116 Youth education officer jobs

As Fearless Youth Lead for Scotland, you will lead a national programme that empowers young people to understand crime-related issues and overcome barriers to reporting crime safely and anonymously. Working with schools, communities, government partners and key stakeholders, you will drive engagement campaigns, develop meaningful partnerships and lead a small team to deliver positive outcomes for young people across Scotland.

Please read the full job pack , before submitting your CV and covering letter.

FTC until March 2029 | Full time | Based in Scotland (Glasgow/Edinburgh) with regular travel | £36,000 - £38,000 DOE | PVG required

Working as part of the operations team, the you will help maintain the systems, processes and practical foundations 
that enable the organisation to function effectively. This includes supporting people operations and HR administration, 
leading on governance and advisory meeting administration, acting as the first point of contact for IT queries, and helping 
FEA’s events run smoothly.

Acting as a trusted point of support for colleagues, you will help create a responsive and well-organised 
working environment where staff, trustees and members feel enabled to do their best work. The role requires exceptional 
organisation, sound judgement and a genuine pride in quality. By ensuring that the practical aspects of the organisation 
run reliably and well, you will help create the conditions that allow the Fair Education Alliance to deliver its 
mission and drive progress towards a fairer education system.

About School of Hard Knocks

School of Hard Knocks (SOHK) is one of the UK’s leading education charities, working in 29 secondary schools across England, Scotland, and Wales. Using rugby as a key delivery tool, we support young people who are struggling to engage in early secondary education - often because of anxiety, low confidence, disrupted home lives, or behavioural challenges rooted in trauma. For many of the children we support, life has already brought more hardship than most adults experience in a lifetime. Our purpose is clear: to help young people facing complex challenges break the cycle and move towards a safer, stronger, more hopeful future.

The SOHK Schools Programme is a two-year intervention working with cohorts of around 20 pupils from Year 7 through to Year 9. Pupils are selected by the school and are typically among the hardest to reach young people. Each week, we deliver half a day of rugby training and classroom sessions built around our 3Cs framework, covering topics such as growth mindset, goal setting, and decision-making, alongside monthly one-to-one sessions with every pupil. The programme’s impact is evaluated by SOHK staff, teachers, parents, and the pupils themselves.

90% of our participants report feeling more confident and more engaged with school after taking part, with long-term effects on attendance, attainment, and life outcomes. Find out more about our Schools Programme.

Since 2023, SOHK has been proud to partner with Impetus, a charity that invests in and supports organisations helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed. This partnership combines investment with strategic and organisational development support, helping to strengthen our impact and set SOHK up for sustainable growth.

We are proud to be delivering long-term programmes that meaningfully reach hundreds of young people each year - but the societal need is vast. Our ambitious four-year strategic plan targets growth, aiming to bring our impactful programme to hundreds more young people each year.

“Despite the usual challenges that every education or sport for development charity faces, School of Hard Knocks really is unique. It is not so much what we deliver at a programme level (which is of course brilliant) but who we are as a team. If you are a values-led leader and love the idea of ‘team’, then School of Hard Knocks is the place for you.”

- Ken Cowen, Founder and outgoing CEO

The Role

The CEO is the public face and leader of SOHK, responsible for the overall strategic direction, vision, and management of the charity - ensuring SOHK meets its mission and strategic objectives while maintaining strong relationships with Trustees, staff, supporters, and the wider SOHK community. We’re looking for a mission-driven charity leader and effective fundraiser, capable of building a sustainable growth model.

Strategy and Direction

● Be the face and voice of the charity - its principal ambassador

● Lead the development and periodic review of SOHK’s strategy with the Trustees and Senior Management Team

● Translate the 2026-30 strategy into organisational priorities, plans, and goals

● Ensure safeguarding, wellbeing, and the lived experience of young people remain central to every decision and growth plan

Programme Delivery, Quality and Impact

● Hold a high bar for programme quality and outcomes for young people

● Line-manage and support the Director of Programmes, working with delivery teams and partners to build a world-class, evidence-based intervention

● Ensure SOHK can evidence the impact of its programmes, with insights feeding back into constant improvement

Income Generation, Fundraising and External Relations

● Lead income generation across trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, individual giving, and challenges and events

● Line-manage and support the Head of Fundraising in executing a comprehensive fundraising strategy

● Hold senior relationships with funders and partners, building SOHK’s brand, reputation, and profile

