Office and feedback manager jobs in Birmingham

Job Title: Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Organisation: The Skill Mill
Location: Remote, with expectations to travel to Gateshead and occasional travel to other UK locations
Salary: £45,000 pa 
Contract Type: 2 years fixed term contract, Full-Time
Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Job Purpose:

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will play a pivotal role in driving the operational success of The Skill Mill. Working closely with the CEO, the COO will oversee day-to-day operations through line-management of the 3 regional Operations Managers, will ensure the delivery of exceptional services, and will support the growth of our social enterprise model across the UK and beyond. This is a strategic leadership position, requiring a dynamic individual with a passion for social impact, operational excellence, and business development.

Key Responsibilities:

• Operational Leadership: Oversee all operational functions, including service delivery, project management, and workforce coordination, ensuring high standards and client satisfaction.

• Strategic Growth: Collaborate with the CEO to develop and implement expansion plans, identifying new partnerships, contracts, and opportunities to scale The Skill Mill’s impact, ensuring operational readiness and quality as the organisation scales.

• Team Management: Lead, motivate, and develop The Skill Mill’s operational delivery teams (see attached structure chart), including the Operations Managers, the Pathway Advisors, and the Supervisors, fostering a culture of inclusion, accountability, and continuous improvement. Lead workforce planning, staff development and wellbeing to ensure a sustainable, motivated and resilient workforce.

• Financial Oversight: Work with the finance team to manage budgets, monitor performance against targets, and ensure cost-effective operations while maintaining quality.

• Governance: Supporting organisation and partnership governance by contributing to papers, risk registers and performance reports, engaging in solution-focused discussion at relevant forums, and ensuring feedback loops with operational delivery teams.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including local authorities, commercial clients, criminal justice partners, and community organisations.

• Compliance and Risk Management: Ensure all activities comply with legal, regulatory, and health and safety standards, mitigating risks effectively and escalating through appropriate organisational and legal pathways where necessary.

• Safeguarding: Act as senior lead and an initial escalation point for safeguarding, ensuring robust policies, training, reporting and continuous improvement.

• Impact:

         - Measurement: Monitor and report on social and environmental outcomes, ensuring alignment with The Skill Mill’s mission and funding requirements.

         - Performance: Work alongside partners, including Social Outcomes, evaluation and funding partners to drive performance in line with key success milestones, and engage in collaborative problem-solving to improve the offer and overcome challenges.

         - Quality Assurance: Contribute to organisational quality assurance processes by providing operational insight to support effective monitoring and review. Facilitate and support quality assurance audits, reviews and continuous improvement practices across operational delivery, working closely with operational delivery teams and relevant partners to ensure learning is embedded and service standards are consistently met.

• Innovation: Drive operational efficiencies and explore innovative approaches to service delivery and trainee support.
   

Person Specification:
Experience:

• An understanding of, and sensitivity to, working with vulnerable or disadvantaged groups.

Skills and Abilities:

• A values-led approach to strategy, with the ability to balance social impact, quality, and financial sustainability in strategic and operational decision-making.

• Exceptional leadership and people management skills, with a collaborative and empowering approach.

• Confident in using insights from performance data and information to drive continuous improvement

• A clear, confident and inclusive communication style, with the ability to engage, motivate and align within the organisation and externally

• A collaborative approach to partnership working, with the ability to navigate differing priorities and build trusted relationships across sectors/ stakeholders.

• Proficiency in working with digital tools that support operational efficiency (e.g., CRMs, project management software, Microsoft Office/Google Suite)

• Ability to translate organisational strategy into actionable operational plans
  ​

Personal Attributes:​

• Passionate about social justice, youth development, and environmental sustainability

• Resilient, adaptable, and solution-focused, with a hands-on approach to problem-solving.

• Commitment to The Skill Mill’s values of opportunity, integrity, and excellence.
  ​

What We Offer:​

• The chance to make a tangible difference in the lives of young people and the environment.

• A supportive and purpose-driven work environment.

• Opportunities for professional growth as part of a growing social enterprise.
   

Essential Requirements:

Experience:

• Proven senior leadership experience in managing operations, ideally within criminal justice or a social enterprise, charity, or environmental services sector.

• Demonstrable ability to lead and manage complex operational delivery in multiple geographical areas, ensuring quality and consistency across teams.

• Demonstrable success in growing an organisation or enhancing service delivery, including securing contracts and partnerships.

• Experience managing diverse teams in a hybrid work environment

• Experience of working effectively with external partners, including commissioners, criminal justice agencies and/or commercial organisations.
   

Skills and Abilities:

• Analytical mindset with experience in budgeting, performance monitoring, and process improvement.
   

Qualifications and Certifications:

• A relevant degree or equivalent professional qualification (e.g., business management, operations, or social enterprise leadership) is preferred but not essential.

• Enhanced DBS check is required.

About The Skill Mill:

The Skill Mill is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified individuals, regardless of background.

The Skill Mill is an innovative social enterprise dedicated to transforming lives and communities. We provide employment opportunities for young people with criminal convictions, equipping them with skills and experience through delivering high-quality environmental services, such as grounds maintenance, horticulture, and flood prevention. Our mission is to reduce reoffending, enhance employability, and create sustainable social and environmental impact.

