Early years and childcare manager jobs

About us 

The Early Education and Childcare Coalition unites the voices of parents, children, providers, early years professionals and the wider business community, working together for investment and reform of early education and childcare in England. 

We believe that we all benefit from investing in early education and childcare, and we all have a role to play in shaping a system that delivers for children, families and the economy. 

We are backed by some of the most high-profile campaign and research organisations in England. Our members include early years provider membership bodies, parent campaign groups, early childhood experts, trade unions, the business lobby, anti-poverty campaigners and NGOs. Together, we use our collective voice and research to build public and political support for early education and childcare.

And it’s worked. Thanks to the dedication of our members, early years is now one of the top six priorities for the new government’s Plan for Change, but our work isn’t done – we have an ambitious agenda to ‘rescue and reform’ the system, ensuring that: 

• every child can access high-quality education and care that their parents can afford and that will support them to thrive 

• every provider is funded fairly for the places they offer 

• every early years professional is rewarded and recognised for the skilled work they do 

About the role

We are now recruiting a Senior Research and Policy Officer on a fixed-term contract to help drive our aims during this exciting period. 

• Hours: 37.5 hours (5 days per week). Some out-of-hours work may be required for which TOIL will be given. 

• Duration: One-year contract with possible extension subject to funding. 

• Location: Home-working but located in Greater Manchester 

• Salary: £44,755 per annum 

Your time will be split between two key strands of work: 

• Our core research and policy function which responds to emerging early years policy, government consultations and shapes our own original research 

• A ‘test and learn’ pilot on workforce development. 

The former will require you to have a good grasp of mixed research methods, some understanding of the challenges facing early education and childcare, as well as a good understanding of the political and economic climate we’re working in. Naturally, you should be able to produce clear and compelling briefings that can be of use to policymakers and our members. 

The latter is an exciting new project that is a key output in our three-year programme, ‘Building the Early Education Workforce in England’. It will see you partner with combined authorities, think tanks and coalition partners. You will need to be comfortable handling data in this role.

We are a fully remote organisation, but ideally you should be based in Greater Manchester where the ‘test and learn’ pilot is being conducted. This will be important in building relationships with providers and local authorities that are participating in the project. 

We work flexibly and it won’t come as a surprise to you that we understand the challenge of caring commitments. We trust you to manage your time, but as a minimum requirement, we expect you to be available on Thursday mornings for our staff meeting. As a remote team this helps us to stay in touch and connect. 

The Coalition has experienced significant growth over the last two years and with early years firmly on the political agenda, we expect this to continue. Our hope is that this role will evolve and the successful candidate will continue to progress within this growing and impactful organisation. 

For the last two years, the Coalition has been incubated by the Women’s Budget Group, the UK’s leading feminist economic think tank. Our growth means that we are now ready to spin out into a separate and independent legal entity. That means that your employment contract will initially be with WBG on behalf of the Coalition but will then transfer across to the newly constituted organisation. This won’t change your role, your terms or your pay, but we want to tell you now. We are happy to answer questions at interview about that. 

What you can expect to be doing 

• Use detailed knowledge of quantitative and qualitative methodologies to produce policy papers  and reports on topics relevant to the Coalition’s aims 

• Work closely with our Associate Director of Research and Coproduction, to deliver our ‘test and learn’ pilot analysing data from local authorities and early years providers and codesigning the final outputs with stakeholders. 

• Support our response to key fiscal events including the Spending Review 

• Work with Coalition members to promote shared learning of innovative practices and coordinate joint research 

• Maintain awareness and knowledge of research and policy literature related to early education and childcare 

• Support the advocacy and communications team with the dissemination of research and policy 

About you 

You will have experience in a research or policy role where you’ve been responsible for responding to government policy, producing briefings and reports, and shaping future research. Given the nature of coalition-working, experience of working with a broad range of stakeholders would be beneficial, as would any experience of codesigning policy solutions, although this is not essential.

We are looking for someone who is comfortable handling data and using data to make policy recommendations. Experience of working on public service reform would be a bonus. 

Person specification 

Essential 

• Educated to degree level in social sciences and/or demonstrable research experience in public service reform issues 

• Experience of data collation and statistical analysis, working with large datasets and data analysis packages 

• Experience of working in research within an applied setting 

• Knowledge and experience of analysing and summarising quantitative and qualitative research 

• Comfortable with remote-working with the ability to work on own initiative 

• Commitment to the aims of the EECC and our principles. 

• Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to write reports for a policy audience 

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and in person with a range of different audiences 

• Experience of liaising with a wide range of stakeholders in the context of a research and policy project 

Desirable 

• Experience of leading on research projects 

• Experience of working on codesigned projects 

• Some knowledge of the challenges facing the early education and childcare system 

• Experience of stakeholder engagement or engaging research participants

The application process 

Please apply with CV and cover letter by the listed closing date. No agencies please. We are using anonymous recruitment via Charity Jobs so please apply via that process.

The EECC is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. We use anonymous recruiting during the application process and we use positive action under section 159 of the Equality Act in relation to disability or race. This means that if we have two candidates of equal merit in our process, we will seek to take forward the disabled or Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic candidate in order to diversify our staff team. 

Please note we can only consider applications from candidates with the right to work in the UK.

