Join the Country Trust team

Why work for us...

As part of The Country Trust team you'll be supporting children from areas of highest disadvantage connect to the land, often for the very first time. Our charitable work is urgent and vital in ensuring children have equal opportunity to understand their connection with food, farming and the countryside, and how it impacts their health and the health of the planet.

We currently have two roles available.

Impact and Learning Lead
Head of Programmes

Not what you're looking for?

JOIN OUR TEAM - EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

Impact and Learning Lead

Hours: 21 per week
Salary/contract rate : £38,000 FTE
Location: Ideally within easy reach of Chelmsford. Hybrid/homeworking
Employed contract – benefits
Annual leave: 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (FTE)
Benefits: Workplace pension
Reporting to: CEO (and then likely change to Head of Programmes, once recruited)

If you would like to discuss a possible combination with the Head of Programmes role also being advertised please contact us at senior-recruitment@countrytrust.org.uk

About The Country Trust

As a nation we've lost our connection with the land that sustains us all, with big and urgent ramifications for health, sustainability and equality. The Country Trust is changing this through high quality food, farming and countryside experiences that empower children in the most disadvantaged communities across the UK. For 45 years, we've worked with farmers to bring the countryside alive for over 600,000 children least able to access it. Our impactful programmes include the Food Discovery Programme, Countryside Discovery Residentials, Farm Discovery, Farm in a Box and Plant Your Pants.

About the Role

The Country Trust Impact and Learning Lead is a flexible and fulfilling opportunity in our growing, energetic charity. You'll ensure evaluation and learning are embedded throughout the organisation, setting the standard for measuring and articulating our difference. As a versatile senior leader, you'll shape our strategic direction by championing our Theory of Change and embedding impact across our activities from the start.

Starting from a strong position with our existing evaluation framework, you'll nurture a culture of evidence-based improvement across programmes such as our Farm Discovery and Countryside Discovery Residential programmes, in all reaching over 70,000 children annually. This hybrid role involves some home-working plus seeing our programmes in action nationwide.

About You

You are a team player, skilled in designing evaluation and learning activities ensuring all voices are heard.
Experienced in commissioning and/or managing external research or evaluation partners.
With strengths in quantitative and qualitative data collection, analysis and storytelling, you'll create compelling reports that drive decision-making.
You are an excellent communicator engaging diverse stakeholders, and an inspiring presenter and writer advocating our cause.
You are a curious, creative thinker piloting innovative ways to gather and visualise data. While no deep academic research knowledge is required, you'll have an appreciation of different methods, tools and approaches.
You can balance priorities and get hands-on.
You are skilled at designing and delivering training.
You understand the realities facing disadvantaged children and are committed to creating quality opportunities through our work
You have strong IT skills.
You have firsthand experience working with or within primary education.
You ideally have experience in the charity sector and a passion for food, farming and the countryside.

Supporting documents / links:

Closing date: midnight 5th May

Shortlisting: w/c 6th May

Interviews: w/c 20th May (to be confirmed)

Due to our safer recruitment policy, we cannot accept CVs for this position. To apply, please click the ‘Apply Online’ button below.

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Head of Programmes

Hours: 21 per week
Salary/contract rate : £43-45,000 FTE depending on experience
Location: Ideally within easy reach of Chelmsford. Hybrid/homeworking
Employed contract – benefits
Annual leave: 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (FTE)
Benefits: Workplace pension
Reporting to: CEO

If you are excited by this role but you would like to discuss the hours, or a possible combination with the Impact and Learning Lead role also being advertised please contact us at senior-recruitment@countrytrust.org.uk

About The Country Trust

About the Role

As the Head of Programmes, you will take on a strategic leadership role, managing the team of Programme Managers and deputising for the CEO when required. You will ensure each programme flourishes while encouraging collaboration across teams and with external partners to meet our ambitious objectives. This is a hybrid role, allowing you to work from home and travel to see our programmes in action nationwide.

Key responsibilities include:

Line managing senior programme staff, including a dispersed workforce
Overseeing operational demands and change management
Financial management - budgeting, forecasting, invoices, embracing fundraising
Actively promoting equality of opportunity and being a powerful advocate for our cause
Confident communication and stakeholder engagement across sectors
Supporting strategic direction and deputising for the CEO when required
You will work closely with the CEO, Senior Leadership Team of 10, and a delivery team of around 40 colleagues.

About You

We are seeking an exceptional communicator and versatile senior leader committed to providing quality opportunities for disadvantaged children. You must have:
Proven success line managing senior programme staff and a dispersed workforce
Strong financial management skills, including budgeting and forecasting
Working with the Impact and Learning Lead to ensure broad and deep understanding and implementation of our Theory of Change and our values, that evaluation and learning are embedded throughout the organisation and that we are known for the quality of our reporting, with all our activities and reporting informed by meaningful data.
To identify and develop key partnerships to enable us to extend our reach and our impact.
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Confidence and competence to act at Board level and deputise for CEO
Additionally, you should have:
Strategic thinking abilities to balance priorities and find solutions
A collaborative approach suited to a dynamic team environment
A desire to support colleagues' growth and development
The ability to build successful, effective partnerships – our 5 Year Plan goals are dependent on working with and through others
An understanding of the reality of the lives of disadvantaged children and the barriers they face in developing a first-hand connection with the land.
Passion for food, farming, and the countryside
This is a fulfilling opportunity to play a vital role in an organisation dedicated to reconnecting children with the land and creating a sustainable, equal future.