Young people officer jobs

Future Frontiers is seeking an exceptional Chief Executive Officer to lead the organisation through an exciting new phase of growth and impact.

This is a remarkable opportunity to lead an organisation that has already helped thousands of young people across London to build confidence, shape their own future careers, and realise their potential. This is a pivotal time for Future Frontiers, as we continue to move forward with our 2025–28 strategy, we are expanding our offer, aiming to increase our reach and deepen our impact.

In recent years, like many similar organisations, we have navigated a challenging financial environment, and through the commitment of our leadership team and Trustees, we are returning to a more positive financial position. The next CEO will build on this momentum – strengthening our foundations, expanding our reach, and ensuring that even more young people can benefit from our work.

This role is an opportunity to lead an ambitious, passionate, and talented team united by a powerful mission: advancing social mobility and transforming life chances. We are seeking a strategic leader, commercially astute, and deeply motivated by the potential of young people. As CEO, you will play a defining role in shaping our future, forging new partnerships, securing vital support, and amplifying our impact.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has proven senior leadership experience, ideally within a charity or purpose-led organisation
• Can set and deliver strategic direction while driving measurable impact
• Is a strong relationship-builder, confident engaging funders, partners and stakeholders
• Brings commercial and financial acumen, with experience of income generation
• Is deeply committed to improving outcomes for young people and advancing social mobility

How to apply
To apply, you will need to send us your CV and a separate supporting statement. Your supporting statement should be no more than 2 sides of A4 explaining why you are interested in the role and how you meet the criteria.

Application deadline: Wednesday 22nd April, 5pm
Round one interview: Thursday 7th May (shortlisting will take place w/c 27th April)
Round two interview: w/c 11th May (date TBC)

Both rounds of interviews will take place in person at our office near London Bridge.

Start date: To be agreed with the successful candidate. Ideal start date September 2026.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo enhanced DBS and reference checks to cover employment for the last 5 years.

To support fair and inclusive hiring, we are asking all applicants to complete our diversity and equal opportunities monitoring form. This helps us to identify barriers and improve our processes. Responses are anonymous, not linked to your application, and do not affect hiring decisions.

For full details on the role, responsibilities, and how to apply, please see the attached CEO Applicant Pack.

Job Title: Independent Living Capital Appeal Manager
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £47,377
Location: The Rowe, London
Closing Date: 21st April 2026
Interviews: w/c 27th April 2026

About Centrepoint

Centrepoint works with young people aged 16–25 who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. We provide accommodation, health support, and life skills to help young people move into education, training, and employment so they can build independent, sustainable futures. Together with our partners, we support over 15,000 young people each year and aim to end youth homelessness by 2037.

About the Independent Living Programme

Centrepoint’s Independent Living Programme (ILP) is delivering 300 genuinely affordable homes across London and Greater Manchester for young people moving on from homelessness. With 50 homes already built and £23m secured, the Independent Living Capital Appeal is raising a further £27m to complete the programme.

The Role

The Independent Living Capital Appeal Manager will play a key role in delivering this ambitious programme. You will be responsible for helping to deliver the £27m appeal target by managing and growing a portfolio of high-value donors and grant-makers, securing five and six figure gifts, and developing a strong pipeline of new prospects.

Working closely with the Head of Independent Living Appeal, you will lead the cultivation and solicitation of high-value supporters while delivering an outstanding donor experience. You will also work closely with development and programme colleagues to align fundraising with live housing developments and future pipeline opportunities.

You will:

• Lead and grow a portfolio of donors and prospects, securing new and repeat five and six figure gifts
• Identify, qualify and cultivate new prospects to strengthen the appeal pipeline
• Develop and deliver tailored cultivation and solicitation strategies
• Write compelling proposals, reports and donor communications
• Deliver excellent stewardship, designing supporter journeys that connect donors to the impact of their support
• Support senior leaders and volunteers in donor cultivation and solicitations
• Collaborate across fundraising and programme teams to maximise opportunities for support
• Line-manage the Independent Living Appeal Officer, supporting their development and contribution to the appeal

This is an opportunity to play a central role in one of the UK’s most ambitious youth homelessness initiatives, helping unlock hundreds of new homes for young people leaving homelessness.

