General secretary jobs in Manchester

Operations Manager 

Organisation: Religions for Peace United Kingdom (RfPUK)

Salary: £38,000 – £42,000 

Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week). Core working hours are 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday. Home-based employees are expected to be available and responsive during these hours.

Contract: Fixed-term (12 months) 

Location: Home-based / hybrid (occasional travel)

Reporting to: Chair of the Board of Trustees

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Operations Manager to take operational and administrative responsibility for a small, ambitious charity. You will run governance, compliance, contract management, finance liaison, data protection, safeguarding, HR, grant administration, and media and digital maintenance. You will work directly with the Chair.

This is a KEY gatekeeper role for someone who can steady the executive arm in response to the Board's strategic direction, concentrating on rigorous enforcement and maintenance.

Key responsibilities

• Board administration (agendas, minutes, documents, filings, trustee records)

• Contract and grant administration (drafting, tracking, compliance)

• Finance liaison (working with finance service provider, accountant, treasurer)

• Compliance (GDPR, safeguarding, risk register, Charity Commission filings and all charity related issues)

• HR and resource management

• Website and social media coordination

Essential criteria

• 4+ years in a leadership or senior operations role within a charity or not-for-profit

• Experience as a board secretary or company secretary

• Experience drafting contracts and managing compliance protocol

• Knowledge of CIO governance and Charity Commission requirements

• Diciplined and methodical apporach towards established processes

• Excellent attention to detail and written English

Desirable but not essential

• Experience in the interfaith or multi-religious sector

• CGI qualification (or working towards)

Infrastructure Requirements (BYOD)

RfPUK operates a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) framework where paid staff provide their own personal computer hardware to access our systems. All work is web-based via Google Workspace for Charities and does not require high-specification hardware. The charity provides all system user licenses and funds required antivirus software for work devices, but does not provide or fund personal hardware or domestic utility bills.

What we offer

• Real ownership of a charity's operations

• Direct reporting to the Chair – simple management structure

• Salary £38,000–£42,000

• 25 days annual leave plus public holidays

• Our workplace pension scheme is in line with statutory requirements, with employer contributions (3%).

• Home-based working with a structured core hours framework (9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday)

How to apply

Please send your CV and a cover letter (maximum two pages) 

Closing date: 20 August 2026

Interview Date: 24 August 2026

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Safeguarding statement: RfPUK is committed to safeguarding. 

Equal opportunities: RfPUK is an equal opportunities employer.

_______

[End of Advert]

Join Mersey Rivers Trust and Help Make a Real Impact for Rivers, Wildlife and Communities! 

Are you a skilled finance and governance professional looking to use your expertise for good? Mersey Rivers Trust is seeking a Finance and Governance Manager to join our Senior Leadership Team and help shape the future of our environmental charity. 

We’re a passionate team working to protect and restore rivers across Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire — and we need someone like you to ensure our finances and governance are as strong as our mission. 

APPLICANTS MUST LIVE WITHIN OR CLOSE TO THE MERSEY CATCHMENT – APPLICATIONS FROM OUTSIDE THIS AREA CANNOT BE CONSIDERED.

The Mersey Rivers Trust (MRT) is an environmental charity focussing on the protection and enhancement of rivers and waterbodies in the Mersey Catchment. It operates in an area covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire. We have an annual turnover of c£1m and employ 19 staff delivering up to 30 projects per year. The Trust works with partners, local communities, and volunteers to deliver a wide range of projects including river restoration, reduction of flood risk by Natural Flood Management techniques, river monitoring, volunteer events (eg river clean-ups/invasive species control and citizen science), community engagement and education events, farm advice/plans and biodiversity net gain. The Trust continues to evolve to meet the increasing challenges of protecting and enhancing rivers and waterbodies in the catchment.

We are seeking a Finance and Governance Manager to join our Senior Leadership Team and lead the Trust’s finance, governance, and back-office functions. This is a pivotal role focused on ensuring financial integrity, regulatory compliance, and effective charity governance. While not involved in field-based project delivery, the Finance Manager plays a strategic role in supporting the organisation’s mission by enabling robust financial planning, reporting, and operational support. You will work closely with the Chief Executive Officer, Board of Trustees, and project teams to ensure the Trust remains financially resilient and well-governed.

As the Finance and Governance Manager, you should possess expertise in financial control and reporting, allowing you to effectively handle delegated responsibilities. Your numerical skills and critical thinking abilities will enable you to proactively address challenges and streamline processes. 

