Chief Operating Officer

Prospectus; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading independent grant-making foundation in the West Midlands and Warwickshire is looking for a Chief Operating Officer to support the CEO and lead the organization’s operations. The ideal candidate will have senior management experience in the non-profit sector and be committed to making a difference in the community. Key responsibilities include overseeing operational management, implementing strategies, and leading grant-making efforts. This position offers a salary of £60,000-£65,000 plus benefits and requires working in a hybrid model, two days in Coventry.

Benefits

Benefits package

Hybrid work model

Qualifications

• Strong commitment to the mission and values of the foundation.
• Senior management experience within a non-profit or grant-making organization.
• Evidence of successful strategic planning and execution.

Responsibilities

• Play a central role in leadership and governance.
• Implement the organizational strategy and business plan.
• Lead development of the grant-making strategy.
• Oversee day-to-day operational management.
• Manage fundholder relationships and performance.
• Oversee research and emerging trends.
• Strengthen HR and marketing strategies.

Skills

Senior management experience in non-profit sector

Successful strategic planning

Strong commitment to mission and values

Job description

We are proud to be supporting the leading independent grant‑making foundation in the West Midlands and Warwickshire, in their search for a Chief Operating Officer.

The foundation nurtures philanthropy, linking people who care with incredible causes that matter, unlocking resources to tackle local issues and supporting people and communities to thrive across the region.

We are recruiting for a new position, the Chief Operating Officer, to support the CEO and hold overall accountability for the organisation’s operations. The COO will play a pivotal role in implementing our strategy, aimed at improving operational efficiency and diversifying income streams.

Chief Operating Officer

£60,000‑£65,000 + benefits

Hybrid safety, 2 days in the office in Coventry

The COO will ensure that ways of working are as effective as possible, enabling the team to meet ambitions and modernise internal operations and governance, freeing up capacity for the CEO to build strong relationships with donors and partners.

Key responsibilities

• Play a central role as a member of the executive team in the overall leadership, strategic direction and governance of the Foundation.
• Work with the whole team to implement the organisational strategy and business plan.
• Lead on the development of the grant making strategy, ensuring processes are efficient, compliant and deliver an outstanding experience for applicants and donors.
• Oversee the day‑to‑day operational management of the Foundation, ensuring systems, policies and processes are appropriate and effective.
• Oversee fundholder relationships, demonstrating value and impact whilst overseeing performance against programme delivery commitments.
• Oversee research, insight and impact inputs and ensure effective horizon scanning for emerging trends and technologies.
• Oversee HR and marketing strategies to strengthen the culture and visibility.

Qualifications

As COO, you will have a strong commitment to the mission and values of the foundation, with a passion for making a difference in the lives of people in the West Midlands and Warwickshire. You will need senior‑management experience within a non‑profit, charitable or comparable grant‑making organisation, evidenced by successful strategic planning and execution.

How to Apply

To apply for the role, please upload your CV together with a supporting statement (of no more than 1000 words) onto the Prospectus website via the link below.

Please ensure that you have included a telephone number, as well as any dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the recruitment timetable.

If you wish to apply using an alternative format, please contact Prospectus. If you would like to have an informal conversation about the role, please contact our retained partners.

At Prospectus we believe passionately that a truly inclusive workplace leads to increased social impact. We are committed to supporting our clients build more inclusive teams. To understand how we are performing, we ask that you kindly complete the brief equal opportunities questionnaire when you submit your application via our website. Please be assured that your responses are kept confidential, separate from your candidate record, are not part of any application you make, and that the consultants never see individual responses to the questionnaire.

Recruitment Timetable

Deadline for applications: Sunday 8th Feb (midnight)

Interviews with Prospectus: 24th Feb 2nd March

First stage interviews with the foundation: 17th and 19th March

Second stage with the foundation: 24th March