Head of Services Development

INDEPENDENT AGE; London; Hybrid; NOK 745,000 - 910,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days annual leave

Pension with life assurance

Learning & development opportunities

Job summary

Independent Age is seeking a Head of Services Development to shape the future of its information, advice and external training services. You will lead strategy-driven improvements, work with cross‑functional teams and partners, and use data to drive decisions and demonstrate impact.

The role emphasizes collaboration, learning, and continuous improvement, with a focus on delivering measurable outcomes for older people facing financial hardship. Hybrid working in London applies.

Qualifications

• Experience of leading complex projects and organisational change.
• Ability to translate strategy into delivery and collaborate across teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead service development, innovation, quality, evaluation and strategic change across information, advice and external training.
• Translate strategy into practical improvements and identify opportunities for impact and collaboration.
• Use data, insight and evidence to drive decision-making and demonstrate value.
• Work with colleagues and external partners to deliver improved services and learning.
• Establish evaluation frameworks and monitor performance to show outcomes.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Change management

Data-driven decision making

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical thinking

Job description

Location: Hybrid working in London (minimum 4 days per month in the office)

Salary: £65,678per annum

Permanent / Full Time

ClosingDate: Friday 25 September 2026

Reference: X262-26

Independent Age is the national charity working towards ending financial hardship in later life.

Our Helpline and expert advisers offer free information and advice to older people without enough money to live on, while our external training equips professionals with the information they need to support older people on low incomes. Through our grants programme, we fund and support hundreds of local charities working with older people across the UK. We use the knowledge and insight gained from our support services and partnerships to highlight the issues experienced by older people in poverty and campaign for change.

We believe no one should face financial hardship in later life. We would love to find individuals from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds to join us on this journey.

Responsibilities and Person Specification:

As Head of Services Development, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Independent Age’s services and maximising our impact for older people facing financial hardship. Reporting to the Director of Services, you will lead service development, innovation, quality, evaluation and strategic change across our service provision (information, advice and external training) ensuring they remain effective, evidence-led and responsive to changing needs. Working closely with colleagues across the charity and external partners, you will translate strategy into practical improvements, develop new opportunities for impact and collaboration, and embed a culture of continuous learning, improvement and innovation.

We use the knowledge and insight gained from our support services and partnerships to highlight the issues experienced by older people in poverty and campaign for change.

We're looking for a strategic and collaborative leader with experience of leading complex projects, organisational change and service improvement programmes.

You will be skilled at turning strategy into delivery, bringing together people from different teams and disciplines to develop practical solutions that improve outcomes. You will be comfortable using data, insight and evidence to drive decision-making and have a track record of stakeholder engagement and identifying opportunities for innovation and growth.

You will also bring experience of impact measurement, evaluation, quality assurance or performance frameworks, with the ability to use evidence to demonstrate value and improve services. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are essential, alongside the confidence to influence senior stakeholders and work across organisational boundaries. An understanding of the needs of older people, the wider ageing sector and the role that data, learning and collaboration play in delivering social impact would be advantageous.

For full details on the role and requirements, please review the job description and person specification. If your experience doesn’t align perfectly with all of the criteria in the person specification but you do meet most of them and are excited about the role, we encourage you to apply anyway.

This is a full-time role, 35 hours per week, which you can choose to work over five days or a 9 day fortnight.

What it’s like to work at Independent Age:

We celebrate diversity at Independent Age and champion the differences that make each of us unique. We actively support and encourage people from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and skill sets to join us and help shape what we do. We aim to attract and retain a wide range of talent and create an environment where everyone can feel safe, protected, welcome and included.

We offer great benefits including 28 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme with life assurance, and fantastic learning and development opportunities. We also offer a number of enhanced leave provisions and benefits.

We know that a good work life balance helps us perform at our best and supports wellbeing. Flexible working hours and hybrid working is standard for all (those contracted to work in the office usually attend 1 day per week). But if you need a different form of flexibility, we are always happy to talk flexible working.

With an employee engagement score of 98%, colleagues say Independent Age is a great place to work. You can find out more about what it’s like to work at Independent Agehere .

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you require any specific arrangements or adjustments to enable you to fully participate in the recruitment process, such as having the job description in a larger text format or to apply in an alternative format, please get in touch with us via the email address on the ‘Contact Us’ page on our jobs site.

To support our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion our hiring managers use anonymous shortlisting. Please don’t include your name, photo, or any information that could indicate your gender or age in your CV and supporting statement, and don’t include your name in the title of any documents that you upload. However, please do include all dates of employment.

A BASIC DBS check will be carried out for the successful candidate.

Interview Dates:

Monday 12 October at our London office, 18 Avonmore Road W14 8RR