Planning manager jobs in wigan, greater manchester

About The Role

Personal Assistant to the Chair 

Closing Date: 25th April
Interviews: 9th and 14th May 

Contract:  14 hours per week (flexible hours spread across 4-5 days to be discussed at interview)

Application Process: Please ensure you apply with your most updated CV and a supporting statement on why you believe you would be the most suitable individual for this position.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Personal Assistant to the Chair of the Board. Reporting to the Governance Manager & Deputy Secretary, you will be part of the Finance and Assurance directorate.

In this role, you will be responsible for providing personal assistance to the Chair, including the coordination of a confidential calendar, managing requests for attendance, travel arrangements, meeting and event coordination, and ensuring the effective use of the Chair’s time. A high level of confidentiality and discretion will be essential in all aspects of your work. While the primary focus will be supporting the Chair, there may be occasional personal assistant support required for other Trustees.

You will bring extensive experience as a Personal Assistant, particularly in supporting senior staff and working within a large organisation. Experience working with C-Suite executives or Non-Executive Directors/Trustees is essential, along with an understanding of their priorities and the demands of their roles.

You will work closely with the Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive, who manages the Chief Executive’s schedule and personal arrangements, and with our Governance Admin Co-ordinator, who books travel and accommodation for board and committee meetings. Together, you will ensure the Chair has a well-organised calendar and is fully briefed in advance of key events.

The role is home-based, though you will be required to attend meetings in person, so a current UK passport and residence in the UK are essential.

The Society is dedicated to improving the lives of those living with dementia and, as a learning organisation, has individuals living with dementia among its board and committee members. We are committed to upholding our values and are looking for someone with a positive attitude, who is passionate about good governance and making a meaningful difference to those living with dementia.

About You

- Experience in supporting C-Suite directors: Demonstrable experience providing high-level administrative support to senior executives, effectively managing their needs and priorities.
- Highly organised, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and responsibilities seamlessly.
- Complex diary management with the proven ability to manage intricate and demanding diaries, coordinating meetings, travel, and events efficiently.
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
- Meticulous in managing itineraries and all related logistics, ensuring everything is in order.
- Collaborative and flexible, always ready to support colleagues and contribute to team success.

Person Specification

- Proactive and able to take initiative, with a strong ability to work independently while also thriving in a team environment.
- Tact and diplomacy - Diplomatic and professional, with the ability to navigate sensitive situations with care and discretion.
- in managing complex workloads, consistently delivering quality results within tight deadlines.
- Anticipates needs and plans ahead to ensure smooth operations and the successful delivery of tasks.

About Alzheimer's Society

Dementia is the biggest health and social challenge of our time.

There are currently estimated to be 900,000 people in the UK with dementia. Many are undiagnosed and facing the realities of their condition alone.

At Alzheimer’s Society we’re working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives. We do this by giving help to those living with dementia today and providing hope for the future. We’re here for everyone living with dementia.
 
As a Society, we are made up of people with dementia, carers, trusted experts, campaigners, researchers and clinicians. We are the UK’s largest collective force of people with unparalleled knowledge and over 40 years of experience addressing the biggest challenges facing people living with dementia.

Our Values

We are Determined to make a difference when and where it matters most, by being passionate, focussed and making a lasting impact for people affected by dementia.

Every one of us is a Trusted expert, listening, learning and using evidence and experience. We are Better together by being open, combining our strengths, helping us to achieve more together. We are Compassionate, we are kind and honest, and we don’t shy away from challenges.

Through our values we will make the greatest difference for people affected by dementia.

Hours:

Full-Time, 37.5 hours per week, over 5 days

Part-Time, 22.5 hours per week, over 3 days (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday)

Objective:

2wish exists to provide support to anyone affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a child or young person aged 25 and under.

Aims:

• Ensure every Emergency Department and Critical Care unit has a suitable bereavement suite
• Ensure that bereavement boxes are available at each of these hospitals
• Ensure that immediate bereavement support is available for all affected by the sudden death of a child or young person
• Provide a professional counselling service and other therapies for those affected by the sudden death of a child or young person
• Provide support to individuals who witness the sudden death of a child or young person
• Provide support and training to professionals from any sector who may be affected by the sudden death of a child or young person
• To advocate and campaign on behalf of suddenly bereaved families

Context of role:

2wish support anyone affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a child or young person aged 25 and under. We are an All-Wales charity providing immediate casework support, as well as ongoing aftercare services including counselling, alternative therapies, play therapy, support groups, support events and a respite cottage.

The post holder will provide immediate and ongoing emotional and practical support to families affected by the sudden and unexpected death of their child or young adult.

Main duties:

Service:

• To initiate immediate support for a caseload of families whose children and young people aged 0- 25 have died suddenly and unexpectedly across the South and West Wales region
• To contact all families within 24-48 hours of the referrals by telephone
• Complete an initial assessment of families' needs to identify and plan the support as required in line with safeguarding and risk reduction
• Offer emotional support and advice to a case load of families through home visits and ongoing weekly telephone calls
• To liaise with the Counselling Support and Outreach Coordinator, who is responsible for organising formal support such as counselling, complementary therapy or play therapy, subject to consent from the bereaved individual
• To work with hospital staff, GP’s, police officers, coroner offices, mental health teams and other healthcare professionals to raise awareness of and promote referrals into the charity
• To liaise with other professionals working alongside the family to provide a holistic and multiagency approach to support
• Attend relevant forums within the area
• To deliver awareness training in hospitals and other healthcare settings, schools and workplaces on the use of the bereavement boxes, referring into the charity and bereavement awareness
• To monitor the use of the memory boxes and ensure families have been offered a memory box
• To work with hospital trusts to establish and maintain the upkeep of suitable bereavement suites for bereaved individuals to use as required
• Facilitate debriefs within professional settings following a traumatic or sudden death of a child or young person
• Maintain stock of 2wish memory boxes and deliver boxes to partner organisations as required
• To submit monthly/quarterly/annual reports to Bereavement Services Manager as required
• To signpost and/or refer to other agencies as required that can provide support as needed
• Cover members of the support team for annual leave and/or sickness

General:

• To be responsible for organising own work agenda, time management and administration
• To show respect and sensitivity for the cultural and religious beliefs of families
• To undertake learning opportunities and seek them out for the team
• To adhere to all company policies and procedures including Safeguarding, Confidentiality, Health and Safety and Lone Working; and to be proactive in implementing new safe working practices as appropriate
• To attend weekend and evening community events in support of the charity as necessary
• Participate as and when required in team meetings and one-to-one meetings, and undertake, as appropriate, courses/training/other developmental activities, which is relevant to the role
• Contribute on the social media platforms maintained by 2wish
• Contribute to events at 2wish

It is the nature of the work that tasks and responsibilities are in many circumstances unpredictable and varied. All employees are therefore expected to work in a flexible way and tasks, which are not specifically covered in their job description may have to be undertaken.

