Operational director jobs in Birmingham
One third of our world has not yet heard the Good News of Jesus.
Global Disciples International is a rapidly growing mission movement that equips clusters of local churches—primarily in Africa, Asia, and Latin America—to train local believers as disciple-makers, enabling them to share the Gospel, multiply disciples, and plant sustainable churches within their cultures among least-reached people groups.
Having experienced remarkable expansion—from just a handful of programmes in 1996 to over 4,000 active programmes today, training tens of thousands of disciple-makers annually—the ministry has seen explosive multiplication in its impact and reach.
With bold missional ambition to significantly increase in scale, Global Disciples is intentionally transitioning from a predominantly US-headquartered model to a more decentralised, globally dispersed structure that empowers regional and national leadership, fosters local ownership, and aligns with its commitment to indigenous, culturally relevant mission. We currently have hubs in Africa, Asia and Lancaster, Pennsylvania and are looking at expanding our presence in Europe and Asia.
In this dynamic season of accelerated growth and structural evolution, the organisation is seeking a strategic CFO to serve as a key financial architect—engineering optimal financial infrastructure, systems, and processes that provide robust support, ensure efficiency and compliance across borders, and enable sustainable scaling to fulfil the ministry's God-given vision for greater global impact.
You will be someone with a proven track record in a senior financial leadership role in an international organisation, preferably within a ministry or mission context, and with experience overseeing additional areas like IT in entities of comparable complexity and scale. You will be a mission-aligned finance leader with a deep understanding of financial management and financial engineering, enabling you to strategically shape how Global Disciples maximises its global impact. You will have an open and servant-hearted leadership style with a natural ability to build and maintain strong, cross-cultural relationships. You will be passionate about our vision to train up disciple-makers to take the Gospel to the least-reached around the world.
We envisage the Chief Financial Officer being based in either one of our hubs in Europe, Africa or Asia.
About the Tax Justice Network
The Tax Justice Network (TJN) is an independent international network, launched in 2003. It is dedicated to high-level research, analysis and advocacy around international tax and financial regulation, including the role of tax havens. TJN maps, analyses and explains the harmful impacts of tax evasion, tax avoidance and tax competition; and supports the engagement of citizens, civil society organisations and policymakers with the aim of a more just tax system. TJN pursues systemic changes that address the international inequality in the distribution of taxing rights between countries; the national inequalities – including gender inequalities – that arise from poor tax policies; and the national and international obstacles to progressive national tax policies and effective financial regulation.
The Tax Justice Network operates virtually with its legal base in the UK and staff working from home across multiple countries and continents.
Role description
The Finance Officer is part of the Organisational Support and Development (OSD) team at the Tax Justice Network, which is led by the Director of OSD, and the role reports to the Head of Finance and Reporting. The OSD team leads and delivers on a range of operational services from finance management, risk management, project management, event management, human resources, IT systems and other enabling functions. The team is also responsible for fundraising for the organization. This includes responding to calls for proposals, tracking funding opportunities and engaging with donors regularly.
The role offers the chance to work across the financial functions and offers an experience through a breadth of finance work across the organisation making it a varied and a well-rounded role.
Key Responsibilities
- Undertake the day-to-day bookkeeping including accounts payable, accounts receivable, banking payroll and general ledger maintenance
- Ensuring accuracy and integrity of all financial records and keeping a clear audit trail of all financial records
- Manage the staff payroll process including pension, HMRC and other related processes
- Manage the periodic payment runs and ensure that all payments are paid on time
- Supporting financial planning and reporting for project proposals, project reporting and management reports
- Support with project and year end audits schedules
- Assist in the preparation of accruals, prepayments and other journals
- Maintaining fixed asset register
- Provide guidance to team on internal financial processes and policies and assist with queries and escalating them as necessary
- Ensure organisational adherence to our internal and funder specific procurement policies
- Undertake other financial administration work and supporting the wider OSD team on team responsibilities and duties as required
Person specification
Skills and experience
Essential
- Holding or working towards a CCAB or CIMA qualification
- Hands on experience of working in a finance department of charities or not for profit organisations
- Experience of carrying out detailed reconciliations, and can demonstrate a keen eye for detail and a thorough and methodical approach in all work
- Strong IT skills with intermediate knowledge of Excel and cloud-based accounting software (preferably Xero)
- Ability to communicate effectively, accurately and succinctly in English, in writing and verbally
- Excellent interpersonal skills
Desirable
- Experience of producing financial reports for a range of purposes
- Experience of working with multi-currency transactions and cash holdings
- Experience of working with EU funded grants
- Experience of working with a variety of cloud-based platforms such as Airtable, Xero, SharePoint, Slack and Zoom
Attributes
Essential
- Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and independently with a high degree of initiative
- Flexible and able to manage a varied workload and deadlines
- Ability to deliver work of a high standard with excellent attention to detail
- Knowledge of UK and / or EU financial regulations
- Resourceful and flexible approach with a “can do, will do attitude” and willingness to learn and adapt
Desirable
- Passion for tax justice and international development issues
- Previous experience of grant management
- Use of electronic banking software
Please do not use AI tools when completing your job application. We would like to hear your authentic voice and want to understand your unique skillset and perspective.
