Welfare jobs

Are you someone who thrives on making a genuine difference to people’s lives? Do you have experience working in health, social care or the voluntary sector and want to play a vital role in improving how older people access the support they need? If so, we would love to hear from you.

Age UK Bromley & Greenwich is seeking a dedicated and compassionate Care Navigator to join our expanding team in partnership with Oxleas NHS Trust. Based at Memorial Hospital in Woolwich, you will be embedded within a multi-disciplinary team working on the Proactive and Frailty pathways. Your focus will be on supporting older people with complex needs, helping them navigate health and social care systems, and connecting them to relevant services across the community.

This is a key role that sits at the heart of person-centred care. You will attend multi-disciplinary team meetings, work alongside professionals including GPs, case managers and mental health staff, and spend time speaking directly with patients and their families. Your role will be to truly listen, identify what matters most to the individual, and help them take practical steps towards better health, independence and wellbeing.

Key responsibilities include:

• Attending Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings and contributing to holistic care planning

• Working with patients to understand their needs, provide emotional support and signpost to local services

• Liaising with a wide range of professionals across the NHS, social care and voluntary sectors

• Inputting information into systems including RIO and Framework I, with training provided

• Keeping accurate records and contributing to service evaluation and improvement

We are looking for someone who is:

• Experienced in health, social care or voluntary sector settings

• Empathetic and a confident communicator

• Able to build strong relationships with a range of professionals and clients

• Organised, reliable and motivated by positive outcomes for others

• Comfortable working independently and as part of a team

• Passionate about supporting older people to live well and with dignity

This role offers the opportunity to be part of a well-respected local charity with a strong values-led culture. You will be joining a supportive team that values collaboration, creativity and kindness. As a Care Navigator, your work will have a direct impact on people’s lives at a time when they are most vulnerable.

For the full person spec and job description please download the job pack.

About us

The Refugee Council is the nation’s refugee charity. Together with community groups, partners and volunteers, we help people who have escaped war and persecution to rebuild their lives, integrate into communities, and play their part in Britain. Born in the aftermath of World War II, our frontline services support over 14,000 refugees each year to find safety, get to know their neighbours, and enter education, training or work. We share our evidence and expertise with policymakers to help build integrated communities where everyone can contribute. 

Our Values

Our values underpin everything we do:

• Inclusive: We are inclusive. We work with - not for - refugees and people seeking asylum, so they have an equal voice, co-producing projects and ensuring their expertise and experiences are at the heart of what we do.
• Collaborative: We are collaborative. Working with others is a priority in order to have the collective impact that is vital to achieve policy and practice reform.
• Courageous: We speak out when we see injustice, cruelty and unfairness. We always stand up for what we believe is the right thing to do to transform the experiences of those seeking protection in our country.
• Respectful: We are respectful of all those we interact with. We treat everyone – our staff, volunteers, beneficiaries, partners and people we disagree with – with the same respect, professionalism and understanding.

About the role

The Refugee Council supports separated children across England and part of our service is a team of staff based at the port of Dover, working 24/7 to provide a temporary safeguarding service for children arriving there, ensuring that their basic needs are met while they await transfer to the care of a local authority. The unit is reactive to the needs of clients, who may arrive at any time, and staff are expected to cover a variety of shifts.

As a Support Worker, you will assess the basic needs of newly arrived clients and provide an appropriate service, including food, clothing, and access to hygiene facilities. You will work in the best interests of the child and ensure all safeguarding issues are responded to, reported and accurately recorded.

For full details about the role, please download the job description. 

Staff benefits

To reward our staff for the value they bring, we offer a variety of enhanced terms and conditions and a wide range of benefits, including:

• Training & Development
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Pension Scheme
• Work Life Balance Policies
• Employer-Sponsored Volunteering
• And more.

Let’s work together to improve the lives of refugees in the UK - apply on our website today.

Closing date: 19 September 2025.

This vacancy may close earlier than the stated deadline if a high volume of applications is received. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

Ensuring that the Refugee Council is an inclusive and accessible place to work is important to us. We want to enable people from different backgrounds to apply and thrive with us. We believe our recruitment process enables that and are also happy to make adjustments on request.

Who are we?

Part business, part charity, part membership body – students’ unions are all seriously fun places to work. They are organisations in their own right. Professionally run, but different. Professional teams support Elected student leaders so as they make change, improve lives and fulfil potential, we help make it happen.

