Head of Operations

The Head of Operations is responsible for the leadership of Befriend a Child s services, ensuring high-quality and impactful delivery across all programmes for children, young people and families.

This role leads service development, operational performance, safeguarding, impact measurement and team management, working closely with the CEO and Senior Management Team to drive organisational growth and excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Service Leadership and Development

Provide strategic and operational leadership for all Befriend a Child programmes

Lead the design, implementation and continuous improvement of services to ensure they meet the evolving needs of children and families

Work with the CEO to identify gaps in provision and initiatives to expand or enhance services in line with the charity s strategic objectives

Build and maintain strong relationships with delivery partners, funders and key stakeholders

Programme Delivery and Oversight

Lead the operational delivery of all programmes including befriending, mentoring, youth clubs, group activities and family support

Oversee the day-to-day service delivery of all programmes, ensuring they are safe, effective, compliant and beneficiary-focused

Ensure robust systems are in place for referral management, matching, risk assessment and safeguarding

Monitor service performance, caseloads and resource allocation to ensure efficiency and quality outcomes

Oversee the recruitment, training, engagement and ongoing support of volunteers, ensuring effective volunteer practices across all programmes

Deliver volunteer training as required

Work closely with partner agencies to strengthen referral pathways and partnership working

Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Befriend a Child, providing advice and guidance to staff on safeguarding issues and ensuring that strong safeguarding practices remain central to all services

Lead the development, review and implementation of operational policies and procedures

Lead the setting and management of Operations team targets and budgets

Impact, Monitoring and Evaluation

Lead the design and implementation of impact measurement frameworks

Ensure effective collection, analysis and reporting of service data to demonstrate outcomes and inform strategic decision-making

Produce high-quality reports for funders and stakeholders

Ensure monitoring and reporting aligns with internal and external requirements

Use insights and evidence to drive continuous service improvements and learning

Team Leadership and Management

Lead, develop and inspire the Operations team, fostering a culture of motivation, accountability and high-performance

Line manage and support direct reports through regular supervision, performance management and development planning

Ensure staff have the skills and resources needed to deliver excellent services

Promote staff and volunteer wellbeing and create a supportive, inclusive and collaborative working environment

Organisational Leadership and Collaboration

Contribute actively to the development of the charity s strategic vision and objectives

Play a key role in organisational decision-making and strategic planning as part of the Senior Management Team

Prepare operational and impact reports for the Senior Management Team and the Board on a monthly, quarterly and yearly basis

Attend Befriend a Child Board meetings quarterly to present the Operations report

Represent Befriend a Child at events, conferences, and meetings to advocate for our work

Act as the lead contact for named funders, supporting relationship management, grant applications and reporting requirements

Additional Responsibilities

Promote Befriend a Child s vision, mission and values and be an ambassador of the charity

Support the delivery of activities for beneficiaries and volunteers, including occasional evening and weekend work

Ensure compliance with all Befriend a Child policies, procedures and professional standards

Support fundraising activities and attend events as required

Undertake any additional duties consistent with the senior nature of the role

This is an outline job description designed to give an overview of the responsibilities of the role. We expect the job holder will work flexibly, responding to organisational need and changes as they occur.

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION

Required Knowledge / Experience

Educated to degree level or equivalent relevant experience

Significant experience of working with children, young people and families

Proven experience of leading and managing teams, including staff supervision and development

Demonstrable experience of managing multiple projects or services, ensuring delivery to time, budget and quality

Strong understanding of safeguarding practice and legislation, with experience acting as or supporting a Designated Safeguarding Lead

Experience of budget management and financial accountability

Proven ability to build and maintain partnerships within community, voluntary, education, and statutory organisations

Knowledge of the local policy and funding landscape for children, young people and family services

Experience of grant applications and reporting from statutory, trust or commissioned sources

Understanding of impact measurement and evaluation frameworks in community or youth settings

Required Skills

Proven ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, including the ability to produce quality reports for a variety of internal and external audiences

Excellent planning skills and ability to work under pressure and to strict deadlines across a range of activities

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to represent Befriend a Child externally and work collaboratively across the sector

Strong team working skills including sharing ideas, providing and receiving support, maintaining positive relationships and able to communicate positively with the Befriend a Child community

Able to take a flexible approach to work, including flexible and out of hours working in response to beneficiary service needs

IT and data management skills

WORKING AT BEFRIEND A CHILD

At Befriend a Child, we are committed to creating a working environment where our team feel valued, supported and able to thrive, both professionally and personally. We provide opportunities to develop and progress, alongside a comprehensive benefits package. Befriend a Child is situated in the centre of Aberdeen in Bon-Accord Square, with its own private staff car park.

Employee Benefits

Salary

£40,000 - £45,000

Hours of Work

37.5 hours a week (7.5 hours a day including a paid lunch break), plus

occasional evening and weekend work.

Location

Aberdeen based. Hybrid working is available.

Annual Leave

35 days annual leave including bank holidays and 4 days over the Christmas period. This increases by one day every two years to a maximum of 39 days.

Pension Scheme

After a qualifying period of 3 months, employees are auto enrolled into our pension scheme with Royal London. The scheme has a combined contribution of 9% (5% employee contribution and 4% employer contribution).

Medicash Health Plan

Medicash Level 1 plan which includes cashback for health appointments and has an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Flexible Working

Flexible working is available upon request

Training and Development

Befriend a Child recognises the importance of developing our team. We offer structured induction support and encourage staff to undertake training to develop their skills and interests at work