Key details
Application closing date: Sunday 22 February 2026 (2359 UK time)
Start date: April 2026
Reports to: Head of Finance and Reporting
Contract: Fixed Term to 30 June 2027
Hours: Between 60% (22.5 hours a week) or 80% FTE (30 hours a week)
Salary: £39,501.57 – £46,524.59 (FTE equivalent pro rata for 60% or 80% FTE) plus employer pension contribution, or equivalent based on contractual requirements. Appointment within range depending on skills and experience.
Location: For administrative reasons, this role is set to be Home-based in the UK. To be considered candidates must already have the right to work in the UK.
To contribute to creating the conditions for achieving tax justice by challenging false narratives, and normalising bold, progressive proposals.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Are you a visionary leader who can help shape the next stage of our work to protect, create and restore Scotland’s woodlands?
We are looking for our next Chief Executive, someone who can lead the charity into an exciting period of growth and change.
FWS is a Scottish charity working to create a Scotland where trees and native woodlands are thriving for our wildlife, communities and climate. Our mission is to protect, create and restore these vital habitats through knowledge, partnership and practical action.
Founded in 2012 to support innovative thinking for trees and native woodlands, we have grown into an organisation delivering practical action at scale. Today, our work stretches from city spaces to wild places — supporting farmers and landowners to create or restore native woodlands, strengthening local nurseries, building sector skills, and bringing trees into everyday landscapes across Scotland.
The organisation has grown rapidly over the past three years, and now operates as a team of seven delivering national programmes across Scotland.
About the role
This is a rare opportunity to shape a small, ambitious and high‑performing charity at a time of growth and increasing national influence.
As Chief Executive, you will report to and work closely with our Board of Trustees, providing strategic leadership and acting as the organisation’s senior representative. You will:
- Lead the delivery of our strategic plan and future direction
- Strengthen partnerships across the woodland, environmental, community and land‑use sectors
- Oversee programme delivery and organisational performance
- Support, motivate and develop our small and committed team of seven, working across programmes, fundraising and communications
- Represent Future Woodlands Scotland at senior levels across Scotland
You will bring strategic clarity, a collaborative leadership style, and the ability to build strong, trusted relationships across sectors and with funders.
Location
This role is Scotland-based, working from home with travel across Scotland to meetings. Our current team is spread across Dumfries & Galloway, Lothian, Central Scotland and Aberdeenshire.
Contract and salary
- 8% employer pension contribution
- Permanent, part‑time (3 days per week)
- £65,000–£75,000 FTE, depending on experience
- 25 days annual leave + 10 public holidays (pro rata)
- Additional annual leave increasing with length of service, up to a maximum of 10 additional days.
How to apply
Before applying, please read the Candidate Pack for full details of the role, responsibilities and the application process. You can find it on our website.
Invitations are invited from suitably qualified people and applications should consist of a CV and covering letter. The covering letter should explain how you meet the essential skills set out in the Candidate Pack and what you would bring to Future Woodlands Scotland.
If you would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Shireen Chambers to arrange a call (details in Candidate Pack).
Key dates:
- Application deadline: Midday, Monday 16 March 2026
- Interviews: Monday, 30 March 2026, in Edinburgh in person
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Context:
Kinship provides direct support to, raises awareness of and campaigns for the rights of kinship carers across the UK. Kinship carers are navigating complex family relationships, trauma, poverty, discrimination. The children that they care for have frequently experienced abuse or are at risk of harm. Safeguarding concerns can be disclosed by kinship carers at all contact points with Kinship.
Safeguarding children and adults at risk of abuse or neglect is a collective responsibility and requires a safeguarding approach that is aligned to statutory frameworks, is professional, consistent, trauma-informed and proportionate to level of risk.
