 per annum
Contract Type: 12-month Fixed Term Contract
Closing date: 4 January 2026 at 11pm
Interview date: 13 January 2026
About CARE
CARE International is a global humanitarian organisation leading the fight to end poverty in the world’s most challenging situations. Women and girls are at the centre of our work, because we cannot overcome poverty and inequality until all people have equal rights and opportunities. We know that when a crisis erupts, women are often the first to pick up the pieces, so we work alongside women, so they have the power to make change where it’s needed most. Founded in 1945, CARE currently works in over 100 countries and last year alone reached 53.4 million people through nearly 1,500 projects.
Why work for CARE International UK?
This is a compelling opportunity to take on a senior programme management role within CARE International UK at a time when the organisation is adapting to evolving funding relationships and increasing engagement with innovative funding mechanisms and corporate partners. As Senior Programme Manager, you will be entrusted with leading some of CARE’s most complex and high-value programmes, ensuring strong delivery, compliance, and impact across diverse contexts.
The role offers meaningful exposure to non-traditional donors and private sector partnerships, alongside CARE’s established institutional funding, with a particular focus on francophone Africa. You will work closely with country offices, partners, and donors to navigate complexity, support effective delivery, and respond to new ways of working, while maintaining CARE’s strong commitment to gender equality and locally led approaches. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced programme manager looking to deepen their expertise in complex portfolio delivery and innovative partnerships within a values-driven organisation.
About you
You are an experienced programme management professional with a strong track record of managing complex, multi-country or high-value programmes funded by institutional and corporate donors, with experience managing projects across the full project lifecycle, from contracting and start-up through implementation, reporting, and close-out. You bring sound judgement, strong organisational skills, and the confidence to lead donor relationships, negotiate contracts, and resolve delivery challenges in partnership with country offices and stakeholders.
You have excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and French, and experience working in or with francophone contexts, particularly in West Africa. Experience engaging with corporate partners and an understanding of agricultural value chains, such as cocoa or similar commodities, and the realities facing smallholder farmers, will be a strong advantage. You are committed to CARE’s values and bring a demonstrated commitment to tackling structural inequality, promoting gender equality, and working in line with feminist leadership principles.
About the role
The Senior Programme Manager is responsible for independently managing a mixed portfolio of humanitarian and/or development programmes, including some of CARE International UK’s most complex and high-value projects. The role leads on programme oversight across the full project lifecycle, from contracting and start-up through to delivery, reporting, and close-out, ensuring high standards of quality, compliance, and risk management.
The role involves close collaboration with country offices, partners, and internal teams, including Programme Finance, Programme Funding, and technical advisers, as well as acting as a senior interface with donors. The priority geographic focus for this post is West Africa, with particular emphasis on francophone countries, and the portfolio may include programmes linked to corporate partnerships and agricultural value chains.
Key skills and abilities required include strong programme and financial management capability, excellent donor and stakeholder relationship management, the ability to manage complexity and competing priorities, and confidence working independently while escalating risks appropriately. The role requires excellent English and French language skills, sound judgement, and a collaborative, solutions-focused approach.
Safeguarding
CARE International UK has a zero-tolerance approach to any abuse to, sexual harassment of or exploitation of, a vulnerable adult or child by any of our staff, representatives or partners. CARE International UK expects all staff to share this commitment through our Safeguarding Policy (link here) and our Code of Conduct (link here). They are responsible for ensuring they understand and work within the remit of these policies throughout their time at CARE International UK.
Safeguarding our beneficiaries is our top priority in everything we do, including recruitment. All offers of employment at CARE International UK are subject to:
· Satisfactory references. CARE International UK participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (link here). In line with this Scheme, we will request information from successful 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.
· Appropriate criminal record checks (including a Bridger check, link here).
By submitting an application, the applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.
Equality and Diversity
We are committed to Equality and value Diversity. We are a Disability Confident Employer and particularly welcome applications from disabled people. We guarantee interviews to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role (see person specification). If you require the candidate brief or need to submit your application in an alternative format, because of a disability, please do get in touch by sending an email to the HR Team (contacts details on our website).