The Union of Brunel Students has a small but impactful staff team dedicated to serving the needs and interests of our members. Our size allows us to work closely together and make decisions quickly, while our passion for creating positive change means that every member of our team has an impact on helping us deliver our Vision to ensure that every student thrives at Brunel.

We are one of more than 600 students’ unions across the country. And with more than 15,000 members, 150 clubs and societies, a huge range of services and a bold strategy, we’re one of the most exciting.

What’s the job?

This maternity cover role will have a significant and stabilising impact, ensuring co-ordination in governance, HR, and compliance for the Union of Brunel Students. The postholder will act as a key operational anchor, supporting legal integrity, staff wellbeing, and organisational continuity.

We are seeking an experienced and proactive individual to step into a vital fixed-term position during the maternity leave of our Head of People and Compliance. This role ensures continuity and excellence across governance, HR coordination and legal compliance.

You will work closely with the Trustee Board, Senior Leadership Team, and Union staff to uphold high standards in documentation, policy, and people management.

From servicing board meetings to managing recruitment and GDPR processes, your work will be central to our success, promote a positive workplace culture and supporting the Union’s mission to be a trusted and effective organisation for students, staff, and trustees.

This is a Fixed term role, completing on the 22nd May 2026.

Who you are:

You are a highly organised, empathetic, and values-driven professional with a passion for good governance and inclusive practice.

With excellent literacy and numeracy skills, you bring an understanding of charity, education, or similar sectors, alongside a working knowledge of key legal frameworks like GDPR, charity law, and equality legislation.

You will have experience of co-ordinating governance processes, supporting recruitment, and managing sensitive information with discretion and care. Whether you are preparing agendas, taking minutes, or liaising with trustees and senior leaders, you do so with clarity, professionalism, and integrity.

Your attention to detail is second to none, and you thrive in busy environments—juggling deadlines, solving problems independently, and adapting to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders.

Above all, you’re a team player who champions equality, diversity, and inclusion. You’re proactive, resilient, and committed to the ethos of a student-led charity and are content to pitch in where needed.

Why apply?

Because you're inspired by the opportunity to make a real difference in students’ lives.

As a Students’ Union and registered charity, our mission is simple but powerful: “To ensure every student thrives at Brunel”. We’re anything but corporate – a dynamic, values-driven team of passionate individuals committed to positive change. We work in an unconventional, energetic environment where creativity and purpose go hand in hand.

In return for your passion and commitment we offer a flexible and supportive workplace, and an excellent holiday allowance – all designed to help you thrive too.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender, or disability. We’re building a diverse, inclusive team that reflects and champions the diversity of our student community.

And just so you know – your application will be read by a real person. We don’t use AI to screen candidates, because we genuinely care about getting to know you. So, when you apply, write your personal statement as if you're speaking directly to us. We’re looking forward to hearing your story.

BENEFITS

We offer a generous benefits package to reward our staff's hard work and commitment:

• Pension Scheme – statutory workplace pension scheme ‘NEST’.
• Generous holiday allowance - 25 days a year plus bank holidays. Additional days are usually given at Easter and Christmas in line with the University closure dates (usually about 5 additional days a year).
• Long service - 2 additional days leave will be given after 5 years continuous service
• TOTUM Card - All Union career staff are entitled to receive a TOTUM student discount card free of charge.
• Free Union sport membership - Allowing access to 35+ sports clubs, and our Active@Brunel social sport programme.
• On-site parking – Parking on campus at a low-cost rate.
• Flexible Working - The Union adopts a flexible working environment.
• Hybrid working – The Union allows for the ability to occasionally work from home, based on business need.
• Personal Development - The Union is fully committed to investing in your future. If you are interested in a training programme which you feel would benefit you within your current position you can submit a training request via your line manager.
• Employee assistance programme
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity leave

KEY DATES

Application Deadline: Monday 6th October 2025

Interviews: Week Commencing 13th October 2025

Start Date: To be discussed with the successful applicant, but ideally in November 2025.

OUR VALUES

At the Union of Brunel Students, our values are at the heart of everything we do. They guide our decisions, shape our culture, and define how we support our student community. We’re proud to stand by these principles:

• Driven by You
• Open to All 
• Passionately positive
• Integrity

These values are more than just words, they’re the foundation of our work and the reason we exist: “To ensure every student thrives at Brunel”.

To find out more about our values and how they influence life at the Union, visit our website.