You will be subject to performance review, which will incorporate a review of the above duties and performance over the period.

This role is subject to a DBS check.

Salary: Starting salary of £26,500 per annum, pro-rata for part time hours

Contract type: Permanent

Hours: Normal office hours are 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday, although alternative hours may be worked with line manager agreement. Work outside office hours may sometimes be necessary and will be compensated for by time off in lieu.

Annual leave: 28 days plus bank holidays. Annual leave steadily increases after five years of service. Annual leave and statutory holidays are calculated on a pro rata basis where applicable.

Pension: 2wish operate a contributory pension scheme. 2wish will auto-enrol you into the scheme in accordance with it's auto-enrolment obligations. Full details of the scheme will be provided to you once you are enrolled, including the minimum level of contributions that you will be required to make during your membership (current contributions - employer 3% and employee 5%)

Mileage: A fixed rate allowance is payable for agreed mileage undertaken on 2wish business in a private vehicle, over and above your usual journey to your workplace/s.

Location: 2wish currently offers a form of hybrid working and this will continue for the foreseeable future. This post is home and office based with travel across the region you are covering.

Additional benefits for our employees:

• An 'Employee Assistance Programme,' including wellbeing support
• Free parking on 2wish premises
• Free branded 2wish clothing
• An extra annual leave day on your birthday
• Incremental increase in holiday entitlement based on length of service
• Paid sick leave
• Discounts for personal purchases on 2wish Merchandise
• Discounted tickets to UK 2wish events for staff and family
• Extra holiday entitlement when taking part in 2wish overseas events
• Company mobile phone for performance of duties
• Tools/equipment required for the performance of duties
• Reimbursement of work expenses
• Bright Exchange employee discounts
• Auto-enrolment into company contributory pension scheme after 3 months service

How to apply:

Please return a CV and covering letter, or a CV and two-minute video, by email. Please make it clear if applying for Part or Full Time.

Closing date: 12th May 2025

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. Only those applicants that have been shortlisted will be contacted for an interview.

KEY INFORMATION

Location: Manchester, Bristol, Newcastle, Nottingham, or London

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (Hybrid - minimum of 2 days per week in the office)

Start date: July 2025 (we are happy to work with you and your notice period)

Duration: Permanent

Salary: £29,150 per annum if based in London. £26,575 per annum if based in Manchester, Nottingham, Newcastle or Bristol, plus a £312 yearly tax-free work from home allowance.

Application deadline: 12 noon, Friday 23rd May 2025

ABOUT UPREACH

Do you think that your socio-economic background should determine your career prospects?

upReach’s vision is of a society in which everybody has an equal opportunity to realise their full career potential. Our work is important because right now a student from disadvantaged background who gains a first-class degree from a top university is less likely to secure an elite job than a more privileged student with a 2.2. 

We are an award-winning charity employer working to address this issue in partnership with employers and universities. We help undergraduates from lower socioeconomic backgrounds achieve their career potential by providing an intensive programme of support that addresses socio-economic barriers to graduate employment. 

To find out more about how we support our students, visit our website and read our Annual Report, and Impact Report. 

ROLE SUMMARY

The Student Administration Officer will work with the Associate facing Programmes team to support the successful delivery of the upReach programme, focused on the programme operations of onboarding new Associates.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

You will contribute to upReach's mission by working with our programme team to facilitate the onboarding of new Associates.  You will be responsible for key processes and tasks on the Associate Tracking System, to enable upReach to deliver effectively and to meet objectives and key results (OKRs). These include:

• Associate Tracking System: steward applicants through the pipeline; confirm student eligibility; answering applicant and Programme Coordinator queries; track and report on pipeline progress; help Programme Coordinators with reporting on programme application progress;

• Ensuring our communications to applicants and prospective applicants are accurate and effective including email templates and call scripts;

• Assisting the student attraction team to deliver effective campaigns promoting our programmes;

• Assisting with other programme delivery activities as needed;

• Researching process improvement projects as needed.

Please note it is not possible for the job description to cover the exhaustive list of responsibilities of your role due to the varied nature of the role. The job description aims to provide an overview of your remit.

COLLABORATION AREAS

Collaboration is a key part of upReach’s culture, and as a Student Administration Officer you’ll have the opportunity to work with a range of teams across our organisation, including: 

• Programme Coordinators - coordinating the onboarding of each Associate. 

• Fundraising & Partnerships - meeting the onboarding expectations of our funder / partner relationships.

VALUES 

At upReach we uphold the following values for our team and volunteers, and will be looking for candidates who display these in our application process:

• Advocacy: We expect those involved with upReach to be advocates for everyone realising their full potential, regardless of social background.

• Aspiration: We empower our Associates to aim high and achieve their ambitions. 

• Integrity: We expect everyone involved with upReach to work collaboratively and with honesty, and to fulfil their commitments.

• Perseverance: We are adaptable when overcoming challenges, and encourage Associates to persevere similarly.

• Proactivity: We are proactive in our work, and inspire Associates to demonstrate this too.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate for Student Administration Officer will bring with them the following skills:  

• Attention to detail

• Planning and organising

• Proactivity and Perseverance

• Communication 

• Collaboration

To be successful in this role you will bring with you the following experience: 

• Strong organisational skills with attention to detail and the ability to manage a varied workload;

• Solid communication skills with the ability to communicate with students, team members and partners either in writing or verbally;

• The ability to learn quickly how to utilise a range of tools, including Excel and Google suite;

• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and working independently to find solutions to problems; 

• Self-motivation and an ability to work in a small team as well as independently;

• Commitment to social mobility - Knowledge of the UK social mobility landscape, and demonstrates a willingness to deepen their knowledge.

Desirable:

• Experienced in confidently contacting applicants and resolving their queries over the phone.

TEAM CULTURE AND BENEFITS

By joining the upReach team, you will be joining a team who are committed to supporting you in your career journey and fostering an inclusive culture. 

We offer: 

• Flexible and hybrid working.