We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We particularly welcome applications from people of underrepresented backgrounds, including those from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority communities, and individuals who identify as LGBTQ+.
Right to Work in the UK
Following recent changes to Skilled Worker Visa eligibility, a number of roles have been removed from the immigration salary list.
Applicants residing outside of the UK may apply for this role if it is has an eligible occupation code, identifies as a ‘higher skilled’ job and meets the salary threshold. Before submitting your application, please review the latest Skilled Worker Visa guidance on the Government website.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Hours of work: 30 hours per week
Salary: £35,759.57 FTE (£28,607.66 pro rata for 30 hours), rising to £37,378.35 FTE (£30,357.60 per year pro rata) from year two
Reports to: Community Leaders of L’Arche Edinburgh & Highland
Place of work: Hybrid, with a base in the Edinburgh or Inverness community, and regular monthly travel to the other community
Contract type: Permanent, Part-time
Closing date: Monday, 5th January 2026 at 9:30
Notes: This position does not offer visa sponsorship.
Main purpose of the role
The Human Resources Manager provides effective HR support to all employees and in the two L’Arche Communities located in Scotland, in line with L’Arche’s identity, mission and values.
The HR Manager will:
- Support the Community Leaders and Coordinating Teams, provide advice and guidance to all leaders on best practice in HR matters, and ensure that the two Communities meet all of their regulatory obligations with regard to the employee life cycle.
- Ensure implementation of employment legislation, and compliance with Safer Recruitment, national policies and initiatives, and SSSC requirements.
- Address employee relations issues through direct involvement, advice to operational leaders, facilitating mediation, fostering a positive work environment, and managing conflict and performance.
- Supervise two training co-ordinators and have dotted line management of HR admin, providing coaching and training to managers and employees on HR-related topics.
Key essential criteria
- Understanding and identification with the aims, mission and values of L'Arche;
- Experience of working in HR, especially employee relations casework;
- Experience of the full employee life cycle including recruitment, training, performance management;
- Experience of a similar role with lead responsibility for employment matters;
- CIPD level 5 (Associate) or equivalent;
- Able to act as Lead Countersignatory with the Scottish Social Services Council.
This role is subject to an enhanced PVG criminal record check.
You can find more details about L'Arche Edinburgh and L'Arche Highland on our website.
Additional details about L'Arche can be found on our website.
Discover what makes L’Arche a rewarding place to work—explore our employee benefits on our website.
A full job description and person specification can be found in the Recruitment Pack.
To apply, please submit your CV and answer the questions from our online application form.
The closing date is: Monday 5th January 2026 at 9:30
We encourage you not to wait until the closing date to submit your application, as we may begin interviewing strong candidates before then.
We also reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive enough suitable applications.
Please also read our privacy notice for job applicants.
REF-225 480
Our inclusive communities challenge people to think differently about disability
Location (UK): Office Hybrid* - London
Hours: Full-time, 35 Hours per week
Salary: £55,155 per annum (London)
Benefits: Read more about the excellent benefits we offer on our website
Contract type: Fixed-term - 2 years
Travel: Occasional travel across the UK including Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Closing date: 23:59 hours, Sunday 4 January 2026
Join us and use your skills, knowledge, passion and energy to help us achieve a future free from arthritis.
You will join the UK Advocacy and Health Intelligence Department within the Chief Executive's Directorate. The team is responsible for leading UK strategy development and delivery across advocacy (policy, public affairs, campaigning) and health intelligence, working closely with colleagues across the UK to ensure effective delivery of the strategy in each nation. The department sits in the Chief Executive's Directorate to ensure driving positive change with and for people with arthritis is at the heart of the organisation.
The Department works closely with colleagues across the charity, including Services, Research and Income and Engagement to ensure we are joined up in our approach to arthritis.
About the role
The Researcher is a new, important post at Arthritis UK. Working within our Health Intelligence team, you will lead on providing expertise on the latest relevant research evidence, providing a responsive, robust and balanced assessment of the available evidence and any key gaps to shape the charity's UK advocacy agenda, and drive organisational priorities. Working across a range of issues you will play a crucial role in ensuring that the experiences and needs of people living with arthritis are understood and acted upon, and that arthritis is taken seriously across the UK.