About You

We are looking for a motivated, relationship-focused fundraiser with a strong track record of securing significant philanthropic gifts. You will bring:

• Experience securing five and six figure gifts from individuals, trusts, foundations or corporate partners
• Proven ability to build and progress a pipeline of high-value prospects
• Strong experience managing and stewarding major donor relationships
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including developing persuasive proposals and reports
• Confidence engaging with senior stakeholders and donors
• Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver targets
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and functions

Desirable:

• Experience working on a capital appeal or major fundraising campaign
• Experience working with senior volunteers in fundraising

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave, rising to 27 days
• Healthcare cash plan (dental, optical, complementary therapies)
• Private medical insurance
• Income protection
• Employer pension contributions of 5%
• Cycle to Work and interest-free travel loan schemes

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Centrepoint is committed to fairness, equality, and inclusion. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, including those with lived experience of homelessness or youth services.

Apply now to play a key role in delivering Centrepoint’s Independent Living Capital Appeal and creating hundreds of new homes for young people moving on from homelessness

Location: Rotherham

Mentored by: Chief Operations Officer

Type of Employment:  Full-time

Hours of Work: 40 hours per week

Days of work: Monday-Friday

Pay Level: £58,000-£65,000

The Really NEET Project is seeking an exceptional, driven Regional Head to lead and inspire our work across Barnsley, Rotherham and the North.

This is a unique opportunity for a passionate leader to help develop our future of alternative education, champion young people, and empower dedicated teams to deliver life-changing outcomes.

As Regional Head, you will provide strategic leadership, operational excellence, and inspirational direction, ensuring our centres consistently deliver outstanding support to young people who need it most.

Some of the key areas include:

• Provide strong and supportive line management to the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Coordinator, SENDCo and Change Leader.
• Lead the ongoing development and delivery of high standards across SEND, education, youth work and risk management, including safeguarding and health and safety.
• Advocate confidently for yourself, staff, young people, and their families within an inclusive practice.
• Foster a culture of psychological safety, vulnerability-based trust, and shared purpose within teams.
• Fulfil the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) role and make effective safeguarding decisions at local, regional and national levels.

Our Benefits:

• 10 weeks paid holiday per year (during school holidays)
• Vitality Health package (with no employee excess to pay on claims)
• Royal London Pension Scheme
• Job valuations to ensure competitive salaries
• 45p per mile for any work related journeys
• Annual 2 night staff Getaway
• Christmas spending voucher
• Regular social activities
• Annual Employee Wellbeing budget
• Occupational Health Offer
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave policies
• Foster & Kinship Policy – time off for training
• Time of for fertility/IVF treatments & appointments
• Bespoke CDP Opportunities

What to expect from the recruitment process:

1. Application form submitted and reviewed by the panel
2. Shortlisted candidates invited to a first stage interview
3. Candidates who are successful at the first stage interview will be invited for a second stage assessment which may consist of an in tray task, scenario presentation or microteach along with time with the learners and a tour of the workplace.
4. Candidate selection – the panel will review any applications and a selection decision made
5. Recruitment Manager will make contact with applicants to let them know the outcome of their interviews

All applications must be submitted by 20th April 2026 with interviews being held the following 2 weeks. All candidates should be notified of the outcome of interviews within 3 working days. (subject to change)

For more information on this role and our organization please visit our website

Please note that we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our learners and expect all those who work with us to share this commitment. Successful applicants will need to undertake a DBS Enhanced Clearance check (Disclosure and Barring Service) and complete a Self Disclosure.

YES care about young people's mental health, sexual health and wellbeing. The Outreach and Support Officer will deliver knowledgeable, high-quality, youth-centred support to young people in various settings.

You will get out into the community via outreach engagement, offering one-to-one support, events and groups.  You iwill be a key part of our Information and Guidance team, delivering wellbeing programmes and workshops for YES. 

