Operations and Systems Manager

Sheila McKechnie Foundation; Fleet; On-site; GBP 13,000 - 15,000; Part time

Job summary

The Sheila McKechnie Foundation (SMK) is seeking an Operations and Systems Manager for a fixed-term, September 2026 to July 2027 role. This 18 hours/week position, term-time only, will support governance, HR, IT, and compliance across a small team while shaping efficient systems and processes.

You will report to the Chief Executive and work with a six-person staff team, ensuring policy and procedure alignment, staff wellbeing, and effective data management.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years' experience in a similar role, ideally within the charity sector.
• Extremely organized with high levels of accuracy and record keeping.
• Excellent written, interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent project management with the ability to manage your own workload.
• Good financial literacy, with a working knowledge of budgets and finance systems.
• Experience supporting charity Boards and working with trustees, preparing papers, accurate minute taking.
• Experience of leading recruitment processes including creating job packs, promotion, shortlisting and communications.
• Experience of drafting, reviewing and implementing organizational HR policy and procedures (HR expertise is provided by an external provider).
• Basic training in risk management with experience of writing and implementing risk assessments.
• Good understanding of health and safety requirements, safeguarding knowledge.
• Experience negotiating with and supervising third-party suppliers and contracts.
• Excellent IT skills with Microsoft Office to a high level and support others to do so.
• Experience in CRM management, preferably Salesforce, and data reporting.
• Commitment to SMK’s mission, values and strategy Change is Possible.
• Background and/or interest in campaigning and social change.
• Experience of accountancy software, preferably Quickbooks.
• Experience of working in a small hybrid organization.

Responsibilities

• Organise SMK’s board meetings, minutes and paperwork; ensure follow-up actions.
• Maintain HR records, contracts and job descriptions.
• Support recruitment, induction and staff development per SMK policies.
• Manage leave via Breathe HR and monitor wellbeing.
• Oversee annual Team Away days and strategic planning sessions.
• Ensure compliance with regulators, GDPR and health & safety practices.
• Support IT, information management and CRM systems.
• Assist with finance tasks including bookkeeping and audits.

Skills

Organization

Project management

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Financial literacy

HR policy knowledge

Data analysis

CRM data handling

IT proficiency

Tools

Salesforce

Breathe HR

QuickBooks

Microsoft Office

Job description

This is a fixed-term role from September 2026 to July 2027, working term-time only. Hours are 18 per week, (see job pack for working pattern details), with 7 weeks unpaid during school holidays (3 half-terms, plus 2 weeks each at Christmas and Easter). We welcome applications from all candidates, including those looking to balance work with any caring or personal commitments.

The Sheila McKechnie Foundation (SMK) supports people and organisations working to create lasting social and environmental change. We help campaigners develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to run effective campaigns, while championing the right to campaign and connecting changemakers across the UK.

As Operations and Systems Manager, you will ensure SMK’s operations are well managed and that the team have the technology, systems and policies needed to run smoothly. You will take the initiative and hold responsibility for managing projects to improve systems and working practices and provide the administrative and training support needed to enable staff to implement these.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, you will work across the SMK staff team of six, the board members, suppliers and occasionally our training associates maintaining great working relationships and clear lines of communication. In this internally facing role, you will play a key part in shaping the culture at SMK and in creating an environment in which the staff team can work productively and in line with our values.

Governance

• Organise SMK’s board meetings, sub committees and strategy days, ensuring all necessary paperwork, including the CEO and Staff Report, is prepared and circulated on time.
• Take clear and concise minutes at board meetings and ensure agreed actions are followed up.
• Support the CEO and Board in ensuring complete and timely reporting to regulators such as HMRC, the Charity Commission, and Companies House.
• Keep up-to-date information on Trustees and Patrons including monitoring the conflicts of interest register.
• Support the induction and exit process for trustees and manage any Board development requirements.

Human Resources

• Ensure all current and ex staff records are up to date and stored appropriately including contracts and job descriptions.
• Support line managers by ensuring that recruitment, induction, employee development and performance management are carried out in line with SMK policies and procedures.
• Regularly review and update HR policies such as the SMK handbook, in collaboration with our external HR support, and be a point of contact for the team to raise any queries or concerns.
• Manage the Breathe HR system for all types of leave. Monitor team’s absences and be a point of contact for team wellbeing.
• Oversee the organisation of the annual Team Away days and any other team strategic planning days.

