Head of Operations, BRENT IRISH ADVISORY SERVICE

Guardian Jobs; Hale; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

Enhanced DBS check

Job summary

Guardian Jobs in Willesden/Haringey is seeking an experienced Head of Operations to lead staff delivering welfare and housing advice, active ageing, volunteering and befriending projects. You will manage a small team, drive delivery standards and collaborate with partners to expand services within the district.

The role requires strong people management, strategic planning and hands-on project delivery, with opportunities for flexible working and ongoing professional development.

Qualifications

• Experience managing high-performing teams and project coordinators.
• Proven project-management skills with ability to deliver services on time.
• Experience with HR procedures including contracts, probation, leave, supervision.
• Recruitment experience and onboarding oversight.
• Strong staff development, training and performance-management abilities.
• Good communication across staff, partners and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead staffing and service delivery across welfare, housing advice, and active ageing projects.
• Oversee HR processes and onboarding; manage training budgets and staff meetings.
• Represent the charity to partners and external events for promotion of services.
• Deputise for Advice Services Manager on complex casework and planning.
• Ensure quality standards (AQS) and data protection compliance.
• Manage CRM systems and IT infrastructure; support fundraising and strategy reviews.

Skills

Team leadership

Project management

HR procedures

Recruitment

Staff development

Stakeholder communication

Tools

Microsoft 365

SharePoint

BrightHR

Lamplight CRM

Job description

Title: Head of Operations

Responsible to: CEO

Hours: 35 hours per week

Salary: £45,000 - £48,000 FT (depending on experience and qualifications)

Based: Willesden, NW10 2JR; Haringey borough (including Hornsey, N8 9LP and Tottenham Hale, N17 9FU) + other locations if required

Contract: Permanent (subject to continuation of funding)

Please Note: Enhanced DBS check will be required

Job Overview

Do you want to work for an organisation that makes a real difference, every day, to people from all walks of life? Do you want to use your operational management experience to have a tangible impact in the community? This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced team leader looking to take on a meaningful new career challenge to join the Brent Irish Advisory Service (BIAS) as Head of Operations.

The Head of Operations oversees all of BIAS’s projects, managing a small, high-performing team of project coordinators and frontline advice and community-support staff to ensure that we provide the highest-quality service to our clients. You will need to have demonstrable team-management experience, strong people and communication skills, and a willingness to take a hands‑on approach to project delivery, along with excellent organisational and strategic abilities to ensure that projects are delivered sustainably, effectively and efficiently.

In 2025, BIAS expanded its successful Brent-based advice service and active ageing clubs into Haringey borough. The Head of Operations will take the lead on further building and developing the new services in Haringey, ensuring that we replicate our excellent quality of service, strong record of positive outcomes and loyal service-user base.

This is a key role within the BIAS senior leadership team, which will give you the opportunity to have a direct impact on shaping the organisation’s future strategy and direction.

If you are an experienced team leader looking to move into the advice and community-support sector but don’t yet have all the desirable skills listed below, please consider applying as specialised training and development support will be made available to the right candidate.

KEY WORK AREAS AND MAIN DUTIES

Staff management

• Manage a team of five project coordinators and five front-line staff to ensure effective delivery and monitoring of BIAS’s core welfare and housing advice, active ageing, volunteering and befriending projects, which support over 900 people per year.
• Manage HR procedures, including employment contracts, probation assessment, leave administration, staff supervision, performance management and exit procedures.
• Conduct recruitment procedures where needed, and supervise the onboarding process for new joiners.
• Oversee training and development needs and budgets.
• Ensure good teamwork and lines of communication between staff, including by chairing regular staff meetings.
• Create a positive working environment in which equity and diversity are promoted and staff can do their best.

Project management

• Project-manage the further development of new advice and active ageing services in Haringey borough.
• Take the lead on promotion and marketing of BIAS’s services, including by representing the charity to partner organisations and at external events.
• Contribute to the organisation and running of regular community and fundraising events.
• Deputise for the Advice Services Manager where needed, supporting the welfare and housing advisers with complex casework, forward planning and client management.
• Support the Active Ageing Coordinators and volunteer teams wherever needed with the day-to-day running of the active ageing clubs.

Quality and service delivery

• Oversee quality‑assurance procedures in line with the Advice Quality Standard (AQS), and spearhead biannual renewal of BIAS’s AQS accreditation.
• Oversee running of BIAS’s volunteer project in line with the Investing in Volunteers quality accreditation standards.

Serve as internal data protection officer, monitoring GDPR compliance, managing risk and responding to any potential data breaches.

Serve as BIAS safeguarding lead, ensuring that safeguarding policies and training are kept up to date, and that all safeguarding concerns are appropriately addressed.

Work with the Fundraising and Communications Manager to administer the BIAS website and implement BIAS’s social media strategy.

Administer BIAS’s IT and client management systems (Microsoft 365, SharePoint, BrightHR, Lamplight CRM), coordinating training, updates and troubleshooting.

Operational leadership

• Advise the CEO on all staffing and service‑delivery issues.
• Monitor and report on service delivery, including through monthly advice and volunteer‑project reports, quarterly Board reports and regular funder reports.
• Carry out regular reviews of BIAS’s annual business plan, risk register, five‑year strategy and internal policies and procedures, providing recommendations to the CEO and Board of Trustees on strategic direction.
• Research and secure funding from grant‑making organisations, ensuring BIAS’s future financial sustainability.
• Work closely with the Finance Manager and CEO on budgeting, grant monitoring, cashflow and financial authorisation.

These are the basic duties required of the Head of Operations. However, it is necessary for all staff to be flexible and you may be required from time to time to perform other reasonable duties which are required for the efficient running of the organisation. We will also offer training opportunities to support your career development.

Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK. This role will be based in our advice offices and club venues in Willesden and Haringey but there may be some options for flexible working (e.g. one day per week from home). Occasional evening or weekend work may be required.

About Bias

BIAS is a local charity which has supported England’s largest Irish community in Brent for almost fifty years. We deliver our support through our welfare and housing advice service, our active ageing clubs, our volunteer project and our befriending scheme. We raise over £2 million in extra income for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged every year and have over 7000 attendances at our club services. BIAS has recently expanded into Haringey borough and has exciting plans to further develop its project scope and geographical reach, supported by sustainable and diversified grant funding, including from Ireland’s Emigrant Support Programme.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential criteria

• Ability to manage high-performing teams and experienced project coordinators, working collaboratively to deliver services.
• Proven project-management skills and ability to ensure that activities are successfully delivered and key objectives met.
• Ability to take the lead on client/project data analysis, grant research, funding applications and reporting.
• Demonstrable experience in change management, problem-solving and innovation.
• Ability to successfully coordinate community events.
• Excellent organisational skills and experience of working to deadlines while coping with competing priorities.
• Ability to use initiative and sound judgement to solve problems quickly and decisively.
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels, both orally and in writing, building good working relationships across staff, clients and partner organisations.
• Experience of managing customer relationship management (CRM) systems.
• Excellent IT skills, including a good working knowledge of Microsoft 365 and SharePoint.
• Flexibility and willingness to take a hands‑on approach and get involved in areas outside of expertise where required.
• Proven ability to create a positive and collaborative working environment in which equity and diversity are well managed and staff are empowered and motivated to do their best.

Desirable criteria

• Awareness and understanding of the needs of the Irish community.
• Knowledge of the Advice Quality Standard (AQS) and Investing in Volunteers quality standard.
• Ability to plan and manage budgets and contribute to decisions on the allocation of resources.
• Experience in HR matters.