The designated safeguarding officer holds organisational responsibility for Kinship’s safeguarding framework and actions. The role works collaboratively with a team including a Safeguarding Trustee and a group of Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads drawn from key service areas across the charity.
The role provides expertise, professional guidance and clear direction across the organisation, supporting staff and volunteers to make sound safeguarding decisions within a framework.
Purpose of the role:
The Designated Safeguarding Manager works closely with all teams across Kinship to embed proactive, person-centred, and partnership-driven safeguarding practice to protect children and adults at risk of harm.
The role provides professional oversight to Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads through individual and group reflective practice and supports high-quality and defensible safeguarding decision-making. The role drives contextual safeguarding approaches, promote professional curiosity, continual professional development and ensures safeguarding responses are informed by lived experience and the realities of kinship care.
At Kinship safeguarding concerns come from risks of harm to adults and children often with risks of harm to multiple people in the same family context.
This requires careful, trauma-informed decision-making and support for staff responding to complex safeguarding situations.
How the role works:
Reporting to the Head of Programmes, the Designated Safeguarding Manager holds responsibility for safeguarding practice across the organisation and provides expert oversight and organisational assurance ensuring safeguarding is embedded consistently, proportionately and in line with best practice.
This role will require flexibility for occasional travel in England and Wales.
Key responsibilities:
Organisational safeguarding accountability and assurance
- Act as Kinship’s Designated Safeguarding Officer, holding organisational authority for safeguarding decision-making and escalation.
- Hold organisational accountability for safeguarding practice, ensuring responsibilities are well defined, understood and embedded across the organisation.
- Maintain and assure a robust safeguarding framework, including defined roles, escalation routes, decision-making thresholds and accountability arrangements and balance safeguarding rigour with compassion and proportionality.
- Provide safeguarding oversight and assurance during service development, mobilisation and organisational change to ensure risks are identified, assessed and mitigated.
Trauma-informed safeguarding practice and oversight
- Embed trauma-informed safeguarding practice, ensuring all decisions, interventions, and organisational processes:
- Recognise the impact of past and ongoing trauma on children, kinship carers, and families.
- Prioritise emotional and psychological safety while balancing protection, autonomy, and empowerment.
- Integrate trauma-awareness into risk assessments, safety planning, case management, policies, and service design.
- Support staff through reflective supervision, guidance, and training to respond effectively.
- Provide professional oversight and reflective practice support to Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads.
- Provide expert safeguarding advice and consultation to staff and managers, supporting the assessment of concerns, threshold decisions, appropriate escalation, and proportionate, trauma-informed decision-making.
- Quality-assure safeguarding practice and decision-making to ensure actions are proportionate, person-centred, trauma-informed, and defensible.
- Maintain appropriate oversight of safeguarding records, risk assessments, and safety planning.
Policy, compliance and organisational assurance
- Develop, review and maintain safeguarding policies, procedures and guidance in line with legislation, statutory guidance and Charity Commission expectations.
- Ensure safeguarding systems, processes and recording arrangements are robust, accessible and consistently applied.
- Provide regular safeguarding assurance, analysis and learning reports to senior leadership and the Board of Trustees.
Culture, capability and continuous improvement
- Embed trauma-informed, contextual and culturally responsive safeguarding practice across the organisation.
- Promote professional curiosity and reflective practice, supporting staff to exercise sound professional judgement and avoid overly procedural responses.
- Design and deliver safeguarding training and guidance for staff and volunteers, building organisational capability and confidence.
- Lead learning reviews following safeguarding incidents or near misses, ensuring learning informs service and practice improvement.
Equity, inclusion and anti-racist safeguarding
- Ensure safeguarding practice actively considers how race, ethnicity, racism and intersecting inequalities shape risk, vulnerability and access to support.
- Support teams to identify and challenge bias and assumptions through reflective practice, supervision and learning.
- Embed equity, inclusion and anti-racist principles within safeguarding frameworks, policies, training and quality assurance processes.
Partnership working and external accountability
- Work collaboratively with statutory partners and external agencies to support effective safeguarding responses.
- Represent Kinship in multi-agency safeguarding forums, reviews or regulatory engagement as required.
Experience (Essential)
- Significant experience in adult and child safeguarding practice, including oversight of complex, high-risk, and multi-agency safeguarding situations.
- Experience providing professional oversight, reflective supervision, and structured learning support to safeguarding practitioners or leads, without direct line management responsibility.
- Experience embedding contextual safeguarding approaches and promoting professional curiosity in decision-making.
- Experience of working confidently with complexity, challenging constructively and supporting teams to do the right thing in difficult situations.
