The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a key member of the senior
leadership team, responsible for overseeing the operational and
financial management of the charity.
As a Chartered Accountant, the COO will bring strong financial
expertise and strategic insight to ensure the charity’s resources
are efficiently and effectively used to deliver its mission.
This includes managing the day-to-day operations, ensuring
financial health and compliance, driving operational efficiency,
and working closely with the CEO and Board to implement the
charity’s strategic vision.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Change Grow Live is a national charity dedicated to helping people overcome challenges and build better lives. We’re seeking a Regional Volunteering Manager – London and the South to help grow and strengthen volunteering and student placements across our diverse services.
This role is perfect if you’re motivated to make a positive difference by supporting people and enabling services to embed volunteering at the heart of their work. You’ll provide expert advice, foster collaboration and learning, and shape how volunteering is developed and delivered across a wide range of communities and services. You’ll take a coaching approach in all that you do.
Your focus will be on ensuring best practice in volunteering. You’ll also be playing a significant role in increasing the impact of volunteering across the organisation. While no prior health or social care experience is required, you will demonstrate a strong commitment to supporting others and driving positive change.
As a connector, adviser, and leader, you will work collaboratively with services across your region, and with our central support functions. You will represent volunteering in important decision-making forums, and help develop policies and practices that put people first. With a focus on equality, diversity, and inclusion, you’ll help create environments where volunteers and those we support truly thrive.
We also have 2 other Volunteering Manager positions currently open. 1 role is covering Scotland and the North and 1 role is a National Specialist Services role covering all CGL’s specialist services. Please check our website for more details.
Full Time Hours: 37.5 hours per week | Permanent | Hybrid working with regular service visits within your regional area
Location: Flexible, with national travel as required
Full Time Salary: 40-44 CGL scale points
*please note: Full-time hours at Change Grow Live are 37.5 hours per week. For part-time roles, the salary and payments will be pro rata based on contracted hours.
Responsibilities
About You:
You understand the deep value of volunteering and are passionate about turning that passion into practical, strategic support across a wide-ranging organisation. You believe in the power of people coming together to make a real difference and are eager to help create volunteering opportunities that are inclusive, safe, and meaningful.
With strong communication skills and a talent for building positive relationships, you’re motivated by purpose and ready to learn and grow in this important work. Adaptable and solution-focused, you thrive in change and are confident facilitating learning, coaching others, and influencing how volunteering shapes services and communities.
You’ll flourish in this role if you:
- Are passionate about empowering others and championing inclusion
- Enjoy building connections and supporting learning
- Embrace change with optimism and flexibility
- Want to help influence policy and practice at a national level
What You Bring:
- Experience supporting and managing volunteers or placements, whether in a specialist or partnership role, demonstrating your ability to make a real difference.
- A strong understanding of best practices in volunteering, with knowledge of the frameworks that ensure safe, meaningful, and impactful involvement.
- Confidence in creating positive learning environments and coaching colleagues to grow and succeed.
- Awareness of safeguarding, safer recruitment, and working within a values-driven HR context that puts people first.
- Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build trust and collaborate effectively at every level.
- A proactive and optimistic mindset, combined with a genuine commitment to a people-centered approach in all you do.
What We’re Excited to See:
- A genuine enthusiasm for volunteer management and engaging with communities.
- Strong communication and teamwork skills that foster collaboration and connection.
- A willingness to learn, grow, and develop specialist knowledge.
- The ability to support and guide teams as they embrace new ways of working.
- Step into a role where your efforts help thousands of people feel valued, supported, and empowered every day.
Why Join Change Grow Live?
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A role where you can make a genuine, lasting impact — supporting volunteers who change lives every day.
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A supportive, inclusive and forward-thinking team.
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25 days annual leave (rising with service) + bank holidays.
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Flexibility and hybrid working arrangements.
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Ongoing personal and professional development.
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Wellness resources, employee assistance and lifestyle discounts.
Ready to Make a Difference?
Bring your unique skills and passion to a role that empowers volunteering across the country. We welcome all backgrounds and experiences - your voice matters here.
