Head of programmes

Closing date: 9am, Monday 14 October

Location: Hybrid / York

Salary: £89,000 - £95,000

The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust is looking for a Head of Programmes to play an important role in its work to lead its grant programmes which support our aims to create a more peaceful, just and equitable society.

JRCT seeks an exceptional leader to support us in our next stage of organisational development. As an experienced senior grants professional, you will lead the strategic development of JRCT’s grant-making and ensure operational effectiveness.

Managing a high performing team, providing oversight of five grant programmes and one grassroots movement pilot programme, leading day-to-day grant operations, and developing new grant-making initiatives and practices. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will work with an inclusive approach to promoting cross-programme collaboration and learning and measuring impact against JRCT’s philanthropic mission and strategy.

  • About the role

    This senior leadership role reports to the Chief Executive and oversees the Trust’s grant programmes to ensure they are effective, aligned with our mission, impactful, driving intended systemic change, operationally sound, and high performing.

    The role will involve collaboration with the SLT, line management of the Grant Programme Managers, and close collaboration with Operations, Finance, and Board trustees. It can be undertaken remotely in the UK or at our York office. The role is 35 hours a week, and we are open to flexible working.

    Someone working remotely would be required to come to the York office for at least 4 – 6 days per month and travel to committee and Board meetings 8 – 12 days each quarter with some occasional overnight stays. The Trust would pay for and fully reimburse all expenses.

    The Head of Programmes will act as a sounding board and critical friend in decision-making, ensuring our funding aligns with our mission, values, strategies, criteria and policies. Our Head of Programmes should oversee an organisational culture where the grantees we support pose action-oriented plans to societal issues — striking this balance to drive the most significant impact possible for our funding while sensitively navigating independence in decision-making. This is a hands-on Grants leadership role, not a campaigning or external spokesperson role.

  • About you

    We are seeking an individual who can offer 7 – 10 years of grant operations programme experience, who is poised to support innovation, is committed to a culture of continuous improvement, understands the context of systemic change within grant-making and movement building in the UK and can confidently coach and develop of grant teams to a high standard of practice.

    JRCT seeks committed and dynamic individuals who can work in a small team and build relationships.

    You are likely to be:

    • Someone who has worked within the UK for a foundation or grant-making organisation offering grantees funding of over £7 – 10 million annually
    • A bridge builder and fair leader
    • A highly skilled individual who can demonstrate best practice case studies and offer skill-building in grant-making that is transferable and relevant to JRCT
    • Someone with empathy who can show care and understanding towards colleagues and other stakeholders
    • Someone with strong written and verbal communication skills
    • Analytical and inquisitive
    • Sympathetic to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) values, which include a commitment to nonviolence, equality, truth and sustainability
    • A person with experience or understanding of some of the social issues and injustices the Trust seeks to address through its programmes
    • An individual with a commitment to justice and equity.