9 Head of operations jobs

Prospectus is pleased to be working with a social change organisation in the UK to recruit for a Head of Operations. This is a permanent, part-time vacancy offered at 0.6 – 0.8 FTE (3 or 4 days per week). This is a fully remote based role with some UK travel expected, including a monthly visit to Bristol or Reading.

The role will be responsible for supporting and coordinating the organisation’s Senior Leadership Team to function as effectively as possible. This includes developing their internal set up, processes and systems and overseeing compliance and risk management. Other responsibilities include coordinating team growth, culture and performance and overseeing long term financial planning and forecasting.

The successful candidate will bring previous experience having worked in a similar operational role. You will bring a passion for the mission and will have strong experience of embedding systems and processes. You will also have a good understanding of budgets and overseeing aspects of finance, although you are not required to be accountancy qualified for this role. You will have some experience relating to risk or compliance and will demonstrate excellent people skills, with the ability to engage with internal stakeholders at all levels. You may not have experience in every area of this job description and we would welcome applications from candidates looking to develop skills in some of these areas.

For details on how to apply please click through to the job on the Prospectus website where you can also find the full Appointment Brief.

Please note: Due to the urgency of this vacancy, shortlisting and interviews will take place on an ongoing basis therefore we encourage applications ASAP. We therefore reserve the right to close the application process early if necessary.

As a specialist Recruitment Practice Prospectus is committed to building inclusive and diverse organisations, and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Prospectus invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you in your application.

Prospectus is pleased to be collaborating with a UK charity founded by families who lost loved ones to gambling-related suicide to recruit for a Head of Operations to join them on permanent contract to start ASAP. The charity operates as a fully remote working organisation however there will be some UK travel

As Head of Operations you will help shape and deliver organisational strategy, embed values and lived experience-led approach, and ensure the organisation remains responsive to emerging opportunities and challenges. The role includes working closely with and supporting wider Heads of Service, coordination between cross team working, and accountability for organisational infrastructure delivery. The postholder will ensure robust compliance and operational systems are in place to support effective delivery across the charity alongside supporting sound HR practice. As a key member of the senior leadership team, you will also be accountable for cross-organisational projects to deliver systems improvements.

The successful candidate will bring significant experience of managing an operations function within a UK charity or not-for-profit organisation and will have experience of supporting an organisation through growth and change.  You will bring excellent people management and relationship building skills, with the ability to influence and build consensus across teams and at senior level. You will have significant experience of embedding new processes and systems to support an efficient and effective organisation. In addition you will have a strong empathy for the mission and have a drive and determination to build core organisational strength.

For details on how to apply please click through to the job link on the Prospectus website. If you have any further questions or would like to know more about this opportunity please contact Steven Fraser from Prospectus.

As a specialist Recruitment Practice Prospectus is committed to building inclusive and diverse organisations, and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Prospectus invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you in your application.

Rural Refugee Network (RRN) is a small local charity in East Hampshire, Havant and Portsmouth, working alongside refugees and people seeking asylum through the work of six board members, thirty operational volunteers, one part-time permanent employee and a small bank of project staff and contractors. The charity is widely recognised by stakeholders and the local community for sensitively and effectively addressing the many challenges people arriving in the UK face as they strive to resettle and thrive in our community.

RRN is seeking an experienced Head of Operations to lead its support for refugees and people seeking asylum. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a small charity through a period of significant change, with overall operational responsibility for the charity, including partnerships, funding, coordination of delivery, safeguarding and compliance. 

Working directly with a range of stakeholders and beneficiaries, the ideal candidate for this complex and high trust role will be self-reliant, adaptable, and able to engage and influence through excellent face-to-face and online communication skills. This is a genuinely flexible role, with significant autonomy over when and where work is undertaken. There will be regular opportunities for in-person team management and relationship-building, alongside substantial flexibility in how the wider working week is structured and where work is carried out. We are looking for someone who is confident working independently, manages their own time effectively and values the trust and responsibility that come with this level of autonomy.

A candidate who is energised by working flexibly and sensitively with a small team will thrive in this role, which offers the opportunity to make a direct and meaningful impact on people’s lives.

Experience in the refugee sector is desirable.

