Job Title: Food Education Network Director
Position Type: Paid/Part time
Reports to: Food Education Network Steering Group
Salary: £44,000 FTE equating to £26,400 pro rated
Location: School Food Matters, London TW9 2RD (minimum one day a week in office)
Working Hours: Three days per week
Holiday: 19 days including bank holidays that fall on working days
Pension: School Food Matters matches pension contributions at 7% of pensionable earnings
Contract: Fixed term for one year to be extended with successful fundraising
Background
The Food Education Network (FEN) began in 2020 as a coalition of organisations passionate about improving food education in schools and other settings to influence recommendations for the National Food Strategy.
School Food Matters is now looking for an experienced and passionate leader with skills in advocacy and communications to lead the future development of the Food Education Network and its next stage of influencing government policy around food education from early years into the secondary phase.
Main Responsibilities
The Director will build on the foundations already laid to establish the Food Education Network as a new member organisation to bring the sector together. This role will involve building close relationships with a wide range of external partners to ensure the Network is a credible voice on food education policy and is campaigning with its members to make change happen. The role will be split between governance of the network (40%) and influencing government policy (60%).
Principle Duties:
· Define and clearly present the top policy priorities around food education and take these to politicians, the media and wider world
· Build close relationships with key decision-makers to influence food education policy
· Raise awareness of food education within the educational community
· Support the steering committee to raise funds
· Grow and solidify the Food Education Network, setting out a one-year plan with clear objectives, purpose, operations and governance
· Continue to build the membership of the Network, reaching out to organisations in the food education sector who can help add to the Network’s voice and evidence
Ideal Candidate
· Can work confidently in a start-up role to grow an organisation almost from scratch
· Solid understanding of public affairs, policymaking, and communications
· Significant experience of working in advocacy at a senior level
· Proven ability to effectively influence a range of political stakeholders and communicate complex policy positions verbally and in writing
· Ability to bring together a range of stakeholders behind a shared strategy, matrix managing multi-disciplinary teams across organisations and managing differences of position and views
· Comfortable with managing multiple workstream, rapidly assessing the changing political environment and adapting strategies accordingly
· Genuine interest in championing food education.
Registered Charity 
11 - 20
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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Senior Finance Officer
14 hours per week
As our Senior Finance Officer you will contribute to Career Ready’s finance and operations function by providing high quality financial support to the charity. Working as part of a small team of three, you will perform core finance tasks and will support the Head of Finance and Operations with budgeting, reporting and auditing activities.
Main responsibilities and accountabilities
Bookkeeping and Accounting
- Ensure transactions are properly recorded and entered into Xero Accounts
- Assist with the annual audit
- Maintain financial files and records
- Manage and reconcile the accounts payable and accounts receivable
- Process payable invoices and staff expenses in line with fortnightly payment runs
- Perform credit control for maximum debt recovery
- Reconcile the bank statements for review the Head of Finance & Operations
- Assist with the preparation of annual budgets, forecasts and budget monitoring reports
Support to the Partnerships and Income Teams
- Collating financial information for funding applications as required
- Monitoring expenditure on grant-funded programmes
- Preparing financial reports on receivable grants as required
- Maintain electronic files of funding agreements and contracts
Payroll
- To support with the administration of monthly salaried payroll for staff, and internship payroll throughout Jun-Sep each year
- To raise monthly salary journals for review by the Head of Finance & Operations
- To process payroll payments via online banking portals
Essential skills and experience required
· Fully or part qualified – AAT, ACCA or CIMA or qualified by experience
· Clear understanding of financial controls, compliance, and reporting frameworks
· Intermediate to advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel
· Ability to prioritise and meet competing deadlines
· Previous experience of computerised accounting and payroll e.g. Xero
· Previous experience of payroll administration that includes maintaining confidential data
· Ability to work as part of a team as well as on own initiative.
· Excellent attention to detail and high numeracy
· Ability to communicate financial information to different audiences
· Problem-solving ability
Desirable skills and experience
· To have an understanding of Charity Finance.
· Experience of working in a finance function in a charity
Salary and Benefits
Salary: £32,000 to £38,000 per annum FTE (pro rata for part time), depending on qualifications/experience
14 hours per week. Career Ready is committed to supporting condensed/flexible working patterns
Permanent and remote
You will be rewarded with the following benefits:
· 6% contribution to personal pension plan, subject to 3% employee contribution.
· Annual leave: 27 days per annum plus bank/public holidays (pro rata for part time). The charity is also closed between Christmas and New Year. Career Ready also allows flexible use of some Bank & Public Holidays
· Cycle to Work Scheme
· Access to both our Reward Gateway Portal and an Employee Assistance Programme.
· Flexible working
· Work from home allowance and paid travel expenses.
We regret that Career Ready is unable to offer visa sponsorship and candidates must be able to demonstrate their right to work in the UK. In accordance with our commitment to safeguarding, offers of employment are subject to completion of a DBS check.
Full details can be found in the candidate pack.
Timetable
Applications close at 9am on Monday 21 July 2025
Please note that the closing date may be brought forward if we receive strong applications.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.