We regret that our small team does not have capacity to respond to unsuccessful applicants individually. 

Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 12th May

Interviews: w/c 19th May 

Start date: ASAP 

Our Adventure Playground Manager plays an integral role within our Children, Young People and Families team, supporting our Head of Service to create inspiring, high quality and child focused youth and play services. The work of the Children, Young People and Families team is diverse, and service includes after-school and weekend adventure play, school play sessions, mentoring, holiday activities and youth leadership programmes.

Tulse Hill Adventure Playground is at the centre of our Children, Young People and Families service, and you will have solid experience working in an Adventure Playground, or similar outdoor setting, as you will hold managerial responsibility of the site and resources ensuring that the environment meets the needs of all the children who use it and to enable children to obtain the full benefit of the playground and its facilities.

As a strong and inspiring manager you will lead a team of play practitioners to deliver a range of dynamic, exciting, and meaningful services, ensuring the children who need them most are supported to play, develop, and thrive. You will take both an ambitious, organised, yet hands on approach to your management of the service - we are a small but dynamic team and truly believe services are best when all are involved, from management to practitioners. You will bring enthusiasm and passion to ensure an exceptional service for the children and young people we work with.

You will champion the role that adventure play services play in supporting children and young people to thrive and be an advocate for partnership working, building relationships with parents, schools and other local organisations, to maximise use of the Adventure Playground and the range of services we provide. A strong understanding of how the service sits within the wider work of the organisation and building strong relationships internally and externally is essential to the role.

You will be joining the organisation at a very exciting time as we are just about to undertake a large scale rebuild of the outdoor adventure play structures which will be completed this summer - creating a new and exciting environment for children and young people to play. This will include a range of challenging play structures, a wildlife garden, growing area and outdoor kitchen, along with a small animal enclosure.

Employee Benefits
• 35 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays and 3 Christmas days) rising by 1 day each year
after 2 years’ service (capped at an additional 8 days)
• Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption leave after 2 years’ service
• Save money off a new bike with the Cycle to Work scheme
• Up to 7% contribution to the staff pension scheme
• 24/7 Employee Support Line
• Clear pay structure with yearly increments (based on performance)
• Annual Staff away day
• Premium eye-care vouchers through Specsavers and season ticket loans

About UP

Unlocking Potential deliver high performing therapeutic programmes and education provision for children and young people with SEMH needs. We work in collaboration with families, communities, and other partners to ensure that children and young people access the interventions they need to thrive.

Mission

We work collaboratively with communities to enable children and young people with social, emotional, and mental health needs to unlock their full potential

Values

Trust

We build trust by being honest, transparent, and accountable in the way we work with children and young people, staff, and partners and by providing services and programmes whose outcomes are measurable and evidenced based.

Collaborative

Relationships are at the heart of our work. We prioritise communication and collaboration with partners, families, and communities, believing that by working together we create more effective and holistic outcomes for children and young people.

Empowering

We co-create opportunities for our children, young people, parents/carers and staff to actively participate in decision-making that influences change. We promote the voices of children and young people in our organisation and the wider community.

Nurturing

We provide a nurturing approach based on safety and space for creativity, exploration, and growth. We support and care for our children, young people, and staff to realise their potential.

Impact

We are committed to measuring our impact through a data driven method to develop our programmes and make a greater difference to the lives of children, young people, and their parents and carers.

Overview

We will be launching our new programme from September 2025, initially as a pilot working with families across Wandsworth, with aims to be able to expand and continue beyond this.

We are seeking an experienced and passionate Family Support Manager to play a pivotal role in establishing our new Family Support programme. Your initial focus will be leading on the development of the service, implementing policies and procedures, building referral pathways, and recruiting a team of skilled Family Support Workers.

Once the service is established, you will manage a high-quality programme providing support and guidance to families facing complex challenges. Your role will involve overseeing a team of Family Support Workers, case management, fostering effective collaboration with internal and external multidisciplinary teams, and leading the service under a shared vision to ensure the well-being of children and their families.

Using a restorative approach, you will develop strong relationships to support families and empower them to take an active role in their own support plans and interventions, helping them build resilience and make informed decisions. A commitment to safeguarding excellence will be at the heart of everything you do.

This role would be an exciting opportunity for a qualified Social Worker or an experienced professional with a background in setting up and developing family support services. It offers a genuine opportunity to shape a new service and build an impactful team to make a real difference in the lives of children, young people, and their families.

NO CVs accepted.

Applicants must complete an sub,it an application form via our recxruitment website.

JOB PURPOSE:
 

• To coordinate support for children aged 2-5 with SEND at Springfield Park Road Nursery or Mini-Springers Nursery, working alongside nursery staff, parents and outside agencies to ensure the nursery provides high quality inclusive EYFS provision in line with the SEND Code of Practice and EYFS Framework.

·        To promote an ethos of inclusive practice within the nursery, high expectations for children with SEND and the best possible outcomes.

• To provide advice and support to Children’s Centre colleagues in relation to SEND.
• To provide advice and support to other staff within the Springfield Project in relation to SEND, including Seedlings Stay and Play. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
 

Lead the SEND provision for the nursery

·        Work with the nursery manager to regularly review the SEND policy and practice within the setting and agree how it will be implemented. 

·        Be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the setting’s SEND policy, and for coordinating provision across the setting.