Deadline: 5pm Monday 21 September

To apply, please send your CV and a supporting statement of not more than 2 sides, explaining your motivation, reflecting on how you would approach being RRN’s only core employed leader, and demonstrating your fit against the specification below. Please use the email subject heading “Head of Operations Application”. Unfortunately, we are unable to respond to all applications.

Job Description

Title: Rural Refugee Network Head of Operations

Reports to:  Board of Trustees

Hours:  Part-time (0.5 FTE, negotiable). Permanent contract.

Salary range: £40,000 - £45,000 FTE depending on experience.

Benefits: 25 days plus bank holidays (pro rata to hours agreed). 3% employer pension contribution.

Location and expectations: Flexible hybrid working with frequent travel to projects, events and stakeholder meetings in Portsmouth, Havant, Petersfield and the wider Hampshire area. Occasional evening and weekend in-person working required.

Purpose: To lead the day-to-day operation, development and sustainability of Rural Refugee Network, working with trustees, volunteers, funders and partner organisations to ensure refugees and asylum seekers receive practical support and RRN maintains compliance and operational sustainability.

About the role:. 

In this small charity, the Head of Operations combines operational coordination, programme oversight, partnership development and income generation, with delivery shared across volunteers, trustees and contracted staff.The role offers a high degree of autonomy and flexibility, alongside the opportunity to shape how the organisation works and develops. It requires strong judgement in balancing opportunities, risks and priorities within limited capacity, and the confidence to work independently while bringing others with you.

RRN is volunteer-led, and the Head of Operations is the organisation’s only permanent employee, holding overall coordination and accountability for day-to-day operations. This is therefore a broad, high-trust role: rather than delivering everything directly, you will enable and coordinate others, working closely with trustees, volunteers and contractors who deliver significant elements of the activity you lead.

The role will suit someone who enjoys variety, autonomy and a flexible working pattern, and who is comfortable taking ownership while knowing when to collaborate, delegate or seek support.

Key responsibilities:

Leadership, coordination and partnerships

• Deliver agreed strategic objectives and support trustees in developing future priorities.

• Prepare quarterly Board reports.

• Coordinate relationships with statutory, voluntary and community partners.

• With the support of trustees, represent the charity in local forums, develop opportunities for collaboration and promote RRN in the local community.

Programme and volunteer coordination

• Provide oversight of funded and core programmes.

• Recruit, train and manage project staff (currently two youth workers) and contracted/sessional staff.

• Recruit, train, support and retain volunteers.

• Oversee referral pathways and access.

• Support volunteer-led communications activity including website, newsletters, social media, impact reports and case studies.

Income development and funding

• Write grant applications and manage reporting requirements (with volunteer/trustee input).

• Maintain and develop funding pipeline and actively develop new funding streams.

• Support relationship-building with donors and community supporters.

Finance and compliance 

• Monitor programme budgets, working with the Treasurer.

• Support trustees in governance, reporting and compliance responsibilities.

• Maintain organisational policies and procedures.

• Lead safeguarding practice and reporting, acting as Designated Safeguarding Lead and ensuring policies are implemented by staff, volunteers, and contractors.

• Maintain oversight of organisational risk, compliance with Charity Commission, data protection, employment requirements and insurance arrangements.

• Ensure appropriate administrative systems are in place and followed, including maintaining up-to-date records in the CRM, Lamplight.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

• Substantial experience managing programmes or services in the charity/social impact sector, including line management, budgeting and financial oversight, and grant compliance/reporting.

• Strong partnership-building and stakeholder engagement skills.

• Experience leading and recruiting volunteer teams. 

• Deep understanding of safeguarding and compliance and recent experience leading safeguarding practice and decision-making. Up to date on requirements and best practice.

• Ability to work independently, exercising sound judgement about what trustees need to know and when, and to prioritise effectively within limited capacity and competing demands.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, IT proficiency.

Desirable

• Experience working with refugees, asylum seekers or other vulnerable groups.

• Understanding of immigration, integration or resettlement issues.

• Successful fundraising and bid-writing experience. 

• Experience of local authority commissioning or grant funding.

• Comfort and experience in IT, data and/or CRMs.

RRN is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. Appointment is subject to an enhanced DBS check, including a check of the relevant barred list, two satisfactory references, including your most recent employer, and safer recruitment practice including verification of employment history and a right to work check. RRN is unable to sponsor work visas, so applicants must already have the right to work in the UK.

