Hr trustee volunteer volunteer roles in London, greater london

Operations Director (Volunteer Role)

Join Unlock YOUR Potential and Help Build a Charity That Changes Lives

Role: Operations Director (Volunteer Position)
Location: Hybrid (London)
Time Commitment: Approximately 4+ hours per week
Reporting To: Founder and Executive Director
Organisation: Unlock YOUR Potential

About Unlock YOUR Potential

Unlock YOUR Potential is a new London-based charity dedicated to empowering adults from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds through career coaching, employability skills, personal development, wellbeing support, life coaching, mentoring, and access to opportunities that help individuals build brighter futures.

We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to achieve their full potential, regardless of their circumstances. Through coaching, mentoring, skills development, wellbeing support, and strong partnerships, we aim to help individuals gain the confidence, skills, and opportunities needed to succeed.

As we continue to grow, we are seeking a passionate, organised, and strategic Operations Director to help build the systems, structures, and processes that will enable the charity to maximise its impact.

The Opportunity

This is a rare opportunity to join the leadership team of an ambitious start-up charity and play a pivotal role in shaping its future.

As Operations Director, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across the organisation, ensuring that volunteers, programmes, partnerships, and internal processes work effectively and efficiently.

You will work closely with the Founder, Trustees, and volunteer leadership team to help establish a strong organisational foundation that supports sustainable growth and long-term success.

Your contribution will directly help create opportunities for individuals across London to unlock their potential and build better futures.

Key Responsibilities

1. Operational Leadership

• Provide strategic oversight of the charity’s day-to-day operations.
• Help develop and implement operational plans that support organisational goals.
• Ensure effective coordination across programmes, projects, and volunteer teams.
• Support the development of systems, processes, and procedures that improve efficiency and effectiveness.

2. Organisational Development

• Help establish a strong operational framework for a growing charity.
• Support the development and implementation of policies and procedures.
• Contribute to organisational planning and strategic decision-making.
• Identify opportunities to improve performance and service delivery.

3. Volunteer Leadership and Support

• Work closely with volunteer leaders across different functions.
• Provide guidance and support to team members where required.
• Help foster a positive, collaborative, and inclusive culture.
• Support volunteer recruitment, retention, and development initiatives.

4. Programme Oversight

• Work alongside the Programme Coordinator to support the effective delivery of services.
• Monitor operational performance and programme implementation.
• Help ensure activities are aligned with the charity’s mission and objectives.
• Support quality assurance and continuous improvement.

5. Governance and Compliance

• Assist Trustees in maintaining good governance practices.
• Support compliance with charity regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Help identify and manage operational risks.
• Contribute to safeguarding, health and safety, and data protection processes where appropriate.

6. Planning and Performance

• Help establish organisational goals and performance measures.
• Monitor progress against operational priorities.
• Support impact measurement and organisational reporting.
• Assist in developing annual operational plans and objectives.

7. Collaboration and Growth

• Work closely with the Partnerships Lead, Fundraising Lead, Marketing & Communications Lead, and other volunteer leaders.
• Support the development of strategic partnerships and growth opportunities.
• Contribute ideas that strengthen sustainability, efficiency, and impact.
• Help prepare the organisation for future expansion.

Skills and Experience

We welcome applications from individuals with a range of professional backgrounds and experiences.

You may have experience in:

• Operations management
• Charity leadership
• Project or programme management
• Business management
• Organisational development
• Volunteer management
• Human resources
• Governance and compliance
• Community or voluntary sector leadership

We are particularly looking for someone who:

• Has strong organisational and leadership skills.
• Can think strategically while also supporting practical implementation.
• Is confident coordinating people, projects, and priorities.
• Has excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Is proactive, reliable, and solutions-focused.
• Can work collaboratively with a diverse team.
• Shares our passion for empowering people and creating opportunities.

Previous experience in a leadership or management role is desirable but not essential.

What You’ll Gain

By volunteering with Unlock YOUR Potential, you will:

• Play a senior leadership role within a growing charity.
• Help shape the future direction and success of the organisation.
• Gain valuable strategic and operational leadership experience.
• Develop skills in charity governance, organisational development, and social impact.
• Build relationships with professionals across the charity, corporate, and community sectors.
• Enhance your CV and professional profile.
• Make a lasting difference to individuals and communities across London.

Why This Role Matters

Without strong operations, even the best ideas struggle to achieve lasting impact.

As Operations Director, you will help ensure that Unlock YOUR Potential is well-organised, sustainable, and capable of delivering high-quality support to the people who need it most. Your leadership will help transform vision into action and ambition into measurable impact.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

Unlock YOUR Potential is committed to creating an inclusive, welcoming, and diverse organisation where everyone is valued and respected.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences, and communities. We particularly encourage applications from individuals with lived experience of social and economic disadvantage, as well as those who can bring diverse perspectives, skills, and ideas to our work.

How to Apply

If you are passionate about leadership, organisational development, and creating opportunities that help people thrive, we would love to hear from you.

Join us and help build the foundations of a charity that empowers individuals, strengthens communities, and transforms futures across London.

