Youth leadership programme jobs in Birmingham, west midlands
Employer: Community Rail Network
Salary: £43k-£51.5k pa, full time
Location: Home based / flexible or Huddersfield
We are seeking a dynamic director of policy and communications, to lead and develop our increasingly impactful external affairs activity. You’ll be sharing community insights and evidence with policy and decision-makers at national and devolved level, supporting a shift towards more inclusive and sustainable transport and mobility, while overseeing high-quality, inspiring member communications and thought-leadership, drawing on grassroots experiences.
About us
Community Rail Network is a national not-for-profit organisation supporting a growing ‘community rail’ movement, which helps communities get the most from their railways, promotes sustainable and inclusive travel, coordinates volunteering and place-making, and brings people together.
Community rail is made up of 76 community-based partnership organisations, and c.1,300 station friends volunteer groups and other community-led initiatives around Britain. Their activities range from creative projects for young people, to advising train operators on service improvements, to building travel confidence among marginalised groups, to biodiversity projects at stations, to promoting greener tourism by rail.
Our enthusiastic team of 24 works from home in different locations, but we come together regularly in person and online. We work collaboratively to support our members, provide training, events and resources, run campaigns, and champion community rail and its insights. We believe in developing our team and helping everyone reach their potential while having a good work-life balance.
About this role
This role is crucial for us, our members and their communities, especially at the current time, with our need to seize on the opportunities of rail reform and devolution, promote wider use of sustainable transport, and bring communities together. You will spearhead our external affairs strategy and plans, building political relationships, influencing decision-making and raising awareness of community rail and its insights, while ensuring effective communications with our members and helping them to have a voice locally and regionally. You’ll be striving to put community rail at the forefront of a shift towards more inclusive and sustainable mobility.
As a member of our senior leadership team, reporting to and working closely with our chief executive, you will manage a passionate team of four, ensuring collaboration with our other teams, partners and funders, and drawing on members’ insights.
Main responsibilities
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Lead the review, development and delivery of our communications, policy and insights strategy, working to position the community rail movement effectively, use its insights to influence policy change, and ensure our members are well-informed and have a voice;
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Further strengthen our advisory and influencing work with national, devolved and regional government, transport bodies, parliamentarians and other decision-makers, especially around rail reform, transport devolution and integrated, inclusive, sustainable transport;
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Ensure we’re engaging effectively with policy developments and opportunities, taking forward a programme of relationship-building, and identifying and engaging in relevant consultations, events and speaking opportunities, enabling community rail’s insights and experiences to be shared;
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Collaborate with partners in rail, government and the third sector to feed in our expertise on community engagement with rail, amplify our campaigns, and build opportunities for joined-up communications and policy work;
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Continually develop and disseminate our evidence base and insights on the social, environmental and economic value community rail delivers, and opportunities to create greater benefits for communities from rail and transport;
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Oversee high-quality, coherent and inspiring communications with our members and partners, promoting our work, and sharing news, opportunities, and good practice across the movement;
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Manage production of high-quality resources, case studies and reports that our members can use to enhance their impact and which showcase community rail’s impact;
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Lead and develop our media relations and awareness-raising PR, championing community rail and its messages on sustainable, inclusive travel and communities at national and regional level, while supporting members on local PR;
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Develop our online presence and reach, making full use of our website, social media, our Scenic Rail Britain campaign, and partners’ channels to celebrate and position community rail and grow its reach and impact;
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Oversee a calendar of creative and impactful campaigns that involve and empower our members, creating PR and engagement opportunities, including Community Rail Week;
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Play a key role in collective leadership, strategic focus and organisational development as a member of our senior leadership team, including through internal communications and cross-team working, annual planning, funder liaison and reporting, upholding our strategies and policies, and pursuing opportunities for continuous improvement.
