Programme Lead

About the Role

Working hours: Full time
Location: UK wide with regular travel
Contract type: Permanent
Salary: £55,000-£60,000

As Programme Lead, you will design and deliver high-quality, evidence-based programmes that respond to local needs and foster inclusion. You will work closely with partners and stakeholders to co-create strategies, solutions and ensure impactful delivery.

You can download the full Programme Lead recruitment pack in English.

Key Responsibilities

Programme Design and Delivery

  • Lead the delivery of Belong’s local programmes, ensuring they are evidence-based, responsive to community needs and bring about systems change locally
  • Design and facilitate workshops, training sessions and community engagement
  • Strong research methods, including desk-based, open-source, survey and social media
  • Competence in co-production facilitation that values equity, inclusion, and consensus building
  • Manage programme budgets, timelines and resources to ensure effective delivery
  • Monitor and evaluate programme outcomes, producing reports and insights for internal and external stakeholders
  • Collaborate with other Belong’s colleagues to amplify programme impact

Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement

  • Build and maintain strong relationships with local authorities, community organisations, funders and commissioners
  • Co-design programme approaches with partners, ensuring shared ownership and relevance
  • Represent Belong at external events, meetings and forums to promote our work and build new opportunities

Strategic Development

  • Contribute to Belong’s organisational strategy through programme innovation and learning
  • Support business development by identifying opportunities, developing proposals and contributing to bids
  • Share learning and best practice across the organisation to inform future programme development
  • Experience applying systems thinking to understand the interconnected nature of community, policy and service ecosystems

Planning, Delivery and Risk Management

  • Demonstrated project management experience, including project coordination of deliverables, tracking of budget and time
  • Skilled at-risk assessment and risk and opportunity mapping

Note: This list is indicative and not exhaustive. The post holder may be required to undertake additional duties in line with the role

About You

We are seeking a proactive and collaborative programme leader with:

  • Proven experience in designing and delivering community-based programmes
  • Experience working in or with local government or voluntary sector organisations
  • Strong facilitation and engagement skills
  • Familiarity with deliberative and participatory methods
  • Excellent project management skills with attention to detail
  • Experience in monitoring and evaluation frameworks
  • Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with strong communication skills, both written and verbal
  • Relevant qualification in community development, public policy or related field
  • Strong understanding of social cohesion and integration issues
  • Highly organised and able to manage multiple priorities

Desirable: experience in work relating to Prevent, PCVE, community tensions/ hate crime/ mis and disinformation

Personal Qualities:

  • Passionate about improving cohesion and integration in the UK
  • Collaborative and solution-focused
  • Entrepreneurial and proactive in identifying opportunities
  • Practical, focused and reliable
  • Able to thrive in a fast-paced and evolving environment
  • Committed to personal and professional development

The Application Process

Deadline: 23:59pm, Monday 12th January 2026
First interviews: 2nd & 4th February, online
Second interviews: 13th February, online

How to apply

To apply, please submit your CV and cover letter detailing how you meet the person specification to recruitment@belongnetwork.co.uk with the email subject line ‘Application to the role of Programme Lead’.

If you have any questions or would like to arrange an initial, informal discussion about the role, please contact recruitment@belongnetwork.co.uk.