Youth work jobs

CEO

We’re looking for a CEO who is inspiring, values-driven, and a confident fundraiser to lead the next exciting chapter for one of Manchester’s most ambitious youth charities

This is an exciting time to join an organisation with an established youth work provision, strong reputation in private, public and voluntary sectors, and a successful track record of grants and trusts which includes a capital expenditure investment of £1.4M.

Position: CEO

Location: Manchester/Hybrid

Salary: Up to £80,000 per annum (dependent upon experience)

Contract: Permanent 

Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week

Benefits: Hybrid working, 5% pension contribution, 33 days inclusive of bank holidays (pro-rata), extra day off for your birthday, learning & development opportunities, access to EAP, onsite gym, sports, arts and music facilities and subsidised food from our canteen

Closing Date: 21st May 2026

About the Role

As Chief Executive, you will combine inspirational leadership with a strong, hands-on approach to fundraising and commercial direction. Acting as a visible ambassador for the Youth Zone, you will build trust with partners across the city, influence at a regional and national level, and lead with integrity, creativity and purpose to ensure lasting impact for young people and the communities we serve.

Alongside fundraising leadership, you will provide strategic direction, financial clarity and cultural leadership to a values-driven organisation focused relentlessly on young people. You will empower a talented Senior Leadership Team and wider workforce to deliver high-quality, inclusive youth work, while ensuring strong safeguarding, and a safe, inspiring facility that remains fit for purpose.

You will report to the Chair of the Board, through a high support and high challenge relationship, managing an annual budget of approx. £1.2-£1.5m p.a. ensuring the Youth Zone delivers a high-quality offer to local young people.

Key areas of responsibility include:

• Strategy & Governance
• Fundraising & Financial Sustainability
• Leadership & Culture
• Partnerships, Profile & Influence
• Youth Work Quality & Safeguarding
• Building and Facilities

About You

We are looking for a proven leader with significant fundraising experience who can demonstrate success in building long-term relationships with major donors (£25k+), corporate partners, trusts and statutory funders, and who can confidently translate ambition into a diverse, resilient income pipeline that secures the future of the organisation.

You will have experience of:

• Successful senior leadership experience within a charity or similar complex organisation.
• Experience of hands-on fundraising, such as securing and stewarding major donors (£25k+), corporates, trusts and statutory funding.
• Developing and delivering organisational strategies and business plans.
• Leading financially sustainable organisations with strong governance and controls.
• Developing and overseeing high-quality youth-focused services or programmes.
• Working within multi-agency environments, particularly around safeguarding.

To apply, please submit a CV and Cover Letter (of not more than one page), explaining clearly why you are interested in the role.

About the Organisation

The Youth Zone is a limited charity that has been delivering high quality youth provision for 12 years. Originally commissioned with MyPlace funding, the organisation has become a community hub in Harpurhey, North Manchester – one of the poorest wards in England with 94% of youth members come from 1st/ 2nd indices on the national poverty index scale, where cost of living increases impacted hard and caused further adversity and inequality.

As an equal opportunities’ employer, we welcome applications from under-represented groups; in particular from Black, Asian, Mixed Race & other ethnically diverse individuals, people with disabilities, and members of LGBTQ+ communities. 

The charity is committed to the safeguarding of young people. In accordance with their Child Protection and Safeguarding procedures, this position requires an enhanced DBS check.

Other roles you may have experience of could include CEO, Chief Exec, Chief Executive, COO, CFO, Managing Director, Charity Director, Head of Fundraising, Director of Operations, Deputy CEO, Deputy Chief Exec, Deputy Chief Executive.

Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client, Not For Profit People. #INDNFP

Job Title: Advocate

Service: Warrington

Reporting to: Children’s Rights Manager

Salary: £12,239.50 (£24,479 FTE)

Location: Home based and work within the communities (Candidates must reside within a reasonable distance of the service area).

Hours: 17.5 hours per week

Contract Type: Permanent

About Coram

Coram is committed to improving the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people.

We support children and young people from birth to independence, creating a change that lasts a lifetime.

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity founded by Thomas Coram in London helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.

About Coram Voice

Coram Voice is a national independent children’s charity, established in 1975, and one of the UK’s leading organisations championing the rights of children and young people in care. We ensure their voices are heard, respected, and acted upon, and we work every day to improve the lives and outcomes of those who rely on the support of the state.

We are excited to offer an opportunity for an Advocate to join ourdedicated team supporting children and young people in Warrington.

About the role

As an Advocate, you will:

• Deliver high-quality advocacy for children and young people in line with organisational guidelines, legislation and contract requirements.
• Provide direct advocacy support face-to-face and virtually
• Ensure children and young people understand their rights and options and are supported to agree outcomes/action plans.
• Represent and amplify young people’s views in decision-making about their lives
• Maintain accurate case records and contribute to data/reporting,
• Promote best practice, equality and safeguarding values: challenge discrimination, maintain confidentiality (GDPR), follow health & safety, and contribute to CPD/training and wider organisational learning.

If you are passionate about, young people’s rights, and meaningful, lasting change, this role could be perfect for you.

What We Offer

Coram Voice is committed to recognising and rewarding the vital work of our staff. When you join us, you’ll benefit from:

• Competitive salary
• Matched pension contributions (up to 5%)
• 25 days’ annual leave plus 3 additional paid days between Christmas and New Year
• Supportive, flexible working culture
• Family friendly policies and a focus on staff wellbeing

You will have the opportunity to make a genuine difference—every single day.

Recruitment Process

Shortlisting:
Conducted by Emma Keen, Children’s Rights Manager, and Sarah Gabriel, Children’s Rights Manager.

How to Apply:
Applications must be submitted through our portal.
Please complete the full application form and address every point in the person specification.
We cannot accept CVs.
Internal applicants may submit a supporting statement addressing the person specification.

Interview Process:

• Written exercise
• Panel interview
• A further one‑to‑one interview (Warner compliant)

To apply for this role, please click on the 'apply now' button below to complete the application.

Closing Date: Monday 1st June 2026, 9am

Interview Date: Thursday 4th June 2026

Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from global majority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBQT+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.

If applicants feel comfortable, we would encourage them to draw on lived experience as well as professional experience in their personal statement as part of their application.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Registered Charity No. 312278.

About the role:

This is a leadership role with real scale, real accountability and real impact. As Services Manager, you’ll lead a multi-site service supporting young people across Greenwich - shaping environments that are safe, consistent and genuinely geared towards helping young people move forward with confidence.

Your presence will be felt across every part of the service. You’ll move between sites, staying close to delivery while holding a clear line of sight on performance, quality and risk. You’ll back your teams to deliver strong, personalised support while keeping a firm grip on housing management, safeguarding and service standards - making sure good practice isn’t occasional, but embedded everywhere.

This is about more than oversight. You’ll build confident, reflective teams who understand young people’s experiences and respond with clarity, consistency and belief in what’s possible. Psychologically informed, trauma-informed and strengths-based approaches won’t sit in policy - you’ll make sure they show up in how teams think, act and support every day.

You’ll also be the connector across the system. Working closely with commissioners, local authorities and partners, you’ll ensure referrals are right, pathways are clear and move-on is intentional from day one. You’ll use data, insight and feedback to challenge drift, drive improvement and keep the service evolving - because standing still isn’t an option when young people are relying on you to get this right.

If you’re motivated by high standards, thrive on leading at scale and believe young people deserve services that are ambitious, consistent and built around their strengths — this is where you make it happen.

About you:

• You’re an experienced manager who can lead and develop teams across multi-site, accommodation-based services, holding clear accountability for performance and standards.
• You have a strong grasp of housing management, safeguarding and health & safety, and are confident managing risk and complexity in a young people’s service.
• You bring experience of working with young people facing multiple disadvantage, and can embed trauma-informed, psychologically informed and strengths-based approaches in practice.
• You build credible, effective relationships with local authorities, commissioners and partner agencies, and represent your service with confidence and clarity.
• You use data, insight and professional judgement to challenge, improve and strengthen outcomes, leading with integrity, curiosity and resilience.

About us:

We’re London’s leading homelessness charity – and we get things done.

