Operations manager jobs in stoke on trent, england

Following the return of our co-founder Becca Dean MBE as CEO, we're excited to be recruiting for several new roles as we move into the next chapter of our journey. Having recently celebrated our 12th birthday, we're more determined than ever to reach even more girls and young women, and we’re building a brilliant team to help us do just that. If you're passionate about empowering the next generation, we’d love to hear from you.

THE ROLE

The Deputy CEO will play a pivotal leadership role, working closely with the CEO to drive the organisation’s strategic vision, operational excellence, programme leadership, and financial sustainability. As a key leader, you will oversee critical functions, ensure high-impact programme delivery, and strengthen partnerships that expand our reach and influence. You will also act as a key external representative of The Girls’ Network, advocating for our mission and developing relationships with funders, partners, and stakeholders. Additionally, you will deputise for the CEO as required, ensuring continuity of leadership and decision-making in their absence.

Key Responsibilities

Deputy CEO Leadership

• Deputise for the CEO as required, leading key meetings, making strategic decisions, and ensuring seamless leadership continuity.
• Support the CEO in monitoring and reporting against The Girls’ Network’s operational performance, ensuring KPIs are being delivered in line with Trustees’ expectations.
• Support on budget planning and cost control, ensuring financial sustainability.
• Build positive Board relationships and act as an ambassador for The Girls’ Network.
• Ensure a crisis communications strategy is in place and manage risk monitoring and mitigation.
• Lead, support, and motivate staff, fostering a culture of high performance.
• Oversee internal communications, ensuring staff are informed and engaged.

Strategic Leadership & Organisational Growth

• Develop and deliver strategy and operational plans in collaboration with the CEO.
• Work with the Head of Fundraising to ensure sufficient income to sustain and grow programmes.
• Act as joint lead for organisational safeguarding (with the Head of Programme Delivery & Development), ensuring policies and procedures are in place and followed.
• Represent The Girls’ Network externally, speaking at events and strengthening strategic partnerships.
• Stay up-to-date on national and regional policy developments affecting girls, mentoring, and education.
• Embed a girl-centred approach to organisational development and ensure programme impact is maximised through innovation and the use of technology.
• Report to the CEO and Board on programmes and safeguarding.

Programme Leadership & Delivery

• Provide strategic leadership for programmes, ensuring stability and growth in existing regions and identifying opportunities for expansion.
• Lead on innovation, piloting new programme elements, systems, and processes to enhance efficiency, impact, and revenue generation.
• Ensure programme decisions are informed by data, research, and organisational learning.
• Oversee quality assurance and impact measurement, ensuring consistency across regions and effective reporting on mentee outcomes.
• Oversee programme pipeline, targets, and income generation from schools, reporting to the Board.
• Maximise relationships with key stakeholder groups (mentees, schools, partners, ambassadors, and mentors) to enhance engagement, experience, and retention.
• Lead, support, and motivate the Programme Delivery Directorate, aligning OKRs with organisational goals.

Programme Delivery & Reporting

• Stay informed about best practices in mentoring, gender equality, and social mobility to ensure maximum programme impact.
• Use data and feedback to continuously develop and refine programmes.
• Ensure robust processes and procedures are in place to optimise resources and impact.
• Oversee the mentor network, ensuring engagement, retention, and a high-quality experience for both mentors and mentees.
• Support the Ambassador Programme Lead in integrating the Ambassador Programme with the mentoring programme.
• Report quarterly to the CEO on programme KPIs, including participant numbers, impact metrics, stakeholder perceptions, and regional variations.
• Prepare quarterly reports for the CEO and Trustees.

Management & Training

• Manage the Senior Programme Team, overseeing performance, development, and wellbeing.
• Support programme teams to deliver growth and impact targets with consistency.
• Ensure the Ambassador Programme is successfully implemented and contributes to an engaged network of former mentees.

