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Cerebra is the national charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with neurological conditions and their families. We provide vital research, support, and practical solutions that empower families facing complex challenges.

With an annual income of £3 million and a headcount of 68 employees, we have ambitious plans to double our income between 2025 and 2027, ensuring we can extend our impact, reach more families, and drive real change. To achieve this, we are investing in fundraising innovation, income generating ventures, and strategic partnerships, alongside enhancing our brand to increase our national recognition.

Our work is underpinned by our values ensuring that everything we do aligns with our mission to create a better world for children with neurological conditions.

This is an incredibly exciting time to join Cerebra, as we are preparing to launch our new strategy and brand. The COO is a vital leadership role that will support the drive towards even greater impact for children and families across the UK.

Our Services

Sleep Advice Service

Cerebra understands that if you have a child that doesn’t sleep, the whole family suffers. Many children with neurological conditions suffer from disrupted sleep. Our sleep advice service provides bespoke advice and support so that everyone can get a good night’s sleep.

Legal Rights Service

Our Legal Rights Service provides help and support to families of children with neurological conditions when they are faced with barriers and difficulties in accessing statutory support services they are entitled to. The service provides information on their legal entitlements.

Book and Toy Library Service

Our specialist postal lending library contains a wide range of books for both adults and children, plus a selection of sensory toys specifically chosen for children with a neurological condition.

Innovation and Product Design Service

Our Innovation Service designs and builds bespoke products that cater to the specific needs of children with neurological conditions. The aim of the service is to make products that are desirable and exciting, therefore promoting social inclusion, peer acceptance and enabling children to participate in everyday activities that are so often close to them.

Information Products

Cerebra publishes different information products to help families with a child with a neurological condition. Our information products offer comprehensive, up-to-date support and research-driven strategies to assist families with a wide range of issues.

Buzgi and Toy Adaptation Service

Cerebra designs and builds bespoke assistive equipment for disabled children, this includes creating custom mobility aids, switch‑adapted toys, and other innovative solutions to help children access play, learning, and independence.

The Bugzi - a mini powered wheelchair for children offers many children their first experience of independent mobility. It uses either a joystick or switches and adaptable seating for complex needs, and helps develop spatial awareness, confidence, and early mobility skills. The Bugzi is available through a national loan scheme.

Additionally, we operate commercial services (including a web shop) to supplement our income to support children and their families.

Our services are provided to families free of charge.

Job Title:

Chief Operating Officer

Reports To:

Chief Executive Officer

Direct reports:

3 senior managers (Finance (headcount of 3), HR (headcount of 1), IT (headcount of 5))

Purpose of the Role:

The Chief Operating Officer will play a vital role in supporting the Chief Executive Officer, Board and Leadership Team to deliver Cerebra’s vision and ambitious strategic aims. The Chief Operating Officer will provide strategic leadership and operational management across key areas within Cerebra including:

• Operational Systems
• Governance
• Compliance
• Finance and Growth

This is a pivotal executive leadership role, responsible for driving organisational performance, sustainability and growth. The COO will translate Cerebra’s strategic ambitions into effective operational delivery, ensuring robust governance, financial stewardship and a high-performing, values-led culture.

As a trusted advisor to the CEO and Board, the COO will lead core operational services and commercial activity, enabling the charity to maximise impact and generate sustainable income in support of its charitable objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Executive Leadership

• Partner with the CEO and Board to deliver strategic priorities, growth and long-term sustainability
• Collaboration with the Director’s Group to ensure strategic alignment across the charity. The Director’s Group consists of:

            Chief Executive Officer

            Chief Operating Officer

            Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications

            Director of Research and Support Services

• Provide expert advice on finance, operations, commercial performance and organisational risk
• Lead organisational planning, business continuity, and operational resilience
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability and inclusion

Finance, Commercial & Sustainability

• Lead financial strategy, planning and performance, ensuring long-term sustainability
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, cashflow and financial controls
• Lead and develop Cerebra’s strategy for commercial income , ensuring alignment with charitable objectives
• Support funding growth through strong financial insight and business case development
• Ensure robust financial governance, audit and compliance

