Head of Programmes / Programmes Director in England

Level Water exists to solve a problem that shouldn’t exist: too many disabled children are still missing out on high-quality swimming lessons. We’ve built a delivery model that works. Families trust us. Pools want to work with us. Funders back us. We’re well-funded (80% unrestricted) and responding to growing demand. Now we’re entering the next stage: scaling what works without losing quality, care, or joy. This role sits right at the heart of that mission - leading not just how our programmes are delivered, but how we define, measure, and grow our impact.

We’re Level Water - a founder-led charity solving unequal access to swimming for children with disabilities. We’re not a typical charity. We own our swim events and run them like a business, creating a sustainable income stream that directly funds our programmes. That model gives us the freedom to move fast, test ideas, and build something that doesn’t exist anywhere else. Because we’re self-sustaining, we can make clear, confident decisions about our programme and impact direction. If you want to help tackle unequal access to sport - and shape how a modern charity designs, delivers, and measures programmes at scale - this is your chance.

This isn’t a "keep programmes running" role. This is a build, lead, and scale a national delivery model role. As Head of Programmes, you’ll own how Level Water’s programmes are designed, delivered, improved, and expanded. You’ll take a proven model, design for growth and help turn it into something category-defining - working at pace, making smart decisions, and setting the standard for what inclusive swimming can look like across the UK.

You’ll work closely with the CEO and senior team, lead our brilliant programme function (a Training and Excellence Manager and Programmes Officer), and bring energy and momentum to a part of the organisation that sits right at the heart of our impact. If you’re excited by growth, complexity, and building something that really matters, you’ll thrive here. If you’re looking for a role where you can play it safe, this probably isn’t it.

What you’ll actually own

• Programme design, quality & scale: You’ll own how Level Water’s programmes are designed, delivered, and grown - now and into the future. Set the strategic direction for our lesson delivery model, ensuring it scales without losing quality, care, or joy. Lead and develop the Programmes team, setting clear priorities, standards, and ways of working. Ensure programmes are safe, inclusive, effective, and consistently high-quality as delivery expands. Build the systems and processes that make great delivery easier at scale, not harder.
• Impact, learning & continuous improvement: You’ll define how we understand, measure, and improve our impact - and use learning to drive better delivery. Ensure we gather meaningful insight from families, swimmers, teachers, and partners. Turn data and feedback into clear learning that actively shapes programme decisions. Lead Level Water’s approach to impact reporting for funders, partners, Trustees, and the Board, alongside the Senior Leadership Team. Set clear success measures and use them to guide prioritisation, iteration, and growth.
• Strategic partnerships, funding & sector influence: You’ll build the relationships and credibility that enable sustainable programme growth and wider change. Build and manage strategic partnerships with national pool operators and delivery partners. Secure and manage national agreements that unlock scale and improve access. Work closely with Fundraising to shape strong, realistic programme content for grants and funding proposals. Own the programme side of grant-funded delivery, ensuring work is well planned, delivered to a high standard, and reported with clarity and confidence. Represent Level Water externally as a credible, influential voice in inclusive swimming, helping to shift culture and practice across the sector.

Who we’re looking for

We care far more about how you work than where you’ve worked or what sector you come from. You don’t need a background in swimming. You don’t need charity experience. What matters is how you think, how you lead, and the energy you bring. People who thrive here have:

• Ambition for growth: You’re excited by the moment where something good needs to scale - and you want to help shape what comes next, not just maintain what already exists.
• Ownership and momentum: You take responsibility, spot opportunities, and move things forward. You don’t wait for perfect information or permission before acting.
• The ability to hold strategy and delivery together: You can zoom out to set direction and zoom in to make sure things actually work - and you know when each is needed.
• Confidence leading through change: You’ve helped programmes or services evolve through growth, complexity, or transformation, and you’re comfortable making decisions in imperfect conditions.
• Strong relational leadership: You build trust quickly, bring people with you, and create credibility with partners, teams, and senior stakeholders.
• A solutions-first mindset: When things get complicated (and they will), you stay calm, pragmatic, and focused on what will move things forward.

Bonus points if:

• You’ve worked in a scale-up, start‑up, or fast‑growing organisation.
• You’ve built or reshaped delivery models, partnerships, or systems as things grew.
• You’re motivated by impact and inclusion, and want your work to genuinely change lives.

If this sounds like you - and you’re excited by the challenge of building something ambitious with real-world impact - we’d love to hear from you.

Why Level Water?

Our values - Bold, Driven, Personal, and Joyful - shape how this role shows up in practice. You’ll be expected to bring ambition, move with purpose, care deeply about people, and help build programmes that feel genuinely joyful to be part of.

• Bold: This isn’t a "run what already exists" role. You’ll challenge assumptions, set direction, and help shape the future of inclusive swimming. We want your judgement, your ideas, and your confidence to make clear calls.
• Driven: We’re growing fast, and programmes sit at the centre of that growth. If you’re ambitious about scale, impact, and building something that lasts, there’s a real opportunity here to lead what comes next.
• Personal: We’re founder‑led and people‑first. You’ll work closely with families, partners, and colleagues, balancing high standards with empathy, clarity, and care.
• Joyful: Swimming should be positive, empowering, and fun - especially for children who’ve too often been excluded. You’ll help ensure our programmes don’t just deliver outcomes, but create experiences that build confidence, independence, and a lifelong love of the water.

Practical details:

• Flexible working: remote, hybrid, or (even better) office‑based in Tunbridge Wells, your choice.
• You’ll attend weekend events throughout the summer.
• Some travel required to pools, partners, and events (including occasional weekends).
• Salary: Head of: £46k - £57k (depending on experience).

How to apply

We want to hear from you in whatever way best shows us who you are and how you think. Get creative. We really want to get a feel for your personality and style. A traditional CV and cover letter? Great. A video introduction? Awesome. Whatever format helps you shine and show us who you are.

Here’s what we’d love to know somewhere within your application: What’s the boldest change you’ve delivered that improved outcomes for the people your programme existed to serve - and what did you personally do to make it happen?

Before you apply: If you’ve got questions about the role, the team, or whether this might be right for you, please reach out. I’m Lucy Powell, Operations Director at Level Water, and I’d genuinely love to chat.

Ready to apply? Send your application by an email via the button below with the subject line: "Programmes at Level Water - Your Name". Deadline: We’re reviewing applications on a rolling basis and will close this advert once we’ve found the right person. So if this excites you, don’t wait, but do take the time to show us who you really are. We’d rather see your best work than a rushed application. If you need a bit of time to put that together, talk to us. We’re excited to meet you. Let’s build something brilliant together.