This role is frontline and delivery-focused, supporting the development of responsive, inclusive, and professionally delivered services in outreach settings such as schools, youth clubs, social spaces and groups and will be pivotal within our small team of young people's support staff. 

At YES, we care about young people futures, providing wellbeing and therapeutic support.  This brand new role will support young LGBTQ+ people to connect via a new social group and provide one to one support around issues such as sexuality, gender identity, relationships, isolation, education. You will lead and develop YES’s LGBTQ+ offer, ensuring services are peer-led, affirming, safe, and professionally delivered.

This role requires lived experience and a strong understanding of LGBTQ+ identities and issues affecting young people, alongside professional boundaries, safeguarding awareness, and service development capability.

If you are keen to help young LGBTQ+ people in the area and have experience in delivering and/or developing services, we would love to hear from you.  We are a small but growing charity with strong roots in our local area.

Senior Philanthropy Officer – Job Advert

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £37,221.19 to £41,740.90

Closing Date: 13th April

First interviews to be held: w/c 20th April

Centrepoint, the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity, is looking for a Senior Philanthropy Officer to join our Philanthropy team based in London or Manchester.

Centrepoint operates a hybrid working model. The requirement is a minimum of 50% of your working week to be worked in the office. For most full-time colleagues, this means attending the office for five days over a two-week period (e.g., two days one week and three days the next). For colleagues on different contracts (including part-time or compressed contracts) this will be adjusted accordingly.

About Centrepoint

Centrepoint exists to help vulnerable young people by giving them the practical and emotional support they need to find a job and live independently. We provide homeless young people with accommodation, health support and life skills in order to get them back into education, training and employment. We want to end youth homelessness by 2037, and together with our partners we support over 16,000 young people each year.

High Value Giving is an area of income growth for Centrepoint, with the Philanthropy team forming part of the Relationship Fundraising Department. The Senior Philanthropy Officer role plays a crucial part within the Philanthropy team, as the team look to build upon their recent successes and income trajectory.

Developing donor relationships, producing important cultivation resources and contributing to the creation of a robust donor pipeline will form key responsibilities for this role. This is an amazing time to be joining the team, as we embark on delivering our new strategy and exploring new philanthropic trends.

About You

The Senior Philanthropy Officer will report into the Philanthropy Manager. This role will steward its own major donor portfolio, managing gifts between £5,000 and £100,000, and project manage an element of the team strategy to help achieve the Philanthropy income target.

The post holder with work closely with other teams, particularly the mid-value team, within fundraising and the organisation more widely, to maximise income for Centrepoint.

This role offers a fantastic opportunity to develop skills and experience in major donor fundraising, while being part of an energetic and passionate team. This role would suit an established relationship fundraiser seeking their next high value giving opportunity.

What you’ll be doing

As Senior Philanthropy Officer, you will play a key role in growing high-value income by developing relationships with major donors and building a strong pipeline of future supporters.

You will manage your own portfolio of major donors while also contributing to the wider philanthropy strategy.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Managing and stewarding a portfolio of major donors, developing tailored engagement and communication plans
• Growing income from existing donors and cultivating new major donor prospects
• Leading the Mid Value to Major Donor pathway, identifying and developing high-potential donors
• Project managing key elements of the philanthropy strategy to drive income growth
• Working with teams across the organisation to identify funding needs and develop compelling cases for support
• Producing major donor appeals, reports, newsletters and updates
• Maintaining accurate donor records and reporting on the CRM system
• Managing administrative and financial processes relating to donor income
• Representing the organisation at donor meetings, events and service visits
• Keeping up to date with philanthropy trends and sector developments
• Supporting wider fundraising events and activities

What we’d be looking for from you…

The ideal candidate will have:

• Proven experience in relationship fundraising, philanthropy, or relationship management
• Experience managing donor or client portfolios
• Strong project management and organisational skills
• The ability to write engaging communications for a high value audience
• Confidence building relationships with high-net-worth individuals
• Experience working collaboratively across teams
• A proactive, creative and results-focused approach to fundraising
• A strong commitment to the organisation’s values and mission.

Why join Centrepoint?