Operations & Infrastructure

• Lead and strengthen operational functions including HR, IT, governance and administration
• Ensure effective systems, processes and infrastructure that enable growth, efficiency and impact
• Oversee procurement, contracts, facilities, and organisational compliance
• Drive innovation and value for money across operations

People & Culture

• Champion a positive, inclusive and high-performing organisational culture
• Oversee HR strategy, workforce planning and leadership development
• Ensure compliance with employment law and best practice
• Promote wellbeing, engagement and organisational effectiveness

Digital & Technology

• Provide strategic oversight of IT, data and digital development
• Ensure systems are secure, resilient and aligned to organisational needs
• Leverage data and technology to improve insight, decision-making and organisational impact

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Ensure effective governance frameworks, risk management and regulatory compliance
• Support the CEO and Board with high-quality reporting and strategic insight
• Lead safeguarding, data protection and organisational risk strategy
• Drive a strong culture of accountability and ethical practice

Leadership & Management

• Lead and develop a small senior team across finance, HR and IT
• Build capability, strengthen performance, and embed a collaborative culture
• Model Cerebra’s values and leadership behaviours

Key Attributes

• Strategic and commercially minded leader with strong operational delivery experience
• Strong financial leadership and business acumen
• Proven track record of driving income growth, sustainability and organisational performance
• Skilled in governance, risk and stakeholder engagement

Please see attached job description for the Person Specification.

About Spear

We launched the award-winning Spear Programme over 20 years ago, and there are now 18 Spear Centres across the country, equipping unemployed 16–24-year-olds facing barriers to employment with the skills and mindset they need to secure work and thrive in the workplace.

About the role

This is a dynamic and rewarding role at the heart of Spear’s operations, combining executive support, office coordination, and event planning. You will support our Senior Leadership Team, while taking on key cultural and administrative responsibilities across the Wider Leadership Team and organisation. Perfect for a highly organised, proactive people-person, you'll keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes while contributing to a vibrant culture dedicated to equipping young people to overcome barriers to employment and achieve their potential.

Key information:

• Salary: £28,000
• Location: Hammersmith, Office-Based
• Contract: One Year Fixed-Term Contract, with the potential to renew
• Part-Time, 3 days a week with flexibility to work this across 4 days if wanted
• 28 days annual leave (including Christmas gift days) plus bank holidays (pro rata)
• Regular staff prayer meetings, conferences and retreats (one residential)
• Closing date: Friday 3rd July (We interview on a rolling basis and will close the role early if we find the right candidate)

For more information please read through our Job Specification and Work with Us Pack.

If you require any reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process, please let us know.

Person Specification

• A practising Christian, passionate about personally representing the values and beliefs of Spear, and our mission to equip and support young people facing barriers to employment.
• Remarkably efficient with high attention to detail and strong organisational skills; someone who is self-motivated and likes to achieve results.
• High emotional intelligence with evidence of a clear understanding of how to use telephone, email, written and verbal communication to build strong working relationships.
• At least two years’ experience working in an administrative role, including direct contact with senior leaders.
• A proactive forward planner with an ability to anticipate needs ahead of time and work well under pressure.
• Confident, calm, diplomatic and confidential, with a mature and flexible approach to work and work relationships.

Manchester Central Foodbank is a busy Trussell Trust-affiliated food bank, with centres in Central, North, and East Manchester. We were established in Ardwick in 2013 by students at the Manchester Universities’ Catholic Chaplaincy, making us the first student-led food bank in the country. Since then we have grown significantly, expanding our weekly sessions into Harpurhey and Openshaw.

Our core aims are to deliver the best quality support that we can to the largest number of our neighbours in need, while working with partners and influencing and organising at a neighbourhood and citywide level to reduce and end the need for food banks in Manchester.

We currently support 16,000 people per year with nutritionally balanced 3-day food parcels. This is double the number of people we supported in the first year following the Covid-19 pandemic, and four times the number supported in 2019. We also provide financial inclusion support with advice workers in public sessions, access to energy vouchers, SIM cards, and other voucher or material support. We coordinate across a network of 200 active front-line referral agencies with the aim of ensuring everyone who accesses our service has appropriate, specialised, and ongoing support alongside the material provision that we provide.

