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INTRODUCING ONWARDS & UPWARDS
Onwards and Upwards (O&U) is a charity created to directly tackle the cycle of reoffending driven by the barriers to unemployment faced; our purpose is clear, and our plan is simple. We will break the cycle of reoffending by starting sustainable businesses which train and employ ex-offenders. These must be organisations that people are proud to work for, provide personal and professional development, that operate in high demand sectors, and that showcase the talents and potential of ex-offenders as employees to businesses and society at large.
Our plan in the long-term is to launch, test, and grow a range of businesses that all follow this model – of training, supporting and employing ex-offenders in positive environments that are part of a community, with aspirational brands, and with full support for people to grow and move on with their lives.
Our first commercial venture is XO Bikes – where we train people to become qualified bike mechanics and then aim to find them meaningful jobs in the cycling sector and beyond.
THE ROLE
The next few years is a transformational time for Onwards and Upwards as we take the stride forward in starting our second venture, but only once we have secured a best-in-class training and support model, and delivered XO Bikes to sustainability. Beyond this we are an agile and entrepreneurial team that has a tendency for finding and taking advantage of great ideas and opportunities. To achieve all this we need a great Ops function, and someone leading it that can grow as we do.
We are looking for an organised, motivated, and experienced Operations professional to ensure O&U and our Commercial Ventures run smoothly and efficiently, our staff team is valued and supported, and our management teams are kept up to date and fully informed. This role would be perfect for an Ops Director excited by our approach and mission, or as a first step into a Director role for a proven Ops manager.
The primary responsibilities include:
HR
Our staff and volunteers are central to what we do here at O&U and XO Bikes. We are a growing team and it is essential that all staff members feel valued and supported. The Operations Director will assist the core management team in ensuring we all work well together to fulfil the missional objectives of the charity. Tasks will include:
· Management of O&U and XO Bikes HR functions including recruitment, administration, compensation and benefits, training and development, staff wellbeing and performance management.
· Ensuring our staff team and volunteers are well qualified for their roles and developed both professionally and personally.
· Volunteer recruitment, management, and productivity
FINANCE
The Operations Director will need to have a good understanding of finance reporting and systems to inform leadership, manage budgets and cashflow and ensure we meet statutory financial requirements. They will manage the Finance Assistant who is responsible for keeping our finance systems up to date and managing day to day bookkeeping.
Finance tasks will include:
· Management of Finance Assistant to ensure accurate, timely and complete information is provided to Trustees and the O&U management team to inform strategy and planning decisions. This will include the following tasks:
o Production of annual budgets and cashflows in conjunction with the management team
o Management of relationships with auditors, Charity Commission and HMRC
o Responsibility for statutory and management finance reporting including external independent examinations/audits.
· Production of monthly management accounts, balance sheet, cashflow and profit and loss
· Ensure timely filing of annual reports and accounts for the charity and any ventures the trustees are responsible for
OFFICE SUPPORT
The Operations Director will manage the Operations Assistant and ensure staff are fully set up and trained on all IT systems. This includes Microsoft office products, database management systems, HR platforms and retail/production systems.
· Operational management of IT services and support at O&U and XO Bikes
· Ensure IT provision is consistent, up to date and easily accessible to all staff and volunteers
· Ensure training is provided for all staff and volunteers
PREMISES MANAGEMENT
The Operations Director will ensure the offices, workshops and retail outlets are safe spaces, well maintained and fit for purpose. This will include the following:
· Review building security and insurance provision annually
· Review health and safety policies and ensure training is provided to all staff
· Ensure fire regulations are complied with at all premises
· Review property leases and liaise with landlords as required by core management team
· Manage relationship with local council re business rates and discretionary relief applications
· Manage contracts with utility providers (includes lighting/heating/water)
· Manage support contracts re fire regulations, health and safety
CHARITY GOVERNANCE
The Operations Director will be the liaison between the UK Charity Commission, the trustees of O&U and the staff team. Tasks will include:
· Collation of updates from managers for the Trustees (6 reports per annum)
· Attendance at all trustee meetings
· Production and circulation of Trustee meeting minutes
· Charity Commission administration and reporting
· Trustee onboarding
LEGAL & COMPLIANCE
Ensure implementation of procedures and policies in line with all relevant statutory requirements concerning HR, Finance and Charity governance. Ensure O&U is kept up to date with all regulatory changes which affect the charity and our commercial ventures. This will include the following:
· Keep up to date with changing legislation and laws affecting companies and charities making appropriate recommendations to management on changes and other relevant matters.
THE PERSON
We are looking for someone who shares our belief that individuals who commit crimes should be given the opportunity to build themselves a positive and productive life atop the foundations of secure employment. The cycle of reoffending is an enormous issue, but one we can start to solve.