In return, you’ll receive a competitive salary, excellent training and development, and a host of staff benefits including:

• 25 days of annual leave per year, rising by one day per year to a maximum of 27 days
• Healthcare cash plan (Covers the costs of a wide range of medical treatment including dental, optical, complementary and alternative therapies).
• Private medical insurance
• Income protection
• Employer pension contributions of 5%
• Access to Cycle 2 Work loan scheme
• An interest-free travel loan

At Centrepoint we challenge the discrimination within society that contributes to youth homelessness, and we are just as committed to fairness and equality within Centrepoint itself. We are passionate about ensuring all of our colleagues are made to feel included in the work we do and that we value the rich diversity within the organization.

We are an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications regardless of sex, gender, race, age, belief in any religion and none, gender identity, ethnic origin, class, sexuality, nationality, appearance, unrelated criminal activities, disability, responsibility for dependents, part time or shift workers, being HIV positive or living with AIDS, lived experience of homelessness or using young people’s services and any other matter which causes a person to be treated with injustice.

Centrepoint’s policy is to recruit, employ and promote people on the basis of their suitability for the work to be performed, and to this end, our aim is to ensure that all applicants, employees and volunteers receive equal treatment.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to join our team as Senior Philanthropy Manager click ‘Apply’ now!

The role

We are seeking an experienced and values-driven Chief Operating Officer to support our non-clinical operations.

Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will:

• Lead governance, compliance and risk management
• Ensure adherence to all regulatory and statutory requirements
• Drive operational performance, efficiency and continuous improvement
• Support delivery of strategic objectives and organisational growth
• Lead business continuity and organisational resilience planning
• Act as Data Protection Officer
• Work closely with Trustees, NHS partners and external stakeholders

This is a key senior leadership role, critical to ensuring safe, effective and sustainable service delivery.

About you

You will bring:

• Significant senior leadership experience in an operational role
• Strong expertise in governance, compliance and risk management
• Experience within a regulated environment (e.g. charity, healthcare, public sector)
• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to deliver operationally
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills

Why join us?

• A supportive, values-led organisation
• The opportunity to make a meaningful difference every day
• Generous annual leave (plus birthday off)
• Pension, EAP and life assurance
• Free on-site parking

Safeguarding & inclusion

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All roles are subject to safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS where appropriate.

We welcome applications from underrepresented groups and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Contract:  Part time, one-year contract, 2.5 days per week (18.75 hours) 

Salary:  £14,000-£16,000 per annum (£28,000-£32,000 FTE (depending on experience))

The Brent Centre for Young People 

The Brent Centre for Young People (BCYP) is the leading mental health charity for young people in Northwest London, helping over 800 young people a year with a wide range of issues. We offer specialised treatment in the areas of depression, suicide prevention, self-harm, eating disorders, exam anxiety and more. Our approach is rooted in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. We aim to reach significantly more young people in the years ahead, drawing on our heritage that combines specialist treatment in-house and outreach into communities. The Brent Centre is also an important Research Centre on Adolescent Breakdown and Psychotherapy. 

The Role

As HR Officer, you will play a role in bringing structure, consistency and clarity to Brent Centre’s HR processes. You will deliver practical, people-focused support across the employee lifecycle, from recruitment, onboarding to contract changes, developing and updating organisational policies, helping to strengthen and develop how HR supports colleagues across the organisation.

Working closely with the Administration and Finance Manager, you will act as the first point of contact for day-to-day HR queries, ensuring they are handled promptly, accurately and in line with Brent Centre’s values. You will support colleagues and managers to use HR systems effectively, interpret and apply policies correctly, and follow clear, consistent processes. You will maintain accurate information across our HR systems (Bright HR and SharePoint HR Intranet) and ensure HR data is complete, compliant and up to date.

As our current CEO steps down after five successful years, we are looking for an outstanding candidate to lead our charity in the next stage of its development.

As Chief Executive Officer you will provide strategic and operational leadership to our well-established community charity, ensuring that our activities and projects continue to meet the changing needs of our local community.