We are active leaders in anti-poverty organising and community development, as convenors of the citywide Building an Anti-Poverty Community collective and aim to be key shapers and influencers of new strategies and policies, working closely to support and influence local government, NHS, education and research agendas in Manchester and more widely building upon our track record of successful anti-poverty partnership work, social value impact and Parliamentary influencing. Our core values are: care, partnership, dignity, partnership, anti-stigma and rights-based.

Key responsibilities
As Chief Executive Officer you will be the key senior staff leader for the charity. You will lead the team to ensure they have the resources, frameworks, and support to effect smooth day-to-day running of our frontline support service. You will provide a strong business management focus, through supporting the financial process, overall metrics and reporting, day to day HR and input for the external Payroll Team, Health and Safety, appropriate working conditions, and strategic planning and communications. 

As the senior lead you will also facilitate and support the Board of Trustees to develop and lead strategic development objectives and plans for transformation, and ensure the delivery and implementation of the charity’s overall strategy and specific focused strategies. You will develop and manage strategic relationships with stakeholders including Council, NHS, and other statutory partners and funders, corporate and social value funders and partners, and high-value and donors. You will also plan and lead fundraising strategies. 

You will be a key external interface for our community and partners.  You will do this by:

Staff/Board Leadership and Governance:

• Line managing a current team of operations staff, including those supporting the recruitment, training, and management of a large team of volunteers. 

• Building team spirit and employee engagement and offer.

• Leading and delivering regular staff performance and development reviews.

• Developing and delivering robust metrics and reporting to the board and staff team, through consistent monthly and quarterly reporting packs to the board of trustees.

• Ensuring all staff and volunteers are familiar and engaged with the charity’s long-term goals and objectives, and know how their work helps to implement these on the ground. Leading the development of induction packages and ongoing offers for staff and volunteers. You will be responsible for writing, implementation, and update of institutional policies as needed to staff and volunteers.

• Leading targeted volunteer recruitment strategies to maximise core delivery capacity through volunteer roles and prioritise staffing capacity to core charity operations.

• Ensure policies are kept current.

• Ensure recording and management of absence/leave.

• Ensure Health and Safety aspects of all organisational operations are compliant, in collaboration with the Board sponsor.

• Manage day to day financial input, through the Xero app, and ensure accurate and up-to-date financial reporting for the Board/Treasurer. This includes administering monthly payroll requests.

• Oversee training and personal development plans for staff and volunteers, as appropriate.

• Working with the Chair of Trustees to implement the charity’s strategic plan and structural development objectives.

• Develop and implement ongoing plans and actions to ensure operationally-appropriate and safe office, warehouse, and working spaces.

• Lead on development, modelling, and maintenance of service delivery standards, quality control, and ensuring frontline teams have the appropriate resources, support, and frameworks to deliver high quality and consistent support offers.

Foodbank Management:

• Support the Operations and Project Lead to deliver the smooth running of food bank sessions across multiple centres, ensuring an excellent standard of service across all centres, and seeking to continually develop our service in line with our goals to support the largest number of people with the best support we can while working to reduce and end the need for food banks in Manchester.

• Develop and build a new Delivery Strategy with the Chair of Trustees and Operations and Project Lead.

• Support the Operations and Project Lead and Warehouse and Logistics Coordinator to safely store and maintain optimal stock levels, maximise food donation levels and reduce food spend, develop and maintain relationships with community donors, and record incoming and outgoing stock, with the aim of ensuring that all centres are well stocked to provide as many varied, balanced, and nutritious and culturally-appropriate food parcels as necessary.

• Ensure compliance with the procedures set out in Manchester Central Foodbank’s policies, the Trussell Trust’s Operating Manual, and relevant statutory requirements at all times.

• Ensure our food bank centres provide a safe and dignified environment for clients, free from discrimination, judgement, and stigma.

Strategy and External Relationships:

• Working with the Chair of Trustees on development, monitoring, and implementation of the core charity strategy and sub-strategies. Ensuring the involvement and participation of the food bank’s staff, volunteers, external partners, and service users in all strategic planning and decision making, where appropriate.