Our hope is to find an energetic, organised, and positive team player, similarly comfortable working independently. It is a very varied role and one that needs calm focus as well as spontaneity and initiative – things change fast here, and this allows us to progress towards our mission rapidly.
Most importantly, we want someone who cares as much as we do about why we exist – the people we aim to help. Bikes are an end to a means, and that means is giving people ready to turn away from crime the platform on which to launch a successful and rewarding career. Cycle broken.
As a rough guide, with poetic interpretation encouraged, we are looking for:
Essential skills
· A collaborative leader who can build relationships with staff members at all levels, inform decision making and help us fulfil our missional objectives
- 3+ years operational/management experience
- Sound understanding of financial management, reporting and accounting systems (Xero preferred)
- Highly motivated and driven self-starter, able to adapt quickly when priorities change
- Management experience in pastoral environments
- Highly proficient in Microsoft Office products and database management systems
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience in creating high-level reports and presentations
Desirable skills
· Experience of working with diverse communities
· Knowledge of charity governance structures and statutory requirements
· Accountancy/financial qualification
· Professional qualifications in business management or HR
· Experience of working with ex-offenders or in a prison setting
· Experience of volunteer management
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.
We now have 54 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.
As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.
Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.
To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the Why Work For Us page.
Main Areas of Responsibility
As a Talent Acquisition Partner, your responsibility will be to deliver a best-in-class recruitment experience for both candidates and the stakeholders across our network of 54 primary and secondary academies, and in our central team. You will help embed a culture of best practice planning, sourcing, screening, interviewing and onboarding, as well as continually reviewing and improving processes to ensure we secure the best talent. Reporting to the Head of TA, you will line manage, coach and develop a Talent Acquisition Coordinator.
Reporting to the Head of Talent Acquisition, your responsibilities will include:
- Working with academy and head office senior leaders on delivering effective and diverse resourcing strategies for mid to long term recruitment needs.
- Meeting with hiring managers to qualify posts, to support in role creation, salary benchmarking and job/skills evaluation, and to plan a campaign and recruitment schedule for each position.
- Providing support, guidance and training to hiring managers on best practice, screening, reviewing applications, and supporting with panel interviews and/or preparation where needed.
- Supporting our in-house executive search function for senior appointments.
- Managing a high-touch recruitment process with both external and internal candidates to ensure the best possible candidate experience.
- Managing a robust full-cycle recruiting process for entry-level hires through to senior-level positions across the academy network and head office team.
- Developing new and existing sourcing strategies for talent pipelines, candidate pools and nurturing talent in line with workforce planning, from entry level to senior leadership.
- Helping develop and implement the use of testing and assessments to evolve our approach to skills/competency based hiring.
- Helping increase diversity and working with the wider People Services directorate on diversity and inclusion initiatives.
- Working with local HR teams and head office recruiters to oversee a the onboarding process and pre-employment screening.
- Developing communities and talent pools through advertising, headhunting/direct approaches, networks, university events, social media and employee referrals.
- Supporting with Employer Value Proposition, Recruitment Marketing, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, Staff Referral and Engagement projects initiatives.
Please download the Job Pack from for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification.
What We are Looking For
We are interested in hearing from experienced recruiters and would be particularly keen to speak with people who have gained experience working within a Multi Academy Trust HR or recruitment team, or in-house TA/recruitment team within public sector or not for profit environment.
You should be experienced in working closely with hiring managers to form close partnerships in order to deliver against recruitment objectives.
We would like to hear from you if you have:
- A passion for recruitment and ensuring outstanding candidate experience
- The ability to problem solve and create innovative solutions to difficult hiring challenges
- Previous experience in building and developing relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Significant recruitment experience gained in an in-house function, RPO or consultancy
- Experience of implementing and developing recruitment processes
- A track record of recruiting across all level roles, from entry level through to senior leadership
- The skills to be resourceful, meticulous, and organised with the ability to multitask
- Experience of using ATS/HRIS
- Experience across several sourcing channels and techniques
- Knowledge of market trends and insights
- Qualifications to degree level or equivalent
Applying for this Position
If you would like to discuss the opportunity further, or if you have any questions, please contact Harry Bond, Head of Talent Acquisition, via email:
Before applying please ensure you download the job pack from our careers website, this will help with completing your application. Please note that we only accept applications submitted online before the closing date.
When applying, you will have the option to import your CV or use a LinkedIn profile which will auto populate the online application.
A reminder to check your junk mail for our email communications and add us to your safe senders list to ensure all future email communication is received.
The next stage will be a Teams interview, followed by a face-to-face interview for successful candidates.