You will work closely with the board of trustees to shape the next stage of our charity’s development. You will lead our staff team and ensure that all the resources and structures are in place that allow them and the charity to flourish. This means successfully securing grant funding, leading our community fundraising efforts, ensuring the charity meets its legal and regulatory obligations, managing the operational finances, and building effective partnerships within the local voluntary, community, and faith sector.

You will be equally comfortable writing a funding bid, supporting a member of staff, navigating a spreadsheet, working directly with beneficiaries, and providing concise and accessible reports to trustees and stakeholders. This is a varied role where no two days are quite the same. Your work will make a real difference to the lives of those we support and this is what makes it so rewarding.

For more information please see the recruitment pack attached. The closing date for applications is Friday 17 April 2026.

We are looking for a new CEO to lead Surrey Community Action into a bright and exciting future, where the voluntary sector and communities of Surrey are helped to survice and thrive.

Surrey Community Action

Chief Executive Officer

35 hours per week, mostly office based but with some scope for working remotely.

Based in Burpham, Guildford, Surrey

The role is subject to a satisfactory DBS check.

£62,000 for a 35-hour week

5% employers pension contribution

25 days annual leave plus three days over Christmas

Employee Assistance Programme

About Surrey Community Action

Surrey Community Action supports Surrey’s voluntary sector, the diverse communities of Surrey, and other organisations who seek to work with either. We ensure that non-voluntary sector stakeholders understand the value of our sector and how to work together to achieve shared objectives. We provide services to Surrey’s voluntary sector that increase their effectiveness or fill gaps in their capability, capacity, and resilience. Services to the Surrey’s Communities and we provide services directly to Surrey’s communities that support community action and address unsupported needs.

About The Role

We are seeking a new Chief Executive to join us at an ideal time to complete and implement our emerging new strategy and direct Surrey Community Action into a bright future.

As Chief Executive Officer, you will have the scope and authority to shape strategy, influence policy, empower Surrey’s voluntary sector, and champion rural communities, working closely with a committed Board, and experienced staff team.

You will be the organisation’s lead ambassador, building trusted relationships with partners, funders and decision‑makers, and ensuring the organisation’s voice is heard at local, regional and national level.

You will also play a critical role in leading change and transformation within the charity - strengthening systems, diversifying income and evolving how the organisation works so it remains resilient, relevant and impactful in a fast‑changing environment.

This is a role for someone who enjoys balancing big‑picture thinking with practical delivery, and who can bring people with them through periods of transition.

If you are motivated to improve the capability, capacity and resilience of the Surrey’s voluntary sector, communities and residents; if you thrive in complex and changing stakeholder environments; and if you are excited by the challenge of leading an organisation through its next phase of growth and influence, this role is for you.

No two days will be the same, but there are some core parts of this role.

• Strategic Leadership & Organisational Direction
• You will lead the delivery of a clear, compelling organisational strategy, adapting it in response to an evolving operating environment and ensuring the organisation remains agile, future‑focused and well positioned within the voluntary and community sectors.
• Board Partnership & Governance
• You will work collaboratively with the Board of Trustees, providing high‑quality insight, advice and assurance on strategy, finance, risk, governance and compliance, and then supporting effective Board decision‑making through clear reporting, analysis and professional guidance.
• Leadership of People & Culture
• You will lead, inspire and support the staff team through a transparent, inclusive and empowering management style, creating a high‑performance culture rooted in trust, accountability, equality, diversity and wellbeing.
• Change Management & Organisational Development
• You will be a skilled change manager, leading transformation in response to evolving funding landscapes, policy shifts, technology and community needs, designing and implementing systems, structures and processes that strengthen organisational effectiveness and resilience.
• Ambassadorial Role, Advocacy & External Relations
• You will be the public face of the organisation, representing it with credibility, passion and authority, and building strong, influential relationships with funders, partners, policymakers, communities and stakeholders.

About You

The purpose of the Chief Executive Officer’s role is to guide and plan the strategic development and overall direction of the organisation, providing strong leadership and co-ordination to ensure the aims, strategic objectives and priorities of the organisation are achieved.

