Welfare benefits jobs

We are recruiting a Challenge Events Fundraiser to grow PAPYRUS’ challenge event income by leading on allocated PAPYRUS own events, projects and campaigns and managing all third-party challenge events.

What you will do:

• Develop an events plan that will grow income using data from previous years to understand our supporters and build a creative and sustainable income plan for long term growth.
• Build and manage relationships with supporters across all communication channels and provide professional, relevant, timely and empathetic stewardship at all times.
• Raise awareness of PAPYRUS and its work by developing and delivering presentations and talks both online and face to face to supporters and facilitating necessary photo opportunities in line with GDPR for use if future promotional activity
• Manage costs and budgets for events, including forecasting, estimates and future year planning.
• Be proactive seeking out new initiatives and market trends in fundraising across the UK charitable sector.
• Participate in the development, implementation, and maintenance of PAPYRUS challenge event fundraising assets, collateral, materials, and policies and procedures ensuring all content is on brand and to a high standard.
• Working with colleagues in Business Support Services to use the data collected across all donation platforms to analyse and inform required reports and update existing reporting mechanisms.

To be successful in this role you will have:

• Previous experience of working in a fundraising role for a UK registered charity
• Experience of successfully managing a portfolio of third-party events
• Proven track record of successful relationship management with donors/ fundraisers 
• Proven track record of working effectively in a team
• Experience in creating and monitoring budgets
• Experience using Raiser’s edge or a similar CRM database.
• Knowledge of regulatory environment for fundraising from events fundraising including sponsorship, data protection, Gift Aid (incl GASDS) and Fundraising Codes of Practice and regulation
• Good knowledge of data selection, data analysis, insight and application of datasets for maximum success
• Understanding of events fundraising
• Competence in the use of IT tools including Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to work some unsocial hours and travel to meetings / events as required across the UK

Please visit the careers site for the full job description and person specification for the role.

Salary: £31,537 per annum (SCP 18) progressing by increments to £34,434 per annum (SCP 23)

Hours: 36 hours per week  

Location: Warrington; but will accept applications from across the UK to work remotely and travel to Warrington as and when required. Occasional travel across the UK will also be required for this role.

Contract: Permanent

Benefits: You will receive 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time workers), hybrid and flexible working arrangements, an attractive pension scheme, Simply Health membership and enhanced sick pay. Please visit our website for more details.

Closing date: 8th February 2026

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

PAPYRUS is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment and its recruitment policies are designed to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender re-assignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

PAPYRUS is committed to safeguarding all children, young people and adults at risk that interact with the organisation. The organisation recognises its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of these vulnerable groups by a commitment to procedures to protect them. The charity expects all staff and volunteers to fully support and promote these commitments.

Join Homeless Oxfordshire as a Housing & Recovery Worker in our 7-bed Pre-Recovery Project. You’ll provide high-quality support to people moving on from homelessness, working closely with Turning Point to deliver drug and alcohol recovery groups and peer support. You’ll manage risks, maintain a safe and welcoming environment, support clients into suitable move-on options, and build strong relationships with partners. Help create a positive, inclusive space where people can rebuild their lives while developing their skills, confidence and independence through meaningful activities and personalised support.

Main Purpose Of Job:

The Pre-Recovery Project is a 7 bed project that provides housing and recovery support for people that have recently experienced being homeless. We work closely with Turning point to provide recovery support through groups and peer led support . The HRW will provide move on support as well as working in close partnership with Turning Point around peoples recovery .

Main Areas Of Responsibility:

· Ensure the effective delivery of high-quality support and housing management according to Homeless Oxfordshire policies and procedures.

· Ensure the effective delivery of drug and alcohol based support to clients within the Pre Recovery Project service including group and peer support.

· Partner with Turning Point in the delivery of drug and alcohol based support to enable clients to work towards drug and alcohol recovery.

· Assess risk and suitability of referrals for the service.

· Be responsible for supporting and working with clients to achieve suitable move on and successful outcomes.

· Ensure support plans and risk management plans are documented and agreed with clients in line with procedures.

· Proactively and assess, monitor, manage and respond to risks.

· Maintain a safe, clean and welcoming environment across accommodation services; this may including room cleaning and clearance. Report any safeguarding concerns without delay in line with procedures.

· Manage challenging situations in line with procedures and to ensure the safety of yourself and others.

· Keep up to date and clear records and ensure information is shared with the team and external agencies as required.

· Maintain positive relationships with all stakeholders and represent Homeless Oxfordshire at interagency meetings, as required.

· Contribute to a positive working environment in which equality and diversity are valued and staff are enabled to do their best and the work of the broader team

· To organise and lead activities with clients which will improve wellbeing and skill sets.

· Comply with Homeless Oxfordshire’s policies and procedures.

· Contribute to a positive working environment in which equality and diversity are valued and staff are enabled to do their best.

· Contribute to the work of the broader team.

About us:

We are an open door for people experiencing homelessness whose lives have been shaped by trauma and disadvantage; providing safety, stability and support when it is needed most. We deliver this support across Oxfordshire by providing a range of accommodation with access to high quality support, offering a safe and welcoming space for people to take control of their own lives. We are an accredited Oxford Living Wage employer, and benefits to the role include: annual leave starting at 26 days (excluding bank holidays), flexible working, enhanced benefits with qualifying service, retail discounts with our Homeless Oxfordshire Benefits Hub, and life assurance up to four times your salary and a £250 bonus if you successfully refer a someone as a new colleague through our Employee Referral Scheme as a thanks from us!

What’s Next: Have a look at the job description to find out more about the role and apply on our website. Please be aware that this role is subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure check and will be undertaken for the successful candidate .

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we identify a suitable candidate before the advertised closing date.

Location: London Diocesan House, 36 Causton Street, London, SW1P 4AU
Contract: Permanent, full-time (35 hours)
Salary: £60,000
No DBS Required

Advert closes: 25 January

Interviews 3 and 4 February

The London Diocesan Fund (LDF) is seeking a Senior Quinquennial (QQ) Building Surveyor to join our Housing Property team. This field-based role offers a unique opportunity to oversee one of the most diverse and historically significant residential portfolios in the capital, ranging from heritage landmarks to modern urban homes.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of the Diocese’s quinquennial surveying and repairs programme, supporting clergy by ensuring homes are safe, compliant, well-maintained and protected for the long term.

Job Summary

The Senior Quinquennial Building Surveyor will deliver the Diocese’s statutory quinquennial (“QQ”) obligations across a large and varied residential housing portfolio. The role involves personally carrying out surveys on higher-value and complex properties, overseeing external surveyors where appropriate, managing repair projects, and ensuring works are delivered on time, on budget and in compliance, balancing cost control with long-term asset stewardship

Job responsibilities

• Take full ownership of the Quinquennial surveying and repairs service
• Personally undertake quinquennial surveys, including listed and historic buildings
• Plan, schedule and track up to 100 surveys per year and the associated repair programmes
• Manage and monitor contractors, consultants and external service providers
• Oversee projects with budgets of up to £8m per year
• Ensure compliance with CDM regulations, health & safety and statutory requirements
• Build strong working relationships with clergy, contractors and internal colleagues
• Deliver a consistently high standard of customer service and communication

Please refer to the attached Job Description for the full details on the main responsibilities.

