Governance, Risk & Corporate Services Manager

• Fully remote (but based in the the UK)
• Part time - 0.8 FTE
• 18 months FTC

Governance, Risk & Corporate Services Manager | 0.8 FTE | 18-month fixed-term contract | Fully remote | £35,800 actual (£44,800 FTE)

Do you get a quiet sense of satisfaction from bringing clarity, consistency and structure to an organisation? If you're someone who can help turn established ways of working into clear, practical frameworks that others can easily follow, this could be the role for you.

At DFN Project SEARCH, we help young people with learning disabilities and autism move into meaningful, paid employment through supported internships with host employers across the UK. We’ve grown quickly, and our ambition is to support 10,000 interns by 2030.As we continue to grow, we're strengthening and formalising our governance, risk and corporate frameworks to support the next stage of our journey. We've recently enhanced our committee structure and will launch a new Finance, Risk & Audit Committee in January.
This is a newly created role, and it’s very much a hands-on one.

A bit about the role
You’ll be a key between our Executive Leadership Team and our Board of Trustees. You’ll also be the person who makes good governance feel proportionate and practical rather than a box-ticking exercise. Governance and risk will take up most of your time, and you’ll also look after a few corporate services. You’ll:

• Coordinate Board and committee meetings: agendas, papers, minutes, actions and governance advice in the room
• Lead on our Annual Report, and on filings with the Charity Commission and Companies House
• Support trustee recruitment, induction and development
• Build a properly right-sized risk register and Board Assurance Framework, working with our Finance Director and the Committee Chair
• Keep us compliant across charity and company law, GDPR, safeguarding and fundraising regulation
• Develop and review key policies, and deliver training on governance and compliance
• Oversee corporate services, including our outsourced IT provider, insurance, facilities, health and safety, business continuity and key contracts

What we’re looking for

• Governance experience within a charity or not-for-profit
• A good working knowledge of charity law, company law, GDPR and the wider regulatory landscape
• Experience of working with a Board. You’ll understand how trustees and executives work together, and you’ll help keep that line clear
• A pragmatic approach to risk and compliance, ideally gained without a large team behind you
• Excellent organisation. You’ll be juggling a lot, so you’ll need good judgement about which plates can wobble a bit and which ones must never drop
• And the bit that matters most: confidence and conviction. We’re a fully remote team, so you’ll need to set out what needs doing in straightforward terms, build trust with colleagues and trustees, and influence and bring people with you through a screen – a skill not all people have!

A governance, legal or compliance qualification (for example CGI/ICSA or CIPP/E) would be welcome, but it isn’t essential.

The details

• 18-month fixed-term contract at 0.8 FTE (30 hours per week)
• £35,800 actual salary (£44,800 FTE)
• Fully remote with occasional travel elsewhere in the UK
• Board meetings usually take place once a month from 4.30pm to 7.30pm
• 25 days’ holiday FTE plus bank holidays, an extra day off for your birthday, a pension, an Employee Assistance Programme, opt-in healthcare, and a mobile phone, laptop and travel budget
• We’re hoping for a December or January start, so this role suits candidates who are immediately available or on a short notice period

Interested? Let’s talk.

We’re working with Lucy Rider at Broster Buchanan on this appointment. For an informal conversation or to apply, please get in touch with Lucy.

Closing date: 13th November 2026 with interviews anticipated for c26th/27th November.