• Statutory Holiday Entitlement of 25 days and bank holidays. This increases to 2 additional days after 2.5 years and then to 3 additional days after 5 years of working with us. 

• Birthday leave and volunteer leave

• Enhanced Parental Leave beyond statutory requirements for all team members. 

• 3% Pension Contribution, this increases to 5% after 5 years of working with us. 

• Cycle-to-work and tech buying schemes.

• Monthly socials.

• Dedication to Staff Wellbeing through our Employee Assistance Programme and Mental Health First Aid Training and annual Wellbeing Days

• Personal Development Budget, activated after 6 months in the role.

• The opportunity to participate in our fantastic staff networks: 

  • Disability and Inclusion Network

  • Diverse Roots Network 

  • Green Network 

  • LGBTQ+ Network

  • Mindfulness Network

  • Parents and Carers Network 

  • Socio-economic Background Network

READY TO APPLY

We are committed to making our recruitment process inclusive. All applications will be blind screened, and our job packs are available in Braille, large text or another format upon request. We can provide reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment application process and on the job, and we'll always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible.

Applications close at 12 noon, Friday 23rd May  Early applications are encouraged as we will be scheduling interviews on an ongoing basis. 

Equal Opportunities

At upReach, we are committed to being an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate in employment matters on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability, social background or any other protected class. We celebrate and value the diverse perspectives that people from all backgrounds bring to our team. We are passionate about creating a workplace that is inclusive and reflects the diversity of communities across the UK. Diversity in the workplace creates dynamic and effective organisations and we are actively working to build a more inclusive workforce by continuously improving our recruitment, retention, and development practices. We  encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds, those with disabilities , those who are care-experienced, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those who are LGBTQIA+.

Civitas Recruitment are delighted to be working with a fantastic creative digital marketing agency that focus their efforts on the third sector and work with values-based organisations and in particular the Islamic communities. Through their work they have managed to increase donations for charities as well as increasing traffic to websites. The agency specialises in crafting impactful digital marketing strategies, creative campaigns and comprehensive go-to-market plans. A fantastic opportunity exists for a Creative Copywriter to join the team. As Creative Copywriter, you will write creative and persuasive copy for digital campaigns, websites, ads, social media, and more. You will also collaborate with designers, strategists and marketers bringing campaigns to life. This is a full-time, permanent role, home based within the UK with meetings in Bradford every fortnight.

Who are we looking for?

Ideal candidates will have 3-4 years of copywriting experience in an agency or in-house role. You will have a strong portfolio showcasing versatile writing skills across different formats. You will be able to think conceptually and craft narratives that engage and convert. An understanding of branding, marketing strategy and audience psychology is essential for this role. Candidates will also have a passion for culturally inclusive marketing and a nuanced understanding of diverse communities including the Muslim Community.

If the above role description sounds of interest and you feel like you meet the criteria; please apply immediately or for further information, please contact Syed at Civitas Recruitment for a full JD and informal discussion. Early applications are encouraged as we will be reviewing on a rolling basis and roles may closer earlier than initially indicated.

About Open Cages

Open Cages is a UK-registered charity fighting animal suffering. We are part of an international organisation, Anima International. To achieve our goal we use scientific evidence, careful reasoning, and draw upon decades of collective experience. Just in the last few years, we have successfully helped improve the lives of hundreds of millions of farmed animals in the UK.

We are impact-oriented and use a wide array of tools to make the world a better place. Our current toolkit includes:

• Investigations which reveal the reality hidden behind the walls of factory farms
• Negotiations with companies to encourage them to eliminate cruel practices from their policies
• Advocacy to secure legal milestones for animals

At Open Cages we won’t stop until we end animal suffering. We would like to invite you to join us and help us achieve this goal.

What do you gain by working at Open Cages?

• Meaningful work – you will help build a world free from animal suffering
• Time – you will be able to focus full-time on helping animals
• High degree of flexibility – the work is almost totally remote and you will organise your working hours and workflow yourself
• Trust – we expect you to make mistakes as a given and learn from them
• Autonomy – you will experience freedom and independence in your decision-making
• Transparency – you will have access to the work and decisions of others
• Honest work culture – you will know what your colleagues are doing and what they really think
• Knowledge – you will learn and receive support from people who have been fighting for animals for many years
• Opportunity to grow – you will learn every day and be encouraged to experiment beyond your skill set
• Ability to influence the organisation – we encourage our people to openly speak their mind and thus you will be able to impact what kind of organisation we are
• A laugh – animal advocacy can be dark at times, we think that having a fun atmosphere is key to balance this
• Transparently set compensation – Our salaries are not negotiable and are based on a transparent algorithm that is the same for each role

Following a 3-month probation period, you will transition to a fixed-term contract. Upon successful completion of this term, you will be offered a permanent employment contract. A minimum salary of £39,695.24 gross (our salary base for people resident in the UK) will apply from the beginning of the probationary period. The salary base may change due to your previous experience related to the position, or your experience in animal advocacy (+3% for each year). In addition, the salary increases with your seniority in Open Cages according to the following model:

+ 7% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the first 5 years of work

+ 5% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the next 5 years of work

+ 3% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the next 5 years of work

+ 2% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the next years of work

About your role

We are a small and ambitious early-stage organisation with two full-time team members. Our current objective: to help the 1 billion chickens raised annually in the UK. By joining us as a campaigner who focuses on communications, you will work on the frontlines by shining a light on the hidden suffering of animals trapped on factory farms, and mobilising the public to take action. Your first task will be to help us convince the UK’s largest food businesses to improve their chicken welfare policies, primarily through crafting media stories and marketing campaigns that capture the hearts and minds of the public.

While this may sound challenging, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a historic change for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Someone has to pick up the fight, and we hope it will be You.

We can accommodate to you

Due to the broad scope of our work, there is no simple description of the perfect campaigner. There may also be certain areas where you are stronger than others, and we are open to fitting the role around you. We are looking for a generalist rather than a specialist. However, you do need to have some particular strengths such as resilience, persistence, creativity, and critical thinking. Ideally, some day, you will be able to lead a big team and transfer your knowledge to them.

No previous experience is required for this role. While experience will be valued (and reflected in the salary), we welcome applications from both seasoned professionals and passionate newcomers who align with our organisational culture.

What do we require from you?