In a city where hundreds are forced into homelessness every day, our work has never been more needed or more challenging. And we’re not shying away. We’re rolling up our sleeves to make change and helping over 10,000 Londoners every year. We prevent homelessness, provide safe places to live and give people the opportunity to rebuild their lives and transform their futures. And we never give up. 

We’re here for Londoners wherever they are on their journey. We start with trust, building relationships that help people feel safe, supported, and ready to move forward. Every day, we put people first in everything we do, challenging injustice and barriers that keep people from the safety, stability and opportunity they deserve. We stand alongside people as they rebuild and shape a future that feels their own. 

Joining Single Homeless Project means joining a team that’s bold, compassionate and determined to do better for the people we support and for each other. You’ll work alongside colleagues with lived experience, in a space that’s trans-inclusive, disability-friendly, and actively striving to be anti-oppressive and equitable. 

We’re not perfect, but we’re real. We listen. We learn. And we push forward, together. Because this isn’t just a job. It’s a chance to lead with empathy, spark change, and help build a London where no one is left behind.

Important Info:

Closing Date: Sunday 17th May at midnight

Interview Date: Thursday 28th and Friday 29th May at a Young Person's SHP service in Greenwich 

This post will require an Enhanced DBS check to be processed (by SHP) for the successful applicant. 

Please note applications are reviewed for AI use in application questions. Applications requiring sponsorship or with insufficient right to work will not be accepted or progressed.

Position Title:  Senior Lead Climate Coalition

Level: Level 5

Salary: £39, 000 - 44, 000 (FTE yearly)

Reports to: Associate Director of Partnerships

Location: Liberation centre Brixton, London (New office in Brixton)/ Remote working within the UK with at least 2 days’ work from our office (Pro rata for part time)

Contract: Fulltime (40hrs/weekly), fixed-term project contract for 1 year with potential for Part time (e.g., 32hrs/weekly) extension subject to funding.

Hours: TAA has flexible working hours, with some expected evenings (e.g., one 9pm finish once every two weeks) and weekends due to the nature of the role. All extra hours are reimbursed as Time off in Lieu (TOIL).

Start date: As soon as possible (potentially June with consideration for notice period)

Benefits:  TAA laptop and phone, (employee assistance and health cash package including staff supervision, counselling, dental, optical care and more.).

The Advocacy Academy is an activist youth movement. We serve as the political home for grassroots youth organising and the catalyst for collective action. The lives of the young people we work alongside have been directly shaped by living in an unjust world, and we exist to turn their anger into action.

Young people are often the catalysts for major social change, from the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, to the Soweto Uprising mobilising young people to resist the apartheid regime's education policies, to the Sunrise Movement redrawing the electoral map across America, and more recently encampments and protests across the world protesting the genocide in Palestine. How successfully they achieve real and lasting change depends on whether they are organised and whether they have the right strategy and tactics to be effective. 

We want youth organising to be enshrined in the UK for generations to come, and for young people to have tangible political power to influence national policy. That’s why we have launched two national coalitions, one around climate, and the other around gender. Each will train organisations across the country to become youth organisers and work together to bring 100 young people together to identify the strategy and tactics needed to achieve change. These young leaders will organise others and work collectively to build a campaign which shakes the status quo.

 We want youth organising to be enshrined in the UK for generations to come, and for young people to have tangible political power to influence national policy. That’s why we have launched two national coalitions, one around climate, and the other around gender. Each will train organisations across the country to become youth organisers, and work together to bring 100 young people together to identify the strategy and tactics needed to achieve change. These young leaders will organise others and work collectively to build a campaign which shakes the status quo.

We are looking for a Senior Lead Climate Coalition who believes in this vision and is capable of building the leadership in youth workers and young people alike that enables them to turn the resources they have into the power they need to make the change they want. It will be your job to help grow this programme, organise our partners, create magic and spark the hope for something more! If this excites you, then please apply.

Before you skim the job description, please remember you don’t have to tick all the boxes for each role to apply. Charity experience is not a requirement! We all experience a bit of imposter syndrome, including the staff here at The Advocacy Academy. Let’s name it for what it is - a manifestation of the oppression many of us face on a day to day. If this role pulls you and you believe you could make a difference, then apply anyway or reach out to us to discuss more!

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

1. You will coordinate our climate Coalition – Roots to Rise. You will be accountable for the development and delivery of our Climate Coalition Programme; Roots to Rise, including but not limited to: 

• Coordinating efforts to set the strategic direction and priorities for the Programme, working primarily with the Director of Programmes and Partnerships and Associate Director of Partnerships, and in connection with others that need to feed into the programme.
• Proactively build relationships with our coalition partners. This involves: 
  • Holding regular 1:1s and relational meetings that strengthen our connection, supporting partners to identify and act on their developing political interests, and ensuring they meet coalition milestones. 
  •   It also includes providing ongoing support around campaigns and community organising, enabling partners to lead and deliver local actions following the Summer Camp.
• Lead the Youth Steering Group. This involves: 
  • Providing strategic oversight and facilitation of the Youth Steering Group, ensuring consistent engagement, strong attendance, and meaningful youth voice throughout the programme.
  • Setting clear agendas, supporting members to contribute confidently, and ensuring insights are captured and translated into programme design and delivery. 
  • Working closely with partners to maintain alignment and ensure the group reflects the diversity and needs of the young people Roots to Rise serves.
• Lead the development of the Summer Camp (15th - 19th August 2026), ensuring availability across these dates: 
  •  Work closely with the Associate Director of Partnerships to oversee the delivery of the Roots to Rise Summer Camp, ensuring all elements are well-coordinated, high-quality, and aligned with programme outcomes.
  • Take ownership of key logistics, including timelines, partner coordination, and on-the-ground delivery, ensuring a smooth and inclusive experience for all participants. 
  • Support and enact mechanisms to capture learning and feedback throughout, ensuring insights are gathered effectively to inform real-time improvements and future iterations of the camp.
• You will ensure that Roots to Rise runs like a well-oiled machine by pulling in the right people at the right time to ensure key milestones are met:
  • Coordinate and maintain a suite of behind-the-scenes systems, processes and resources to keep things running like clockwork and provide transparency and help build trust
  • Coordinate the holding of safeguarding, risk management standards and ensure Health and Safety standards are met.
  • Maintain the clear monitoring and evaluation frameworks for your work which allow you and your team to learn, test, and re-test as you build, in partnership with young people and other partners
•  Hold the budget for the Roots to Rise Programme, ensuring that all activities are run within financial targets, working closely with the Director of Programmes and Partnerships and Associate Director of Partnerships to maintain oversight, identify efficiencies and potential savings, and proactively flag any risks or opportunities that may impact delivery or budget adherence.

2. You will support our wider partnerships work. Support the Associate Director of Partnerships to deliver our overall partnerships strategy. This will include, but is not limited:

• Working closely with the Senior Lead for Gender Coalition to identify opportunities for collaboration and reducing duplication
• Work closely with the Programmes, Organising and Campaigns, and Community teams to develop training on organising and campaigning.
• Deliver ad hoc workshops and meetings, holding space effectively and designing and delivering creative learning journeys for young people.

3. You will a key member of the Programme Team, including but not limited to:

• Support efforts to set the strategic direction and priorities for the Programmes Team each financial year.
• Support the Director of Programmes and Partnerships and Associate Director of Partnerships with the management and mitigation of organisational risks presented by the Coalition by escalating issues in a timely manner and contributing to effective problem solving.
•  Contribute to the delivery of wider organisational programmes beyond Roots to Rise, including providing support to initiatives such as Ignite and other internal programme delivery as required, ensuring alignment with team priorities and organisational goals.