Leading People, Culture and Operations

● Build and lead a high-performing Senior Management Team

● Foster a positive, inclusive, high-performing culture aligned with SOHK’s values

● Line-manage and support the Director of Finance & Operations, ensuring operational excellence

Governance and the Board

● Act as the primary link between the organisation and the Trustees

● Attend all Trustee meetings (held quarterly) and provide timely, accurate reporting

● Ensure compliance with all legal, regulatory, and Charity Commission requirements

About You

Essential

● Proven senior leadership experience in the charity, education, youth, or social impact sector - whether as CEO or as part of an executive team - including working directly with a Board of Trustees

● Demonstrated success in building or significantly growing an organisation, programme, or initiative

● A collaborative and values-led leadership style, with the ability to inspire trust, hold people to account, and build high-performing teams

● Strong track record of income generation, including securing significant funding from trusts, foundations, corporates, or major donors

● Experience of financial oversight, budgeting, and organisational planning at a senior level

● Strategic thinker, able to translate vision into clear plans and delivery

● Strong relationship-builder and communicator, confident with a wide range of stakeholders

Desirable

● Previous charity CEO experience - a bonus, but not essential; we know brilliant candidates come from a wide range of backgrounds

● Direct classroom, youth work, or education leadership experience

● Knowledge of the UK education system and youth policy landscape

● Experience of scaling a multi-site delivery organisation and working with local authorities

Personal Attributes

● Deep commitment to improving outcomes for young people, especially those facing disadvantage

● Resilient and persistent, able to work under pressure and navigate setbacks

● Collaborative, open, and reflective leader who seeks feedback and learns from it

Terms of Appointment

Contract type

Full-time, permanent

Location

Greater London, with offices in Edinburgh & Cardiff

Salary

£85,000 – £90,000 per year + £5,000 PRP

Reports to

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Direct reports

Director of Programmes; Head of Fundraising; Director of Finance & Operations

Travel

Regular UK travel, primarily to Edinburgh and Cardiff. Occasional evenings for stakeholder engagement and fundraising events

Trustee meetings

Quarterly, in London, in the evening, plus ad hoc subcommittees

About Us

Forever Young People CIC delivers relationship-led community programmes across Hertfordshire, currently anchored by our community youth projects and our Dot to Dot mum and baby group. We're part of the wider Forever Young People family, which has spent years building trust-based, relationship-first work with young people and families across the county.

We're at a turning point: our CIC has a real track record and real potential, but no one whose full-time job it is to lead it. That's where you come in.

The Role

We're looking for someone to take genuine ownership of the CIC — its strategy, its funding, and its future programmes — reporting directly to our CEO. You'll line-manage our Trusts & Foundations fundraising consultant, decide which funding opportunities to pursue, and build the relationships and programmes that take the CIC beyond what we've already started.

This isn't a role where you'll be handed a finished playbook. It's a role for someone who wants to build one.

You'll:

• Set the CIC's strategic direction, in partnership with our CEO
• Own our funding pipeline and manage our fundraising consultant
• Spot and develop new community programmes rooted in genuine local need
• Support our existing Programmes as they continue to grow
• Build the relationships — funders, partners, commissioners — that the CIC's future depends on

About You

You don't need to have done exactly this job before — but you do need to have done something like it. You're someone who can set a strategy and still get your hands dirty. You've probably managed a freelancer or consultant before. You've built relationships with funders or partners when resources were tight, not abundant. And most importantly, you actually want to build something — not just keep an existing programme ticking over.

Experience with trusts and foundations fundraising, youth or family support work, or a background moving from a founder-led organisation toward distributed leadership would all be a bonus, though none are essential.

The Details

• Hours: 3 days/week to start, with planned growth in days as the CIC's income and pipeline grow
• Salary: £26,000–£30,000 FTE, pro-rata for 3 days/week, depending on experience
• Reports to: CEO, Ashley Howard
• Manages: Trusts & Foundations Fundraising Consultant; future CIC staff as the team grows
• Contract: Senior staff role — not a statutory company director

Workforce Development Coordinator

WorldSkills UK is looking for an organised and proactive Workforce Development Coordinator to join our Workforce Development Team.

At WorldSkills UK, we have big ambitions to help young people, the education system and the economy. We work across the UK to raise standards in technical education and apprenticeships, champion future skills and help more young people from all backgrounds succeed in work and life.

