Education director jobs in isle of wight, south east
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Job Title: Head of Advice, Information and Family Support
Location: This is a remote role, though quarterly travel to London will be required.
Reports to: Director of Service Transformation
Salary: £45,000
Working hours: 36 hours to incorporate On-Call Support
Contract Type: Permanent
Role Overview
We are seeking a dynamic and experienced professional to lead and grow our national family support services for disabled children, young people, and their families. As Head of Advice, Information and Family Support, you will be responsible for the strategic development, delivery, and quality assurance of a broad portfolio of non-clinical family services—ranging from emotional and practical support to peer networks, parenting guidance, and tailored one-to-one interventions.
You will be a confident leader with extensive experience managing family-facing services, ideally within health, social care, or community settings, and possess a strong track record of working closely with commissioners and local authorities to secure funding and shape service delivery.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Service Development
- Lead the strategic development of our national family support services, ensuring they are responsive, evidence-informed, and outcomes-focused.
- Identify opportunities for service innovation and expansion, particularly in response to commissioning priorities and gaps in local provision.
- Ensure alignment with organisational goals, sector best practice, and the diverse needs of disabled children and their families.
Commissioning and Partnership Engagement
- Build and maintain excellent working relationships with local authority commissioners, Integrated Care Boards, and strategic partners to influence commissioning decisions and secure long-term funding.
- Lead on tender submissions, funding proposals, and service agreements, ensuring alignment with local priorities and national policy developments.
Service Management and Quality Assurance
- Oversee the day-to-day operations and performance of a wide range of family support services, ensuring high standards of delivery and consistency across regions.
- Implement robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks, using data, feedback, and impact reports to inform service improvements and demonstrate outcomes to funders and stakeholders.
- Ensure compliance with relevant legal, contractual, and safeguarding requirements.
Team Leadership and Culture
- Lead, support, and develop a geographically dispersed team of family support professionals, setting clear expectations and fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
- Promote reflective practice, supervision, and professional development across the service.
Family and Community Engagement
- Champion co-production and user-led approaches, ensuring that families are meaningfully involved in the design, delivery, and evaluation of services.
- Ensure services are accessible, culturally competent, and tailored to meet the diverse needs of families, particularly those from underrepresented or marginalised communities.
Person Specification
Essential
- Substantial leadership experience within family support services, children’s services, or similar community-based roles.
- Proven success in working with commissioners and securing service contracts or grants.
- Deep understanding of the needs and challenges faced by families of disabled children and young people.
- Strong strategic and operational skills with the ability to manage complex, multi-faceted services.
- Demonstrated ability to manage remote teams, build partnerships, and lead with compassion and clarity.
- Sound knowledge of safeguarding practices, family support frameworks, and multi-agency working.
Desirable
- Experience developing or delivering services within SEND, early help, or targeted family support frameworks.
- Familiarity with public sector commissioning cycles, procurement processes, and tender writing.
- Experience influencing policy or service planning at a local or national level.
Note: We may close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. Please apply promptly.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Vacancy Reference: BfN2026/01
Job Title: Finance Assistant
Salary: £13.52 per hour
Number of Posts: 1
Type of Contract: Fixed Term for 1 year
Start Date: ASAP
Hours of Work: Minimum 21 per week (possibility to increase)
Working Pattern: Must include core hours on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday and times when interaction with members of wider team is possible.
Work Location: Remote (If located in West of Scotland – hybrid work also available)
Responsible to: Finance & Systems Manager
Closing Date: 29/04/2025
Proposed Interview Date: We will shortlist and interview while the vacancy is being advertised and reserve the right to withdraw the advert if a suitable applicant is recruited prior to the closing date.
Job Information: The Finance Assistant will provide efficient and accurate support by inputting financial records, ensuring smooth financial operations and generating and analysing reports using Sage and Excel. This is an excellent opportunity for a hard-working colleague to make a difference and further develop skills and experience in charity finance within a supportive and values-driven organisation.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The role: Royal Navy Sports and Community Infrastructure Project Officer - full time/35 hours per week
As a key member of the Greenwich Hospital and Andrew Simpson Foundation teams, you will be responsible for developing the RN “Building Sports and Well-being for the Future” vision into a costed, designed and persuasive community hubs plan, followed by its implementation as an effectively managed transformational project delivering high-quality sports and community hubs.