Compliance and Risk

• Ensure SMK operates in line with legal and regulatory requirements, seeking external expert support where necessary.
• Work with SMK’s CEO to ensure policies and procedures are reviewed on a regular basis.
• Work with the CEO to ensure SMK is compliant with health and safety practices, GDPR, safeguarding and stays up to date with changing regulation.
• Ensure SMK’s insurance is up-to-date and covers the correct requirements.
• Maintain awareness of risks and changes in the external environment that may affect SMK, managing a risk register to capture the risks and actions to be taken to mitigate them.
• Support staff across the organisation to complete risk assessments where necessary and take responsibility for signing these off in line with our policies.

Office Admin

• Be the first point of contact with the office landlord.
• Look after the photocopier, stationary and other office requirements.
• Be responsible for incoming / outgoing post (when in the office).
• Book meeting rooms and desks for team meetings on Mondays.

IT and Information Management

• Manage the relationship with SMK’s IT service providers.
• Support the team with IT requirements.
• Implement the IT and Cyber Security policy and regularly review and update, providing/signposting staff training where necessary.
• Take a broad overview of systems within SMK, reviewing them and ensuring that they are fit for purpose, including the CRM.
• Lead on ensuring SMK’s digital and offline files are up to date, organised, and stored correctly on SharePoint.

Finance

• Support CEO in liaising with SMK’s accountants, with day-to-day bookkeeping and account management
• Collect and file monthly Credit Card receipts and invoices and share with SMK’s accountants.
• Ensure finance policy and procedures are up to date and answer finance-related queries from the team as required.
• Complete and manage client supplier forms.
• Track the progress of the annual audit and coordinate with the appointed auditors and external accountant.

About you

Having worked in a similar role, you’ll display a proven ability to create, implement or update systems that will increase the organization’s operational efficiency. You are organized and methodical, with an excellent eye for detail and an understanding of bigger picture joined-up systems. You are able to manage and prioritize a busy and diverse workload, with support from your line manager. You’re responsive, approachable, and will have a solid overall understanding of how organizations work at every level.

You are able to operate in a small interdependent team in the heart of the campaigning community where relationships based on trust.

Person Specification

We're committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can reach their full potential. We welcome applications from people in underrepresented groups. To ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes, where needed we will make reasonable adjustments to accommodate our candidates.

Please read more here about our commitment to solidarity, equality, diversity and inclusion on our website.

Experience.

We’re interested in experience that’s both job-related or gained through other areas of your life

• A minimum of 2 years’ experience in a similar role, ideally within the charity sector.
• Extremely organized, with high levels of accuracy and attention to detail demonstrated by excellent record keeping and information management skills.
• Excellent written, interpersonal and communication skills
• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to manage your own workload effectively, maintain flexibility and take the initiative when required.
• Good financial literacy, with a working knowledge of budgets and finance systems.
• Experience of supporting charity Boards and working with trustees, preparing papers, accurate minute taking, overseeing action logs and responding to enquiries. And a working knowledge of charity governance requirements and reporting.
• Experience of leading recruitment processes including creating job packs, promotion, shortlisting and communications to applicants throughout the cycle.
• Experience of drafting, reviewing and implementing organizational HR policy and procedures (HR expertise is provided by an external provider) and working with HR systems (we use Breathe HR)
• Basic training in risk management with experience of writing and implementing risk assessments.
• Good understanding of organizational health and safety requirements, including safeguarding and the knowledge and confidence of how to seek further advice and information when required.
• Experience of negotiating with and supervising third-party suppliers and contracts.
• Excellent IT skills with ability to use Microsoft Office to a high level and support others to do so.
• Experience of general administrative support including logistics, travel and events.
• Experience in CRM database management, preferably Salesforce, and a proven ability to handle and analyze data, and produce reports.
• A commitment to SMK’s mission, values and strategic objectives outlined in our strategy Change is Possible.

• Background and/or interest in campaigning and social change
• Experience of accountancy software, preferably Quickbooks
• Experience of working in a small hybrid organization