Skills and competencies
- Strong leadership and management skills, including experience managing, developing and drawing on a multi-faceted team delivering complex campaigns or projects, and budget management;
- Excellent communication and external leadership skills; articulate, assertive, and with the ability to work diplomatically and persuasively with stakeholders at all levels;
- An understanding of public affairs, ideally in relation to community development, sustainability and/or transport, and a demonstrable ability to identify influencing opportunities, deliver thought-leadership, and engage with policy-makers, including sharing community insights;
- Politically astute, with awareness of and commitment to social inclusion, social justice and sustainability, and a good grasp of the importance of public transport sustainable travel, and community-led action, to these agendas;
- Understanding of political processes and experience of engaging with policy and decision-making, ideally at national, devolved and local levels;
- Sound knowledge of communication and marketing methods and channels, and ability to oversee messaging and targeting of public and professional audiences, and to align content across multiple channels;
- A demonstrable ability to think analytically and draw on statistical and qualitative research to construct robust, evidence-based arguments;
- Experience of working with the media and achieving coverage at national, regional and local level;
- Experience working collaboratively with partners and ideally funders to deliver communications and policy activity and forming professional networks;
- Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines while dealing with competing priorities, and to support team members to do so;
- IT literate with a good working knowledge of Office, the internet and social media;
- Appropriate qualifications and professional development demonstrating knowledge and skills in line with the above, and a commitment to ongoing learning and development.
Other information
As you will be home-based, we are flexible about your location. However, you will be expected to travel to in-person full team meetings quarterly (usually in West Yorkshire), and you will need to bring your team together (currently all West Yorkshire based) with similar regularity in between. Attendance at in-person events and meetings is also important. We therefore welcome applications from those with decent public transport links, not too far from a railway station, to enable journeys to be made sustainably.
This is a full-time position, 37 hours per week. We use a flexi-time system with core hours 10am-3pm, and are committed to being a flexible, supportive and understanding employer. This is a permanent position with a probationary period of six months.
Community Rail Network is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from disabled people and Black, Asian and other minoritised groups, who meet with the skills and competencies for this role. We will provide reasonable adjustments for interviews as required.
Non Charity Employer
21 - 50
Championing the community rail movement | Connecting people and their railways | Creating inclusive, empowered, sustainable and healthy communities
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
We are looking for a dynamic, values-led, strategic leader to drive our mission for migration justice and social work solidarity. The role entails oversight of the operations and strategy of the organisation, responsibility for financial management and fundraising, maintaining the health of the organisation and embedding anti-racist and anti-opressive values into every aspect of the organisation.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
BIND UK is a specialist team offering expert advice and guidance to organisations that are determined to deliver practical, positive and permanent impact to the UK’s Food Waste Challenge. We believe change is created not by a handful of people doing sustainability perfectly, but by everyone doing a little something. Find out more about our values and purpose here.
About Eat Smart
Eat Smart is a successful primary school educational programme born in the NE of England designed to inspire children and schools to reduce food waste and build sustainable food systems. We deliver engaging resources and learning experiences that empower schools and pupils to have more ownership of their kitchens/dinner halls, improve student wellbeing, and have increased environmental awareness.
Since 2018 Eat Smart has enabled 70 schools in North East England to rescue their food waste by over 25%, equivalent to saving 6,000 meals worth £13,000 per school, per year, and our expansion to other areas of the UK has already begun. With an ever-growing data set and credibility for school food waste prevention, we have increasing potential to affect school food policy and deliver food waste prevention interventions on a national level.
As we expand our delivery across the UK, we are seeking a dynamic and strategic Development Manager to lead the expansion via a franchise model, build partnerships, and oversee the operational excellence of our growing network.
This is a pivotal leadership role focused on scaling the Eat Smart model nationally. The postholder will drive growth by developing regional and national partnerships, securing funding streams, recruiting and onboarding delivery partners, and ensuring quality and impact across all Eat Smart schools and organisations.
You will combine strong operational management with strategic business development — ensuring Eat Smart continues to grow sustainably, aligning with Bind’s aims and values.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Growth & Project Development
- Co-develop and deliver a UK-wide expansion strategy for Eat Smart
- Develop and manage the franchise/licensing model for national delivery partners
- Lead on the recruitment, onboarding, and support of partner organisations to deliver the Eat Smart programme effectively
Funding & Partnership Development
- Identify, establish and nurture partnerships with national and local government agencies, policy makers, school bodies and funders
- Build strategic relationships with relevant education, environment and community organisations
- Research relevant funding opportunities for delivery partners and Bind
- Support delivery partners with the submission of funding applications
UK Network Management & Evaluation
- Co-design/develop the Eat Smart monitoring and evaluation system to monitor KPIs and the environmental and social impact of Eat Smart across the UK
- Lead on the management of the monitoring and evaluation system, supporting delivery partners where necessary
- Create local and national impact reports for Eat Smart and use insights to inform improvement and growth
- Manage the support network of UK delivery partners, ensuring they are able to deliver the programme effectively
- Assist delivery partners with meetings with Local Authorities and catering organisations
Marketing & Communications
- Co-design and lead on delivery of annual Eat Smart conferences
- Represent Eat Smart at events, conferences, and networking opportunities across the UK
- Manage Eat Smart UK social media channels
- Develop digital and print materials to support programme promotion and recruitment
Person Specification
Essential:
- Align with Bind’s values. If you are this, we can teach you the rest!