The role holder will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer and will be a member of the Senior Leadership Team. The role will also include direct line management responsibilities of the Administration Officer. 

If you are a motivated financial professional with a passion for driving organisational success, we invite you to apply and contribute to our team’s growth. 

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the management of the back-office function and Charity governance of MRT. 

• Act as the Company Secretary to ensure compliance with financial and legal requirements, as well as maintaining high standards of Charity governance. 

• Work with the Chief Executive Officer to prepare and manage budgets, provide input to the Trust’s business plan and strategic initiatives. 

• Contribute to the strategic direction of the Trust as a member of the Senior Leadership Team. 

• Provide financial insight and analysis to support strategic decision-making and long-term planning. 

• Support the development and implementation of organisational policies and procedures to ensure good governance. 

• Act as a key liaison with the Board of Trustees, preparing and presenting financial and governance reports to inform oversight and decision-making. 

• Lead on the development of internal controls and risk management strategies to safeguard the Trust’s assets and reputation. 

• Oversee all payments, manage cash flow, income and claims. 

• Support financial planning for grant funding applications to support delivery of our objectives. 

• Line management of the Administration Officer. 

• Renew the annual insurance policy ensuring adequate cover and value for money. 

• Maintain, oversee, and update all project management reporting systems on time and to budget (including timesheets, expenses and monthly reports). 

• Complete all necessary reports and keep suitable records in line with the funding requirements and document retention policy. 

• Highlight any new risks and issues identified whilst carrying out duties, and work with the team to manage and resolve them. 

• Fulfil duties as assigned by the Chief Executive Officer. 

• Any other reasonable duties as required by MRT. 

The post holder will be home based with travel throughout the Mersey catchment. The applicant will need to live within or close to the Mersey catchment to facilitate regular travel to meetings. Remote working from other parts of the country cannot be considered for this role due to the need for regular face-to-face interactions.

Candidate Profile

Essential 

• A financial control and reporting background with an accounting qualification (e.g. AAT, CIMA) or qualified by experience. 

• Experience of organisational governance, ideally with knowledge of UK General Accounting Practice and Charities regulations. 

• Experience of financial and management reporting within a small to medium-sized charitable or not for profit organisation. 

• Experience of liaising with accountants to prepare annual accounts and reports required by the Charity Commission. 

• Experience of cash flow forecasting. 

• Familiarity with Xero financial and project management software (or similar). 

• A confident and clear communicator with the ability to communicate financial information in an appropriate manner for non-financial trustees and staff. 

• Aptitude in problem-solving. 

• Self-motivated and able to work effectively from home with strong communication skills and with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail. 

• Ability to work flexibly across the working week when necessary. 

• Ability to prioritise and plan activities to meet strict deadlines. 

• Excellent literacy, numeracy and report-writing skills. 

• Excellent presentation and communication skills. 

• Strong negotiation and influencing skills. 

• Good computer literacy skills (e.g. with Excel, Word, PowerPoint and project reporting systems). 

• A reliable team player with good attendance and work performance. 

• Ability to set performance objectives and ensure these are achieved. 

Desirable 

• Experience in financial planning for funding applications. 

• Understanding of small-scale charitable trading. 

• Experience of commercial contract management. 

• Experience of managing an IT service provider.

• Knowledge of the Mersey Catchment.

• Experience in Human Resources

General Notes

• Some travel around the Mersey Catchment will be necessary therefore a current driving licence and access to a vehicle (insured for business use) is desirable or otherwise access to public transport networks. 
• This positive will from time to time requires work during some evenings, weekends and public holidays to meet the needs of the post. A time off in lieu system is operated by the Trust.

• We will also require the successful applicant to undergo a basic DBS check and provide satisfactory references from previous employers. 

Term and Conditions

The following terms and conditions are typically offered to Mersey Rivers Trust staff and are set out as a guide only. Terms and conditions may vary according to circumstances, and this summary does not form part of any subsequent employment

Annual leave: 25 days annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays that fall on working days and a 3 day shutdown between Christmas and New Year.

Location: Home Based

We're looking for a motivated, focussed and attentive operations professional to join our team, managing and maintaining the organisational processes of the charity. This is a one year, fixed contract role, with the aim of moving to permanent, subject to funding constraints.