• Support the Operations and Project Lead to work build strong relationships with referral partners and wider community and statutory networks of collaborators and support to ensure that our service users are able to access the maximum amount of support before, during, and after accessing our service to minimise the length and severity of financial crisis, maximise their incomes, and provide pathways to ongoing and longer-term support.

• Play an active role in strategic and convening spaces around our city and neighbourhoods to present the foodbank’s approach, bring more partners into our network, and influence policy and funding frameworks.

• Develop and manage a Corporate Relationships and Social Value strategy, including communications, networking, and relationship management.

• Lead on directing the charity’s external communications, including social media, in person, newsletters, company visits, and other content.

• Manage internal communications, including developing and delivering two-way team briefings with the board and staff/volunteers, biannual town halls or away days with board members and staff/volunteers, newsletters, and an open and collaborative, person-focused, and developmental culture within the organisation.

About you

Essential Experience and Knowledge:

• 5 years’ experience of leading a similar profiled charity or organisation and successful Board interaction.

• Experience of leading successful transformation and change for a charity and a strong developmental mindset and focus.

• Have led a team of 5 or more staff members to successful performance, demonstrating experience of coaching and individual development skills.

• Experience in developing and leading successful and engaged volunteering programmes and support.

• Full valid driving licence. 

• Proven experience of leading the development and delivery of strategy and sub-strategies to successful conclusion and fashioning evidenced business cases for current and new development projects.

• Leading multiple complex projects or services, balancing the needs and interests of a range of stakeholders.

• Experience of implementing rigorous reporting and evaluation practices on operations.

• Experience of managing day-to-day financial administration and reporting.

• Evidence of delivering clear metric dashboards and reports.

• Experience of high-quality implementation of Health and Safety and Safeguarding policies and a leadership practice that centres care for staff, volunteers, and service users. Safeguarding lead qualification is desirable but will provide training if not.

• Demonstrable knowledge and experience in HR processes and management.

• Experience in building and delivering strategic plans.

• Proven experience of effective problem solving and responding to crisis situations.

• A good working knowledge of the social welfare and political landscape in Manchester – or demonstrable experience in similar expertise and networking and an openness to learn and develop sector-specific knowledge.

• A nuanced and sensitive understanding of the complex reasons people attend food banks.

Desirable Experience and Knowledge:

• Partnering with and building relationships with Council, NHS, and other statutory partners and funders, corporate and social value partners and funders, high net worth donors, and fundraising through grant applications and individual/community donors.

• Experience of working collaboratively with stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, faiths, and views. 

• Experience of handling safeguarding incidents, follow-ups, and debriefs with staff, volunteers, and service users.

• Demonstrated success in delivering communications strategies for internal and external stakeholders, including social media and press content and campaigns.

Personal Skills and Attributes:

• An individual who embodies the values of Manchester Central Foodbank in their core professional practice and personal approach to their work.

• An empathetic and care-centred approach and the ability to centre the experience and outcomes of people from marginalised or socially-excluded backgrounds in core decision-making and prioritisation.

• A leader who takes ownership, accountability, and responsibility to drive an organisation and team forward with a developmental mindset.

• A highly self-motivated and proactive person who centres collaboration and consensus with the staff team, volunteers and Board of Trustees in their approach.

• Able to develop strategy and plans and translate strategy to actionable delivery and developmental projects.

• A high level of literacy and communication.

• A high level of numeracy and ability to analyse data.

• Strong leadership attributes to build engagement and performance with the team.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to motivate, persuade, and coach staff and volunteers.

• Excellent personal organisation skills and the ability to manage multiple conflicting priorities and deadlines.

BMT is a small, agile charity growing its team, establishing a permanent office, and widening its national impact. This is a critical moment to join and help shape its future. We are seeking a proactive, collaborative senior leader who is equally comfortable with high-level direction and hands-on delivery - someone who gets things done, brings people with them, and acts consistently in the best interests of the organisation and the communities it serves. The COO will ensure BMT's finances, HR, operations, and administration run smoothly, whilst implementing robust systems and preparing the organisation for its next stage of growth.