• Strong belief in the mission of our organisation. Working for us should not be thought of as a ‘career step’. We want people who are motivated by our mission above all.
• Flexible availability. We think of ourselves as a small startup. The fate of the organisation rests on a handful of highly motivated advocates who want to do something ambitious with their lives. We want to maintain the intensity of our current operating culture, so you should expect to work the occasional weekends and late evenings.
• Not being an asshole. We expect you to treat others with respect, decency and compassion – even the occasional adversaries.
• A preference for hard work. Activism is our passion and one of the main motivations in life. To fit our culture, you have to be a person that is proactive and enjoys work.
• Growth mindset. Nobody knows how to fix the world, so we need you to keep learning. We constantly strive to be better at our activism, but also as people.
• Strong interest in a high-feedback culture. We have a culture of honest and direct communication. We talk openly about our strengths and weaknesses on a daily basis because we want to be the best. You will know what your colleagues really think of you and be encouraged to speak your mind.
• Ability to reason and communicate your thinking, especially in written form. In order to thrive in our organisation you must be able to think carefully, try to back up your ideas with reasonable evidence, and above all be open to being proven wrong and changing your mind.
• Fluency in English. You will be working in a UK-based organisation which will require constant communication with English speakers.
• Ability to work in the UK. This offer is open to candidates who are either currently UK-based, or are willing to move to the UK for the job. We are happy to do whatever we can to help you in relocating, depending on your needs and our ability. If you have any questions about what we can help with, don’t hesitate to write to us!

You do not need to be vegan or vegetarian. While all of our events provide only plant-based meals, we are open to anyone who wants to fight for a world that is free from animal suffering. We won’t turn down any help.

What will you do?

• Build culture – you will help build and reinforce our culture, so we never lose what makes up the strength of Open Cages.
• Embrace reality – you will make it your mission to understand the world as it is rather than as you would like it to be.
• Manage activists – you will manage and work with teams of both employed and voluntary activists.
• Experience frustration – you will feel frustrated about things you could do better or things that are not working in the organisation or your team, and use this frustration as an opportunity to refine and elevate our organisation.
• Question ideas – you will question common knowledge, especially your own ideas, so that our results are always as good as they can be.
• Optimise your performance – you will continuously deepen your knowledge – both about particular areas of animal advocacy and about how the world works – and enjoy this process.
• Prioritise action – you will act even when there is not sufficient data.
• Abandon projects – you will change your objectives when it makes sense, no matter the time already invested.
• Respect and trust others – you will be there for others and trust their intentions. You will support them when they succeed and when they fail.
• Seek information independently – you will be responsible for acting very independently which will require you to obtain and verify data.
• Make mistakes – you will embrace your mistakes without being ashamed with the desire to learn from them.
• Strategise – it is not easy to change the world. As a campaigner you will ask yourself endless questions. You will be responsible for campaign strategy which requires careful planning and the ability to think ahead.
• Try again and again and again – the decision makers we want to convince often don’t want to improve animal welfare, others may simply not have time for you. You will need extreme persistence in order to gain traction with companies.
• Take risks – negotiating in a high stakes meeting, attending a farming conference, organising a protest, taking hundreds of videos of a retailer’s chicken products for a BBC story (yes, we did this!) – in this role you will need to be comfortable with stepping out of your comfort zone.
• Conduct research – you will spend many hours online gathering information, working with investigators and lawyers, or delivering chicken products to a lab in Germany (we did this too).
• Create marketing content – you will produce graphics and videos for social media, and utilise marketing tools to reach millions of people.
• Work with the media – you will engage with journalists, write press releases, pitch stories and be animals’ voice on the radio and TV.
• Mobilise advocates – you will write emails to our supporters and motivate them to take action with us. You will also organise and run street actions like protests and stunts.
• Connect with diverse audiences – you will need to talk about the suffering of animals to very different groups of people that compose our society. To do that effectively, you will need to understand their perspective and be a good, empathetic communicator.
• Ask for support – you will help us fundraise to increase our impact.

Do you think this role is too challenging and you're not fit for it?

You may be thinking that this role would be interesting for you, but you won’t make the cut. 

We encourage you not to worry and fill out the application nonetheless, especially if you meet our requirements (even on a basic level) and you think this position could bring you a lot of joy. Leave the judgment about your competence to us. You may even learn something useful along the way.

We prepared support materials to help you through the application process. We'll also be hosting informational webinars about this role and our recruitment process – click ‘Redirect to recruiter’ to see the website for more details.

Job Title: Programme Lead

Reporting to: Senior Programme Lead

Location: Manchester

Salary: £23,500

Contract: Fixed term for a minimum of 12 months, full-time

Start date: 27 May 2025

Annual Leave: 50 days paid holiday each year which must be taken during school holiday

 

“The facilitator is a friend and teacher mixed into one… she gets the reasoning from the teacher and the understanding bit from the friend.” - Power2 Rediscover Young Person

 

Power2 is a fast growing and energetic children and young people’s charity that has supported 25,000 young people since 2001.  We are based in the North West of England and London and deliver early-intervention asset-based programmes to children and young people who have mental wellbeing challenges and are disengaged from school and more widely. We are well-known for our accredited Teens and Toddlers programme.

We believe every child and young person deserves the opportunity to thrive, even when things get tougher. We support young people to get the most out of their education by helping them to improve their mental health and wellbeing and develop their skills. We inspire young people who are at significant risk of school exclusion to re-engage and fulfil their potential at school, at work and in life.

Our work is growing and we are looking for eight Programme Leads to deliver our programmes on a fixed-term contract, to enable all children and young people, regardless of their needs, to feel that they belong and can prosper.

Our new Programme Leads will work as part of a team to support young people, their families, and school staff to ensure that at-risk pupils make the most of their education and improve their life chances. Work will include 1:1 support and delivery of Power2’s core programmes, including Teens and Toddlers and Power2 Progress. The successful candidates could be based in one school, travel between multiple schools or work in the community.

The relationships you cultivate with the young people you work with are at the heart of our success – so recruiting the right people is paramount. Our Programme Leads work with significant autonomy and authority and must embrace responsibility and be accountable for their work. They work collaboratively alongside young people, operating as a mentor as they empower young people to develop self-esteem, become resilient and engage with school and their own future. They give each young person the time, the confidence and skills to engage with their education and their future life plans.

Candidates are encouraged to apply even if your experience doesn’t precisely match the job description for this role. Your experience, skills and passion will set you apart so tell us your achievements, irrespective of whether they are personal or work-related and how this has shaped you, including things you’ve learnt along the way.