About you
If your knowledge, skills and experience include the following then we'd love to hear from you:
- In-depth knowledge and experience in working in health-related, research.
- Experience in the synthesis and evaluation of research evidence across a range of sources (including grey literature), including in the design and delivery of rapid reviews.
- Experience in communicating clearly and succinctly to non-technical and non-expert audiences, through both written formats (e.g. briefing papers) and verbally (e.g. via presentations and meetings with senior stakeholders), with a robust approach to accessibility throughout communication.
- Demonstrable understanding of how research can be used to shape policy and practice.
- Experience of consistently applying a range of techniques and research methods applicable to framing research questions, evidence review and research evaluation.
- Able to communicate findings and conclusions clearly to non-specialist and specialist audiences.
- Educated to at least master's degree level or equivalent.
*As a hybrid worker the expectation is that you will spend around 40% of your working time in our office spaces or working in community settings. As an inclusive employer we will consider home-based working for anyone where office-based hybrid working would be a barrier to being able to work for us, for example for someone living with a long-term health condition or disability.
Benefits
Your excellent benefits include:
- Flexible hours, environments and working practices to promote a healthy work/life balance.
- Health and wellbeing support - including the Employee Assistance Programme (free confidential 24/7 support with mental health, legal and financial queries).
- Simplyhealth cash plan.
- Supportive and inclusive culture, with a wide range of employee networks and support groups available to join.
- Learning and personal development opportunities.
- Competitive annual leave, with the option to buy/sell up to five days per year.
- Generous pension plan, with employer contribution of up to 10%.
- Life Assurance plan (4 x salary).
Application deadline and shortlisting
We advise candidates to apply early as we reserve the right to close applications ahead of this date.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
We do not wish to receive contact from agencies or media sales.
Please note that we do not use Artificial Intelligence (AI) during our recruitment and selection processes, and we would respectfully ask that you also refrain from using AI during the selection process. Whilst we do recognise that AI may be a beneficial tool for some when aiding research and preparation for an application or interview, we want to maintain a fair, inclusive and positive recruitment experience at Arthritis UK where candidates can feel supported to demonstrate their experience, knowledge, and skills without the use of AI generated answers.
Interview
Interviews are expected be held Thursday 15 January 2026, Arthritis UK London office
As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee you will be offered an interview if you disclose a disability and demonstrate sufficient evidence within your application that you meet the essential criteria for this role. We will also make any reasonable adjustments you may require for your interview.
About us
We have made a commitment in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy to increase the diversity of our charity and we welcome candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We want our employees, volunteers and trustees to represent the broad diversity of the communities of which we are a part.
There are over 10 million people living with arthritis. That's one in six, with over half of those living in pain every single day. The impact is huge as the condition slowly intrudes on everyday life - affecting the ability to work, care for a family, to move free from pain and to live independently. Yet arthritis is often dismissed as an inevitable part of ageing or shrugged off as 'just a bit of arthritis'. We don't think that this is OK. Arthritis UK is here to change that.
Arthritis UK is committed to keeping children, young people and vulnerable adults safe from harm. During the recruitment process we will undertake safer recruitment practices and relevant checks to ensure applicants are suitable to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.
Arthritis UK is a Registered Charity No: 207711 and in Scotland No. SC041156.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Medical Detection Dogs trains dogs to save lives.
We train specialist dogs to detect the odour of human disease, providing life-saving alert assistance dogs to people with complex health problems across the UK and collaborating with NHS Trusts and other researchers and Universities both in the UK and internationally to advance the early diagnosis of disease.
We have an exciting new opportunity to join this innovative charity that is a world-leader in its specialist field.
