Head of Programmes & Impact

Application deadline: Friday 13th November at 10am

Help us create a world where every girl can thrive

At The Girls’ Network, we believe that every girl deserves the opportunity to realise her potential, regardless of her background or circumstances.

Through mentoring, workshops and opportunities for continued engagement, we connect girls with inspiring women and help them build the confidence, networks and aspirations to shape their futures.

We’re looking for a strategic, values-led Head of Programmes & Impact to lead the development and delivery of our programmes, ensuring that girls receive high-quality, inclusive and impactful support.

This is an opportunity to shape the future of our programme portfolio, lead a geographically dispersed team and help us deepen our impact for girls and young women.

About the role

As a member of our Senior Leadership Team, you’ll work closely with the Managing Director and colleagues across the organisation to translate our strategy into effective programme delivery and measurable outcomes.

You’ll provide strategic and operational leadership across our mentoring, workshop and ambassador programmes, ensuring they remain relevant, girl-centred and informed by evidence, learning and the experiences of the girls we support.

You’ll lead and develop five Programme team members and oversee the end-to-end volunteer mentor journey, from recruitment and onboarding to development and retention. As the organisation’s subject matter expert on mentoring and effective interventions for girls and young women, you’ll bring insight and expertise to organisational decision-making.

As Deputy Safeguarding Lead, you’ll also play an important role in strengthening safeguarding practice, culture and accountability across the organisation.

This is a role for someone who can combine strategic thinking with effective delivery, build and develop a strong team, and use evidence and insight to drive continuous improvement.

Strategic Leadership

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across The Girls’ Network programmes, contributing to the development and delivery of the organisational strategy as a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

• Translate operational strategy into a clear programme vision, priorities and delivery approach, ensuring programme activity contributes to the organisational goals and intended impact.

• Provide strategic insight and expertise on mentoring, programme design and effective interventions for girls and young women, using evidence, learning and sector developments to inform decision-making.

• Work collaboratively with the CEO and Senior Leadership Team to identify opportunities, manage organisational risks and make informed decisions about programme priorities, resources and future development.

• Contribute to organisational planning, culture and change, helping to shape ways of working that supports sustainable growth, equity, inclusion and high-quality delivery.

• Oversee programme budgets and resources, ensuring effective financial management, appropriate prioritisation and alignment with organisational objectives.

• Lead the effective use of programme data, insight and evaluation to understand outcomes, monitor performance, identify learning and drive continuous improvement, ensuring clear and meaningful reporting to the CEO, Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees.

• Lead a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring programmes evolve in response to evidence, evaluation, participant voice, emerging needs and changes in the wider environment.

Programme Delivery, Design & Development

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across The Girls’ Network programme portfolio, ensuring programmes are delivered to a consistently high standard, aligned with organisational strategy and designed to achieve meaningful outcomes for girls and young women.

• Set clear standards for programme quality, governance and delivery, ensuring appropriate systems, processes and controls are embedded and continuously strengthened.

• Lead the development and implementation of a sustainable mentor recruitment and retention strategy, informed by evidence, data, feedback and the changing needs of the programmes.

• Provide strategic oversight of the volunteer mentor experience, ensuring mentors are effectively recruited, supported, developed and retained as an integral part of programme quality and impact.

• Act as the organisation’s subject matter expert on mentoring, workshops and effective interventions for girls and young women, bringing relevant evidence, research and sector insight into programme development and organisational decision-making.

• Provide strategic oversight of the Ambassador Programme, strengthening its development, integration and contribution to the wider programme portfolio and creating meaningful opportunities for continued participation and long-term impact.

• Champion a girl-centred approach across programme design and delivery, ensuring the experiences, perspectives and diverse needs of girls and young women meaningfully inform decisions about programme development and quality.

• Identify and develop opportunities for innovation, growth and sustainable impact, overseeing the design, testing and evaluation of new approaches and scaling those that demonstrate value and effectiveness.

• Monitor programme performance, risks and resource requirements, taking timely action to address emerging issues and escalating significant risks appropriately.

• Ensure programme delivery complies with relevant legal, regulatory, contractual and organisational requirements

People Management & Team Collaboration

• Lead and line-manage the programme team, setting clear objectives and supporting performance, wellbeing and professional development.

• Build team capability through effective induction, coaching, learning and succession planning, ensuring colleagues have the support and resources to succeed.

• Lead recruitment and workforce planning with the People & Culture Manager, promoting fair, inclusive and accessible practices and building a diverse, high-performing team.

• Foster an inclusive team culture that promotes belonging, collaboration, psychological safety, continuous learning and high standards.

• Build effective relationships across the organisation, working with the Growth function and other teams to align programme development with partnership and fundraising opportunities.

Safeguarding

• Act as Deputy Safeguarding Lead, working alongside the designated safeguarding leadership to promote a strong safeguarding culture and ensure appropriate oversight, decision-making and escalation.

• Work with Safeguarding Officers and relevant colleagues to review, develop and implement safeguarding policies, procedures and practice in line with legislation, guidance and good practice.