·        Implement SEN support and the graduated approach of: assess, plan, do, review to meet the outcomes identified for the child, including writing and reviewing SEN support plans as well as statutory paperwork, such as EHC needs assessment requests (with support from Area SENCO).

·        Apply for ISEY funding for individual children and ensure funding is implemented to support children effectively.

Support colleagues 

·        Ensure all practitioners in the setting understand: 

o   their responsibilities to children with SEN

o   how to work actively and effectively within the Assess Plan Do Review cycle.

·        Support individual practitioners in implementing the approach for individual children 

·        Identify and use training and other sources of support available to colleagues. 

·        Support the nursery manager and staff during inspections by regulatory bodies and assist in the implementation of any recommendations.

Partnership working

·        Make sure parents receive the information, advice and support that they need in order to participate in the SEN decision-making process.

·       Involve parents in the discussion of any early concerns, in identifying any SEN, and at all stages of the graduated approach. 

·        Ensure parents are closely involved and that their insights inform action taken by the setting. 

·        Work closely with the Area SENCO and other professionals from education, health and social care agencies as required, making referrals as needed.

·        Understand the Birmingham local offer.

·        Work alongside Springfield Children’s Centre in running a stay & play for children with SEND

·        Provide advice on SEND to Children’s Centre colleagues.

·        Provide advice on SEND to other Project staff and volunteers including Seedlings Stay and Play group and our Child Friendly Neighbourhood team. 

Continually develop own practice

• Reflect on own practice and undertake continuous professional development, including training related to SEND as well as attending relevant and mandatory training courses and maintaining appropriate Safeguarding and First Aid Certificates.
• Alongside the nursery manager, regularly evaluate the effectiveness of provision.

Other

• promote the Springfield project’s ethos, vision statement, and benefits.
• attend all staff meetings and Project training days as required.

The School:

Merchant Taylors’ School is a large Independent Boys’ School, situated in 280 acres of parkland in Northwood, Middlesex.  The School was founded in 1561, is owned by the Merchant Taylors’ Educational Trust and moved to its present site in 1933. There are four distinct boys’ day schools on campus. The Nursery, the Pre-Prep & the Prep cater for 370 boys, while the Senior School has over 960 pupils. The Senior School employs over 110 teachers and 160 Support staff across Merchant Taylors’ School.

Main duties and responsibilities:

Fundraising

· Developing and innovating the school’s regular giving programme, the Merchant Taylors’ Fund, to ensure a consistent income stream and increased participation from alumni, parents and friends.

· In conjunction with external consultants, running our (currently) biennial telephone fundraising campaigns and Giving Days.

· Liaising with school departments, clubs and societies to identify exciting projects to motivate supporters.

· Segmenting and targeting recipients for appeals to ensure the greatest impact and returns.

· Devising the strategy for promoting legacy giving as a means of supporting Merchant Taylors’, and to implement this strategy to increase the number of known legacy pledges to the school.

 Stewardship

· Establishing and running a comprehensive benefactor stewardship programme that thanks and stewards donors at all levels, including legacy pledges, through regular communication and events.

Reporting

· Reporting on progress against all objectives to the Development and Alumni Relations Sub-Committee of Governors.

· Where appropriate, working with the Development Executive (Events and Communications), to produce benefactor report publications and contribute to other Development publications.

· Ensuring that all contact with OMTs and parents is recorded on the Development Office’s database, the Raiser’s Edge.

Safeguarding responsibilities:

It is the post holder’s responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for whom s/he is responsible, or with whom s/he comes into contact and to adhere to and ensure compliance with the School’s Safeguarding Policy Statement at all times.  If in the course of carrying out the duties of the post, the post holder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the School s/he must report any concerns to the Head Master.

Merchant Taylors’ School is an equal opportunities employer committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. As this role will bring you into contact with children you are expected to share this commitment. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.  Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Further information on how the School uses personal data is set out in the School’s Staff Transparency Notice, which can be found n the Vacancy page of the School Website.

Title: Operations Officer

Location: Coram’s Fields, 93 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1DN

Responsible to: Chief Operating Officer Salary: Up to £34,000 per annum (subject to experience)

Contract Type: Permanent Hours: 35 hours per week (includes some evening and weekend work)

Benefits: 26 days annual leave, defined contribution pension scheme, tax-free childcare scheme, café discount, employee assistance programme, cycle-to work scheme

Role Summary

Coram’s Fields is a unique charity in the heart of Bloomsbury, London. In addition to our iconic 7-acre child-friendly park, we run a variety of services and enrichment programmes to support local young people and their families, including a nursery, an after-school and holiday club, a drop-in centre for parents of under-5s, a vibrant youth centre and a sports programme. We proactively host a wide variety of community events and celebrations, and our facilities are available for private hire to generate income for the charity.

