Awards Officer - Education

Soil Association

Hours
35 hours per week

Length of contract
12 months

About the Organisation

Soil Association, formed in 1946, is the only UK charity that works across the spectrum of human health, the environment, and animal welfare. That’s because we cannot tackle these issues in isolation. We campaign for change, we support farming innovation, we serve healthy food in communities, we support and grow the organic market, and we protect forests. We couldn't do any of this without our supporters, partners, donors, and dedicated staff. We make a difference in the world where it’s needed the most.

About the role

This is a great opportunity to join the Food for Life team as an Awards Officer Education, supporting delivery of the Schools and Early Years Awards programmes. You’ll assess settings against award criteria, provide guidance and support, and help maintain high-quality, consistent programme delivery. Working closely with the Awards Manager and wider team, you’ll also contribute to engagement and retention activity, use CRM data to support reporting and impact, and share insights to improve the programme.

This role offers valuable development experience in programme delivery, stakeholder engagement, and working with education settings, making it ideal for someone looking to broaden their experience and build confidence in a national programme environment.

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

• Assess enrolled schools and early years settings against relevant award standards daily, ensuring consistency and continuity while using Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
• Be an authority within the Food for Life team on the award criteria and assessment process. Liaise with the wider FFL team to knowledge share and increase their understanding of the awards scheme as needed.
• Provide excellent customer service to schools and nurseries, providing support, training and guidance via email, phone and online meetings. Foster strong working relationships with enrolled settings, resolving queries and conflicts in a timely and professional manner.• Support in delivering strategy for engagement and retention of all enrolled settings in the Schools and EY schemes, working with the Awards Manager and communications team.
• Support in delivering specific funded projects aimed at supporting settings through the Schools and EY Awards programme and nurture relationships with key settings across the programme.
• Use the Microsoft Dynamics CRM system to record data and provide accurate reports to support delivery, development and impact evaluation.
• Support the general development and delivery of the Food for Life Awards in line with team objectives, as well as those of other FFL programmes. Work collaboratively with the central Awards Team and regional teams to identify, capture, and communicate insights for programme improvement.
• Work within Soil Association policies and procedures and ensure adherence to safeguarding children and young people and Adults At Risk policies and procedures.
• Support in developing new and existing resources on an ad hoc basis to fill gaps in our offer and better serve our audiences.
• Contribute to the wider Programme through participation in relevant meetings, consultations, and events both internally and externally

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

Knowledge & Experience Essential:

• Experience of delivering excellent customer service and dealing with challenging enquiries.
• Experience of working with databases or CRM systems, ideally Microsoft Dynamics
• Knowledge of challenges faced by schools and early years settings and barriers in working with them effectively.
• Range of communications experience, presentation, verbal, written, etc.
• Empathy with the goals of Food for Life

Desirable:

• Experience of working with Early Years and Schools

Personal Qualities & Skills:

• Excellent speaking, listening and writing skills
• Excellent relationship management skills. Excellent organisational skills.
• Good critical thinking and analytical skills. Proactive and able to work as part of a team.
• Good IT skills, including Word, Excel, CRM systems, databases, and the internet

Compensation & Benefits

• 27 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days with length of service , plus bank holidays (pro rata for part-time)  
• Pension scheme with ethical investment options and employer contribution increasing with length of service  
• Free membership of the Soil Association and discounts on organic produce  
• Volunteer days to give back to the local community or support green initiatives  
• Family-friendly policies and flexible working   
• Cycle to work scheme 
• Probationary period: 6 months
• Notice period: 1 month
• Sociable and engaging workplace of professionals that share a passion for a healthy, sustainable lifestyle and produce  

Working locations

• Hybrid model, working in the Bristol office and remotely

How to apply

• Apply online to submit your  CV and Cover Letter. Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy early.  
• For any queries, please contact [email protected]
• We know the value of diversity in nature and want it in our organisation. We recognise that diverse backgrounds and experiences will bring a fresh perspective to our work. If you're not sure about applying, please get in touch with us for a chat.   Thank you for your interest in supporting our work at the Soil Association.  

Interviews

•  Interviews will take place the week commencing the 27th July 2026.
• Please check your junk/spam folder if you do not receive a confirmation email upon submitting your application. All candidates will subsequently receive an email to confirm whether they have made it through to the interview stage.

Policies

The Soil Association and FFL are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people, and vulnerable adults that we work with. In accordance with this commitment, we ensure that we follow a thorough and safe recruitment and selection process for all roles that work with children. This includes checking against the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) where appropriate. Please note that if you are successful in your application to the role, any offer of employment will be subject to a satisfactory DBS check.

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