Director of Programmes

Director of Programmes Recruitment Pack

Closing Date: Monday 12 January 2026 - DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMES

Thank you for your interest in joining Belong - The Cohesion and Integration Network as our next Director of Programmes. This is an exciting time for Belong as we strengthen our national impact and expand our programme delivery across England and Wales. We are looking for a strategic leader who is passionate about building a more united and less divided society and wants to make a lasting difference to communities.

With a strengthened national profile, a bold strategy for the years ahead, and an ambitious Senior Leadership Team, this is an extraordinary time to join us. As Belong enters its next phase of growth, we are determined to deepen our impact, strengthen our resilience, and champion cohesion and integration at scale.

The Director of Programmes role is a senior leadership position at the heart of Belong's mission to build a more integrated and less divided society. As Director of Programmes, you will hold overall responsibility for the design, delivery and impact of Belong's programmes across the UK. You will lead a team of Programme Leads and Associates, ensuring that our work is strategic, inclusive and evidence-based. You will work closely with the CEO and senior colleagues to shape Belong's programme strategy and contribute to organisational growth.

This role is ideal for someone with a strong track record in programme leadership, partnership development and social impact. We are seeking a visionary and experienced programme leader with a deep understanding of social cohesion, social policy and systems change. The ideal candidate will be confident in leading teams, managing complex portfolios and building strategic partnerships, bring a collaborative and inclusive leadership style and be passionate about creating lasting change. You will also be highly organised, politically astute and able to translate insights into action, as well as possessing intellectual curiosity, strong political awareness and a commitment to equity and inclusion. A compelling communicator, you will be able to translate complex ideas into accessible messages and build trusted relationships across sectors.

If this sounds like you, and you are excited to help shape Belong's future while driving positive change across the UK, we would be delighted to hear from you.

About Belong
Belong is the UK's leading not-for-profit network focused on social cohesion. We work with communities, local authorities, and national partners to strengthen trust, belonging, and resilience through innovative programmes, research, and policy influence. Our growing membership spans local authorities, charities, civil society, and business.

Belong Delivers:

• Place-based cohesion and intercultural work with local authorities, communities and partners
• Research and policy to build the evidence base and influence national change
• Training, consultancy and leadership development
• Knowledge sharing, networks, learning events and thought leadership

Belong is collaborative, evidence-led and learning-driven, celebrating the benefits of diversity and operating within an equalities framework. Belong is independent, professional, transparent and committed to convening bold conversations to move beyond differences, strengthen social bonds and build common ground.

Our Team & Benefits
30 days' annual leave per year
Hybrid working (typical pattern of 3 days in the office)
Enhanced Sick Pay
Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay

Job Title: Director of Programmes
Working Hours: Full-time
Location: UK-wide, with regular travel across England and Wales
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £65,000-£70,000

Key Responsibilities - About the Role
You will lead Belong's programme portfolio, ensuring quality, consistency, and impact. You will work closely with the CEO and senior colleagues to shape strategy and contribute to organisational growth.

Strategic Programme Leadership

• Lead the strategic development and delivery of Belong's place-based programmes
• Ensure programmes are aligned with Belong's mission, values and strategic objectives
• Oversee programme design, delivery, evaluation and learning
• Line manage Assistant Director, Programme Leads and Programme Coordinators
• Apply systems thinking to understand interconnected community, policy and service ecosystems
• Ensure programme quality, consistency and impact across all delivery areas
• Ensure close alignment with the Policy & Research team so that delivery informs research priorities and vice versa

Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with funders, commissioners, local authorities and community organisations
• Oversee management of politically sensitive work in place
• Represent Belong at national forums, events and networks
• Lead on co-design and collaborative approaches
• Identify and pursue new opportunities for programme development and funding

Organisational Development

• Contribute to Belong's strategic planning and organisational growth
• Develop new programme models and approaches
• Support income generation through proposal development and funder engagement
• Share learning and insights across the organisation

Note: This list is indicative and not exhaustive.

About You
We are seeking a visionary and experienced leader with:

• Proven experience in leading complex programme portfolios
• Strong insights and/or experience in delivering programmes in a related field
• Experience working at a senior level in charity, NGO or public sector
• Strong leadership and line management skills
• Familiarity with systems change and participatory approaches
• Ability to manage stakeholders from strategic to community level
• Excellent strategic thinking and planning abilities
• Experience in income generation and bid development
• Understanding of social cohesion and integration issues
• Strong communication and influencing skills
• Experience in impact measurement and evaluation
• Highly organised and able to manage competing priorities
• Project and risk management skills

Desirable: experience in Prevent, PCVE, community tensions/hate crime/misinformation

Personal Qualities

• Passionate about improving cohesion and integration in the UK
• Strategic and visionary thinker
• Collaborative and inclusive leader
• Diplomatic and politically astute
• Practical, focused and reliable
• Committed to personal and professional development

Application Process
Submit CV and answers (max 400 words each) to:

• Why are you interested in applying and how do your values align with our mission?
• What key achievements make you a strong candidate?
• How does your leadership style support others and create empowerment?

Email:
Subject: 'Application to role of Director of Programmes'

Deadline: 23:59, Monday 12 January 2026
Interviews:

• First: 22 & 23 January (online)
• Second: 9 February (in-person)