JOB TITLE:Regional Assistance Dog Instructor Scotland
LOCATION:Scotland (Central belt, between Glasgow and Edinburgh)
SALARY:£24K - £29K per annum, depending on experience
JOB TYPE: Part time and full time hours considered, with occasional evening and weekend work required
REPORTS TO: Instructor Manager
The Job
We are looking for a passionate and driven person who ideally has previous experience and skills working as an Instructor within an Assistance Dog organisation, who has worked with clients and partnerships. The role includes supporting both clients who have had a MDD dog placed with them and also our own dog applicants with their puppies and young dogs to ensure they receive the highest standard of socialisation and early training in terms of obedience, public access and developing an alert to the applicant’s condition, with the aim to reach an accreditable assistance dog partnership status. It is also will include carrying out client specific and odour training for MDD own dogs, placing these dogs with their new clients and looking after a number of established partnerships. This role would suit somebody residing in the central belt of Scotland, between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Duties that encompass the role of an Instructor include:
- Be the first point of contact for the allocated partnerships in your area, covering all areas of Scotland. To provide guidance and instruction to applicants who have applied to the charity to have their own dogs considered for the training programme guidance and instruction on handling, behaviour and obedience and odour training as well as newly placed partnerships.
- Alongside the Instructing team, to run puppy classes, public access training, recall sessions in small groups for applicant own dogs that are in line with the charity’s quality standards and in accordance with timescales and targets.
- To also carry out support visits and home interviews for applicants and clients that have been allocated to you.
- Regularly monitor progress of the puppies and partnerships in training in your area and provide detailed, evidenced feedback to Instructor Manager and Head of Assistance Dog Programme.
- To carry out client specific training with any MDD owned dogs that have been matched, including the required odour scent training.
- Instructing, guiding and supporting new assistance dog clients in managing and handling a Medical Alert Assistance Dog effectively, via pre training, placement training and aftercare visits.
- Supporting partnerships in training in successfully reaching an accreditation standard and in maintaining this
- standard throughout the life of the partnership.
- To support a number of established partnerships in the form of aftercare, refresher training and yearly re-accreditations, assisting further afield on occasions as required.
Responsibilities
- To escalate issues and problems to the Instructor Manager as appropriate.
- To assist the Dog Supply Team with carrying out scent assessments on any MDD dogs in socialising as and when required with the support of the Instructor Manager and rest of the Instructing Team.
- To plan, organise and deliver practical and theoretical training to clients, meeting their individual needs in line with agreed standards to include areas such as dog welfare, appropriate handling, commanding and overall management. This will involve working with the parents as Team Leader and child as Client and working with adult clients.
- Assess the team dynamics of the family & balancing the needs of all family members as well as those of the dog.
- Assess the individuals preferred learning style and amending as relevant to aid a client.
- To accompany the client into all regular environments that they will take the dog to, ensuring the dog behaves in an acceptable manner and that the client and others are aware and clear in terms of where they dog should reside and behave for eg public transport, place of work. To complete a check list of environments for any applicant own dogs in training who are on the programme to be assessed within.
- To support and advise clients in transferring the odour training from pot training and recognising alerting behaviours to establish real life alerting.
- To monitor the correct and false alerting percentages of allocated partnerships via data analysis, advising where necessary until the correct alerting levels are achieved.
- To complete comprehensive reports and paperwork for any time spent with applicants or partnerships in training or established. Maintain accurate records by providing verbal and written information with agreed timescales about clients, dogs, applicants and apprentices as appropriate.
- To work alongside allocated partnerships with the aim of the partnership reaching an accredited standard and feeding back to the Instructor Manager and Assistance Dog Programme Manager if there are any concerns that the accreditation cannot be achieved.
- To provide clients with appropriate aftercare services at regular intervals in their own homes in the form of annual visits, support visits or at refresher workshops run at the Centre to agreed standards. This will include continual re-assessment of the dynamics of family and dog, formulating and training on appropriate solutions, as well as offering additional dog training advice.
- To deliver handling days as part of an applicant’s pre training to include ‘Introduction to Assistance Dog’ ‘Advanced Handling’ and Family Handling.
- To scent train and seizure proof advanced dogs in preparation to be partnered with an adult or child client and ensure that applicant own dogs have received this at the earliest opportunity.
- To maintain the ongoing public access training with any advanced dog in scent training that has been allocated to them.