Person Specification

• RICS or CIOB accredited surveyor
• Significant experience in residential building condition surveys and major repair projects
• Strong knowledge of statutory compliance and health & safety in housing
• Experience managing multiple projects concurrently and working in occupied homes
• Excellent communication skills and a customer-focused approach
• Ability to travel regularly across the Diocese
• Experience working with listed buildings and conservation areas (desirable)
• Knowledge of Church of England governance and structures (desirable)
• Evidence of continued professional development (desirable) 

Please refer to the attached Job Description for the full details on Person Specification.

About the London Diocesan Fund

The London Diocesan Fund (LDF) is the employment body that serves and supports the Diocese of London and Church of England. The Diocese of London comprises of c400 parishes north of the River Thames and within the M25 motorway. You can find our Diocesan 2030 vision, which outlines our priorities for the next 10 years on our website.

The Church of England in London is growing, vibrant and at the heart of communities throughout the capital. At the London Diocesan Fund, we seek to do everything we can to support this mission and growth, using our resources to help our parishes and chaplains to serve over 4 million people.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

The Diocese of London is committed to creating and sustaining a diverse and inclusive workforce which represents our context and wider community.

We are aware that those of Global Majority Heritage/United Kingdom Minority Ethnic (GMH/UKME), women, and disabled people are currently under-represented among our clergy and workforce, and we particularly encourage applications from those with the relevant skills and experience that will increase this representation.

Safeguarding

The Diocese of London is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Benefits of working with us

The LDF offers a supportive working environment, opportunity for career development and the following financial benefits:

• Competitive remuneration package
• 27 annual leave days to rise to 30 after 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays
• 15% employer pension contribution and salary sacrifice available
• Death in service benefit x3 of basic gross salary
• Enhanced maternity leave of six months full pay, after 12 months of employment
• Season ticket loans for public transport
• Access to Benenden Health Insurance
• EAP counselling through Health Assured                            
• Up to £100 for eye test and contribution to spectacles                      
• Two additional paid days for community volunteering

To apply:

Submit your application and CV online via Pathways. Please refer to the person specification and JD when you’re answering the application questions.

For more details, please see the full Job Description and Person Specification or visit the LDF Careers Page.

Location: Office-based (currently Bethnal Green, likely to be Euston from Sept 2026) with some home working.

Salary/job band: £56,463 (for 36 hrs) or PTE

Team: Fundraising & Communications

Contract type: Permanent

Hours: 28-36 hrs per week

Reports to: Director

Line manages: Fundraising co-managers, communications manager

Purpose of role

To plan and oversee QSA’s income generation and communications work. To strategically support the success of QSA as part of the leadership team.

Role overview

This is a linchpin role for QSA. We are looking for a hard-working, experienced and creative fundraiser. Our head of fundraising & communications oversees all of our income generation portfolio, including charitable trusts, public bodies, individual giving, and fundraising events.

Above all, we are looking for a candidate who believes in QSA’s mission and values, who can convey this passion through our fundraising and communications. 

We recognise that the current fundraising climate is challenging. As a charity, we have a sizable and engaged network of supporters and an excellent reputation for delivering innovative services.

The head of fundraising & communications is also responsible for overseeing QSA’s communications output, ensuring we build great relationships and successfully share our impact, stories and expertise across a variety of channels.

This is an exciting opportunity to build up a broad experience base in communications. Our approach to this work is centred in an ethical storytelling mindset. Our work has a national profile and we’re keen to maintain our reputation and our media presence.

Our head of fundraising & communications will also join the leadership team, working closely with the head of finance, the head of services and the director. This is a tight knit group with the purpose of supporting the longer term and strategic work of QSA.

You will be welcomed into a wider team at QSA that is enthusiastic, expert, and highly committed to social justice. We are proud of our ability to collaborate successfully and to celebrate one another’s success.

About Quaker Social Action (QSA)

Quaker Social Action’s mission is twofold. We enable people on low incomes to seek solutions to the issues affecting their lives. We listen and respond to the needs of communities and run practical, sustainable and collaborative projects.

Secondly, we share our learning where we see the potential to bring benefit to communities outside of our own – by running professional training, and by speaking truth to power to seek structural change.

Our services include crisis support for those unable to afford funerals; practical support for people experiencing homelessness, such as a mobile library and a community kitchen space; and free mindfulness and wellbeing programmes.

QSA has a rich 150-year history with roots in the Quaker movement. Our work is still guided by Quaker values like Truth and Justice, and we are proud of our place within the Quaker community. At the same time, there is nothing religious about our work: our services, jobs and volunteering roles are open to all.

“The advice and support was beyond beneficial. As a family we were just above the threshold for getting any financial support and at a very difficult time already, money worries was the last thing we needed.”   

- Down to Earth funeral costs helpline caller

Duties & responsibilities

Income generation

1. To design and develop a fundraising strategy for QSA, incorporating a wide range of approaches, including statutory sources, charitable trusts, individual donations, legacies, earned income from training, and event fundraising.
2. To set clear targets based on previous trends, and realistic aspirations for growth.
3. To ensure all fundraising activity sits within the required legislative framework and complies with best practice, especially regarding donor consent.
4. To ensure accurate financial information is presented within fundraising materials.
5. To ensure that QSA fundraising applications are supported by up-to-date evidence of need, gained from relevant research and policy developments.
6. To ensure that QSA fundraising applications are supported by up-to-date evidence of impact, gained from internal monitoring systems.
7. To identify and lead major funding applications.
8. To build strong and warm relationships with funders and donors of QSA.
9. To ensure QSA is compliant with all grants and contracts and provides accurate and timely monitoring reports back to funders.
10. To ensure that project teams are aware of funders supporting their work and are clear what targets or commitments are in place with these funders, including reporting requirements.

Communications, marketing, media, brand, digital

1. To design and develop a communications and marketing strategy for QSA, incorporating a wide range of approaches across a number of appropriate channels and platforms.
2. To understand best practice in charity communications and marketing and use this to promote the work of QSA.
3. To manage QSA’s approach to reputational risk through our communications output.
4. To oversee the development of the content, structure and key messages of QSA’s online communications channels; specifically our website, email marketing and varied social media platforms.
5. To oversee the digital marketing development of QSA, ensuring we have clear systems and protocols to analyse, track, measure and review our output.
6. To understand the benefit of and risks of using AI in our fundraising and comms output and to be part of the strategic leadership around emerging best practice.  
7. To oversee diverse and evolving ways to communicate, using podcasts, videos, data, photos as well as high quality copy.
8. To oversee media relations and protocols for media engagement for QSA.
9. To develop proactive and strategic communications responses very quickly or under pressure to manage situations of risk or opportunity for QSA.
10. To oversee and develop the QSA brand, ensuring it communicates our core purpose and is consistent with our values.
11. To oversee our duty of care to our participants who share their stories, ensuring we approach this with due care, sensitivity and respect for their autonomy, and that we have sufficient safeguards in place to be attentive to their wellbeing.