About the British Muslim Trust

The British Muslim Trust is a UK-registered charity that provides confidential support and safe reporting for victims of anti‑Muslim hate across the UK, research and advocacy. BMT is dedicated to empowering communities through transformational support and to robustly monitor and record anti-Muslim hostility, hate crime and incidents. At the heart of the British Muslim Trust are grassroots communities around the country - the charity aims to connect with the most vulnerable - especially young people and women – who are most affected by anti-Muslim hostility.

We are seeking an experienced and passionate People & Culture Manager to lead the delivery of a high-quality, people-focused service. This is a key leadership role responsible for shaping an inclusive, values-driven culture while ensuring effective people operations across the organisation.

You will oversee the full employee lifecycle, provide expert advice to managers and senior leaders, and drive initiatives that enhance employee engagement, wellbeing and organisational development. In addition, you will lead a newly established central operations function, bringing together customer services and administration to deliver a seamless and efficient support service across The Union.

About You

We are looking for a proactive and collaborative professional who is passionate about people and culture. You will bring:

• Strong generalist people management experience, ideally in a similar role
• In-depth knowledge of UK employment law and best practice
• A commitment to inclusion, wellbeing and creating a positive workplace
• A proven ability to drive engagement, culture, and organisational development initiatives
• Excellent communication and leadership skills

Why join us?

• Opportunity to shape and influence organisational culture
• A collaborative and supportive working environment
• The chance to make a meaningful impact on staff and student experience

For more information and to apply, visit our website via the ‘apply’ button.

Application Closing Date: 11:59pm on Thursday 18th June 2026

The British Academy – the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences – is seeking its first Internal Communications Manager to join the Communications and Marketing Team in our Communications Directorate. The post holder will manage the delivery of internal communications across the organisation.

The role

The Internal Communications Manager is a pivotal role in shaping how our colleagues collaborate and connect to deliver brilliant work.

You will ensure staff receive regular, clear and engaging information which builds understanding of how everyone across the organisation contributes to the British Academy’s strategic goals and fulfils its purpose as the UK’s voice for the humanities and social sciences.

The Internal Communications Manager will design and deliver the internal communications strategy that engages staff with the organisation, aligns internal messaging with our ways of working, behaviours and corporate objectives, and celebrates our successes and shared purpose.

As a confident communications professional and leader, you are adept at managing relationships with senior stakeholders and understanding colleagues’ internal communications needs. You are a persuasive and confident communicator, able to deal with sensitive issues with tact and discretion. Experience of internal communications management and channels, including developing and managing a staff intranet, are essential for this role.

About the Academy

The British Academy is the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences, established by Royal Charter in 1902. We mobilise these disciplines to understand the world and shape a brighter future. Today’s complex challenges can only be resolved by deepening our insight into people, culture, and societies. With a Fellowship of around 1,700 leading national and international academics, the Academy invests in researchers and projects across the UK and overseas; engages the public with fresh thinking and debates; and brings together scholars, government, business, and civil society to influence policy. The Academy currently has five directorates: Communications & Marketing; Development; Policy; Research; and Resources, plus a small Governance & Fellowship Team.

Working at the Academy

Our senior management team have worked with staff to foster a culture of collaboration, respect, and empathy, in which all contributions are recognised as we work towards our common goals. Our people strategy and working practices focus on building strengths and sharing insights, with learning & development, wellbeing, and equality, diversity & inclusion at the centre of how we operate as an organisation. Investing in our staff and encouraging a healthy work/life balance is central to our success, as we move forward and continue to grow.

Terms and conditions

The British Academy is based at 10-11, Carlton House Terrace, London SW1, a Grade 1 listed building. We offer a competitive benefits package including a 35-hour working week, with hours and location worked flexibly under our hybrid-working policy; 34 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays; a subsidised canteen and an excellent occupational pension.

How to apply

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, in line with our commitment to create a diverse and inclusive working environment, promote equal opportunity, and address under-representation. We will make reasonable adjustments to support disabled job applicants and offer an interview to those meeting the minimum selection criteria.

To apply, and to see the full job description and our workplace values, please follow the apply link to visit our recruitment platform. 

Closing date: Midday on 26 June 2026.