As Workforce Development Coordinator, you will play an important role in supporting the successful delivery of our workforce development programmes. Working with colleagues, participants, delivery partners and other stakeholders, you will help ensure our programmes are well organised, our systems and information are accurate, and participants receive a professional and positive experience.

The role is varied and will include:

• coordinating programme activity, meetings, events and workshops;
• maintaining programme documentation, schedules, records and systems;
• coordinating communications with participants and internal and external stakeholders;
• collecting, validating and collating data and supporting programme reporting;
• coordinating participant registration, onboarding and ongoing support;
• working with suppliers, venues, contractors and delivery partners; and
• helping to improve systems, processes and ways of working.

We are looking for someone who is highly organised, has excellent attention to detail and can confidently coordinate multiple activities, priorities and deadlines. You will need strong administrative and communication skills, the ability to build effective working relationships with a range of people, and the confidence to use your initiative while working collaboratively as part of a team.

Salary: £28,000
Contract: Permanent, full time (35 hours per week)
Location: London, with flexible hybrid working. The postholder is expected to attend the office at least once or twice a week.

How to apply

Please download and read the application pack attached before applying.

WorldSkills UK uses a blind recruitment approach. To apply, please submit the following:

1. an anonymised CV in Word format;
2. a supporting statement in Word format outlining your suitability for the role and addressing the role description and person specification; and
3. a separate document containing your name, email address, telephone number and confirmation of your right to work in the UK.

Closing date: 23:59 on Sunday 4 October 2026.

Late or incomplete applications, or applications that do not follow the application requirements, may not be considered.

Do you believe that all children should receive consistently high-quality care in environments that strive to improve outcomes for each child?  Do you have experience in social work, education, inspection, advocacy or residential childcare management?

Then we have an exciting opportunity for a professional like you.

The Vacancy

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Independent Visitor & Quality Assurance Officer to join NYAS Independent Monitoring Service.

This is a full-time permanent role, working 35 hours in the North West and/or North East region. 

As an Independent Visitor & Quality Assurance Officer you will be required to complete statutory and non-statutory independent allocated visits within prescribed timescales and to quality assure reports submitted by other members of the team.

The purpose of this role is to ensure that judgements are consistent with evidence provided and that the feedback given is an element of continuous improvement.

While the role is home-based, there will be occasions where travel is required, including working on public transport.

About You

We are looking for a self-starter who prides themselves in professionalism and accuracy. You must have a relevant professional qualification and proven extensive experience in working with children and young people or adults at risk in a social care setting.

For more information, please view the attached job description.

In your application, you will need to evidence, using specific examples, how your skills and experience meet the criteria laid out in the person specification, within the job description attached. Requirements include:

• Professional qualification in a relevant field.
• Proven extensive experience in working with children and young people or adults at risk in a social care setting.
• Experience and an understanding of child and adult safeguarding procedures.
• Experience of quality assuring reports for regulatory bodies.
• Ability to analyse a range of information to assess effective evidence-based judgements of reports.
• Proven experience of using QA to improve report writing.
• Ability to communicate effectively and to a high standard both orally and in writing to a wide range of people.

NYAS operates robust safe procedures to ensure the protection of the children, young people and adults at risk we work with. To comply with NYAS’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, references, Digital Risk Assessment and Right to Work check.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early once we receive a high number of applications.

In accordance with UK immigration law, NYAS is required to ensure that all prospective candidates have the legal right to work in the United Kingdom. Therefore, proof of eligibility to work in the UK will be required as part of the recruitment process.

About NYAS

As an established leading rights-based charity, NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) is well positioned to ensure that children, young people, and adults across England and Wales are fully respected, represented, and supported in expressing their views and having their rights upheld.

We work with care-experienced children, young people, and adults who are often reliant on statutory services suffering the negative impact of the cuts in public expenditure. Our combination of social care and legal services places us in a unique position to ensure that they receive the services they need and that their voices are heard.

We are an equal opportunities employer and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment which means NYAS welcomes applications from all individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or belief, or any other protected characteristic.

 NYAS is proud to share that we are a Disability Confident Employer and we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies.

Work with us to help change young lives.