Based within the Andrew Simpson Foundation, the role will drive strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and scalable delivery aligned with RN priorities.
This is a fantastic opportunity for a disciplined and visionary self-starter to turn a vision into reality. As well as working closely with the ASF and GH Charity teams, you will be liaising with relevant stakeholders in the Royal Navy, particularly base commanders and those responsible for delivering Navy sport and supporting the community.
Experience of life in the Forces is essential, while knowledge of the challenges of infrastructure management would be a strong advantage.
Applicants should ideally be available for an immediate or early start
About Greenwich Hospital
A unique Crown body, Greenwich Hospital is the single largest funder of individual, educational and welfare support to serving and former Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel and their families. With a budget of £7m in the current financial year, we work to make a real and lasting difference during military service, during transition to civilian life and when they or their family need support.
About Andrew Simpson Foundation
A dynamic 10-year-old charity founded in memory of Olympian Andrew ‘Bart’ Simpson MBE, the Andrew Simpson Foundation honours his memory by opening up the world of sailing and watersports to people, particularly young people, from all walks of life, changing lives, creating career pathways and providing opportunities that last a lifetime.
This is a 2-year fixed term contract which may be extended.
Hybrid working with work from ASF and GH offices as required.
Initial salary: £60,000 per annum
Closing date for applications: 25 April 2025.
Interviews: 14 May London or 15 May Portsmouth
Key tasks
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Conduct a comprehensive review and evaluation of current Royal Navy sports and recreational facilities at HMNB Portsmouth and the Andrew Simpson Centre to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities.
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Develop and oversee a scalable, data-driven infrastructure improvement plan that enhances access, participation, and operational effectiveness.
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Position the Andrew Simpson Centre (Eastern Road) as a flagship water sports and community hub for service personnel, families, and partners, ensuring the facility meets world-class standards.
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Coordinate with Royal Navy personnel, local authorities, and national sports organisations to gather insights, co-design solutions, and build sustainable partnerships.
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Support the creation of a national expansion blueprint for Royal Navy sports infrastructure by developing replicable toolkits, delivery models, and frameworks for impact evaluation and knowledge sharing.
You will
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Be self-starter with strategic vision and operational focus.
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Have a strong ambassadorial presence, able to inspire confidence and communicate effectively across the Royal Navy, public, and charitable sectors.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Employer: Kids
Location: Remote work with occasional travel to London for in-person meetings.
Salary: £42 - £44k per annum
Hours: 36 hours per week, with flexible hours to be discussed during the interview.
Closing Date: Friday 25th April 2025, 5pm.
About Us
Kids is on a transformative journey towards building a proactive, sustainable major donor fundraising program. We're looking for a passionate and driven Philanthropy and Relationships Lead to help us unlock new philanthropic opportunities, making a lasting impact on children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Why Join Us?
This is a unique opportunity to shape and lead a new major donor program, building a robust portfolio of high-value prospects and implementing strategic plans to inspire substantial financial support. With Kids’ refreshed brand, senior stakeholder commitment, and a wealth of insights from our 2024 Future of Major Donors project, you’ll have all the tools needed to make a real difference.
Your Role
As the Philanthropy and Relationships Lead, you will:
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute a measurable plan for philanthropic growth based on key insights from our recent major donor evaluation.
- Support the Director of Fundraising, Engagement, and Voice to foster a culture of philanthropy across the organisation.
- Collaborate closely with the CEO and senior colleagues to drive donor cultivation activities, leveraging relationships to maximize engagement.
Relationship Building
- Cultivate and nurture existing donor relationships, aligning their interests with Kids’ impactful work.
- Actively network and maintain visibility within the community to attract new supporters.
- Collaborate with the Fundraising, Engagement, and Voice team to integrate efforts and demonstrate the impact of our services.
Prospecting and Outreach
- Develop and implement a structured approach to identifying new donor prospects, including mid-level and major donors.
- Work with the Events Manager to design and execute cultivation events, creating opportunities for meaningful engagement.
- Establish a mid-level giving strategy and maintain a dynamic caseload of potential donors.
Financial and Budget Management
- Set and achieve income targets, using our CRM (Donorfy) to track progress and manage the donor pipeline.
- Develop accurate financial projections and maintain a balanced approach between ambition and realism.
Tailored Communications
- Create compelling cases for support and personalized impact reports, showcasing how donations make a difference.