Leadership

1. To work collaboratively with the leadership team to support the strategic development of QSA. To provide materials that support QSA’s trustees to undertake their governance tasks.
2. To work alongside the head of finance to provide accurate and timely quarterly reports for the trustees’ finance & fundraising committee.
3. With the head of finance, to be responsible for regular reconciliation of finance and fundraising records and for annual audit processes.
4. To work alongside leadership colleagues in all operational matters. To offer ideas for service development, to identify resource needs, and to share strategies to support team wellbeing.  

Organisational requirements

1. To work within, and actively promote, the policies and procedures of QSA.
2. Any other duties as appropriate to the role, as agreed by the QSA director. 

“I feel the service from these marvellous book fans and their very committed, caring staff are an essential…I use them twice a week every week. Please may they continue.”   

- Visitor to Turn a Corner mobile library for people experiencing homelessness.

Person specification

Experience

1. Significant experience of charity fundraising from a wide range of sources, especially charitable trusts and individual donors. 
2. Experience of communications activities/digital development is highly desirable.

Skills

1. Ability to write creative and engaging copy for a range of different audiences.
2. Ability to build excellent collaborative working relationships with a wide range of people; including within the close-knit QSA team, external partners, funders and QSA supporters. 

Knowledge

1. Knowledge of differing funding streams suitable for an anti-poverty charity – i.e. trusts, statutory sources, corporate support, individuals, legacies.
2. Knowledge of a range of communications channels and platforms and of the best ways for a charity to utilise these.
3. Knowledge of technology, including AI, as a way of furthering reach and impact. 

Personal Qualities

1. Exceptional ability to prioritise workload and accurately deliver work to deadline.
2. Demonstrates inner resilience, and ambition to deliver work of the highest standard.
3. Ability to be flexible and have a ‘hands-on’ attitude when required.
4. Commitment to and understanding of the role of equity, diversity and inclusion, in the workplace and in service provision.
5. A willingness to work within a Quaker ethos, as clarified by the mission of QSA.

Main terms and conditions of employment

1. QSA uses the local government pay scales for salaries. Your salary will be on NJC scale point 41-44, which starts at £56,463 (including London weighting) for a full-time/36 hours post. All appointments are made at bottom of scale. 
2. This is a permanent position.
3. This post can be offered as a role to be worked between four and five days per week, so 28 hours to 36 hours per week. We pride ourselves on our flexible working practices.
4. Leave entitlement for a full-time post is 25 days per year, plus 8 bank holidays, with the leave year running from January to December. This increases by 2 days after 3 years of service and a further 3 days after 5 years of service. QSA closes between Christmas and New Year and days falling within this period are not taken from your leave entitlement.
5. QSA pays an additional 6% of salary into the QSA group personal pension, with a 2% staff contributory element.
6. We have probationary periods of six months and the period of notice is 1 week during the probationary period and 8 weeks on its completion.
7. QSA has a union recognition agreement with Unite although staff are welcome to join any trade union or none.
8. This is a hybrid role. We see the benefits of being in the office with colleagues on a regular basis, and consider 2-3 days per week in person to be ideal for this role.
9. The successful candidate will be required to obtain a basic DBS check. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act applies.
10.  

“It was what I was looking for. The way they deliver the sessions makes it feel inclusive and non-judgemental. Participating online, the energy felt tranquil.”

- Audrey, online attendee of our This Way Up mindfulness and coaching course

Being a diverse and inclusive organisation is very important to us. We’re particularly focused on three elements of this: lived experience of poverty; race & heritage; and disability.  We actively encourage applications from candidates of diverse cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

We hope that you find this job pack and our recruitment process clear and welcoming. Please let us know if this is not the case. We want to do recruitment well and feedback really helps.

Thank you for your interest in this role.

Contract:  Permanent, full time (37.5 hours per week)
Salary:  £25,787 - £27,047 per annum
Location: Exeter, EX2 8ED
Closing date: Tuesday 20th January 2026
Interview date: Wednesday 28th January 2026 

 
We're recruiting an Assistant Manager – Offsite Services to lead and streamline our home-based pet operations in Devon! 

 In this role, you'll ensure that every pet finds the perfect match with their new family as quickly as possible, while maintaining top-quality care for both our pets and clients throughout the entire adoption journey. Join us in making a difference, one pet at a time! 

More about the role 
Our Devon centre has a wonderful group of dedicated people with varying skills that meld into one team with one mission: to help as many pets as possible. We help pets through our two main services, Home Direct and our fostering network of over 80 volunteer foster carers.

In this role, you’ll play a key part in ensuring exceptional care for both pets and clients while making well-connected, efficient decisions that prioritise pet welfare. As the leader of our home-based pet operations, you’ll oversee the smooth running of daily activities, acting as the subject matter expert in practical animal handling and assessment. Your goal will be to prepare pets for adoption as quickly and effectively as possible. You’ll work closely with your team to ensure timely pet assessments, behaviour management, and training, while providing full support to foster carers. 

 You’ll also be responsible for achieving pet-related targets, ensuring your team of Pet Welfare Assistants and Foster Co-Ordinator's maintains the highest standards of animal care and adheres to national processes in case management. Since we don’t have cattery or kennel facilities, innovation and teamwork are essential to address the most urgent cases effectively. 

Motivating and managing your team is central to this role, enabling the centre to provide top-quality home-based pet care while helping your team develop professionally. 

This is a full-time position, working 37.5 hours per week and you will be required to work 1 in 3 weekends.

About you 
You’ll be a great people manager, bringing finely honed skills from your experience in an animal-related environment, along with expert knowledge of pet welfare and care. 

As a dynamic and innovative leader, you know how to inspire and motivate your team, driving continuous improvement. You’ll lead a team of Pet Welfare Assistants and Foster Coordinators, empowering them through effective management and coaching. 

With excellent communication skills, you adapt your approach for different audiences, ensuring your message resonates. While juggling multiple tasks, you remain calm and organised, making confident decisions in high-pressure situations. 

Your strong analytical skills enable you to monitor and evaluate effectively, implementing meaningful improvements. 

Having worked in emotionally charged environments, you understand the importance of resilience and have excellent “bounce-back ability.” Your emotional intelligence and empathy will shine as you support your team and the public, creating a compassionate and effective workplace. 

Knowledge, skills, and experience  

• Significant experience in managing a team. 
• Significant experience in delivering high level Customer service in a fast-paced environment. 
• Significant subject matter expertise and application of pet welfare and handling of domestic animals 
• High standard of verbal and written communication. 
• Current full driving licence 
• The ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our Blue Cross values 

It would be great (but not essential) if you also had:  

• Performance management and improvement experience.
• Experience working with volunteers. 
• Understanding of safeguarding issues.

