Head of it and facilities jobs in Tn27

Head of Industrial Relations

£68,602 per annum + excellent benefits.

Home-based with travel to meetings/training across the country as required

Full time, permanent.

Lead negotiations. Influence change. Protect and strengthen the voice of school and college leaders.

Make A Difference

This is a rare opportunity to lead a highly influential function, shape national industrial relations activity and make a lasting difference to the professional lives of school and college leaders.

Why This Role Matters

As our clients Head of Industrial Relations, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring that school and college leaders have a strong and influential voice in shaping their pay, conditions and working environment. Leading their industrial relations and collective bargaining function, you will help safeguard members' rights, secure positive outcomes through negotiation, and strengthen their position as the leading professional body and trade union for education leaders. Your expertise will directly contribute to improving the working lives of members across the UK while ensuring the organisation remains legally compliant, strategically focused and highly respected within the sector.

Who We’re Looking For

Our client is seeking an experienced industrial relations, trade union or HR professional with a proven track record of leading successful negotiations at a senior level. You will bring substantial experience of collective bargaining, strong leadership capabilities, and a deep understanding of employment relations within complex organisations. You'll be a strategic thinker, an influential communicator and a confident relationship-builder who can work effectively with employers, trade unions, members and external stakeholders. A commitment to trade union principles, combined with the credibility to work alongside experienced school and college leaders, will be essential to your success in this role.

What You’ll Be Doing

You will lead and develop the Industrial Relations team, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality, consistent service to members nationwide. Working closely with employer groups, trade unions and local representatives, you will oversee negotiations, represent members at key joint negotiating committees, resolve disputes, and help secure the best possible terms, conditions and benefits for members. You will also provide strategic advice across the organisation, ensure compliance with relevant legislation and trade union requirements, support the development of local representatives, and contribute to the organisation's broader industrial relations strategy.

What our client can offer

Our client is an equal opportunities employer and offers a very generous package of benefits including

· Flexible working: Flexible working – a combination of working from home, attending external meetings and events and being in-person at their Leicester HQ as necessary.

· Generous leave: 33 days annual leave + bank holidays.

· Pension: 9% employer contribution.

· Professional development: Ongoing training and peer support.

· Expenses covered: Travel, home-working allowance, and equipment provided.

· Inclusive culture: They welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

They encourage applications regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

This is a home-based role with travel across England and Wales to meetings and events as required. Reasonable travel expenses, IT and telephone equipment will be provided.

If you’re ready to lead a team that makes a real difference to education leaders and organisations across the UK, they would love to hear from you.

INTERESTED?

The closing date for application is 4pm on Wednesday 5 August 2026.

Interviews will be held in-person, at HQ in Leicester on Wednesday 19 August 2026.

Start date: Tuesday 1 December 2026 but dependent on individual circumstances.

TO APPLY

To download the job description and person specification, follow the link on the 'Apply here' button above (which will take you to Networx Recruitment's website). From there, please complete your email address in the top right-hand box and click on the green 'Apply Now' button and follow the online application process.

About the Role

As we scale, we are looking for a Head of Operations to provide operational leadership to ensure the charity operates effectively, compliantly and sustainably in line with its mission and ethos. Working closely with the CEO, you will support the translation of the vision into reality by building strong foundations, enabling effective delivery, and supporting the scaling of the organisational from a regional base to a nationally impactful charity.

This is a pivotal role shaping how BeSpace grows. You will lead on strengthening systems, people, governance and operational delivery embedding accountability, and continuous improvement.

In this role, you will:

Strengthen governance, risk and compliance

· Develop and maintain robust governance frameworks and ensure legal and regulatory compliance

· Embed effective risk management processes

· Oversee key compliance areas including safeguarding, GDPR and reporting

Build operational systems and infrastructure

· Develop and implement scalable systems, processes and internal controls

· Improve data management (including CRM) and strengthen reporting

· Contribute to ensuring operational readiness to support national growth

· Work with external providers on IT and financial system integration

Lead people, culture and organisational development

· Oversee recruitment, onboarding and retention of a high-performing team

· Strengthen performance management and accountability frameworks

· Support and foster a values-led, healthy team culture aligned with BeSpace’s mission

Enable delivery, impact and growth

· Strengthen operational support for programme delivery and expansion

· Support the translation of strategic ambitions into practical systems and ways of working

· Improve data insight to inform decision-making

· Support development of fundraising infrastructure.