- Craft thoughtful, donor-centric communications that resonate with supporters’ motivations.
About You
We’re looking for a motivated relationship manager with:
- Proven success in building and sustaining high-value donor relationships, resulting in significant financial support.
- Demonstrable experience in pipeline management, including identifying prospects and generating new financial gifts.
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Confidence in using CRM systems to efficiently manage relationships and forecast income.
- A strategic mindset with a proven ability to develop and deliver tailored cultivation plans.
- Genuine passion for supporting children and young people with SEND, with insight into the policy landscape affecting them.
- Experience working with senior stakeholders, including CEOs and trustees, to secure support.
Apply Now
Join us in making a real difference in the lives of children and young people with SEND. If you are a dynamic, driven professional with the passion to inspire and secure major gifts, we would love to hear from you!
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Role: Fundraising Manager
Salary: £30,000 - £35,000
Location: Remote, UK
Contract type: Permanent, full time (37 hours/week, with flexible working hours). Part time over 30 hours/week considered
About the charity
Tiyeni is a UK-Malawian NGO whose mission is to end food poverty and to improve water security. We achieve our mission by delivering training and support to smallholder farmers in our innovative form of climate-smart agriculture, Deep Bed Farming (DBF). Our low-cost, low-tech farming method dramatically increases crop yields from the first year of adoption while simultaneously regenerating the natural environment, empowering communities to become more climate-resilient.
Tiyeni means "Let's Go!" in Chichewa, Malawi's most widely-spoken language.
About the role
You will be responsible for developing and diversifying the base of supporters and achieving fundraising targets. You will help maintain our existing stable income but also develop other income streams, expand our supporter networks, and build our sustainability for the future. The successful candidate will develop and maintain relationships with trusts and foundations as well as corporate partners and individual givers. You will develop and deliver successful plans to diversify and optimize our income as well as maintaining and improving the tools, processes, and internal expertise to ensure sustainability. You will explore other forms of fundraising, such as crowdfunding, major donors, and events.
Skills and experience
You will have a proven track record of soliciting, managing, and securing income from diverse income streams. You will have experience of developing successful grant applications and proposals for support to trusts and foundations. You will have digital fundraising fluency such as using social media to build support and run crowdfunding campaigns.
You will be an outstanding written communicator with the ability to absorb and synthesize complex information and translate it into compelling written cases for support. You should have excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills with the ability to relate to, influence, and persuade internal and external stakeholders at all levels. You should be proactive, positive, and able to work on your own initiative, learn and test creative approaches, and remain resilient in the face of setbacks. For more information about responsibilities and person specification, please see the job description.
Other information
Please ensure you fully read the job description and that you meet the people specification in the ‘About you’ section.
Please note that you must have the right to work in the UK. We cannot sponsor visas for candidates.
To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter outlining your suitability for the role. Deadline for applications is 27th April at 23:59.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Animal welfare charities the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) and the Humane Slaughter Association (HSA) are seeking a dynamic and dedicated Fundraising & Membership Officer to strengthen the Fundraising and Communications team. This pivotal role involves working with the Fundraising Manager to develop and deliver fundraising initiatives, enhance membership engagement and donor relationships to support and expand the impact of our animal welfare initiatives during an exciting period of growth and change for both charities.
The ideal candidate will enjoy working as part of a small multi-disciplinary team but also be confident to take the lead and work unsupervised when necessary.
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is looking for the next step in their fundraising career.
This position can be office-based, or home-based. However, the postholder will be expected to attend our offices in Hertfordshire to carry out duties as required, and attend some meetings. Travel costs and subsidence will be covered for the employee in these situations. The job may also require occasional travel within the UK and possibly overseas for conferences/meetings and other relevant events - some of which may occur at weekends or in the evening. Because we’re based in the UK, the appointee will need to be UK-based and legally entitled to work in the UK.
We use anonymous recruitment at the screening stage to ensure an equitable recruitment process.
Please see the Application Pack for a full job description, details on how to apply and further information.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Wonderseekers, the charity behind Winchester Science Centre, is seeking a senior leader to drive the charity’s financial strategy and operational effectiveness. As a key member of the Executive Team, the role will provide strategic oversight of financial operations, risk management, and key support services, ensuring the charity's long-term sustainability. The successful candidate will work closely with senior leadership and trustees to align financial and operational goals with the charity’s mission of engaging children with science to improve their lives and contribute to a sustainable future. This leadership position will also focus on the efficient delivery of essential support functions, ensuring compliance with governance, legal obligations, and safety standards, and fostering a culture of excellence across all areas.
