Head of Foundation

OLIVER COOKSON FOUNDATION; Greater Manchester; Remote; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A visionary charity organization in the UK is seeking an entrepreneurial Head of Foundation to lead and execute a global digital strategy. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in the charity sector, focusing on training initiatives and digital transformation to scale social impact. Responsibilities include governance, financial management, and team leadership. This is a critical role for someone passionate about advancing charitable causes.

Qualifications

• Experienced leader in the charity sector.
• Proven change-maker driven by social impact.
• Ability to engage key stakeholders effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of the charity through training and digital strategy.
• Develop governance and compliance policies.
• Recruit and mentor a high-performing team.

Skills

Leadership skills

Digital transformation

Strategic advocacy

Financial management

Job description

Oliver Cookson Foundation: Head of Foundation

Are you a visionary charity leader ready to go global? We're seeking an entrepreneurial Head of Foundation to take a proven life-saving charity to the next level. This is a pivotal role to build on the success of Cookson First Aid and spearhead a new digital strategy that will scale our social impact internationally. If you're a proven change‑maker driven by a passion for social good and ready to drive digital transformation, lead a dedicated team, and shape the future of a dynamic organisation, apply now. Make a difference that spans the globe.

The Oliver Cookson Foundation is a registered charity founded in 2022 with a vision of saving lives. Building on the success of Cookson First Aid (a social enterprise that has trained over 23,000 people), the Foundation is seeking an entrepreneurial and visionary Head of Foundation (HoF).

This pivotal role requires an experienced leader to spearhead a new digital strategy to scale the Foundation's proven life‑saving impact, moving beyond its current regional focus. The HoF will be responsible for the overall strategic direction, governance, and operational delivery of the charity.

Core Responsibilities

The HoF is responsible for leading all aspects of the charity through two key work streams:

• Training & National Growth: Overseeing the day‑to‑day operational delivery of the flagship Cookson First Aid training programme, supporting its growth, and ensuring the continued delivery of free and accredited first aid training nationally.
• Global Digital Strategy: Defining, championing, and executing a robust digital strategy to significantly increase global reach and social impact. This includes establishing a digital operational plan and overseeing the execution of the Foundation's overall digital strategy, ensuring it is fully integrated with the charity's long‑term strategic goals and mission.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Governance & Compliance: Developing strong governance, clear policies, managing risk, and ensuring full compliance with Charity Law and best practice, reporting regularly to the Board of Trustees.
• Leadership & Management: Recruiting, mentoring, and developing a high‑performing team of c.5 employees, and fostering a culture of accountability and innovation.
• Strategy & Advocacy: Developing the long‑term strategy, acting as the primary ambassador for the charity, building relationships with key strategic partners (government bodies, trusts, corporate CSR teams), and managing all PR and communications.
• Financial Management: Preparing strategic/operational plans and annual budgets. Managing all income and expenditure, and developing a variety of sustainable, long‑term funding streams.

Personal Profile

The ideal candidate is an experienced leader in the charity sector who is driven by a passion to advance the Foundation's cause and effective at maintaining a high level of visibility to engage key stakeholders. A proven change‑maker with experience in driving digital transformation or scaling a service/product through online channels.

Reporting to: Chair of the Trustee board.

Location: Manchester/National.

Team Management: Overseeing a team of approximately 5 employees.