Youth Programmes Officer – Oxfordshire & Wiltshire 

SALARY: £18,731 pro-rata including holiday pay, based on a working pattern of 30hrs/week across 4 or 5 days, and 39 weeks/year. £26,700 FTE

LOCATION: Homebased with travel within Oxfordshire & Wiltshire (mainly Swindon, Carterton, Didcot) 

HOURS: 30hrs a week, working term time only (39 weeks/year). The hours and days of coverage may be negotiable for the right candidate and experience. 

CONTRACT: Permanent

Ideal opportunity if you enjoy working with young people and want to help them be the best they can be. 

Flexible and rewarding position within a dedicated and supportive team, working together to develop teamwork, leadership, and employability skills that inspire the next generation to aim high. 

Are you looking to join an exciting organisation that’s truly making a difference?

The Jon Egging Trust are seeking a highly motivated individual with experience of working with young people, to plan and deliver inspiring teamwork, leadership and employability programmes in the Oxfordshire & Wiltshire. The role involves liaising with school staff, local partners (including the Military and local businesses) and volunteers to ensure programmes meet the needs of our young people and is supported by the Regional Manager, Oxfordshire & Wiltshire. You will be joining a fantastically motivated and committed team of workers who are all passionate about improving the lives of young people through our specialist youth programmes.

The successful candidate will be based from home with a requirement to travel to partner schools and business sites in and around Swindon, Carterton and Oxfordshire surrounding areas. Fuel expenses are paid and travel time is included as part of working hours. Working with secondary schools to provide early support programmes, core delivery time is usually within the school working day and during school terms only. All other working hours can be managed with flexibility by the post holder to ensure that all administrative tasks are completed as required.

Across the JET team we cultivate a culture of inclusion that respects individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe that our differences enable us to be a better team – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation, and delivers better outcomes for our young people. We welcome applicants whatever your background and whatever your stage in life, so if you are returning to the workforce after a period away, or even seeking a change of pace, please get in touch.  

About the Jon Egging Trust (JET)

At JET, we support vulnerable young people to get back on track and realise their potential; more than 30,000 young people right across the UK to date, and there’s so much more we can do. We’re an organisation that really values its people and we’re immensely proud that our team culture is based on caring and raising each other up.

Our benefits package includes:

• Flexible working

• Enhanced annual leave

• Homeworking allowance 

• Occupational pension scheme

• Occupational sickness scheme

• Special paid leave provision

• Enhanced family leave 

Download the Candidate Information Pack  

Read our Applicant Privacy Notice 

Child and adult at risk protection policy statement 

The Jon Egging Trust is committed to providing a safe and positive environment for everyone involved in its services and activities. The Trust takes its extended moral and legal duty of care very seriously in relation to children, young people, staff and volunteers. We seek to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children and to protect them from harm or abuse when they engage in any of our activities. JET expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. The suitability of all prospective employees or volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment. 

To apply 

Please complete our online application form.

The closing date is Sunday 19th April at 23.30 hrs 

The two-step interview process to be held week commencing 27nd April 2026. 

Step 1 is a formal interview on Teams online on Monday 27th April 2026. 

Step 2 an in-person session delivery at one of our partner schools in Oxfordshire & Wiltshire, location to be confirmed. This will be on Wednesday 30th April 2026. 

Questions? 

Contact through our website. 

Please note:

Due to our anonymised recruitment process, if your application is not shortlisted, we are unable to provide personalised feedback. 

To become an employee at JET, you must be able to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK and a satisfactory DBS check – enhanced with children's barred is required for this role. 

As part of our safer recruitment process, all candidates invited to a final interview will also be required to complete a confidential self-disclosure form, which allows any relevant information to be discussed in line with our safeguarding policy. 

There are two parts to the Primary Science Mentor role. The majority of the role will focus on strengthening primary science teaching and leadership by leading our third Priority Areas initiative in North-West England. Through their knowledge of and passion for primary science education, the successful candidate will inspire transformational change in schools taking part in this project. They will build close working relationships with participating schools and create a vibrant and exciting learning community based on mutual support and the sharing of expertise.

The remaining hours in the role will be as a Primary Science Mentor: joining PSTT’s growing team of primary science experts who provide bespoke support directly to individual schools, multi-academy trusts and other school groupings and organisations. This includes developing and delivering training in a variety of contexts, including online; working individually with Science Leaders; being a leading voice, expert and advocate for primary science (both regionally and nationally); and creating partnerships with other organisations that support science within the region.

A crucial part of the role is to ensure collection of appropriate data for both Priority Areas and Primary Science Mentor activities, so that we can evaluate our work against intended outcomes.

We are recruiting a Drugs Education Coordinator (Scotland) to join our team. This role will involve the coordination of DSMF drug education in Scotland, based in the Grampian region, working with the senior leadership team to develop provision regionally and more widely.

Suitable candidates will:

• be passionate about supporting young people to make safer choices about drugs and alcohol, with a good understanding of substance use and particularly its physiological, psychological and social impact
• have experience of project coordination, with excellent organisation skills
• be a skilled and effective communicator, both in writing and orally, with a wide range of people and agencies
• be proactive, self-motivated and confident to take initiative
• enjoy working remotely as part of a small and busy team

The Job description and person specification are available below. Please click 'How to apply' to view the application form.

Please share with anybody you think might be interested in joining our brilliant team!

Interviews are likely to be held the week beginning 11th May 2026.