Contribute to wider organisational life

· Work collaboratively across the team to support evolving priorities

· Act as an ambassador for BeSpace’s values and Christian ethos

About You

We are looking for someone who:

· Has experience in operations, programme or an organisational role with increasing responsibility or has had operational leadership, ideally within a growing or changing organisation

· Has good experience in developing systems, processes and organisational infrastructure

· Can work closely with a CEO to translate vision into operational delivery

· Has excellent organisational and project management skills

· Is proactive, collaborative and relational leader who builds strong teams and culture

 It would be a bonus if you:

 · Are an experienced operational leader motivated by impact, flexibility, and supporting the growth of a mission-led organisation

· Have significantly enabled the scaling of a regional organisation to national growth operationally.

· Have experience in fundraising systems or donor management

Lead the operations, governance and compliance that enable Solving Kids' Cancer UK to deliver its mission and impact for children and families affected by neuroblastoma. Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will play a critical role in ensuring the charity operates effectively, compliantly and sustainably.

This broad and varied leadership role spans governance, risk, HR, IT, data protection and organisational operations, supporting delivery of the charity's strategy through robust systems, policies and processes. Acting as Company Secretary, you will work closely with the CEO and Board of Trustees, providing advice on governance, regulatory requirements and best practice. As a member of the Leadership Team, you will oversee key operational functions, lead cross-organisational projects and deputise for the CEO where required.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a strategic, highly organised and values-driven leader with strong experience in charity operations, governance and compliance. You will have a track record of ensuring organisations are well run, compliant and effectively managed, with the ability to oversee multiple operational areas and support strong governance and decision-making at Board level.

You will be comfortable working across a broad remit, including governance, risk, HR, IT and data protection, and confident providing clear, practical advice to senior leaders and trustees.

Person specification

Key requirements include:

• Significant senior-level experience in operations, governance or compliance within a charity or similar environment. 
• Strong understanding of charity governance and regulation, with experience supporting boards and senior leadership. 
• Experience overseeing organisational functions such as HR, IT, data protection or risk. 
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and lead cross-organisational work effectively. 
• Strong judgement, integrity and the ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion. 

See our Recruitment Pack for the full role description and specification and for information about Solving Kids' Cancer UK. 

This is an opportunity to make a significant contribution at the heart of a small, ambitious charity where strong operations are a vital enabler of impact for children and families.

Location: Home-based, within easy reach of London, with regular travel to the London office and occasional UK-wide travel.

First-stage interview: Thursday 6 August 

Second-stage interview: Thursday 13 August

The Pepper Foundation is a local charity funding children’s hospice care at home, specialised play and family days for children living with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The Community Fundraiser will be joining Pepper at an exciting time as we launch our new three-year fundraising strategy. Backed by committed investment and with full Board approval, we are delighted to be growing the charity to deliver sustainable income that directly supports local children and families with hospice care in the comfort of their own homes. 

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced relationship-builder to lead and grow community fundraising and challenge events activity, helping to raise vital income for The Pepper Foundation.

You will take ownership of a varied portfolio of community fundraising activity, building and developing relationships with volunteers, schools, clubs, local businesses and community groups, while also nurturing existing supporters and creating an excellent experience for everyone who engages with us. You will lead the day-to-day delivery of our community fundraising and challenge events activity, proactively identifying new opportunities, developing a strong pipeline of support and managing your portfolio to grow income and deepen engagement with The Pepper Foundation.