We are specifically interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of the issues we seek to address (childhood experience of having low family income, being disengaged with school and learning, experiencing poor wellbeing/mental health, being care-experienced, involved in gangs and violence). It is also important to us that the people we hire do not discriminate. We believe in being inclusive and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation, transgender status or social economic background.

On the second page of the application form, please upload a CV and personal statement. Use the personal statement as an opportunity to convince us why your skills and experience make you the right person for this role, paying particular attention to the criteria on the person specification. Applications without a personal statement will not be considered.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion

Power2 strives to be a diverse and inclusive place where we can ALL be ourselves. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships. We work to ensure that our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible and encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply. If we can make the application process more accessible to you, please let us know.

Safeguarding

Power2 is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates will be required to have an enhanced DBS certificate (child workforce) in place and provide details of two referees. As part of our commitment to safeguarding, we may conduct an online search for shortlisted candidates to ensure suitability for working with children and young people.

Do you want to make a difference?

The RAF Benevolent Fund is the leading welfare charity for the RAF. Every year we make a real difference to over 40,000 people who benefit from our services. Working at the Fund is more than sitting at your desk ad in this role you will have the opportunity to be part of our RAF Family.  Alongside helping our beneficiaries, we also get to hang out with Spitfires and Typhoons, take part in a Dambusters bike ride, attend events like Royal Ascot, the Chelsea Flower Show, and the Bomber Command Memorial Service. Every day you will make a difference and play your part in changing the lives of others and helping people in the RAF Family get through the toughest of times.

It doesn’t matter how long someone served or when. If they were part of the RAF, they and their family are part of our RAF Family. We will always be here to support them when they need it most.

Join the RAF Family and play your part in making a difference.

Do you want to play a part in what we do?

People are at the heart of what we do. Together we:

· Help reduce social isolation and loneliness among veterans. 

· We support ill or injured men and women to have a safe place to call home, a home that meets their specific needs.

· We fund youth services on stations to provide clubs and activities for the children of serving personnel who move every few years.

· We provide grants to help with the cost of living. But this is just a few of the ways we help.

We are looking for a Community Fundraiser who is an excellent communicator and an energetic self-starter. You are comfortable with working independently, but ready to utilise the support of colleagues across the Fund. Above all, you naturally build rapport to quickly establish relationships and develop innovative partnerships. No one day will be the same and as part of the regional team, you will be the local face and voice of the Fund on the ground. You will quickly build your understanding of the key influencers in your community, and you will ensure they understand what we do so they will want to be associated with the charity. You will be responsible for raising income through existing networks of supporters, volunteers and building new relationships within the RAF, community groups and local business.

The role is primarily community based in East Anglia and requires travel around the region (Cambridgeshire, London Kent, Essex & Suffolk)  and occasional overnight stays. Some evening and weekend work is also required during the busier months at planned events when required. The candidate must have their own vehicle for use of traveling around the regions. Occasional travel to London will be required. The successful candidate for this role will need a full UK driver’s license; to be Basic DBS checked and prove they have the right to work in the UK.

To apply, please click on this link and send your CV, together with a cover letter detailing why you believe you are suitable for this role, providing examples of how you meet the job profile when you apply through our recruitment portal.

The closing date for applications is Friday 3rd May 2025, 5.00pm.  

A copy of the Fund’s Candidate Privacy Notice can be found on our website. As an equal opportunities employer, the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership. The Fund takes safeguarding seriously, and appropriate background checks will be completed. You can find out more about our commitment to safeguarding on our website. This role requires a Basic DBS check. We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join the Fund.

 

The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is a Registered Charity (No. 1081009).

About Open Cages

Open Cages is a UK-registered charity fighting animal suffering. We are part of an international organisation, Anima International. To achieve our goal we use scientific evidence, careful reasoning, and draw upon decades of collective experience. Just in the last few years, we have successfully helped improve the lives of hundreds of millions of farmed animals in the UK.

We are impact-oriented and use a wide array of tools to make the world a better place. Our current toolkit includes:

• Investigations which reveal the reality hidden behind the walls of factory farms
• Negotiations with companies to encourage them to eliminate cruel practices from their policies
• Advocacy to secure legal milestones for animals

At Open Cages we won’t stop until we end animal suffering. We would like to invite you to join us and help us achieve this goal.

What do you gain by working at Open Cages?

• Meaningful work – you will help build a world free from animal suffering.
• Time – you will be able to focus full-time on helping animals.
• High degree of flexibility – the work is almost totally remote and you will organise your working hours and workflow yourself.
• Trust – we expect you to make mistakes as a given and learn from them.
• Autonomy – you will experience freedom and independence in your decision-making.
• Transparency – you will have access to the work and decisions of others.
• Honest work culture – you will know what your colleagues are doing and what they really think.
• Knowledge – you will learn and receive support from people who have been fighting for animals for many years.
• Opportunity to grow – you will learn every day and be encouraged to experiment beyond your skill set.
• Ability to influence the organisation – we encourage our people to openly speak their mind and thus you will be able to impact what kind of organisation we are.
• A laugh – animal advocacy can be dark at times, we think that having a fun atmosphere is key to balance this.
• Transparently set compensation – Our salaries are not negotiable and are based on a transparent algorithm that is the same for each role.

Following a 3-month probation period, you will transition to a fixed-term contract. Upon successful completion of this term, you will be offered a permanent employment contract. A minimum salary of £39,695.24 gross (our salary base for people resident in the UK) will apply from the beginning of the probationary period. The salary base may change due to your previous experience related to the position, or your experience in animal advocacy (+3% for each year). In addition, the salary increases with your seniority in Open Cages according to the following model:

+ 7% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the first 5 years of work

+ 5% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the next 5 years of work

+ 3% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the next 5 years of work

+ 2% – for every year worked at Open Cages during the next years of work

About your role

We are a small and ambitious early-stage organisation with two full-time team members. Our current objective: to help the 1 billion chickens raised annually in the UK. By joining us as a campaigner you will be both strategising and spending time on the frontlines, by talking to the biggest companies, producing investigative reports and giving media interviews. Your first task will be to help us convince the UK’s largest food businesses to improve their chicken welfare policies through public and behind-the-scenes advocacy. While this may sound challenging, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a historic change for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Someone has to pick up the fight, and we hope it will be You.

We can accommodate to you

Due to the broad scope of our work, there is no simple description of the perfect campaigner. There may also be certain areas where you are stronger than others, and we are open to fitting the role around you. We are looking for a generalist rather than a specialist. However, you do need to have some particular strengths such as resilience, persistence, creativity, and critical thinking. Ideally, some day, you will be able to lead a big team and transfer your knowledge to them.

