This is a unique opportunity for an experienced leader to help diversify the environmental sector by scaling a Black-led nature organisation to be able to demonstrate leadership on a national scale and promote and serve the interests and needs of ethnically marginalized communities in accessing nature.
Our Ambition
We’re on an exciting journey of growth. Our vision is to become a nationally recognised, well-resourced Black institution for learning about and caring for nature.
We aim to:
- Be the go-to resource for people of colour learning about the natural world and accessing outdoor spaces with confidence.
- Be the go-to resource for mainstream environmental organisations seeking to understand Black and Brown perspectives on nature.
- Strengthen networks and community among POC-led nature organisations across the UK.
Our operating income for 2025-2026 is £230,000. Our ambition is to generate an income of over £1 million by 2027-2028, growing to a 15+ staff team.
How the COO will support our vision
The role of Chief Operating Officer is central to helping us achieve our ambitions, ensuring that Wild in the City has the resources, infrastructure and working environment to achieve its annual plans, long term aims and deliver high-quality programmes.
We are not expecting the COO to implement the key areas of operations alone, we will work together to prioritise and generate the resources to build a team to cover the functionality required for steady growth. We are also motivated to ensure that the role’s salary is reviewed to meet market expectations as the role grows, dependent on funding.
This role needs an exceptional candidate who enjoys making a role their own, who is motivated by turning strategy into impactful action and who finds fulfilment in supporting others to achieve.
The COO will ensure that;
- We secure ongoing, long term financial resources, creating stability and underpinning growth, and scaling into operations in multiple regions, nationally
- We grow our staffing to provide a steady infrastructure and achieve our strategic objectives, including creating operations, fundraising, communications and research teams, and increasing our field team.
- We retain our relational, open, authentic, personable, dynamic, collaborative, innovative culture as we grow.
Who We're Looking For
We are looking for a dynamic and dependable Chief Operating Officer (COO) to help realise our vision.
We’re seeking an emotionally intelligent, commercially competent, and values-driven leader who can bring clarity, stability, and energy in a fast-paced and mission-led environment. You will thrive in turning strategy into action and impact, and in driving Wild in the City forward in scaling our delivery and leadership on a national scale.
You will bring:
- Proven experience in operational and strategic leadership
- Strong financial and commercial acumen, including income generation, budgeting, and long-term planning
- A successful track record of managing people, partnerships, and multi-disciplinary teams
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills across staff, volunteers, partners, and board members
- Emotional resilience, sound judgement, and a calm, authentic presence
- A genuine connection to our mission and values
We welcome people from all backgrounds to fulfill the role of COO. We are mindful of the lack of diversity within senior leadership in the environmental field and encourage those from Global Majority backgrounds to apply.
Why Join Us?
This is an exciting time to join Wild in the City, we hope that you will make an application. As COO, you’ll play a central role in shaping the next chapter of our development - growing our influence, supporting Black leadership in nature, and helping transform access to the natural world for communities of colour.
Non Charity Employer 
1 - 5
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Quest for Learning is an education charity on a mission to close the gap for primary school children in Oxfordshire who are falling behind - often due to complex and compounding disadvantage. Many of the children we support are growing up in poverty, with limited access to books, low parental literacy, and challenging home environments. Some face health inequalities, live in areas affected by crime, or have recently arrived in the UK as refugees or asylum seekers.
We work closely with schools to provide targeted, high-impact literacy and numeracy programmes that give these children the chance to catch up, thrive, and believe in their potential. On average, our small-group tutoring helps pupils make 13 months of progress in just 10 hours - building not only essential skills, but also confidence, motivation, and a renewed sense of possibility.
The impact extends well beyond the classroom. By supporting children early, we help prevent the need for more complex and costly interventions later in life, from mental health support to exclusion and social care. Our work contributes to stronger, fairer communities by giving every child the foundation they need to participate fully in society. In doing so, we are advancing social sustainability and helping to meet global goals such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals for Quality Education, Reduced Inequalities, and Good Health and Wellbeing.
About the role
We're looking for a dynamic, relationship-focused, and highly organised individual to oversee our teaching programmes, school partnerships, and tutor network.