- To provide local support to the growing puppy socialisation scheme, based in and around Perth.
- To provide support to the Charity’s public relations and fundraising functions as required, specifically in your area.
- To act as the ‘contact’ person for the assistance dog programme in relation to training policy procedures with clients and their families, other professional service providers and members of the public. This will include on-going research and development of the project.
- To liaise with and provide support for Volunteers who may operate as part of the aftercare programme provided by the charity.
- To ensure all partnerships are in line with the ADUK regulations with regards to behaviour, obedience and welfare and branding.
- Due to the nature of the role, flexible working hours may be required in some instances to facilitate the effective delivery of the work e.g. working during the school holidays with school age clients.
Other
- Share best practice with colleagues across the charity.
- Any other duties or tasks that are required to ensure the successful running of the Medical Alert Assistance Dog Department and the Charity overall.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- High level of preparation, organisational and co-ordination skills
- Strong and clear teaching and instructing skills
- Experience of running puppy classes and carrying out public access training and recall sessions
- High level of self – motivation and planning
- Approachable, calm and empathetic to children and adults with debilitating and life threatening conditions
- Happy to travel alone within the UK to visit any clients as necessary.
- Happy to be on call at all times for partnerships as and when required.
- Happy to stay away from home and stay in local hotel when the client’s location is too far from your home to travel back.
- Happy and able to have Medical Alert Assistance Dogs in training to reside in their home.
- Good team worker, but equally able to work alone.
- Positive, empathetic and calm attitude
- Able to embrace a constantly evolving organisation
- Flexible
KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Previous Assistance Dog Instructing or Dog Training with puppy socialisers experience
- Knowledge of AD(UK) and ADI regulations
- Law in relation to dogs.
- Knowledge of medical conditions relevant to puppies between 8 weeks and 2 years of age.
- Dog and human psychology.
- Proven evidence and experience of dog handling and training skills
- Previous experience of teaching and instructing
- Sound dog training and dog behaviour knowledge
- IT literacy and report writing skills
- Experience of using Microsoft based programs such as Outlook, Word,
- Excel, Internet Explorer and Power Point, teams, zoom and Microsoft
- Share point for data etc
- Full UK driving licence
- Pass a DBS (CRB) check due to regular contact with children
Preferable
- Knowledge of debilitating medical conditions and understanding of how they can impact people, both physically and psychologically, particularly when they are unstable and fluctuating.
- Previous knowledge of odour/scent training.
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- High level of preparation, organisational and co-ordination skills
- Strong and clear teaching and instructing skills
- High level of self – motivation and planning
- Approachable, calm and empathetic to children and adults with debilitating and life threatening conditions
- Happy to travel alone within the UK to visit any clients as necessary.
- Happy to be on call at all times for partnerships as and when required – to include outside standard working hours.
- Able and willing to stay away from home and stay in local hotel when the client’s location is too far from the Centre to travel back.
- If able, possibility of having Medical Alert Assistance Dogs in training to reside in their home through the 6 – 8 week training phase.
- Good team worker, but equally able to work alone.
- Positive, empathetic and calm attitude
- Able to embrace a constantly evolving organisation
- You should be supportive of the charitable aims of Medical Detection Dogs and capable of working as part of a team, as well as able to motivate yourself.
- You should be adaptable and positively embrace change by not only being flexible towards the ideas of others but also putting forward ideas to colleagues. This will involve creativity in problem solving and making appropriate responses to new ideas and unexpected situations.
DIVERITY, EQUALITY & INCLUSION
We are a welcoming, diverse and inclusive charity. Medical Detection Dogs thrives when everyone feels comfortable bringing their best self to work. We celebrate difference, whilst striving to create an environment where colleagues feel respected and valued for their unique potential. We are committed to our values on equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Values & Behaviours
Working at Medical Detection Dogs will be a richly rewarding experience.
Our Values & Behaviours encapsulate who we are, what we stand for and what it will feel like to be part of our team:
- We are respectful.
- We stay positive.
- We strive for excellence.
- We communicate and listen.
- We are ambassadors.
- We are one team.