- Understanding of third sector grant funding landscape and experience in successful bid writing
- Strong project management and organisational skills
- Experience in partnership and stakeholder recruitment and management
- Ability to lead, inspire, and develop teams of partners remotely
- Experience with monitoring, evaluation, and reporting frameworks
- Entrepreneurial mindset with a passion for improving environmental and education outcomes.
- Excellent written and verbal communicator and proficient in IT systems (shared documents, spreadsheets, Zoom/Teams/Meet, social media, website editing and emails)
Desirable:
- Interest in, and awareness of, food waste on a local and global level
- Experience in business development, franchise management, or operational leadership
- Experience working in education, environment or social impact sectors
- Knowledge of primary school systems
- Experience of community engagement in the UK
- Full driving license and access to own vehicle
** A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Disclosure Check will be required for the post, but a clean DBS certificate is not essential for the role - we will review employees with a criminal record on a case-by-case basis. **
What We Offer
- Opportunity to shape and lead the national growth of an amazing educational programme
- A collaborative, mission-driven environment with real social and environmental impact
- Flexible working arrangements and supportive leadership. Many of our Eat Smart staff choose to work term-time only
- Remote working, with an office in Newcastle's Ouseburn Valley
- Being part of a small and passionate team, who believe in a positive disruptive mission to change the food waste landscape across the UK.
Key Information
- Deadline for all applications is Mon 12th January 2026 at 9am – applications received after this date will not be considered.
- In-person interviews will take place on 21st January 2026 in Newcastle.
- Based in Newcastle’s Ouseburn Valley but this role can be worked remotely/hybrid (some UK-wide travel required incl. a trip to Newcastle minimum monthly)
- Contract: 30-32 hours per week (with the option of increased hours during term-time and reduced hours in school holidays).
- The start date will be end of February 2026, but start dates will be discussed at interview.
- We will contact all applicants as soon as possible to inform them of the status of their application.
To apply, please refer to the attached Job Description and email a CV along with a supporting statement.
Your supporting statement should reflect what makes you a suitable candidate, how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification and any other supporting information relevant to the role.
Jobs with Purpose will be in touch with you regarding your application and any next steps. To arrange a chat about the role, please include your availability and contact details and David Robinson will be in touch with suitable applicants to arrange this.
Thank you!
Macular disease is the biggest cause of sight loss in the UK, with around 300 people diagnosed every day. The Macular Society is the only charity determined to beat the fear and isolation of macular disease with world class research, and the best advice and support.
To support people affected by macular disease now, the Macular Society provides a range of support, information and services. Our research programme is focused on finding new treatments and a cure to beat macular disease forever.
We’re looking for an experienced and strategic individual to lead our community engagement work in Northern Ireland and manage our UK-wide team of Community Engagement Managers. You’ll oversee peer support development, build strong partnerships, and ensure consistent delivery across regions. This role requires excellent leadership skills, the ability to manage complex relationships, and a strong understanding of how to engage and empower communities. If you feel you have the attributes above, we would love to hear from you.
In return, we provide a great working culture and offer flexible working options, 26 days annual leave, the ability to buy or sell annual leave, supportive family policies, and a 6% pension contribution.
We are an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons.
This role is predominantly home-based; however, travel will be required across NI and occasionally to Andover in Hampshire.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Senior Practitioner Family Support
We are looking for a Senior Practitioner to join the team providing early years and family support for children aged 0–19 (or 25 with SEND).
Position: Senior Practitioner – Family Support
Location: Dyson Gardens Children’s Centre, Highfield Rd, Birmingham B8 3QF
Salary: £31,879.51
Hours: 37 per week
Contract: Permanent
Closing Date: 11/01/2026
You will be working for one of the UK's leading children's charities, firmly supported by Christian beliefs and values, helping to support disadvantaged children and their families through delivering projects to support children, young people, their families, and communities to find long-lasting solutions to the challenges they face.
