Operations Manager

Contract: Full-time (open to part-time for right candidate, minimum 3 days per week) 
Salary: £35,000-£37,000 (based on experience, pro-rata if part time)
Contract type: 12-month fixed-term (with strong intention to extend subject to funding) 
Start date: May 2026
Reporting to: Director, John Schofield Trust 
Location: Remote (UK only), with occasional travel

1. About the John Schofield Trust

The John Schofield Trust is a charity dedicated to improving social mobility and diversity in journalism and the media. We support early‑career journalists and university students from under‑represented backgrounds through high‑quality mentoring, professional development and access to industry networks.

Our work focuses on long‑term, meaningful relationships between experienced media professionals and talented individuals at the start of their careers. As demand for our programmes continues to grow and we work to adapt to a changing sector, we are looking for an Operations Manager to play a central role in delivering our work.

2. Role Summary

The Operations Manager will be a pivotal new role within the John Schofield Trust’s small staff team. You will be responsible for the end‑to‑end delivery of our mentoring programmes, ensuring an excellent experience for both mentors and mentees.

You will manage relationships with mentors, mentees and partner organisations, oversee programme operations, and contribute to the Trust’s learning, impact reporting and future development. This role suits someone who enjoys working with people, managing multiple moving parts, and taking initiative in a mission‑driven organisation.

3. Key Responsibilities

Programme delivery and quality

• Manage the day‑to‑day delivery of the Trust’s mentoring programmes, including supporting a new ‘emerging newsroom leader’ pilot scheme

• Oversee recruitment, selection, training and matching of mentors and mentees 

• Ensure a high‑quality experience for participants throughout the programme lifecycle

Relationships and partnerships

• Build and maintain strong relationships with mentors, mentees and alumni 

• Represent the Trust in meetings with universities, newsrooms and other partners 

• Support the growth and engagement of our mentor and supporter network 

Data, impact and learning

• Maintain and develop the Trust’s database of mentors, mentees and supporters 

• Collect and analyse programme data to monitor impact and learning 

• Gather testimonials and case studies for reporting to stakeholders and the wider public

Organisational contribution

• Support events and occasional in‑person activities 

• Administer elements of our governance, including minuting of meetings and assembling annual report 

• Contribute to the wider work and development of the Trust, including our marketing and communications

• Undertake other tasks in line with the role 

4. Essential Experience and Skills
 

• Experience of successful programme or project management 

• Strong relationship‑building and stakeholder management skills 

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines 

• High standards of professionalism and attention to detail 

• Confidence using Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, to manage and analyse data 

• Experience supporting or delivering events 

• Awareness of journalism, media, education and/or training and development 

5. Attributes
 

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills 

• Proactive, organised and solutions‑focused 

• Comfortable working independently in a small, remote team 

• Motivated by social impact and widening access to opportunities 

6. Desirable (Not Essential)
 

• Experience working in or with the journalism or media sector 

• Experience running mentoring, coaching or development programmes 

• Experience of fundraising or donor engagement 

• Experience using social media or digital marketing 

• Confidence using AI tools

We encourage applications from candidates who meet most, but not all, of the criteria above.

7. Application Process


Please submit the following by email to info[at]johnschofieldtrust[dot]org[dot]uk with the subject line ‘Operations Manager application’:

• A CV (maximum three sides of A4)

• A cover letter (maximum two sides of A4)

Your cover letter should explain why you are well suited to the role, referring to the responsibilities and criteria above and giving specific examples.

Please provide both documents in PDF form and include your name in the file name e.g. ‘Tom Smith Cover Letter’ or ‘Tom Smith CV’.

Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments during the application process.

8. Key Dates
 

Application deadline: 23:59 on 23rd March 2026 

Interviews: End of March – Beginning of April

Start date: May 2026 or sooner if notice period allows   

9. Equal Opportunities
 

The John Schofield Trust is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and do not tolerate discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We are open to flexible working arrangements, and we welcome candidates who have taken non-linear career paths.

Due to the volume of applications, we cannot provide feedback to candidates not invited to interview.

10. Questions
 

If you have any questions about the role email info[at]johnschofieldtrust[dot]org[dot]uk

Thank you for your interest, and good luck.