Seeking a purposeful career change? Start on your transformative journey with the On Purpose Associate Programme, offering a unique opportunity for mid-career professionals to transition into impactful work. This paid, year-long leadership programme is designed for those ready to pivot their professional journey towards creating a regenerative, equitable and just future.

Key info:

Based in London, UK
Full-time (4.5 days at placement & one half day training weekly)
£27,010 per annum salary
Programme dates: October 2025 - September 2026 (49 weeks)

About On Purpose:

On Purpose is tackling the greatest challenge of our time: transforming our economy from profit to purpose. Our leadership programmes develop people who will play their part in this transformation.

Together, we learn to see a different future and take action towards realising it in the organisations we work in. Our programmes seed a vibrant community who care, inspire, challenge and support one another as we make this transformation a reality.

Programme summary:

Two 6 month placements:

Through work placements with leading purpose-driven organisations, you'll gain hands-on experience tackling pressing social and environmental issues. Some of our current partners include Better Society Capital, Save the Children, BAFTA and Sustainable Ventures.

Expert-led learning:

Our intensive Learning & Development programme involves weekly in-person sessions led by experts from across sectors. This blend of professional training and academic rigour equips you with the skills, knowledge and mindset to lead organisational and systemic change.

1-2-1 mentoring & coaching:

Receive support through fortnightly mentoring sessions and quarterly executive coaching, fostering both your personal and professional growth.

Join a supportive, impactful community:

You’ll be part of a tight-knit cohort of 20 Associates, participating in training sessions every Friday afternoon together. You’ll also join the wider On Purpose community, connecting with a global, influential network of impact-driven professionals offering life-long inspiration, collaboration and opportunities.

Benefits:

Earn while you learn: On Purpose stands out by offering a paid learning and training opportunity, saving you significant costs compared to paying for other leadership programmes or MBAs, all the while offering extensive learning and development.
Develop your ability to make an impact: Equip yourself with the skills and insights needed to drive meaningful change. You’ll join nearly 1000 purpose-driven alumni who are leading transformative change worldwide in all parts of the system, with 92% currently working in the impact sector.
Unlock purpose-driven career opportunities: Our Associates have moved into a whole range of sustainability jobs and social impact roles, ranging from CEOs of social enterprises to leadership positions within traditional companies driving change from within. We have a former music label business owner now the CEO of Hubbub, a former Consultant now Director of Impact at B Lab UK and a former civil servant now Climate Lead at Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Standard UK holiday allowance
A 3-day residential (all expenses paid)

Who we’re looking for:

This programme is ideal for:

Individuals seeking a career change into the environment and social impact sector.
Individuals already in the impact sector who want to develop new skills, have the opportunity to work in more commercial organisations, or to join an engaged network of people who share your values and are working toward the same goal.

Specific sector or industry experience is not important. We’re looking for talented people from diverse industries who have a determination to bring their skills and experience to purpose-driven projects and to driving systemic change. We seek ambitious individuals with:

A minimum of three years full-time professional experience
The right to work in the UK for the full duration of the programme
Fluency in English
Office environment experience
Skills in project management, stakeholder engagement, adaptability, interpersonal communication, problem-solving, quantitative analysis and strategic thinking.
Excitement and commitment towards building a career that helps transform our economy from profit to purpose.

Diversity and Inclusion:

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences and those who are often under-represented in the impact sector, including but not limited to individuals with disabilities and those from diverse ethnic, gender identities, sexualities, religions, and socio-economic backgrounds.

How to apply:

Read our Associate Programme brochure for more information.
Register your interest via our website to receive a link to your online application form.
Closing date for applications: Monday 19 May, 9:00 am (BST).
Interviews will be held in mid-late June.

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On Purpose Associate - A leadership programme for social & environmental impact