30-37 hours per week / 12 months fixed-term contract / £33,075 per annum, pro rata / based on site at our Hove office, with some travel across Sussex and Surrey. Hybrid - three days from our office/on site and up to two days working from home, working Monday to Thursday 0900-1700, Friday 0900-1630

YMCA DownsLink Group is the leading charity for children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. We offer safe homes, mental health support and trusted advice.

We believe that every child and young person has the right to be safe, heard and to shape their own future. We work alongside them to make that happen.

We are here for children and young people, many of whom face multiple challenges and need our support.

Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections – guide us in all our actions.

We are looking for a Project Coordinator to provide high quality administrative and coordination support to the People and Programmes function, with a focus on supporting the delivery of priority projects and improvement activity.

The postholder will play a key role in ensuring that projects and strategic initiatives are well-coordinated, effectively documented, and delivered on time. This includes maintaining accurate records, tracking progress against plans, supporting governance processes, and enabling clear communication across teams.

The role requires strong organisation, attention to detail, and the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues at all levels to ensure actions are followed through and outcomes are achieved. This is a pivotal role at the heart of our organisation, ensuring leaders can focus on making a bigger impact on the lives of children and young people.

In delivering the role, you will:

• Maintain project documentation (plans, logs, risk registers) and track progress against milestones
• Organise and support meetings, including agendas, notes and action follow-ups
• Produce reports, dashboards and updates for leadership, committees and trustees
• Manage and maintain data, KPIs, databases and digital platforms (e.g. SharePoint)
• Support communications through reports, presentations and intranet content
• Coordinate policy tracking and approval processes
• Support delivery of key Forums (EDI, Safeguarding) and wider team priorities
• Provide general administrative support, including occasional reception cover

If you’re enthusiastic about this opportunity but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway and demonstrate how your experience is transferrable. You may be just the right candidate.

We are looking for a highly organised individual with experience in project support, PMO, or administrative roles. You will be confident managing multiple priorities, maintaining accurate project documentation, and using reporting tools to track and communicate progress. With excellent written and verbal communication skills, you will be comfortable collaborating with stakeholders and working with data to produce clear, insightful reports.

You bring a high level of attention to detail and accuracy, alongside strong planning and time management skills. Proficiency in Microsoft 365 and a range of digital tools is essential. You thrive in a fast-paced environment, with the ability to balance competing priorities and consistently deliver high-quality results to tight deadlines.

CLOSING DATE: Tuesday 23 June 2026 at midnight. Intial first stage remote interviews proposed for 25 Thursday - 26 Friday June and second stage in-person interviews proposed for Tuesday 30 June.

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to provide work permits or visa sponsorship for this role, so applicants must already have the right to live and work in the UK independently.

An inclusive workplace We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment.

Accessibility If you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please do contact us.

YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns.

Successful applicants will undergo a thorough background screening process, conducted by an accredited third-party provider. This includes an Enhanced DBS check (with Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists) as well as comprehensive reference and activity check.

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Organisation: Happy Days
Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Location: Calderdale

Role Purpose

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) provides strategic and operational leadership across all frontline services, accommodation provision, organisational infrastructure, and compliance functions within the charity.

The COO is responsible for ensuring safe, trauma-informed, financially sustainable, and outcomes-focused delivery for individuals experiencing homelessness, poverty, health exclusion, addiction, and crisis.

The role leads operations across the charity’s accommodation portfolio, including winter shelter provision, general needs accommodation, supported accommodation, and intensively supported housing. The COO also oversees the operational platform of the charity’s support programmes, including a community café, community supermarket, crisis drop-in provision, and integrated health clinics.

Working collaboratively with the CEO, Board, statutory agencies, housing provider partners, and wider stakeholders, the COO plays a key leadership role in shaping organisational strategy, strengthening operational systems, embedding trauma-informed practice, and developing innovative models of support that improve long-term outcomes for individuals experiencing multiple disadvantage.

