Head of Operations

Talosats Careers; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Learning and development

Generous holiday entitlement

Employer pension contribution

Family-friendly leave and enhanced MPP

Inclusion Networks

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to Work scheme

Job summary

Solace Women's Aid is seeking a Head of Operations to lead service delivery across multiple locations, ensuring safe, high-quality and survivor-centred support. You will work with senior colleagues to drive governance, performance and continuous improvement.

The role requires strategic leadership, strong budgeting skills and a commitment to Solace's values, with hybrid working and a Head Office presence in Camden.

Qualifications

• Experience leading multi-site services and complex delivery.
• Strong budget planning, monitoring and reporting skills.
• Solid safeguarding knowledge and policy implementation experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for a portfolio of services across multiple locations.
• Oversee safe, responsive and high-quality service delivery.
• Lead governance, performance improvement and accountability across the organisation.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Operational management

Budget management

Governance

People leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Tools

MS Office

Case management systems

Job description

Are you looking for a rewarding role working for an intersectional feminist organisation? If so, we have an incredible opportunity for you to join our team as Head of Operations at Solace Women's Aid.

You will be joining a team of committed and inspiring individuals whose dedication has saved the lives of thousands of women, men and children in the capital. We are looking for friendly and diligent individuals to join our services and help us make a difference.

About the Service

Solace provides holistic, survivor-led and trauma-informed support to women and children affected by different forms of violence against women and girls. Our services include safe refuge and move-on accommodation, community-based advice and advocacy, specialist support for survivors with complex needs or insecure immigration status, therapeutic services and rape crisis support, and dedicated programmes for children and young people.

About the Role

This is a key leadership role within the Services Directorate, working closely with other Heads of Operations and senior colleagues to ensure the smooth running, effective coordination and consistent delivery of high-quality services across Solace. The Head of Operations provides strong operational oversight, supports continuous improvement and helps ensure services remain safe, responsive and focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for survivors.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the role also carries organisation-wide corporate responsibility, contributing to strategic direction, effective governance and the delivery of Solace's wider priorities. It therefore requires strategic leadership and sound judgement alongside strong operational expertise.

While leading a thematic portfolio of services, you may also be asked to provide cover in another service area or take on new and developing work beyond your immediate area of expertise. This is a varied role in which no two days are the same, requiring a high degree of flexibility, creativity and confidence in responding to changing priorities.

About You

You are an experienced and values-led operational leader with a strong track record of managing and developing complex service delivery across multiple locations. Your strengths include strategic and operational planning, confident people leadership, complex budget management and effective partnership working, alongside the ability to lead through challenge, demonstrate impact and drive innovation.

You bring in-depth knowledge of safeguarding, relevant housing, welfare, legislation, policy and best practice, and a clear understanding of the practical, emotional, social and economic issues facing women and children affected by VAWG.

Highly organised, flexible and digitally capable, you produce high-quality reports, champion anti-discriminatory practice and meaningful service-user involvement, and demonstrate a strong commitment to Solace's values and ethos.

Additional Information

This is a hybrid role, with a minimum of three days per week based within our services or at our Head Office in Camden. The remaining days may be worked remotely.

What we can offer you

We provide a comprehensive benefits package to all our employees, including:

• Flexible working
• Focus on learning and development (internal career progression and training)
• Generous holiday entitlement
• Employer pension contribution
• Family-friendly leave and enhanced maternity pay
• Access to Inclusion Networks
• Daily clinical debriefing
• Employee Assistance Programme providing free 24/7 support and advice
• Employee Benefits Platform offering staff discounts, benefits and savings
• Flow & Restore yoga classes
• Meditation sessions
• Cycle to Work Scheme

Solace Women's Aid values diversity, promotes equity, and challenges discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, abilities, perspectives, and lived experiences. We have policies and processes in place to ensure that all employees are offered an equal opportunity in recruitment and selection, promotion, training, pay, and benefits. Our Inclusion Networks support staff with protected characteristics and offer inclusive spaces to connect.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments as needed and support employees who acquire a disability or long-term health condition, enabling them to stay in work.

This service is run by women for women and is therefore restricted to female applicants under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, and Part 1. Section 7(2) e of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 apply. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

As part of safer recruitment practices, we carry out pre-employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and right to work in the UK checks.

No agencies.