About the Role
As we scale, we are looking for a Head of Operations to provide operational leadership to ensure the charity operates effectively, compliantly and sustainably in line with its mission and ethos. Working closely with the CEO, you will support the translation of the vision into reality by building strong foundations, enabling effective delivery, and supporting the scaling of the organisational from a regional base to a nationally impactful charity.
This is a pivotal role shaping how BeSpace grows. You will lead on strengthening systems, people, governance and operational delivery embedding accountability, and continuous improvement.
In this role, you will:
Strengthen governance, risk and compliance
· Develop and maintain robust governance frameworks and ensure legal and regulatory compliance
· Embed effective risk management processes
· Oversee key compliance areas including safeguarding, GDPR and reporting
Build operational systems and infrastructure
· Develop and implement scalable systems, processes and internal controls
· Improve data management (including CRM) and strengthen reporting
· Contribute to ensuring operational readiness to support national growth
· Work with external providers on IT and financial system integration
Lead people, culture and organisational development
· Oversee recruitment, onboarding and retention of a high-performing team
· Strengthen performance management and accountability frameworks
· Support and foster a values-led, healthy team culture aligned with BeSpace’s mission
Enable delivery, impact and growth
· Strengthen operational support for programme delivery and expansion
· Support the translation of strategic ambitions into practical systems and ways of working
· Improve data insight to inform decision-making
· Support development of fundraising infrastructure.
Contribute to wider organisational life
· Work collaboratively across the team to support evolving priorities
· Act as an ambassador for BeSpace’s values and Christian ethos
About You
We are looking for someone who:
· Has experience in operations, programme or an organisational role with increasing responsibility or has had operational leadership, ideally within a growing or changing organisation
· Has good experience in developing systems, processes and organisational infrastructure
· Can work closely with a CEO to translate vision into operational delivery
· Has excellent organisational and project management skills
· Is proactive, collaborative and relational leader who builds strong teams and culture
It would be a bonus if you:
· Are an experienced operational leader motivated by impact, flexibility, and supporting the growth of a mission-led organisation
· Have significantly enabled the scaling of a regional organisation to national growth operationally.
· Have experience in fundraising systems or donor management
The Head of Public Fundraising is a new role at Coeliac UK leading the charity’s public fundraising function. The role focusses on driving sustainable growth across individual giving, community fundraising, events, lottery, raffle, digital fundraising and merchandise. This role is responsible for delivering Coeliac UK’s 5-year fundraising strategy to maximise return-on-investment, grow long term supporter value, and contribute to the charity’s mission.
The Head of Public Fundraising will embed and deliver comprehensive fundraising strategies, growing Coeliac UK’s supporter base and income, building up new and under-developed income streams and communicating effectively with their audiences to expand their reach, and encourage financial and non-financial support to deliver the organisations mission.
Who are we looking for?
Key to the success of this role is a strong understanding of individual giving fundraising. This role blends the strategic oversight and leadership of a Head of role across multiple income streams, with the hands-on expertise of an IG fundraiser. Experience across other income streams and areas of fundraising delivery would be a huge benefit as the role leads community fundraising and events, will take on digital fundraising - currently led by the Chief Engagement Officer, as well as manage the data and supporter care functions, but experience in individual giving is essential as Coeliac UK has defined that as an area of priority income.
The successful candidate for this role will be someone who has already operated at a senior level within a charity such as at Senior Manager level, or Head of in a specific income stream.
Hybrid working
The role has a hybrid expectation of a minimum of a day a week in the High Wycombe office (HP11 2QW) to build relationships and provide support to the fundraising team, and there will be flexibility required for other in person meetings and events. However, Coeliac UK are keen to secure the very best candidate, if the hybrid expectation presents challenge for you but you otherwise meet the requirements of the role, please do get in touch with THINK to discuss.
Application notes
Please download the Candidate Info Pack provided for further information about the role, timelines and next steps.
To progress your application, please contact THINK Recruitment to organise an informal screening call. Please note, we cannot shortlist candidates who have not had a screening call so please allow enough time to have a call before the closing date.
If you need assistance with downloading the pack or any reasonable adjustments to ensure you can engage with the selection process, please contact THINK Recruitment and our team will support you.
Closing date for applications: Midnight Tuesday 21st July
There will be a two-stage interview process:
Stage 1 interviews: 30th July
Stage 2 interviews: 5th August