Jobs

We believe we have a fair and transparent pay framework. Our salary bands and pay gaps are public.

We have always paid at least the real living wage and we do not offer any unpaid/non-credit-bearing placement opportunities or work experience.

We offer up to 6% pension contributions, annual cost of living increases and annual spine-point salary increases until the top of your band*.

Other benefits include:

• Support and paid time for learning and development in your role and to support onward progression (if desired)

• Cycle-to-work scheme*

• Eye care vouchers*

• Free flu vaccinations

• Work laptop and home-office equipment where needed*

• Health Cash Plan and Employee Assistance Programme via HSF*

• A minimum of 27 days paid annual leave, plus bank holidays (pro rata for part-time staff or those on contracts for under 12 months). Additional leave is awarded for each year of service, up to 30 days
• Discretionary paid leave over the Christmas break for everyone
• Various other leave allowances, as agreed with line managers, including for (but not limited to):
  • Parents, carers and dependents: support and understanding for family emergencies and caring for dependents
  • Employee volunteering: up to three days paid leave per year which you are encouraged to take – pro rata for part-time staff
  • Medical appointments: reasonable time off during working hours including time for fertility treatment and gender reassignment
  • Religious or belief-related obligations
  • Study leave

*These benefits are available to all full-time staff but may have eligibility thresholds for very part-time staff, for example, our student staff working 7 hours per week.

We offer:

• Reasonable paid time off for ante-natal care

• Shared parental or paternity leave allowances

• Up to 39 weeks’ maternity pay (linked to length of service and earnings) which is paid as follows:

• Occupational  Maternity Pay (OMP) for 28 weeks, with the first 16 weeks at full pay; followed by 12 weeks at half pay

• Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) for 11 weeks at the lower rate

• Up to 52 weeks’ maternity leave

• Additional protection against unfair treatment, discrimination or dismissal as provided by the Equality Act 2010

• The right for the employee to return to their original job or a suitable alternative role (depending on the length of maternity leave taken)
• Allowance of £120 per child per month under 5 and £35 per child aged 5-13 is provided to contribute towards the cost of childcare. The allowance is pro rata to hours worked

We’re totally committed to equality of opportunity for all. We are striving to be an organisation where all staff are able to thrive and be their whole-selves. As part of our action on inclusion, diversity and equality, we encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented backgrounds and groups, including but not limited to, age, disability, ethnicity, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation.

At SOS UK, our staff team is currently under-representative of people of colour, LGBTQIA+ people and disabled people. We are committed to ensuring we are representative and inclusive, so we particularly encourage you to apply if you represent these characteristics. We have an opt-in guaranteed interview scheme for candidates who declare a disability and/or are a person of colour and meet the essential criteria of the role profile.

We are always happy to speak to candidates informally about the role before applying and encourage you to do so.

On our job applications, we do not ask as standard whether applicants have any spot or unspent convictions (under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974). Applicants will still be requested to complete a DBS check if the role requires one.

SOS UK adopts an open and flexible approach to working arrangements, with many of the current team opting to be home-based.

To further support positive work-life balance, all staff are offered a generous holiday and leave allowance as described above. Additionally, whilst working overtime is not encouraged for staff wellbeing, in cases where this is necessary a time-off-in-lieu (TOIL) policy is in place.

SOS UK has a mental health working group and designated mental health first aiders who act as the first point of contact for staff who need support with their mental health.

As an organisation devoted to furthering sustainable development, it’s important we practice what we preach:

• To minimise our carbon emissions, our travel policy favours overland/water travel, and we abstain from internal flights within Great Britain

• Our default option is for online meetings when communicating within the team and externally

• We offer the Cycle to Work scheme for employees
• When organising internal and external meetings and events, we opt for vegetarian or vegan catering from local suppliers
• We’re also conscious of whom we work with and for, reviewing individual clients, funders and partners’ ethical practices and reputation, as per our partnerships policy.