To do this, we need someone who embodies the following attributes, skills and experience.

You will have:

• Senior leadership experience within a voluntary, community, public or values‑led organisation, with accountability for strategy, performance and resources.
• Proven experience of working effectively with a Board or trustees
• Demonstrable success in leading and managing organisational change, including restructuring, service development or cultural transformation.
• Experience in fundraising, income generation and business development
• Experience of financial leadership, including budgeting, financial planning, income generation and managing funding agreements or contracts.
• A strong track record of external engagement, partnership working and representation at senior level.
• People management experience, supporting a compact team delivering diverse projects.
• Excellent communication skills (including social media) and governance literacy.
• It will be a distinct advantage to have familiarity with Local Government Reorganisation and devolution, ideally in a county like Surrey.

You will be:

• Motivated, motivating and dynamic
• An effective communicator (including social media) with good network contacts, especially in the VCSE sector and across local government
• A strong team builder, able to develop, encourage and support colleagues in making the most of their experience and skillsets and to feel confident in their abilities
• A visionary leader who is able to embrace and manage change through strategic creativity and innovation, while also able to pay attention to detail when necessary.
• Ideally, you will also be able to demonstrate understanding of charity governance, compliance and safeguarding.
• Calm and confident under pressure with an evidence-based approach to prioritising finite resources.

These attributes, skills and experience will make you stand out, but even if you do not match all the criteria below, we still want to hear about you and what you can offer.

The Nuts and Bolts

The role is a permanent contract for 35 hours per week, mostly office based but with some scope for working remotely.

Our offices are in Guildford, Surrey

We are committed to continued professional development and will support you to develop your skills even further.

The role is subject to a satisfactory DBS check.

The salary for this post is £62,000 for a 35-hour week.

We also offer:

• 5% employers pension contribution
• Employee Assistance Programme
• 25 days holiday with an additional three days between Christmas and New Year, as well as all English Bank Holidays

We can only accept applications from candidates with the right to work in the UK.

Tender is a nationwide charity harnessing the power of drama and the arts to educate children, young people and adults about healthy relationships. Our innovative, interactive approach empowers children, young people and adults with the skills and knowledge to recognise unhealthy relationships, nurture healthy ones, and seek support if they need help.

The Finance & Operations Officer plays a central role in ensuring the smooth financial and operational running of Tender, supporting the organisation’s ability to deliver its mission effectively. The role spans core finance functions—including payroll, payments, reconciliations, budgeting support and financial reporting—ensuring that Tender maintains robust financial controls and compliance across all statutory and regulatory requirements. It also involves close collaboration with suppliers, funders, auditors and internal teams to support the Finance Director in producing financial plans, forecasts, annual accounts and audit preparation.

Alongside finance, the post holder is responsible for managing key operational areas including HR administration, ICT coordination, office management, and internal communication processes. This includes overseeing recruitment and onboarding processes, maintaining HR policies and procedures, ensuring effective cross-team collaboration, managing external service providers, and maintaining an efficient administrative and operational environment. The role requires someone who can work autonomously, use sound judgement, implement effective processes, and ensure alignment of systems across the organisation.

A successful Finance & Operations Officer will also contribute to organisational development by ensuring that policies, procedures and workflows are up to date, compliant and reflect best practice. With responsibilities that touch every part of the charity, the post holder acts as a vital hub for coordination, problem‑solving and continuous improvement, helping Tender maintain a high‑functioning, values‑driven working environment.

To be successful in this role, in the first 6 months you will have:

• Established reliable financial processes by ensuring accurate and timely payroll, payment cycles, reconciliations and financial reporting, maintaining full compliance with Tender’s financial controls and statutory requirements.
• Strengthened core operational systems by updating and consolidating HR, ICT, office management and policy frameworks, ensuring staff understand and follow consistent organisational processes.
• Improved cross‑team coordination by streamlining internal communications and embedding efficient administrative workflows, enabling smoother collaboration across finance, HR and operational functions.

Please refer to the full job description and person specification in the full recruitment pack for further details.