The COO provides executive oversight of, operational risk, health and safety, HR, operational systems, and service compliance, ensuring the organisation maintains robust standards of governance, accountability, and person-centred care across all services.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Provide executive operational leadership across services and organisational functions
• Lead the delivery, development, and continuous operational improvement of:
  • Supported and temporary accommodation services (68+ properties)
  • Crisis and drop-in provision
  • Food programme and social supermarket
  • Winter shelter provision
• Translate organisational strategy into effective operational delivery plans
• Drive organisational improvement, innovation, and sustainable service growth
• Lead operational responses to emerging community need, organisational risk, and system pressures
• Support strategic planning, organisational development, and long-term sustainability
• Lead operational capital development initiatives across the organisation

Housing, Property & Supported Accommodation Executive Oversight of:

• Operational management, legal compliance, health and safety, quality assurance across all accommodation services
• Lead strategic partnerships with housing providers
• Manage delegated housing arrangements and supported housing pathways
• Maximise occupancy, sustainment, and positive move-on outcomes
• Oversee property-related risk management, maintenance coordination, and accommodation standards
• Lead the transformation and redevelopment of The Gathering Place, including partnership working with architects, infrastructure planning, and service design
• Oversee operational development planning for the Bramwell Booth building to support future service delivery and organisational growth

Safeguarding Operational Platform

• Lead organisational safeguarding strategy and systems
• Ensure SOP’s are in place to enable staff to respond effectively to complex needs including:
  • addiction
  • mental ill-health and physical health needs
  • dual diagnosis
  • homelessness
  • domestic abuse
  • offending histories
  • health exclusion
• Oversee serious incidents, risk management, and quality assurance processes
• Promote reflective practice, professional accountability, and safe service delivery
• Lead continuous safeguarding improvement and organisational assurance processes
• Support the organisation’s progression towards recognised safeguarding quality and excellence standards

Health Inclusion & Community Services

• Support development of innovative approaches addressing homelessness, substance use, poverty, and social exclusion
• Contribute to wider system responses focused on prevention, health equity, and community resilience

Corporate Governance, Compliance & Organisational Infrastructure

• Provide executive oversight of organisational governance, operational compliance, and corporate infrastructure
• Lead organisational responsibility for:
  • Human Resources
  • Health & Safety
  • Insurance and organisational risk
  • Operational systems and digital infrastructure
• Ensure robust organisational policies, procedures, and assurance frameworks are developed, implemented, and maintained
• Oversee compliance with employment legislation, health & safety standards, and contractual obligations
• Lead organisational risk management processes, incident oversight, and business continuity planning
• Ensure effective management of organisational insurance provision, liability protection, and risk mitigation
• Support governance reporting, operational assurance, and organisational accountability
• Develop quarterly Trustee and governance reporting packs in conjunction with Heads of Department and the CEO

Systems Development & Digital Transformation

• Lead the development and implementation of operational systems, reporting frameworks, and service infrastructure
• Design and embed systems that improve operational efficiency, safeguarding oversight, housing management, and service coordination
• Use data, insight, and performance analysis to improve outcomes and organisational effectiveness
• Support digital transformation, service modernisation, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Develop monitoring, evaluation, and impact reporting systems to support organisational learning and strategic decision-making

Leadership, Workforce & Organisational Culture

• Foster a high-performing, inclusive, and values-led organisational culture
• Oversee workforce planning, recruitment, retention, supervision, and staff development
• Promote staff wellbeing, reflective practice, and psychologically safe leadership
• Provide leadership oversight and strategic direction for volunteer services and volunteer programme development
• Support the organisation’s progression towards recognised volunteer quality standards, including the VSI Volunteer Excellence Award

Partnerships, Stakeholder Engagement & Representation

• Represent the organisation within strategic partnerships and multi-agency forums
• Work collaboratively with commissioners, funders, housing providers, and community partners

Financial Oversight & Sustainability

• Budget development and financial planning in conjunction with the CEO and Finance Team
• Support organisational sustainability through efficient service delivery
• Monitor operational performance, quality standards, and service outcomes
• Ensure effective governance, accountability, and operational compliance across all services