Head of Alumni Engagement & Operations with Kingston University
£60,996 (negotiable) | Full-time (37 hours) | Hybrid working | Kingston upon Thames

Charity People is delighted to be partnering with Kingston University to recruit their next Head of Alumni Engagement & Operations.

Kingston University has spent over 125 years transforming lives through education, innovation and opportunity. With TEF Gold recognition across the board, and a Town House Strategy that's rewriting what a modern education looks like, we are focused on helping students develop the skills, networks and experiences to thrive throughout their careers. Integral to this ambition is our global community of more than 280,000 alumni, who's futures have been shaped by the university.

As Head of Alumni Engagement & Operation, part of the senior leadership team of our Development, Alumni Relations and Engagement (DARE) team, you will help us build lifelong relationships with our alumni to support future growth and success.
About the role:

We have a 3-year strategy in place to develop alumni engagement, increase participation and embed philanthropy more deeply across the University, with full support of senior leadership across the board. This is a fantastic opportunity to join our growing team and work with senior stakeholders across the University, to champion the role alumni can play in student success, employability, mentoring, partnerships and philanthropy, and develop a lifelong alumni offer.

Reporting in to the Director of DARE, you'll lead a broad portfolio including alumni communications, events, volunteering, individual giving, CRM, data insight and operational delivery.

About you:

We're looking for someone who understands the power of communities and relationships.

This is a broad leadership role spanning alumni engagement, communications, volunteering, individual giving, CRM, data insight and operational delivery. While experience within alumni relations or advancement in higher education would be valuable, we're equally interested in hearing from candidates from the charity, membership, fundraising, supporter engagement or relationship management sectors. What matters most is your ability to build communities, create meaningful engagement opportunities, use insight to drive decision-making and inspire people to connect with a shared purpose.

You'll be strategic enough to shape the future direction of alumni engagement at Kingston, whilst remaining hands-on enough to build relationships, spot opportunities and bring colleagues and stakeholders with you.

You'll bring:

• Experience developing and delivering successful alumni engagement, advancement, membership, supporter engagement or relationship-management programmes.

• A track record of building communities, growing participation and creating meaningful engagement opportunities
• Strong leadership skills and experience developing high-performing teams
• Confidence using insight, data and CRM systems to inform strategy and decision-making
• Experience overseeing communications, events, volunteering, supporter engagement or related activities
• An understanding of how long-term relationships can lead to advocacy, mentoring, volunteering, partnerships and giving

Most importantly, you'll believe that alumni engagement is about much more than communications and events. You'll be excited by the opportunity to help graduates become mentors, volunteers, advocates, partners and lifelong supporters of the University.

Benefits include

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Excellent pension scheme
• Hybrid working (with a minimum of 50% of time spent on campus)
• Access to professional development opportunities
• A supportive and inclusive working environment
• The opportunity to shape a high-profile function at one of London's leading universities

Key Dates:

• Closing date: 9th September 2026 - we encourage not delaying your application.
• Interviews: 28th and 30th September 2026 (in person)

How to apply

Charity People are managing this search on behalf of Kingston University.

In the first instance, please send your CV to Glen at Charity People. If your profile matches what we're looking for, we'll be in touch with the full candidate pack and further details about the recruitment process.

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential. Please inform us if you require any assistance or adjustment to help ensure the application process works for you.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.

Help build the operational backbone of a multi-award winning charity that's ready to grow further, with a clear path to becoming our COO.

For seven years, one exceptional leader has held impact, organisational development and much of YUAF's operations, building the processes, funder relationships and team support that became part of the spine of how we grew. As they move on, we're not just replacing them. We're rethinking and widening the role.

This post exists to hold the organisation steady and take operational responsibility off the Chief Executive's plate, freeing her to focus on strategy, key donors and the funding pipeline.

What you'll hold

You'll report to the Chief Executive and sit on the Senior Management Team, owning income generation, impact and evidence, business planning, governance, performance management and the systems underneath them all. You'll line-manage four people: the Pathways Lead, Marketing Lead, Project Manager and Futures Lead.

Where the role is going

From month seven, this role is intended to move to full time with deeper ownership of income and strategy. As YUAF grows, and subject to income generation, we want this post to develop into our Chief Operating Officer role. We'd rather appoint someone who outgrows this description than someone who fits it exactly.