Want to know more detail? Great! We have attached the job description which hopefully gives you everything you need.  

How to apply  

Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on Tuesday 20th January 2026. 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response.  

Blue Cross benefits  
Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.  

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.  

Our generous benefits package includes:  

• Enhanced annual leave entitlement: 30 days plus bank holidays  
• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution  
• Health cash plan  
• Life assurance  
• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme  
• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support  
• Free access to GP via MetLife  
• Recognition scheme Annual volunteer days 
• Claim for professional fees  

To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website.  

At Ambitious about Autism, we believe in a a future where every autistic child and young person can be themselves and realise their ambitions. We're looking for a Finance Business Partner who's ready to bring insight, influence, and energy to a role that sits at the heart of our strategic decision-making.

This is more than just numbers. You'll be a trusted advisor to senior leaders across the organisation, helping them shape and deliver their financial plans. You'll work closely with ELT members and budget holders to build robust financial models, set budgets, and produce termly forecasts that drive real impact.

 As a key player in our finance team, you'll:

• Lead the monthly management accounts and reporting process
• Provide strategic and technical financial advice to high-profile projects
• Ensure financial implications are understood and embedded in decision-making
• Influence and negotiate with senior colleagues to help us meet our financial goals

 We're looking for someone who:

• Is a qualified accountant (ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA)
• Has trained at a top 15 accountancy firm or equivalent public body (e.g. NAO), or has strong experience in finance business partnering
• Can quickly get to grips with a complex environment and work independently
• Has experience in strategic finance and business planning
• Understands charity finance (SORP FRS 102) or has transferable IFRS/FRS102 knowledge and a willingness to learn

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a purpose-driven organisation where your financial expertise will help shape the future for autistic children and young people.

In return, we offer great benefits including a generous holiday allowance and commitment to continued professional development (CPD), flexible, hybrid working and more!

If you have any questions about the role or would like to have a confidential chat, please contact James Axford, Recruitment Officer.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion at every level of our organisation. We warmly welcome applications from all qualified candidates, valuing the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives they bring. We encourage applications from individuals regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or parental status, disability, or age.

Our recruitment process promotes equal opportunities, and we are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities or additional needs throughout the recruitment process. Please contact our Recruitment Team for accommodations. We recognise disability as a physical or mental impairment that significantly and long-term affects a person's ability to perform day-to-day activities, as defined by the UK Equality Act 2010. All applications will be considered solely on merit, aligned with our mission to support autistic children and young people.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. As part of our Safer Recruitment checks, an online search maybe carried out in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

The Safeguarding responsibilities of the post as per the job description and personal specification.
Whether the post is exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendment to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2021. This means that when applying for certain jobs and activities certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS Filter Guidance.

Are you an experienced leader in homelessness or housing? We’re seeking a Head of Homeless Services to drive innovation, support our team, and shape the future of our vital Restart service.

About Resolve

Resolve supports people facing some of the most difficult challenges in life, substance misuse and homelessness. Our aim is to help individuals move towards stability and independence, building safe, positive and sustainable lives.

We deliver this through two main services. Our Restart Homeless and Rough Sleeping service provides targeted rough sleeping outreach, supported accommodation for 14 tenants and long-term guidance to help people to move forward and avoid returning to homelessness. In addition our Drug and Alcohol Treatment service, based in Welwyn Garden City and Letchworth, provides abstinence-focused, psychosocial support for people seeking recovery. 

We are entering an exciting period of growth, with a refreshed brand and website, and a passionate team driving innovation across our services. We have a new strategic plan which looks to expand services, guided by our values of Trust, Passion, Partnership and Respect, to reach and help more people.

With the Government’s National Plan to End Homelessness and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council’s new Homeless and Rough Sleeping Strategy, this is a great moment to join Resolve and help shape the future of homelessness and rough sleeper support in our community.

Purpose of the Role

The Head of Homeless Services will lead, develop and deliver all aspects of Resolve’s Restart service. You will oversee rough sleeping outreach, accommodation and intensive one-to-one support, ensuring people move towards secure housing and improved wellbeing.

This is both a strategic and hands-on role. You will inspire a dedicated team, drive service innovation, and strengthen partnerships across the sector, while ensuring high standards of care, safeguarding and compliance. Above all, you will play a key role in shaping the future of Resolve and making a lasting difference for people experiencing homelessness and substance misuse.

Salary: £35,000 – £40,000 (salary conditional on pending salary review)

Location: Hatfield, Hertfordshire (with regular travel across Welwyn Hatfield Borough and occasional travel to Letchworth)

Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week (including a 30 minute per day paid break)

Holiday: 36 days annual leave including bank holidays

Contract Type: Permanent

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer 

Key Responsibilities

• Service Leadership & Delivery
• Team Management & Development
• Organisational Leadership
• Monitoring, Evaluation & Compliance
• Partnership & External Relations 

Person Specification

• Proven experience in the homelessness or housing sector.
• Confident in engaging with vulnerable individuals, including those in crisis.
• Significant team and people management experience.
• Excellent communication skills – verbal, written and interpersonal.
• Strong organisational and IT skills, including Microsoft Office, Teams and case management systems.
• A values-driven approach and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Ability to manage day to day operations and also think ‘bigger picture’ and longer term.

Why Join Us?

This is more than a management role – it’s an opportunity to make a real and lasting difference. You will:

• Lead a passionate team at a time of growth and renewal.
• Shape and develop innovative homelessness and rough sleeping services.
• Work in a supportive, values-driven organisation in the heart of the local community.

Benefits

• Flexible working options to support a healthy work / life balance.
• An informal, friendly and supportive workplace culture.
• Access to professional clinical supervision and support, helping you develop and maintain resilience in a challenging and meaningful role.
• Free on-site parking or costs reimbursed.
• Enhanced 36 days annual leave entitlement (including bank holidays).

Social Work Adviser

Location: Westminster 

Salary: £40,000 per annum

Vacancy Type: Full Time/ Contract

We currently have an exciting opportunity to join us as a Social Work Adviser (Child Welfare and Safeguarding) based at the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in Westminster, seconded from Heathrow Travel Care (HTC), the airport social work team. You will join us on a full-time, 18 month contract (potential extension upon mutual agreement) and in return, you will receive a competitive salary of £40,000 per annum, plus benefits.

The role of our Social Work Adviser (Child Welfare and Safeguarding) is to enable the FCDO to offer advice and assistance to vulnerable British nationals known to the UK Consular Network.

