BIHR’s Operations Officer is an exciting new post which will focus on coordinating and delivering the operational administrative and financial support BIHR needs to support change through human rights with people, communities, public officials and policy-makers.

This role is integrated into the practical work of the BIHR team and coordinates key finance and administration operations, supporting the charity’s governance.

A passion for human rights and a commitment to ensuring the best possible operational support for our work is essential for this role. This is an exciting opportunity for anyone with a strong operational administration and finance background. Ideally you should have experience of working in a small charity, or a clear demonstrable interest in moving into this area.

This role will work very closely with the Senior Management Team: our Director and Policy and Programmes Manager (PPM). It is integrated into the delivery work our wider team, including Human Rights Officers (HROs).

MAIN TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES

All staff members are required to deliver their wok in accordance with BIHR’s core mission, always acting in the best interest of the charity. A genuine commitment to supporting change through human rights across the UK is required at all times.

Deliver effective financial administration and management, ensuring robust policies and processes are in place to support the Director and Board

• Managing and administering the systems the regular processing of payments in and out (invoices, bills, expenses, etc.) in accordance with our schedule and the appropriate approvals, using Quick Books
• Management of bank accounts including regular reconciliations, investigations and administration
• Day to day management of relationship with BIHR’s retained independent accountants including monthly payroll, quarterly management accounts and cashflow adjustments
• Producing monthly financial monitoring and reforecasting, supported by the Director
• Producing quarterly financial and narrative reports, with the Director, for the Board of Trustees, and others purposes, as needed
• Providing high-quality, accurate and timely financial and operational information for funder reports
• Leading on the preparation of financial information for the annual report (Charity Commission and Companies House), working closely with the Director, retained accountant and appointed Independent Examiner
• Support the Director with the development of the annual organisational budget
• Use initiative to identify and make improvements to financial management and operational administration, as needed

Deliver high-quality internal and external communications, enabling BIHR to run smoothly and engage effectively with stakeholders

• First point of contact for general enquiries, managing email, telephone and mail contacts
• Key operational contact for BIHR’s services, including liaising with individuals booking our sessions or ordering resources, new potential partnership opportunities, and ongoing contacts for programmatic work
• Key point of contact for the administration of BIHR’s online communities of practice (using WordPress site) working closely with the lead HRO
• Ensuring the smooth running of BIHR’s websites, with proactive troubleshooting and, where relevant, liaising with our web support agencies and/or QMUL IT to pre-empt or resolve technical issues
• Relationship management with regular suppliers
• Relationship management with regular givers, corporate sponsors and donors, and, where appropriate liaising with Trusts and Foundations
• Support BIHR’s Strategic Framework brand rollout, ensuring it is used and applied consistently across the organisation
• Responsibility for internal information management and GDPR compliance, supporting the Director and wider team to maintain appropriate systems
• Responsibility for administrative coordination of BIHR’s QMUL course, including proactive liaison with the Law School around scheduling of classes, assessments and student appointments and feedback.
• When needed, supporting other staff with BIHR’s social media communications.

Provide administrative support and co-ordination to ensure effective and efficient delivery of BIHR’s information, learning and development sessions, programmes and policy work

• Leading on the logistical and financial arrangements of BIHR’s human rights support sessions, following content and relationship development by the PPM. This includes:
  • Responding to all initial requests and record keeping, liaising with the PPM on their involvement
  • Managing all logistical liaison, including online set up or venues, as appropriate and ensuring the BIHR facilitator’s requirements are met (including travel, IT, refreshments, invites, registrations, etc.)
  • Ensuring the distribution of any materials and any follow up materials
  • Responsibility for monitoring and evaluation work using SurveyMonkey (and other systems, where relevant), including ensuring evaluation forms are set up, distributed, completed and analysed following sessions
  • Processing of all financial elements, including setting up BIHR as a supplier, processing invoices and ensuring payments
• As above, delivering the administrative and financial aspects of programmes/ projects/ policy work delivered by HROs or PPM
• Coordinating the finalisation of information resources, including proofing, identifying and managing relationships with design and print suppliers, and leading the distribution of resources.
• Leading on monthly and quarterly analysis of the evaluation data, to support both programmatic and BIHR’s overall performance monitoring
• Scoping, sourcing and ordering of any equipment and services needed for BIHR to deliver its programmes / projects / policy work