This is an extraordinary opportunity to step into a pivotal leadership role at a charity with a powerful purpose and a solid financial foundation. Following a period of remarkable transformation, we are poised for even greater impact—investing in sustainability, expanding our reach, and enhancing our impact-driven science engagement experiences. If you’re passionate about leveraging financial leadership to create a better future for children and the planet, we’d love to hear from you.
Job details
Hours: 37.5 per week.
Work pattern: Usually Monday to Friday working during office hours with occasional weekends and out of hours work, however we do operate very flexibly.
Salary: Between £60,000-£70,000 per annum depending on experience (full-time)
Contract: Permanent
Line manager: CEO
Responsible for: Head of Finance, Head of Estates and Sustainability, Head of Digital Infrastructure
Holiday: 28 days per annum plus bank holidays (full-time). Option to buy/sell some leave and gain additional days for continuous service after four years. The post-holder will not usually be expected to work bank holidays however when duties require, time off in lieu will be available.
Location: Between both sites - Winchester Science Centre, Winchester, SO21 1HZ and Wonderseekers HQ, Eastleigh, SO50 9DE. Some remote working is possible however an onsite presence is required for most of the role.
Benefits: Cash health scheme, life assurance, buy/sell annual leave, long service holiday bonus, café and shop discount, electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme, free tickets to WSC and partner attractions, family friendly leave, wellbeing policy, mental health first aiders, charity workers discount scheme, cycle to work scheme, financial loans, flexible IT, casual dress, staff events, enhanced pension contribution and pension salary sacrifice scheme, inflationary pay rise subject to charity performance and more.
Deadline: Monday 12th May 2025 9am
1st round interviews: 20th and 21st May 2025 at Winchester Science Centre
2nd round interviews: w/c 9th June
Please contact us if you’d like to arrange an informal chat or have any questions about the role before applying.
About our Charity
Wonderseekers (the Charity behind Winchester Science Centre) strives to engage all children with science so they can live happier, healthier and more sustainable lives and contribute to improving life on earth. The Charity runs Winchester Science Centre - a vibrant, hands-on experience for young children. Promising an exciting day out for families, with curriculum-linked trips for schools and an evening events programme, the Science Centre welcomes over 170,000 visitors every year. Through our magnificent planetarium and live science experiences, science is brought to life in imaginative, fun and accessible ways that means everyone is included.
Key Objectives
- Finance Leadership: Be the architect of and execute a strategic vision for the charity's financial growth and long-term sustainability, ensuring resilience in financial operations.
- Risk Management: Lead and drive the strategic management of risk within the Charity, fostering a culture of continuous improvement in risk practices.
- Health, Safety, and Safeguarding: Promote and ensure a culture of excellence in Health and Safety and Safeguarding practices, maintaining the highest standards across the charity
- Infrastructure Development: Champion the development and implementation of robust systems and infrastructure to enable the charity to fulfil its mission efficiently and effectively.
- Leadership: Lead the Charity Support Services team, ensuring seamless and proactive support for the organisation’s operations and strategic objectives.
Key Responsibilities
Executive leadership and strategic contribution
- Report directly to the CEO, providing regular updates on financial performance, risk management, and operational efficiency. Additionally, the CFRO will present detailed financial reports, risk assessments, and progress on strategic goals to the Board of Trustees, ensuring transparency and alignment with the charity's long-term objectives.
- As a key member of the Executive Team, actively contribute to the development and refinement of the charity’s overall strategy, aligning financial and risk management goals with broader charity objectives.
- Play a leading role in setting and delivering the goals and targets defined in the charity’s business plan, ensuring financial health and operational efficiency.
Financial strategy and governance
- Develop, implement, and continually refine the charity’s financial strategy, policies, and practices in alignment with best practices and the organisation’s overall strategic goals.
- Provide financial leadership and oversight, ensuring the charity’s financial health by managing the planning, budgeting, reporting, and monitoring processes.
- Manage and oversee the preparation of accurate, timely financial statements, budgets, and forecasts that support decision-making by the Executive Team and Board.
