Work for Railway Children

At Railway Children, we stand for children, their childhoods and their futures. 

Our passion and values underpin everything we do. They unite us and provide the energy and optimism that drives us to work harder and harder for the children and young people we are privileged to help.

We believe in a world where no child ever has to live on the streets.

As we embark on our new strategy, we have ambitious plans to ensure no child is left behind, wherever we work.

Why not join us?

Railway Children is committed to safeguarding anyone who comes into contact with us and implements a range of policies to ensure only those suitable to work with vulnerable groups are employed.

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Railway Children's current vacancies:

Regional Manager

Location: Home working (based in Glasgow region) with regular travel across Glasgow and some travel to North West England and other parts of the UK 
Department: UK Programme 
Salary: £36,500
Responsible for: Youth Practitioners (Scotland and North West England) 

Are you passionate about making a tangible difference in young people’s lives? At Railway Children, we are on a mission to protect and support children at risk on the UK's transport system—and we need you on board!

As a key member of our dynamic team, you’ll play a pivotal role in developing and managing our innovative programmes across Scotland and North West England. Working hand-in-hand with British Transport Police (BTP) and industry partners, you’ll ensure that vulnerable young people identified on the transport network receive the vital support they need to stay safe and build a brighter future. 

You’ll oversee small, dedicated teams in each location, providing day-to-day direction and mentorship, and work closely with BTP officers, station staff, and local services to develop solutions for at-risk youth. You’ll also be at the forefront of creating and evolving services that help safeguard young people, changing the trajectory of their lives.

What we offer

As well as helping some of the world’s most vulnerable children and young people, we offer some great perks:

• Time out. You’ll start with 25 days holiday per year to recharge the batteries. After three years, this will increase by an extra day per year until you reach a relaxing 30 days leave.
• Pension. We offer a pension contribution of 6% of annual salary.
• Birthday leave and ‘Railway Children Day’. You’ll get two additional days of annual leave in your birthday month and around Christmas time.
• A culture we’re proud of. Driven by our CEO, family values are at the heart of our culture and make Railway Children an incredible place to work.
• Flexible working environment and home working. It’s one of the reasons why our staff retention is so impressive!

What we’re looking for

We’re seeking a dedicated leader who can develop and maintain programme activities to support vulnerable young people in Scotland and North West England. You will manage, motivate, and support a team of Youth Practitioners, ensuring their work aligns with Railway Children’s policies and safeguarding standards. Key responsibilities include overseeing case work, managing resources, recruiting for vacancies, and ensuring effective collaboration with partners. You’ll also act as the regional safeguarding lead, driving performance, quality assurance, and building strong relationships with external agencies. Flexibility is essential as the role involves occasional unsociable hours.

A full person specification can be found in the job pack below.

To apply for this position, complete the application form below and return it to programmejobs@railwaychildren.org.uk - we will only accept applications using this form and not CVs, academic certificates or covering letters. Please include job title applied for in the email subject line. 

Candidates must have a full UK driver’s license and access to a vehicle.

Closing date: Monday 4th November at 9am

Candidates will be assessed on application and may be contacted before the closing date. 

Due to the number of applications often received, only those to be invited for interview will be informed of the outcome of their application. Applicants who have not heard within two weeks of the closing date should assume they have been unsuccessful.

Community Engagement Worker - Yorkshire 

Salary: £32k pro rata, 0.6FTE £19,200
Department: Safeguarding on Transport (ST) UK Team 
Responsible to: Programme Manager: Safeguarding Partnerships 

We're looking for a community engagement worker to deliver our ST project in partnership with British Transport Police (BTP). 

You will be responsible for developing our community engagement work in Yorkshire as well as supporting the wider UK work, which consists of developing the Safeguarding Action Groups and encouraging members of the local rail industry to engage with our training and become part of the safety net for vulnerable young people on the network. 

The role will require working closely with BTP, station staff and employees as well as local services in the area. 

What we offer

As well as helping some of the world’s most vulnerable children and young people, we offer some great perks:

• Time out. You’ll start with 25 days holiday per year to recharge the batteries. After three years, this will increase by an extra day per year until you reach a relaxing 30 days leave.
• Pension. We offer a pension contribution of 6% of annual salary.
• Birthday leave and ‘Railway Children Day’. You’ll get two additional days of annual leave in your birthday month and around Christmas time.
• A culture we’re proud of. Driven by our CEO, family values are at the heart of our culture and make Railway Children an incredible place to work.
• Flexible working environment and home working. It’s one of the reasons why our staff retention is so impressive!

