Location: Central London, subject to final premises confirmation
Start: November 2026
Contract: Fixed term to 31 August 2027
Working pattern: 0.7 FTE, equivalent to approximately 3.5 days per week, including regular weekend working
Salary: £40,000 FTE / £28,000 pro rata per annum
Reports to: Head of Operations
Help us build something new for dads and kids
Dads Kids Club exists to improve outcomes for children by getting more fathers and male carers involved in their children's learning, development and educational lives.
We predominantly work with parents and children aged 4–11.
Our work responds to some big challenges: children’s disengagement from education, the need to create more opportunities for fathers to be involved in children’s learning and school life and the isolation and wellbeing challenges experienced by some men.
We want to create positive places and experiences where fathers and male carers can spend meaningful time learning, playing, making, reading and exploring with their children. Alongside our father-focused sessions, our All‑Family Sundays will welcome parents and carers of all genders, siblings and the wider family.
DKC has delivered father‑child programmes for three academic years, engaging more than 850 fathers and male carers and over 2,000 children. We are a BBC London Community Group of the Year award winner and have received support from organisations including LEGO and Pan Macmillan.
We have now secured significant funding for an ambitious 12‑month research and development project to test what really works.
At its heart will be the Dads Kids Space in Central London : a dedicated place where fathers, male carers and children can learn, make, read, play, experiment and spend brilliant time together.
Alongside it, we will deliver a major Festival in Leeds, develop a digital platform and support the growth of Dads Kids Clubs in schools and communities.
We need someone brilliant to run the Space.
The role
This is not a traditional desk‑based programme management job.
You will be responsible for making the Dads Kids Space work brilliantly day to day while constantly looking for ways to improve it.
One day you might be planning the programme, managing bookings and sorting the team rota. The next you could be developing a new activity, setting up a partner event, welcoming a school group or helping deliver a session with families.
Because this is an R&D project, curiosity matters. We want someone who notices what families respond to, tests ideas and helps us understand what should happen next.
What you'll do
- Run the day‑to‑day operation of the Dads Kids Space including bookings, staffing, volunteer rotas, stock, suppliers, equipment and making sure sessions are ready to go
- Plan and continually develop the programme including school visits, weekend sessions, new activities, family events and partner activations
- Manage and support two Operations Associates alongside Activity Facilitators and volunteers
- Create a welcoming, safe and inclusive experience for parents and children aged predominantly 4–11
- Build relationships with schools, families, partners and activity providers
- Support and co‑create sessions directly and be visible and hands‑ on within the Space
- Help us test ideas, gather feedback and understand what is and isn't working
- Oversee key operational procedures including safeguarding, health and safety, opening and closing and incident reporting
- Help capture appropriate photos, short videos and stories for DKC communications, following our consent and safeguarding processes
- Take ownership of other practical projects and challenges that arise as we build something new
Who we're looking for
Lived experience of parenthood is essential for this role. Lived experience of fatherhood is desirable.
You might come from community programmes, events, museums, family attractions, education, youth work, hospitality, arts and culture or somewhere completely different.
We care more about energy, judgement and how you work than having followed a particular career path.
You'll be someone who is organised, practical, warm with families, confident leading people and comfortable switching between planning and getting stuck in.
You will enjoy trying new things rather than needing everything to have been worked out already.
Reliability is paramount. We want people who do what they say they will do, turn up when expected, communicate early if something changes and follow things through.
You do not need previous professional experience specifically working with fathers or male carers.
What it's like working at DKC
We are small, ambitious and practical.
Our principle is:
Keep it simple, visible and up to date – enough structure to create clarity and continuity but not so much process that it slows delivery.
We use Notion to keep important work visible and Slack for everyday communication. We trust people to act, expect people to raise problems early and believe good ideas can come from anywhere.
We're also testing something new. Some things won't work the first time. That's fine - provided we learn and improve.
And importantly:
Have loads of fun along the way, don't take ourselves too seriously and celebrate the wins.
Working pattern
Regular weekend working is a core part of this role.
The Space will operate across weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Weekend cover will be shared across the team and working days will be organised through a rota with as much advance notice and predictability as possible.
Candidates should expect to work Saturdays and/or Sundays regularly.
Some evening activity may occasionally be required.
Safeguarding and right to work
Children's safety and wellbeing are central to everything we do.
An Enhanced DBS check with the Children's Barred List check will be undertaken before appointment , alongside satisfactory references and right-to-work checks.
DKC will provide Designated Safeguarding Lead training and the other safeguarding and compliance training needed for the role.
You must have the right to work in the UK. DKC is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role and a right-to-work check will be completed before appointment.
Closing date: Wednesday 21 October at 12 noon.
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