Together, we can build an organisation that unlocks potential, creates opportunity, and changes lives.

ABOUT CHILDREN WITH VOICES

Children With Voices is a grassroots children's charity with over 25 years of experience supporting children and families across London. Based at Fawcett Estate Community Hall in Clapton, Hackney, we run a Community Food Hub, alternative education, SEN support, and community programmes including Jumping Beans. We have supported over 100,000 families and are recognised nationally for our work.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

Behind every programme we run and every family we support, there is careful administration keeping everything in order. We are looking for a Volunteer Admin Coordinator to be that backbone — someone who takes ownership of the detail, keeps our systems running, and makes sure the rest of the team can focus on delivery.

This is an ideal role for someone who is highly organised, discreet, and takes real pride in getting things right.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Day-to-Day Administration

• Manage correspondence, scheduling, and general administrative tasks across the organisation

• Maintain accurate records, databases, and filing systems in line with GDPR and data protection requirements

• Support the preparation of reports, meeting notes, and key organisational documents

Operational Support

• Support the Operations Manager with administrative aspects of HR, finance, and governance

• Help coordinate onboarding for volunteers and new team members

• Track outputs, attendance, and impact data for monitoring and evaluation

Communications & Coordination

• Act as the first point of contact for internal queries — directing people quickly and clearly

• Maintain shared systems and tools so information is easy to find and act on

• Support communication between teams, leadership, and external partners

Governance & Compliance Support

• Help prepare materials for Trustee and leadership meetings

• Support safeguarding admin — DBS checks, consent forms, and record keeping

• Flag gaps in processes and help develop simple, workable solutions

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• Highly organised with strong attention to detail

• Reliable, discreet, and trustworthy — able to handle sensitive information with care

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Confident using digital tools and office systems (Microsoft Office, Google Workspace)

• Able to manage their own time and follow tasks through to completion

• A team player who also takes initiative when needed

• Committed to the values and mission of Children With Voices

This is a voluntary role with real responsibility. We need someone reliable and thorough who takes pride in the detail. You will be supporting a team that serves some of Hackney's most vulnerable children and families — and that matters enormously to us

Role: Director of National Impact

Job Description:
Youth Advantage UK is seeking a volunteer Director of National Impact to develop and lead its National Impact Directorate in identifying and delivering on opportunities for the organisation to grow its impact. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring the Directorate’s two Departments (Research and Project) produce high-quality research and related projects and events able to influence decision-making and policy on a national scale in line with the organisation’s strategic priorities. Working closely with the COO and the Policy and Ethics teams, the ideal candidate will use their prior experience to effectively guide and strengthen the organisation’s ability to enable evidence-based, national change. They should have excellent writing and speaking skills, IT literacy, and the ability to work well independently and in a team.

This role reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer.

Responsibilities:

● In line with the organisation’s strategic priorities, to lead the National Impact Directorate in designing, developing and implementing impactful research and project objectives.

● To line manage the Head of the National Impact Research Department and the Head of the National Impact Project Department, supporting them to effectively manage their own teams and to develop and implement the frameworks necessary for producing top quality research output (including academic articles) and subsequent events, campaigns and project relating to research findings and organisational strategy respectively.

● To work with HR in creating a strong National Impact Directorate composed of individuals with the appropriate skills and expertise. To ensure these volunteers are appropriately supported and trained during their period of service.

● To work alongside the Policy team to source potential commissions and influencing opportunities, shaping research and project focus and output accordingly.

● To develop short- and long-term strategies in relation to both aspects of the Directorate’s activity, ensuring that these align with the wider strategies of the organisation.

● To liaise with the Policy and Ethics teams on an ongoing basis, ensuring that their advice is incorporated into Directorate decisions and output.

● To take responsibility for relationships with key external stakeholders, at all times representing the organisation positively and professionally.

● To work on an on-going basis with the other members of the organisation’s Senior Leadership Team in determining its strategic priorities and incorporating these into the Directorate.

● To monitor, analyse and respond to external trends which impact on the organisation’s strategies and the National Impact Directorate’s activities.

● To work closely with the organisation’s Communications team in developing and implementing effective strategies to raise the organisation’s profile and impact.

● To create blogs and articles on related issues and to find and distribute information on related topics which may be of interest to the other organisation members.

● To support the Chief Executive Officer in presenting national impact strategies to Youth Advantage’s Trustees.

Requirements:

● Experience in research and planning, as well as leading key campaigns or programmes.

● High-level understanding of carrying out quality research, ideally in an area related to the organisation’s priorities.

● Excellent knowledge of a range of methods and approaches to effectively disseminating research results.

● Excellent leadership and organisational skills, with proven experience of setting priorities and motivating team members.

● Excellent writing and speaking skills.

● IT literacy, including proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Suite.

● Ability to work well independently and in a team.

● Strong attention to detail and organisational skills.

● Ability to prioritise tasks and manage time effectively.

Benefits

● Gain valuable experience in leading a research and project team.

● Opportunity to work with a dedicated and passionate team.

● Flexible working hours.