• Oversee the quality and appropriateness of safeguarding training and programme materials shared with mentees, mentors and external stakeholders.

• Ensure programme colleagues understand and fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities and have access to appropriate training, guidance and support.

• Oversee arrangements for the safeguarding inbox and associated processes, ensuring concerns are responded to appropriately, promptly and in accordance with organisational procedures.

• Strengthen safeguarding practice across the programme team through advice, training, reflective practice and appropriate escalation.

About you

We’re looking for someone who combines strong programme leadership with a commitment to equity, inclusion and improving outcomes for girls and young women.

Essential:

• Senior leadership experience in programmes, operations, people management or a related field, with responsibility for delivering high-quality services or programmes.

• Experience of leading and developing a geographically dispersed or remote team

• Experience of translating organisational strategy into programme delivery, setting priorities, establishing effective processes and monitoring progress.

• Experience of developing and managing a portfolio of programmes, balancing quality, impact, resources and organisational priorities.

• Experience of using evidence, data, feedback and evaluation to measure outcomes, improve programmes and inform decision-making.

• Experience of developing and testing new approaches, learning from results and delivering measurable outcomes through programmes, mentoring or comparable interventions.

• Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills, with the ability to provide clear direction and work effectively with diverse stakeholders.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with a wide range of audiences.

• Strong organisational and operational skills, including the ability to manage competing priorities and oversee delivery, quality and risk.

• Understanding of safeguarding responsibilities within programmes involving children and young people, and the ability to contribute to a strong safeguarding culture and practice.

• A commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, demonstrated through programme design, team leadership and stakeholder engagement.

Desirable

• Experience of recruiting, supporting, developing and/or retaining volunteers, with an understanding of how to create positive and inclusive volunteer experiences

• Knowledge of the youth sector, social mobility, gender equality or education landscape

• Formal safeguarding training at Designated Safeguarding Lead level, or equivalent

• A relevant professional qualification or accredited leadership or management training

• Change management experience, particularly in organisational development and navigating ambiguity.

• Experience of managing budgets and reporting against expenditure

• A collaborative, values-led leadership style that embodies The Girls' Network values and a commitment to empowering girls and young women.

You don’t need to meet every desirable criterion to apply. We encourage applications from people whose experience and perspectives would bring something valuable to the role.

We know that choosing the next role is about more than just the role responsibility and salary. At The Girls’ Network we want you to have the support, flexibility and space to do meaningful work and build a career that works for you.

• 35 days' holiday from day one inclusive of bank holidays

• Buy up to 5 additional days of annual leave each year.

• A paid day off for your birthday.

• 3 days paid volunteering leave each year.

• A winter shutdown between Christmas and New Year.

• Remote working across the UK.

• Flexible ways of working, including flexible hours and compressed hours where appropriate to the role and team.

• A full suite of home-working equipment.

• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, including counselling, legal and financial advice, telephone support and online resources.

• Access to discounts through our EAP app across retail, fitness, travel and restaurants.

• Enhanced sick pay.

• Support for healthy screen working.

• An annual professional development fund to support your learning, skills and career development.

• Enhanced family leave across maternity, paternity/partner, adoption and shared parental leave.

• Workplace pension with a 3% employer contribution alongside your 5% employee contribution.

• A dedicated Girls' Network buddy, available beyond your induction to provide ongoing support and connection.

Ready to make an impact?

This is an opportunity to shape the next chapter of The Girls’ Network, leading our programmes and helping more girls realise their potential.

If you’re a strategic, values-led leader who is passionate about programme quality, mentoring and creating meaningful, lasting impact for girls and young women, we’d love to hear from you. You’ll have the opportunity to shape strategy, develop a talented team and help ensure our programmes continue to evolve in response to the needs and experiences of the girls we support.

Closing date: Friday 13 November 2026 - We reserve the right to close applications early if we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

First-stage interviews: Online, 30-minute conversations held on a rolling basis.

Second-stage interviews: Tuesday 1 December 2026, in person in London.

Please apply as soon as possible. You will be asked to complete your application by submitting your CV and answering a few application questions.

Appointees are subject to a DBS check. You must have the right to work in the UK to apply. 

The Girls’ Network is committed to building an inclusive organisation that reflects the diversity of the communities we work with. We particularly welcome applications from people who are underrepresented in the charity sector and in senior leadership. We value diverse experiences and career paths and are committed to a fair, inclusive and accessible recruitment process.

If you have any questions about the role or recruitment process, or would like to discuss reasonable adjustments at any stage, please contact recruitment@thegirlsnetwork.org.uk. We want all candidates to have the opportunity to participate fully and fairly in the selection process.

Use of AI in applications

AI can be a helpful tool for inclusivity and accessibility, and we recognise that it may support applicants with spelling or grammar. However, when it comes to our selection process, what matters most to us is hearing your authentic voice and personal experiences. We're not looking for polished answers — just your own experiences, in your own words.