No previous experience is required for this role. While experience will be valued (and reflected in the salary), we welcome applications from both seasoned professionals and passionate newcomers who align with our organisational culture.

What do we require from you?

• Strong belief in the mission of our organisation. Working for us should not be thought of as a ‘career step’. We want people who are motivated by our mission above all.
• Flexible availability. We think of ourselves as a small startup. The fate of the organisation rests on a handful of highly motivated advocates who want to do something ambitious with their lives. We want to maintain the intensity of our current operating culture, so you should expect to work the occasional weekends and late evenings.
• Not being an asshole. We expect you to treat others with respect, decency and compassion – even the occasional adversaries.
• A preference for hard work. Activism is our passion and one of the main motivations in life. To fit our culture, you have to be a person that is proactive and enjoys work.
• Growth mindset. Nobody knows how to fix the world, so we need you to keep learning. We constantly strive to be better at our activism, but also as people.
• Strong interest in a high-feedback culture. We have a culture of honest and direct communication. We talk openly about our strengths and weaknesses on a daily basis because we want to be the best. You will know what your colleagues really think of you and be encouraged to speak your mind.
• Ability to reason and communicate your thinking, especially in written form. In order to thrive in our organisation you must be able to think carefully, try to back up your ideas with reasonable evidence, and above all be open to being proven wrong and changing your mind.
• Fluency in English. You will be working in a UK-based organisation which will require constant communication with English speakers.
• Ability to work in the UK. This offer is open to candidates who are either currently UK-based, or are willing to move to the UK for the job. We are happy to do whatever we can to help you in relocating, depending on your needs and our ability. If you have any questions about what we can help with, don’t hesitate to write to us!

You do not need to be vegan or vegetarian. While all of our events provide only plant-based meals, we are open to anyone who wants to fight for a world that is free from animal suffering. We won’t turn down any help.

What will you do?

• Build culture – you will help build and reinforce our culture, so we never lose what makes up the strength of Open Cages.
• Embrace reality – you will make it your mission to understand the world as it is rather than as you would like it to be.
• Manage activists – you will manage and work with teams of both employed and voluntary activists.
• Experience frustration – you will feel frustrated about things you could do better or things that are not working in the organisation or your team, and use this frustration as an opportunity to refine and elevate our organisation.
• Question ideas – you will question common knowledge, especially your own ideas, so that our results are always as good as they can be.
• Optimise your performance – you will continuously deepen your knowledge – both about particular areas of animal advocacy and about how the world works – and enjoy this process.
• Prioritise action – you will act even when there is not sufficient data.
• Abandon projects – you will change your objectives when it makes sense, no matter the time already invested.
• Respect and trust others – you will be there for others and trust their intentions. You will support them when they succeed and when they fail.
• Seek information independently – you will be responsible for acting very independently which will require you to obtain and verify data.
• Make mistakes – you will embrace your mistakes without being ashamed with the desire to learn from them.
• Try again and again and again – the decision makers we want to reach often don’t want to improve animal welfare, others may simply not have time for you. In this role you will need extreme persistence in order to gain traction with companies.
• Build relationships – you will need social competence as you try to build trust and work with company executives to make progress for animals.
• Strategise – it is not easy to change the world. As a campaigner you will ask yourself endless questions. You will be responsible for campaign strategy which requires careful planning and the ability to think ahead.
• Take risks – negotiating in a high stakes meeting, attending a farming conference, organising a protest, taking 500 videos of a retailer’s chicken products for a BBC story (yes, we did this!) – in this role you will need to be comfortable with stepping out of your comfort zone.
• Conduct research – you will spend many hours online gathering information, working with investigators and lawyers, or delivering 50 chicken products to a lab in Germany (we did this too).
• Create engaging content – you will produce emotive graphics and videos for social media, factual reports and data-driven briefings for journalists and politicians.
• Work with the media – you will engage with journalists, write press releases, and give the odd interview.
• Mobilise advocates – you will write emails to our supporters and motivate them to take action with us. You will also organise and run street actions like protests and stunts.

Do you think this role is too challenging and you're not fit for it?

You may be thinking that this role would be interesting for you, but you won’t make the cut. 

We encourage you not to worry and fill out the application nonetheless, especially if you meet our requirements (even on a basic level) and you think this position could bring you a lot of joy. Leave the judgment about your competence to us. You may even learn something useful along the way.

We prepared support materials to help you through the application process. We'll also be hosting informational webinars about this role and our recruitment process – click ‘Redirect to recruiter’ to see the website for more details.

Stick ‘n’ Step is a wonderful, impactful and life transforming charity with a powerful history, and an exciting future ahead! This charity provides free conductive education sessions to children with cerebral palsy, enabling and inspiring these young people and their families every single day. When a local service was withdrawn, parents came together to raise funds themselves to keep the vital provision going for their children. Stick ‘n’ Step now provides support to over 100 children and their families every week, and offers an incredible range of sessions enabling each child to reach their potential and tackle their personal goals.

“Leo’s confidence has grown, and I totally credit Stick ‘n’ Step staff with getting him walking. The repetitive routines and the way sessions are structured are really helping Leo to learn new skills which I hope can give him some independence in the future. We can’t thank you enough.”

(Mum, Emma)

This is a hugely exciting time to join Stick ‘n’ Step, as the fundraising team navigates and embraces an exciting period of growth. We are looking for a passionate and motivated Regional Fundraiser to join this dynamic fundraising team, could this be you?

The Role

The Regional Fundraiser will be responsible for growing income by working proactively across the region. The main duties will include:

• Nurturing relationships with community groups, schools, local business and third parties.
• Recruiting, motivating and supporting volunteers.  
• Working collaboratively to meet individual targets, as well as team targets and objectives.
• Contributing to the fundraising strategy to achieve long term growth.

The Person

Ideally we are looking for someone with experience in a professional fundraising role. However, Stick ‘n’ Step are flexible and will consider applicants with the relevant transferable skills. Most importantly you should be empathetic and enthusiastic about raising vital funds to support children with disabilities.

You must have:

• Proven experience in meeting and exceeding financial and non-financial targets.
• The ability to inspire people through public speaking and networking.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• The ability to build and maintain strong relationships.

We are looking for a professional person who can represent this wonderful charity and live its fantastic values on a daily basis. You should therefore be passionate, motivated, organised and flexible to join this small but mighty fundraising function!

