COO (Chief Operating Officer)

GSG Impact; England; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent charity organization in the UK is looking for a seasoned leader to oversee operations, finances, and human resources. This role requires over 12 years of experience in organizational leadership within the charity sector and expertise in managing complex budgets and compliance with UK regulations. The ideal candidate will drive strategic initiatives to optimize operational efficiency and foster a thriving team culture. Comprehensive benefits include a competitive salary and generous leave policy.

Benefits

Competitive salary within the charity sector

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

NEST Pension Scheme enrollment

Qualifications

• Demonstrated success in managing complex budgets and donor compliance.
• Experience leading HR and building high performing teams.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead organizational operations and ensure alignment with strategic objectives.
• Oversee financial management and compliance with UK charities obligations.
• Manage HR strategy and development of high-performing teams.
• Direct risk management and organizational resilience efforts.

Skills

Strategic operational leadership

Financial and business acumen

Strong people management and team development skills

Systems thinking and process optimisation

Risk awareness and mitigation

Education

12+ years in operations, finance, or organisational leadership roles

Experience with UK-registered charity governance and reporting

Job description

Key Responsibilities

1. Operational Leadership

• Lead organisational operations, including finance, HR, IT, legal, and administrative functions.
• Ensure operational policies, processes, and systems support GSG Impact’s strategic objectives.
• Drive efficiency, effectiveness, resilience, and continuous improvement across all teams and functions.
• Own the design, implementation, and optimisation of core systems (finance, CRM, HRIS, IT) and ensure appropriate data protection and cyber-security controls are in place with internal and external providers.

2. Financial Management and Governance

• Oversee financial management, planning, budgeting, reporting, audit processes and full compliance with UK Charities reporting obligations.
• Ensure compliance with financial regulations, donor requirements, and internal policies.
• Support the organisation in maintaining at least three months of unrestricted reserves, ensuring robust monitoring, forecasting, and timely reporting to the CEO and the Board.
• Lead banking and treasury management, including bank mandate, online banking permissions, payment approval workflows, foreign exchange exposure, and investment of reserves, ensuring appropriate controls and segregation of duties.

3. Human Resources and People Development

• Oversee HR strategy, including recruitment, onboarding, professional development, and retention of staff in multiple jurisdictions (including via Employer of Records arrangements).
• Ensure employment practices comply with relevant local laws in countries of operation.
• Lead HR risk management, including complex casework, restructures and changes to employment models, in close collaboration with the CEO and external legal advisers where appropriate.
• Lead initiatives to strengthen team culture, collaboration, and performance.
• Ensure clear role definitions and alignment with the matrix structure.
• Track KPIs, outcomes, and lessons learned for continuous improvement.
• Prepare project reports, dashboards, and presentations for leadership and the Board.

4. Risk Management and Resilience

• Lead organisational risk assessment, mitigation planning, and business continuity efforts.
• Ensure compliance with donor contracts, legal obligations, and safeguarding policies.
• Maintain operational readiness for disruptions and emerging risks.
• Ensure systems and processes are in place to monitor and manage operational risks.
• Lead the management of organisational insurance (e.g. liability, KMI, Travel, etc.), ensuring appropriate cover, annual review, timely renewals and alignment with the risk register.

5. Charity Governance and Compliance

• Ensure that GSG Impact complies fully with the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW).
• Oversee adherence to the Charity Governance Code, GSG Impact’s governing documents, and Board-approved policies, escalating material compliance and governance risks to the CEO and Chair.
• Maintain and periodically review key governance instruments, including the Scheme of Delegation, financial regulations, risk management framework, and key organisational policies.
• Coordinate with the CEO and Chair any CCEW-facing activity, such as serious incident reporting, changes to trustees or governance structure, and responses to regulatory queries or reviews.
• Provide assurance to the CEO and Board on compliance in key areas such as financial reporting (SORP), fundraising standards, safeguarding, data protection, and conflicts of interest, working with external advisers where appropriate.

6. Contracts, Procurement, and Legal

• Establish and maintain a central contracts register covering major donors, suppliers, Employer of Record (EoR) / Contractor of Record (CoR) providers, consultants, and other key partners, with clear ownership, renewal dates, and key obligations.
• Be the organisational owner for all contracts and grant agreements, including incoming donor grants and outgoing sub-grants / partnership agreements, ensuring that terms are negotiated, approved, monitored, and renewed in line with GSG Impact’s policies, delegated authorities, and risk appetite.
• Ensure that all significant financial commitments and grant agreements are documented, signed, and stored centrally, with clear internal contract / grant owners and appropriate handover arrangements.
• Lead the development and implementation of GSG Impact’s procurement framework, including thresholds, competition requirements, value-for-money assessments, and approval processes.
• Oversee relationships with external legal advisers and ensure timely legal input on contracts, employment matters, and other areas of operational risk.

7. Cross‑Organisational Collaboration

• Work with the CEO to align financial planning with fundraising and revenue generation goals.
• Collaborate with the Director of Regional Coordination and the Director of Knowledge and Impact Practice to ensure operational support for program delivery.
• Partner with the Head of Communications to ensure consistent messaging on operational achievements and transparency.

8. Accountability & MEL Alignment

• Accountable for MEL indicators including:
• Overall team satisfaction rate ( Target : 90%)
• % of team with clear understanding of role fit ( Target : 90%)
• Uninterrupted delivery of core functions despite operational risks ( Target : Yes)
• Annual staff turnover rate ( Target : 10–15%)
• Financial resilience, including maintaining minimum unrestricted reserves with Board‑approved policy.

Requirements

• 12+ years in operations, finance, or organisational leadership roles in international development, non‑profits, or global networks.
• Experience operating within the governance, financial, and reporting frameworks of a UK‑registered charity, with an understanding of how these apply in an international context.
• Proven success in managing complex budgets, donor compliance, and multi‑country operations.
• Experience in HR leadership and building high‑performing teams.
• Exceptional organisational, analytical, and problem‑solving skills.

Competencies

• Strategic operational leadership
• Financial and business acumen
• Strong people management and team development skills
• Systems thinking and process optimisation
• Risk awareness and mitigation
• Commitment to GSG Impact’s mission and values

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK

We reserve the right to close the job sooner than the deadline.

Benefits

• Salary competitive within the charity sector, based on experience.
• 25 days holiday per annum plus eight bank / public holidays
• Enrolment in NEST Pension Scheme (3% employer and 5% employee contribution)