And of course, we advocate for Medical Detection Dogs whenever we get the chance, and we pride ourselves on our role as ambassadors for the charity.
Finally, the successful candidate will also be expected to:
- Hold a full UK Driving Licence
- Provide proof of identity and eligibility to work in the UK.
- Undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
- Work some evenings and weekends
- Be willing to travel to the Centre based near Milton Keynes
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Location (UK): Office Hybrid* - Glasgow
Hours: 35 hours per week, Full-time
Salary: £40,295 per annum (rest of UK)
Benefits: Read more about the
Contract type: Fixed-term until August 2026
Travel: Travel between our Glasgow office and the Scottish Parliament will be required on a monthly basis with additional occasional travel around Scotland.
Closing date: 23:59 hours, Monday 05 January 2026
Join us and use your skills, knowledge, passion and energy to help us achieve a future free from arthritis.
About the role
As part of Scotland's policy and influencing team, you will play a critical role in shaping and influence policy thinking, managing time-sensitive projects across our policy priority areas, and building relationships with stakeholders and decision-makers across Scotland.
You will gather, analyse, and share information about external policy developments and their implications for people with arthritis, developing policy positions, producing evidence-based briefings and reports and contributing to consultation responses.
As well as working closely with nation influencing colleagues and teams across the Services and Devolved Nations Directorate, you will work closely with the UK Advocacy and Health Intelligence team, Research Directorate and Strategic Communications teams, including representing us on cross-sector policy groups and participating in events and conferences.
We'll give you autonomy, variety and challenge with opportunities to lead projects, to work together with inspirational campaigners and people with arthritis, as well as collaborate with senior Scottish Government and NHS Scotland stakeholders. We're a supportive team who will value your well-being and professional development.
About you
You will have ready-made resourcefulness, be a creative thinker, with strong analytical, written and verbal communications skills. An enthusiastic, adaptive and flexible approach is important, together with an ability to work with autonomy and across teams as well as:
- Experience of influencing external policy and decision making within Scotland.
- Understanding of current healthcare policy issues relevant to people with long-term conditions or disability.
- Experience of drafting policy papers and briefings, and the ability to understand and articulate academic research and policy papers.
*As a hybrid worker the expectation is that you will spend around 40% of your working time in our office spaces or working in community settings.
As an inclusive employer we will consider home-based working for anyone where office-based hybrid working would be a barrier to being able to work for us, for example for someone living with a long-term health condition or disability.
Application deadline and shortlisting
- We advise candidates to apply early as we reserve the right to close applications ahead of this date.
- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
We do not wish to receive contact from agencies or media sales.
Please note that we do not use Artificial Intelligence (AI) during our recruitment and selection processes, and we would respectfully ask that you also refrain from using AI during the selection process. Whilst we do recognise that AI may be a beneficial tool for some when aiding research and preparation for an application or interview, we want to maintain a fair, inclusive and positive recruitment experience at Arthritis UK where candidates can feel supported to demonstrate their experience, knowledge, and skills without the use of AI generated answers.
Interview
First interviews expected in week commencing Monday 12 January 2026 at Edward House, Glasgow.
As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee you will be offered an interview if you disclose a disability and demonstrate sufficient evidence within your application that you meet the essential criteria for this role. We will also make any reasonable adjustments you may require for your interview.
About us
We have made a commitment in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy to increase the diversity of our charity and we welcome candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We want our employees, volunteers and trustees to represent the broad diversity of the communities of which we are a part.
There are over 10 million people living with arthritis. That's one in six, with over half of those living in pain every single day. The impact is huge as the condition slowly intrudes on everyday life - affecting the ability to work, care for a family, to move free from pain and to live independently. Yet arthritis is often dismissed as an inevitable part of ageing or shrugged off as 'just a bit of arthritis'. We don't think that this is OK. Arthritis UK is here to change that.
Arthritis UK is committed to keeping children, young people and vulnerable adults safe from harm. During the recruitment process we will undertake safer recruitment practices and relevant checks to ensure applicants are suitable to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Benefits: 39 days annual leave (including bank holidays), company pension
Lead. Inspire. Serve. Transform Lives.