Why Stick ‘n’ Step?

Stick ‘n’ Step are a successful, dynamic and forward-thinking organisation. Their passionate, motivated team work together to help everyone achieve their full potential, while having fun.

Not only is Stick n Step hugely passionate about the incredible range of young people and families whose life it changes every year, the charity also puts significant emphasis on staff welfare. Stick n Step has a wonderful organisational culture, and the team has some ambitious and exciting growth plans having a further positive impact and making this a fantastic place to work! The charity also has a focus on personal welfare and promotes a positive work life balance through its inherent flexible approach. Additional benefits include:

• 28 days holiday per year with an additional day given for birthday leave plus Bank Holidays.
• 3% employer pension contribution 4% Employee contribution.
• Maternity, Paternity and Adoption leave - the rules and procedures regarding parental leave often change. Leave will be paid at the recommended Government rates and guidelines.
• Sickness Leave – dependent on length of service.

The role involves regular out of office work for meetings with supporters and stakeholders. Please note that a full UK driving licence and access to your own transport for business use is essential. You will be required to work some evenings and weekends to support events. This role requires an enhanced DBS check.

If this sounds like the type of role and charity that could suit the next phase of your fundraising career, then do get in touch. To register your interest please apply here, or for more information contact Charlie or Leanne at Charity Horizons.

Please note: If you would like to submit an application or express your interest in an alternative format, such as audio or video upload, please contact either Charlie or Leanne who will be happy to advise on this. 

Please also be aware that Charity Horizons use anonymous recruitment methods when submitting shortlists for all our roles and we only work with organisations that are happy to engage with us in this way.

Charity Horizons is an equal opportunities employer and as such actively promotes equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We welcome and encourage applications from all suitable candidates irrespective of age, disability, hidden disability, race or national origin, religion or belief, gender, gender expression, political view, sexual orientation, medical condition and pregnancy.

Programme Lead (West & East Midlands) 

Salary: Starting Salary: £34,237-£36,853 depending on experience, skills and qualifications* 

 (see below for more details on remuneration)

About Voice 21 

Voice 21 is the national oracy education charity. We exist to empower every child to use their voice for success in school and life. Our work transforms learning and life chances through talk by increasing access to a high-quality oracy education for those that need it most. Follow the links to find out more about why oracy is so vital and the impact Voice 21 has. 

Your purpose

To lead professional development and school improvement programmes facilitating the Voice 21 approach in our Voice 21 Oracy Schools by delivering our high impact learning experiences and materials for teachers and school leaders. To be part of the team, designing and reviewing programme content.

Your opportunity 

Tackle a vital challenge, with great people. Voice 21 exists to transform childrens’ learning and life chances through talk and we are aiming to be working with 2,000 schools a year by 2025. To reach this goal we recruit great people and give them real responsibility, training and support. 

Output focused culture, with flexible working opportunities. We have an agile and flexible approach – our team can work when and wherever works best to deliver the requirements of their role. For staff working at home, we support them to create a workspace and provide technology that enables them to work effectively. 

Real development opportunities. We believe in supporting people to develop the skills they need to be excellent – whether this means funding external training, finding a mentor to support them or giving them the time to learn from others in the organisations through our regular CPD sessions. We also offer paid study leave for team members taking part in formal studies outside of work. 

Great benefits. 36 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays and Christmas closure period). Holiday entitlement increases linked to length of service, 5% employer contribution to pension, interest-free season ticket, cycle and technology loans, employee assistance scheme. 

Remuneration. Our pay is a band and spine point approach where there is up to 7 years progression available (depending on starting point) 

Your responsibilities

Quality programme delivery

• Lead high quality professional development and school improvement programmes in our Pathway programmes and Open Learning for groups of teachers. These may be delivered in person, online or in school. 

• Deliver transformative consultancy support, working with teachers and school leaders to design and implement bespoke improvement plans for their oracy provision, including through in school and online consultancy support, and one-to-one advice.

• Build credibility and purposeful relationships with programme participants, both at programme days and touchpoints, and on an on-going basis to drive impact in our schools.

• Be responsible for participant learning and experience on your programmes, upholding high standards for all elements such as preparation, adapting to participant needs, content and rigour, on-going interactions and support, and participant feedback.

Learning content & programme development

• Proactively share insights and learning from the programmes you deliver, proposing and shaping solutions to enable Voice 21 to continually improve its programme offer.

• Apply and share expertise through varied outputs such as teaching materials, online learning content, resources, written or video outputs. Proactively identify and respond to opportunities or gaps and fulfil briefs or commissions. 

• Contribute to the continual improvement of Voice 21’s programmes, through development and review cycles, based on first-hand learning from our schools, content expertise, programme insights and external research and evidence. 

Team and organisational contribution

• Act as an ambassador for Voice 21’s national oracy expertise, communicating the value and impact of our approach at conferences, events and through publications.

• Embody and communicate oracy teaching and learning expertise within the organisation, acting as a resource for the wider team and making contributions to organisational priorities, projects, campaigns and events, outputs and publications etc. 

• Continually and proactively develop your own and others’ expertise in Voice 21’s approach to a high quality oracy education, and use this to leverage impact for our schools through tangible learning outputs.

• Identify and carry out other tasks commensurate to the level and spirit of the role as required.

Your experience

• You are an excellent teacher (primary or secondary)

• You are passionate about teaching and learning, and the role of talk in learning. You have used talk to support learning in your classroom.

• You have experience leading whole-school change and inspiring teachers to embrace new approaches and ideas.

• You have a knowledge of a range of speaking and listening techniques and contexts for oracy, these could include: debate, dialogic teaching, storytelling, public speaking or communication and language development. 

• You are a strong communicator both when working in a small team and when facilitating learning for large groups of adults. 

• You are flexible, can think on your feet and can bring your own experiences to the work we do.

• You are highly-organised, look for solutions and can prioritise and manage a varied workload. 

• You are enthusiastic, willing to learn and feel you would be energised by our mission. If you do not fully meet all the above criteria, but are happy to work towards developing into the role, we would be happy to consider your application.

• You are willing to travel nationally on a frequent basis (2-3 days a week) during term time; this will include regular overnight stays. 

Application details 

We are looking to hire someone whose location is well connected for reaching our schools in the West and East Midlands. Please send your most recent CV and a document answering the questions below:

• Tell us why you want to work at Voice 21. What is it about us and our mission that excites you? (Max. 400 words)

• Making direct reference to the job description, please tell us the three main reasons why you would make an excellent Programme Lead (Max. 400 words).