The Operations Officer role is an integral part of the central team with responsibility for procedures, systems that support the effective, efficient, and compliant running of our seven-acre site, services, park events and oversight of income streams. It is an exciting and highly collaborative role offering a fantastic opportunity to combine effective communication and organisational skills with a passion for helping young people and a desire to develop commercial and business development experience.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

General operations, processes and systems 

• You will be responsible for the oversight and continuous improvement of organisational procedures including IT, GDPR, Health and Safety, Fire Evacuation, incident management.
• You will be responsible for briefing staff across the charity in the use of these procedures and working with the Office and HR Manager to arrange training for staff where necessary. 
• You will be responsible for improving existing office systems and identifying opportunities to develop new systems and processes to enable people to work more collaboratively, efficiently, and effectively. 
• You will be responsible for ensuring that organisational procedures are documented and accessible on the internal SharePoint.
• You will be responsible for developing and overseeing a new volunteer infrastructure for the charity, working with teams across the organisation to deliver a consistently high-quality volunteer experience for all with standard recruitment, induction, and on-going oversight procedures.

Events and project management 

• You will be responsible for coordinating and overseeing a diverse and inclusive programme of park events, making the park an interesting and vibrant place to visit, encouraging the community to gather and socialise, and generating income to support the work of the charity.
• You will have responsibility for working with internal and external stakeholders to ensure each event is well-planned, managed safely and compliantly with all regulations and laws, and executed successfully within budget. 
• You will work with the CEO, COO and Buildings and Facilities Manager to support capital projects, liaising with external stakeholders, contractors and the Local Authority to ensure the effective operation of the site. Commercial Operations
•  You will operationally oversee our facility-hire income (halls, sports facilities, and grounds) and be responsible for: – ensuring necessary contracts, waivers, and legal/statutory documents are completed – executing effective marketing and promotions, and creating high quality promotional content for our website and social media – regularly reviewing fees in relation to the hire of our facilities and making recommendations for changes to these – understanding and improving the utilisation of facilities – supporting the COO to develop and grow partnerships with local organisations and schools – improving the efficiency of our booking systems/processes and overall user experience 
• You will be responsible for identifying new (temporary and permanent) opportunities and third party partnerships to bring new experiences, enjoyment and enrichment to local young people while also generating income for the charity. 
• You will work closely with our Café Manager to grow the profile and income generated by our cafe through improved park signage and park visitor experience initiatives, and integration of the café into the hall and sports hire customer journeys.

Other 

• You will be expected to undertake personal development and training where required or beneficial for the role, and to attend regular supervision and appraisal sessions.
• To undertake any task that may be request from time to time by the CEO or Board of Trustees, as may be consistent with the nature and scope of this post.

How to apply: Please submit your CV and a Cover Letter outlining how you are good fit for the role!

* We can only consider applications from candidates who submit a cover letter detailing how their experience aligns with the job criteria and how the role fits with their career goals.

Diversity and inclusion matter to us. Coram’s Fields is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, from a diverse range of backgrounds. We strive for our workforce to be representative of the communities that we serve, and we know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for the families and children we work with.

Coram’s Fields is committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of all children and young people. All those applying for a role with the charity are subject to robust safeguarding checks and will need to demonstrate clearly their commitment to safeguarding. All appointments are subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS check and all post holders are required to register with the DBS update service.

About SafeLives

We are SafeLives, the UK-wide charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse, for everyone and for good.    

Last year alone, 14,000 professionals received our training. Over 80,000 adults at risk of serious harm or murder and more than 100,000 children received support through dedicated multi-agency support designed by us and delivered with partners. In the last six years, over 4,000 perpetrators have been challenged and supported to change by interventions we created with partners, and that’s just the start. 

Together we can end domestic abuse. Forever. For everyone.

About the role

As part of a team, this post will support the Policy, Public Affairs and Communications Manager to advance internal and external stakeholder communications and the development of, and public and political interest in, a more strategic approach to perpetrators of domestic abuse.

Hours: 37.5 hours per week.

Location: Bristol/London/remote, with occasional travel across UK.

About The Drive Partnership

The Drive Partnership, formed by Respect, SafeLives and Social Finance, is working to transform the national response to perpetrators of domestic abuse. We work to end domestic abuse and protect victims by disrupting, challenging, and changing the behaviour of those who are causing harm. Together we have developed the Drive Project to address a gap in work with high-harm, high-risk perpetrators of domestic abuse. We also work to advocate for systems and policy change- to develop sustainable, national systems that respond more effectively to all perpetrators of domestic abuse.

Benefits

• 34 days' holiday incl. public holidays
• Flexible working e.g. compressed hours
• Cycle to work scheme
• Eye care vouchers
• Pension scheme with 4% employer contribution
• Childcare vouchers
• Employee assistance programme
• Clinical supervision
• Holiday purchase scheme to buy up to an additional 5 days
• Enhanced family leave policies
• Enhanced sick pay
• Professional development fund
• Individual learning budget
• Restorative practice training
• Time off in lieu 

If this challenge sounds as exciting to you as it does to us and you believe you have the qualities we have described, please take a look over the job description and submit a 500-word cover letter and CV.

Closing date: 9.00am on Monday 5th May 2025.

SafeLives is a committed provider of equal opportunities for all; please see our job description for full details.

No agencies, please.

Director, Home-Start London

Lead. Innovate. Transform Families’ Lives.

Are you a visionary leader with the drive to make a real impact? Do you thrive in an entrepreneurial environment where collaboration and innovation are at the heart of everything you do? Join us as our next Director!

Home-Start London is seeking a dynamic and strategic Director to lead our charity and drive the growth of our family support network across the capital. This is an opportunity to lead a forward-thinking organisation helping to empower families through vital community support.

