Director of Operations

Director of Operations

Reporting to Chief Executive

London/Hybrid 2 days per week in the office, ideally Tuesdays and Thursdays (off Tottenham Court Road, WC1E 7EB)

6-month FTC

Salary £70,000 - £95,000 depending on experience (pro rata for part time)

Full time, 35 hours per week (part time considered) with flexible working

Excellent benefits including 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time and for FTC) pension, private healthcare, employee assistance programme

Are you a strategic and values-led leader with significant senior experience leading core support functions, including HR, IT, organisational infrastructure, and contract and supplier management, and available for an interim contract starting in January?

Charity People are delighted to be supporting an independent foundation supporting communities across the UK to use the law to create a more just and equal society, to recruit an Interim Director of Operations.

The Foundation was established in 2012. Over the years, the organisation has grown into providing broad support for organisations in relation to law and social justice, and, in 2025, they started to focus on the potential of the law to strengthen the power of communities to create a more just and equal society.

The Foundation is entering a bold new strategic phase, following a transformative rebrand and renewed focus on the power of communities to use and shape the law to achieve social justice. With financial assets exceeding £280 million, they are uniquely positioned to build bridges between the law and communities facing injustice, to tackle the root causes of inequality.

The Director of Operations is a member of the Senior Management Team. The overall purpose of the role is to work with colleagues across the organisation to develop and oversee effective and efficient administrative, IT, finance and operational policies, systems and services to support delivery of the foundation's strategy, while ensuring that these policies, systems and support services uphold the foundation's culture and values.

The Director of Operations also plays a key role in shaping and sustaining an inclusive, collaborative and values-driven organisational culture, ensuring that systems, processes and ways of working promote staff wellbeing, equity and learning across the organisation.

Key responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Provide organisational leadership across core operational functions and contribute to SMT and Board decision-making to ensure effective, compliant and future-focused operations.
• Human Resources: Oversee HR strategy, policies and processes to create an inclusive, supportive and high-performing workplace.
• Digital, IT, Facilities & Infrastructure: Ensure robust, secure and efficient digital, IT, facilities and infrastructure systems that enable staff to work effectively across all locations.
• Finance: Lead and support the finance function to maintain strong financial planning, control, compliance and investment oversight.
• Governance: Maintain effective governance structures, ensure regulatory compliance and provide clear, timely information to the Board and committees.

Who we're looking for:

We're seeking a strategic and values-led leader with

• Senior experience leading core support functions, including HR, IT, organisational infrastructure, and contract and supplier management.
• Strong strategic and operational leadership skills, with the ability to translate organisational strategy into effective systems, processes and delivery.
• Experience overseeing organisational risk, compliance, data protection and safeguarding frameworks, or the ability to develop these confidently.
• Proven ability to engage constructively and authoritatively with the Board of Trustees and its committees, providing clear information, insight and challenge.
• Excellent organisational, planning and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment.
• Experience leading and developing staff teams, demonstrating excellent interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence and a collaborative, empowering leadership style.
• Deep understanding and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, with experience building diverse teams and fostering inclusive, trust-based cultures.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with sound financial literacy and the ability to interpret and communicate data and organisational information.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to write and speak clearly, persuasively and with authority.
• Eligible to work in the UK.
• Commitment to the Foundation's vision, mission and values, and to working in ways that advance social justice.

Senior experience in the foundation or wider voluntary sector, ideally with insight into the needs of social justice organisations and voluntary sector infrastructure is desirable.

The Foundation is based near Goodge Street tube station (WC1E 7EB). You will need to be willing to attend the office at least twice a week, as well as be able to attend meetings and events across London. This is an interim role for 6 months. The Foundation will be recruiting for the permanent position early next year and the successful candidate will be open to apply. Candidates will need full right to work in the UK, and the role is subject to satisfactory references. The ideal start date for the candidate will be mid/late-January so you will need to be immediately available or able to start in January.

How to apply

The application process is CV and answers to three questions to form your Supporting Statement. For more information and for the full Job Pack, please share your CV via the link below. The closing date is 9am on Thursday 18 December. Interviews will take place on Thursday 15 and Friday 16 January.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.