• Tell us about something you have achieved recently that you are proud of? (Max 200 words)

Closing date: Wednesday 30th April 

Interview dates: First round phone interviews on Tuesday May 6th and & Wednesday May 7th

Second round online interviews for shortlisted candidates on Friday May 9th and Monday May 12th

Start date: August 2025 

Terms: Permanent, subject to successful probation review at 3 months.

Contract: This is a full time post, but we would welcome applications from those looking for part-time or flexible working. 

Location: Home-based with frequent national travel, including overnight stays, to work with schools and attend meetings. Applicants must hold a valid UK driving licence and have access to a car they can use for work. 

Questions: If you have any questions before applying for the role, please contact Catherine Pass

Valuing every voice

Voice 21 believes that every voice should be heard and valued. We are committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and do not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join Voice 21.

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 

Programme Lead (North West & Yorkshire) 

Salary: Starting Salary: £34,237- £36,853 depending on experience, skills and qualifications* 

 (see below for more details on remuneration)

About Voice 21 

Voice 21 is the national oracy education charity. We exist to empower every child to use their voice for success in school and life. Our work transforms learning and life chances through talk by increasing access to a high-quality oracy education for those that need it most. Follow the links to find out more about why oracy is so vital and the impact Voice 21 has. 

Your purpose

To lead professional development and school improvement programmes facilitating the Voice 21 approach in our Voice 21 Oracy Schools by delivering our high impact learning experiences and materials for teachers and school leaders. To be part of the team, designing and reviewing programme content.

Your opportunity 

Tackle a vital challenge, with great people. Voice 21 exists to transform childrens’ learning and life chances through talk and we are aiming to be working with 2,000 schools a year by 2025. To reach this goal we recruit great people and give them real responsibility, training and support. 

Output focused culture, with flexible working opportunities. We have an agile and flexible approach – our team can work when and wherever works best to deliver the requirements of their role. For staff working at home, we support them to create a workspace and provide technology that enables them to work effectively. 

Real development opportunities. We believe in supporting people to develop the skills they need to be excellent – whether this means funding external training, finding a mentor to support them or giving them the time to learn from others in the organisations through our regular CPD sessions. We also offer paid study leave for team members taking part in formal studies outside of work. 

Great benefits. 36 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays and Christmas closure period). Holiday entitlement increases linked to length of service, 5% employer contribution to pension, interest-free season ticket, cycle and technology loans, employee assistance scheme. 

Remuneration. Our pay is a band and spine point approach where there is up to 7 years progression available (depending on starting point) 

Your responsibilities

Quality programme delivery

• Lead high quality professional development and school improvement programmes in our Pathway programmes and Open Learning for groups of teachers. These may be delivered in person, online or in school. 

• Deliver transformative consultancy support, working with teachers and school leaders to design and implement bespoke improvement plans for their oracy provision, including through in school and online consultancy support, and one-to-one advice.

• Build credibility and purposeful relationships with programme participants, both at programme days and touchpoints, and on an on-going basis to drive impact in our schools.

• Be responsible for participant learning and experience on your programmes, upholding high standards for all elements such as preparation, adapting to participant needs, content and rigour, on-going interactions and support, and participant feedback.

Learning content & programme development

• Proactively share insights and learning from the programmes you deliver, proposing and shaping solutions to enable Voice 21 to continually improve its programme offer.

• Apply and share expertise through varied outputs such as teaching materials, online learning content, resources, written or video outputs. Proactively identify and respond to opportunities or gaps and fulfil briefs or commissions. 

• Contribute to the continual improvement of Voice 21’s programmes, through development and review cycles, based on first-hand learning from our schools, content expertise, programme insights and external research and evidence. 

Team and organisational contribution

• Act as an ambassador for Voice 21’s national oracy expertise, communicating the value and impact of our approach at conferences, events and through publications.

• Embody and communicate oracy teaching and learning expertise within the organisation, acting as a resource for the wider team and making contributions to organisational priorities, projects, campaigns and events, outputs and publications etc. 

• Continually and proactively develop your own and others’ expertise in Voice 21’s approach to a high quality oracy education, and use this to leverage impact for our schools through tangible learning outputs.

• Identify and carry out other tasks commensurate to the level and spirit of the role as required.

Your experience

• You are an excellent teacher (primary or secondary)

• You are passionate about teaching and learning, and the role of talk in learning. You have used talk to support learning in your classroom.

• You have experience leading whole-school change and inspiring teachers to embrace new approaches and ideas.

• You have a knowledge of a range of speaking and listening techniques and contexts for oracy, these could include: debate, dialogic teaching, storytelling, public speaking or communication and language development. 

• You are a strong communicator both when working in a small team and when facilitating learning for large groups of adults. 

• You are flexible, can think on your feet and can bring your own experiences to the work we do.

• You are highly-organised, look for solutions and can prioritise and manage a varied workload. 

• You are enthusiastic, willing to learn and feel you would be energised by our mission. If you do not fully meet all the above criteria, but are happy to work towards developing into the role, we would be happy to consider your application.

• You are willing to travel nationally on a frequent basis (2-3 days a week) during term time; this will include regular overnight stays. 

Application details 

We are looking to hire someone whose location is well connected for reaching our schools in the North West and in Yorkshire and Humber. Please send your most recent CV and a document answering the questions below:

• Tell us why you want to work at Voice 21. What is it about us and our mission that excites you? (Max. 400 words)

• Making direct reference to the job description, please tell us the three main reasons why you would make an excellent Programme Lead (Max. 400 words).

• Tell us about something you have achieved recently that you are proud of? (Max 200 words)

Closing date: Wednesday 30th April 

Interview dates: First round phone interviews on Tuesday May 6th and & Wednesday May 7th

Second round online interviews for shortlisted candidates on Friday May 9th and Monday May 12th

Start date: August 2025 

Terms: Permanent, subject to successful probation review at 3 months.

Contract: This is a full time post, but we would welcome applications from those looking for part-time or flexible working. 

Location: Home-based with frequent national travel, including overnight stays, to work with schools and attend meetings. Applicants must hold a valid UK driving licence and have access to a car they can use for work. 

Questions: If you have any questions before applying for the role, please contact Catherine Pass

Valuing every voice

Voice 21 believes that every voice should be heard and valued. We are committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and do not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join Voice 21.