4. Share responsibilities for achieving our strategic objectives by upholding our vision, mission, strategy, ideology, and cultural values within your area and across TAA, supporting on cross-departmental projects as needed:

• Embody our commitment to social and economic justice, ensuring this is consistently reflected in decision-making, delivery and partnerships
• Role model and actively steward our culture and value expectations across the organisation including but not limited to: leading by example across departments and during team days and role-modelling leadership
• Proactively identify and surface opportunities that strengthen organisational impact, working closely with senior leadership, including the Director of Finance, HR and Ops, and contributing to strategic thinking and direction
• Hold responsibility for identifying and addressing risks to our integrity, authenticity and alignment with our ideology and culture, taking appropriate and timely action
• Strengthen collaboration across departments by creating and enabling opportunities for joint working, ensuring teams are aligned, resourced and working in tandem
•  Contribute to a culture of openness and care by communicating your wellbeing needs to your line manager, shaping and feeding back on TAA wellbeing initiatives, and supporting others to engage with and uphold this culture
•  Take ownership of your ongoing development, actively seeking opportunities to deepen your leadership, knowledge and areas of specialism

5.  Governance and Compliance

• Work with your team and the Finance, HR and Operations team to prioritise and centre risk management in your portfolio: feeding into risk analysis and mitigation, identifying and escalating risks to the strategic objectives, taking the lead to mitigate risks early and thoroughly.
• Hold oversight of risk within your area, ensuring appropriate systems and practices are in place and consistently applied
• Ensure understanding and compliance with TAA policies and practices and take the lead on their implementation within your portfolio

A BIT ABOUT YOU

• You are passionate about, and committed to, creating a more fair, just and equal world. 
• You believe in the potential of young people to challenge the status quo and are dedicated to helping them become more powerful citizens.
• You’ve got a deep understanding of, and a personal relationship with, issues of social justice. From racism to the housing crisis to climate justice, you’ll be aware of how systemic injustice operates in our society, clued-up and well-informed on the big issues of our time, and committed to changing them.
•  You’ll be comfortable managing a “to-do” list of competing priorities and balancing your workload to meet competing deadlines.
•  You’re a sensitive and thoughtful relationship-builder who is interested in building a network of relationships to support the Advocacy Academy’s work. You’re a great listener, and remember people’s names, faces, and stories. 
• You’re a confident written and verbal communicator, who is comfortable with tailoring communication to reach a diverse range of audiences and stakeholders.
• You’re proactive, organised, and eager to learn, whether that’s chatting with potential funders, researching new opportunities or collaborating with teammates.

IDEAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE  

• At least 5 years of experience in programmes delivery on issues of social justice working with young people and/or 
• At least 5 years of experience in supporting people to be more confident and comfortable developing and implementing organising or campaign efforts.
• Detail oriented
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
•  Experience working with different audiences or types of stakeholders 
•  Strong project management and experience working collaboratively across teams both in person and online
• Excellent organisational skills with confidence managing multiple tasks at the same time/ balancing multiple priorities to meet deadlines
• Experience with our existing systems e.g., Gmail/ Google Doc/ Google Sheets/ Canva/ Slack
• Confidence working in a fast-paced environment 

This is an outline of the responsibilities and duties of the Senior Lead Climate Coalition role, it is not intended as an exhaustive list and may change from time to time to meet the changing needs of the Liberation Centre and our young people. Any changes will be made in consultation with the post holder.

HOW TO APPLY  

Candidates will be asked to provide a CV and a Cover Letter OR a supporting video application addressing the following questions (no more than 1000 words or 10 minutes for all questions).

• Tell us about a climate justice issue that makes you angry and why it matters to you?
• Our Senior Lead for Climate Coalition will train young people and organisations to become confident climate organisers. Tell us about a training programme you were part of, what it achieved, what it didn’t, your role in that effort and any reflections you have about being part of it?
• Our Senior Lead Climate Coalition will support people to act on their developing political interests. Tell us about a time when you helped someone learn and develop their capacity to make change in the world?
• Include anything else you would like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Senior Lead Climate Coalition role.

In addition, please also provide information on your notice period and your availability for interview. You may also attach any other content that would be relevant for us to have in order to showcase interest and experience. The content can come in any form of media, including but not limited to - a mind map of ideas, a timeline or portfolio of your work, life or experiences; a recording; a Powerpoint or other form of presentation; a song, article, poem or other writing samples.

DATES

• Closing Date: The deadline for applications 18th May 2026 by 10am.
• Task: If shortlisted you may be required to complete a brief facilitation activity with young people around organising or campaigns.
• First Round of Interviews: will be scheduled for w/c 18th May 2026 (Dates are subject to change).
• Second Round of Interviews: will be scheduled for w/c 01 June 2026 (Dates are subject to change).

Please be aware that we will be interviewing as we receive applications. The application date might be brought forward if we find the right person.

Context

Childhood First enables children and young people to recover from early life abuse and relational trauma, to enjoy life and to achieve their potential. We do this through the provision of specialist therapeutic residential care and treatment, together with family and network support. We are also a UKCP Training Organisational Member accredited with Middlesex University, providing in-house clinical training to its clinical staff.

Merrywood House, provides placements for up to 8 young people aged between 10 and 17 years old.

Purpose

12 Months Fixed term Contract – Maternity Cover

This is a senior leadership and therapeutic role within Childhood First’s provision of services for children and young people with complex needs. As the Deputy Director, you will work closely with the Director (Registered Manager) to ensure effective leadership and day to day management of the services and community.

What you’ll bring to the role

• Experience of leading a therapeutic care team ideally in a residential care setting.

• Clinical expertise and focus on the planning and delivery of a therapeutic service.

• A high level of communication skills and a methodical approach to work.

• Experience of assessment methods and psychodynamic work with children, adolescents or families.

• A sense of personal resilience and psychological awareness, and the ability to form open and constructive relationships including a willingness to consider self in relationship with others and in terms of impact on the work.

Task

• Support the Director in leading Merrywood House’s Therapeutic Community, ensuring the therapeutic community’s environment remains at a high standard, consistent with Children’s Home Regulations by being responsive to the needs of the children and staff.

• Ensure there is an effective workforce in place to deliver essential services. This includes taking the lead role in rota management and recruitment campaigns.

What we’ll do for you

• Statutory and management training.

• Monthly clinical supervision and weekly staff support groups.

• 25 days annual leave plus public holidays.

• Healthcare benefits and life assurance.

• Up to 6% employer pension contribution.

• Relocation package and recruitment referral scheme.

Closing date: Friday 15 May 2026

Interview dates: Week commencing 18 May 2026

Any offer of employment will be conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks, including right to work verification, background vetting, a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (which may include overseas checks), verification of qualifications, receipt of satisfactory professional references, and medical clearance.

Camberwell with delivery across all London Boroughs

Ref CFC-261(0.5)

Closing date: 18 May 2026 at 9am.

Are you a proactive, compassionate and collaborative individual with a proven record of successfully engaging with challenging families and young people? Do you have lived, personal experience of the Criminal Justice System and/or care system?

If so, join St Giles Trust as our Children and Families Caseworker to support young people and their families who are at risk of Youth violence or criminal exploitation.

About St Giles Trust

An ambitious, well-established charity that helps people facing adversity to find jobs, homes and the right support they need.  Central to our ethos is our belief that people with first-hand experience of successfully overcoming issues such as an offending background, homelessness, addictions and gang involvement, hold the key to positive change in others.

The Children and Families team will support 45 young people and their families a year as part of our Greenwich Gangs team. Gang involvement increases the risk of violence and victimisation to the young person, their friends and their family, therefore, it is essential when supporting young people to exit gangs we adopt a ‘whole family’ approach.

About this key role

As a Children & Families Caseworker, you will be tasked with providing both face-to-face and virtual/remote 1:1 case work to children, young people and their Families who are at risk of; involved in or on the periphery of gangs and serious youth violence.

You will use your cultural competency and lived experience to engage young people involved in serious youth violence and exploitation. You will be one of 4 practitioners for this geographical area, providing a holistic approach to supporting young people and families in the community. Contributing towards the overarching aim of reducing harm, risk and exclusions (where relevant), you will work closely with social workers, youth offending agencies and schools/PRU’s, developing a relationship based on trust, which prioritises safeguarding.

You will play a central role in deterring young people from offending and safeguarding families who may be at risk. You will work with them for a set period, aiming to reduce key risk factors and behaviors. We will be relying on you to maintain the high standards of the service, ensuring the successful delivery of the outcomes, and compiling reports and recording data where necessary.