Do you have a passion for working with young people and making communities safer? Crimestoppers is looking for a motivated and engaging Fearless Youth Coordinator to deliver its Fearless and Bystander Approach programmes across Cardiff, helping young people make informed decisions about crime, safety and reporting concerns. In this varied and rewarding role, you will design and deliver interactive workshops in secondary schools, PRUs and youth settings, build strong partnerships with education providers, youth organisations, local authorities and police, and identify opportunities to extend the reach of the Fearless programme across the city.

Please read the full job pack, before submitting your CV and covering letter.

FTC until March 2027 | Full time | Based in Cardiff, with travel| £28,186 | DBS required

Do you have a passion for empowering young people and creating safer communities? Crimestoppers is seeking an enthusiastic and proactive Fearless Youth Coordinator to lead the delivery of its Fearless and Bystander Approach programmes across South Wales, helping young people understand the issues affecting them and make informed decisions about reporting crime. You will work directly with young people to address key issues such as violence and serious organised crime, while also evaluating programme impact, supporting awareness campaigns, developing resources and identifying opportunities to expand the reach of the service. With a strong focus on safeguarding, collaboration and community engagement, this role offers the opportunity to make a lasting difference to the lives of young people across South Wales.

Please read the full job pack, before submitting your CV and covering letter.

FTC until March 2027 | Full time | Based in South Wales (Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, Merthyr), with travel| £28,186 | DBS required

Job Title – Education Officer - Children & Young People

Reports to – Director of Financial Education

Working Hours – We welcome applications from candidates looking to work part-time or full-time (up to 37.5 hours per week)

Location – London - Clapham / Hybrid working (minimum 40% of working time in the office)

About Us

For over 30 years, The Money Charity has been the UK's Financial Capability charity. We proactively provide education, information, advice and guidance to people of all ages, helping them to manage their money well and increase their Financial Wellbeing.

We believe that being on top of your money as a part of everyday life reduces stress and hardship, helps you achieve your goals and live a happier life as a result, so we empower people from all backgrounds across the UK to build the skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours to make the most of their money throughout their lives.

We also work to promote Financial Wellbeing in the UK by working with the financial services industry to improve practices and outcomes for their consumers, and by influencing policy-makers, media, industry and public attitudes.

We are a small, passionate team with a big reach and an open mind, committed to quality, accessibility and inclusiveness. We offer a flexible work environment that values creativity, personal growth and collaboration.

About the Role

Each year, we reach around 35,000 children and young people through the delivery of our Financial Education Money Workshops in schools, colleges and community groups across the UK. The Workshops are interactive, engaging and relevant, covering topics including budgeting, saving, borrowing, insurance, uni money and much more. Children and young people love having the chance to talk about money, ask questions and think about what they are going to do with theirs!

We are looking to recruit a member of staff to help carry out the day-to-day management of the Workshop content, resources and delivery through our freelance trainer network, as well as deliver some Workshops directly to children and young people themselves. The applicant will play a pivotal role in ensuring The Money Charity’s Financial Education work is carried out efficiently and to the best standards, with opportunity for in-role development and professional growth. 

We are looking for somebody with the drive and initiative to take this area of work forward as we seek to grow our delivery levels and reach in 2027 and 2028. The applicant should have fantastic presentational skills, enjoy being creative, and be confident in a classroom environment. They should have excellent interpersonal skills and be able to develop relationships with a range of stakeholders. We are looking for someone with enthusiasm for providing children and young people with life skills, as well as supporting the charity’s aims and objectives. The applicant must be able to work under pressure, deliver tasks to an agreed timescale and have the ability to manage their own workload, as well as working as part of our small, supportive team.

This varied role will provide an excellent opportunity for the applicant to influence and deliver our flagship, evidence-based programme with national reach, whilst also being able to enjoy the buzz of being in the classroom regularly themselves.

Closing Date – 11:30pm, Monday 14 September 2026

Interviews – First-round interviews will be held virtually on 17 and 22 September.

Start Date – We are looking for the successful candidate to start as soon as possible following the recruitment process.

Please visit our website for the full job description including the key responsibilities, person specification, benefits and application details.

We’re looking for a Training Officer to help us develop and deliver high quality learning and professional development for people working with and for young people across the North West.

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys creating and delivering engaging training and supporting others to learn and grow.

Working with our Learning, Workforce Development & Equality Manager, you’ll help shape our learning offer and support a skilled, confident and connected youth sector workforce.