Location: Home-based

Salary: £50-55,000

Type: Permanent 

Hours: 4 days per week (28 hours). Hours can be worked flexibly.

About Home-Start London

We have a big ambition: to ensure that no parent in London feels alone and every child has the best start in life. Our network of 16 local Home-Start charities in the capital provides volunteer-led home visiting, group and other support to parents and carers with young children facing challenges such as social isolation, mental health difficulties, and poverty. Our work focuses on building new partnerships and securing funding, facilitating shared learning and more coordinated services, and amplifying the voices of disadvantaged families with young children to drive wider change. We are part of the national Home-Start movement. 

About the role

As Director, you will be the public face of an impactful and dynamic charity. You will ensure successful delivery of our strategy and lead on developing new partnerships that build financial sustainability of the charity and grow support for our wider network. Working with your small but mighty team and Home-Start staff and trustees across London, you will ensure we provide quality support to our network that drives increased impact. Your professional development and growth will be well supported.

What you’ll do:

• Lead and inspire – Be the public face of our impactful charity, shaping strategic direction and acting as a key advocate and spokesperson.
• Drive growth – Identify funding opportunities, promote collaboration, and build new partnerships.
• Oversee strategy and operations – Ensure good governance, robust financial management, and effective implementation of policy and plans.
• Innovate and evolve – Respond to new opportunities and challenges with creativity and resiliance to drive sustainability and impact.

About you

To thrive in this role, you will be a highly collaborative leader with experience in a senior role. You will be a brilliant networker and communicator, able to inspire and build trusted relationships. You will be a strategic thinker who can balance big picture vision with the practicalities of running a small charity. You will be a skilled fundraiser with a track record of securing income from a range of sources and you will be a passionate champion for families with young children in London.

Inclusion matters

At Home-Start London we believe that equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion are fundamental to achieving our purpose. We encourage applications from all parts of the community irrespective of gender, race, colour, age, sexual orientation or disability. Appointments will be based on merit, following an open and fair selection process.

Don't meet every single requirement? Who does! If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly, we'd love you to apply anyway. If you’d like to, then give us a call for a confidential conversation about the role and/or how we can make the recruitment process more accessible for you.

How to apply

See job pack for full details. To apply for this role, please click the "quick apply" button below. You will be asked to provide a CV and cover letter (no more than two pages).

Closing date for applications is Monday 28th April.

First round interviews will be held w/c 5th May.

Second round interviews will be held w/c 12th May.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Development Officer - Medical Sciences to join us on a permanent basis.

The University of Oxford is one of the world’s leading biomedical universities recognised for our outstanding quality and depth across the medical research spectrum - from genes to molecules, to big data and populations.  With the honour of 12 Nobel Laureates over its long and distinguished history, our Medical Sciences Division is consistently at the forefront of innovative and life enhancing, and saving, science. 

Philanthropy has played a key role in enabling the ambitions of our Division and wider University.  As the Development Officer- Medical Sciences, you will work across the division to secure philanthropy that furthers this cutting-edge work, from developing treatments for brain and mental health and cancer, to preventing pandemics. 

 About the Role

· Raising philanthropic income for the Medical Sciences Division by securing donations of up to £50,000

· Providing effective stewardship for Medical Sciences donors;

· Engaging and stewarding legacy donations to the Medical Sciences.

About You

· This role would be ideal for someone at the early stages of a fundraising career who now wishes to take on the challenge of developing their own portfolio of prospects, while also gaining experience of high-level stewardship and fundraising more generally, within a broad and varied academic environment.

· The Development Officer will be a skilled communicator with a strong eye for detail, and a commitment to developing their career in higher education fundraising.

What We Offer

Working at the University of Oxford offers several exclusive benefits, such as:

· 38 days of annual leave to support your wellbeing, with the option to purchase up to 10 extra days and additional leave after long service.

· One of the most generous maternity and adoption leave schemes in UK higher education, offering up to 26 weeks of full-pay leave, followed by additional statutory and unpaid leave options.

· A commitment to hybrid and flexible working to suit your lifestyle.

· An excellent contributory pension scheme.

· Affordable and sustainable commuting options, including a cycle loan scheme, discounted bus travel, and season ticket loans.

· Access to a vibrant community through our social, cultural, and sports clubs.

· Opportunities for growth and development, including membership to CASE.

 Application Process

To apply, please upload:

· A covering letter/supporting statement

· Your CV

· The details of two referees

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on 25th April 2025

Interviews will take place on 1st and 2nd May 2025, and will be held face-to-face.

Development and Alumni Engagement is committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills and experiences. We encourage applicants from all sectors of the community and are especially keen to encourage candidates from under-represented groups to apply.

Spanning the historic streets of the "city of dreaming spires," the University of Oxford has been ranked the world’s leading university for nine consecutive years. A place where centuries of tradition meet world-changing innovation, we offer you the chance to shape the future while working in an inspiring environment that promotes excellence. Here, you’ll contribute to ground-breaking research that tackles global challenges - from advancing sustainability to pioneering healthcare solutions - and join a diverse, inclusive community that champions your wellbeing, development, and aspirations. Apply now to become part of our extraordinary legacy.