What we are looking for

• To have lived, personal experience of the Criminal Justice System and/or care system.
• Experience of working with socially excluded children, young people and adults and of providing advice and guidance and/or mentoring to them.
• Experience of successfully engaging with challenging families and young people, e.g. those who have complex needs, people who are reluctant to discuss their needs and people who are angry and confused.
• Understanding of the UK care system and the challenges faced by those who enter it.
• Knowledge of gangs, knife crime and patterns of offending in London.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, child protection and risk management practice
• Understanding of child criminal exploitation (CCE) and child sexual exploitation (CSE)
• Strong IT skills, including case recording systems and standard Microsoft applications

Please note: this role requires an Enhanced DBS check with child barred list.

In return, you can expect a competitive salary, generous leave allowance, staff pension, access to clinical supervision, flexible working, a mentoring programme, an advice and counselling service, season ticket loan and much more.

We are an equity and inclusion confident employer. We welcome all applications, and we particularly encourage applications from people of the global majority (black, brown, multi- heritage) and those who identify as disabled, neuroexpansive, neurodiverse, with any protected characteristics and/or social barriers or challenges. We value the empowering and informative impact that all lived experiences and diversity of thought can offer the organisation.

St Giles will guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria set out in the Job Description for the vacancy.

Closing date: 18 May 2026 at 9am. Interview date: w/c on 25 May 202

Job Title: Associate Careers Advisers (Schools Team)

Location: Kent and Medway

Salary: Day rate of £152 (inclusive of holiday pay)

Hours: Zero Hours

Contract: Zero Hours

Reports to: Senior Careers Adviser

 

About CXK

CXK empowers people to succeed in employment, education and training. The charity strives for a fairer society where everyone can grow and realise their potential. “The CXK Way” embodies the following core values:

Ethical – We work with professionalism, honesty and integrity

Passionate – We reach out enthusiastically to all who need out support

Innovative – We inspire, enhance and improve

Collaborative – We engage, support and share with others

 

Young Peoples’ Careers Service

CXK is the lead provider of Personal Careers Guidance to young people in schools and specialist centres across Kent & Medway, where we provide independent Personal Careers Guidance, via our CXK Young Peoples’ Careers Service.

We provide this through a variety of creative and innovative approaches

 

The Team

We are a diverse and welcoming team of advisers, who use a wide variety of creative methods to deliver personalised, client centred, personal careers guidance, ranging from one-to-one sessions through to group guidance, parents and options evenings, as well as focused talks and assemblies. We have minimal admin and keep our clients’ experience central to what we do, providing an inclusive service with individualised action plans, including the use of visual career maps, career cards and white boards, alongside more traditional approaches where appropriate.

We follow the CDI code of ethics and best practice for Action Planning (which names and recognises CXKs innovative work in this area):

The team is led by Chris Targett RCDP, who alongside his work at CXK, is the current Chair of the Careers Writers Association and co-author of the recently released Career Development and Inclusive Practice book, published by Trotman Publishing in partnership with the CDI.

The team is small but impactful. Feedback from our young people, that tell us about what our students valued regards our services:

• Helping young people understand their next steps
• Helping young people understand the options and careers choices they have
• Helping young people to know where to access further help, information, or support

The Role

The Careers Advisers will cover one or more of the following regions: Medway, West Kent and Mid Kent to a broad range of school and college settings, delivering creative and inclusive Personal Careers Guidance, as well as assemblies and drop-in sessions as required. 

Each student and each learning environment will be unique, so the opportunity lends itself well to candidates who enjoy traveling and working in varied locations, meeting people from diverse backgrounds, and educating people of all abilities.

You will routinely liaise with Careers Leaders and senior school/ college staff to arrange and deliver activities for students during the school day. Whilst most delivery will take place between 8:30am and 4pm, travel before and after these times will be required and occasional attendance at parents’ and options evenings will also be required, but you will be given time off in lieu where this is applicable.

 

Skills and Knowledge

At CXK we are proud to be a disability confident and equal opportunities employer. We actively promote diversity within our workforce and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

 

 

Minimum Criteria

• Level 6 qualification (or above) in Careers Guidance Qualification (or equivalent
• Knowledge of Post 16 and Post 18 education and training routes for young people with and without additional needs and disabilities
• In possession of a full, clean UK Drivers Licence with access to your own vehicle

 

 

Core Competencies

• Experience of delivering careers, education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) in schools / colleges and face-to-face with young people
• Events rebalanced via “time off in lieu”
• A willingness to deliver activities during school timetables; occasional evening
• Adept at juggling activities, travel and routine project admin; balancing school site work with homebased preparation
• Experience of Microsoft products and ability to use them effectively, including Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint
• A commitment to undertake all necessary training for the role

 

Employee Experience

A career with CXK is rewarding work enabling you to fulfil your potential. This eclectic and exciting role within the CXK Young Peoples’ Careers team, provides the opportunity for you to travel from home to various education settings, networking with teachers and careers educators across the Kent and Medway area. You will hone specialised skills and knowledge relating to Post 16 and 18 career pathways, including 6th Forms, colleges, study programmes, gap-years, entrepreneurship, university and apprenticeship routes whilst being a positive influence on young people’s lives.

CXK employee benefits include:

• CDI and professional register membership (RCDP) paid for by CXK
• Defined contribution pension scheme (matched by CXK up to 10% depending on length of service criteria)
• Flexible working
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Training and development programmes and opportunities
• Mental and physical healthcare initiatives and more

 

Recruitment Timeline

Vacancy closing date: Ongoing

Application review date: Ongoing

Interviews dates: Ongoing

 

Useful Information

Should you wish to have an informal conversation before submitting your application, please contact recruitment @ cxk. org

Please note: Applicants will need to complete an enhanced DBS check and provide employment references before any offer of employment can be made.

All applications must be submitted online via our online portal.

You don’t have to look very far in the UK’s opera world to find someone who started their career with BYO. Onstage, backstage, in the rehearsal room, the dressing room and in front of the orchestra – for more than 35 years we’ve been helping young people find their feet in the professional world.

BYO is the UK’s national training opera company, a place for young people who are in that awkward stage between education and proper working life where they can kick-start their careers. That’s what the ‘youth’ in our name refers to – not age, but the fact that our participants are all at the beginning of their lives in opera.

We’re looking for an experienced fundraiser to manage and grow BYO’s base of supporters. As head of individual giving you’ll be responsible for finding, cultivating, and upgrading donors through campaigns, events, stewardship and personal engagement. This is a permanent role, and while the post is envisaged as full time, we are open to part-time or flexible arrangements for the right candidate.

Job title: head of individual giving
Job type: permanent, full time (40 hours a week), including occasional evenings and weekends, although we’re open to part-time and flexible working
Location: hybrid – mostly remote but with regular meetings and attendance at sessions in London
Reports to: chief executive
Start date: as soon as possible
Salary: £38,000 / year
Probation: 6 months
Closing date: midday, Wednesday 6 May 2026 

This is the job for you if you have: 

• Experience in the individual giving side of fundraising (or a comparable relationship-based income role)
• The ability to build and maintain relationships with donors, including making asks and securing income
• Experience working with senior stakeholders, trustees, or volunteers in a fundraising context
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities 
• Experience of a CRM-centric way of working and familiarity using and managing a CRM system to process supporter data and track engagement
• Excellent and adaptable written and verbal communication skills
• A enthusiastic and collaborative approach, with a willingness to contribute across the organisation
• A proactive, self-motivated approach, with the ability to spot opportunities and follow them through
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to high standards
• Knowledge of major donor fundraising and cultivation techniques
• Understanding of data protection and fundraising best practice

You will be working within Galop’s specialist advocacy services, providing support to LGBT victims and survivors of abuse and violence in the UK. You will work within the advocacy team to deliver advice, support, and advocacy to thousands of LGBT victims and survivors of interpersonal abuse and violence each year. 
 
You will work directly with LGBT victims/survivors and hold responsibility for part of the operational team management. Your work will focus on needs across all specialisms within Galop: domestic abuse, sexual violence, hate crime, so-called honour-based abuse and conversion practices as they pertain to children and young people. You will be empathetic and thoughtful in your approach to understanding clients’ needs, while remaining boundaried and mindful of self-care. 
 