Responsibilities as our Social Work Adviser (Child Welfare and Safeguarding):

FCDO

• Providing advice, support and guidance to consular assistance staff in London and staff based overseas on child safeguarding social work issues for British nationals
• Working jointly with the consular child policy unit (CPU) to review child-related cases and policy
• Working collaboratively with the social work advisor team to review cases and relevant policy
• Investigating, signposting, planning with consular staff who are working with British nationals to provide specialist children and families advice to the consular staff
• Referring 'meet and assist’ cases to relevant service providers at UK ports
• Undertaking the risk assessment of cases
• Ensuring policy, guidance and training are inputted to the consular staff on child welfare issues
• Building and maintaining links with relevant assistance NGOs & travel partners via outreach work
• Building and maintaining links with Consular Regional Directors
• Covering for the Social Work Adviser team as required
• Recording all cases on a secure consular information network and monthly reporting to HTC
• Maintaining international outreach – there may be opportunities for international travel to support FCDO staff abroad

HTC (1 day per 5 weeks)

• Working within the airport crisis team at Heathrow
• Advising and assisting a wide variety client groups
• Being part of a unique and interesting social work environment
• Participating in emergency preparedness and response at Heathrow
• Continuing professional development

What we’re looking for in our Social Work Adviser (Children & Families):

• 2 years’ recent statutory social work experience
• Recent experience of working directly with children and families to statutory standards
• Experience of direct work, working with the impact of trauma and ensuring safeguarding is always prioritised
• Experience of making and recording risk assessments, including Safe Lives RIC and other evidence-based assessment tools
• Experience of problem-solving under time pressure
• Experience of prioritising casework according to risk and need
• Working knowledge of child safeguarding procedures within Local Authorities
• An understanding of child safeguarding policy
• The ability to work effectively in partnership with other agencies
• The ability to make clear recommendations on how to address risk and need based on professional judgement and experience.
• The ability to recognise signs that a child may not be meeting developmental milestones, has been harmed or is at risk of harm
• The ability to advocate for children and young people, to ensure they receive organisational focus, resource and support as appropriate

Application form closing date: 9am, Tuesday 20th January 2026

Interview date: Tuesday 3rd February 2026

To Apply

If you’re looking for a new challenge, please click apply to be considered as our Social Work Adviser (Child Welfare and Safeguarding)! We look forward to hearing from you.

You must be legally able to work in UK. Security clearance is required for this role. You must have been resident in the UK for a least 2 of the previous ten years, at least one year of which must have been a consecutive 12-month period and you must have resided for at least 3 consecutive years in one country. All applicants should be aware that a lack of sufficient background information may preclude an applicant from being granted security clearance.

About the role:

Step into a role where your drive, resilience and belief in young people can truly change lives. As a Young Person’s Worker across our accommodation services in Islington and Waltham Forest, you will be right alongside young people at risk of homelessness, helping them move from uncertainty towards stability and independence. This is hands on, purposeful work where every day matters, and where your determination can unlock real opportunity for those who need it most.

In this role, you will manage a caseload of young people, building trusted relationships and empowering them to lead their journey forward. You will create and review personalised support and safety plans, support moves into independent accommodation, and help young people take confident steps into education, training or employment. Working within a trauma informed and strengths based approach, you will champion each young person’s goals while developing practical life skills such as budgeting, self care and cooking. You will also support access to essential services including mental health support, housing advice and employment pathways, motivating and coaching young people to take ownership of their futures.

At Single Homeless Project (SHP), you will be part of a tenacious, values driven team that does not shy away from challenge and believes in doing things differently to achieve lasting change. We will support your ambition with ongoing training, development and the chance to grow your career while making a genuine impact. If you are ready to bring your energy, compassion and persistence to a role that truly matters, we would love to hear from you.

About you:

• You bring experience working with young people in the community and in accommodation services.
• Your toolkit includes practical skills in motivation and coaching young people
• Your approach is creative, analytical, trauma-informed and rooted in a strengths and recovery model.
• You can creatively inspire opportunities for our young people to thrive and to develop to their highest potential.
• A non-judgmental approach to working with complex needs young people and to promote a strengths-based approach and an understanding of and commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion.
• Strong team-working and interpersonal skills, maintaining a collaborative approach to supporting young people achieve the outcomes and goals we support them to set for themselves.

About Us:

We’re London’s leading homelessness charity – and we get things done.

In a city where hundreds are forced into homelessness every day, our work has never been more needed or more challenging. And we’re not shying away. We’re rolling up our sleeves to make change and helping over 10,000 Londoners every year. We prevent homelessness, provide safe places to live and give people the opportunity to rebuild their lives and transform their futures. And we never give up. 

We’re here for Londoners wherever they are on their journey. We start with trust, building relationships that help people feel safe, supported, and ready to move forward. Every day, we put people first in everything we do, challenging injustice and barriers that keep people from the safety, stability and opportunity they deserve. We stand alongside people as they rebuild and shape a future that feels their own. 

Joining Single Homeless Project means joining a team that’s bold, compassionate and determined to do better for the people we support and for each other. You’ll work alongside colleagues with lived experience, in a space that’s trans-inclusive, disability-friendly, and actively striving to be anti-oppressive and equitable. 

We’re not perfect, but we’re real. We listen. We learn. And we push forward, together. Because this isn’t just a job. It’s a chance to lead with empathy, spark change, and help build a London where no one is left behind.

Important Info:

Please note we will be reviewing applications as they are received and progressing those suitable to interview at our Head Office in Kings Cross on an adhoc basis. Therefore please submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close the advert once suitable candidates are identified. 

Please note there will be a second round of interviews in service for progressed candidates.

This post will require an Enhanced DBS check to be processed (by SHP) for the successful applicant.

Please note applications are reviewed for AI use in application questions. Applications requiring sponsorship or with insufficient right to work will not be accepted or progressed.

We are looking to recruit HOPELINE247 Advisers to provide individually tailored suicide prevention advice and guidance to young people and those who are concerned for them via our national multi-channel helpline HOPELINE247 and deliver suicide prevention training online and in community settings across the UK.

What you will do:

• Work as part of a team providing suicide prevention support to a range of clients via multichannel communication platforms. 
• Work on a 7-day shift system
• Use professional judgement to assess the needs of the service users who present with risk to life and manage and report any matters related to safeguarding.
• Maintain accurate records and input data monitoring into the data base system.
• Participate in clinical supervision and reflective practise. 
• Provide training, mentoring and coaching to new recruits.

To be successful in this role you will have:

• a degree or professional qualification in Health or Social Care, Community Work or a related discipline
• previous experience of working in an advisory capacity in suicide prevention or mental health
• a proven record of working directly with vulnerable young people 
• experience of providing advice and guidance via multiple communication channels
• the ability to empathise, support and build rapport with suicidal people and those who care about them, remaining non-judgemental and adhering to the remit of the service

Salary: £16,230.50 per annum progressing incrementally to £17,944.67 per annum. (Scale point 24-28). As a night shift worker, you will receive an additional allowance of £10 per night shift. This will be paid on a monthly basis along with the salary.

Hours:  16.5 hours per week – 2 nights per week.

Working arrangements:  This role will work shifts starting at 10:25pm and finishing at 7:40am. Shifts will be on a rota bases across a 7-day working week.   

Location: Edgbaston, Birmingham

Contract: Permanent 

Benefits: You will receive 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time workers), an attractive pension scheme, Simply Health membership and enhanced sick pay. Please visit our website for more details.