How you'll start

The first six months are a settling period at 30 hours per week. You'll learn how the organisation actually works, get embedded in the culture, and understand the programmes by spending real time with young people and the people who deliver them.

You'll build relationships across the team, with funders and with partners, and by month three, we want people to naturally come to you as a trusted point of contact.

We also want you to look at YUAF with fresh eyes. Where are the gaps? What's held together by one person's memory alone? Where does delivery quality drop, and why? What would make life easier for the staff doing the hardest work? Bring us both the diagnosis and the solutions.

The timing is on your side: November to February is our quietest season, when the Studio Bus is largely off the road. Delivery picks up again in March 2027, so the role builds in stages rather than coming to you all at once.

How to apply

In addition to providing your CV and cover letter, it is a requirement of the application process that you complete our Head of Operations Questionnaire. A link for this can be found on the attached job description. 

Note

We recognise that AI is a useful tool, however, we will be assessing applications, cover letters and running through AI to ensure that it was written by yourself as part of our shortlisting process. So please take the time to write your own application, this is a serious role that requires critical and independent thinking.

Location: Amersham Hospital, Buckinghamshire, with a minimum of 50% on-site working and flexibility to work remotely.
Salary: Circa £60,000 FTE per annum
Contract: Permanent, Part-Time, 3-4 days per week

Buckinghamshire Healthcare Charity is looking for an experienced and collaborative finance leader to become its new Head of Finance and Operations, helping shape the financial and organisational foundations of a newly merged charity.

Formed in April 2026 through the merger of Scannappeal and Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Charitable Fund, Buckinghamshire Healthcare Charity brings together two established organisations with a shared commitment to improving healthcare across Buckinghamshire. This is an exciting opportunity to join at a formative point in its development, with strong foundations already in place and significant scope to shape what comes next.

Reporting to the Chief Executive and working as part of the Senior Leadership Team, you will provide strategic financial leadership across the charity, supporting the Chief Executive, Trustees and senior colleagues with clear insight, advice and constructive challenge. You will lead financial strategy, planning, budgeting, forecasting and reporting, alongside oversight of governance, risk, investments and organisational systems.

You will also play an important role in supporting and developing the existing finance team. Working closely with the Finance Manager, you will build strong relationships, provide direction and support, and create the right balance between senior accountability and genuine ownership within the team. You will work collaboratively across the charity, as well as with Trustees, auditors, investment managers and Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.

The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant with significant senior-level experience across strategic financial management, reporting, governance and risk. You will combine strong technical expertise with sound judgement, excellent communication skills and a collaborative leadership style. Experience of joining or inheriting an established team and developing people to take ownership of their work will be particularly important.

This is an opportunity to play a central role in building the financial and organisational strength of a new independent charity, helping Buckinghamshire Healthcare Charity turn its ambitions into greater impact for patients, NHS staff and communities across Buckinghamshire.

Please download the Candidate Information Pack [PDF] for further information.

Closing Date: Tuesday, 15th September

About Reprieve

Reprieve is a leading international human rights organisation working to end the death penalty and abuses committed under the banner of national security. Founded in 1999, our mission remains critically relevant as governments worldwide increasingly adopt authoritarian tactics, expanding executive power at the expense of civil liberties.

You can best judge a society by how it treats prisoners, criminal defendants, and the far-flung targets of an ever-changing counter-terror policy. To us, the rule of law means little if we selectively apply it to people we agree with. It is for all of us. Liberty is always eroded at the margins.

Reprieve’s staff is made up of courageous and committed human rights defenders. We provide vital legal and investigative support to those facing execution and victims of rendition, torture, arbitrary detention, extrajudicial killing, and citizenship stripping. Our work spans multiple jurisdictions, challenging states' most egregious human rights violations through strategic litigation, investigations, and advocacy.

We support cases in courts worldwide while building the legal and political momentum necessary to consign these practices to history.

Based in London with Fellows and partners globally, Reprieve operates at the intersection of law, policy, and human rights, working alongside governments, senior legal practitioners, and civil society to advance systemic change.

We collaborate closely with our independent partner organization Reprieve US.