You will manage a small number of specialist young people’s advocates providing needs-led support, information and advocacy to LGBT victims and survivors. You will also be responsible for scheduling team meetings and reflective spaces and support in chairing these spaces. You will support with ensuring the needs of the wider Children and Young People’s (CYP)  team are understood and opportunities for them to develop their practice are created.
 
As Team Lead, you may also be the first point of contact that many LGBT victims and survivors of abuse and violence have within the National Advocacy and Support team. You will be partly responsible for triaging new referrals that come into service from across the UK and allocating them to the Children and Young People’s team. Your work will enable LGBT people to feel supported, heard and empowered in the face of abuse and violence, and pave the way to a safer future for our community. 
 
This post is only available to applicants from the LGBTQ community as permitted under the Equality Act 2010 as a Genuine Occupational Requirement.
 
For more information on this role please download the attached job description. 
 
Location
We will consider applicants based across the UK.

For remote applicants, this role will be home-based with occasional travel to our London office and across the UK, attending our London offices once per month. 

For London-based applicants, this role will be Hybrid, working from our London offices two days a week.
 
Hours
Full time (35 hours per week)
 
Contract
Fixed term until 31 September 2026
 
Line manages 
CYP Advocates 
 
Reports to 
CYP Advocacy and Support Manager 
 
Salary 
London: £39,521.00 per year (Including London Weighting)
Outside of London: £35,224.75 per year
 
Closing Date 
Applications should be submitted by 10:00am on 14th May 2026. 
First round interviews will be held on 26th and 28th May 2026. 
 
REF-227 985

An exciting opportunity to play a central role in campaigns and communications that secure funding to help young people to thrive. At a time of real growth for our charity, we are looking for a Campaigns & Communications Manager to join our team. You will plan and deliver two major annual appeals, grow our monthly donor programme, and create compelling communications that deepen supporter engagement and reflect the integrity of our work with young people.

What is Jamie’s Farm?  Jamie’s Farm is a charity that supports young people by combining therapeutic work, farming, and purposeful activities to help them thrive. Through residential visits to our working farms, we provide a nurturing environment where young people can reflect, build confidence, and develop the resilience they need to overcome personal challenges.  As part of the dynamic HQ team we offer a beautiful and unique supportive working environment, a competitive salary, and the opportunity to be part of a team that is passionate about making a real difference.

More about the role:  As Campaigns & Communications Manager you will plan, coordinate and deliver campaigns that engage supporters and drive income. You will develop email journeys, digital content and supporter pathways that grow our monthly donor programme into a sustainable income stream. Alongside this, you will lead the creation of high-quality fundraising communications - from donor updates and impact stories to campaign collateral and web content - ensuring all storytelling is ethical, warm and true to who we are.

Location : Jamie's Farm Bath (HQ) preferred but other Jamie’s Farm locations considered (London, Lewes, Hereford, Monmouth, Skipton)

About you:  We are looking for someone with proven experience delivering multi-channel campaigns that drive income - whether through fundraising appeals, matched funding campaigns, or other income-generating programmes. You will also have experience growing an individual giving, monthly donor or membership programme. You will be an exceptional copywriter, able to communicate impact with clarity and warmth, and understand the importance of representing young people responsibly and with dignity.

A confident project manager, you are highly organised and able to juggle multiple deadlines, coordinate stakeholders and keep campaigns on track. You are comfortable using data and insight to optimise performance, and bring a proactive, solutions-focused mindset to everything you do.

This role could suit someone with broader marketing and communications experience including income generating campaigns, who is interested in applying their skills in a fundraising/nonprofit context.

Please see the full job description, desired experience and employee benefits by exploring our recruitment pack below. Don’t meet every single requirement? We’d still love to hear from you – your unique skills and experience could be just what we’re looking for.

Job Title: Careers Advisers (Schools Team)

Location: Kent and Medway

Salary: Term Time Only salary including annual leave is £27,802 - £30,097 (FTE £32,343 - £35,012)

Hours: Full-time or Part-time (minimum 22.2)

Contract: Permanent, Term Time Only

Reports to: Regional Manager

 

 

About CXK

CXK empowers people to succeed in employment, education and training. The charity strives for a fairer society where everyone can grow and realise their potential. “The CXK Way” embodies the following core values:

Ethical – We work with professionalism, honesty and integrity

Passionate – We reach out enthusiastically to all who need out support

Innovative – We inspire, enhance and improve

Collaborative – We engage, support and share with others

 

Young Peoples’ Careers Service

CXK is the lead provider of Personal Careers Guidance to young people in schools and specialist centres across Kent & Medway, where we provide independent Personal Careers Guidance, via our CXK Young Peoples’ Careers Service.

We provide this through a variety of creative and innovative approaches:  

 

The Team

We are a diverse and welcoming team of advisers, who use a wide variety of creative methods to deliver personalised, client centred, personal careers guidance, ranging from one-to-one sessions through to group guidance, parents and options evenings, as well as focused talks and assemblies. We have minimal admin and keep our clients’ experience central to what we do, providing an inclusive service with individualised action plans, including the use of visual career maps, career cards and white boards, alongside more traditional approaches where appropriate.

We follow the CDI code of ethics and best practice for Action Planning (which names and recognises CXKs innovative work in this area):

The team is led by Chris Targett RCDP, who alongside his work at CXK, is the current Chair of the Careers Writers Association and co-author of the recently released Career Development and Inclusive Practice book, published by Trotman Publishing in partnership with the CDI.

The team is small but impactful. Feedback from our young people, that tell us about what our students valued regards our services:

• Helping young people understand their next steps
• Helping young people understand the options and careers choices they have
• Helping young people to know where to access further help, information, or support

The Role

The Careers Advisers will cover one or more of the following regions: Medway, West Kent and Mid Kent to a broad range of school and college settings, delivering creative and inclusive Personal Careers Guidance, as well as assemblies and drop-in sessions as required. 

Each student and each learning environment will be unique, so the opportunity lends itself well to candidates who enjoy traveling and working in varied locations, meeting people from diverse backgrounds, and educating people of all abilities.

You will routinely liaise with Careers Leaders and senior school/ college staff to arrange and deliver activities for students during the school day. Whilst most delivery will take place between 8:30am and 4pm, travel before and after these times will be required and occasional attendance at parents’ and options evenings will also be required, but you will be given time off in lieu where this is applicable.

We would require you to work five days-a-week, term time only, with a pro rata holiday entitlement. If you would prefer part-time only employment (minimum of three days a week), this can be negotiated.

 

Skills and Knowledge

At CXK we are proud to be a disability confident and equal opportunities employer. We actively promote diversity within our workforce and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

 

Minimum Criteria

• Level 6 qualification (or above) in Careers Guidance Qualification (or equivalent
• Knowledge of Post 16 and Post 18 education and training routes for young people with and without additional needs and disabilities
• In possession of a full, clean UK Drivers Licence with access to your own vehicle

 

Core Competencies

• Experience of delivering careers, education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) in schools / colleges and face-to-face with young people
• Events rebalanced via “time off in lieu”
• A willingness to deliver activities during school timetables; occasional evening
• Adept at juggling activities, travel and routine project admin; balancing school site work with homebased preparation
• Experience of Microsoft products and ability to use them effectively, including Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint
• A commitment to undertake all necessary training for the role

 

Employee Experience

A career with CXK is rewarding work enabling you to fulfil your potential. This eclectic and exciting role within the CXK Young Peoples’ Careers team, provides the opportunity for you to travel from home to various education settings, networking with teachers and careers educators across the Kent and Medway area. You will hone specialised skills and knowledge relating to Post 16 and 18 career pathways, including 6th Forms, colleges, study programmes, gap-years, entrepreneurship, university and apprenticeship routes whilst being a positive influence on young people’s lives.

CXK employee benefits include:

• CDI and professional register membership (RCDP) paid for by CXK
• Defined contribution pension scheme (matched by CXK up to 10% depending on length of service criteria)
• Flexible working
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Training and development programmes and opportunities
• Mental and physical healthcare initiatives and more

 

Recruitment Timeline

Vacancy closing date: Ongoing

Application review date: Ongoing

Interviews dates: Ongoing

 

Useful Information

Should you wish to have an informal conversation before submitting your application, please contact recruitment @ cxk . org

Please note: Applicants will need to complete an enhanced DBS check and provide employment references before any offer of employment can be made.