Reports to: Fundraising and Engagement Manager

Direct reports: none

Location: Unit 7, FBC, 40 Bowling Green Lane, London, EC1R 0NE

Status, hours: Permanent, full time

Salary: Grade D, salary in the range of £32,254 - £35,560 (includes 11% London Weighting), plus benefits.

Role Summary

This role will support the expanding team with all engagement activities to ensure that good relationships are maintained with all Alcohol Change UK (ACUK) supporters, beneficiaries and volunteers. The Engagement Officer will undertake administration related to volunteer recruitment and recording of volunteer activities as well as being the first point of contact for the team ensuring ACUK delivers high levels of support to our volunteers. The role will also be responsible for creating content and delivering elements of our engagement communication programme.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities 

Please refer to the candidate pack for role and responsibilities of this post.

Important note: We monitor for use of AI in responses and will reject applications containing AI generated answers. 

Reporting to: Director of Policy and Engagement 

Direct reports: 1 x Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager and Legislative Lead, 2 x Policy and Public Affairs Officers, 1 x England Policy and Public Affairs Manager 

Location of work: Home-based. The post holder must be easily and quickly commutable to London and will require frequent meetings in London. The role may involve some irregular travel throughout England and Scotland to attend events and meetings.

Contract type: Full-time, 35 hours per week,  flexible hours may be considered. The role may require occasional evening and weekend work 

Contract Length: Permanent 

Salary: £54,500 - £56,500 

BACKGROUND

Our work has never been more needed. The latest research suggesting that the number of children and young people at risk of hunger has rocketed to 2.6 million* means that one in five children don't have enough to eat.When a child is too hungry to learn, when they’re aching for something to eat, they can’t concentrate. They can’t absorb information. Big feelings and worries can be impossible to control. They fall behind in their studies.

Magic Breakfast provide a nutritious and filling breakfast to over 300,000 children and young people every school day. We work with schools in areas of high disadvantage, helping staff target the children most in need without barrier or stigma.  Magic Breakfast are ambitious to grow our impact to remove hunger as a barrier to learning for all children and young people in the UK.

 This is an exciting time to join Magic Breakfast if you wish to make a difference to the lives of children as we work to influence both policy implementation, with the national rollout of primary-aged universal school breakfast, and legislative change, through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. There has also been commitment from the Scottish Government for a national breakfast scheme and we are seeking to expand our advocacy work into Wales. Magic Breakfast’s influence will be instrumental to ensuring school breakfasts are implemented in a way that is hunger-focused and barrier free.

In addition, thousands of secondary school children are at risk of losing their free school breakfasts from September next year. For many of these students, this is their only opportunity to have a nutritious meal before facing a demanding school day, including taking exams.  And for the very youngest, we know that the disadvantage gap begins before they even reach reception. With the Government commitment to another 100,000 places in school-based nurseries, early years is also a critical part of our advocacy work.

 Being part of the work of Magic Breakfast is your chance, together with parents, teachers and people across the UK, to demonstrate the power of school breakfasts and to shape the way forward to end morning hunger for good.

*Food Foundation Insecurity Tracker Jan 2025

JOB PURPOSE

The Head of Policy & Public Affairs will review, develop and implement our advocacy strategy and lead a team to influence the devolved legislatures across the UK to address child morning hunger, with a view to the underlying systemic causes of child poverty and hunger, by driving change through policy and legislation. The role operates at our ‘Head of level’ which is the most senior operational specialist level and provides both operational and strategic leadership.

This role will also provide wider leadership across the charity and input into organisational strategy development and planning as part of the Core Management Group. This role will ensure that the Policy and Public Affairs function is aligned to the wider strategic aims and outcomes of Magic Breakfast as well as the internal operational systems and delivery.

The strategic leadership will ensure an external and long term view, with an outward looking and forward thinking approach that builds thought leadership, relationships and partnerships, with positioning to anticipate and build on new opportunities to end child morning hunger for good.

It will require an experienced Policy and Public Affairs professional, with significant experience of high impact and demonstrable outcomes at a senior level in the field. The postholder will lead the policy and public affairs team to influence the Early Adopters Scheme, the national rollout of primary school breakfast provision in England and breakfast legislation in the Children’s Wellbeing Bill (CWB).

They will also develop, guide and lead plans to influence the Scottish government, particularly in the run up to the election in May 2026 and the influencing of manifestos; and will lead Magic Breakfast’s upcoming influencing work in Wales. 

In the external leadership that the role provides they will build relationships with politicians, political influencers, special advisors and civil servants to establish long-term, sustainable solutions to child morning hunger in the UK.

As a compassionate, people centric and inspiring leader they will work to enable their team to grow and develop in their skills ensuring they can step away from the detail whilst retaining accountability, build effective resource management and progression pathways. This role may manage external consultants where necessary, and work collaboratively with external organisations to amplify our voice and asks and strengthen our position as a thought leader. 

 KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

· Review and define the advocacy strategy for 25/26 in line both with moving political environment and Magic Breakfast’s influencing agenda, considering the systemic barriers to ending child morning hunger for good.

· Develop and maintain close relationships with the Department for Education and other key departments including Department for Health and Social Care and Treasury, to secure hunger and child focus as key priorities for breakfast provision.