Risk management and mitigation
- Lead the development and implementation of an enterprise-wide risk management framework that identifies, assesses, and mitigates risks across all operations.
- Oversee regular risk assessments and report on risk management performance, ensuring that all areas of the organisation are proactively managing risks.
- Foster a culture of risk awareness across the charity, ensuring that risk management is embedded in all key decision-making processes.
Operational efficiency and support services
- Lead and drive the efficient delivery of essential charity support functions, including IT, facilities management, health and safety, and safeguarding, ensuring that they are effectively resourced and aligned with the charity’s strategic needs.
- Ensure these functions operate in a seamless and ‘invisible’ manner, enhancing the operational efficiency of the charity while supporting its mission delivery.
Compliance and regulatory oversight
- Ensure full compliance with charity governance, statutory reporting, and all relevant legal obligations, including charity law, tax regulations,, financial reporting standards and data protection. The postholder will also act as our Data Protection Officer.
- Ensure that the charity adheres to all relevant health and safety regulations, creating and maintaining a safe working environment for staff, volunteers, and visitors.
Leadership and team development
- Lead, manage, and inspire the Charity Support Services team, ensuring a high level of collaboration and providing the resources needed for effective performance.
- Champion a culture of continuous improvement, supporting the professional development of staff and encouraging innovative problem-solving.
Stakeholder management and reporting
- Engage with the Board of Trustees and external stakeholders on matters relating to financial performance and risk management.
- Provide regular reports to the Board, senior leadership, and key stakeholders on financial status, risk assessments, and performance against strategic goals.
Person Specification:
Education:
- Essential: A recognised accountancy qualification (preferably ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
- Desirable: Management/leadership qualification or significant professional experience at a senior level in the charity sector.
Experience and knowledge:
Essential:
o A minimum of three years' experience in a senior management or leadership role.
o Proven track record of managing finance for a medium to large charity.
o Experience as a member of a Senior Management Team, contributing to strategic decision-making and organisational leadership.
o Expertise in financial management, including producing management accounts and monitoring cash flow for organisations with an annual turnover exceeding £2 million.
o Experience in business planning and long-term financial forecasting to support strategic goals.
o Strong experience in team management, including motivating staff and overseeing performance to drive high levels of engagement.
o Demonstrable experience of managing budgets, safeguarding processes, and risk management.
o Experience in the production and implementation of policies for example those related to finance, risk, health and safety, safeguarding and data protection within a charitable context.
Desirable:
o Familiarity with managing complex cash flow monitoring processes in a dynamic, mission-driven organisation.
Skills and Abilities:
Essential:
o Advanced IT skills, particularly in Excel, for financial analysis and reporting.
o Strong numeracy and attention to detail, ensuring accurate and high-quality outputs.
o Excellent time management and the ability to prioritise tasks to meet deadlines effectively.
o Outstanding verbal and written communication skills in English, with the ability to present complex financial and risk-related information clearly to both financial and non-financial stakeholders.
o Proven ability to work collaboratively as part of a team, with a hands-on and proactive approach.
o Personal integrity, intellectual agility, and the capacity to influence stakeholders at all levels within the organisation.
o Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trusting relationships across diverse teams and external partners.
o A professional, flexible, and resilient approach, maintaining composure in high-pressure environments.
Desirable:
o Ability to work effectively in a customer-facing organisation, ensuring financial and risk practices align with service delivery.
o Energetic, self-starting, and results-driven with a focus on continuous improvement and organisational impact.
o A positive and collaborative attitude towards contributing to a team culture that supports the charity’s mission.
The post-holder will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check.
Interview Process:
We look forward to getting to know you through our friendly and welcoming interview process. The interview is likely to include a pre-interview task and questions from our panel. Interview questions will be circulated in advance.
We can’t wait to hear from you! Please contact us if you’d like to arrange an informal chat, or have any questions about the role before applying.
Ready to Apply?
When you are ready to apply, please submit your application through our recruitment portal.
You will be asked to submit your contact details and answer a few questions so we can get to know you. Please keep your responses concise, this is your opportunity to really stand out. After answering these questions, please upload your cover letter and CV.
Need information in a different format or would like to apply in an alternative way? Just get in touch via our website.
No recruitment agencies, thank you.
To create a more equitable world where all children treasure science and are equipped and empowered to improve lives and protect and heal our planet.

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.