Application Guide

How to Apply for Development Manager

at Our Time Charity

🏢 About Our Time Charity

Our Time Charity is a unique organization focused exclusively on supporting children affected by parental mental illness through their innovative KidsTime Workshops. They operate at the intersection of mental health and family support systems, creating specialized early intervention programs that fill a critical gap in UK services. Working here offers the opportunity to directly impact vulnerable families while helping embed evidence-based approaches within statutory systems.

About This Role

This Development Manager role is specifically focused on securing statutory funding from local authorities to expand KidsTime Workshops across the UK. You'll be developing high-quality tenders, navigating complex commissioning processes, and building strategic partnerships with Family Hubs and local authorities. Your success directly determines how many children receive early, preventative support for parental mental illness.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve researching upcoming local authority commissioning opportunities, drafting sections of a tender for a specific region, and having virtual meetings with Family Hub managers to discuss partnership possibilities. You'd likely spend time analyzing early help frameworks to identify where KidsTime Workshops could fit and preparing briefing materials for the CEO on high-potential opportunities.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Our Time Charity Is Looking For

  • Has 3+ years experience securing statutory income from UK local authorities, specifically within children's services, early help, or family mental health commissioning
  • Demonstrates understanding of early intervention frameworks and how to position services within local authority family support systems
  • Possesses proven ability to develop compelling tenders and proposals that meet specific commissioning requirements
  • Has experience building relationships with senior stakeholders in local government and strategic partners in the mental health/family support sector

📝 Tips for Applying to Our Time Charity

1

Quantify your experience with local authority commissioning - specify which authorities you've worked with and the value of contracts secured

2

Demonstrate specific knowledge of early help frameworks and how KidsTime Workshops could fit within them

3

Research and reference specific local authorities or Family Hubs where you believe Our Time could expand

4

Show understanding of the unique challenges children of parents with mental illness face and why early intervention matters

5

Highlight any experience working with mental health charities or similar organizations navigating statutory funding systems

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your specific experience with UK local authority commissioning processes and securing statutory income', 'Understanding of early intervention frameworks and how to position services within family support systems', 'Knowledge of the challenges facing children affected by parental mental illness and why KidsTime Workshops are needed', 'Examples of successful partnership development with statutory bodies or strategic partners']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → The KidsTime Workshop model and its evidence base for supporting children of parents with mental illness
  • → Current UK government initiatives around Family Hubs and early help frameworks
  • → Our Time Charity's existing partnerships and where they currently operate
  • → Recent local authority commissioning trends in children's mental health and family support services

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk us through your experience developing and submitting a successful tender to a UK local authority
2 How would you approach building relationships with Family Hubs to embed KidsTime Workshops in their offer?
3 What do you see as the biggest challenges in securing statutory funding for early intervention mental health services?
4 How would you position KidsTime Workshops within a local authority's existing early help framework?
5 Describe a time you had to navigate complex commissioning processes and what you learned
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Applying generic business development experience without specific UK local authority commissioning examples
  • Failing to demonstrate understanding of early intervention frameworks or statutory funding processes
  • Not researching KidsTime Workshops specifically or showing why this model is unique and needed

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Our Time Charity!

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