The Sickle Cell Society is looking for a Programme Manager to join the team to oversee operations of the North West region Sickle Cell Children and Young Person’s mentoring programme. The Peer Mentoring programme aims to improve the health and wellbeing of young people with Sickle Cell Disorders (SCD).The North West Programme Manager will be overseeing the success and delivery of the aims and objectives of the peer mentoring programme across Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield.

At Ambitious about Autism, we are looking for a Programme Director – Service Development to join our team. You'll develop Ambitious about Autism's and the Trust's education and care services for autistic children and young people.

You'll lead on key strategic projects to extend existing or develop new education and care services for autistic children and young people, providing strong project leadership, strategic integration and managing project-related governance. You'll identify and pursue new business opportunities to drive growth and expansion of our educational settings, including school bids.

You'll be involved in new service development, conducting thorough assessment to identify gaps and opportunities for new provisions or products, whilst developing innovative concepts for new services and seeking approval through business cases. You'll also provide leadership to the Service Development team, with line management of 3 direct reports, whilst upholding Ambitious about Autism's core values.

We are looking for someone who has:

• Extensive business development and project planning knowledge
• Working knowledge of the education, health or social care of children/young people with SEND
• Working knowledge of: The social, policy, regulatory issues affecting children and young people with special educational needs or Commissioning and service delivery for children, young people and their families
• Proven experience of leading the development and delivery of new services for children, young people and/or adults with special educational needs or disabilities either from a third sector, educational, health or local authority background
• Experience of developing strategic and business plans

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

This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious individual who would like to work for a forward-thinking, open and honest organisation and make a real impact to the young people we work with. Please find our full recruitment pack on the link below.

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.

Role Overview

This is an exciting opportunity to shape Shine’s strategic direction while managing the operational delivery of our services for children, young people, and families aged 0–25. Building on the success of our Little Stars/Ser Bach programme for members aged 0–12 and the development and extension of the FIRE (Friendship, Independence, Resilience, Empowerment) programme for those aged 13–25, you will play a key role in shaping the future of our support for children, young people and their families.

Working across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, you will lead the delivery of an established, evidence-based programme that improves health, social, and emotional outcomes for those living with spina bifida, hydrocephalus, and associated conditions.

You’ll lead a passionate team and work closely with Shine’s Adult Services Team (25+), Health Team, Wales and Northern Ireland Managers and wider colleagues across the organisation to ensure work is coordinated, complementary, and beneficial to members. At the same time, you’ll forge strong partnerships with NHS professionals, statutory services, and voluntary organisations—driving collaboration that will support our vision of providing consistent, high-quality support for children, young people and families nationwide.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership & Team Management
• Programme Development & Delivery
• Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting
• Member Support & Engagement

Please see the full Job Description & Person Specification below and on our website. 

Benefits to working at Shine:

• Competitive salary: Review due April 2027
• Regular working hours, and no shift work (some very occasional weekends or evenings)  
• 3% pension contribution
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with additional discretionary leave between Christmas and New Year
• Additional annual leave awarded for ‘long service’
• Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave
• Broadband allowance for home-based roles
• Life insurance after 12 months’ employment  
• Access to our Employee Support Programme and Mental Health First Aiders 
• Support to learn and develop 

How to apply 

Shine is a Disability Confident employer and will offer guaranteed interviews if a disabled applicant meets the minimum criteria for the job. 

If you would like to discuss the role with our Deputy CEO, Gill Valentine, please contact Shine to arrange a convenient time for a call. 

To apply please submit your CV and supporting statement, which should outline your interest and explain how you meet the role criteria. 

We understand that you may wish to use AI tools to help you with some aspects of your application but we do expect tailored applications which are personalised to your experiences and not generic applications which are completely AI generated. We encourage candidates to be transparent about AI usage in their applications. 

*Please note applications without a supporting statement will not be accepted* 

Closing date: Thursday 16th April 2026 at 11pm 

Interviews:  Monday 27th April 2026  

Please note: we reserve the right to interview suitable candidates before the closing date, therefore we encourage applications as soon as possible.