Who we are

Ambitious about Autism stands with autistic children and young people, championing their rights and creating opportunities across education, employment, health and community life. We educate and support hundreds of autistic children and young people directly and reach thousands more through our national programmes, employability initiatives, participation work and policy influence.

With our Ambitious Together strategy launching later this summer, we are entering an exciting new phase. Building on our strong foundations as a service delivery organisation, we are seeking to play a greater role in shaping the systems that affect autistic children and young people every day. To deliver on this vision, we have created a new executive leadership team role: Director of National Programmes.

This is a strategic appointment with significant organisational influence. While the directorate is lean (c. £1.5–2m budget), its impact is pivotal; shaping national programmes that influence policy and practice, broker partnerships and translate insight from lived experience into scalable solutions.

About the role

Reporting to the Chief Executive and sitting on the executive leadership team, the Director of National Programmes will lead the strategy, design and evolution of our national portfolio, helping Ambitious about Autism strengthen its role as a catalyst for systems change. Working at the intersection of education, policy, evidence and lived experience, you will identify opportunities to improve outcomes for autistic children and young people, influencing practice far beyond our own organisation.

You will develop innovative and scalable programme models, creating partnerships that enable successful approaches to be tested, evidenced and adopted by others. Working closely with colleagues across fundraising, external affairs and education, you will help secure the investment, partnerships and evidence needed to influence lasting change.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking a collaborative, values-led leader with a deep understanding of education systems and a passion for improving outcomes for autistic children and young people. You will bring a strategic understanding of education and wider public services, and have the strategic insight and practical delivery experience to turn ideas into solutions that influence policy and practice.

You will bring a proven track record of developing innovative, evidence-led programmes, building influential partnerships and driving impact beyond organisational boundaries. Equally comfortable with shaping strategy and delivering results, you will be commercially astute, politically aware and adept at navigating complexity. As a strong people leader, you will inspire high-performing teams, champion co-production and create the conditions for innovation and learning to thrive.

Above all, you will be motivated by our mission and have the credibility, empathy and influence to help Ambitious about Autism play a leading role in shaping a more inclusive education system.

You will join a values-driven, inclusive organisation with a strong reputation, committed partners and bold ambitions. If you're motivated by impact for autistic children and young people, we'd like to hear from you.

To view the role description and person specification, please go to the ‘How to Apply' tab above, fill in your details and download the job pack.

For further information or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:

Lucy Mavers | lucy@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07947 935068

Clare Connor | clare@peridotpartners.co.uk | 0161 408 0703

Ambitious about Autism is committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion at every level of our organisation. We warmly welcome applications from all qualified candidates, valuing the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives they bring. We encourage applications from individuals regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or parental status, disability, or age.

Our recruitment process promotes equal opportunities, and we are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities or additional needs throughout the recruitment process. Please contact our Recruitment Team for accommodations. We recognise disability as a physical or mental impairment that significantly and long-term affects a person's ability to perform day-to-day activities, as defined by the UK Equality Act 2010. All applications will be considered solely on merit, aligned with our mission to support autistic children and young people.

Ambitious about Autism is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. As part of our Safer Recruitment checks, an online search maybe carried out in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

The Safeguarding responsibilities of the post as per the job description and personal specification.
Whether the post is exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendment to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2021. This means that when applying for certain jobs and activities certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS Filter Guidance.