The Role
As part of the Birmingham Forward Steps Partnership, the team provide early years and family support for children aged 0–19 (or 25 with SEND). The Children’s Centres and Family Hubs across Erdington, Hodge Hill, Perry Barr and Sutton Coldfield offer safe, welcoming spaces where families can access support, advice, and activities. From parenting groups and sensory rooms to health referrals and stay-and-play sessions, the experienced teams walk alongside families, helping them build on their strengths and navigate challenges. The organisations also offers links to childcare, midwifery, and employment support. Whether face-to-face or through the Digital Family Hub, everything we do is driven by compassion, fairness, and a commitment to children’s wellbeing.
Key areas of responsibility include:
- Lead and manage the Family Support team to deliver effective support for families with children aged 0–19 (with a 0–5 primary focus).
- Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, overseeing safeguarding practice, training and compliance.
- Ensure high-quality assessments, planning and delivery of 1-1 and group interventions.
- Provide reflective supervision, annual appraisals and support staff to develop their skills and confidence.
- Oversee adherence to Health & Safety, including Lone Working and safe home-visiting practice.
- Build strong multi-agency partnerships to achieve positive, sustained outcomes for families.
- Lead engagement strategies to reach and support hard-to-reach families.
- Ensure robust data quality, case recording, and preparation for audits and inspections (e.g., Ofsted, safeguarding audits).
Join the team and help make a difference where it matters most.
About You
We are looking for someone with:
- A NVQ Level 3 in Childcare, Health, Social Care or related field.
- Leadership experience, supervising, supporting and motivating staff.
- Experience in early intervention with vulnerable families, including assessments, home visits and group facilitation.
- Strong safeguarding knowledge and experience managing safeguarding concerns.
- Experience engaging hard to reach families and delivering evidence based family support programmes.
- Strong multi agency partnership working skills.
- Ability to maintain high quality case files, data records and monitoring information.
About the Organisation
An innovative leading children's charity delivering projects to support disadvantaged children, young people, their families, and communities, working with a range of partners to provide creative solutions including children and family centres, school counselling, preschool nurseries, family support and children affected by imprisonment and offending.
Benefits include:
- Continuous professional development
- In house learning platform
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Salary sacrifice pension with employers contribution of up to 7%
- Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
- BHFS Health Cash Plan
- Life assurance 2 times annual salary
- Enhanced annual leave
- Additional paid time off at Christmas
- Flu vouchers
- Eye test reclaim
The charity is committed to making a positive impact, and we're looking for someone like you. If you're ready to take the next step in your fundraising career and make a lasting difference in the lives of those who need it most, we invite you to apply and be part of the team.
We actively encourage applications from a broad and deep range of backgrounds and experiences. This post is subject to necessary safeguarding checks including an appropriate level DBS Disclosure. The organisation is a Living Wage Employer.
Other roles you may have experience with could include Family Support, Child Support, Community, Family Support Practitioner, Child Support Practitioner, Community Practitioner, Social Care, Childcare, Children, Health Worker, Family Support Worker, Child Support Worker. #INDNFP
PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Digital and Communications Delivery Lead
We are partnered with a fantastic charity who are seeking a dedicated and experienced Digital and Communications Delivery Lead to manage the digital and communications elements of its largest corporate partnership. This role is critical to helping the partnership raise a significant target their service user.
Key responsibilities
- Programme managing both the digital delivery and communications aspects of the charity’s largest corporate partnership.
- Matrix managing relevant colleagues across different teams to achieve shared goals.
- Maintaining a critical relationship with the corporate partner at an operational level and reporting with confidence to their senior management/leadership.
- Providing direct delivery of relevant national and regional media activity and social media engagement aimed at adult audiences.
- Directly delivering relevant communications targeted at the corporate partner’s members, partners, and wider adult audiences.
- Oversight of organic and paid social media content and delivery.
- Oversight of the production of content for younger audiences.
- Ensuring the voices and experiences of children and young people are central to all work produced.
- Building and maintaining effective working relationships both internally and with the corporate partner to deliver agreed objectives.
- Regularly reporting progress against agreed plans and KPIs to senior colleagues both internally and externally.
Person Specifications
The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate equivalent professional expertise gained in a digital, PR, social media, or a related discipline.
- Demonstrable experience holding a relationship with a corporate partner on behalf of a charity.