· Develop, monitor and evaluate influencing plans for each devolved nation

· Support the development of influencing plans with coalition groups and organisations to influence school breakfast policy, commitments and implementation

· Review policy positions in Wales and Northern Ireland and define our advocacy approach, gaining external insights and analysing available research and data to shape the plan

· Develop a vision for advocacy beyond current demands, considering political appetite and gaining insight from lived experience communities and relevant sectors, to ensure that we are clear on future asks, and can build the foundation towards them.

· Work with Impact and Insights team to define future research needs to meet our longer-term advocacy plans

· Enhance and establish internal processes and ensure good internal information dissemination 

· Work closely with key internal stakeholders to shape advocacy work and support broader organisational objectives

· Embed learnings and develop a fail fast, learn fast culture in the team

· Coach, support and lead direct reports enabling increased professional development, strategic decision making, proactive project management and robust political influencing

· Contribute to and help shape the work of the Core Management Group to ensure ongoing alignment for in year implementation of the strategic plan and create integrated future year plans which meet organisational goals

· Monitor and review KPIs to monitor and measure both team and cross organisational performance, using the results to guide teams and surface learnings

· Assess areas of risk and escalate where necessary and according to policy

· Develop and monitor annual team budgets

General

• Work collaboratively across the organisation, building good working relations and providing ad-hoc support to other teams and members of staff

• Passion and commitment to Magic Breakfast’s aim of alleviating morning hunger as a barrier to learning for children in the UK.

• Help to maintain a positive working environment; keeping the vision of Magic Breakfast at the heart of everything we do. 

• Share Magic Breakfast’s commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion

• Establish and ensure existing Ways of Working are adhered to across team

• Adhere to all Magic Breakfast policies and procedures and ensure that all activity is compliant with current legislation, GDPR, data protection and child safeguarding requirements

• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the role

 PERSON SPECIFICATION

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

· Strategy development, demonstrating a deep understanding of how to craft, implement, and evolve strategies that align to operational outcomes for the Policy and Advocacy function as well as enabling our organisation strategy in our aim to end child morning for good.

· Stakeholder management and partnership building with extensive experience of engaging, influencing, and collaborating with diverse stakeholders, including senior political figures, policymakers, funders and sector leaders.

· Ability to confidently and flexibly deal with volatile political environment, anticipating potential developments and adapting to emerging situations to meet aims

· Highly experienced in developing and shaping policy positions, using insights, research and data sets to inform and guide decision-making

· Understanding and experience of the role of the broader external environment to shape policy asks and political influencing, including the implications of a policy ask in one sector on another.

· Experience of influencing key political events such as budgets, national elections and the legislative process.

· Significant experience of coaching, supporting and managing the development of a team, with the ability to make difficult decisions and challenge where needed to deliver the organisational strategy.

Desirable

· Experience of education, food insecurity, child poverty or childcare sectors

Skills and Abilities

• Effective leadership mentality with confidence to step away from the detail and delegate responsibility, enabling others to use judgements, make decisions, learn from failures and continuously improve.

• Analytical and evidence based decision making, with the ability to turn data and analysis into policy and advocacy related recommendations or outcomes for action.

• Effective planning, prioritisation and project management skills. Able to organise self and team to meet planned objectives and strategic direction with the ability to pivot and manage the unexpected.

• Strong, influential and impactful interpersonal and communication skills and to advocate for own specialism, department and Magic Breakfast's mission, effectively conveying the organisation's impact and needs to a wide range of audiences.

• Operational and financial acumen and analysis: understanding and practical application of knowledge as required around funding considerations, budget development and management, risk management, and ensuring systems in place for efficiency by setting and maintaining policy and procedural frameworks.

• An outward looking and forward thinking approach that drives a sense of curiosity, innovation and continuous improvement. Always thinking what can we learn from others, what new developments can be explored and what are the opportunities for the function to improve and grow with others too.

WHAT WE OFFER

At Magic Breakfast we value our employees and work hard to develop offer a supportive, respectful culture which enables everyone to bring their whole self to work.

Please find attached our job pack

APPLICATION PROCCESS

Should you wish to discuss the role before applying please email our People and Culture Team, recruitment @ magicbreakfast. com

Shortlisting - w/c 5th May

Interview 1 - 15th and 16th May

Interview 2 - w/c 21st May

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately, once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

CEO

Aberlour Child Care Trust

£112,000

Stirling

Aberlour Child Care Trust, known as Aberlour Children's Charity, is one of Scotland's leading children's charities, dedicated to supporting vulnerable children, young people, and families.  It operates across urban and rural communities in Scotland and is one of the largest, most established children’s charities in the country. This year it celebrates 150 years of providing a wide range of services, including support for children with disabilities, assistance for families affected by substance misuse, early years intervention, residential care, and help for young people transitioning out of care.

We are now seeking an outstanding Chief Executive to build on a proud legacy and to lead Aberlour’s ongoing development. Our next Chief Executive will be an inspiring, values-driven leader, who embodies compassion and respect. Leading a talented senior team, they will provide sound stewardship of the charity’s resources and reputation and will work closely with the Board of Trustees to steer the next phase of our development.