This role is crucial to ensuring our programmes are high-quality, well-managed, and meeting the needs of schools. You will be the first point of contact for schools, building strong relationships with headteachers and SENCOs, and ensuring that we offer the right support at the right time.
You will manage our team of tutors, ensuring they have the resources, training, and support needed to deliver our programmes to the highest standard. You will also oversee safeguarding and the measurement of programme impact, working closely with the fundraiser to ensure we have strong data for funding applications.
If you have experience in education, relationship building, programme management, or charity leadership, and you’re passionate about ensuring all children get the support they need, this role is for you.
Key responsibilities
School relationships and programme development (account management)
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with schools and other stakeholders, ensuring our programmes align with their needs.
- Be proactive in identifying opportunities for growth, understanding school funding challenges, and positioning Quest for Learning as a key partner.
- Stay abreast of educational trends, school funding pressures, and local needs, using this market intelligence to shape programme delivery and ensure our offer remains relevant, impactful, and responsive to the challenges schools and pupils face.
- Support marketing efforts by sharing impact stories, case studies, and insights from schools.
- Support and develop approaches that foster meaningful engagement with parents and carers, helping them to feel confident and involved in their child’s learning journey.
- Maintain a strong understanding of school funding arrangements (e.g. National Funding Formula, Pupil Premium, EHCP funding), using this knowledge to position our programmes effectively and align with school priorities.
Tutor management and quality assurance
- Manage the tutor team, ensuring high standards of teaching and professionalism.
- Oversee tutor recruitment, training in programmes, and performance management.
- Ensure tutors are properly equipped with resources and training to deliver high-quality sessions and further relationships in schools.
- Provide pedagogical guidance and support to tutors where needed, drawing on strong educational knowledge to help resolve teaching queries or challenges.
- Actively develop the tutor pool, ensuring we have the right expertise and capacity across Oxfordshire.
Programme coordination and delivery
- Oversee the scheduling and logistics of our tutoring programmes, ensuring smooth delivery and efficient coordination of tutors and bookings.
- Ensure end-of-programme reporting is completed by tutors and shared with schools and other necessary stakeholders.
Safeguarding (Designated Safeguarding Lead - DSL)
- Act as the DSL for Quest for Learning (once trained) with support from the Chief Executive as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, ensuring all safeguarding policies and processes are followed.
- Train tutors in best safeguarding practices and ensure incidents are properly reported and recorded.
- Liaise with schools and external agencies where necessary.
Impact measurement & fundraising support
- Ensure a strong framework of assessment and impact measurement for pupils and our programmes.
- Analyse and collate data on programme effectiveness, reporting to the team.
- Work with the fundraiser to provide teaching-related content for funding bids and reports.
Person specification
Essential:
- Strong experience in account management, partnerships, or relationship management (preferably in education or the charity sector).
- Experience working in education or service delivery (e.g. as a teacher, tutor, or programme manager).
- Strong pedagogical knowledge and the ability to support tutors with teaching-related queries.
- Excellent people skills, able to build relationships with schools, tutors, and funders.
- Highly organised and proactive, with strong project management skills.
- Strong ability to problem-solve, take initiative, and manage multiple priorities.
- Understanding of safeguarding in education (or willingness to train as a DSL).
- Ability to gather and analyse data to measure impact.
Desirable:
- Good understanding of school funding streams and financial pressures in the primary sector, including national funding formulas, pupil premium, and SEND-related funding (e.g. EHCPs).
- Experience managing a team (e.g. teachers, tutors, or volunteers).
- Experience in developing education programmes or training.
- Familiarity with funding applications and impact reporting.
- Knowledge of the Oxfordshire school landscape.
Why join us?
- Make a meaningful difference beyond the classroom. This role is perfect for experienced educators - whether you’re a teacher, SENCO, literacy lead, or school leader - looking to apply your expertise in a more flexible, strategic, and mission-driven setting.
- Stay connected to what matters: improving outcomes for disadvantaged children and supporting high-quality teaching across schools.
- Enjoy a supportive team culture, hybrid working, generous leave, and the opportunity to help shape the future of a growing charity with a strong reputation in Oxfordshire.
- Bring your knowledge, build partnerships, and be part of something that’s both impactful and personally rewarding.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.