Hello! Is it you we’re looking for?
The Decelerator is looking for freelance Deceleration Hotline Navigators to join our team.
Have you ever considered—or had experience of—the impact of endings in civil society? Whether it’s an organisational closure, a leadership transition, or a project coming to a close, these pivotal moments define legacy and impact across the groups, organisations, institutions and movements that make up civil society. At The Decelerator, we’re on a mission to make these endings and transitions purposeful, compassionate, and impactful.
As we embark on a new chapter in 2025, we’re looking for new Deceleration Hotline Navigators to join our team. If you’re passionate about making a meaningful difference during moments of profound change, this could be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for. The full job description and details on how to apply can be found here, or read on to find out some of the headline details.
About The Decelerator: Shaping the Future of Civil Society
Since 2023, The Decelerator has carved out a space for civil society organisations to navigate their endings with care and intention. Through the Decelerator Hotline, we’ve created a confidential, understanding and pragmatic space where leaders can reflect, process, and plan their next steps with clarity and confidence.
But we’re not stopping there. Our work extends to training, advocacy, and building partnerships that transform how endings are perceived and handled across the sector. We’re a small, agile team with big ambitions—and we’re seeking new people to deepen and enrich our impact.
Why Join Us as a Deceleration Hotline Navigator?
Step into a freelance role where you’ll support civil society leaders to navigate possible and planned endings and transitions with clarity and purpose. As a Deceleration Hotline Navigator, you will:
Host Hotline Conversations: Facilitate 50-minute Hotline sessions, providing leaders with a supportive space to reflect, regroup, and chart a clear path forward.
Collaborate and Grow Together: Participate in monthly team meetings, supervision sessions, and immersive in-person team days. Work within our structured 4-month cycles: 3 months dedicated to the Hotline, followed by a month focused on learning, reflecting, and collective care.
Create Lasting Impact: Join the movement of people reshaping how civil society embraces endings and transitions, leaving a meaningful legacy in its wake.
This freelance role offers flexibility, meaningful work, and opportunities to shape the future of a sector undergoing seismic shifts. You’ll work an estimated 1–3 days per month at £400 per day for an initial 8 months (with a 4 month probation to ensure mutual fit) whilst contributing to what someone else has described as “one of the simplest and most innovative initiatives in the voluntary and charity sector”. There is potential for further contracts beyond the initial 8 months, depending on the outcomes of our learning and delivery during this first contract.
We’re Seeking Individuals With:
Exceptional Listening and Communication Skills: The ability to create safe, reflective spaces for meaningful conversations.
Empathy and Self-Awareness: A compassionate approach to handling sensitive and complex discussions.
Diverse Backgrounds and Perspectives: Varied experiences and perspectives enrich and strengthen our work, so if you look at our team page and can see gaps you’d like to fill, we’d love to hear from you.
Commitment to The Decelerator’s Principles: A dedication to our mission, values, and collaborative ways of working.
Alignment with Deceleration Practices: Practical insights or experiences that connect with our evolving ideas about embracing endings and decelerating (and accelerating!) when necessary.
Adaptability and Creativity: The ability to thrive in an experimental, evolving environment. You’ll need to be very organised and good at juggling too!
If you’re reflective, curious, and motivated to drive change in civil society, we’d love to hear from you.
What We Offer
Flexibility: Autonomy to schedule your calls and balance work with other commitments.
Support: Monthly supervision sessions and team away days to nurture your well-being and offer you connection to a motivated, supportive, caring team.
Manageable Pace: This year we are experimenting with working in 4 month cycles with three months of ‘delivery’ followed by one month of learning and reflection.
A Values-Driven Environment: Join a team that prioritises care, relationships, and impact.
Key Dates to Remember
Applications open: 23rd January 2025
Application deadline: 17th February 2025
The role starts: April 2025
Team days, induction training, and regular meetings are part of the work and the experience. These moments of connection are central to our work, fostering collaboration, care and learning, in the midst of what can be demanding, tough, meaningful and joyful work. Check the job description to see when these are scheduled for.
The Full Job Description and How to Apply
If you love the idea of working with a group of people committed to these Guiding Principles and can see ways you will bring new ideas, perspectives and identities to our small team, then we’d love to hear from you. Click here to read the full job description and the details on how to apply. Deadline is 17th February 2025.
If this role isn’t for you but might be suitable for someone brilliant, we’d appreciate you forwarding this email to them or sharing this post on LinkedIn.
And a quick reminder, if you or someone you know is looking for a confidential, supportive space to consider an ending - anticipated, planned or underway - the Decelerator Hotline is free to use and the sign-up form is here.