Director of Delivery, First UK

• Someone who gets growth and has credible experience owning and scaling a programme, product, or service
• You’re systematic in approach whilst appreciating the power of relationships and delivery through others
• A sophisticated leader, you motivate, coach and support others to achieve more
• You see the challenges and opportunities within a high growth potential organisation and are always ahead of them
• You might already be working in the Education or Third sector looking for your first directorship
• Perhaps you’re seeking transition from the commercial or tech sector into a truly purpose-led leadership role. Either way you understand what’s needed to operationalise growth – and are already asking what it means to be ‘More Than Robots’
• Proven track record taking a programme or service and systemising growth through prioritised stages of engagement, pipeline management, conversion and retention
• Demonstrable experience scaling a programme without diluting quality, impact or safety. Moving an organisation from validated /proof of concept into structured, cumulative, sustainable growth
• Credibility at C-suite and boardroom level; a confident public representative able to carry FIRST UK’s case at senior education, industry, funder, government and policy forums – comfortable with diverse public speaking/media engagements
• Experience opening institutional routes into schools through MATs, academy trusts, regional groupings or system-level partners, enabling one relationship to unlock many
• Fluency in monitoring, evaluation and learning. Able to design or commission an outcomes framework, use it to guide programme decisions, and translate it into evidence others can act on
• Track record leading and developing teams through growth and change in a lean organisation. Building trust, coaching direct reports, handling performance constructively, and maintaining clarity, accountability and morale when priorities shift and capacity is tight
• Experience working within a regulated youth-facing programme/activity/organisation with safeguarding and risk management as a golden thread. An enhanced DBS check will be required for the post holder, alongside Level 3 Leading on Safeguarding training (which can be completed post-appointment)
• Passion for STEM, diversity, using tech for good
• Credibility – you’re a leader, you believe in yourself and the mission
• Energy – you’re a radiator, not a drain
• Tenacity – you spot opportunities others miss
• Persistence – you keep pushing against doors until one opens
• Attention to detail – you love a perfectly polished powerpoint or excel
• Empathy - you listen, understand needs, consider perspectives, then act
• To apply you must live in, and have the right to work in the UK

Desirable

• What we're looking for: An exceptional leader who will deploy a systematic approach to identify, build and retain relationships with educators, employers, and government, which will underpin our growth – whilst ensuring safety, quality, and impact of experience for young people, teachers, and volunteers
• As Delivery Director, you will be the senior leader accountable for two inextricably linked elements:
• Growth - more schools, teachers, young people, employers, volunteers
• Scalability - overseeing safe, high-quality, efficient, replicable delivery
• You will implement the growth architecture which scales the charity’s impact through:
• Proactive, targeted growth in regional hubs aligned to strategic objectives
• Better, earlier, sustained engagement with schools and educators
• System-level entry points through MATs, educator networks, strategic partners
• Retention mechanisms that embed participation institutionally
• Ownership of quality & impact measures supporting participation, completion, return
• Regional industry partner/employer pipeline building, conversion, stewardship
• Volunteer and alumni community oversight, experience and quality
• Your operational tenacity coupled with highly effective relationship building will catapult the charity towards being the UK’s leading industry-linked, robotics-based education and careers accelerator by 2030 – present in over 20% of all secondary schools, impacting thousands of less-advantaged, less represented young people whilst influencing system change
• In addition to a , making STEM accessible to young people who are too often excluded from it, alongside measurable, evidenced outcomes and a growing profile with funders and media you will get:
• Leadership, autonomy and sense of purpose
• A compelling value proposition and strong operational platform to build on
• A well-defined strategy to execute against
• Sector credibility, positive reputation and relationships to grow
• You will be the leader who takes a charity from start-up mode to a nationally recognised, regionally embedded impact organisation – transforming the outlook for thousands of young people annually

• Applications via our HR platform Workable
• Submit CV and optional cover letter (no more than 1 page)
• Answer two simple screening questions
• Role closes 2359 on Wed 14 Oct 2026
• Get to Know conversations with CEO w/c 19 Oct
• Panel interviews w/c 26 Oct
• The first stage in the process will be a short (up to 40 min) ‘get-to-know’ chat with the CEO. This will be opportunity to ask questions about the organisation, role, share experience, motivations, and explore fit
• Where a potential mutual fit is identified from this conversation, candidates will be invited to a formal interview with the CEO and a Trustee. This will include a short pre-task. The charity hopes to confirm appointment by early November