Closing date: Midnight 18th January 2026 

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

PAPYRUS is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment, and its recruitment policies are designed to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender re-assignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

PAPYRUS is committed to safeguarding all children, young people and adults at risk that interact with the organisation. The organisation recognises its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of these vulnerable groups by a commitment to procedures to protect them. The charity expects all staff and volunteers to fully support and promote these commitments.

Contract: Permanent, full time 
Salary: £28,481 to £33,118 per annum
Location: Radcliffe, M26 1NQ 
Closing date: Sunday 18th January 2026
Interview dates: TBC

Are you an experienced operational manager, who relishes a challenge, with a passion for pets and people? 

We’re recruiting a Centre Manager with strong leadership, organisational and communication skills to lead our Manchester Rehoming Advice and behaviour unit. 

This is an exciting time for the Manchester Centre with many changes happening and the chance for a dynamic leader to bring their own experience and help shape the future of the centre, for the pets and clients we help through our site, as well as the Manchester team. 

More about the role

Based in our high street location since 2018, we are perfectly placed to support our local community and surrounding areas. Our Foster-based care and Home Direct scheme ensures animals find new loving homes without the stress of kennels. This means that we do not usually have pets staying onsite overnight and our roles may not include daily pet care, but no two days are ever the same. 

As Centre Manager, you’ll be responsible for all aspects of the Centre – pets, people, facilities, compliance and finances. Working closely with your Assistant Managers, you’ll inspire and empower your team, embed a culture of continuous improvement and ensure the highest welfare standards. 

This role is about leading people, bringing teams together and driving performance. We have a skilled, passionate team with great ideas – we now need someone who can take those forward, make things happen, and bring colleagues with them on the journey. There’s also real opportunity to shape the culture of the centre, including rethinking how we can best meet our goals for helping pets. 

The standard hours for this role are 37.5 hours per week on a locally agreed rota to include weekends and bank holidays. The standard hours are 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday, working 1 in 3 weekends (Sat and Sun), with flexibility where there is a business need.

Want to know more detail? Great! We have attached a candidate pack and job description which hopefully gives you everything you need. 

 
About you 

You will be an inspirational leader with a proven track record of motivating, developing and supporting people in a fast-paced environment. You’ll bring strong people management skills – able to set direction, take action and empower others to deliver improvements. 

Alongside your leadership strengths, you’ll bring sound knowledge of animal welfare and operational excellence from a similar environment. Confident and decisive, you’ll balance the needs of pets, people and resources to achieve outstanding results. 

Resilient, empathetic and emotionally intelligent, you’ll thrive on challenge and approach every situation with a positive, problem-solving mindset. 

Knowledge, skills, and experience 

• Significant experience of successfully motivating, leading, and developing high performance teams, including setting clearly defined objectives, and managing performance in an animal welfare setting. 
• Strong knowledge of animal welfare/care, ensuring operational excellence in a similar animal welfare environment. 
• Experience of positively embracing and adapting to change by identifying, leading, and managing change in line with organisational objectives. 
• Financially aware and numerate. 
• Proven experience of working constructively and collaboratively with colleagues from different teams. 
• Interpersonal and consultative skills, including the ability to communicate, present, negotiate, influence, and build credibility with colleagues and external parties. 
• Experience of working in a commercial environment where the need to control costs and deliver high levels of service are important. 
• The ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our Blue Cross values.  
• Current full driving licence. 

How to apply  

Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on Sunday 18th January 2026. 

The process will include: 

• First stage interview and site tour 
• Online Discovery Session. This will include scenario-based exercises and group discussions, giving you the chance to demonstrate your leadership style and approach to change while meeting colleagues. 

Blue Cross benefits 

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.  

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.  
 

Our generous benefits package includes:  

• Pro rata full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)  
• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support  
• Free access to GP via MetLife - 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family  
• Health cash plan  
• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme  
• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution  
• Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and Personal development support 
• Life assurance  
• 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance  
• Enhanced family friendly policies  
• Recognition scheme  
• Annual volunteer days 
• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers

Job Structure

• Reports to: Director of Learning and Impact  

• Direct reports: Programme Leads, Programmes Coordinator

• Location: Haringey, with travel across London boroughs as required

• Hours: 40 hours per week (including 1 hour lunch break)

Benefits 

• 25 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays, your birthday off, and an extra day per year of service (up to 5 additional days) 

• Death in Service cover (up to 4x annual salary / fixed amount for part-time roles) 

• Enhanced sick pay 

• Eye care benefits for those using display screens 

• Up to £750 annual CPD budget to support your professional development 

• A dedicated wellness package promoting staff health and wellbeing 

• Team building and transformation days to strengthen collaboration and personal growth 

• Professional mentoring and ongoing supervision 

• A comprehensive induction and training programme to help you thrive from day one 

About Sister System 

Founded in 2018, Sister System is a charitable organisation and an Open College Network (OCN) approved centre dedicated to empowering girls and young women aged 13-24 affected by the care system.   

Our approach is co-designed with care-affected young women to ensure that their lived experiences continue to drive meaningful change and shape our progression. Built on proven therapeutic models, our long-term mentoring, accredited qualifications, and leadership development programmes strengthen resilience, confidence, and essential life skills.   

Our model seeks to break intergenerational cycles by equipping young women with the tools to thrive and lead change. Through a strong sense of community, peer networks, and trusted adult relationships, we create clear pathways into education, employment, and socio-economic stability, supporting a life free from abuse.

Throughout her journey with Sister System, each girl participates in weekly one-to-one and group sessions focused on self-education and personal growth. These sessions explore the social and emotional transition to womanhood while building a supportive network of “sisters” who continue to empower one another during key life transitions. Our programmes are accessible to girls and young women at any stage of educational attainment, enabling all Sis-Stars to learn, grow, and thrive.  

Our Programmes  

All our programmes have been co-curated with young women in care and are built upon proven therapeutic models of intervention. We deliver a set of inclusive, empowering, enabling, and exploratory programmes. These focus on self-education, investigating the social and emotional impact of the transition to womanhood and creating a network of sisters who can continue to support each other's growth throughout key transitional periods. Our programmes are delivered in such a way that sisters at any stage of educational attainment can access, learn, grow, and thrive.  

Job Purpose 

Sister System is seeking an experienced and dynamic Head of Programmes to lead the operational delivery and continuous improvement of our mentoring, learning, and development programmes for care-affected girls and young women aged 13–24. The postholder will oversee the full programme cycle — from referral and assessment through to delivery, evaluation, and progression — ensuring all work is trauma-informed, evidence-based, and aligned with Sister System’s mission and OCN accreditation standards. Acting as the central link between the leadership team and delivery staff, the Head of Programmes will manage and develop a high-performing team, maintain quality assurance across all programme stages, and foster strong partnerships with schools, local authorities, and community organisations to drive measurable impact and long-term systemic change.  

This role holds operational oversight of all programme delivery, team management, and quality assurance, ensuring that our work achieves its intended outcomes, aligns with our organisational strategy, and continues to grow in impact and reach.  