All applications must be submitted online via our online portal.

Starting salary of £ 27, 929 ( day time role) or £ 30, 227  ( waking night time role) with potential to rise incrementally to £ 31, 449 based on annual performance

Contract type: Full time, Permanent

Specific Hours: 40 hours per week shift work including weekends, bank holidays and occasional sleep-ins 

• Day Shifts: work between 8:00 am and 10:30 pm
• Waking Night Shifts: work between 10:00 pm and 8:00 am

Overtime / bank holidays paid time-and-a-half and 2 weekends off per month

Location: Ealing, W13 or Balham, SW12

Looking for fantastic career progression, excellent training and therapeutic support? Join our committed and professional team and make a difference to young people living in residential care, where no two days are the same!

About Us

Our vision is for every child and young person to be safe, loved and happy, to achieve their potential and have a bright future.

St Christopher's is a leading charity caring  for children and young people. We are proud of our history of providing fostering, children's homes and innovative leaving care services across the UK.  We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do.  We provide positive and life-changing support experiences for young people who are unable to sustain a placement in their parental or foster home. Our offering in underpinned by therapeutic expertise and young people in our care also benefit from extensive life-skills and participation opportunities as well and learning support regarding their education.

We are an equal-opportunity employer keen to develop an inclusive workforce where people feel they belong.  We hope to attract applications from under- represented groups, including people from different cultures, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions, faith, sex, orientation, childcare responsibilities, and gender-diverse identities.

St Christopher’s Academy

At St Christopher’s, we offer more than a job in social care— we offer a real career pathway. You’ll have the chance to build your skills, grow your knowledge, and make a lasting difference to young people’s lives, as well as your own.

When you join us, you’ll receive a tailored development plan designed around your goals. Whether you want to move into a different service, progress into a leadership role, or just explore your current role further, we’ll support you every step of the way.  If you want to learn more about St Christopher’s Academy, please click here

Our development programme, St Christopher’s Academy, is built to help you reach your full potential — and the results speak for themselves:
84% of our Team Leaders, Deputies, and Managers are promoted internally.

About the Role

As a Support Worker in a  Children’s Home, you will provide direct support and care for our young people, who have complex emotional and mental health difficulties (such as trauma and loss),and can struggle to regulate their emotions. Working within a therapeutic framework, you will develop a direct programme of work aimed at developing authentic relationships with our children and young people (aged between 12 and17 years old), you will also have responsibility for making sure our those in our care are safe, providing support, liaison with other external professionals and completion of support documents to record information.

If applying for the Waking Night role, you will have the additional support of an on-call manager should there be any emergencies. Further to this, you will be involved in monthly team meetings and receive monthly one-to-one supervision with your manager.

Applicants should have

• Minimum of 1 year of experience working and supporting Young People in residential, semi-independent, Fostering settings or Youth work centres, caring for Children and Young People with emotional behavioural difficulties, neurodivergent or SEND, etc.
• Willingness to achieve the Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare within 2 years as per Children’s Homes Regulations 2015 (England)
• Genuine commitment to working with and supporting children and Young People to achieve their full potential; with the ability to build and promote trusted relationships while maintaining professional boundaries.
• An understanding of the issues facing children and Young People and a basic understanding of safeguarding Regulations and Procedures.
• The ability to cope effectively with challenging behaviour.
• Good communication and team working skills.
• Flexibility to work shifts, including weekends and bank holidays, and if applicable, sleep-in’s.
• Commitment to undertake any mandatory training (outside of working hours) and continuous learning to ensure a high level of service.
• Creativity, enthusiasm and energy to inspire and encourage young people to achieve their goals.

What you should expect from us

• Competitive salary with potential to rise based on performance.
• 4 weeks full induction and training program (paid).
• Fantastic opportunities to develop your career within our range of services, Tailored career development plan through our “St Christopher’s Academy”.
• Industry leading training programme including access to level 3 qualifications, children’s right and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health and social pedagogy.
• 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro-rata.
• Contributory pension scheme, enhanced maternity and company sick scheme.
• UK Life Assurance (Death in service) to the value of 3 times your annual salary.
• BUPA employee assistance programme, offering counselling, financial advice and legal support.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Bluelight card; discount shopping scheme at hundreds of retailers across the UK both in store and online.
• Discretionary funded training programs for you to explore and attain new and relevant skills.
• Employee awards based on performance and length of service.

Recruitment Process

At St Christopher’s we are committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people in our care. During the recruitment process you will be expected to complete an online application form to ensure we capture essential information to meet legislation, best practice and vetting requirements. 

Your application form must include a supporting statement addressing the criteria stated in the Person Specification. 

Please note that application forms with no supporting statement will be automaticaly rejected.

CVs will not be accepted.

Application Process:

1. Application: Complete our online application form and include a supporting statement addressing the criteria stated in the Person Specification. 
2. Online Situational Test: After submitting your application, you will be asked to complete an online situational test. The results of this test will help inform the shortlisting process. 
3. Interview: Shortlisted candidates attend a face-to-face interview at our Putney office.
4. Second Stage: Successful candidates will visit the home they applied to.

We advise to apply as soon as possible as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please note:

• This post has a minimum age restriction of 21 year for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and supported accommodation Homes in line with the Equality Act ‘occupational requirement’.
• It is illegal to apply for any role that involves working with children and young people under the age of 18, if you know you are barred from working with children.
• All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be asked to submit a Self-Declaration and Disclosure form which will need to be returned prior to an interview being booked.

This is an exciting opportunity to work on the frontline of policy advocacy and development in child health. As Head of Policy and Research you'll be responsible for overseeing the development of our policy positions and all related outputs, as well as the research that underpins our campaigns and advocacy, across England, Scotland and abroad. You will be an integral thought partner to the Director of Strategy & Delivery and wider leadership team on the development of pioneering research concepts that will drive the child health agenda forward. You will be our internal technical expert on food policy, ensuring all of our work is evidence-based and impactful, as well as being our external representative, liaising with leading policy and research experts across academia, civil society, and government agencies. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Research

• Work with the Director of Strategy & Delivery and Research Manager to plan research projects and support their delivery, ensuring they support policy calls and reflect young peoples’ experiences.

• Lead the translation of  Bite Back’s research into high quality outputs including reports, briefings and submissions.

• Work with campaigns, communications and content teams to turn research findings into high impact creative communications for a range of audiences.

• Serve as a primary spokesperson for our research including in media placements, speaking slots and government evidence sessions. 

Policy development

• Lead on the development of Bite Back’s policy positions in key and emerging areas, ensuring young peoples’ views and experiences are fed in at every stage.

• Lead the development of all policy outputs including submissions, consultation responses and briefings, ensuring they are evidence-based and reflect young peoples’ voices. 

• Lead the technical policy liaison with stakeholders and experts in the field to gather evidence and critically assess the Bite Back’s positions. 

Evidence

• Keep abreast of new evidence on key areas relating to nutrition, climate and health and consider the implications for Bite Back’s policy and relevant activity.

• Collaborate internally to provide knowledge and advice on policy and evidence issues with colleagues and the youth board.

• Review and sign off key outputs to ensure they reflect the latest evidence and data.

Stakeholder engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with a range of external stakeholders to support Bite Back’s influencing agenda, including with senior government policymakers, academia, WHO and other charities in England, Scotland, and abroad.

• Represent Bite Back on a range of alliances, coalitions and partnerships.

• Deputise for the Director of Strategy & Delivery when needed.

Leadership

• Line management of Research Manager and Impact & Evaluation manager, with a dotted line to the Policy & Engagement Executive and Senior Programmes & Policy Manager for Scotland.

• Operate as a member of the extended leadership team, collaborating with other Heads and the Directors to ensure research and policy considerations are embedded seamlessly into campaigns, communications and programmes.