Details

• Hours: Full-time (32 hours per week - Monday to Thursday) 

  • Working pattern: Four day work week (Fridays off)

• Benefits: 

  • Annual wellbeing budget

  • Professional development budget

  • Private healthcare with Vitality, including dental & optical cover

  • 9 paid sick days

  • Two-week December shutdown for the end-of-year period

  • Annual team retreat

    • All benefits are subject to passing probation

• Statutory inclusions:

  • 5% employer pension contribution

  • 24 days annual leave (16 + 8 bank holidays, annual leave based on 4-day week).

About Glitch

We work to ensure that internet technologies in the information ecosystem do not replicate or further discrimination to Black women and other marginalised people. We’re a Black-led, internationally-focused remote charity. 

We are a charity, which means we do research, policy analysis and policy influencing, as well as campaigning on tech-facilitated gender-based violence, algorithmic discrimination, platform governance and other technology-related harms impacting race and gender injustice.  Our advocacy work also covers what we describe as broader ‘societal and collective harms of technology’ by ensuring there are appropriate safeguards, governance and accountability in our core focus areas above. Our Programmes focus on education, literacy, accountability and resistance to algorithmic discrimination and injustice.

While we are not a frontline organisation, everything we do is on behalf of those excluded and ignored - specifically Black women and Black gender-expansive people.

Read our full strategy document to learn more.

Role Overview

The Operations Manager will be responsible for ensuring the smooth, efficient, and compliant day-to-day operations of Glitch, enabling the effective delivery and adherence to policies and regulation for the charity and team. The role holder will be the charity's data protection officer; they will meticulously ensure we remain fully compliant with all relevant charity regulations, maintaining our integrity and trust with regulatory bodies, funders and donors, and our supporters. This role will also serve as the Board Secretary, attending Board of Trustees meetings 4-6 times a year, taking minutes and managing the process of all documentation for the Board. As the Operations Manager, you will work closely with the Executive Director and our Finance Director in recruitment and hiring, finance and administration, and events support. This role requires some travel.

Our ideal candidate will have experience working with/in small, 100% remote charities; small SMEs; or, nonprofit or nongovernmental organisations. For this role, we are seeking candidates based in the UK, and they will need to provide evidence of their right to work in the UK.

As a charity working to ensure technologies do not replicate or extend discrimination of marginalised communities, we are committed to providing equal opportunities for employment on our team. All applicants will receive equal treatment regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. We strongly encourage Black women and Black gender-expansive people to apply!

Our values: Accountable, Black feminist, Care-full, Radical, Thoughtful

Key Responsibilities

Operations management

• Oversee the charity’s administrative functions, including triaging the general inbox, scheduling team meetings and other ad-hoc administrative work in supporting the ED in running the day-to-day of the charity 

• Maintain and improve existing operational systems and processes including information systems

• Organising travel suppliers and task related to charity events

• Manage relationships with external suppliers and service providers across recruitment, finance and personnel

• Support the development and implementation of organisational policies and procedures

• Ensure that invoices, payments, and expense claims are received and reconciled on the expensing system.

Governance and compliance

• Ensure the charity complies with relevant UK legislation and regulatory requirements, keeping abreast of any changes or updates

• Support the Finance Director and Executive Director on the preparation of the end-of-year statutory accounts and independent examination process

• Ensure compliance with financial regulations and charity commission requirements

• Support the preparation of Board materials and Trustee meetings and Board activities

• Maintain accurate records and documentation, including sensitive and confidential files

• Ensure documentation is updated across our project management system: ClickUp, our expenses software, HR platform and travel platform

• Assist with risk management and insurance matters.

HR and Recruitment

• Lead on talent recruitment, leaning on our retained, legal team when needed

• Manage the onboarding process for new hires

• Manage HR functions, including maintaining personnel records, supporting recruitment and any other HR processes.

Person Specification

Essential qualifications and experience

• Demonstrable experience in a similar operations role for a small charity, start-up, SME, or philanthropic organisation 

• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy

• Strong project management skills, including the ability to plan ahead and intimate the next stage of tasks in projects

• Proactive problem-solving approach

• Comfortable and confident managing sensitive, high-importance charity governance documents

• Knowledge of operational management and administrative systems

• Outstanding organisational and time management skills.

Essential skills and attributes

• Understanding of UK charity regulations and reporting requirements

• IT skills, including experience using Xero, Google Suite and project management tools like ClickUp and Slack. 

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively in a small team

• Commitment to our mission and values.

Desirable

• Experience with HR processes and systems

• Experience working with with Boards, including preparing agendas and taking minutes

• GDPR or ICO training or certification.