Principal Responsibilities

• Working collaboratively with the Board of Directors, the Senior Leadership Team and staff, develop and ensure the effective implementation of a vision and strategy for Aberlour that satisfies the core purpose.
• Provide advice and support to Board Members to ensure that the Board fulfils its corporate and statutory requirements.
• Develop and implement an annual business plan and budget that provide a framework for the achievement of organisation objectives.
• With the Chair and Committee leads, develop a reporting schedule covering all key performance indicators for Board discussion and decision.
• Build relationships with politicians, the media and government officials to advance the aims of Aberlour.
• Lead and manage the executive team, ensuring their professional performance and development needs are addressed.
• Maintain effective networks with all principal supporters and stakeholders. This will require an ambassadorial role on behalf of Aberlour, attending events, speaking on platforms and being the face of the organisation. At all times seek opportunities to expand and promote the role of Aberlour.
• Be cognisant of risks and changes in the external environment that could impact on Aberlour.
• Develop processes to ensure continuous business improvement through the implementation of effective quality management and risk systems.

For a confidential discussion please contact Catriona Mackie or Lauryn Pringle at Aspen People.

How to Apply

To apply, please upload your CV and cover letter (as one document). Applicants will be shortlisted for interview by matching the details given in their CV and covering letter, as one document, against the job description. We would therefore ask applicants to provide clear evidence to show how your experience, skills and knowledge match those requirements as well as why you are interested in the role.

Please note that you will receive an automatic acknowledgement of your application – if you do not receive this please contact Nicole Don at Aspen People.

Recruitment Timetable

We have provided below a note of all the critical dates within this recruitment campaign which we hope will help you plan your diary:

Closing date:Monday 5th May
Interviews: Wednesday 11th June

Reports to: Senior Community and Challenge Events Manager

Direct reports: none 

Location: 40 Bowling Green Lane, London, EC1R 0NE (minimum of 1 days per week in office) 

Status, hours: Permanent, full time 

Salary: Grade D, salary in the range £32,254 to £35,560 (includes 11% London Weighting) plus benefits 

Role Summary

The Challenge Events Officer will work closely with the Senior Community and Challenge Events Manager (SCCEM) and Engagement Assistant (EA) to deliver significant elements of the charity’s fundraising strategy, in particular our challenge events. The post holder will be responsible for recruitment, management and stewardship of our existing challenge event portfolio to increase income in an area which has seen significant growth.  

 Key Tasks and Responsibilities 

Please refer to the candidate pack for role and responsibilities of this post.

Important note: We monitor for use of AI in responses and will reject applications containing AI generated answers. 

Are you an experienced fundraiser with a passion for securing vital income from trusts and foundations? Do you want to make a real impact by supporting the Armed Forces community ?

Trusts Officer 
Location: Leicester (Agile Hybrid Working Available)
Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week

Salary: £33,820 - £35,600

Charity People is partnering with a leading welfare and wellbeing charity supporting over 85,000 Armed Forces personnel, veterans, and their families each year. The Association is committed to ensuring no member of the Armed Forces community faces adversity alone, offering welfare and wellbeing services such as housing support, and specialised programmes.

The organisation runs high-quality nurseries, offering affordable childcare to Armed Forces families, ensuring stability for children with parents in demanding careers. The Trusts Officer will help secure funding to enhance early years provision, supporting families relying on this essential service.

Your Role:

Reporting to the Senior Trusts Manager, the Trusts Officer will be responsible for raising income from trusts and foundations to support the development and growth of the Association. You will research, identify, and cultivate relationships with potential funders, create compelling funding applications, and ensure effective stewardship of supporters.

Key Responsibilities:

• Research and identify potential funders at local, regional, and national levels.
• Develop, manage, and maintain a portfolio of trust fundraising opportunities with a clear, scheduled pipeline of applications.
• Lead on crafting high-quality, persuasive funding applications that align with the needs of the organisation.
• Build and steward strong relationships with trust and foundation funders, ensuring timely reporting and recognition of their support.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the Association to gather data and develop costed cases for support.
• Work closely with the Communications and Marketing teams to promote the support received from funders.

About You

We are looking for a passionate and results-driven fundraising professional with:

• Experience in securing income from trusts and foundations, with a track record of securing 5-6 figure grants and meeting income targets.
• Strong research skills to identify new funding opportunities.
• Excellent communication and storytelling abilities, with the ability to write compelling funding applications.
• Experience in managing funder relationships, including stewardship and reporting.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple bids and deadlines.
• A collaborative and proactive approach to teamwork.

Benefits of working for the Association

• Generous Leave: 36 days (including bank holidays), plus a birthday/wellbeing day, and the option to buy additional leave.
• Flexible Working: Agile working arrangements and TOIL for extra hours worked.
• Pension & Financial Support: 5% employer pension contribution (subject to matching), life insurance (4x salary), company sick pay, and tax-free childcare vouchers.
• Health & Wellbeing: Free eye tests, flu jabs, Medicash health cashback plan, and paid medical leave for appointments.
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 confidential support for financial, legal, family, and health-related matters.
• Additional Perks: Free Association membership, volunteering opportunities, and access to exclusive discounts.
• Support for Military Reservists: Additional paid leave for reservist duties.

If you're excited about this role and meet the criteria, we'd love to hear from you!

Please send your CV to Priya at Charity People in the first instance.

Deadline: Friday 25th April Interviews: TBC

Charity People and actively promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion. We match charity needs with skills and experience of candidates, irrespective of age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we know greater diversity will lead to even greater results for the charities we work with.