• Lead the policy and research strategy development for Bite Back in new geographies, providing visionary technical leadership in how we expand to new countries across the UK and abroad.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

We will be looking for applications that demonstrate experience in at least some of these areas, and evidence of capacity to build skills in others. Please don’t be put off applying for one of our jobs because you can’t demonstrate every skill. If you're passionate and excited about working for us, and possess the main skills and experience we are looking for, go ahead and apply. You could be just what we are looking for!

Required: 

• Significant experience  of managing food policy work, which has informed and influenced national and local food policy in England. 

• In depth knowledge of the breadth of the food, nutrition and obesity public health landscape and the key challenges faced in the policy environment.

• Deep technical expertise in food policy research, development, and communication - with a strong focus on commercial determinants of health.

• Strong analytical skills, including a good understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods, including creative implementation research techniques. and experience with commissioning external research.

• Ability to synthesise and utilise evidence to support policy development and influencing. 

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including ability to communicate complex issues.

• Calmness under pressure, with ability to prioritise multiple projects to agreed objectives and deadlines. 

• Line management experience.

• A passion for our mission and a commitment to our values: Fresh, Resilient, Respectful, Energetic, Real.

Desired: 

• Strong policy and research networks in the UK across academic, civil society, and government agencies. A trusted technical voice.

• Post graduate experience in public health or nutrition and/or evidence of continuing professional development of relevant knowledge and skills in the field. 

• Experience in working with young people.

• Experience with designing creative, outside the box research with fresh ways of influencing food policy change.

• Understanding and some experiencing working on food policy across devolved nations (Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland), and within other global contexts.

​SUMMARY​

​Position Title: Head of Programmes (CMDP) Mat-Cover

Level: Level 6

Salary: £40, 000 - 46, 000 (FTE yearly) 

Reports to: Director of Programmes and Partnerships

Location: The Liberation centre Brixton, London (New office in Brixton)/ Remote working within the UK with at least 2 days’ work from our office (Pro rata for part time)

Contract: Fulltime (40hrs/weekly), fixed-term maternity cover contract for 1 year with potential for Part time (e.g., 32hrs/weekly) extension subject to funding.

Hours: TAA has flexible working hours, with some expected evenings (e.g. one 9pm finish once every two weeks) and weekends due to the nature of the role. All extra hours are reimbursed as Time off in Lieu (TOIL).

Start date: As soon as possible(potentially June with consideration for notice period)

Benefits:  TAA laptop (employee assistance and health cash package including staff supervision, counselling, dental, optical care and more.).​

The Advocacy Academy is an activist youth movement. We serve as the political home for grassroots youth organising and the catalyst for collective action. The lives of the young people we work alongside have been directly shaped by living in an unjust world, and we exist to turn their anger into action.

Young people are often the catalysts for major social change, from the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, to the Soweto Uprising mobilising young people to resist the apartheid regime's education policies, to the Sunrise Movement redrawing the electoral map across America, and more recently encampments and protests across the world protesting the genocide in Palestine. How successfully they achieve real and lasting change depends on whether they are organised and whether they have the right strategy and tactics to be effective.​

We want youth organising to be enshrined in the UK for generations to come, and for young people to have tangible political power to influence national policy. That’s why we have launched two national coalitions, one around climate, and the other around gender. Each will train organisations across the country to become youth organisers and work together to bring 100 young people together to identify the strategy and tactics needed to achieve change. These young leaders will organise others and work collectively to build a campaign which shakes the status quo.​

We want youth organising to be enshrined in the UK for generations to come, and for young people to have tangible political power to influence national policy. That’s why we have launched two national coalitions, one around climate, and the other around gender. Each will train organisations across the country to become youth organisers, and work together to bring 100 young people together to identify the strategy and tactics needed to achieve change. These young leaders will organise others and work collectively to build a campaign which shakes the status quo.​

We are looking for a Head of Programmes who believes in this vision and is capable of building the leadership of young people that enables them to turn the resources they have into the power they need to make the change they want. It will be your job to help grow the Changemaker Development programme, train and organise Changemakers, create magic and spark the hope for something more! If this excites you, then please apply.

Before you skim the job description, please remember you don’t have to tick all the boxes for each role to apply. Charity experience is not a requirement! We all experience a bit of imposter syndrome, including the staff here at The Advocacy Academy. Let’s name it for what it is - a manifestation of the oppression many of us face on a day to day.​If this role pulls you and you believe you could make a difference, then apply anyway or reach out to us to discuss more!​​

​AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY​​​

​1.You will be responsible for the Changemaker Development Programme (CMDP) including but limited to:

• Working with the Associate Director of Programmes and Associate Director of Partnerships to coordinate programmes planning and delivery timelines for CMDP.
• Managing cross programmatic projects to standardise processes and practices in the Programmes Department
• Designing and developing the recruitment process for Alumni to join the CMDP and create a targeted recruitment strategy to grow the Alumni Changemaker pool
• Managing the monitoring and evaluation of the programme including quantitative and qualitative data, and facilitate the process of ongoing learning being integrated into the programme
• Working with Programmes Leadership Team to coordinate and deliver a holistic safeguarding, wellbeing and pastoral care strategy across TAA’s work with young people
• Responsible for holding the CMDP budget and ensuring that it is managed and spent in accordance with TAA expenses procedure e.g. signing off expenses up to £1,000 expenditure and escalating to Director of Programmes and Partnerships for amounts exceeding this.

2.​You will be accountable for the learning design and delivery to include but not limited:

• Leading the design of the CMDP curriculum to agreed TAA standards engaging key stakeholders, e.g. alumni, programmes team, external partners 
• Supporting Alumni Changemakers to design, deliver and facilitate social justice workshops in line with established pedagogical approaches at TAA.
• Leading the development of learning journeys for Alumni Changemakers.
• Working during school holidays for camps, and in the evenings to accommodate school hours, which may include regular evening work and unsocial hours during programme delivery.​

3.You will be the port of call for the Changemakers and Community Organisers who will help run the programme, and a regular and trusted individual whom the young people know and can connect with. To include but not limited to:

• You will support the Changemakers in co-creating this space with young people in the community and helping them identify ways to bring participants along into the membership.
• You will be managing the Changemakers who are delivering the programme - and updating both the Community Director and Director of Programmes and Partnerships on their progress and development. 
• You will hold the budget for the programme - keeping track of expenses and thinking through ways to keep costs down. 
• You will ensure that you provide accurate and timely financial information to the budget lead for your work and to the Finance, HR & Operations team
• You will be responsible for holding relationships with Alumni Changemakers and holding the relational culture of the CMDP to ensure we have a brilliant atmosphere for learning, nurturing and growth for Alumni Changemakers, including but not limited to:
• Taking responsibility for the pastoral care of Alumni Changemakers on placement including building the pastoral care approach with the Programmes Leadership Team.
• Taking responsibility for building and nurturing key relationships with fellow social justice activists, organisers and educators in the sector who can support, challenge and inspire our Alumni Changemakers.
• Representing TAA at any applicable events, in the press and in activist circles 
• ​Building and nurturing relationships with alumni/members.​

4.You will be accountable for the learning design and development of the Leadership Development Framework. To include but not limited to:

• Designing and developing a cohesive, high-quality curriculum aligned to TAA’s strategic goals and organisational values
• Establishing and embedding a clear pedagogical approach that underpins all delivery and supports effective facilitation
• Creating structured learning journeys that support the progression and development of young people as leaders
• Developing and maintaining facilitator guides, resources and tools to ensure consistency and quality across delivery
• Working with staff and members to ensure curriculum and pedagogy are effectively understood and implemented
• Reviewing delivery, gathering feedback and insights from members, and iterating on the curriculum and approach to continuously improve quality and impact​

5.You will ensure that your programmatic activities are managed as well-oiled machines through pulling in the right people at the right time and ensuring that key milestones are met:

• Responsible for ensuring effective departmental administration including delegating key administrative tasks to relevant staff
• You will be working with the Director of Programme and Partnerships, Director of Community, the Safeguarding and Wellbeing Team and others to think about the safety, safeguarding, and wellbeing needs of the young people participating in the programme and beyond. 
  • You will ensure safeguarding and Health and Safety standards are met across the programmes team and other critical policies and practices within the organisation, working proactively with relevant leads to understand requirements and operationalise effectively
  • You will contribute towards risk management standards and ensure Health and Safety standards are met across programmatic and community team
  • You will be responsible for managing and overseeing a suite of behind-the-scenes systems, databases and resources which comply with UKGDPR, safeguarding and other legal requirements.
• You will be responsible for overseeing the logistics of the CMDP including the organisation and coordination of venues, food, travel, staff and risk assessments, individual care plans etc.
• Work closely with the development team to align work with fundraising targets and support them in identifying and securing appropriate fundraising opportunities
• You will be committed to learning, monitoring outcomes, and holding us accountable to ourselves, our communities, funders, allies and donors. This includes shaping thoughtful MEAL practices and developing systems that go beyond compliance, enabling genuine learning and innovation while respecting the integrity and privacy of the young people in the programme.​

6.Culture, values and wider strategy and mission. Provide senior accountability within your remit for ensuring the delivery of our strategic objectives by embedding our vision, mission, strategy, ideology and cultural values across your area and the wider organisation. Play a central role in shaping organisational direction and leading cross-departmental priorities and initiatives. To include but not limited to:

• Embodying and championing our commitment to social and economic justice, ensuring this is consistently reflected in organisational strategy, decision-making, delivery and partnerships
• Acting as a champion of organisational culture and values, setting the standard across teams and holding others to account in upholding these in practice
• Leading on identifying and driving opportunities that strengthen organisational impact, working closely with your senior leadership, including the Director of Finance, HR and Ops, and contributing to high-level strategic direction
• Holding ultimate responsibility for identifying, assessing and addressing risks to our integrity, authenticity and alignment with our ideology and culture, taking decisive and timely action within your area of responsibility
• Enabling and leading effective cross-departmental collaboration within your remit, ensuring teams are aligned, appropriately resourced and working cohesively towards shared goals
• Shaping and modelling a culture of openness, care and accountability, contributing to organisational wellbeing approaches and supporting leaders across the organisation to do the same
• Taking ownership of your continued leadership development, while also actively supporting the development of others and building leadership capacity within your area
• Taking responsibility for communicating your own wellbeing and needs and providing feedback on TAA wellbeing initiatives to your line manager, and contribute to living the TAA transformative culture​

7.Governance and Compliance

• Provide strategic leadership on governance and risk management within your portfolio, working in close partnership with the Finance, HR and Operations team.
• Lead and hold accountability for risk identification, analysis and mitigation, ensuring risks to strategic objectives are anticipated, escalated and managed effectively
• Maintain oversight of risk across your area, ensuring robust systems, controls and practices are in place and consistently applied
• Ensure strong organisational compliance with TAA policies and practices, taking responsibility for their effective implementation, continuous improvement and alignment with wider organisational standards
• You will support Campaigns and Community Departments by ensuring that the operations, structures, processes, and practices within CMDP and Open Access align with and support TAA's campaigning and organising goals, activating new allies' goals, and community goals​

A BIT ABOUT YOU​

• You are passionate about, and committed to, creating a more fair, just and equal world.
• You believe in the potential of young people to challenge the status quo and are dedicated to helping them become more powerful citizens.
• You’ve got a deep understanding of, and a personal relationship with, issues of social justice. From racism to the housing crisis to climate justice, you’ll be aware of how systemic injustice operates in our society, clued-up and well-informed on the big issues of our time and committed to changing them.
• You’ll be comfortable managing a “to-do” list of competing priorities and balancing your workload to meet competing deadlines.
• You’re a sensitive and thoughtful relationship-builder who is interested in building a network of relationships to support the Advocacy Academy’s work. You’re a great listener, and remember people’s names, faces, and stories.
• You’re a confident written and verbal communicator, who is comfortable with tailoring communication to reach a diverse range of audiences and stakeholders.
• You’re proactive, organised, and eager to learn, whether that’s chatting with potential funders, researching new opportunities or collaborating with teammates.​

​IDEAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE​

• At least 5 years of experience in programmes delivery on issues of social justice working with young people and/or 
• At least 5 years of experience in supporting others to grow in confidence and capability to develop and deliver organising or campaign efforts, including leading and managing groups such as mentors, interns and young people
• Detail oriented
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience in identifying challenges within programmes and using insight, feedback and data to iterate and continuously improve delivery
• Detail oriented
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience working with different audiences or types of stakeholders 
• Strong project management and experience working collaboratively across teams both in person and online
• Excellent organisational skills with confidence managing multiple tasks at the same time/ balancing multiple priorities to meet deadlines
• Experience with our existing systems e.g., Gmail/ Google Doc/ Google Sheets/ Canva/ Slack
• Confidence working in a fast-paced environment

This is an outline of the responsibilities and duties of the Head of Programmes role; it is not intended as an exhaustive list and may change from time to time to meet the changing needs of the Liberation Centre and our young people. Any changes will be made in consultation with the post holder.

HOW TO APPLY​

Candidates will be asked to provide a CV and a Cover Letter OR a supporting video application addressing the following questions (no more than 1000 words or 10 minutes for all questions).​

• ​Tell us about a social justice issue that makes you angry and why it matters to you?
• ​Our Head of Programmes will train Changemakers (young people) to become confident leaders and organisers. Tell us about a training programme you were part of, what it achieved, what it didn’t, your role in that effort and any reflections you have about being part of it?
• ​Our Head of Programmes will support people to act on their developing political interests. Tell us about a time when you helped someone learn and develop their capacity to make change in the world?
• ​Include anything else you would like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Head of Programmes role.

In addition, please also provide information on your notice period and your availability for interview. You may also attach any other content that would be relevant for us to have in order to showcase interest and experience. The content can come in any form of media, including but not limited to - a mind map of ideas, a timeline or portfolio of your work, life or experiences; a recording; a Powerpoint or other form of presentation; a song, article, poem or other writing samples.​

DATES​

• Closing Date: The deadline for applications 25th May 2026 by 10am.
• Task: If shortlisted you may be required to complete a brief facilitation activity with young people around organising or campaigns.
• First Round of Interviews: will be scheduled for 29th May 2026 (Dates are subject to change).
• Second Round of Interviews: will be scheduled for w/c 08 June 2026 (Dates are subject to change).​

Please be aware that we will be interviewing as we receive applications. The application date might be brought forward if we find the right person.​

ONLINE OPEN HOUSE​

We will not be hosting an online open house for this role.  However, if you have any questions about the role or are interested in hearing more about what The Advocacy Academy is about we are happy to do 15-20mins exploratory phone call. Contact us on the email indicated on the JD to indicate your interest for this.​

A NOTE ON USING AI TOOLS IN YOUR APPLICATION​

We understand that AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful when preparing an application, and you’re welcome to use them as a support. However, we’re most interested in hearing directly from you. Please ensure your application reflects your own voice, experiences, and perspective.

We value the unique insights, lived experiences, and ways of thinking that each candidate brings. These are what help us understand who you are and what you would bring to the role, and they are an important part of how we assess applications.

If you require any adjustments or support during the application process, please don’t hesitate to let us know. we’re committed to making our recruitment process as accessible and inclusive as possible.​​

NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US​

​We aim to be representative of the community we are working with. We encourage applications from people of colour, those who identify as LGBTQIA, working class as well as disabled people, those living with mental health conditions, refugees and migrants. We welcome people from all identities who are made to feel marginalised.​

We’re not just committed to being an equal opportunity employer, we actively celebrate diversity in all its forms. Let us know if we can do anything to make the application or interview process more accessible. If you are invited to interview, we will at that point ask you for any accessibility requirements or preferences.

As an employer we make all reasonable adjustments to support employees in their work if they are disabled or have a health condition. We support the Access to Work scheme which could provide you with financial support to get the help you need to do all tasks successfully. We are happy to facilitate Access to Work assessments and reclaims and would actively welcome applicants who would need this in order to do the job.​​

All staff who work on our programme must have, prior to starting work, a returned satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) dated no earlier than 1st January 2021. The Advocacy Academy will assist the application for, and pay for the processing of, a new DBS for staff members where required.​

We welcome applications from people with convictions. Please disclose in your applications if you have any convictions, cautions, reprimand or final warnings that are not "protected" (as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). We consider each person on their own merits, taking into account all the circumstances.

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