What you’ll be doing

• Design and deliver engaging training and workshops (online and in person)

• Build relationships with learners, partners and organisations

• Support learning events, networks and Communities of Practice

• Use feedback and evaluation to improve what we do

We’re looking for someone who has:

• experience of training, facilitation or learning and development

• confidence delivering engaging sessions to different audiences

• good communication and organisational skills

• an understanding of youth work or the issues affecting young people

• a commitment to equality, inclusion and safeguarding

More information in attached recruitment pack - closing date Monday 21 Sep 2026 @ 12 pm

Interviews will be held in person on Tuesday 29 September 2026.

We are looking for a passionate and engaging Youth Engagement Officer to join our new Thriving Change Makers programme, supporting young people aged 14–20 (and up to 25 for those with additional needs) to develop their confidence, leadership skills and ability to create positive change in their communities.

You will build trusted relationships with young people, schools and community organisations, recruit participants and facilitate engaging Youth Social Action Hub sessions. You will mentor young people to identify issues that matter to them and turn their ideas into social action projects, campaigns and activities.

You will also help young people develop their leadership skills and access opportunities such as Youth Ambassador, peer leadership, advisory and governance roles, while ensuring participation is inclusive, safe, accessible and genuinely youth-led.

We are looking for someone with experience of working directly with young people and facilitating inclusive group activities, who can build positive relationships, provide effective mentoring and support young people to take ownership of their ideas. Experience of youth-led social action or community projects would be an advantage.

This is a great opportunity to join an exciting new programme and help young people find their voice, develop their potential and lead change in their communities.

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details about the role and requirements.

What we offer:

• Generous annual leave entitlement - 28 days annual leave PLUS bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff)
• Flexible and hybrid working (dependent on role) to ensure you enjoy a good work-life balance.
• Christmas office closure
• Enhanced Sick Pay
• Pension scheme – 5% employee contribution, 3% employer contribution
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme

Promoting a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace

At CB Plus, we promote a diverse and inclusive workplace where we can all be ourselves. Everyone is treated fairly, individual differences are celebrated, and all employees are valued and respected. We actively encourage applications from disabled applicants, including those with mental health conditions, people from Global Majority and minoritised communities, and those with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

We guarantee an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria as outlined in the Disability Confident Scheme. However, in the event of a high number of applicants, it may not be possible to interview all candidates who meet these criteria, and we reserve the right to limit interviews to a manageable number.

We also have experience supporting Access to Work applications to ensure that employees who need adjustments have the support they need to feel confident and do their best in their roles.

If you need adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know and we will be happy to assist you.

Note: This post is exempt under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1, and is open to female applicants only, due to the nature of the role. Subject to an enhanced DBS check.

The Head of Youth Programmes sits in our Senior Leadership Team and holds overall operational responsibility for our frontline youth programmes across three pillars: Prevention, Intervention and Healing. The postholder leads and line manages the delivery team, and carries DSL responsibility for the organisation.

You'll lead delivery, expansion and impact evaluation across all three pillars, line manage the Education Lead, IDVA Team and Creative Projects leads, and work closely with the CEO to consolidate our delivery models. You'll hold responsibility as our Designated Safeguarding Lead, manage operational budgets, and build multi-agency partnerships across Barnet and neighbouring boroughs.

It's an opportunity to bring fresh energy and strategic leadership to a small, values-driven charity that trusts its team to do meaningful, creative work with the young people we support.

Essential criteria

• Experience as an IDVA, ISVA or in a comparable frontline advocacy role supporting young women and girls affected by domestic abuse, sexual violence or other forms of harm.
• A strong understanding of VAWG, domestic abuse and youth harm, grounded in survivor-centred and harm-prevention approaches.
• Experience of overseeing and responding to complex safeguarding through multi-agency working.
• At least Level 3 safeguarding training. Designated Safeguarding Lead training is desirable, or a willingness to complete this within an agreed timeframe.

We have highlighted the essentials above. The rest of the person specification, in the attached recruitment pack, is a guide to what we are looking for in a strong candidate, rather than a checklist. Your experience may not meet all of it, but if you have the essential experience we would encourage you to apply. We are just as interested in transferable experience as in a conventional career path.

Benefits

• Regular clinical supervision with an external practitioner 
• Health Assured Employee Assistance Programme, including a 24/7 helpline, counselling and a wellbeing app
• Free on-site parking in Colindale and funded travel between delivery sites

Details

£38,000 to £40,000 pro rata. 28 hours per week (four day working week). Permanent. Barnet, London / Hybrid.