Apply today and be part of a future where everyone’s contribution to volunteering is celebrated, valued, and makes a lasting impact.
** Please note that we will be conducting for face to face interviews in London on the 31st July 2025.
Salary Range (pro rata if part time)
CGL points 40 to 44 (£44,471.72 - £48,906.23)
ILW / OLW /Fringe
N/A - Outside London Weighting Area
Interview Date
31/7/2025
Closing Date
22/7/2025
Our mission is to help people change the direction of their lives, grow as individuals, and live life to its full potential.
We are seeking a compassionate, visionary, and strategic Chief Executive Officer to lead Mermaids through the next stage of its evolution, dedicated to improving the lives of gender-diverse children and young people, and those who are important to them. As CEO, you will be responsible for driving the charity’s mission, shaping its strategic direction, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality, affirming support services. You will act as a visible and credible advocate for trans and
gender-diverse youth, build strong relationships with stakeholders, and influence public policy and sector practice. Working closely with the Board of Trustees, you will oversee a small committed team, ensure robust financial management with the Chief Operating Officer, and lead fundraising efforts to secure a sustainable future. This is a unique opportunity for a values-driven leader who brings both strategic acumen and a deep commitment to equity, inclusion, and lived
experience.
Service Delivery:
• Provide strategic and operational leadership across all service delivery areas, including support line services, group work, advocacy, external communications, and policy.
• Ensure services are high quality, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of trans and gender-diverse children, young people and the special people in their lives.
• Lead the continuous improvement and development of service delivery models, ensuring impact, effectiveness, and alignment with the charity’s mission.
• Champion a culture of safeguarding, accountability, and young person-centred practice throughout all service delivery.
• Act as the organisation’s Safeguarding Lead, with oversight of on-call, safeguarding training, and ensuring appropriate escalation mechanisms are in place.
• Oversee the design and implementation of advocacy and policy activities, ensuring the charity’s voice is informed by lived
experience and is impactful at local and national levels.
• Act as a visible and hands-on leader for frontline teams, providing support, supervision, and inspiration to staff and
volunteers.
• Monitor performance, outcomes, and feedback to ensure services are meeting objectives and delivering positive change
for beneficiaries.
Governance:
• In partnership with the board of trustees, set and articulate our vision, mission and strategy, and keep this under continual
review.
• Lead the development and implementation of Mermaid’s strategic plan, ensuring sustainability and growth.
• Liaise with the board of trustees to ensure the charity’s governance, structure, policies and procedures are appropriate
and effective, taking remedial measures and implementing change as necessary. This includes supporting board
development.
• Work closely with the Chair and Board of Trustees to support strong governance and informed decision-making.
• Provide accurate and timely reporting on organisational performance, risks, and impact.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory guidance and legislation, including the Charity Commission and the Fundraising
Finance & Fundraising:
• Working with the Chief Operating Officer and the Board of Trustees, ensure Mermaids has robust, deliverable fundraising
and finance strategies in place, and subsequent action plans are embedded throughout the organisation to support their
delivery.
• In partnership with the Chief Operating Officer, ensure Mermaids has robust finance, HR, IT, data privacy and governance processes and procedures are embedded.
People and Culture:
• Line manage senior staff including the COO and service delivery managers.
• Foster a positive, collaborative, inclusive internal culture that values lived experience and wellbeing.
• Continue work to embed a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion across the organisation, as well as a focus on accessibility.
• Work to define and drive trans-centred leadership across the organisation, including ensuring that the organisation is a trans-positive, supportive employer.
External Engagement and Advocacy:
• Represent Mermaids publicly, including acting as the key spokesperson and strategic policy stakeholder, ensuring
organisational awareness of the external landscape and the changing needs of trans children, young people and their
families, and advocating for these needs to be met.
• Lead communications strategy, and lead press engagement by responding to media inquiries, interviews, press conferences and media events.
• Lead on stakeholder engagement, including with funders, supporters, community partners, and policy influencers.
• Advocate for the rights and needs of trans and gender-diverse children, young people and the significant others in their lives at a national level.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.