Are you a Christian leader with a heart for young people and a passion for community transformation?
Do you believe in the God-given value and potential of every person?
Are you ready to guide one of the country’s oldest and most trusted Christian youth movements into its next chapter?
YMCA North Staffordshire is seeking an exceptional Christian Chief Executive Officer to lead our mission, embody our values, and continue shaping a movement that is transforming the lives of thousands of young people and families.
With a proud 160-year history and an award-winning campus at the heart of Stoke-on-Trent, this is a rare opportunity to lead a charity that is deeply rooted in Christian faith, committed to radical inclusion, and driven by a vision where all young people can belong, contribute and thrive.
Our Christian Vision and Values
YMCA North Staffordshire is an inclusive Christian movement.
Our mission flows directly from our faith and is grounded in four core values:
PROTECT
We provide sanctuary and safety, ensuring every young person feels seen, valued, and respected.
HOPE
We see young people not through the lens of their past, but their God-given potential.
PERSEVERE
We walk with young people through challenges, setbacks, and breakthroughs.
TRUST
We act with integrity, accountability, and belief in the dignity of every human being.
Because these values are Christian in origin and practice, and because the CEO is the guardian of our mission, this role has a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) for the postholder to be a practising Christian.
About the Role
Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the CEO will lead an organisation of 130 staff, a £5m+ budget, and a £35m estate, helping strengthen community through youth development, education, housing, healthy living, and social responsibility.
The next CEO will:
- Provide strategic leadership to deliver the 2026–2029 Business Plan
- Champion youth voice and empowerment in all areas of work
- Sustain and grow financial strength, partnerships, and social enterprise
- Uphold and deepen our Christian identity, ensuring values-led practice
- Drive innovation, digital transformation, and organisational development
- Represent YMCA NS locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally
- Be a visible advocate for young people in Stoke-on-Trent
- Strengthen our “village” culture: welcoming, relational, rooted in Ubuntu and Asset-Based Community Development principles (ABCD).
Purpose of the Role
To lead YMCA North Staffordshire in fulfilling its Christian mission, as described in the Associations charitable objectives
We develop young people; they develop their world.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic leadership in alignment with Board governance
- Upholding Christian ethos, values, and culture across the organisation
- Financial stewardship, compliance, and sustainability
- Community development and partnership building
- Youth advocacy and empowerment
- Oversight of housing, programmes, and impact measurement
- Staff leadership, pastoral care, and organisational culture
- External representation and communications
Person Specification – Summary
Knowledge
- Housing, youth services, and community development
- Charity law, governance, safeguarding
- Understanding of Christian ministry, mission, and values
- Organisational development and change leadership
Experience
- Senior leadership in values-led or Christian settings
- Track record of strategic development and organisational growth
- Experience working with young people, housing, or community sectors
- Experience nurturing Christian ethos across a diverse organisation
Skills & Abilities
- Inspirational leadership and people development
- Strategic planning and delivery
- Excellent communicator and ambassador
- Partnership building and stakeholder engagement
- Ability to articulate and embody Christian faith
- Deep commitment to Christian values and the Aims & Purposes of the YMCA
The Leader We Are Looking For
The landscape for young people is changing — and so must we.
We need a CEO who is:
- Faith-filled and prayerful
- Values-driven and courageous
- Relational, compassionate, and community-minded
- A champion of excellence, innovation, and good governance
- Grounded in Christian mission and committed to radical inclusion
- Able to inspire hope, build trust, and persevere through challenge
As George Williams, YMCA’s founder, said:
“You are not alone, and you can be more.”
Our next CEO must believe this not only for themselves — but for every young person we serve.
How to apply
An application pack can be found at the YMCA North Staffordshire website. This role is subject to enhanced DBS and reference checks.
Key Recruitment Dates
- Closing Date: 18th January 2026
- Interviews: Week commencing 9th February 2026
We are a safe recruitment Organisation and an Equal Opportunities Employer, we run the disability confident guaranteed interview scheme.
We are an organisation with Christian values, committed to Equality and Diversity in the Workplace. YMCA is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.