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for someone who has experience working with young people and families, third sector groups, local services and managing relationships with stakeholders and partners in a variety of settings. 

A full person specification can be found in the job pack below.

To apply for this position, complete the application form below and return it to programmejobs@railwaychildren.org.uk - we will only accept applications using this form and not CVs, academic certificates or covering letters. Please include job title applied for in the email subject line. 

Candidates must have a full UK driver’s license and access to a vehicle.

Closing date: Monday 28th October at 12pm

Due to the number of applications often received, only those to be invited for interview will be informed of the outcome of their application. Applicants who have not heard within two weeks of the closing date should assume they have been unsuccessful.

Youth Practitioner

Location: Hull / East Riding
Department: UK Programme 
Responsible to: Regional Manager East 

Looking for a rewarding role where you can make a difference? Do you have the drive to create positive change in children’s lives and inspire others to do the same?

If the answer is yes, then read on to hear about this exciting opportunity.

We are looking for a Youth Practitioner for our Yorkshire Project and are keen to receive applications from those living in Hull and East Riding.

As a Youth Practitioner, you’ll play a key role in keeping children safe from harm and supporting them and their families on a path to a brighter future. You’ll be part of a dynamic team delivering Railway Children’s programme in the UK, in partnership with British Transport Police (BTP).

Working with other Youth Practitioners in your project area, you will be responsible for supporting a number of young people who have been identified as being vulnerable on the transport system. The role will involve working directly with young people and their families to reduce risks, as well as building strong relationships other social care, Police, third sector agencies and local services in the area.

What we offer

As well as helping some of the world’s most vulnerable children and young people, we offer some great perks:

• Time out. You’ll start with 25 days holiday per year to recharge the batteries. After three years, this will increase by an extra day per year until you reach a relaxing 30 days leave.
• Pension. We offer a pension contribution of 6% of annual salary.
• Birthday leave and ‘Railway Children Day’. You’ll get two additional days of annual leave in your birthday month and around Christmas time.
• A culture we’re proud of. Driven by our CEO, family values are at the heart of our culture and make Railway Children an incredible place to work.
• Flexible working environment and home working. It’s one of the reasons why our staff retention is so impressive!

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for someone who has worked with vulnerable young people and families, with an in-depth understanding of the issues they face and the impact of trauma. With a relevant qualification in youth work or social care or equivalent experience, you’ll have experience of providing front line support to safeguard some of the most vulnerable young people in the UK. You’ll have the ability to engage young people, their parents or carers within the community and deliver direct support to address issues within the family unit.

A full person specification can be found in the job pack below.

To apply for this position, complete the application form below and return it to programmejobs@railwaychildren.org.uk - we will only accept applications using this form and not CVs, academic certificates or covering letters. Please include job title applied for in the email subject line. 

Candidates must have a full UK driver’s license and access to a vehicle.

Closing date: Monday 14th October at 5pm

Dates for interview: First stage (online) Tuesday 22nd October 

Due to the number of applications often received, only those to be invited for interview will be informed of the outcome of their application. Applicants who have not heard within two weeks of the closing date should assume they have been unsuccessful.

Trustee

The role of trustees is to provide strategic direction and constructive challenge to ensure Railway Children, via its Chief Executive, delivers its goals and objectives and is managed effectively. The Trustees have duties and responsibilities under company and charity law and are entrusted with the role of ensuring that assets are properly secured and deployed. There are four board meetings per year. Trustees may be invited to serve on one of the Charity’s sub-committees, which each meet four times annually. Trustees may also be asked to advise the executive on specific issues from time to time and may be invited to attend events.

Trusteeship is unremunerated, although reasonable expenses may be claimed. The normal period of office is three years and all Trustees are eligible for reappointment at the end of their term of office. In general, Trustees serve three terms of office.

Time commitments

• Four Board meetings
• Quarterly attendance at sub-committees and attendance at RC events
• Preparation time for meetings
• We encourage Trustees to visit the work of the charity in order to broaden their knowledge of projects and to familiarise themselves with local conditions.

To apply, please email your CV and a covering letter to jobs@railwaychildren.org.uk 

If you would like to know more about the role or the selection process, please contact Rob Capener, CEO via his Executive Assistant j.foster@railwaychildren.org.uk

Privacy notice for Job Applicants

Railway Children is aware of its obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and is committed to processing your data securely and transparently. Railway Children has developed a privacy notice for job applicants that sets out, in line with GDPR, the types of data that we collect and hold on you as a job applicant. It also sets out how we use that information, how long we keep it for and other relevant information about your data. A full version of the privacy notice can be downloaded below.