Key Responsibilities  

Programme Leadership and Delivery  

• Lead the design, coordination, and delivery of all Sister System programmes, services, and activities in line with organisational aims and funder requirements.  

• Oversee programme planning, scheduling, and annual mapping to ensure smooth delivery and strategic alignment across all three stages (Enable, Enhance, Empower).  

• Work with the Safeguarding Lead to manage referral, assessment, and placement processes to ensure beneficiaries are appropriately matched to programmes and mentors, maintaining high standards of transparency and accountability throughout.  

• Ensure all delivery follows Sister System's three-stage programme model, safeguarding standards, and quality expectations. Support programme delivery where needed, maintaining a visible leadership presence.  

• Monitor the service user journey using Sister System's monitoring and evaluation tools and Salesforce CRM, working with the Head of Monitoring & Evaluation to track progress against work plans, indicators, and our evaluation framework.  

• Conduct regular programme review meetings with team members and stakeholders to enhance information sharing, efficiency, and effectiveness of programme implementation.  

Programme Quality and Impact  

• Oversee programme quality assurance, including risk assessment of referrals, benchmarking, and monitoring of Development & Progress reports.  

• Work with the Internal Quality Assurer to ensure delivery meets agreed quality standards.  

• Maintain oversight of portfolios of work produced by learners and mentors towards their qualifications, in collaboration with the Learning & Development Lead and EET Progression Lead.  

• Support the collection, analysis, and reporting of programme data to evidence impact and inform organisational learning.  

• Play an active role in the impact evaluation cycle, managing and adapting programmes in line with outcomes and goals.  

Operational and Team Leadership  

• Lead and support the mentor team in effective caseload management, ensuring appropriate workload balance and delivery quality.  

• Line manage key programme staff, providing guidance, support, and supervision in line with organisational policies. Support staff wellbeing and development, ensuring a positive working environment. 

• Ensure timely completion of paperwork, reports, and monitoring requirements across all programmes.  

• Lead regular team meetings, contributing to a reflective, learning-focused organisational culture.  

• Support implementation of Sister System's performance management systems and processes.  

• Ensure compliance with all relevant policies and procedures, specifically safeguarding, Child Protection Policy, and Code of Conduct.  

• Encourage a culture of learning, creativity, and innovation. Maintain good team communication and dynamics, taking remedial action when problems occur.  

External Partner Management  

• Commission and manage a pool of external facilitators and delivery partners to meet agreed programme outcomes.  

• Build and maintain strong relationships with referral partners, funders, and external stakeholders to support programme delivery and growth.  

• Represent Sister System externally, promoting our model of culturally responsive, trauma-informed mentoring.  

• Ensure all staff, partners, and stakeholders have clear understanding of Sister System's mission, vision, values, and policies, reflected in programme implementation.  

Strategic Development and Business Growth 

• Contribute to the development of Sister System's programme strategy, aligning delivery with the 3-year plan and long-term system change goals.  

• Contribute to Sister System's strategy development and revision by providing feedback on programme reach, impact, and strategic planning.  

• Identify opportunities for programme innovation and growth, including developing new partnerships and supporting funding applications.  

• Support senior leadership in reporting to funders and partners, contributing to organisational learning and sustainability planning.  

• Represent Sister System at sector events and forums to promote our work and influence best practice in mentoring care-affected young women.  

Safeguarding  

• Sister System places the highest priority on safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.  

• The Head of Programmes will serve as a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) with responsibility for safeguarding in the organisation, maintaining good knowledge of safeguarding guidance (including Keeping Children Safe in Education and Working Together to Safeguard Children) and related legislation (e.g., the Children Act 1989).  

Person Specification  

Essential – Knowledge & Experience 

• Significant experience in programme management, delivery, and coordination within the charity/social impact sector  

• Proven track record of managing multiple programmes or projects simultaneously, meeting targets and deadlines  

• Experience of line management and team leadership, including supervision and performance management  

• Experience managing relationships with external stakeholders, including funders, delivery partners, and referral agencies  

• Experience in safeguarding and child protection, including handling disclosures and managing risk  

• Knowledge of the challenges faced by care-experienced young women and the care system  

• Knowledge of effective monitoring and evaluation approaches and impact measurement  

• Awareness of equality, diversity, and inclusion principles in service delivery  

Desirable 

• Experience working with vulnerable young people, particularly care-experienced individuals or young women  

• Experience in mentoring programmes or youth development initiatives  

• Experience working with trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches  

• Experience of co-production or 'by and for' programme design with service users  

• Experience in qualifications-based programmes (e.g., accredited learning)  

Skills & Abilities 

• Excellent programme planning, coordination, and organisational skills with strong attention to detail  

• Strong analytical skills with ability to interpret data and use it to inform decision-making  

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills  

• Ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively under pressure  

• Strong relationship-building skills with ability to work collaboratively across teams and with external partners  

• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures  

• Problem-solving skills with ability to adapt plans and respond to challenges  

• Ability to lead, motivate, and support a team, fostering a positive and reflective culture  

• Strong administrative and IT skills, including proficiency with databases and monitoring systems  

Personal Qualities 

• Passionate commitment to Sister System's mission of supporting care-experienced young women  

• Strong alignment with Sister System's values and approach, including 'by and for' and trauma-informed practice  

• Empathetic and non-judgemental approach to working with vulnerable young people  

• Resilient and able to manage emotional demands of the role while maintaining professional boundaries  

• Flexible and adaptable approach to changing circumstances and organisational needs  

• Commitment to continuous learning, reflection, and professional development  

• High level of integrity, professionalism, and accountability  

• Able to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information appropriately  

• You will demonstrate Sister System’s values: Tenacious, Solution-focused, Masterful, Collaborative and Evidence-based 

Other Requirements  

• Enhanced DBS check will be required for this role  

• Right to work in the UK  

• Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends as required by programme delivery  

Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment  

Sister System is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people, and vulnerable adults. The successful applicant will be required to complete an enhanced DBS check and provide two satisfactory references.  

Equal Opportunity Statement 

Sister System is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and lived experiences, and we are committed to fair, inclusive and transparent recruitment. If you need any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process, please let us know. 

Recruitment Process

The post will be advertised from 16th December 2025; applications will close on 12th January 2026. 

• First round of interviews will be 22nd January 2026,  

• Second round interview will commence from the week of 26th January 2025 

Contract: Full time, fixed term until 16th February 2027 
Salary: £28,481 to £33,118 per annum
Location: Exeter, EX2 8ED 
Closing date: Sunday 18th January 2026
Interview dates: To be confirmed

Are you an experienced operational manager, who relishes a challenge, with a passion for pets and people? 

We’re recruiting a Centre Manager with strong leadership, organisational and communication skills to lead our Devon rehoming advice and behaviour unit in all pets, people, financial and compliance matters!

This is a great time to join the Devon Centre, with the chance for a dynamic leader who can quickly adapt and bring their own experience to the role. This is a fixed term contract role until 16th February 2027. 