Hours: 30 hours per week (37.5hrs FTE) working from home - applicants must live within Hertfordshire or Buckinghamshire (or surrounding counties)

Salary: £25,600 pro-rata (£32,000 FTE)

Key Responsibilities:

Financial

• Deliver or exceed agreed income targets across community and challenge event  fundraising activities.
• Manage agreed budgets for community fundraising activities and challenge events, monitoring income and expenditure and ensuring activity is delivered in line with agreed targets and plans.
• Ensure activities are delivered as cost-effectively as possible, monitoring expenditure and helping to maximise return on investment.
• Develop and refine fundraising products, activities and supporter experiences that put supporters at the centre of what we do and encourage long-term engagement.
• Develop and maintain a pipeline of community fundraising opportunities, identifying prospects, converting enquiries and building repeat support from individuals, groups and local organisations.
• Help convert one-off supporters and new enquiries into repeat fundraising relationships through strong stewardship, follow-up and tailored engagement.

Communication
• Build and develop strong long-term relationships with community groups, schools, clubs and individuals to increase awareness, support and donated income.
• Support and manage key fundraising volunteers to help deliver income and activities.
• Work with the Head of Fundraising and marketing partners to ensure community and challenge fundraising activities are promoted effectively through suitable online and offline channels.
• Confidently communicate the work of The Pepper Foundation and inspire support through a variety of channels, including informal conversations, networking, presentations, written materials, newsletters and website copy.
• Deliver a high standard of donor and supporter care to maximise fundraising potential and encourage long-term support.
• Contribute ideas and content for promotional materials within agreed budgets and timelines.
• Identify and pursue opportunities to broaden participation in community fundraising and increase supporter engagement across the region.
• Proactively identify, develop and secure new community fundraising opportunities with local schools, groups, businesses and supporters to grow income and broaden engagement.
• Ensure relevant staff and volunteers are well briefed on community fundraising activities.
• Always represent The Pepper Foundation positively and professionally.
• Communicate confidently with a wide range of supporters and stakeholders, handling queries and resolving issues in a calm and professional way.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the fundraising team to ensure community fundraising activity is aligned with the wider fundraising strategy and income goals.

Management

• Recruit, train, support and motivate fundraising volunteers to help deliver community fundraising activities and events.
• Manage relationships with external suppliers and partners, such as venues and event providers, to support successful delivery.

Planning and Organisation
• Develop and deliver activity, stewardship and campaign plans for community and challenge event fundraising within agreed priorities, budgets and income targets.
• Deliver high-quality fundraising events that raise awareness of The Pepper Foundation across Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.
• Use Donorfy, our fundraising CRM, to administer and manage fundraising activity accurately and effectively, working with the Database Volunteer as needed.
• Produce post-event evaluations and recommendations in line with agreed requirements.
• Use insight, pipeline information and performance data to review results, identify trends and recommend improvements to future activity.
• Manage the day-to-day planning and delivery of key events and campaigns, making decisions within agreed plans, budgets and fundraising procedures.

• Take responsibility for health and safety in community fundraising activities, ensuring appropriate risk assessments are completed and relevant fundraising and safety procedures are followed.
• Respond appropriately to unexpected incidents at community fundraising events, following agreed procedures and escalating where needed.
• Take an active role in setting up and clearing down events and community fundraising activities, including periods of standing and occasional unsocial hours.
• Arrange appropriate Pepper Foundation attendance at local community events when needed.
• Manage resources effectively, including volunteer support, to maximise reach, income and engagement.

Reporting

• Produce regular reports on pipeline, activity, outcomes, income performance and learning for the Head of Fundraising, highlighting opportunities, risks and recommendations.

How to apply: For further details about the role, please download our recruitment pack. Please send your CV with a cover letter explaining why you would make a great candidate for this role and how you meet the job description. 

Closing date: Monday 13th July 2026 at 5pm

Interview dates: First-round interviews on 22nd and 23rd July with second-round interviews on 29th July 2026.

Interviews will take place at our office in Berkhamsted. Please let us know if you have any accessibility requirements or need any adjustments for the interview.

If appointed, an enhanced DBS check will be required.