Safeguarding Leadership

• Serve as Joint Safeguarding Lead, with accountability for safeguarding decisions.
• Oversee Designated Safeguarding Officers and ensure all policies and procedures reflect best practice.
• Review and approve key training materials, particularly those shared externally.
• Maintain oversight of safeguarding systems, including managing the safeguarding phone and any related rota.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE ROLE

Essential skills, knowledge and attributes

• Proven senior leadership experience, ideally within a non-profit, education, or youth-focused organisation.
• Strong strategic thinking skills with the ability to drive organisational growth and impact.
• Experience managing programmes, operations, and teams at a senior level.
• Track record of securing and managing funding, including corporate, trusts, and foundations.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills, with experience in stakeholder engagement and external representation.
• Strong financial acumen and experience overseeing budgets and financial planning.
• Passionate about social mobility and gender equality, with a deep commitment to The Girls’ Network’s mission.

Desirable

• Experience of working with mentoring programmes or youth-focused initiatives.
• Knowledge of policy and advocacy related to education, social mobility, or gender equality.
• Experience working with Boards of Trustees or governance structures.

WHY JOIN US?

• Opportunity to play a crucial leadership role in a high-impact, mission-driven organisation.
• Collaborative, ambitious, and values-led culture.
• Flexible working environment with a commitment to staff wellbeing.
• The chance to make a real difference in the lives of thousands of girls across the UK.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early application is encouraged. If a high number of applications are received, this advert will be closed early (with a minimum of 24 hours’ notice). We regret that due to time constraints, we will not contact you if you are not selected for interview.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to individual requests for further information about the role.

Visit our website for the candidate pack and further details on how to apply.

Salary: Grade 4 - £34,085 per annum

Full time: 37.5 hours per week

Location: Flexible with travel as required to deliver training – frequency will vary

Contract: Permanent

Closing date:  Sunday 18th May 2025 at 11.30pm

Do you have a good understanding of housing law and proven experience of preparing, planning and delivering training courses to individuals and groups, online and face to face? We are looking for a Trainer and you could soon be helping us to help better support professionals and their clients with housing problems.

About the Role

You will deliver training to a variety of external customers, focussing on housing and homelessness. The overall aim will be to support capacity and capability of the housing and homelessness sector to achieve better outcomes. You will need to keep your knowledge up to date and contribute the insights you gain from training delivery and observing our front-line services to develop existing and new courses, ensuring excellent quality and positive feedback. Also, you will participate in consultancy and mystery shopping as needed.

About you

To succeed, you will need experience of delivering and developing training courses which are engaging and interactive, along with a strong understanding of housing and homelessness law. You will also have a sound knowledge of IT tools such as webinar and e-learning platform and Microsoft applications.  The role will involve travel to deliver training as needed.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

About the team

You will be joining a multi-disciplinary team that delivers a range of second tier services to support those on the frontline to achieve positive outcomes for people with housing problems. These include training in housing and homeless prevention, housing law consultancy advice, housing debt casework, information and online resources and various targeted projects. We are a national team and work in conjunction with the wider organisation including Legal Services, Learning and Development, Business Support, Telephone and Online services and Operations teams.

About Shelter

Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet every day millions of people are being devastated by the housing emergency.

We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.

We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist.

How to apply

Please click ‘Apply for Job’ below. You are required to submit a CV and responses to the ‘About You’ section of the job description of no more than 350 words each.

Please provide specific examples following the STAR format and ensure you demonstrate how you address the behaviour below throughout your responses:

• We prioritise diversity and have an inclusive and open mindset

Any applications submitted without a supporting statement will not be considered

Safeguarding Statement

Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.

Recruitment Agencies

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.

The North West England Methodist District (NWED) is seeking to appoint a District Property Secretary. The role is home-based, with travel throughout the District. They will be the first point of contact on all matters relating to property and will work in collaboration with the churches and circuits within the District, providing oversight of the properties owned by the District. The post holder will give support and assistance to a range of stakeholders on property-related matters, in the context of Methodist Church governance.