Closing date: Thursday 15th October 2026. Interviews: w/c Monday 26th October 2026.

Head of Youth Work and Mission

JOB DESCRIPTION

Responsible to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Oxygen

Hours: 37.5 hours per week. This role requires flexible working, including some evenings, occasional Saturdays/Sundays, and weekends when running residentials for young people, plus regular shifts at the Oxygen shop.

Salary: £36,000 – £39,000 per annum, plus pension and life cover and cycle to work scheme.

Location: Kingston upon Thames, South West London, with travel across the Boroughs of Kingston and Richmond

Why Join Oxygen?

Oxygen is a well established and respected Charity known for its ability to reach and engage young people in creative and innovative ways.  You will have the opportunity to shape and lead youth work strategy, be part of a dynamic and committed team who love to see young people overcome barriers to their development and discover who they are and who they want to become.

● Membership of the Senior Management Team

● The chance to develop innovative programmes tackling issues such as knife crime, mental health and youth unemployment

● Working within a well-established Christian charity making a tangible difference to young people's lives

Working for Oxygen is fulfilling and rewarding. It gives you experience of working collaboratively with a range of partners, and in a variety of contexts, that will be invaluable to anyone wanting to develop and progress in a career working with young people.

About Oxygen

Oxygen is a dynamic youth organisation based in Kingston upon Thames, South West London. Oxygen began as the vision of a group of young people who wanted to reach out to others to demonstrate their faith and meet their needs. We are supported by over thirty churches across the Boroughs of Kingston and Richmond, and staffed by a team of full and part time employees, volunteers and young apprentices.

We work in partnership with local churches, voluntary agencies and statutory bodies to give young people the support they need to overcome the challenges they face. Through a range of engaging and fun activities, we help young people discover their strengths, values and beliefs, understand their potential and aspirations for the future, and find opportunities to contribute to society through volunteering and serving others. 

Oxygen is a Christian charity which works with young people of all faiths and of none. Oxygen is recognised as a key provider of targeted support for young people, with a strong reputation for reaching those in need and making a real difference in their lives. We start where a young person is at, seeking to understand the world from their perspective and to discover their skills, talents and character. We help them look past immediate challenges towards a more hopeful future, raising aspirations and motivating them to move forward.  We seek to demonstrate that they are cared for and valued and to demonstrate the impact the Christian faith can have upon people’s lives.

We continue to develop engaging and inclusive programmes that promote a sense of belonging to a community which give young people purpose and direction.  We respond to the issues affecting young people today, including mental health, knife crime, youth unemployment, digital youth work, mentoring and youth enterprise, alongside our charity shop on New Malden High Street. This role will give Oxygen the capacity and depth needed to innovate and develop projects that have a proven, positive impact on young people's lives.

Job Summary

As Head of Youth Work and Mission, you will be responsible for the delivery and management of Oxygen's youth work programme, implementing key projects to support young people's development. You will be part of the Senior Management Team (SMT) and will promote the mission, values and Christian faith of Oxygen in all aspects of your work.

Christian Faith — Genuine Occupational Requirement

Because this post leads and promotes Oxygen's Christian mission and outreach to young people, and contributes to maintaining the Christian ethos and culture of the organisation, there is a Genuine Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010 for the postholder to be a practising Christian.

Safeguarding

Oxygen is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check and satisfactory references.

See JD for more infomation 

An exciting opportunity!

This is a rare and genuinely exciting opportunity to lead the UK's only dedicated charity supporting children, adults and families affected by MPS, Fabry disease and related lysosomal storage disorders. Following the current Chief Executive's planned move to become Managing Director of Rare Disease Research Partners (RDRP) in January 2027, the incoming CEO will take the helm of an organisation with over forty years of history, a trusted national reputation and a growing role on the international rare disease stage. The successful candidate will shape the strategic vision for more than 1,800 families, oversee the close partnership between the Society and its research subsidiary RDRP, and champion the patient and family ethos that sits at the heart of the organisation's work. It is an opportunity to combine ambitious strategic leadership with deeply meaningful, human impact, working alongside a committed Board, Senior Leadership Team and wider community of clinicians, researchers and pharmaceutical partners.

