At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead our digital strategy, enhancing website performance and user experience.
- Company: Join Chefs in Schools, a passionate charity transforming kids' health through better food.
- Benefits: Enjoy 33 days holiday, hybrid work, and wellness support.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive team voted one of the happiest places to work.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while developing your digital skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in managing digital platforms and strong communication skills required.
Chefs in Schools is a young, ambitious charity that's growing fast. Our mission is to improve kids' health through better school food and food education. We focus on areas of high deprivation, where more than a third of children are entitled to free school meals and diet-related disease is deepening inequality. We train and support school kitchen teams to serve the freshest, tastiest food possible, alongside meaningful food education — and we share what we learn so others can follow. Better is possible in school food. Kids are the future — let's feed them like it.
ABOUT THE ROLE
As our Digital Manager, you'll be the strategic anchor and driving force behind our online presence. You'll own the performance of our two flagship websites — the main Chefs in Schools platform and the national School Food Project resource and coalition hub — driving traffic, mastering SEO, and ensuring a secure, high-quality user experience against clear targets. This is a leadership role that bridges technical execution and creative strategy. You'll be the confident link between our external tech agencies and our internal content and programme teams, and you'll line-manage a small digital sub-team of 1–2 direct reports. We're looking for someone solutions-focused, collaborative and deeply analytical, who takes pride in helping a mission-driven organisation run at its best.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Own the strategy and performance of our two websites — UX, SEO, accessibility, uptime and security
- Set, monitor and report against clear targets for traffic, engagement, downloads and search rankings, using GA4 and Microsoft Clarity
- Act as the primary interface with our external web agencies, holding them to high-quality delivery on time and budget
- Line-manage, mentor and support 1–2 direct reports
- Work closely with our Comms, External Relations and Programme teams to align digital work with wider campaigns
- Oversee data integrity across our website, e-learning platform (LMS) and CRM, ensuring full GDPR compliance
- Build clear dashboards and reports for our Senior Leadership Team
WHAT YOU'LL BRING
- Proven experience managing digital products, websites or platforms, ideally at manager level in a charity, agency or fast-paced setting
- Confidence managing integrated CMS, CRM and LMS environments and multi-layered user permissions
- Foundational HTML and CSS to troubleshoot layout issues and brief developers
- Experience briefing and managing external technical partners to deliver on time and budget
- Experience managing and developing direct reports
- Outstanding communication skills — able to translate 'technical speak' for non-experts and write brand-aligned content
- A genuine commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, and to our mission
Desirable: experience with online community moderation, and prior experience in the charity sector.
BENEFITS
- You'll join a friendly, supportive team that works hard but believes in a healthy work/life balance — we were voted one of CODE Hospitality's happiest places to work in 2024.
- 33 days' holiday (incl. bank holidays), plus 3 Christmas closure days and summer wellbeing days
- Hybrid working, Cycle to Work scheme, enhanced parental leave
- £250 towards elective training of your choice
- Bupa Dental Insurance, Income Protection, and the Aviva Smart Health platform (free online GP, counselling and wellbeing support)
- Free CODE app access for discounted restaurants and hospitality venues
Digital Manager in London employer: Chefs in Schools
Chefs in Schools is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact on children's health through food transformation in schools across the North West and North East of England. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, our supportive work culture encourages collaboration and innovation, ensuring that every Chef Trainer can thrive while contributing to a vital cause. Join us to be part of a passionate team dedicated to fostering a high-quality food culture and making healthy meals standard for every child.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Digital Manager in London
✨Get Involved Locally
Dive into local volunteer opportunities or social initiatives. This not only beefs up your CV but also connects you with like-minded folks in nonprofits. Plus, it shows your passion for social impact, which is key for getting noticed by Chefs in Schools.
✨Tap into Professional Networks
Join networks like the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) or local charities to meet professionals in the sector. Attend events and workshops to build relationships and learn about potential openings at organisations like Chefs in Schools.
✨Showcase Your Commitment
When prepping for interviews, be ready to speak about your personal connection to social issues. Dive into specific examples of how you’ve contributed to community projects – this will resonate with the mission-driven vibe at Chefs in Schools.
✨Utilise Online Platforms
We’re all about making connections, so use platforms like Idealist and CharityJob to hunt for full-time roles. And of course, you should keep an eye on our website for exciting opportunities at Chefs in Schools. Apply directly through us to stand out!
We think you need these skills to ace Digital Manager in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for the Cause:In the nonprofit sector, it's super important to demonstrate genuine passion for the mission of Chefs in Schools. Use your cover letter to showcase any personal experiences or volunteer work that connects you to their social impact initiatives. This emotional connection can really help your application stand out.
Highlight Relevant Experience:When crafting your CV, be sure to include any relevant projects or roles that showcase your skills in social impact. Whether it's community organising, fundraising, or advocacy, highlight what you've done and the difference it's made. Don’t just list tasks; quantify your achievements and the outcomes of your efforts.
Tailor Your Documents to the Role:For a full-time role like Digital Manager, ensure your CV and cover letter specifically address the responsibilities outlined in the job description. Use their language to describe your skills and experience, making it easy for the hiring team to see how you fit into their vision.
Emphasise Teamwork and Collaboration:Nonprofits thrive on teamwork, so make sure to emphasise your collaborative experiences. Whether you've worked in a team setting, partnered with community organisations, or facilitated group projects, highlight these experiences in your application. Show them you understand the importance of working alongside diverse individuals to achieve shared goals.
How to prepare for a job interview at Chefs in Schools
✨Show Your Passion for Social Change
When we’re prepping for interviews in the nonprofit space, it's vital to demonstrate our genuine passion for social impact. Be ready to discuss not just your skills and experiences but also why you care about the mission of Chefs in Schools. Sharing personal stories or insights can really make us stand out.
✨Highlight Project Experience
We should focus on specific projects we've worked on that align with the goals of social impact. Whether that’s a community initiative, volunteering, or a class project, having solid examples that showcase our role and the outcomes will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Familiarity with Relevant Tools and Practices
Let’s brush up on tools and methodologies commonly used in the nonprofit sector, like project management software or outcome measurement frameworks. Being able to speak fluently about these will show that we’re not just passionate but also knowledgeable and ready to hit the ground running.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that evaluate our problem-solving skills in real-world social issues. Think about how we’d handle challenges in the nonprofit environment and prepare stories that demonstrate our critical thinking and adaptability. Role-playing with a friend could help us feel more confident!