About the Role

The Head of Operations will oversee the day-to-day running of the global operations of Reprieve UK, Reprieve US, and our work around the globe. They will have broad responsibility for HR operations, office and facilities management, IT and systems, compliance, data protection, security risk management and operational support across Reprieve’s international operations

This role is critical to supporting a high performing group of staff, fellows, consultants, and partner organisations working together to provide the highest possible standard of service to Reprieve clients, their families and communities. The successful postholder will be committed to Reprieve’s mission of ending the use of the death penalty and extreme human rights abuses carried out in the name of “national security”, as well as to building and maintaining happy and healthy teams.

The successful postholder will support the Senior Management Team (who hold delegated responsibility) to ensure the smooth running of the organisation, including maintaining compliance with key statutory and regulatory requirements at all times. The Head of Operations will have a central role in ensuring that good practice, wellbeing, and compliance work hand in hand with one another, and is embedded within the ethos of the organisation for the benefit of our clients and Reprieve’s mission.

The Head of Operations will supervise the work of the Operations Team and will report to a member of the Senior Management Team.

Terms

This is a full-time position on a permanent contract. The annual salary is £61,003 full-time per annum, less any required deductions for income tax and national insurance. 

This role is based in Reprieve’s London office. Reprieve operates a hybrid working model and we require staff to work 40% per week from the London office and the rest of the week from home. You will also be available outside of office hours in the event of an emergency and when required as part of the security risk management framework (for example to monitor extreme risk trips). Applicants must have current right to work in the UK, which will be checked prior to interview.

Reprieve is proud to have an open and transparent pay structure, governed by a 3:1 pay ratio between the highest-paid member of staff and the lowest-paid member of staff. We are a flexible employer and offer a range of non-financial benefits to employees. We welcome applications from a range of backgrounds

How to Apply

Please download the application form and job description from our website. Completed application forms should then be uploaded via the form on our website by the deadline of 23:59 BST on 20 September 2026.

Please note that cover letters, CVs and other documents cannot be considered for this role and should not be submitted.

Head of Finance and Operations 

Salary: £45,000–£50,000 per annum, plus performance-related bonus of up to £5,000 per annum
Location: South London
Contract: Permanent, full-time
Hybrid working: Up to one day per week from home, with additional flexibility possible

We are working with an established arts and education charity to recruit a new Head of Finance and Operations.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a small, ambitious organisation delivering a range of artistic, educational and community programmes. The charity receives income from a diverse mix of public funding, trusts and foundations, individual giving, sponsorship and commercial activity.

Sitting within the Leadership Team and working closely with the Director, this is a genuinely broad role encompassing finance, operations, governance, HR and organisational management.

A key part of the role will be leading the charity’s financial management and planning. You’ll manage the annual budget, produce quarterly management accounts and cash-flow forecasts, oversee VAT returns and work closely with external accountants and auditors on the year-end accounts and audit. You’ll also work with budget holders, senior colleagues, trustees and the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee to ensure strong financial management across the organisation.

We are particularly interested in candidates who have previous experience working within a small charity or similarly sized not-for-profit organisation. This isn’t a role where finance sits in isolation – you’ll need to be comfortable getting into the detail, working across different areas of the organisation and balancing strategic responsibilities with the practical realities of working in a smaller charity.

Strong charity finance experience will therefore be important. You’ll need to understand the complexities of restricted and unrestricted funding, be confident managing and reporting against different funding streams and have a good working knowledge of Charity SORP.

Experience of dealing with funders and their different reporting and monitoring requirements will also be particularly useful.

Alongside finance, you’ll oversee a varied operational remit including building and office management, HR processes, organisational policies and governance. You’ll also support the Board and committees, take responsibility for company secretarial duties and maintain relationships with key funders and stakeholders.

This role would suit someone who enjoys the variety that comes with working in a small charity – practical, organised and collaborative, with the confidence to operate at leadership and trustee level while still being happy to roll their sleeves up when required.

You don’t necessarily need to tick every box. We’re keen to hear from candidates with strong charity finance experience who can demonstrate the ability to manage a broad and varied remit.

The role sits on the Senior Leadership Team, reporting to the Charity Director. You will manage a General Manager and Freelance Bookkeeper.

Fully-qualified and part-qualified ACCA, CIMA or ACA candidates will be considered.

Please send your CV for further consideration.

Closing date: 10am, Monday 21 September 2026.