- Experience developing, reviewing, and embedding safeguarding policies, procedures, training, and learning frameworks.
- Substantial experience working with dispersed or multi-disciplinary teams, supporting wellbeing, professional development, and reflective practice.
- Experience working in voluntary sector, community-based, or service delivery organisations, particularly where safeguarding concerns arise through multiple routes.
Knowledge (Essential)
- Strong working knowledge of adult and child safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance, and recognised safeguarding frameworks, with the ability to apply them proportionately in practice.
- Up-to-date knowledge of children’s and adult social care systems.
- Understanding of trauma-informed, strengths-based practice in work with adults, children, and families.
- Awareness of how racism, inequality, and structural disadvantage can increase risk and shape safeguarding experiences, particularly for Black and minoritised communities.
- Understanding of organisational safeguarding governance, including accountability, assurance, escalation, and risk management.
- Knowledge of safeguarding responsibilities within the voluntary and community sector, including Charity Commission expectations, trustee duties, and regulatory requirements
Skills and abilities (Essential)
- Strong professional judgement, with confidence in making and defending complex safeguarding decisions.
- Calm, credible, and reflective approach in ambiguous or high-pressure situations.
- Ability to support and challenge colleagues constructively through reflective discussion, learning, and coaching rather than directive management.
- Clear, compassionate, and adaptable communicator, able to translate safeguarding complexity for diverse audiences, including operational and service delivery teams.
- Highly organised, able to manage multiple safeguarding priorities while maintaining attention to detail.
- Ability to work collaboratively across wide-ranging professional teams and external partners.
- Values-led, with a demonstrable commitment to equity, inclusion, anti-racist practice, and culturally responsive safeguarding.
Qualifications (Essential)
- Relevant professional qualification (e.g. social work, health, or related field), or equivalent professional experience.
- Evidence of ongoing professional development in safeguarding children and adults.
- Permission to work in the UK.
Attributes and general characteristics (Essential)
- Commitment to the values, aims, and objectives of Kinship.
- Respectful, empathetic approach to working with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
- Flexible and willing to travel across England as required.
- Excellent written and spoken English.
Desirable
- Lived experience of kinship care.
- Experience using Salesforce, Asana, Notion, and/or general AI tools for case management, project management, or documentation.
- Experience in innovation and continuous improvement within safeguarding practice or organisational culture.
How to apply:
Please apply for the role of Designated Safeguarding Manager by sending a tailored CV and responding to these 5 questions below in the online application process. Please read the guidance notes in the job pack.
Closing date is 9am on Mon 2 March, with a first interview (30 mins online) that week and a second interview in person on Tues 10 March 2026.
For all questions, please provide a maximum of 250 words per answer.
1.Alignment with Kinship: Why do you want to work for Kinship, and why does this Safeguarding Manager (Designated Safeguarding Lead) role matter to you at this point in your career? Please refer to Kinship’s work and services in your answer, and explain what specifically about this role you are drawn to.
2.Trauma informed practice: Describe a specific example where you have led or overseen a safeguarding concern using a trauma-informed approach.
3. Contextual safeguarding and professional curiosity: Tell us about a time you applied contextual safeguarding or professional curiosity to a situation where the initial concern did not tell the full story. What did you notice, what questions did you ask, and how did this change the safeguarding response?
4. Reflective practice and supporting others: Give an example of how you have supported others to improve safeguarding decision-making through reflective practice (for example group reflection or one-to-one discussion). What was the issue and what changed?
5. Equity, racism and safeguarding: Describe a situation where race, ethnicity or structural inequality affected safeguarding risk or decision-making. How did you recognise this and what did you do to ensure a fair and proportionate response?
What we offer you:
- Flexible working - we understand how important it is to balance family and work life.
- 30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays (1 April to 31 March) pro rata (3 to be taken at Christmas shutdown)
- Employee Assistance Programme (24/7 confidential advice line and counselling)
- Charity Worker Discounts.
Read the guidance notes in the job pack.
Make sure you’ve read the job description and the essential requirements – make sure your application reflects those points in the requirements very clearly.
Tell us why you want to work for Kinship. We’re interested in working with people who share our values. You can read about our values above.
Keep your response clear – use bullets points and short paragraphs if that helps. It will help the recruitment team to focus on your knowledge, skills and experience.
We know people might use AI – however make sure the answers reflect you and who you are and your experience. So many applications are the same because they’re using AI. Make sure you stand out.
We support kinship carers in their homes and communities, giving advice and helping them work through problems to find the best way forward.