- Proven experience of matrix and programme management, successfully delivering shared goals by working across multiple teams.
- Demonstrable experience working in media, including generating positive coverage and holding relationships with journalists.
- Demonstrable experience in digital content production and communications, including liaising with external agencies.
- Experience in co-producing content with children and young people, coupled with an understanding of safeguarding.
- Proven ability to work effectively within a complex organisation and closely with senior leadership in a large organisation.
- Possesses excellent written, oral, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate complex concepts to varied audiences.
- Comfortable working in fast-changing environments and capable of adapting plans as needed.
- Must be able to attend meetings in central London at least once a month, with occasional travel to other UK locations.
What’s on Offer:
- An 18 months FTC
- A January start date
- Flexible working, 1 day a month in London
- c. £45,000
How to Apply:
To apply, please submit your CV demonstrating your suitability for this role by clicking the “apply now” button.
The process: If your experience aligns with what we're looking for, a member of our team will be in contact to discuss the role with you in more detail before presenting your profile to the client. We will also ensure that all applicants receive an email to inform them of the outcome of their application.
To avoid any potential delays or your application being missed, please apply solely via the 'Apply Now' button.
Commitment to Diversity:
The Talent Set and our partner organisation are committed to diverse and inclusive recruitment practices, ensuring equal opportunities for all applicants regardless of race, sexual orientation, disability, age, or gender. We actively encourage applications from a wide range of backgrounds and are always happy to make reasonable adjustments to ensure a fair recruitment process.
Thank you!
About The Azaylia Foundation
The Azaylia Foundation was founded by Ashley Cain and Safiyya Vorajee in memory
of their daughter, Azaylia, who tragically passed away at just eight months old.
Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by illness in children in the UK, yet it
receives less than 3% of cancer research funding.
Powered by a passionate community of supporters, The Azaylia Foundation is on a
mission to change this. We fund pioneering PhD research, campaign for better
awareness and funding, and provide vital support to families seeking treatment
unavailable through the NHS. We also have the Azaylia PhD Scholarship
Programme, funding vital childhood cancer research as well cultivating new talent in
childhood cancer research,
Joining us means being part of a movement that turns pain into purpose—fueling
hope, change, and brighter futures for children with cancer.
Role Overview
We are seeking an ambitious and driven Fundraising Manager to grow our income
streams and deepen impact. You will play a central role in developing and delivering
our fundraising strategy, cultivating key relationships, and securing vital funds to
power our mission.
Key Responsibilities
Fundraising & Income Generation
● Support the development and delivery of the Foundation’s fundraising
strategy.
● Build, manage, and maintain a high-quality fundraising pipeline and annual
work plan.
● Research, develop, and submit compelling funding applications to trusts,
foundations, and statutory bodies.
● Contribute to the planning and execution of our annual fundraising events and
community initiatives.
Relationship Management
● Cultivate and sustain meaningful relationships with funders, donors, and
partners.
● Provide tailored impact reports and consistent communication to supporters.
Monitoring, Reporting & Compliance
● Track and report against fundraising targets, including monthly donors and
income streams.
● Maintain accurate records, pipeline data, and activity logs.
● Produce clear, timely reports for senior leadership and trustees.
● Ensure all fundraising activity complies with regulation, best practice, and
GDPR.
Collaboration & Communications
● Work closely with the Head of Social Media and Community to align messaging
and impact storytelling.
● Support Foundation Ambassadors with campaigns and fundraising activities.
● Ensure children's voices and lived experiences remain at the heart of all
fundraising communication.
About You – Key Attributes
● Proven success in multi-channel fundraising, securing and growing significant
income.
● Experience in fundraising for a children’s or health charity (desirable).
● Skilled in partnership cultivation and stewardship of high-net-worth individuals,
foundations, and key stakeholders.
● Strong understanding of fundraising reporting, compliance, and GDPR.
● Experience in event fundraising and community-led initiatives.
● Strategic thinker with excellent organisational skills and a strong commitment
to meeting deadlines and targets.
● Passionate, empathetic, and motivated by making real change for children
and families affected by cancer.
Why Join Us?
✔ Be part of a mission-driven, heartfelt organisation creating real impact.
✔ Fully remote, flexible working.
✔ Supportive and passionate team culture.
✔ Opportunity to shape the future of childhood cancer research and support.
Together, we can make a difference to children fighting cancer. Let’s go, champ!
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.