Support robust and effective organisational environment and governance processes, working with the Director  

• Ensuring BIHR’s working environment(s) meet health and safety requirements, and are tidy, organised and inviting. In particular, whilst the organisation is working remotely, to ensure staff have access to necessary equipment and online systems.
• Organising and minuting monthly/other team meetings and keeping track of actions with PPM
• Supporting the Director to keep the organisation’s standard policies and procedures up to date in accordance with law and under regular review
• Leading administrative aspects of recruitment processes and inductions
• Servicing of quarterly (and other) Board meetings, including annual scheduling, reminders, and distribution of paperwork, and where required minute-taking.
• Working with the Director to ensure compliance in the organisation’s activities with all legal requirements in company, charity, employment, and other fields.

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

Essential 

Personal qualities

• Passionate commitment to BIHR’s mission and values and to working in the charity sector
• Strong team player with ability to get stuck in within a small organisation
• Efficient, reliable, flexible and collaborative working style
• Self-motivating with ability to work effectively from home as part of a virtual team and in an office environment

Role-related knowledge and experience

• At least 1 years’ experience of a similar successful role within a charity, or clear demonstrable commitment to this.
• At least 1 years’ experience of successfully working within a small organisation (under 15 employees) and a clear understanding of the operational responsibilities of working in such an environment.
• At least 2 years of direct work experience of coordinating administrative systems, including using initiative to review / change processes to improve operational outcomes, working primarily with online/cloud-based systems and some hardcopy systems.
• At least 2 years of direct experience of coordinating financial systems, including budgets and cashflow, and financial administration using accountancy software (Quickbooks or the ability to quickly become confident to use this package
• A good working knowledge of relevant compliance issues, particularly charity regulation, financial good practice, data management
• Experience of compiling information and data to produce monitoring and impact reports for internal and external audiences
• Excellent working knowledge of IT and a proactive approach to anticipating and resolving team IT issues, in particular:
• Daily use of the Microsoft Office suite, particularly high-level Excel skills
• Managing websites (WordPress and bespoke platform)
• Proactive approach to learning new software, apps and platforms
• Knowledge of other IT solutions to support effective operations in a small charity
• Experience of supporting human resources processes including recruitment administration and supporting the review and development of new policies etc.
• Experience of servicing a Board of Trustees or similar, including scheduling meetings, papers preparations, venue arrangements, minute-taking and follow up actions, making appropriate filings with regulators
• Experience of operational delivery for programmes work including organising training sessions and events (online and face-to-face) and resource development and distribution.
• Working knowledge of basic health and safety requirements and applying these within a small team
• Excellent numeracy skills, educated to a least a C grade in GCSE Maths (or equivalent).

Time management

• Ability to work to tight and multiple deadlines and prioritise workload, ensuring the highest standards of work
• A demonstrable commitment to accuracy and attention to detail in the completion of work
• The ability to work effectively from home and in the office

Communication

• Excellent written and verbal English language skills, with literacy skills at or equivalent to GCSE C grade English Language
• Experience of, or demonstrable commitment and transferable skills, to communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders, particularly
• People who are distressed and seeking advice, which BIHR does not provide, and people with a range of care and support needs accessing our services
• Community and public sector partners
• Suppliers of goods and services
• The ability to BIHR to external audiences, including on the telephone, at online meetings and in person

Desirable

• Recognised book-keeping or financial administration training or qualifications
• Direct experience of working in the social justice field and/or working to support people facing vulnerable situations
• Experience of supporting an organisational team to work remotely
• Understanding of use of social media to engage with different audiences