Person Specification

Essential

• Significant senior leadership experience within homelessness, housing, health, social care, community, or voluntary sector services
• Extensive operational leadership experience across complex, multi-service environments
• Experience leading services supporting individuals with multiple disadvantage and complex needs
• Strong understanding of safeguarding, trauma-informed practice, and organisational risk management
• Experience managing accommodation-based and community support services
• Experience overseeing HR, compliance, governance, and organisational systems
• Experience leading quality assurance, risk, and compliance frameworks
• Strong partnership and stakeholder engagement skills across statutory and voluntary sectors
• Experience managing operational budgets, compliance frameworks, and performance systems

Desirable

• Experience working within homelessness, substance use, or health inclusion services
• Experience working within housing such as a registered housing provider
• Understanding of public health approaches and health inequalities
• Knowledge of housing legislation, supported housing models, and safeguarding frameworks
• Experience with digital transformation, systems implementation, and organisational modernisation

Key Attributes

• Values-driven and strongly committed to social justice and health equity
• Strategic thinker with strong operational leadership capability
• Calm, resilient, and decisive in complex and high-pressure environments
• Compassionate and emotionally intelligent leader
• Strong communicator with the ability to influence across systems and sectors
• Innovative, solutions-focused, and collaborative
• Committed to continuous improvement, accountability, and inclusive leadership

The COO will translate BLiM's mission and strategy and ensure its well-run, properly resourced, with its ambitious day-to-day delivery. You will free the CEO to focus on strategic leadership and external influence by owning operations, people management, financial oversight and internal systems.

The COO will be a senior leader who shapes organisational culture, makes operational decisions, manages complex stakeholder relationships and drives the performance of a passionate, high-commitment team. You will be the person the organisation looks to when it needs clarity, stability and momentum.

The COO joins at a moment of leadership transition following the departure of BLiM's co-founder and Director of Operations.

Why Join Us:

Black Lives in Music (BLiM) is a not-for-profit dedicated to advancing racial equity across the UK music industry. We amplify the voices of Black artists, music professionals and communities; drive systemic change; and hold the industry accountable for meaningful progress. Through research, advocacy, programming and strategic partnerships, BLiM creates the conditions for Black talent to thrive.

BLiM has published ground-breaking research including the Being Black in the UK Music Industry report, produced the UK's first Black classical music festival in Classically Black, influenced government policy on live music licensing, and built a network of over 100 partner organisations across the four nations. BLiM is now entering a new phase of its development, with a strengthened leadership team, a Target Operating Model designed to carry the organisation beyond its founding era, and an ambition to become the UK's most influential voice for racial equity in music.

Person Specification 

Essential

• Significant experience in a senior operational leadership role, ideally as a COO, Head of Operations or Director of Operations in a charity, social enterprise or purpose-driven organisation.

• Demonstrable track record of building and improving operational infrastructure: systems, processes, policies and ways of working that make organisations more effective and resilient.

• Proven people management experience, including line management of senior staff, performance development, recruitment and team culture-building.

• Strong financial literacy, including experience of budget management, grant compliance, financial reporting and working with a board finance function.

• Experience of leading or supporting governance processes, including board reporting, risk management and compliance.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex operational information into clear, accessible reports and presentations for senior stakeholders.

• A genuine, demonstrable commitment to racial equity and an understanding of the specific systemic barriers faced by Black professionals, artists and communities.

• The emotional intelligence and interpersonal skill to lead with care, build trust quickly and navigate complex relationships under pressure.

• The resilience and adaptability to thrive in a small, fast-paced, mission-driven organisation where the work is varied, the stakes are high and no day is the same.

Desirable

• Experience of working in or with the music industry, creative industries or arts and culture sector.

• Familiarity with Arts Council England funding frameworks, charity law and the regulatory environment for non-profit organisations.

• Experience of implementing or managing a CRM system, project management platform or other operational technology.

• Knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) frameworks and how to embed inclusive practice into operational systems and culture.

• Experience of leading an organisation through a period of significant change, transition or growth.

• An existing network within the UK music sector, creative industries or racial equity and social justice space.

At BLiM, we're interviewing on a rolling basis, so we'd encourage you to apply sooner rather than later!

To be considered for a first interview, please include a Cover Letter with your application. This initial conversation will be relaxed and informal, and we'll take you through the full interview process together so you know exactly what to expect at every stage.