Global Wellbeing Programmes Director

What will you be doing?

eduSOIL is an award-winning international arts, wellbeing and education social enterprise founded in 2011. We deliver safeguarding-informed, wellbeing-centred programmes that support youth leadership, belonging and access to education across Northern Ireland, South Africa, Sudan and India, working globally through long-standing partnerships.

Design for Change (DFC) is a UN-recognised global movement empowering children and young people to design and lead solutions to real-world challenges.
https://www.dfcworld.org

eduSOIL is the lead delivery partner for DFC in:
South Africa: https://dfcsouthafrica.com
Sudan: https://designforchangesudan.com
Northern Ireland: https://designforchangeni.com

We are seeking an experienced Partnerships & Project Management professional
to join us as our Global Wellbeing Programmes Director  to provide delivery-led senior leadership for our yoga, mindfulness, meditation, community arts alongside youth leadership programmes delivered online as well as onsite in Northern Ireland, South Africa, India and for Sudanese youth displaced by the ongoing war. This is an active leadership role focused on coordination, quality, safeguarding and sustainability.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading and coordinating eduSOIL’s global wellbeing-informed programme delivery
• Supporting planning and delivery of yoga, mindfulness, meditation, arts and youth leadership programmes within education, youth leadership and community contexts
• Supervising coordinators, facilitators and volunteers delivering wellbeing-informed work
• Ensuring safeguarding, consent and wellbeing standards are upheld across all delivery
• Supporting partnerships with schools, universities, community organisations and institutions
• Contributing to organisational learning, evidence, reflection and sustainability
• Supporting documentation and quality assurance to strengthen funding readiness and impact reporting
• Representing eduSOIL within relevant wellbeing, education and leadership networks

The role combines strategic contribution with hands-on involvement in programme delivery, partnerships and mentoring. 

You will work closely with the Founder & CEO, Programme Directors for Design for Change, and Managers in a peer leadership group contributing to shared learning and international collaboration that supports fundraising, digital learning and systems, ensuring wellbeing is embedded across education and youth leadership work.  
 

This is a delivery-aware, systems-focused senior leadership role. You will strengthen partnership pathways that enable Programme Directors and delivery teams to focus on impact, while ensuring growth is ethical, coherent and sustainable.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing partnerships with schools, funders, corporates and NGOs
• Supporting funding and earned-income strategy development
• Supporting relationship stewardship and partnership systems
• Working closely with the Founder & CEO and Programme Directors
• Volunteer Management of an international, culturally diverse team

You will work as part of a peer leadership group alongside Programme Directors and Assistants, bridging strategy and delivery and embedding wellbeing-centred youth leadership in practice.

What are we looking for?

We are seeking a committed, values-led individual with experience across education, youth work, community development, arts, social enterprise or related sectors, ideally with experience in wellbeing-informed education or programme leadership.

You should have:

• 5+ years’ experience in project/programme management preferably involving wellbeing, education, yoga, mindfulness or young people in education or community based settings
• Experience coordinating programmes and supporting facilitators, delivery teams, volunteers
• Understanding of safeguarding, consent and wellbeing-informed practice
• Experience working across cultures or international contexts
• Strong communication, coordination and reflective leadership skills
• Confidence mentoring young people and volunteers
• An interest in wellbeing-informed leadership and reflective practice
• Experience working with schools, young people, educators or community organisations either through professional roles or in a voluntary capacity.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills, particularly across organisations or sectors
• Experience working with schools, funders, corporates, NGOs or institutions
• Experience supporting or coordinating projects, programmes or partnerships
• Strategic thinking combined with practical, delivery-aware judgement
• Confidence working in a collaborative, values-led organisation
• Committed to education, youth leadership, wellbeing or social impact

You do not need prior experience with Design for Change, but you should be open to learning and working within an established global methodology. You also do not need to have a background in Education or the Community Sector, yet should have experience with young people, prior voluntary experience in any field and must have a commitment to connect with and collaborate with underserved communities. 

It would be helpful, yet not essential, if you have experience in:

• Developing or stewarding partnerships with schools, funders, corporates or NGOs
• Supporting funding pipelines, sponsorship models or earned-income initiatives
• Working across multiple stakeholders or geographic contexts

We are particularly interested in applicants who:

• Are based in Northern Ireland (though this is not essential)
• Bring lived experience of migration, cultural transition or integration
  Have experience in arts, mindfulness, yoga or wellbeing practice alongside professional expertise
• Are motivated by equity, youth voice and ethical leadership
• Have experience working with or in charities, CICs or social enterprises 

This role suits someone who wants to actively contribute, enjoys building bridges between people and systems, and is excited by working at both local and international levels.

What difference will you make?

Your contribution will directly strengthen eduSOIL’s sustainability, reach and resilience across Northern Ireland, South Africa, Sudan, India and through global partnerships.

By building ethical partnerships and growth pathways, you will:

• Reduce reliance on short-term and reactive funding
• Enable more children and young people to access wellbeing and leadership programmes
• Strengthen long-term organisational capacity across multiple contexts
• Support international collaboration, shared learning and good practice

This role is critical to eduSOIL’s ability to deliver high-quality, sustainable youth leadership programmes across countries, while maintaining safeguarding, wellbeing and ethical standards.

With a dedicated Wellbeing Programmes Manager, eduSOIL can:

• Strengthen relationships with schools, universities and education stakeholders across regions
• Increase programme reach, consistency and quality across different delivery contexts
• Better support Programme Directors, volunteers and assistants through clearer partnership pathways
• Deliver funded programmes effectively, responsibly and in line with funder expectations
• Build a stronger pipeline of partners, funders and future leaders
• Ensure local voices and practice from different countries inform and shape a global movement

This role bridges strategy and delivery, ensuring that wellbeing-centred youth leadership is embedded in practice, not just policy. Your contribution directly supports young people to lead meaningful change while strengthening the long-term sustainability, coherence and visibility of the organisation.

Please download and review the handbooks and frameworks provided for further information about eduSOIL, this role and how you can invest your skills, time and attention in deepening and widening our social impact.

Additional information

You can download the following documents:

Before you apply

Please apply through Reach with a short message outlining:

• Your interest in youth leadership and education
• Relevant experience or transferable skills
• What you hope to gain from this leadership role at our organisation

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted within 2 days of applying via Reach. They will be invited to complete an online application form, provide contact details for two referees and be invited to attend an online interview with the Founder/CEO within 5 days of our reply. 

The next stage involves background checks which will be carried out through Volunteer Now and consent sought for us to contact referees. This stage can take 1 - 2 weeks.

Agreement to participate in Mindfulness and safeguarding training, which are mandatory for this role must be provided prior contractual confirmation.

We aim to finalise placements on a first come first served basis, based on our organisational needs.