More about the role
At our rehoming, advice & behaviour unit in Devon, our foster-based care and Home Direct Scheme ensures animals find loving homes without the stress of kennels. This means that we do not usually have pets staying onsite overnight and our roles may not include daily pet care, but no two days are ever the same. 

As Centre Manager, you’ll be responsible for all aspects of the Centre – pets, people, compliance and finances. Working closely with your Assistant Managers, you’ll inspire and empower your team, embed a culture of continuous improvement and ensure the highest welfare standards. 

This role is about leading people and delivering the strategy for the Devon centre. We have a skilled, passionate team, we need someone who can build great relationships and continue to meet the objectives of the centre. 

For many, the Centre will be the “public face” of Blue Cross so you will need to ensure that customer service is at the heart of every interaction. At Blue Cross we are ambitious, and the work carried out by our Centres is key in achieving our strategy and ensuring that ultimately, we help more pets. 

The standard hours for this role are 37.5 hours per week on a locally agreed rota to include weekends and bank holidays. The standard hours are 8:30 – 5 Monday – Friday, working 1 in 3 weekends (Sat and Sun), with flexibility where there is a business need. 

Want to know more detail? Great! We have attached a candidate pack and job description which hopefully gives you everything you need. 

 
About you 
You will be an inspirational leader with a proven track record of motivating, developing and supporting people in a fast-paced environment. You’ll bring strong operational and people management skills – able to set direction, take action and empower others to deliver improvements. 

Alongside your leadership strengths, you’ll also possess indepth knowledge of animal welfare and operational excellence from a similar environment. 

Confident and decisive, you’ll balance the needs of pets, people, and resources to achieve outstanding results. 

Resilient, empathetic and emotionally intelligent, you’ll thrive on challenge and approach every situation with a positive, problem-solving mindset. 

Knowledge, skills, and experience 

• Significant experience of successfully motivating, leading, and developing high performance teams, including setting clearly defined objectives, and managing performance in an animal welfare setting. 
• Strong knowledge of animal welfare/care, ensuring operational excellence in a similar animal welfare environment. 
• Experience of positively embracing and adapting to change by identifying, leading, and managing change in line with organisational objectives. 
• Financially aware and numerate. 
• Proven experience of working constructively and collaboratively with colleagues from different teams. 
• Interpersonal and consultative skills, including the ability to communicate, present, negotiate, influence, and build credibility with colleagues and external parties. 
• Experience of working in a commercial environment where the need to control costs and deliver high levels of service are important. 
• Significant experience of working in an emotionally charged environment, showing empathy, and demonstrating resilience under pressure and dealing with distressed people and animals. 
• The ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our Blue Cross values  
• Current full driving licence. 

How to apply  
Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on Sunday 18th January 2026. 

The process will include: 

• First stage interview and site tour.
• Online Discovery Session. This will include scenario-based exercises and group discussions, giving you the chance to demonstrate your leadership style and approach to change while meeting colleagues. 

Blue Cross benefits 
Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.  

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.  

Our generous benefits package includes:  

• Pro rata full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)  
• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support  
• Free access to GP via MetLife - 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family  
• Health cash plan  
• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme  
• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution  
• Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and Personal development support 
• Life assurance  
• 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance  
• Enhanced family friendly policies  
• Recognition scheme  
• Annual volunteer days 
• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers

Contract:  Permanent, full time (37.5 hours per week) 

Salary:£25,787 to £27,047 per annum 

Location: Southampton SO30 2HL  

Closing date:Sunday 18th January 2026 

Interview date: Monday 26th January 2026 

We're recruiting an Assistant Manager – Offsite Services to lead and streamline our home-based pet operations. 

In this role you'll ensure that every pet finds the perfect match with their new family as quickly as possible, while maintaining top-quality care for both our pets and clients throughout the entire adoption journey. Join us in making a difference, one pet at a time! 

More about the role 

Our beautiful centre opened in 1988 and occupies approximately three acres of land in a discrete location surrounded by fields where we can walk our dogs, providing some wonderful enrichment in a quiet environment. The centre has facilities to care for dogs and cats, as well as a specialised area for kittens.

In this role, you’ll play a key part in ensuring exceptional care for both pets and clients while identifying efficiencies and making decisions that prioritise offsite pet welfare. As the leader of our home-based pet operations, you’ll oversee the smooth running of our foster and home direct services, placing pets directly from one home to another, with experience in practical animal handling and assessment. Your goal will be to prepare pets for adoption as quickly and effectively as possible. You’ll work closely with your team to ensure timely pet assessments, behaviour management, and training, while providing full support to foster carers and current owners. 

You’ll also be responsible for achieving pet-related targets, ensuring your team of Pet Welfare Assistants and Foster Coordinators maintain the highest standards of animal care and adheres to national processes in case management. Teamwork is essential to address the most urgent cases effectively. 

Motivating and managing your team is central to this role, enabling the centre to provide top-quality home-based pet care while helping your team develop professionally. 

At our Southampton rehoming centre, we provide onsite accommodation for pets in our care 24/7.  Overnight shifts are usually undertaken by team members who live on site.  Occasionally you will be expected to carry out night checks when the resident team members are either not working or away for a period of time. 

This is a full-time position, working 37.5 hours per week and you will be required to work 1 in 3 weekends.

About you 

You’ll be a great people manager, bringing finely honed skills from your experience in an animal-related environment, along with extensive knowledge of pet welfare and care. 

As a dynamic and innovative leader, you know how to inspire and motivate your team, driving continuous improvement, empowering them through effective management and coaching. 

With excellent communication skills, you adapt your approach for different audiences, ensuring your message resonates. While juggling multiple tasks, you remain calm and organised, making confident decisions in high-pressure situations. 

Your strong analytical skills enable you to monitor and evaluate effectively, implementing meaningful improvements. Rather than resting on your laurels, you’ll have a genuine desire to enhance offsite pet care services, actively engaging your team in the process. 

Having worked in emotionally charged environments, you understand the importance of resilience. Your emotional intelligence and empathy will shine as you support your team and the public, creating a compassionate and effective workplace. 

Knowledge, skills, and experience   

• Significant experience in managing a team. 

• Significant experience in delivering high level Customer service in a fast-paced environment. 

• Expertise and application of pet welfare and handling of domestic animals 

• High standard of verbal and written communication. 

• Current full driving license 

• The ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our Blue Cross values 

It would be great (but not essential) if you also had:   

• Performance management and improvement experience.

• Experience working with volunteers. 

• Understanding of safeguarding issues. 

Want to know more detail? Great! We have attached the job description which hopefully gives you everything you need.   

How to apply  

Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on Sunday 18th January. 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response.   

Blue Cross benefits    

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.   

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.   

Our generous benefits package includes:   

• Enhanced annual leave entitlement: 30 days plus bank holidays    

• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution   

• Health cash plan  

• Life assurance   

• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme  

• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support  

• Free access to GP via MetLife  

• Recognition scheme Annual volunteer days 

• Claim for professional fees