As our next Chief Executive, you will

• Define and deliver the MPS Society’s strategic vision.
• Provide confident oversight of governance, finance, compliance and reporting.
• Effectively manage the operational alignment between the MPS Society and RDRP.
• Always keep the members and family voice at the heart of strategy, service design and decision-making.
• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with statutory bodies, government agencies, pharmaceutical partners, clinical expert centres and other key stakeholders to support the Society’s objectives, influence policy and practice, and protect its professional reputation.
• Act as a visible and credible public voice to raise awareness, improve visibility, support, treatment access and outcomes for people affected by MPS, Fabry disease and related conditions.
• Collaborate with other rare disease bodies, patient organisations and other key audiences.
• Lead and empower the senior leadership team through effective delegation, early involvement in strategic discussions, clear accountability and support for individuals to flourish.
• Encourage an open, supportive work environment allowing creativity and building staff confidence.
• Help shape the future of the MPS Society.

About you

•  Self-motivated, with the drive to lead the organisation through a period of change and transition.
• Unquestionable probity and personal integrity, given the trust placed in the CEO by families, trustees and partners.
• Exemplary written and verbal communication skills, able to convey complex scientific and clinical information to audiences ranging from clinicians to families with no prior knowledge of MPS disorders.
• Strong self-awareness, with insight into their own leadership style and impact on others.
• Emotional resilience, able to sustain performance while supporting a community facing life limiting conditions.
• A collaborative and empowering leadership style, able to build trust, delegate effectively and help individuals across the organisation flourish.
• Genuine passion for the Society's mission, with a family and member-first ethos.
• Confidence to build relationships across a wide range of stakeholders, from beneficiaries and Trustees to politicians, media and pharmaceutical partners.
• A proactive, positive approach, comfortable reacting to change and organising their own work to meet deadlines.
• Confidence speaking publicly on behalf of the organisation and the people it represents.

Why join us?

A close-knit, values-led culture. With just over thirty staff across the Society and RDRP combined, this is a place where the CEO can know the team personally, work closely with families day-to-day, and see the direct results of decisions rather than managing at a distance through layers of bureaucracy.

• Genuine autonomy to shape direction. The Board is explicitly looking to the new CEO to bring fresh thinking on technology, AI, and digital tools, and to give real freedom to modernise fundraising, services, and engagement rather than simply maintaining what already exists.
• A stable foundation to build from over forty years of track record, trusted relationships and a strong national reputation mean the incoming CEO can focus energy on vision and growth rather than firefighting or rebuilding credibility from scratch.
• Proximity to cutting-edge science: the Society's close relationship with RDRP gives the CEO regular exposure to advances in rare disease research and treatment access, while day-to-day research leadership sits with the RDRP Managing Director, allowing the CEO to focus on strategy, people and sustainability.
• A high-visibility, high-influence platform. Regular contact with government, pharmaceutical companies, clinicians and international rare disease bodies offers strong opportunities to build a public profile and personal network well beyond the charity sector.
• A team that already shares the mission. Staff are described as passionate about the Society's aims, and as having a family-first ethos, so the new CEO inherits a culture to lead and empower rather than one that needs to be built from the ground up.
• Work with a different kind of return. Beyond salary and career progression, this role offers the less tangible reward of knowing that strategic and financial decisions translate, into better support for families facing some of the rarest conditions in the country.

Benefits

Join us and you will be working for a caring charity offering:

• A competitive salary
• Generous annual leave
• Extra leave between Christmas and the New Year
• Contributory pension
• Life assurance (subject to the conditions of the scheme)
• Employee assistance programme offering support 24/7

Further information

The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the UK.

The main duties, responsibilities and requirements of this role can be viewed in the job description on our website.

Salary to be agreed depending on experience and will be pro-rata for part time hours.

This is an essential car user post. The applicant must hold a current UK driver’s licence, with no more than 6 points, have access to a car and be able and willing to drive UK wide as required.

This senior role requires flexibility in working hours and location.  It is primarily offered on a hybrid basis with a minimum of 2 days in our Amersham, Buckinghamshire, office each week. As part of the role, UK and overseas travel is necessary, which may on occasion include early morning and/or evening working and sometimes overnight stays. We have policies in place to ensure that any unsociable hours worked over the weekend are fairly compensated through TOIL.

This role will require an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring check (DBS) details of which can be found in the job description.

For an informal discussion about the role or the work of the MPS Society, please contact Dr Fiona Stewart.  Contact details can be found on the full job description. Kindly note, meetings with other relevant people will be available to shortlisted candidates at interview stage.